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11 Nov 2011
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Home Landscaping that Best Work for You


Home landscaping is no different than other kinds of landscape in that you are working hard to make the area around you look great. You put just as much effort and planning into it. Here are some suggestions for your home landscaping ideas.

Research home landscaping ideas online

There are products that can help you to find the best home landscaping idea for your home. There is even home landscaping software. These programs can be a great help to you as you are trying to figure out what will suit your home and yard the best. With these types of programs you will get to see a few different layouts which will help you to narrow down your choices.

If home landscaping software programs are not for you, then you can try looking online for some great home landscaping ideas. The internet is full of great sites that you can use to get everything done the right way. It is important to do plenty of research before you start your own home landscaping so that you keep the number of mistakes made down to a minimum. If you do make a boo-boo, don’t worry about it, anything can be fixed.

Choose the landscaping company that will do the best work for you.

 

Picking your landscaping company shouldn’t be a random choice. Whether your job is big or small, it is important to find a trustworthy and reliable company that will leave your landscaping looking great. Finding a company with experience and rive is important. It is best to find a company that knows what they are doing and are commuted to doing their best.

You’re checking up should not end there however. You still need to find out just how well run landscaping companies they are. Look at it this way: most landscaping companies are small business and they only have a few people working there. The owners have to do the bulk of the work on their own. That is why they are not always as reliable as they should be. Like other contractors they have a lot on their plate and they can at times get overwhelmed and not show up for a job when they were supposed to. While I do not excuse it I can understand it. They have a lot of people demanding certain things from them. The owners of the landscaping company will generally have to do all of the free estimates themselves, take the appointments, get to the appointments, do the books and then does the actual landscaping company work. Wow, that is enough to run anyone into the ground. That is why you should find out how many clients a potential landscaping company has at the time you are going to hire them. If they sound as if they will be too busy then you might want to choose another landscaping company, one that will have the time that you need. You need to choose a landscaping company that will be dedicated to the work that you are getting done, you are paying for a service and you deserve for it to be as good as it can be.

 

Before you start your home landscaping, you will need to look into any gas lines and electrical lines that may be running through your yard. This is very important if you are planning to be doing a lot of digging. You cannot afford to hit any of these things, not only can it cost you a bundle to fix; it can also be very dangerous. Hitting an electrical line with a metal shovel can be fatal. You will also need to find out about zoning restrictions that could affect your home landscaping. In some places you cannot have trees too high and even some fences are not allowed. Find out these kinds of things before you start your home landscaping work and you could save a lot of time and money.

Need more assistance in your home landscaping needs? Contact us at 805-773-5395 or 

04 Nov 2011
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Best Decorative Landscaping Ideas for your Garden

 

There are many reasons exist why you should incorporate decorative landscaping ideas to your gardening. The main one however is for beauty, pure aesthetic beauty. For any decorative landscaping designs to look perfect it must have layer which is a tough thing to achieve without the use of it.

Decorative Landscaping Ideas

What is landscaping stones?

Landscaping stones are not the only way to give your yard depth but they’re the easiest way. You could attempt to alter the slop of the yard. You could dig lower sports and make up higher ones but this might take forever and you would have to know a lot about landscaping to try and tackle employment like this. Just think of the problem you could get into using the drainage issues if you were to get it wrong! No, it is much easier to simply use landscaping stones to bring some depth for your yard.

You should use landscaping stones to accent certain servings of your yard; you can even plant some plants in these landscaping stones. They look great round the patio and the fence and you will even get colored one to create more color to your yard. This sort of color is especially nice to possess in the winter months when everything is so bare and cold looking. The fact of the matter is you can transform the entire look of your yard using the simple use of landscaping stones. They are like jewelry just for the yard.

There are many different types of landscaping stones and they come in all shapes and sized. The landscaping stones that are best for you are determined by the result that you are attempting to create together with your yard. And various parts of the yard may need different sized landscaping stones. You can get a wide variety of colors and perhaps you may want to mix a couple of colors together to produce a whole new and interesting look.
If you are planning to overhaul your yard this year you will want to start looking into using landscaping stones in your design. These will bring the whole yard together and if they are used right will add balance and harmony to your entire garden.

