Understanding your Soil

Understanding your soil is a key aspect of gardening and landscaping, because once you know what kinds of plants will do well in your soil, you can use that information to keep healthy plants. Here are a few distinctions between different soil types, along with some characteristic of each.

Soil type generally refers to the texture and components to the soil. Soils have differing amounts of clay, fine rock, organic material and sand, each of which requires different care. The ratio of these components determines the classification. There are many classifications, but the principles are the same for like classes.

Differing soil types have different characteristics. for instance, large sand particles determine drainage, and should be aerated. Soil with any amount of clay will be chemically active binding water and plant nutrients. There are services that can tell you what type of soil you have, and then you can use this to your landscaping advantage.

Tyler Kaiser
T. J. Landscaping

Low-maintenance Groundcovers

Groundcovers can be a great edition to your garden and landscape, but they can also be a lot of work because they spread rapidly and can be picky about soil, water and space. Here are a few groundcovers that you can add to your gardens that look nice, but don't require much work.

Daylilies are versatile, easy-care perennials that can be grown as groundcovers. They require full sun and aren't fussy about soil. These hardy plants should be divided, as needed, in fall or early spring. Feed spring and fall with a balanced fertilizer.

Tiarella is a shade-loving perennial often used in rock gardens. It makes an attractive groundcover but won't withstand foot traffic. Tiarella bears racemes of fluffy blooms, and the foliage of some varieties colors attractively in fall. The plants spread by rhizomes.

Ivy (Hedera) has no special growing requirements except protection from hot sun. It thrives in poor soil conditions. Because of its tendency to take over, it must be prevented from growing into trees. Plants should be spaced 12" apart.

Chameleon (Houttuynia cordata) is a moisture-loving perennial that grows in sun or shade and spreads from rhizomes. The leaves resemble English ivy but are multicolored in hues of green, pale yellow and red. Plants may spread aggressively. 'Chameleon' grows 6" to 12" tall, and plants should be spaced 24" apart.

Ajuga is a low-growing perennial that requires full sun or partial shade. Blue flowers are borne on spikes in spring or early summer, and several varieties have attractive variegated foliage.

Tyler Kaiser
T. J. Landscaping

The Importance of Curb Appeal

Keeping lawn in good condition is important for community and real estate purposes. Everyone wants their lawn to look at least as nice as their neighbors. Curb appeal is an important aspect of landscaping, because it determines what others think of your lawn. Plus, if you hope to move, the condition of your lawn can be a key aspect to a potential buyer. Here are a few notes on curb appeal that you can use as a criteria for your lawn.

1. Well Maintained
The first thing people will see when they look at your property is the landscaping. You really should make sure it is maintained well. The lawn should be cut on a regular basis, the gardens should have few weeds and the shrubs should be trimmed regularly. On top of these things, the gardens should be well designed and the landscape should fit the area. Colors are very important in landscaping, so make sure the flowers match the house and surroundings they are in.

2. Easily Maintained
One of the things potential buyers will consider is how much work will it take to maintain the landscaping. Your landscaping could be very well designed, well maintained and look really good, but if it is too big, or if it has difficult plants or shrubs, some people will be discouraged from considering the house. Some people don't have to to be weeding and trimming every day to maintain the landscape. This is important to consider when designing your landscape as well.

3. The House
The main part of your property is the house, so make sure this looks right. It is possible to have a beautiful landscape, and have a house that looks run down. This kind of house doesn't fit the area, and really decreases curb appeal. Anything you can do to you house to make it look better and tidier should be done. There are many inexpensive things that can be done to a house that make it look nicer, and this will increase curb appeal.

Tyler Kaiser
T. J. Landscaping

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Landscaping and Pets

Dogs are a man's best friend, but they can also be a lawns worst enemy. Here are a few practical tips for pet owners who want to maintain their lawn.

Dogs give the lawn and surrounding plants lots of nitrogen, and most plants can't handle it. Some sturdy plants that might stand up to your dog's activities include Carolina cherry, barberry, chain fern, chameleon plant, New Zealand flax and daylily. A 100% rye grass lawn will allow a lot of traffic, while still sending up new shoots. Therefore, rye grass will probably stay green, even if your pets are walking on it all day.

