![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/pushing-a-lawnmower.jpg\")
One of the biggest hurdles for people who choose landscaping as their small business is the feast or famine aspect. Revenue peaks and valleys are a real issue. Not only for lawn mowing services but for any business that has ups and downs in cash flow during the year. As business owners, we can view […]
\n","content":"One of the biggest hurdles for people who choose landscaping as their small business is the feast or famine aspect. Revenue peaks and valleys are a real issue. Not only for lawn mowing services but for any business that has ups and downs in cash flow during the year.
\nAs business owners, we can view these issues as problems or challenges. A problem is something we complain about. A challenge is something we are more likely to take personally and overcome.
\nSo let’s look at some ways landscapers, in particular, can battle the slow months of the year when the grass is not growing.
\nTake time to talk to your customers, then listen. It’s easy to get in a hurry when you have 32 acres to mow before the days end. But you will leave money on the table if you fail to connect to the good people who pay you regularly. A five-minute conversation could turn into a request for a retaining wall estimate. Or they may mention that their neighbor is looking into a water pond.
\nTalking with customers naturally results in more work. Maybe not immediately, but it could materialize in the dead of winter when you need extra work.
\nServices like lawn care, house painting, and even garbage collection are going high-tech. We may never see a weed-whacking robot on every lawn, but as the owner of a service-based business, technology should be your friend.
\nThere are apps designed to connect service providers with customers. So it’s a no-brainer to get onboard with a company looking to find customers for you. For example, these tech companies know how to find customers who need interior painting in the cold of winter. That’s a big help to a painting crew wanting to stay busy… and warm!
\nOften the best solution to a problem is the simplest solution. If your lawn business is slow from December through February, you need to pay attention to what services people are using in those months.
\nBy watching how folks are spending their money in your slower season, you’ll find ways to offer those services as well. It’s not a guessing game as to what sells when you physically see the same services being performed over and over.
\nUsing social media to promote your small business is smart. And it’s easy to post projects in the busy season. After all, you have something to “talk” about and show off.
\nDon’t forget to be sociable during the slower season though. Facebook conversations can lead to similar results as chatting with your customers face to face.
\nHow climbing ladders is one of the top ways to get sent to the ER… then mention your new Christmas lights installation service.
\nPut up a post about how clogged gutters can rot parts of a house. November is the prime time people search for “gutter clean,” according to Google Trends.
\nUse news items that are trending on your Facebook feed. Connect your services and advice to a local or national news story.
\nDuring the slower months of the year, you may have to round up some new customers to add to your base. One easy way to do that is to offer a tiny service for a very reasonable price.
\nLandscapers can get their foot in the door with a simple task like testing homeowners’ soil. Or if you have a friend in the roofing business, you could offer free roof inspections. You’d be able to help your friend get more business and drop off your card as well.
\nI could point you to 50 different tools to budget your money in order to survive down months in your seasonal business. But here are my top picks:
\nClark Howard is a consumer advocate who can help you get your spending under control. He is a pro at finding deals on flights and he can spot a financial scam from 100 yards away.
\nFor a digital approach to budgeting, give YNAB (You Need A Budget) a try. This software will help you tell your money where to go before it slips away mysteriously each week.
\nI’ll admit that getting out and staying out of debt sounds impossible. But if you need a pep talk about “acting your wage,” take a listen to Dave Ramsey’s podcast.
\nIf you like to handle your money with a smartphone, there are several apps for that. Mint is still one of the best, with over 190,000 reviews on Apple’s App Store.
\nMaybe you want no part of an elaborate budgeting system, then it’s simple. Spend less than you make. It’s not easy, but it is a worthy, actionable habit to build. Especially for landscapers who have more revenue in the warm months.
\nYour business may never have as steady an income as you’d like all through the year. But if you are steady and consistent in pursuit of that goal, you will see a big improvement.
\nTry to implement these tips to see which work best for your specific seasonal business.
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\n","content":"Living in Washington, DC provides bushels of options when it comes to lawn care. You can choose from hundreds of professional landscapers or you can go the do-it-yourself route. Depending on your schedule, property size, and the shade of your green thumb there are several pros and cons.
\nKeep in mind. Lawn care shouldn’t stress you out as a homeowner. Your yard should enhance your life and make for peaceful days hanging around the homestead.