What is landscaping rock?

Landscaping rock can come in a couple of different forms. There are many colors, sizes and types of landscaping rock
available and different ones will yield different looks in your design. You can use landscaping rock to add some depth and texture to your landscaping design.

To keep it from looking haphazard or like you are trying to cover something up, fully integrate landscaping rock into your yard and the design. Place them thoughtfully in areas that do not take away from the rest of the design. If you were to just put your landscaping rock here and there you will be doing nothing for the yard and your yard will look unbalanced. Instead of using rocks as an afterthought, carefully plan where they will be placed.

Make sure to bury your rock so that it doesn’t look randomly placed. By burying it, it will look more natural and add to your yard.

How far should you bury your rock in the ground? The depth will all depend upon the landscaping rock that you finally choose from your yard. If you choose a very large landscaping rock then it should be deeper than a smaller landscaping rock. Four to six inches is a good depth for your landscaping rock to be buried.

It is easy to bury your landscaping rock. Just dig a spot about the size of your landscaping rock and place the rock into it. You can then just tuck some dirt into the spot around the rock and then you are done.

Think about it, this is what rocks and boulders look like when you see them out in nature. The next time that you are out taking a walk or you are hiking keep an eye out for any large rocks, look at how they sit in the dirt and then try to get the landscaping rock in your yard to look just as natural.

You will find landscaping stones and rocks at your local gardening center as well as some home building stores. Look around and discover different decorative landscaping ideas that may fit your home as well as your needs best prior to you making an order.

Interested for more decorative landscaping ideas? Contact 805-773-5395 to schedule an appointment or
submit a question

28 Oct 2011
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Flowers: How to Care for Them?

 Dealing with Rose Diseases

When watching for rose diseases, look for these issues:

  1. Flowers that don’t open or are deformed when they open.

If your flowers are not opening, or aren’t looking quite right when they do, it could be due to Thrips.  Thrips are thin, brownish yellow bugs with fringed wings that suck juices from flower buds. Cut and discard the infested flowers. Orthene and malathion may also treat this problem.

  1. Leaves with black spots on them.

Black spots appear with fringed edges on leaves and can cause them to yellow. Remove the infected foliage and pick up any fallen leaves around the flowers. Artificial sprays may be used to prevent or treat this kind of rose disease.

  1. Stunted or malformed young canes

Known as powdery mildew, this is a fungal disease that covers leaves, stems and buds with wind spread white powder. It makes the leaves curl and turn purple. Spray with Funginex or Benomyl to treat this fungal disease.

  1. Flowers andleaves that don’t form correctly or fully.

Spider Mites are small yellow, red or green spiders that live on the underside of leaves and feed off of them. The application of Orthene or Isotox may help in treating this infestation.

  1. Blistered underside of leaves

Known as rust, this disease is characterized by orange-red blisters that turn black in fall. It can survive the winter and will then attack new sprouts in the spring. Collect and discard leaves that are infected in fall. A Benomyl or Funginex spray every 7-10 days may help.

  1. Weak and mottled leaves with tiny white webs under them

This is caused by aphids. They are small soft-bodied insects that usually brown, green or red. Often clustered under leaves and flower buds, they suck plant juices from tender buds. Malathion or diazinon spray may help roses to survive these bugs. Remember that roses are hungry feeders that require much fertilizer to become healthy bushes.

How to Care for Tulips

Tulips are flowers that enjoy cold weather, but that doesn’t mean you can’t grow them in California! If you want to enjoy these beautiful flowers in the spring, you’ll need to get started sometime in November. We will show you the right way to care for your tulips so you can enjoy a colorful spring flowerbed.

  1. Faking Cold Weather

In Zones 8 through 11, the ground doesn’t often get cold enough for tulips to grow. These bulbs like at least six weeks of soil temperatures below 45 degrees, otherwise they’ll stay dormant. If your soil temperatures don’t drop that low, the best thing to do is dig up your tulip bulbs in November and store them in the refrigerator. Keep them in the veggie crisper, and pack peat moss around the bulbs to draw away excess moisture and keep the bulbs healthy.

