A major winter storm seem to be coming in tonight for the first time this year. We will be starting as soon as accumulations reach the 2" mark. Please be patient with us on this one. Due to the timing of the storm and severity, we may not have every property serviced before the morning rush. All of our trucks will be out working as quickly as possible to ensure everyone is serviced promptly.
Our contracted customers will be the number one priority. We schedule our routes based on efficiency and traffic patterns. One truck will be starting in Ladue and moving westward through Creve Coeur before finishing in Cheseterfield. Truck two will start in the Fenton Industrial Park and move out through the Crestwood and South County area. Truck three will move through the High Ridge area.
If you have not returned your contract, or you are a new customer, please contact us immediately by emailing to info@lawnsandlandscapes.net . Non-contracted requests will be taken after all of our regular customers have been serviced. Requests will be answered as promptly as possible, and filled on a first come first served basis. Typical pricing for a non-contracted residence ranges from $65.00 to $100.00 if the snow is under six inches. Over six inches will result in a two times charge. Salt service generally ranges from $50.00 to $80.00 in addition to the plow charge. All non-contracted customers will be required to pay in advance, or at time of service. All major credit cards are accepted.
Please check back here for updates on our service. Unfortunately, we are not able to return phone calls during the storm for the sake of efficiency. If you call before we start plowing, we will return your call promptly to answer any questions. Thank you for your business, we truly appreciate it.
Visit www.lawnsandlandscapes.net to link back to our updates.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
With a Rebel Yell, She Cried, "MOW, MOW, MOW"
As a landscape contractor, I am often confronted with the title of this article. When are you going to mow the grass? Although we are in the depths of winter right now, this is a great time to start thinking about the upcoming mowing season. The following paragraphs explain the basics of mowing and how this seemingly routine task is so very important to the overall appearance of our lawns. When performed correctly, mowing can instantly wash away many of the deficiencies in a property. On the other hand, incorrect mowing will lead to a disaster of a homes appearance.
It all starts in the garage if you are a do-it-yourself type of mower. Servicing your mower right now will save you headaches and cash in the long run. Most mowers will last for many years with simple routine maintenance prior to the mowing season. I recommend changing the spark plug, oil, and air filter prior to each season. If you have gasoline left in your mower from the fall, that should be drained and disposed of properly. Right now your probably thinking, I've never had problems before. I've done this every year since I bought my mower. Well, you may not have had problems yet, but you will at some point. The life of your mower will be reduced to some degree without the proper maintenance. Once you have serviced your mower, check to make sure everything is running properly. Check safety guards and switches. Also, make sure your blade is sharp and your mowing height is at 3" for your cool season lawns. Lower heights 1.5"-2.0" for your zoysia lawns. If your mower is not working properly, take it in to a reputable company for servicing, or buy a new one. Now is the time for action. In April, the service companies and home centers will be very busy and your pricing will increase. At this time of year, you can generally find deals on used equipment, new equipment, and service rates.
Now your mower is ready and the weather is warmer. When are you going to mow the grass? As soon as the grass starts to think about growing, mow your lawn for the first time. Usually, the end of March is a good time to start. You don't want that first mowing to cut hay because you waited too long. Do not bag the clippings. This is the biggest mistake homeowners make when mowing their lawns. Stay on top of your mowing and allow the clippings to fall back into your lawn. This will provide free fertilizer, as well as, helping boost microbial activity in your soil. As microbes digest the clippings, the nutrients are released into the soil for re-uptake by the plants. This theory doesn't work so well when you leave hay in your yard because you waited too long to mow.