\nIf you need help deciding, here are a few pros and cons of do-it-yourself lawn care in Washington, DC:
\n
Photo: Flickr / East Cobber
\nYou may not think of a lawn mower on the same level as a treadmill, but yardwork can still work up a sweat. Walking behind a mower for 30 minutes can burn as many calories as walking around the block for half an hour. More actually, if you go old-school by using a mower that is not self-propelled.
\nThe average high temperature for Washington, DC in July is 88 degrees. So you’re sure to sweat some extra calories during the hottest months.
\nOf course, if you prefer to stay inside amidst the heat, then you can call a professional to help you out. Allergies can also make it difficult to brace pollen levels in your yard.
\nSome folks actually see riding a mower as their “zen time.” With a continuous motion, you can clear up some mindful headspace. This is a time when there are typically few to no distractions besides your focus on your lawn.
\nOn the other hand, if bouncing around on a roaring 15-horsepower machine is not soothing to you, that’s cool. Just be sure to have some native plants around such as the Cut-leaved Coneflower or some Blue Wild Indigo for added serenity. Being native to the Washington, DC area, these plants are easy to grow and maintain.
\nIt makes sense that pruning your own bushes, planting your own Flowering Dogwoods, and aerating your own turf will save you money. A penny saved is a penny earned right? Sorta.
\nWe need to be careful not to step over a fescue colored dollar bill to pick up a dime. The average price for lawn care in Washington, DC is $51.81, which you could think adds up over time. Yes, it does–but there are also recurring costs to doing your own lawn care that you might not realize also add up:
\nNot to mention the possibility of a lawn mower payment. High quality ride along lawn mowers can cost a few thousand dollars or so. But there are also basic models of an electric push mower for about $130, yet these can take a little more time and effort to utilize.
\nIf you are out in your yard weekly, cleaning up or pulling weeds, you notice more about your property.
\nYou’ll see fences in need of fresh paint. Maybe you’ll notice a dangerous old tree at your property line. Perhaps you will even learn more about your entire neighborhood by being outdoors regularly.
\nHaving a lawn care provider with excellent customer care should also be on the lookout for property problems for you. As it’s more potential work for lawn care crews or even a network of service providers. And it keeps you happy with his attention to detail and willingness to help beyond the green chores.
\nStill have questions about lawn care in Washington DC? Please share your thoughts in the comments below or visit our Washington DC lawn care page.
\n","title":"4 Pros and Cons of DIY Lawn Care in Washington, DC","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.5,"src":"/static/90d217d13bb45eb0952e68267c15f4f4/1789c/pros-and-cons-dc-lawn-care.jpg","srcSet":"/static/90d217d13bb45eb0952e68267c15f4f4/107df/pros-and-cons-dc-lawn-care.jpg 320w,\n/static/90d217d13bb45eb0952e68267c15f4f4/293e9/pros-and-cons-dc-lawn-care.jpg 500w,\n/static/90d217d13bb45eb0952e68267c15f4f4/f2cbb/pros-and-cons-dc-lawn-care.jpg 800w,\n/static/90d217d13bb45eb0952e68267c15f4f4/1789c/pros-and-cons-dc-lawn-care.jpg 960w","srcWebp":"/static/90d217d13bb45eb0952e68267c15f4f4/1dd6e/pros-and-cons-dc-lawn-care.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/90d217d13bb45eb0952e68267c15f4f4/67b76/pros-and-cons-dc-lawn-care.webp 320w,\n/static/90d217d13bb45eb0952e68267c15f4f4/8df11/pros-and-cons-dc-lawn-care.webp 500w,\n/static/90d217d13bb45eb0952e68267c15f4f4/98a65/pros-and-cons-dc-lawn-care.webp 800w,\n/static/90d217d13bb45eb0952e68267c15f4f4/1dd6e/pros-and-cons-dc-lawn-care.webp 960w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"4 Pros and Cons of DIY Lawn Care in Washington, DC | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":""}}},{"node":{"id":"88363ff6-453b-50cf-a17a-315dae0586a8","slug":"grass-vs-turf-what-do-the-nfls-best-teams-play-on","path":"/lawn-care/grass-vs-turf-what-do-the-nfls-best-teams-play-on/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Jackie Greene is a blogger, gardener, and nutrition enthusiast. She enjoys creating organic meals for family and friends using the fresh ingredients she produces from her backyard homestead.","name":"Jackie Greene","id":"fb5923e1-833b-5d9b-808e-ded0e62c0bc4","path":"/author/jackiegreene/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/2c1121209a3ebfbe0a7e941d102b2971?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"205f24d4-c1e5-5728-bb28-8ba70eecbc7a","name":"Lawn Care","count":432,"path":"/category/lawn-care/"}],"date":"September 8th, 2018","excerpt":"In a 2017 Washington Redskins season filled with the team’s typical humiliations — being swept by their rival Dallas Cowboys, blowing a 15-point lead to New Orleans with less than three minutes left in the game — one of the NFL’s most moribund franchises added a new point of disgrace: players blasting the condition of […]
\n","content":"In a 2017 Washington Redskins season filled with the team’s typical humiliations — being swept by their rival Dallas Cowboys, blowing a 15-point lead to New Orleans with less than three minutes left in the game — one of the NFL’s most moribund franchises added a new point of disgrace: players blasting the condition of their home stadium’s grass.