  1. Planting Your Tulip Bulbs

In January, you can take your tulip bulbs out of the refrigerator and plant them in your garden. Avoid planting your bulbs in areas that are too shady or a spot that is too close to your home. While it won’t hurt the bulbs, shady areas stay cool, which will make your tulips bloom later, while a warm spot next to your home will make the tulips bloom too early. Make sure the flower bed you’re going to plant them in is well drained. Bulbs, including tulips, are prone to rotting if the soil is always soaked. If your soil is hard or has lots of heavy clay, use compost or peat moss to soften it. Tulip bulbs should be planted approximately seven inches deep, with the pointed ends facing upward. Space the bulbs so that they’re four inches or more apart. Water the bulbs once you’ve planted them, but avoid topping them with mulch until the shoots are two or three inches high. Mulch will trap water, and could cause the bulbs to rot. Once you’ve planted the tulips, you’re ready to sit back and enjoy the show! Remember to remove blooms as they fade to promote healthy growth, and when the foliage turns yellow, you’re free to cut it away. In November, you can come back and dig up the bulbs to get ready for the next year.

Interested for more tips on how to care for your flowers? Don’t hesitate to contact us at 805-773-5395 or 

 

21 Oct 2011
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Factors to Consider in Building your Ideal Garden

 

Factors to Consider in Building your Ideal Garden

Building your Ideal Garden

Selecting the location of your ideal garden in your yard is among the more essential items to decide. You need to select a location which will offer an ideal climate for those plants inside your garden. I’m not sure which kind of garden you are coping with and so I can’t provide you with specific advice, but when you perform a Search for that plant you are coping with then you will find an array of sites telling you concerning the perfect conditions because of its growing. Following this, it’s only a matter of locating the most shaded or most sunny place on your lawn.

Obtaining the perfect quantity of shade for the garden could be a difficult endeavor. After you have a fundamental idea for in which you would like your garden, you might like to watch it and record the number of hours it stays in sunlight and just how many it stays in shade. Compare your findings for an online site, and you ought to have the ability to see whether the place you’re considering is perfect or otherwise for planting and beginning a garden in.

Obviously the total amount can change because the seasons change, but this will provide you with a wise decision of the items to essentially expect for that relaxation of the season. If required, later you are able to set up some type of shade to safeguard a garden from getting burning. After you have selected what garden you would like, you will find a number of other factors you have to decide before you decide to really make a start together with your gardening tools. Mainly you have to choose its location. Normally, this is made the decision by a number of factors: The way you will water it, just how much shade it requires, etc. A few of these questions can be quite essential in determining whether a garden lives or dies, so do not take them gently. You have to take each one of these into special consideration.

For those who have a sprinkler system already installed for the grass, then maybe it’s a wise decision to place your garden in the center of your yard. It can get watered simultaneously, and require no work out of your part. But when this does not offer a great place for a garden, then you definitely might finish up watering it by hose or dragging a sprinkler available. Within this situation, just make certain a garden is at the perfect distance for any hose to achieve. Although this may not appear just like a positive thing to base the whole location of the garden on, you will be amazed at how nice it’s to organize in advanced.

Other Factors in Garden Creation

So now you’ve picked out what type of garden you will have, what the location will be, and what kind of fertilizer you need, now is the time to really get started in choosing your garden environment. First you’ll want to choose what your garden barriers will be. What will separate your garden from the rest of the world? Next you’ll want to choose the decorations and support for your plants. Often some kind of metal mesh is necessary to keep your plant standing up. You will also want to choose how much soil and fertilizer to buy, and how to arrange all the plants in your garden.

