Depending on your perspective, grass can be a number of things. For gardeners, it might be a ground cover where planting wouldn’t work. Families who use their lawn for playtime see it as an essential clean area. And to others who are more pragmatic, it’s simply a means of walking from one place to another.
But for those who love lawn care, a well-manicured lawn is a work of art, and edging it is the final step in making it stand out from your average lawn. Giving your lawn sharp definition with an edge makes it look more polished. The only problem is that grass doesn’t cooperate very well. Here’s what you should know about edging your lawn.
Do You Have to Edge Your Lawn?
No, edging the lawn will not impact its health in any way; it is simply a matter of aesthetics. Most homeowners don’t bother with this step. They are content to trim the grass that their lawnmower can’t reach using a string trimmer.
Though an edge doesn’t have direct benefits for your lawn’s health, it does offer some more practical advantages. An edge prevents rhizomes from invading mulched beds and also stops mulch from spilling out onto your lawn.
When to Edge Your Lawn
Establishing an edge between a lawn and flower bed is most easily done in late spring after the ground has had time to dry out. This makes the soil easier to work with, and allows you to get your beds mulched before summer when weeds have more of a chance to grow.
If you apply mulch to your bed after digging the trench, you’ll get a clean look. However, if you try to reverse the process, soil will end up on your mulch.
How to Edge Your Lawn
Mark the Edge
If you want a straighter edge, use a marker to make a line first, then follow it as you cut.
Tie Strings to the Stakes
Tie a string to one stake, then the other. The string should be taut and about 1 inch from the ground.
Begin Using Edger
To use the edger, stand on the side of the trench that will become the lawn (you should be facing the bed). Begin at either stake and push the edger down into place so that the blade is in line with string. The depth guard for this tool should be pointing toward you as you work. Move it around by wiggling it back-and-forth or from side to slide; keep it straight as you pull up and out of ground.
Make Side 2 of Trench
Go to the other side of the trench so that you’re looking at the lawn. At either end, start plunging the edger down slowly at a 45-degree angle until you reach where you cut on side 1. Side 2 won’t be as neat as side 1, but it doesn’t have to be because it will eventually be hidden with mulch.
Apply Fresh Mulch
If your bed needs an entirely new layer of mulch, do it now. Otherwise, if only a specific area bordering the trench requires attention, apply fresh mulch there.
Our garden services at Legarden Designs handles every element of the process – from the initial design consultation through the project’s completion. We also provide seasonal reviews and yearly walkthroughs.Contact us today!
Given that some leaves, such as those from red maple trees, look quite lovely on the grass, you might question why it’s necessary to use the rake and remove them. After all, it’s a lot of effort. Raking the leaves may not be required in certain situations, and leaving them may even be preferable for the environment. Raking your lawns’ leaves, on the other hand, is sometimes vital for their health.
Benefits of Raking Leaves
Raking leaves has numerous advantages, both for you and your yard. The primary benefit of raking leaves is that it will contribute to the growth of your grass. A thick pile of fallen leaves can block sunlight from reaching grass, preventing the growth of some varieties of cool-season grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass which are recharged in autumn. Cool-season lawn grasses usually grow best in moderately cool fall weather when they need “produce food” to fortify their root systems.
When to Rake
There is an optimal time to rake leaves in autumn, and it’s before the first frost or snow of late autumn or early winter. Make sure to wait until the leaves are dry so they aren’t as difficult to rake up. Some people like to do this periodically as the leaves fall while others prefer waiting until all the leaves have hit the ground. It’s entirely up to you when you want to schedule your leaf-raking, but just make sure that dried leaves are easier to work with.
What to Do With the Leaves
There are two options for converting your leaves into mulch in your yard: composting them or using them as a leafy fertilizer. Composting is the first option. Try cutting up the bigger leaves with a shovel or rake to speed up their decomposition when adding raked leaves to your compost pile.
The second approach to make mulch is by using dry raked leaves, also known as leaf litter. This technique also necessitates the use of a knife to chop up the dried foliage. The more finely you shred or chop your leaves, the faster they will decompose without mat testing and creating mold.