\n“It probably doesn’t look like a professional NFL field should,” said Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins after he spent a Thanksgiving game slipping all over FedEx Field shoddy-looking Latitude 36 Bermuda Grass.
\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/redskins-field.jpg\")
FedEx Field during the Thanksgiving game (courtesy of 247 Sports)
With the resignation of a World War 1 soldier going over the top, Cousins indicated the problem would only get worse as the season went on.
\n“If you think the field is rough now on Thanksgiving, we’ve got two more home games in mid-to-late December, and that’s probably gonna be a bigger challenge,” he warned on 106.7 The Fan’s “Grant and Danny” program.
\nFormer Redskins players echoed Cousins’ comments on social media, calling for a switch to artificial turf.
\nFor long-suffering Redskins fans, “TurfGate” became yet another reason why the team has floundered under owner, Dan Snyder. Changing the playing surface, some argued, might help restore the franchise to its former glory.
\nAn hour up I-95, the Baltimore Ravens have a very different perspective. In 2016, the team ditched the synthetic turf it had used for 13 years in favor of natural Tifway 419 Bermuda Grass – and the players couldn’t be happier.
\n“That grass was phenomenal,” fullback Kyle Juszczyk told baltimoreravens.com. “I’m very pro-grass. My knees feel better after practice, and there was good traction all night.”
\n“I love the field,” running back Terrance West agreed. “It makes the cuts easier and I like it.”
\nField conditions across the NFL will always vary due to climate and human logistics, so it’s natural that players may have different perspectives on what surface type best sets them up for success. But what does the data say?
\nWe calculated the winning percentage from each team over the last 10 seasons, including the current one, and divided them into two categories based on their home stadium: natural grass and artificial turf.
\nHybrid systems like GrassMaster that use real grass reinforced with artificial fibres are included in the natural grass category. An example of this type of playing surface can be found at the Green Bay Packers’ famed Lambeau Field.
\nFor teams like the Ravens that switched playing surfaces during the 10-year period, we counted each playing surface as a separate team. And ties are considered losses because this is football, dang it, not soccer.
\nWhich surface reigns supreme in recent history? With a winning percentage of .525, teams that play their home games on artificial turf handily beat their natural grass counterparts, who have a combined winning percentage of .474.
\nTop Five Teams (Natural Grass)
\n1. Steelers (.662 winning percentage)
\n2. Packers (.625)
\n3. Broncos (.575)
\n4. Eagles (.556)
\n5. Panthers/Cardinals (.537)
Top Five Teams (Artificial Turf)
\n1. Patriots (.768)
\n2. Ravens, 2008-2015 (.601)
\n3. Saints/Falcons (.593)
\n4. Colts (.568)
\n5. Seahawks/Cowboys (.550)
It’s no surprise that the Patriots stand head and shoulders above the rest, even after they had to replace their synthetic turf this season after player complaints. Their absurd .768 winning percentage single handedly raised the combined turf teams’ combined average up nearly two points.
\nOn the flip side, the Browns’ debacle of a decade not only earned them last place with a truly wretched .237 winning percentage, but dragged the entire winning percentage of the natural grass teams down two points.
\nRemoving those two outliers and you have a more even matchup: .507 for teams with natural grass home fields versus .491 for teams playing on artificial turf.