Choosing a border is actually a fairly important step in getting your garden started. It might not actually affect the well-being of the plants, but having a garden is a fairly aesthetic ordeal for many people anyways. So usually you will want to choose between metal and wood. You can stack up boards around the perimeter of your garden, and give it a rather nice cabin look. If you’re looking for a more modern look, you can obtain some metal lining at your local home improvement store for rather cheap, and installation is medium difficulty. Finding something nice-looking to support your plants can be a little bit more challenging. Sometimes a short metal pole can work well, but often for plants such as tomatoes you will need a wire mesh for it to pull itself up on. You can find these at any gardening store, usually pre-shaped in a sort of cone shape ideal for plants. The plant just grows up through it, and usually it will last until the plant is grown enough to support itself. After that you can take a pair of wire-cutters and just snip it free. Deciding how much soil to buy can be slightly easier. Look up information on your plants and find out the ideal soil depth. Then dig out that much from your garden, take the measurements, and find out the exact amount of cubic feet of soil that you will need. Go to the store and buy it, preferably adding on a few bags just so you can replenish the supply if it compresses or runs out. If you live in an area where the ground is rough, dry, and barren of nutrients, then you might even want to add a few inches of depth to the original recommendation.

Arranging the plants is rather important to the success of your garden. I’m not talking about some kind of feng-shui thing, but depending on your watering, some plants might hog all the water and leave the other plants high and dry. Some plants have longer roots than others, and are more aggressive in the collection of water. If you place one of these plants next to a plant with weaker, shorter roots, it will quickly hijack the water supply for itself, and choke out the other plant.

After you have determined the perfect spot for a garden and whether or not this has the correct quantity of sunlight, and whether you’ll have the ability to easily water it, you are a measure nearer to really achieving your ideal garden. I hope I’ve led you to realize that placement isn’t the only important thing about a garden. There are many other factors that might not seem very significant, but spending a proper amount of time considering them could change the outcome of your garden.

So if you’re working on building your ideal garden, use any reference you can find (the library, the internet, and magazines) to look in to some of the factors I’ve mentioned. Obviously you will find additional factors which I have overlooked here, but mostly you need to have the ability to decide whether where you are is nice, or otherwise according to good sense. Imagine: Basically, if I we’re a plant; would I have the ability to flourish here? If you’re able to honestly answer yes, I think it’s time to go to the local gardening store and purchase the required soil and fertilizer and begin to have some fun!

Looking for more tips and suggestions for your ideal garden? Grab your phone and dial 805-773-5395 or

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07 Oct 2011
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Gardening Equipment Suggestions for you Garden

gardening equipmentLandscaping around your home is very important, but do you have the proper gardening equipment? There are a few basic pieces of landscaping and gardening equipment that you cannot do without. There are other pieces of equipment that are great to have but not necessary. If you are going to be doing besides your regular landscaping chores, then you might want to consider renting some of your gardening equipment or hiring a landscaping company instead of spending too much money on equipment.

If you are planning on doing a lot of work on your yard, then you are going to need to get some irrigation tools. This is important if you are going to be planting some new plants or trees. You need to have all of your living shrubbery and flowers getting the right amount of water at all times. In order to get this system working right you might also want to invest in some landscaping equipment like timers and sprinklers. This way you know that your yard is getting watered when it needs it even when you are not home.

Some popular kinds of landscaping equipment that many people have are things like fertilizer spreaders and other applicators. These are not thought of as landscaping equipment sometimes but that is exactly what they are. Do you have this kind of landscaping equipment? Do you use it? If you do not use these applicators you should start. By using these kinds of things you can make your yard so much healthier. Your lawn will be lush and full and you will not suffer from the weeds.

Modern Gardening Equipment

The types and quality of equipment you use to take care of your plants not only have an effect on your plants’ health, but your own as well.

Here is a review of gardening equipment from the gardening experts themselves.

1. Garden Shredders

JCB SS2400

Received five stars out of five from the gardening equipment reviewers from recommendedbuys.co.uk. It has a 2400 watt motor and comes with a silent gear crushing system. It is one promising tool to improve and hasten your shredding activity.

Ryobi ESR – 2240 Electric Shredder

An easy to assemble garden shredder suitable for prunings up to 40mm. It comes with built-in wheels and a plunger for increased portability.