Now that you are mowing every week, it is time sit back and enjoy your lawn. Make sure to sharpen your mower blade a couple of time during the season. We sharpen blades every day to ensure great cuts. Dull blades will leave ragged turf tips leaving a bronze appearance to your lawn. Torn leaf blades also increase the amount of water that is lost through the plant, and leave the plant more susceptible to disease and pest damage. The resulting unhealthy grass will eventually lead to a more draughty plant, weed infestations, and thinner lawn. Keeping a sharp mowing blade is one of the easiest ways to keep your lawn looking great. I recommend homeowners sharpen their blades after 10-20 mowings depending on the size of area being mowed. Use a wheel or angle grinder to sharpen the blade to a relief angle matching the original condition of the new blade. It is also very important to balance the blade after sharpening. Usually, a long screwdriver or nail is good enough to check balance. Simply place the blades mounting hole through the screwdriver and make sure that the blade stays parallel to the ground while holding it in front of you. If the blade rotates down to either side, it is not balanced. You can balance it by grinding off more of the heavy side, or just buy a new blade. An unbalanced blade will not only damage your mower, it can also pose a serious safety hazard to you, your family, and neighbors.
Now you are armed with the basics of mowing. Using the above information will help you eliminate many of the common headaches and safety hazards incurred with mowing your lawn. Check out the some of my other articles on turf health to make sure your lawn is the best in the neighborhood. As always you can email me with any questions, or call Lawns and Landscapes to take the headache completely out of your mowing routine.
It all starts in the garage if you are a do-it-yourself type of mower. Servicing your mower right now will save you headaches and cash in the long run. Most mowers will last for many years with simple routine maintenance prior to the mowing season. I recommend changing the spark plug, oil, and air filter prior to each season. If you have gasoline left in your mower from the fall, that should be drained and disposed of properly. Right now your probably thinking, I've never had problems before. I've done this every year since I bought my mower. Well, you may not have had problems yet, but you will at some point. The life of your mower will be reduced to some degree without the proper maintenance. Once you have serviced your mower, check to make sure everything is running properly. Check safety guards and switches. Also, make sure your blade is sharp and your mowing height is at 3" for your cool season lawns. Lower heights 1.5"-2.0" for your zoysia lawns. If your mower is not working properly, take it in to a reputable company for servicing, or buy a new one. Now is the time for action. In April, the service companies and home centers will be very busy and your pricing will increase. At this time of year, you can generally find deals on used equipment, new equipment, and service rates.
Now your mower is ready and the weather is warmer. When are you going to mow the grass? As soon as the grass starts to think about growing, mow your lawn for the first time. Usually, the end of March is a good time to start. You don't want that first mowing to cut hay because you waited too long. Do not bag the clippings. This is the biggest mistake homeowners make when mowing their lawns. Stay on top of your mowing and allow the clippings to fall back into your lawn. This will provide free fertilizer, as well as, helping boost microbial activity in your soil. As microbes digest the clippings, the nutrients are released into the soil for re-uptake by the plants. This theory doesn't work so well when you leave hay in your yard because you waited too long to mow.
Now that you are mowing every week, it is time sit back and enjoy your lawn. Make sure to sharpen your mower blade a couple of time during the season. We sharpen blades every day to ensure great cuts. Dull blades will leave ragged turf tips leaving a bronze appearance to your lawn. Torn leaf blades also increase the amount of water that is lost through the plant, and leave the plant more susceptible to disease and pest damage. The resulting unhealthy grass will eventually lead to a more draughty plant, weed infestations, and thinner lawn. Keeping a sharp mowing blade is one of the easiest ways to keep your lawn looking great. I recommend homeowners sharpen their blades after 10-20 mowings depending on the size of area being mowed. Use a wheel or angle grinder to sharpen the blade to a relief angle matching the original condition of the new blade. It is also very important to balance the blade after sharpening. Usually, a long screwdriver or nail is good enough to check balance. Simply place the blades mounting hole through the screwdriver and make sure that the blade stays parallel to the ground while holding it in front of you. If the blade rotates down to either side, it is not balanced. You can balance it by grinding off more of the heavy side, or just buy a new blade. An unbalanced blade will not only damage your mower, it can also pose a serious safety hazard to you, your family, and neighbors.
Now you are armed with the basics of mowing. Using the above information will help you eliminate many of the common headaches and safety hazards incurred with mowing your lawn. Check out the some of my other articles on turf health to make sure your lawn is the best in the neighborhood. As always you can email me with any questions, or call Lawns and Landscapes to take the headache completely out of your mowing routine.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
How Should My Mulch Be Installed
So you are getting ready to add some mulch to your gardens. How much do you need? How thick should I go? Where is the cheapest place to get mulch?