\nWorst Five Teams (Natural Grass)
\nBrowns (.237 winning percentage)
\nJaguars (.325)
\nBuccaneers (.368)
\nRaiders (.387)
\nRedskins (.400)
Worst Five Teams (Artificial Turf)
\n1. Rams, 2008-2015 (.304)
\n2. Lions (.406)
\n3. Bills (.425)
\n4. Jets (.468)
\n5. Texans (.487)
The data also doesn’t always tell the full story. For examples, the Steelers have often succeeded in spite of their frequently criticized field, most infamous for the “mud punt.”
\n\nAnd players come down strongly in favor of natural grass. An NFL Players Association poll taken in 2010 showed that 89.7% said artificial turf is more likely to shorten their career, 89.1% said they are more sore after playing on that synthetic surface, and 82.4% said fake grass is more likely to contribute to an injury. However, players also voted the frequently muddy grass in Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field the worst in the NFL.
\nOf the four teams remaining in this year’s NFL playoffs, the Eagles and Jaguars play on natural grass (GrassMaster hybrid surface and Tifway 419 Bermuda Grass, respectively) while the Patriots and Vikings use turf to maintain playing conditions throughout their cold winters (FieldTurf and UBU Speed Series S5-M).
\nHome Field of the Last 10 Super Bowl Winners
\n2017: ?
\n2016: Turf (Patriots)
\n2015: Grass (Broncos)
\n2014: Turf (Patriots)
\n2013: Turf (Seahawks)
\n2012: Turf (Ravens)
\n2011: Turf (Giants)
\n2010: Grass (Packers)
\n2009: Turf (Saints)
\n2008: Grass (Steelers)
It’s been a rough decade for teams that use natural grass, and it’s not certain to get better soon – this year’s betting line is predictably skewed toward the turf duo, with Tom Brady the odds-on favorite to bring a sixth ring back to New England.
\n\n\n\nUpdated #SBLII futures:
\nPatriots +120
\n
\nVikings +175
\nEagles +700
\nJaguars +800Via BetOnline @DaveMasonBOL
\n— OddsShark (@OddsShark) January 15, 2018
But after a Divisional Playoff weekend that saw the Minneapolis Miracle and Blake Bortles outshining Ben Roethlisberger, it’s clear that anything can happen.
\nData Sources:
\nhttps://www.pro-football-reference.com
\nhttps://www.lawnstarter.com/blog/sports-turf/nfl-stadiums-turf-or-grass/
\nhttps://www.si.com/nfl/2015/10/01/nfl-stadium-turf-grass-rankings
\nhttps://turfprossolution.com/which-nfl-stadiums-have-artificial-turf/
\nhttp://www.latimes.com/sports/nfl/la-sp-nfl-ask-farmer-20171111-story.html
Ever wondered how your perfect neighbor down the street has a top-notch lawn at the beginning of every spring? Maybe the guy is a former landscaper at Augusta National Golf Club. Or maybe he sold his soul in exchange for the best lawn in your whole county, annually. I’m sure you’d like to believe one […]
\n","content":"Ever wondered how your perfect neighbor down the street has a top-notch lawn at the beginning of every spring? Maybe the guy is a former landscaper at Augusta National Golf Club. Or maybe he sold his soul in exchange for the best lawn in your whole county, annually.
\nI’m sure you’d like to believe one of those possibilities. But most likely, the man simply stays on top of his yard work during the winter time. He is prepared. His reward is not struggling during March and April in order to get his Bermuda lawn back under control.
\nWhile you are missing your kid’s ball games and skipping lake trips to fight off all manner of weeds, “Mr. Yard of the Month” has plenty of time to relax and enjoy his property.
\nSo let’s continue your streak of terrible yard experiences each and every year. Use these tips to make your spring lawn care as miserable as possible, or avoid the satire and follow these laughable statements as what to easily not do.
\nYou know deep down that your Toro mower is not designed to be a wood chipper. But you just can’t help yourself. So keep leaving those fallen tree limbs and branches all over the yard.
\nEven if you don’t want to destroy your mower deck and blades, surely you enjoy picking up limbs on the first sunny day in April, right? It sure beats a trip to your favorite hiking trail.
\nPro tip: It would be a good idea to prune any weak looking limbs during the winter so they don’t add to the fallen branches. Also, protect your eyeballs and prevent concussions. Go ahead and trim those limbs you’ve banged your head on for the past decade.