2. Hedge Trimmer

Bosch AHS42-16 Electric Hedge Trimmer

Received five stars out of five rating from the gardening equipment reviewers from recommendedbuys.co.uk. It has 420 watt output.

3. Cultivators

Mantis Tiller Cultivator

Comes with patented tines to aid in cutting smoothly through hard, compacted soil. It is perfect for preparing vegetable plots, flower beds, etc. It also helps in thatching, aerating and cleaning moss. It also comes with a free border edger.

4. Lawnmowers

Brill 78370 Luxus Push Reel Mower

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars Tools-hills.com customers. It has a large top cover that protects shrubs and overhanging flowers.

American Lawnmower Deluxe Light Reel Mower 1815-16

Received 4.5 stars out of 5 from Epinions.com buyers. A push-mower, it does not cause pollution, but is not suitable for tall grass.

5. Leaf Sweeper

Agri-fab 26 Push Leaf Sweeper

For smaller lawns and is available with 200 liter collector. It also comes with an infinite height adjustment feature.

Gardening equipment is important to any job, if you want to make your yard as great as you can then you need to get the best landscaping equipment. You can find everything that you need for any job online. The internet is hands down the best place to shop for any of your landscaping equipment needs.

Defective tools could cause damage to your plants, but it is worse if they are so uncomfortable to use that they give you blisters or a bad back. To avoid this, look for the gardening equipment that will do the best job for your type of gardening. It must have the right amount of power to be energy efficient while also being able to do the job without causing you any more strain than necessary.

Need more gardening equipment suggestions?  Contact us at 805-773-5395 or 

30 Sep 2011
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How to Do Indoor Gardening

 

Plants are a great way to decorate indoors. If you’re thinking about starting an indoor vegetable garden, you’re probably wondering how much space you will need. The simple answer is that indoor gardening can take up as much or as little area as you like. If you only have a small pot of herbs, a sunny window should work just fine. Larger indoor gardens need room for both plant pots and equipment. You will need to be able to provide plenty of light and humidity for a bountiful indoor garden.

Aside from the aesthetic value plants provide your home with, there are also health benefits – grade school science class tells us that plants cleanse the air through utilizing the carbon dioxide and producing more oxygen. Here is some important information on how to care for your indoor plants to gain the optimum health and aesthetic benefits.

Calculating How Much Room You Need for Indoor Gardening

Making Sure Your Plants Have Enough Light

Most indoor plants need good lighting. You can provide this through natural lighting in the room of your choice or electric lighting. Darker leaved plants usually don’t need as their lighter leaved friends.

For the most part, common herb varieties don’t require as much light as vegetable plants, which is why southern windows work well. Most vegetable plants need as much as 16 hours of full, direct sunlight to be healthy. If your vegetables have access to lots of natural sunlight, a supplemental florescent fixture placed near to the plants should provide enough light. However, if the area you selected doesn’t have much natural sunlight, you will need a lot of vertical space to hang high intensity discharge grow lights. Depending on the rating of your grow lights, they should be mounted anywhere from 1-6 feet above your indoor garden, and you will need enough fixtures to make sure that all of your vegetables receive even lighting.

Here are the varieties of plants (usually those that only require medium to low light) that are known to be suitable for indoor gardening:

1. Creeping Fig
2. Cyclamens
3. Boston ferns
4. African violets
5. Philodendrons

Regulating Humidity for Larger Indoor Gardens

For indoor gardening, humidity is a big issue. The amount of moisture in the air has a direct effect on the growth of the plants. During mornings, you could spray the plants with water for their much-needed moisture. Make sure the leaves don’t get covered in dust.

Humidity isn’t usually a problem unless you have a large indoor garden. For large indoor gardens, plan on designating space for humidification equipment. If you notice that leaf tips are browning, leaves are dropping off, or your plants look wilted, your atmosphere is probably too dry. To fix this problem, you can set out a tray filled with water. Place lava rocks in the water to help the water evaporate more quickly. You can also use a humidifier to help reach the correct humidity levels.