Generally speaking a 3" layer of wood mulch provides the moisture retention, temperature protection, and aesthetic quality necessary. Measuring the square footage of your mulched area(s) is the first step to ensuring you don't have to make extra trips to the store. You will need approximately one cubic yard of mulch for every 100 sq.ft. of area to be covered. Using this calculation you will be able to cover the area with 3" of mulch. Now you are ready to mulch, where do you go? Where you buy the mulch will depend greatly on how much you need. Most bagged mulch comes in a three cubic foot size. With that in mind, you will need 9 bags for every cubic yard determined in the previous calculation. The cost will generally run about $35 per yard. If you need a lot of mulch and have pick'em up truck, you can go to a local landscape supply company and have them load you up for $20-$25 per yard. Most trucks hold 1-2 yards of mulch. If you need more than that, or don't have a truck, most vendors will deliver for a fee. Delivery is often the best option when you need three or more yards of mulch. The cost may be about the same, however, the hassle savings is well worth the phone call. In St. Louis you can call Ficks Supply, Wholesale Landscape Supply, Kirkwood Material Supply, and several others.
What time of year is best for mulching? I typically recommend March in the St. Louis area. This provides some protection from late season freeze events, and also allows you to enjoy your landscape earlier in the season. A nice 50 degree day is also good for this type of work. If you still have questions, shoot me an email. I am always full of advice. Hope this helps, take care. Visit Lawns and Landscapes for more information regarding our service offerings.
Generally speaking a 3" layer of wood mulch provides the moisture retention, temperature protection, and aesthetic quality necessary. Measuring the square footage of your mulched area(s) is the first step to ensuring you don't have to make extra trips to the store. You will need approximately one cubic yard of mulch for every 100 sq.ft. of area to be covered. Using this calculation you will be able to cover the area with 3" of mulch. Now you are ready to mulch, where do you go? Where you buy the mulch will depend greatly on how much you need. Most bagged mulch comes in a three cubic foot size. With that in mind, you will need 9 bags for every cubic yard determined in the previous calculation. The cost will generally run about $35 per yard. If you need a lot of mulch and have pick'em up truck, you can go to a local landscape supply company and have them load you up for $20-$25 per yard. Most trucks hold 1-2 yards of mulch. If you need more than that, or don't have a truck, most vendors will deliver for a fee. Delivery is often the best option when you need three or more yards of mulch. The cost may be about the same, however, the hassle savings is well worth the phone call. In St. Louis you can call Ficks Supply, Wholesale Landscape Supply, Kirkwood Material Supply, and several others.
What time of year is best for mulching? I typically recommend March in the St. Louis area. This provides some protection from late season freeze events, and also allows you to enjoy your landscape earlier in the season. A nice 50 degree day is also good for this type of work. If you still have questions, shoot me an email. I am always full of advice. Hope this helps, take care. Visit Lawns and Landscapes for more information regarding our service offerings.
Why Do We Need to Mulch?
Mulching landscape beds is one of the most critical aspects of maintaining a great looking home or business. No matter how great the plantings may be in a particular garden, a dirty, unkempt mulch bed will spoil the entire aesthetic. On the other hand, a mediocre landscape planting is greatly enhanced with a clean, crisp mulch bed defining the space where the plants are located. So how can you improve the fresh look of your landscape with something as simple as mulching. Well..........there a quite a number of options out there these days from the traditional wood mulch to decorative gravels to rubber mulch.
Lets start with the traditional, time honored wood mulch. Shredded bark, pine nuggets, wood chips, finely ground compost, and various shredded hardwoods are just a few of the many options in the wood mulch category. Personal preference and budget generally determine which material is used by a homeowner to mulch their landscaping. So, which one is best. Again, there is no one answer for every landscape situation. The more finely ground mulches decompose more rapidly and generally contribute to the overall plant health more so than the more coarse textured mulches. For our customers, we generally use a shredded hardwood mulch. I personally prefer the dyed mulches due to their longer lasting qualities. All of the hardwood mulches are relatively cost effective and provide an effective solution to maintaining good aesthetics and healthy plants.
