Daily Tips
Lawn Aeration
July 7th, 2011 by rkbartonHave you ever seen all the holes in a professionally cared for lawn? This is not for fun or because any of those tiny holes add to the lawn’s attractiveness. The lawn has been aerated. There are many reasons why aerating your lawn is better than leaving it to fend for itself. Among these reasons is the basic wish of every homeowner with a yard–a great, healthy lawn.
Lawn aeration also gives your lawn these added benefits:
- Allows the soil to breathe, giving the roots more oxygen
- Loosens the compact soil to provide more space for the root systems to grow
- Breaks up thatch
- The soil is more permeable for water to reach root systems
It is important to make sure you lawn has the best possible opportunity to receive the air, water, nutrients and care it needs throughout this summer in order to ensure that it has a better chance of survival through a cold winter.
How Much Soil Do I Need?
May 10th, 2011 by DerekA lot of bulk products for your landscape, like mulch and soil, are purchased by the yard. But how do you know how much you’ll need? We have this calculator that will tell you how many cubic yards of product you need for your project.
Over spending or under spending is the last thing you want to add to any stress of a landscaping project. Read the rest of this entry »
How much stone do I need?
March 16th, 2011 by Eleanor Carpenter This post is brought to you by our Flagstone and Rock Expert Eleanor Carpenter American Stone 801-262-4300 www.american-stone.com
You may find it confusing to purchase natural stone because it is typically sold by weight rather than square footage. The thickness of the material also varies changing the amounts you need. Here are some simple formulas for the most common stone projects.
When using decorative stone (crushed rock or pebbles) one ton (2000 lbs) will cover approximately 100 sq ft at a depth of 2″. When using material over 1-2″ in size the coverage will be lower. Read the rest of this entry »
Critical Landscape Elements–Temperature Control
March 15th, 2011 by Jeremy Lott This post brought to you by our Landscape Design Expert Jeremy Lott Artisan Landscape Outdoor Living 801-440-2204 www.artisanlol.comSummer is too hot and Winter is too cold! Why can’t it always be Spring or Fall?
I have spent a lot of time helping you to design the perfect environment for you to spend your time outside. One more aspect of comfort and convenience for your Outdoor Rooms is the temperature.
So just how do you control the temperature outside? The answer requires a little bit of creativity.
Misters are great for cooling areas down and for increasing the humidity on the hot, dry, Summer days. Try mounting your misters along the top of the walls or along the bottom edge of the ceiling for your Outdoor Rooms. Read the rest of this entry »
Critical Landscape Elements–Water
February 10th, 2011 by Jeremy Lott This post is brought to you by our Landscape Design Expert Jeremy Lott Artisan Landscape Outdoor Living www.artisanlol.com 801-440-2204The bulk of my post today is from Herman Melville–a quote from Moby Dick and one of the best short essays on man’s affinity to water that I have ever read.
I personally see water as an absolutely critical element of the landscape. I like to use two different metaphors to describe the importance of water. Water is the percussion of your landscape and water is the heart of your landscape. Read the rest of this entry »
Winter Watering
February 10th, 2011 by Kevin O This post is brought to you by our Sprinkler Installation Expert Kevin O’Brien O’Brien Landscaping and Construction www.obrienscape.com 801-891-6761Watering in the winter, yes I know it sounds crazy. But you have to remember we do live in the desert.
Winter watering is usually not needed but we do have weather spells in the winter where there is no snow or rain for a stretch of time.
Even though it is cold, the sun is still beating down on the ground and the wind is blowing drying out your soil and plants.
There is no schedule to follow other than physically watching or better yet touching your soil on during these dry winter spells and using your own judgment.
It is particularly important to watch and water your plants and sod if they were freshly installed in the fall and the roots are not had a change to get established in your soil!
What is Bluestone?
February 10th, 2011 by Eleanor Carpenter This post is brought to you by our Flagstone and Rock Expert Eleanor Carpenter American Stone www.american-stone.com 801-262-4300Have you ever wondered what “Bluestone or Pennsylvania Bluestone” is? It is layered sandstone from the northeastern tier of Pennsylvania, parts of New Jersey and southern New York. While it is most typically blue there are also other colors and hues. Our quarry is in New York just across the border from Pennsylvania and the stone we quarry is called New York full color, due to the wide range of colors in the stone. The stone is composed of sand, feldspar and mica. It is a strong, beautiful stone used in patios, walkways, stairs and many other architectural building applications. It is used both indoors and outside for wall stone, decorative boulders, natural steps and other landscape features.
Plants – Natures Filtration System
February 10th, 2011 by James Harris This post brought to you by our Water Fountain Expert James Harris Aquafect www.aquafect.com 801-870-6095So I know it is the middle of winter and the last thing you are probably thinking about is working on your backyard pond. While this time of year is not a practical time for working in your water garden it is a perfect time to continue educating yourself on how to make your water garden great. Something you might consider looking into is how the right plant life can beautify and enhance your water garden.
Plants are amazing. Not only can they make your pond look more natural but they are truly nature’s filtration system. Natural ponds are usually surrounded by wet meadows, marshes, or swamps. These wetlands help clean and filter the water passing through them by absorbing silt, bacteria, and other pollutants.
Now different types of water gardens or ponds need different types of plants so don’t make the mistake of just going out and finding a water lily you like and sticking it in your pond. Do a little research into what will work best for your setup. Most plant nurseries will either have the different kinds of water plants you need or be able to tell you where to get them. Doing a little reading on your own and talking to a professional will make all the difference in making the right selection.
Waterproofing Your Basement Floor
February 10th, 2011 by Bruce Bigford This post brought to you by our concrete application expert Bruce Bigford Bigford and Associates 801-860-2356Waterproofing your basement is an absolute must if you have one today. Climates and weather conditions makes it a necessary part of any remodeling you make to your basement. If you are renovating your home at any time and are going to redo the basement so you can use the extra space in your home, waterproofing is an absolute necessity. There are various ways to water proof your basement but one of the least expensive ways is to use epoxy paint.
Epoxy is a thermosetting epoxide polymer that is also known as polyepoxide. It can be used in many forms including adhesive, paint and hardeners around the home. All forms tend to have different properties because it is a multipurpose chemical in its original resin form. However, in the case of epoxy basement floor paint it has specific qualities that enable it to serve its purpose. Read the rest of this entry »
Watering New Lawn
February 10th, 2011 by Randy Marble This post brought to you by our Lawn Expert Randy Marble Chanshare Farms 1-800-SOD-EASY www.chanshare.comThis may come as a shocker but turfgrass requires water to grow. Your new lawn’s best friend is water. New sod should be kept moist for approximately two weeks. This moisture will allow the roots to grow down into the soil. Do not leave the sod soaking in water. This will reduce root growth. The number of times that water needs to be applied will depend on temperature, wind, reflected heat and other factors.
Begin watering the new turfgrass while the sod is being installed. Apply around one inch of water so that the soil beneath the turf is saturated. Ideally, the soil six to eight inches beneath the surface should be kept moist.
Pull back a corner of the turf and push a screwdriver or other sharp tool into the soil. The tool should penetrate easily into the moist soil and should be moist in the top six to eight inches. If not, more water is needed.