Watering

A common mistake most people make in indoor gardening is they tend to over-water the plants, which may lead to rotting roots. Make sure to research the type of plant you have, because each kind of plant varies on their watering needs.

Fertilization

Just like watering, fertilizing depends on the type of plant. If you have managed to supply your indoor garden with the right amount of light, water and humidity, fertilization may not need much attention. A good indoor fertilizer can be bought from most home depot or hardware stores. Orchids need the special fertilizer available.

Finding Room for an Indoor Garden

Choose good quality and attractive container for your indoor plants. Make sure that the pot is clean before placing your new plant into it to prevent infection and to encourage healthy growth.

If you only want a few small plants like lettuce, carrots, onions, basil or parsley, a shelving unit is the best way to save space. Place the shelving in front of a south-facing window that isn’t shaded by trees, buildings or other obstacles, and you should have enough light for herbs, lettuces and other small vegetables. If you don’t have a window for your shelves, you will need a grow light for each shelf.

Larger plants like tomatoes and peppers – or even small shrubs like blueberries – need to be in pots on either the floor or a low table. For these bigger plants, a south window probably will not be enough light, so make sure you have enough room to hang larger grow light fixtures.

If you are interested for more indoor gardening tips and tricks, contact us today! 805-773-5395.

23 Sep 2011
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Landscaping Plan: How To Properly Fix Your Landscape At Home

If you want beautiful landscaping, then you need to have a good landscaping plan. To be successful, your landscaping plan needs to be well thought while addressing any and all issues that arise. This means taking into consideration the amount of sun each area of the yard will get as well as how much water it will receive and where the water will sit. Another aspect that you need to take into consideration is drainage. Proper irrigation is a must for any successful garden.

Look at your yard and take note of the different aspects that come into play while landscaping. Will you have to level or hill up any areas? Are the angles good or do they need a little help? These kinds of things matter when it comes to your landscaping plan.

Landscaping Plan Guide

Make sure that when you plan your landscaping that you use what is already available to you. All of the best landscaping plans will use the natural beauties that are already a part of any yard. Most yards will have something good about them, so find this and use it to make your landscaping plan work. For example, there may be some gorgeous flowers or trees, or some great rock formations. Why rip these out only to plant another thing? Use what is there and your landscaping plan will look that much more natural and gorgeous every single time.

Another aspect to take into consideration is your budget. You need to know how much you will be able to afford before you go all out designing this amazing, yet landscaping plan. You will probably not be able to afford to change the whole slope of your yard even if you wanted to so try to stay within the scope of your budget.
Make sure that your landscaping plan has taken everything into consideration and then start putting this plan into motion.

What can be made to my yard to prevent it from being dull? What is a landscape that impresses friends and family? The solutions are answered in some helpful tips that will show you how to create a wonderful landscape plan.

landscaping planPrior to starting a landscaping project, you should sketch your proposed designs first. You will also find it easier to change a sketch than you can the yard after you have made the alterations. Try using native plants when landscaping.

When landscaping your garden, it is a good idea to choose shrubs and flowers that are local to your area. Use local plants when fixing your yard. Native varieties require less attention because they are living in their growth. This makes for a low-maintenance component to your landscaping maintenance easier. Your local gardener probably has lots of plants that will thrive in the area that you live.

On your landscaping plan, you must know the difference between perennials and annuals. You also want to know what kind of plants and shrubs work best in certain geographical areas and under certain climates. You must also remember your seasons when planning your landscape layout. It is very important to understand which plants do well during specific seasons to get the best results from your landscaping experience.

A basic landscaping plan tip that everyone should use is to make a list of any needed materials you will need prior to starting on your project. You don’t want to be knee-deep in your landscape project. Only to discover that you’re missing something you have forgotten.

