GARDENING TIPS

Equipment Maintenance
Winter: Winter is an excellent time to clean all your tools and sharpen the blades on your equipment. This way they are ready for use when spring arrives instead of waiting for a shop to do this during the busiest part of their season.

Schedule Installations
Winter: Call early in winter for any landscape work to be started in the spring or summer since the work schedules fill up quickly as the weather warms up. By planning ahead, you secure an early slot on the schedule for the first projects of the season. Then you can sit back and enjoy the finished beauty for the rest of the year.

Clogged Water Emitters
Spring: Having problems with plugged or clogged water emitters because of hard water? Don't throw them out, instead, soak them in vinegar which will dissolve the calcium deposits and provide you with many years of use.

Ants
Spring: Don't head for the sprayer in the spring when you see your peony buds covered with ants. This is a very amicable relationship for both plant and insect. Ants are attracted to the nectar which forms around the edges of the bud. The ants in exchange provide protection for the peonies from any bud-nibbling pests.

Reuse Sod
Spring: Whenever you remove any sod for new beds, don't throw it away, instead, use it to repair any thin, worn or unhealthy looking areas on your lawn. Just remove the turf, aerate and improve the soil and then press the new sod into place and follow up with water until established. The "plus" to doing this is that the sod removed matches the rest of your lawn creating a perfect match.

Island Beds
Anytime: Creating island beds can be especially challenging since they are viewed from all sides at all times of the year. When planning for this type of bed, keep in mind the winter months for visual interest. This can be accomplished by remembering to use some larger rocks for sculptural interest, stepping stones for pattern, evergreens for year round color and some garden ornaments, (i.e. birdbaths, feeders, etc.), for architectural impact.