The Best Kept...Landscape!

A lawn that is well kept throughout the growing season helps increase the value of any home as well as make it more eye-catching to all that pass by.

 
 
The key to an immaculate lawn is consistency, in all aspects, including fertilizing, pest control (weeds and insects) watering, mowing, aerating, and any seeding that is needed.

Many homeowners find the time investment to maintain consistent conditions can be overwhelming. Hiring a professional landscape company can be a good solution.

What you should expect from a professional caring for your lawn:

1. Fertilizers should be used several times throughout the year starting in early spring and ending in late fall.

2. Use pre-emergent herbicides for early weed control and herbicides and insecticides only as needed throughout the year.

3. Mow at the right frequency (based on the height of the grass) with a mulching mower that leaves the clippings on the lawn.

4. Recommendations for aeration, over-seeding and other maintenance services that can work in conjunction with your lawn care program.

5. Provide expert advice on how to maximize the landscape potential of your property on any budget.

Our next blog will have detailed instructions on mowing like a pro!

Need help with your lawn or other landscape projects,

call for a free estimate today!

614-866-0088

Spray Your Trees and Shrubs for Year-Round Beauty!

Horticultural oils (also called dormant oils) were first used as a way to control pests on fruit trees. Growers were looking for a non-insecticide product to use on edible crops. Horticultural oil is a labeled pesticide--different from insecticide--and should always be used according to the instructions. 

  

 Remember, you will be eliminating the "good" bugs as well as the "bad" bugs. So only use when necessary!

So, how do these oils work? Basically, the oil suffocates insects by blocking the spiracles (think respiratory system) through which insects breath. 

It can also disrupt the metabolism of insect eggs, eliminating them before they hatch. The window for application is usually late March through late April just before leaves and flowers show signs of breaking open. 

Dormant oil (heavier concentration of horticultural oil) kills over-wintering insects such as aphids, mites, and scale. However, we can still apply lighter concentrations of horticultural oils after the trees and shrubs have bloomed and leafed out to control pests throughout the growing season.

So, it's not too late to spray your trees and shrubs! 

Need help? Call us today to schedule horticultural spraying. 614-866-0088

www.buckeyelandscape.com

Best Place to Work...The Patio!

Last week I was invited to a large commercial site. As I was parking, I noticed a beautiful pond. The pond was well maintained, was a pleasant color, and had a few trees and other plant material around the edges.

I am thinking, WOW! That looks awesome and really catches the eye. But, who really gets to enjoy this? Seems like it's limited to everyone as they drive in and anyone who has windows on that side of the building.

Admittedly, many ponds on commercial sites are built for functionality (water run off and containment) rather than aesthetics, but, hey, why not have both?

So, because I'm always considering and evaluating how any property can be enhanced, I think "How else would I use this pond?" Well, it just so happens that right inside the building is a small cafeteria area. I had a "ding, ding, ding" moment where I envisioned extending the cafeteria into a patio area. Not just an extension of the cafeteria, but another place to conduct business. In this day of laptops and iPhones, why be stuck in your office?

The options for use of this area are endless: host employee lunch and group meetings, meet with vendors, or close a deal with a client. Everybody loves to be outdoors when the weather is nice and the environment is beautiful. You can use this as a morale builder for employees; better morale leads to better employees; better employees leads to a better environment! And the benefits continue to grow. 

We all gotta work, might as well make it as enjoyable as possible!

Interested in a landscape project at your site? 

Call today for a free estimate! 614-866-0088

Choosing the Right Grass

Ohio is located in zone 6a on the Plant Hardiness Map provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This map enables gardeners to determine what plants (trees, shrubs, grasses, annuals, perennials) will grow in their specific area. Plants are labeled with the specific zones in which they will thrive.

"Cool Season" grasses grow best in Central Ohio. Cool season grasses actively grow in spring and fall when the soil temperature is between 32 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit and include ryegrass, tall fescue, orchardgrass, timothy, and bluegrass.

Today we will talk about Kentucky Bluegrass, one of the most common grasses used in Central Ohio.

Kentucky Bluegrass usually requires about 1" of average rainfall every week during the growing season. Th growing season in Central Ohio is typically April thru October, although this year has been an exception! While the grass will survive without receiving the ideal amount of water, it will begin to go dormant. Dormancy is a natural protective mechanism used by the plant. During dormancy, the grass will start to turn brown. This is usually not a problem, unless the lack of rain exceeds three weeks in length. Then we recommend irrigating to provide at least a minimum amount of water to protect the grass.

Kentucky Bluegrass tends to "green-up" a little later in the spring than other grasses and is frequently mixed with perennial ryegrass to create a lawn that will be attractive throughout the entire growing season.

More to come on perennial rye grass in an upcoming blog.

Need help with seeding, fertilizing,or mowing your lawn? Have other landscape projects that you'd like to complete this year? 

Call us today for your free estimate.

614-866-0088