Use granite in your outdoor kitchen equipment. While marble could cost less to you, granite is a more durable and elegant material to use rather than marble. A watering system is always a good investment for your plants. These systems can be easily installed and will allow plants to be watered consistently. This system is efficient too, this is because this system drips as opposed to a stream like in a sprinkler system or hose. Test the pH and composition of your soil before gardening or starting a landscaping project.

landscaping plan

Make your yard look beautiful all year by growing a garden suitable for many seasons. Choose different kinds of plants for different seasons, as well as ones that are local to the area. You might also consider planting unusual trees with interesting foliage or evergreens to keep your yard stand out. Are you planning on selling your home up for sale? Landscaping is a wise investment that offers as much as a 200 percent back of what you put into landscaping when you sell the house.

Focus on the front lawn to create added curb appeal, or define an outdoor living space in your backyard. It is not necessary – or even wise – to try to landscape your entire property all at once. Dividing your landscaping plan into phases will be easier on both you and your budget. It will also benefit you when you’re changing your design while carrying out in the road. Choose the higher quality products over price. In many stores, you will usually find reduced and low-quality products. Go to a store to get quality products and useful advice from qualified workers. It’s worth it to pay more for quality products and advice that truly work.

The tips contained here are a great starting point for any homeowner looking to start their own landscaping project. Whether you want to do something huge or just need to perform a little touch up, with the landscaping information you’ve learned from this article, you are now ready to get started. You can do it!

Need help with your landscaping plan? Contact Evergreen Landscaping today!

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16 Sep 2011
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Dealing with Garden Pests

There’s nothing quite like having your own fruits and vegetables growing in your backyard, but sometimes it can be difficult to make sure that your harvest isn’t stolen by critters out in the wild. It is incredibly frustrating to put hours of work into your garden, only to find unsightly and damaging holes in your plants when you check on them later. These holes are presents left to you by garden pests. Some of the main garden pests are worms, birds, caterpillars, slugs, snails, and sometimes even a gopher. It’s nearly impossible to get rid of all of your garden pests, but left unchecked, they could completely destroy your garden.

There are plenty of different methods you can use to protect your crops, but you’ll have to put a little extra work into your overall garden structure. Once you have everything setup in a secure manner, you won’t have to worry about any critters bothering your crops in the near future. Here are a few options to look at when you want to protect your backyard garden.

What is the best way to keep  garden pests out of the garden?

Use a Fence

This is the most basic form of protection that you can use for your garden. You can find plenty of cheap fence wiring at your local home and garden store, and the process of building a fence is actually much simpler than you might think. It’ll probably take you a few hours on one of your days off to put up the fence, but it will definitely be worth it if you’re having trouble with squirrels, deer, and other animals. You usually don’t need to worry about putting a top on the fence because most critters won’t simply dive in from the trees above.

Get Rid of Possible Living Spaces

Help your garden by removing objects such as weeds, decaying plants, and old leaves that can be home to bugs and diseases that can harm your plants. You can also encourage insects to find new living spaces if you regularly till your garden soil so that any tunnels or dirt clumps are taken care of. By getting rid of possible living spaces, you let your garden claim ‘no vacancy’ to pests that can harm it.

Use Dormant Spray

Another way to rid your garden of the pests is to use dormant spray, which is used to keep destructive insects and diseases under control. It is best that you use dormant spray when your plants are dormant, usually around February or early March. I have used dormant spray many times on my garden and it has worked wonders on keeping insects out. However, make sure that you are correctly following the instructions of any pest killing/repelling sprays, as if you use them haphazardly, you can end up doing damage to your garden.

Use Bird Feeders

The solution for birds is quite different from the approach you needed to take for insects. Rather than encouraging birds away by destroying their homes, you need to offer them a better place to eat and play. This can be offered through bird feeders and baths. This way, the birds have something to eat instead of your garden. Bird feeders will save you money in the long run and help lessen the problems that birds can cause for your garden.

Set Traps

If you start seeing mounds of dirt around your yard, and your plants keep dying, you can assume that you have a gopher problem. Gophers are rodents that are five to fourteen inches long. Their fur can be black, light brown, or white, and they have small tails. One method of getting rid of these root-eating pests is to set traps. The key to successfully capturing a gopher using a trap is to successfully locate the gopher’s tunnels and set the trap correctly. Another way to get rid of them is to use smoke bombs, which you place into the tunnel and the smoke spreads throughout it and hopefully reaches the gopher.