Reasons Not to Rake
You might be surprised to hear that being lazy and not raking your leaves could actually be good for the environment. When leaves break down and decompose where they fall, they return essential nutrients back to the grass and soil. Additionally, the leaf coverage provides protection against erosion and weed growth.
Alternatives to Raking Leaves
Raking leaves can be a fantastic form of exercise, but it’s also tiring. Use a leaf blower to save your back if you’re raking leaves. If you’ve got a thick layer of leaves, you’ll need a strong leaf blower with vacuuming capabilities so that you may remove the foliage and dander to the compost bin. Leaf blowers with vacuum options are available in various models for removing the leaf dander before it reaches the compost pile.
At Legarden Designs, we can help you with all of you gardening and landscaping needs! We also provide seasonal reviews and yearly walkthroughs.Contact us today to learn more about what we offer!
Tree care is an important long-term investment for your yard. Brown leaves, dead limbs, and other typical problems might appear on a healthy tree from time to Time, but they often indicate that the tree is dying. It’s critical to be aware of these worrisome symptoms and figure out what’s causing them so you can try to fix the problem. In many situations, the reasons are species-specific.
Over-Exposure to Sun
Leaves with brown tips are often the consequence of excessive sun exposure, commonly known as “leaf scorch.” This can be made worse by factors such as a lack of water, high fertilization, root damage, and exposure to strong winds that can stress the tree and leaving it open to the sun. Young trees are especially prone to sun overexposure, therefore they should be planted in the spring or fall when UV radiation is less intense.
Frost Damage
The brown leaves that appear on trees in spring can indicate frost damage. This temporary issue may spoil the tree’s look, however it is unlikely to kill the tree. If browning happens during summer, inadequate watering or high winds might be the cause. Leaves with black spots are probably due to a fungus that multiplies in moist conditions; thus, this is a frequent problem in humid climates.
Transplant Shock
Transplant shock is a normal occurrence for recently planted trees. It can lead to a slew of issues, including leaf wilt, leaf scorch, yellowing leaves, and leaf rolling or curling. If a tree’s leaves turn brown but it still has green foliage, don’t assume it needs more water.
Insects and Disease
It’s critical to establish what the problem is before taking action while treating your tree for insects or disease. When you’ve identified the issue, most of the time there is a sort of solution that will aid in eliminating the pests or sickness.
Insufficient watering
Many trees require a significant quantity of water, especially if they are young or recently transplanted. If you don’t have an irrigation system in place, daily watering with a hose is required for many types of trees during the first few months. If your region experiences a severe drought, more mature trees will need to be watered to maintain their health.
Our garden services at Legarden Designs handles every element of the process – from the initial design consultation through the project’s completion. We also provide seasonal reviews and yearly walkthroughs.Contact us today!
There is a wealth of advice on the internet, but determining which technique for controlling weeds in your area may be difficult. Here’s a summary of the four greatest techniques for reducing weeds in your yard so you have a firm grip on it.
Leave No Room for Weeds
Weeds, like all other plants, compete for light, nutrients, and water. It’s far easier for weeds to establish a foothold in an open area than it is in one that has already been occupied by other established vegetation.
To plant densely, it is critical to leave as little room as possible for weeds. At the same time, you must avoid crowding as plants develop and mature. Poor air circulation due to overcrowding can lead to plant illnesses.
Mulch
One of the best methods to eliminate weeds from your lawn is to mulch it frequently. Mulching is another wonderful technique to keep weeds at bay. Organic mulch, such as bark or pinestraw, isn’t as long-lasting as an inorganic weed barrier, but organic mulch has a number of advantages.
Don’t Stir Up the Soil
A basic guideline of weed control that seems to go against common sense is the fact that growing weed seeds requires light. The majority of weed seeds require light in order to germinate, and they will only sprout in the top two inches of dirt. As a result, when you till or dig up the earth, you’re sending thousands of cannabis seeds into direct sunlight where they must be in order for them to germinate.
