Now is a great time to plant ornamental trees in your yard. Planting ornamental trees is a great way to spruce up the look of your lawn! They are available in all shapes and sizes. The purpose of ornamental trees is to be a decorative focal point in your landscape. Many feature beautiful flowers, textured foliage, fruit, or wonderful scents.
There are many options of ornamental trees that you can plant in the Upstate. This month, on our Facebook page, we featured a different type of ornamental tree every Tuesday. Below, you will find every ornamental tree that we featured this month, all in one place! When you come across plants that say they have been pre-treated with pesticides, you’d probably think that it’s a good thing. However, this is not always the case. As the daughter of a beekeeper, I have learned how some pesticides can cause more harm than good. Specifically, I am referring to Neonicotinoids. Plants treated with Neonicotinoids are found in most chain home improvement stores. The use of Neonicotinoids is boasted to help prevent harm from flies, beetles, wood boring pests, mealy bugs, and aphids. What they don’t tell you is all the harm this pesticide causes honeybees and other pollinators who do good for the environment.
Neonicotinoids are so harmful that the European Union placed a partial ban on the pesticide in 2013. Just a few weeks ago, they voted in favor of a complete ban. Meanwhile, in the United States, use of Neonicotinoids is still allowed and causing the decline of honeybees. However, at the beginning of 2018 some states such as Maryland and Connecticut have begun taking steps to ban the sale of products containing the pesticide.
Because this information has been brought to light in recent years, Home Depot has vowed to remove all plants treated with Neonicotinoids by the end of 2018 and Lowe’s has followed suit pledging to do the same by the end of 2019. Remember, when you are searching for flowers for your yard or maybe even plants for you garden, make sure you read the label. If a plant has been treated with Neonicotinoids, don’t buy it. Maybe even let the store manager know that you would like to see the removal of plants treated with Neonicotinoids. The world can’t afford to lose any more bees and other pollinators!
By: Hannah Raines Copyright ALL Outdoors 2018 Summer is right around the corner, are you ready? And more importantly, is your lawn ready?
Before the weather gets too warm, it is important to make sure that your lawn is cleared of thatch. If the thatch build-up is too much, it can be blocking sunlight and can prevent water reaching the roots of your grass. Just make sure that you don’t wait too long to dethatch. If you try to dethatch in the heat of the summer, you can cause stress to your grass and cause damage. (For more information, check out our previous blog post about dethatching.) Fertilization is also an important step to keep your lawn healthy. Applying fertilizer supplements nutrients in the soil and keeps your grass growing healthy and thick. Spring is a good time to fertilize your yard and should take place before 30 days before the highest summer temperatures. Next, make sure that your lawn is mowed regularly. Mowing keeps your grass healthy and growing strong. However, be careful that you don’t cut away too much grass. No more than 1/3 of the length of the grass blade should be cut at a time. It is also important in the hot summer months that you leave your grass blades a little bit longer. Keeping your grass slightly longer helps protect the grass roots and conserves moisture in the soil. Mowing every other week is fine, but if you are watering and fertilizing your lawn then you should be mowing weekly. Watering correctly is extremely important in the summer months. The summer heat can dry out your lawn if you aren’t careful. Make sure that you are watering less often, with more water, rather than less water, more often. This creates a deep root system for your lawn. Watering everyday is not recommended because you will create a shallow root system. Also, make sure that you don’t water in the heat of the day. The water will just evaporate instead of being absorbed. Watering early in the morning or later in the evening are the best times to ensure your lawn is watered correctly. These are just a few tips to get you started preparing for the summer months! If you have any questions or concerns about your lawn, drop us a comment, send us a message, or give us a call. We will be happy to answer any of your questions! By: Hannah Raines Copyright ALL Outdoors 2018 Pavers can be found in many yards. They make a great addition to any front or back yard. They last longer than poured concrete slabs and can be repaired easily if a paver breaks or cracks. Pavers are used to create pathways, patio spaces, or stepping-stones. The most important part of paver installation is the foundation you choose before laying the pavers. Below, you will find options of foundations. Typically, pavers are laid on foundations like sand, soil, and crushed stone. Many people lay pavers in compacted soil. This can be done, but works best when you are only using the pavers for one season. The soil makes it very easy for the pavers to be removed and changed, which is great if you love changing up your paver patterns. Soil should be free of grass and weeds and very well compacted. Other wise, your pavers may settle lower during a rainstorm. Sand can be used as a foundation to create a cushioned base for pavers. However, the sand must be well compacted. Sand works best for pavers that may not be used extremely frequently. Otherwise, the pavers may settle into the sand and shift often. The finer the sand, the more movement there will be of the pavers. Crushed stone is another option. It is a very sturdy base for pavers. It is a great option for pavers that will be used and walked on frequently. You can even purchase crushed stone that is made specifically for paver foundations. One of the best foundations may come from a combination of two materials: sand and crushed stone. Crushed stone makes a very stable base for any type of pavers. Sand creates even more stabilization. Crushed stone should be the base, then the pavers laid, and a level of sand on top to fill in any empty spaces. This creates a smoother look for the pavers, too. The sand and crushed stone combination is the process that ALL Outdoors uses. We look forward to helping you design and install your paver patio dream. Call us today to set up a time to meet and design your dreams! By: Hannah Raines
Copyright ALL Outdoors 2018 In order to keep a healthy lawn, it is important to make sure that you are mowing your lawn correctly. There are certain times that you should be cutting grass to ensure that your lawn will continue to grow and remain healthy. A common misconception is that if you cut your grass super short, it will save you time in the long run. Some believe that by cutting it short, it will take longer to grow back and will save you time by not having to cut as often. This is not the case. By cutting your grass too short, you are stressing your lawn and exposing your grass to damage. If the grass is too short, the ground is exposed and the sun can dry out the soil. This then dehydrates your lawn and can create patchy, discolored spots where the grass is most dehydrated. Cutting your lawn too short also can create a perfect spot for weeds to begin growing. Cutting your grass too short causes many problems in the long run. On the other hand, letting your grass grow too long is also a problem. If grass is left to grow and isn’t cut properly, the overgrown grass will block the sun from reaching the soil and roots. This creates the perfect breeding ground for harmful insects and other creatures to move in on your yard. Not to mention, when there is more grass to cut, there are more grass clippings to rake up. Leaving your grass long creates more work for you in the long run. Generally, when mowing your lawn, you shouldn’t cut more than one-third of the grass blade length. Cutting off more than one-third at a time can cause the grass roots from growing and require frequent watering during summer months to keep the grass alive. Below, you will find a chart of recommended heights of grasses in South Carolina from Clemson Cooperative Extension. As always, we are here to help you. If you have any questions or concerns about your lawn, drop us a comment, send us a message, or give us a call. We will be happy to answer any of your questions!
By: Hannah Raines Copyright ALL Outdoors 2018 |
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We proudly service Greenville, Greer, Taylors, Mauldin, Simpsonville, Five Forks, and surrounding Upstate cities in South Carolina for lawn care and landscaping services. Call us today at 864.275.2039 to see why we are the premier lawn and landscape company of the Upstate. |
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