Get an Outdoor Cat

Another method to scare birds away is by employing the use of those who enjoy chasing them, such as cats, dogs, or kids. But keep in mind that cats, dogs, and kids can also cause damage to your garden. Cats are the perfect animal to choose when you need something to protect your garden, and this is especially true if you live in a residential area. Your cat will be happy to chase away any critters out in your yard, and they will also be able to get rid of a mouse problem if you live out in the sticks. Squirrels, chipmunks, and birds will no longer be a problem once you have a cat in the yard.

Don’t Be Afraid to Take Them Out

If you cannot seem to find anything that works in curbing your squirrel problem, then you can’t be afraid to take them out. A simple pellet gun is usually enough to get the job done, but you also need to think about what the neighbors will think. They may get a little nervous if they see you taking out squirrels in the backyard on a regular basis.

If you suspect that your gardens are being pillaged by any of the pests I mentioned, I encourage you to try your hardest to eliminate the problem as soon as possible. The longer you let the species stay, the more established it will become.

If you need help in eliminating garden pests from your backyard , call us at 805-773-5395 or

09 Sep 2011
0 Comments By Evergreen Landscaping Archive

Healthy Hands Start with Gardening Gloves

Types of Gardening Gloves

There are many great benefits when it comes to gardening, however, one of the drawbacks is the heinous amount of damage that gardening can do to your hands. In order to prevent cuts, bruises, sores,  etc. it is important to use gardening gloves.

Like tools, the kind of gardening gloves that you will need depend on your garden and method of gardening. Some gloves protect against chemicals and substances, while certain gloves like leather gloves are not optimal for that particular job. Lots of gardening gloves are made specifically for handling thorns, or filling up gas tanks, while others are for everyday chores like digging and weeding.

When you find the kind of gardening glove that you need,  pick out the perfect fit for your hand. You don’t want to buy gloves that will slip off your hand or leave room for thorns to fall inside, but you also don’t want gloves that are too small and will cause discomfort.If you are not going to wear the proper glove, you may as well not wear a glove at all. Test out gloves by trying the gloves on both hands, making a fist, and imitating the movements you make while gardening.

Choosing the Right Gardening Gloves

Like any other product, gardening gloves come in many different shapes, brands, and level of quality and price. The most popular gardening gloves are made of cotton and cotton-polyester for basic chores. These are great for light chores in cool,dry weather.

Leather gloves will protect your hands more when you are getting into the heavy-duty chores.  Chemical-resistant gloves will protect you from things like  acids, pesticides, oils,  herbicides,  and other dangerous chemicals.You can even find gloves that offer better grip or protection from cuts and scrapes.  Always wear your gardening gloves to protect your hands so that you can continue to grow a beautiful garden.

If you are beginning to garden, then you definitely should purchase a pair of dependable gardening gloves. Gloves protect your hands from things such as thorns, blisters, and cuts while working in the garden. Investing in one or more pairs of quality gloves is a good decision.

Here are some tips on how to choose the pair that will suit you best:
1. If mud bothers you, select rubber gloves with cotton lining.

2. When pruning roses, use gloves that reach up to the arms.

3. Light cotton or even fingerless gloves may be useful for transplanting seedlings. They will allow more dexterity and so help to prevent the tiny roots from being crushed.

4. Look for quality leather gloves with a cloth back; this will let the gloves breathe and keep your hands dry, cool and comfortable.

5. If you usually operate large garden machinery, buy gloves in brown instead of red as the latter may dye your hands.

6. When spraying pesticides or chemicals choose gloves that are made from neoprene. Gloves made from latex or any type of plastic may not offer the best protection.

7. And of course, make sure that the gloves you buy actually fit your hands. If you have small hands, try the children’s gardening section. there’s nothing worse than trying to garden is gloves that are too big.

Your gloves must be comfortable as well as give protection to best serve your gardening needs.

Need help with your gardening efforts? Contact Evergreen Landscaping at 805-773-5395