Mulches that rock! Most of my new landscape customers want to add a decorative gravel mulch to their new landscaping. Reasoning for rock mulch varies. The common advantages to rock is the lasting quality of the material. Rock doesn't need to be refreshed each year like mulch does. It provides a slightly better weed barrier than wood mulch, however, controlling weeds that come up in the rock mulch is more critical. The most common reason customers decide against using decorative gravels is cost. Prices for a decorative gravel range from $40 per yard to $200 per yard. Most nice gravels are in the $70 to $120 per yard range. The labor to install is 2-3 times the cost of installing wood mulch due to weight issues. Overall, the upfront cost for a gravel mulch is about 5 times the cost of wood mulch. This cost generally evens out over the lifetime of the two mulches due to adding wood mulch each year. The upfront cost generally drives the decision towards a wood mulch.
A newer type of mulch has surfaced over the past 10 years of so with varying degrees of success. Rubber mulch is an expensive product which replicates the look of wood mulch. The cost savings is seen over time since the rubber mulch can last for years and years. One of our customers has had rubber mulch for over 10 years and it still looks new. They have added very small quantities over the ten years, but not much. Some advantages of rubber mulch are lowered long term cost, fewer pest problems, less favorable environment for weed development, and a nice consistent look. I never thought I would recommend rubber mulch for a landscape, but I wouldn't recommend against it either.
There you have it. The most brief summary of mulch types that I can come up with. With a few google searches you can find more information and opinions than you would ever time to sort through. Thanks for reading my thoughts. Email me at anytime with questions or further explanation.
Lets start with the traditional, time honored wood mulch. Shredded bark, pine nuggets, wood chips, finely ground compost, and various shredded hardwoods are just a few of the many options in the wood mulch category. Personal preference and budget generally determine which material is used by a homeowner to mulch their landscaping. So, which one is best. Again, there is no one answer for every landscape situation. The more finely ground mulches decompose more rapidly and generally contribute to the overall plant health more so than the more coarse textured mulches. For our customers, we generally use a shredded hardwood mulch. I personally prefer the dyed mulches due to their longer lasting qualities. All of the hardwood mulches are relatively cost effective and provide an effective solution to maintaining good aesthetics and healthy plants.
Mulches that rock! Most of my new landscape customers want to add a decorative gravel mulch to their new landscaping. Reasoning for rock mulch varies. The common advantages to rock is the lasting quality of the material. Rock doesn't need to be refreshed each year like mulch does. It provides a slightly better weed barrier than wood mulch, however, controlling weeds that come up in the rock mulch is more critical. The most common reason customers decide against using decorative gravels is cost. Prices for a decorative gravel range from $40 per yard to $200 per yard. Most nice gravels are in the $70 to $120 per yard range. The labor to install is 2-3 times the cost of installing wood mulch due to weight issues. Overall, the upfront cost for a gravel mulch is about 5 times the cost of wood mulch. This cost generally evens out over the lifetime of the two mulches due to adding wood mulch each year. The upfront cost generally drives the decision towards a wood mulch.
A newer type of mulch has surfaced over the past 10 years of so with varying degrees of success. Rubber mulch is an expensive product which replicates the look of wood mulch. The cost savings is seen over time since the rubber mulch can last for years and years. One of our customers has had rubber mulch for over 10 years and it still looks new. They have added very small quantities over the ten years, but not much. Some advantages of rubber mulch are lowered long term cost, fewer pest problems, less favorable environment for weed development, and a nice consistent look. I never thought I would recommend rubber mulch for a landscape, but I wouldn't recommend against it either.
There you have it. The most brief summary of mulch types that I can come up with. With a few google searches you can find more information and opinions than you would ever time to sort through. Thanks for reading my thoughts. Email me at anytime with questions or further explanation.
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