Chemical Weed Control
Last resort should be to use inorganic pesticides to kill weeds. The hundreds of weed killers available on the market are divided into two types: pre-emergence weed preventives and post-emergence weed killers that destroy the actual plants. To combat specific weeds at the appropriate moment, you must first identify which weeds you’re battling and their lifecycle.
At Legarden Designs, we can help you create one! We also provide seasonal reviews and yearly walkthroughs.Contact us today to learn more about what we offer!
There are two types of tree root problems. The first is that the roots themselves have an issue, such as girdling, decay, a lack of moisture, or an insect or disease that causes the tree to die. Alternatively, the roots may create issues in their environment because they are gnarled and twisted.
Common Problems Caused by Tree Roots
To evaluate the impact of tree roots, keep in mind that a tree’s roots extend two to three times as far as the canopy radius. In arid regions, they may spread up to five times broader than in moist ones. A tree with a diameter of 12 feet—which equals a radius of six feet—may have roots that spread 18 to 30 feet from the trunk.
Damage to Underground Pipes
Tree roots can break pipes, but the more typical scenario is that pipes collapse on their own as a result of age or other physical damage, after which the tree roots grow into the pipes and cause blockages. Many types of trees are known to contribute to sewer line damage, including aspens, birches, elms, maples, poplars, swamp oaks, sycamores, willows and fig trees.
Damage to Pavement and Sidewalks
Roots from trees and shrubs can grow beneath walkways and pavements. If the roots are near the surface, they might lift the pavement, posing a tripping hazard as well as causing damage. When this occurs, there is generally a choice between saving the tree by moving the pavement farther away from its roots or cutting back the tree’s encroaching roots in order to save the pavement or pathway.
Surface Roots as Hazards
A maple tree’s vast, robust roots protruding from the surface may be a familiar sight in your backyard. This frequently happens on a slope where soil erosion leads to root exposure. And, after a winter with frequent thaws, it can only get worse. These exterior roots are not only unsightly, they’re also dangerous. They can be really annoying when you’re mowing the grass because they’re so visible.
Our garden services at Legarden Designs handles every element of the process – from the initial design consultation through the project’s completion. We also provide seasonal reviews and yearly walkthroughs.Contact us today!
Mulch is used to keep the soil moist, control weeds, maintain a cool environment, prevent frost heaving in the winter, and make the garden bed more pleasant. Mulches that are organic also aid in the structure of the soil, drainage, and nutrient-holding capacity as they decompose.
Types of Organic Mulch
Mulch that is not manufactured from an inorganic substance will decompose and need to be replenished, but it will also improve the structure and organic content of your soil. The more dry and woody the mulch, the slower it decomposes and the fewer nutrients it delivers to the soil. Some organic mulch includes:
Bark, Shredded or Chipped
Pine Needles
Grass Clippings
Newspaper
Shredded Leaves
Straw
Knowing the source of mulch is essential, since it may contain viable weed seeds or chemicals. The last thing you want to do is spread a mulch that will begin sprouting and add to your workload – or contaminate your plants with chemicals.
Bark mulches are best utilized around trees, shrubs, and garden beds, while grass clippings are ideal for weeding control. Shredded leaves are nature’s favorite mulch and can be used in anyplace since it is free of charge as a form of mulch. Straw and salt hay are popular mulches for vegetable gardens.
Types of Synthetic and Inorganic Mulch
Mulches made of synthetic or inorganic materials do a fantastic job of retaining moisture and suppressing weeds. They don’t provide any nutrients to the soil, but they don’t decay quickly or need to be replaced as often as organic mulches. Some synthetic mulch includes:
Black Plastic
Landscape Fabric
Stone/Gravel
Around foundation plantings and other shrubs and trees, plastic and landscape fabric are excellent alternatives. Plastic, on the other hand, becomes extremely hot in the summer and, besides suffocating weed seeds, it can also destroy all of the soil’s beneficial properties. Gravel and stone mulches are excellent for Mediterranean herb gardens and rain gardens where drainage is required or when plants require a little more heat.
Which mulch you choose depends on the function and aesthetic you are looking for. At Legarden Designs, we can help you create one! We also provide seasonal reviews and yearly walkthroughs.Contact us today to learn more about what we offer!