\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wheelbarrow-full-of-garden-equipment-300x200.jpg\")
Photo: Flickr / Paul Johnson
\nFor me, there is nothing better than saving money with low effort. I don’t like handing hard-earned cash over to the mower repair shop.
\nBut since you want to cause yourself plenty of stress when the flowers bloom, don’t dare winterize your lawn equipment.
\nPro tip: A couple of repair guys told me that ethanol resulted in about 80 percent of their work.
\nNobody has time for fun in the sun come May. Keep yourself busy with nonsense like cleaning out those gutters full of November leaves. Sure, you could have cleaned them out easier when they were 100 percent leaf material. Now they are wet and resemble potting soil as they decomposed over the winter. Have fun with the rubber gloves.
\nAnd most lawn procrastinators will toss the gutter debris right on the grass. That’s a great way to kill off spots of turf as the debris weighs down the young blades of grass.
\nSince you like testing yourself, let those lawn pests build up for a fight. No need battling a few ants when you can let them form an army over the winter.
\nPro tip: Fire ants may be coming to your area soon. They are found in 17 U.S. states currently and only cause $1.2 billion in damage each year.
\nDon’t bother using these tricks to get a jump on lawn pests:
\nYour neighbor with the lush lawn likes pre-emergent herbicides to keep weeds away. But you wouldn’t want to bother with that in the winter. You have better things to do, like watch 23 meaningless college football bowl games.
\nPre-emergents work gradually so they are used by homeowners with patience. Guys who don’t use them end up using post-emergents all spring and summer. It’s a giant time-suck!
\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/flower-bed-spring-lawn-care-300x221.jpg\")
Photo: Flickr / danielle_hp
\nLeaves in the flower beds may look festive in the fall, but not in December. It’s a miserable chore to get those soggy leaves out of mulch beds in March. Dry leaves can be blown easily with a blower in the fall. But be prepared to get your hands dirty and blistered with a rake once they have been in the beds for three long months.
\nA proper lawn guy would wait no later than mid-November to clean those flower beds up. You want to have a neat yard when the family visits on Thanksgiving anyway.
\nIt can cost you a pile of money to buy yard tools that you only use once per year. Do you really need a 10-foot extendable gas-powered chainsaw very often? It would be a good plan to get together with five of your buddies from the neighborhood and create a tool co-op. This setup allows you all to use each other’s tools. Most homeowners don’t need ten different lawn tools. Share and save money.
\nBy the way, this is another way to stay connected to your neighbors. Flying solo is unhealthy mentally. Be the lone wolf and enjoy the misery. Or join the pack so you can break your tool addiction.
\nWinter time is a good opportunity to adapt to “The Great Outdoors” of your backyard. If you can come up with ways to enjoy the patio when it’s really cold, then you can enjoy the days in April – September with less than perfect weather. Storms and cold fronts also come in the warmer seasons.
\nBut if you love misery, just stay piled up on the couch all winter. Don’t give any thought to the ways you can heat the patio with a chiminea, natural gas heater, or a simple DIY fireplace. Your pasty skin will be your reward.
\nSince you treat your mower like a tank when in use, you can do the same while it sits idle before spring. It would be a waste of time for you to inspect the tires, right? You never ran over any debris last year I’m sure.
\nPro tip: Even with tough “no-flat” type tires, you may have wheel bearings that get dirty and need greasing.
\nAnd mower belts last forever, don’t they? They must be in great shape even after chips of limbs flew around the belts with your patented wood-chipping style! And since you’re not a mower repair expert, belt replacement will eat up half of your Saturday in early spring.
\nTo make your mowing take longer and damage your grass, don’t even think of sharpening the blades after your last cut in the fall. Just do your usual… buy new blades once you see chunks of metal missing (unsafe… do not do!).
\nThose tips should make your life pretty tough when spring pops up. Maybe you learned this vicious cycle from your dad. You must think it’s a rite of passage to struggle in the springtime with mowing, lawn pests, and running to Home Depot every day.
\nIt is not!
\nJust take a look at “Mr. Yard of the Month” as you drive by this spring. He’s laying up in his hammock, sipping a cold one, and teaching his dog to fetch. He’s also found time to coach his daughter’s softball team to a 5-0 record. And I bet he walks around barefoot on that awesome lawn for the heck of it.
