flower beds Archives - 410 Lawn Guy

Now is the Time to Prep for Spring

Joe Butts On October 29, 2021 / Lawn Care Tips

It’s fall. We will forgive you for thinking that now is the time to relax and cut back on the work in your yard. We are approaching winter, and the busy summer season is finally dwindling. However, now is the time to prep for spring! If you want your lawn and garden to be flourishing by the time April rolls around, it’s essential to do the prep work now. Here, we lay out what to do over fall and winter – so that your garden reaches its full potential in 2022. Prep for Spring – Harvest Existing Plants If you have any plants, vegetables, or fruit that need harvesting, get this done first. Make sure that any dead or dying plants are disposed of or composted. Rake and Layer Your Garden Spend some time raking your garden. Try and rake through all plant leaves so that your garden and soil are exposed. This step is especially important if you have plants that showed signs of any mildew. You want your plants to have the best chance of growth for the spring season, so get rid of any plants that showed signs of disease or decay so that it hopefully doesn’t

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Pretty Perennials Add Lasting Beauty

Joe Butts On August 10, 2021 / Lawn Care Tips

Adding perennials to your garden is a great way to incorporate lasting color with less maintenance. Annuals may have a more extended bloom season than some perennials, but they won’t come back next year, requiring you to replant your garden each season. When choosing perennials for your Maryland garden, there are a few things to consider to make your landscaping efforts provide curb appeal and a wow factor. Hardiness Zone Depending on where you live in Maryland, you could be in one of five hardiness zones: 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b The hardiness zone you live in is based on frost dates and weather patterns. Zones five and six are hardy down to -20 degrees, while zones seven and eight are only hardy down to 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Knowing which zone you are in can help you select the right perennials to flourish best in your zone. The hardiness zone also determines the best time to plant for the best results. Sun Tolerance Plants need sunlight to survive, but each perennial has its own amount of sun tolerance. A perennial requiring outdoor shade would burn up and die in full sun, and a perennial needing full sun won’t grow in

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Don’t Let Weeds Take Over Your Lawn

Joe Butts On August 9, 2021 / Lawn Care Tips

No matter how much effort you put into maintaining your lawn, you’re bound to get weeds at some point. In Maryland, there are several weeds to contend with, and most of them can multiply quickly. The problem with most weeds in Maryland is the seeds travel with the wind. So, even if you get rid of the offenders taking up residence in your yard, they can quickly germinate and take root in your lawn. Once a weed seed lands in your yard, it can stay dormant for years. When conditions are right, they germinate and spread roots, making it more difficult to get rid of them. In Maryland, these conditions include: Improper Lawn Mowing Not Watering Your Lawn Correctly (Under-Watering Or Over-Watering) Not Using The Proper Fertilizing Methods Warm Temperatures Poor Soil Bare Or Thinning Spots In Your Lawn Common Weeds in Maryland Most weeds in Maryland fall into two categories; broadleaf and grass weeds. There can be a number of both lying dormant in your lawn, just waiting to make their appearance and take over. The University of Maryland has an extensive weed identification and management guide to help you identify and eradicate these common Maryland weeds. Maryland Broadleaf

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Insect Control for Your Lawn – Grubs, Worms, Spiders, Ants

Joe Butts On May 19, 2021 / Lawn Care Tips

A perfect lawn is the dream of every homeowner, as it gives your surroundings an aesthetic appeal. Managing a lawn requires basics such as watering, mowing, landscaping, and fertilizing. However, insect control is one of the most challenging lawn maintenance tasks. Generally, pests that affect lawns vary, with some living underground, while others inhabit the surface. Once insects attack your lawn, it is advisable to address the problem immediately to prevent further damage. An insect-free lawn is a pleasant place for family and friends to gather and enjoy your outdoor spaces. How to Detect Insects in Your Lawn Insect control should be a basic lawn maintenance practice. Therefore, while carrying out routine maintenance, you need to combine several approaches that will help you identify the types of insects attacking your lawn. Visual Examination for Insect Control Scan the lawn for patches. Most patches occur from pests such as moths, white grubs, and black turfgrass beetles. Monitor the grass for sections that have been chewed off or are missing as it might signify a moth problem. Furthermore, look at any brown lawn sections overall, and if the blades appear chewed, then it is a moth problem. Additionally, drying grass indicates there

