Monday, October 3, 2016

The Proper Branch Shape and Angle for Trimming



When you're inspecting a tree to decide if it needs trimming or not, you need to examine the individual branches. The shape and angle of the branches is the most important part of this process. The following tips can help you master tree trimming to create beautiful trees that don't threaten the safety of people in your yard.

The Right Angle

Tree branches that have a u-shaped angle from your tree are strong and healthy. They likely have very little damage and are more than capable of withstanding wind storms and even the pressure of winter snow.
The width of the branch is also important. Any lateral branch should be about one-half to three-quarters the diameter of the trunk where it is attached. If it is narrower than that, it might be sickly or prone to damage. In that instance, it must be removed.

The “Danger” Angle

If your tree branches are sagging to the point where they make a v-shape with the trunk, they must be removed as quickly as possible. For whatever reason, their strength has been compromised and they are likely ready to collapse.
This is true even of branches that have the above-mentioned diameter size. In fact, branches of these sizes that are sagging that much should be removed immediately, as they pose a higher risk of serious injury.

If you have some branches that look healthy, but which you are worried might break, please contact your local arborist and ask about pruning in Alexandria VA today. They can inspect your trees and make sure they are safe.

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Moving Out

I recently moved out of my parents home and got my own place. Since I was the last sibling still living at home, I was responsible for mowing the lawn and general yard work. While I was glad to move out, my siblings and I worried about the lawn care. My dad kept insisting that he would handle it and mow the lawn himself but the thought of that made my siblings and I nervous. We ended up reaching out to a local Jenks OK lawn care service and decided to hire them. They have been working on our lawn for a couple months and have done fantastic service. If anyone is in the same situation as me or is just sick or taking care of their lawn themselves, I highly recommend Lawn America!

Watering your Lawn

As summer comes to an end and we start to shift our attention towards Fall and Winter, we need to think about our lawn. Chances are throughout the last couple months, your lawn has been on a regular schedule of being watered twice a week. However, as the temperature starts to cool down, we need to adjust our watering schedule accordingly.

Growing season is ending which means your grass does not need as much water. While it is still recommended to water twice a week at the beginning of the fall when temperatures are still warm, you should switch to only watering once a week when it is cooler outside. Another reason this is important is due to how quickly the water evaporates. Since it is cooler outside, the water will not evaporate as quickly, so continuing to water just as much during the summer may be harmful to your grass.

If you have any questions about watering your grass such as when to switch to once a week, ask a Charlotte NC lawn care professional.

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Upgrading my Golf Course

This summer was the driest summer that Massachusetts has ever witnessed. Being the owner of a golf course in MA, this hit me especially hard. While I always have to water the course regularly, I can usually rely to mother nature to do some of the work. This summer that certainly wasn't the case.

After multiple complaints from customers as well as multiple repairs to my sprinklers and irrigation, it became apparent that my current irrigation system couldn't handle the burden of the summer. After doing some research, I finally decided on a local Hamilton MA irrigation systems company to improve my system. Thankfully, my new system keeps my course looking green and healthy. I can now go into future summers with the peace of mind of knowing my new system is reliable. 

Lighting your Yard

Landscape lighting can be surprisingly difficult to get perfect. There are a lot of decisions that go into properly lighting your yard.

One of the most important questions you need to answer and what problem are you trying to solve by adding lights. Some popular reasons are for security, to showcase a feature of your yard, or simply to have more light while relaxing outside on a patio.

After you've figured out specifically why you want outdoor lights, the next task is to research and figure out what types of lights will help you achieve this goal. If you want more lighting while you sit outside but don't want it to be overpowering, consider placing lights under surrounding shrubs or bushes.If you want to highlight a feature in your yard, a few low intensity lights surrounding the object will light it up without creative ugly shadows.

If you aren't sure of the best way to illuminate your landscaping or have any questions, ask a professional in landscaping design in Bradenton FL.

Landscape Ideas for your Small Yard

Many people think that it's impossible to have elegant landscaping with a small yard. However, this isn't the case. No matter if you live in a townhouse, or your house is close the street, or any reason why your yard isn't as large as you'd like, the trick to landscaping is to get creative. Thankfully, a Burke VA landscape design professional has provided some tips for making the most out of the limited space in your yard.
  • Vertical Garden: Hang tin cans from your home and get creative with a vertical cinder block garden to minimize the horizontal space you use. 
  • Indoor Herbs: Grow herbs in mason jars. You can even grow them in your kitchen as long as they receive around 5 to 6 hours of sunlight a day. 
  • Inside Views: When planning where to grow or place plants, take into account the views from inside your home. Strategically plant places that are visible from your windows.

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Cleaning your Lawn Mower in Preparation for Winter

Taking your lawn mower out for the first time in the spring only to have it not work is incredibly frustrating. One thing you can do to limit the chance of this happening is to properly clean your mower before storing it over the winter. Professionals in lawn mowing in Hyattsville MD have provided steps you should take to make sure your mower is properly cleaned and ready to be stored for winter.

  • Remove the spark plug
  • Hose down to the mower to remove any debris or grass. Make sure you spray the mower deck and the blades, as these are common places for grass to build up.
  • Use a stick or tool to scrape around the blades and the inside of your mower to clear out any grass that is still stuck.
  • Wipe your mower with cloths to make sure all debris is removed and the mower is clean