\nThere’s still time for that to be you. All it takes is some attention to your yard when the weather is not so perfect. For additional reading on how to actually take care of your lawn and prepare it for the spring, here a couple resources:
\nInterview: Building a Landscaping Business Building a successful business is no small feat, especially in the landscaping industry. You will work hours on end. You will sweat. You will bleed. And you will find after all of that, it was worth every second. This article is the beginning of a series of interviews that we […]
\n","content":"Building a successful business is no small feat, especially in the landscaping industry. You will work hours on end. You will sweat. You will bleed. And you will find after all of that, it was worth every second.
\nThis article is the beginning of a series of interviews that we will be conducting for our readers to gain insight into the daunting world of the landscaping industry.
\nToday’s guest is Chris Sadberry, owner and operator of Big League Landscaping, servicing the North Dallas area. Once Chris’ career in the Minor League Baseball ended, he decided to build his own landscaping business. He’s done everything from tree trimming to mowing lawns and building patios.
\nLike many before me, my journey started by walking target neighborhoods. Most people in the landscaping industry who walk neighborhoods just pin flyers up on homeowners’ doors or mailboxes. After not having any luck with that, I decided to switch things up. I began knocking on doors to introduce myself and tell my story to potential customers. The results were clear: a friendly smile and a firm handshake go a long way when it comes to landing customers.
\nIt’s hard to describe the feeling when you sell your first type of any job. It’s an amazing experience to lock in the first customer.
\nWhen I first started out I bought some cheap business cards off of Vistaprint for around $40. I also had to pay a business registration fee of $25 for the county I wanted to work in. The actual business expenses were minuscule compared to the cost of equipment.
\nI knew it was finally time when I kept running into issues with clients because I would promise too many things to multiple customers and ended up being behind every time. I was failing miserably at the golden rule of sales: under-promise and over-deliver. In order to keep up with the number of new customers coming in, I was basically forced to hire someone.
\nReliability is the first thing that I was looking for in my first hire. I really needed a go-getter who wasn’t afraid to help build the business. Secondly, I needed someone trustworthy in case I needed to leave them to go grab materials or even give an estimate.
\nThe most challenging part is getting past the hump of breaking even. It’s hard when you are just breaking into an industry to charge what the established companies are charging. Majority of companies fail within the first 5 years because they struggle to pay their bills. You can overcome this by putting in hours and hours of walking around neighborhoods after work to keep new business coming in (and knocking on doors of course). You will hear a simple, “No,” the vast majority of the time, but you have to accept it and move on.
\nMy favorite project that we’ve done so far has been a large Flagstone patio that we did in Argyle, TX. We had great clients and really enjoyed providing our services to them.
\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/IMG_1838-1024x768.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/IMG_1839-1024x768.jpg\")
Photos courtesy of Big League Landscaping
\nMy favorite tool would be the shovel. I’m not sure why, but I’ve always enjoyed digging.
\nIn the beginning, there will be a lot of sacrifice from you to build your business off the ground. The end result is definitely worth the struggle in the beginning if you’re someone that wants to be in control of your own destiny.
\nFollow Chris and Big League Landscaping on their Facebook page to keep up with their latest projects.
\nHave more questions about lawn care or landscaping? Visit our Dallas lawn care page for more information.
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\n","content":"Keeping a beautiful lawn and garden is less about hiring the best professionals or purchasing the most expensive lawn care products and more about knowing the best time to do certain activities. For example, planting mums in the springtime is most likely going to result in a failure as mums are best planted in the fall before any threat of frost sets in. Similarly, watering your lawn during the middle of a scorching, summer day will cause much of the water being lost to evaporation and could often cause your lawn to suffer from water stress.
\nFurthermore, taking care of a lawn and garden will be substantially different in Minnesota than in Florida. While planting out your flower bed in Miami might be possible in early February, you would have a hard time breaking the frozen ground in Minneapolis at that same time of year. Knowing the specifics of your planting and heat zones where you live is important. However, the specific guidelines for the optimum times to do certain lawn and garden activities can vary widely even within certain plant hardiness zones.