If your pet is ruining a specific part of the lawn, consider replacing that with a sturdier material, like flagstone or decomposed granite. Also, if your dog likes to patrol the perimeter of your lawn, and is killing the grass only on the perimeter, putting a bed or object in his path may stop him. Aeration can play a big role in keeping the grass from compacting and dying. You should probably consider aerating on a yearly basis.

 
Make sure your sprinkling system is working and the spread is even. You don't want any part of the lawn that is not getting water. Also make sure you sprinklers are out of the way, so your pet will not break them.

With a little extra effort, you can balance your love for your pet, and maintaining a beautiful lawn.

Tyler Kaiser
T. J. Landscaping

Sod Lawns

 Sod, or turf, is grass with a thin layer of dirt that contains the roots. It is commonly used to create lawns in both residential and commercial properties. It can also be used to patch dead
spots in a lawn. Here are a few things to keep in mind about sodding.



1. Make sure the ground you are working with is level.
You dont want a lumpy lawn, so there is some prep work that goes into sodding. You can rake the area you are about to sod until it is smooth. This will ensure a level lawn and will also help with the health of the sod.

2. Water regularly
All plants require water, but new plants that need special attention. Make sure to water you new sod at least every other day. Be sure to do it in the morning so fungus and weeds won't grow with it.

3. Let your grass grow.
 Don't try to mow your new sod immediately after it is planted. Give it a few weeks to let the roots sink into the ground.



Tyler Kaiser
T. J. Landscaping

Aeration and Overseeding

Lawn aeration and overseeding bring many benefits to your lawn. This process is sometimes done on new lawns or dying lawns, but most lawn will benefit from it. Here is some information about this process that will help you determine whether or not your lawn needs it, and to give you some basic knowledge on the subject.

Aeration-

Aeration is a process that creates holes in your lawn. The holes this makes allows nutrients to get to the roots of the grass. This alone is helpful in maintaining the beautiful green grass in ones lawn. It can also help weaker or dying grass. '

There are 2 types of aerators, "Core" and " Spike". Spike aeration compresses the soil by pressing spikes into it while core aeration removes "plugs" from you lawn. Core aeration is considered better in most cases, because spike aeration allows water to soak into the compressed soil and fill the holes back in. An added benefit to core aeration the reduction of thatch. Thatch is the term we use for dead grass build up. When the roots of grass die, they have no where to go, so they sit there and decompose. This can take a while, so if you have dead grass, it will likely build up.

Overseeding-
After a year of mowing, edging, weeding and watering, grass can start to die. Dead lawn are inviting to weeds and fungus, so this should be taken care of. Overseeding is when you plant grass on an existing lawn. This can help thicken your grass, reduce weed growth, and restore your lawn. Coupled with aeration, overseeding is usually effective and affordable.




Tyler Kaiser
T. J. Landscaping

Fall Bloomers

Fall is coming soon, and with it comes an opportunity to create or re-design garden beds. There are multiple plants that are better to plant in the fall, and designing beds is a great way to make your property look better. Here are a few plants that bloom in the fall, That you can incorporate into a  fall flower bed.



Aster- The aster is a beautiful flower that blooms in the fall. The pink, blue purple and white flowers are perfect for adding color to your beds.

Russian Sage- In every garden it is important to add contrast to all the autumnal shades. The Russian sage is perfect for this because of its light blue flower and silvery foliage.

Goldenrod- The cheery yellow flower of the Goldenrod is a staple to fall in New England. This is a tough yet beautiful plant that looks good, despite summer heat and drought.

Colchicum- The Colchicum is a beautiful plant that looks like a fall-blooming crocus, but more energetic. Its big, cup-shaped blooms will give a blast of pink and white to your fall beds.

Helenium- Among the daisy family, the helenium stands our for its cheery yellow, orange or red blooms at the end of the year.

Red Spider Lily- Among the most exotic bulbs, the red spider lily send out a beautiful burst of bright red flowers. After these fade, the plants sappy leaves take their place.

Sedum- One of the quintessential autumn plants, the sedum bursts into bloom at summer's end. This tough plant is able to withstand summer heat and drought, while looking great in a bed.

These plants will add color to your fall beds. As you plan your beds consider which colors go well and what will look best in the environment you are working with.

Tyler Kaiser
T. J. Landscaping