\nFor Houston, Texas residents, the average high temperature of 62 degrees in January means that we lived in an extremely privileged part of the country when it comes to maintaining a beautiful lawn and garden year round. The heat and humidity of the summer months, however, can be a challenge for certain homeowners trying to keep their lawn and ornamental gardens healthy and vigorous during those summer heat waves when temperatures in the high 90s are a daily occurrence. Below, we offer a complete breakdown of the most essential summer garden and lawn care tasks for Houston homeowners.
\nWhile much of the country is finally enjoying the arrival of the warmer temperatures of spring, Houston residents have been enjoying average temperatures above 70 degrees since March. One of the most important activities for May is to prepare your lawn for the barrage of hot summer temperatures that are set to arrive. Broadcasting a slow-release fertilizer is a great idea to help strengthen the root systems while also increasing the resiliency of the plant to droughts that can be common in late summer and autumn. Slow release fertilizer formulas designed for lawns, such as 15-5-10 can be spread dry over the lawn. However, the fact that we average well over 5 inches of rain in May should mean that a couple of afternoon showers will help to activate the fertilizer so that it can be best used by the grass.
\nMay is also a good time to control chinch bugs that are reproducing around your home and probably causing damage to your lawn. While there are several pesticide options to control this common lawn pest, you can also use organic controls such as applying diatomaceous earth around your lawn or spraying your lawn with a biodegradable soap that will penetrate the exoskeleton of these bugs and cause them to die.
\nLastly, if you have a decent sized flower garden, it might be a good idea to apply a bit of chelated iron to the base of your flowering plants. The high temperatures of summer can cause flowering plants to suffer from iron deficiency, thus yellowing leaves and sometimes causing the plant to die. A bit of chelated iron will go a long way in helping to avoid this common problem.
\nJune is the wettest month in the Houston area with close to 6 inches of average rainfall. The abundance of rain and warm temperatures usually leads to abundant foliar growth in your ornamental shrubs. Early June, then, is a great time to get out the pruning shears. By pruning back your bushes and hedges early in the season, you can effectively stunt their growth and thus make it easier to keep them the size you want. Of course, subsequent pruning in later summer and autumn will also most likely be necessary.
\nThe early spring flowers that you planted in January and February will most likely be done flowering by June, thus giving you an excuse to replant other flowers. Perennial flowering plants are a great option if you have some extra space around your home. Pink Autumn sage offers yearly pink flowers that are incredibly aromatic and bloom almost year round. They are also very drought tolerant. Another option for perennial flowers is verbena. This plant can flower pink, purple or red, and is a great groundcover for areas around your home that will keep the weeds at bay.
\nLastly, if you have any overgrown trees around your home, pruning large tree limbs might be a good idea before hurricane season begins.
\nDuring July, the heat really picks up in the Houston area. To protect your lawn, it is a good idea to raise your lawnmower to 4 inches height. This will protect the grass against droughts and heat as extra moisture can be stored in the longer, individual blades.
\nIf your lawn has an automatic irrigation system, you will want to run it continuously during July, especially during dry spells. If you are irrigating fruit or ornamental trees in your yard, July is a month when you want to make sure that the root areas of your trees are being slow-soaked at least once a week. If you are using sprinklers, make sure to only run them at night as this will help limit the amount of water you use through minimizing evaporation.
\nAlso, in July you might spot fairy rings popping up around your yard and garden. While these strange looking creatures might cause alarm for some homeowners, they are simply a type of mushroom indicating healthy soil with an abundance of organic matter.
\nAugust is a great time to set out your hummingbird feeders around your garden. Migrating hummingbird species generally past through the Houston area this month and they are a delight for gardeners. You can attract them by simply boiling 4 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar to make a delectable nectar that they will love.
\nAlso, if you have cacti plants in your garden, you will want to let the roots completely dry out before replanting. Digging up fresh cacti roots will usually kill off the plants. Since August is usually the month when most fungal and bacterial infections of plants prosper, you might consider spraying your ornamental and edible plants with a seaweed spray. These sprays are full of essential plant nutrients and will boost their immune systems in order to help them avoid certain diseases.
\nThere are dozens of other activities that could (and should) be done around the garden and lawn throughout the summer. The fast growth of plants and grasses mean that you will most likely spend a fair amount of time mowing and pruning. For garden lovers, however, there is simply nothing better than being outside on a cool, summer evening, watching hummingbirds float through your flowers in full bloom.
\nHave more lawn care or gardening questions? Visit our Houston, TX lawn care page for more information.
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