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The Case for Mulch

Joe Butts On April 16, 2021 / Lawn Care Tips

Using mulch is part and parcel of gardening as it supports some natural processes in your garden. If you carry out mulching correctly, your garden will reap several benefits while cutting down on watering, weeding, and pest control expenses. Notably, you can incorporate it into any gardening system. So, what are the benefits of mulching to your garden? The Benefits Of Mulching Your Flower Beds and Trees To get the full benefits of mulching, ensure the layer is at least 5 -7.5 inches. The mulch offers the following benefits to your flower beds and trees. Helps With Weed Problems A good layer inhibits the growth of weeds in the soil. It is the solution for a weed-free garden. A weed-free garden ensures the flower bed and trees have all the nutrients without competition. Retains Moisture and Nutrients AThe same layer helps with water and nutrient retention. Furthermore, if you opt for organic material, it will release the nutrients into the soil on decomposition. Moreover, it will help the plants survive hot weather like during the summer. Soil Temperature Regulation Mulch ensures plants remain in stable condition without being stressed in conditions of fluctuating temperatures. This is beneficial, especially during the

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Spring Prepping Your Lawn

Joe Butts On March 24, 2021 / Lawn Care Tips

The exhaustion you feel from Daylight Saving Time may also put some wind in your sails. The time change signals that winter is about to leave, ushering in spring! Time to put away the snow shovels and start putting your spring plan into action. Let the Spring Prepping begin! What should you do when prepping your lawn for spring? Here are six tips to get your yard ready for summer? Spring Prepping – Cleaning First things first – time to assess the damage caused by the winter season. As soon as it’s warm and dry enough, take a walk around your yard and clean up debris. You should remove leaves, twigs, branches, acorns, and litter. Inspect your soil, grass, trees, shrubs, and garden structures to see what’s growing back and which section needs the most attention. Create a plan to tackle it when the ground isn’t saturated, which can create further damage. Rake the Grass Thatch, the layer of dead turfgrass covering the soil and root system, needs to be tended to. No matter how vigorously you raked in the fall, don’t skip this step. Raking not only gets rid of the thatch covering, but it also stimulates the grass

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4 Reasons Why Perennials Make Sense

Joe Butts On March 24, 2021 / Lawn Care Tips

Spring is in the air, despite the wet weather we’ve been getting. Have you planned out your garden for this year? If not, you may be wondering if it’s better to plant annuals or perennials. Annuals are colorful flowers even the most novice gardener can keep going. They are inexpensive, usually have a long bloom time, and can add bright cheer to your home’s exterior. The biggest downside to annuals is that when they die, they won’t come back, so you have to buy and plant them every year. Perennials, however, come back year after year, sometimes for decades. Perennials include flowers, fruits, legumes, nuts, and vegetables. The foods we eat come in both annuals and perennials. Today, we’re making a case for including perennials in your garden. Here are four reasons why perennials make sense. Water Conservation Annuals are particular about water – too much, and they rot, not enough, and they can burn in the harsh Maryland summers. Even still, annuals require frequent watering, sometimes twice a day when it’s hot and not so humid (which is rarely the case here). Perennials, though, require watering while the roots are getting established but can adapt more easily to the

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When Should You Start Planting Bulbs?

Joe Butts On February 18, 2021 / Lawn Care Tips

Planting bulbs in your garden is easy, and the colorful displays you receive once they bloom are a prominent sign of a job well done. But when should you plant bulbs in your gardens for maximum impact during peak season? The answer to this depends on the type of bulbs you’re planting and whether they are spring-blooming or summer-blooming bulbs. Here are some tips to use for planting bulbs in the right place and time in your gardens. Know Your Bulbs It doesn’t matter if you’re a serious gardener or a beginner; flowers grown from bulbs are a simple way to beautify your landscape design. You want to choose large and firm bulbs, avoiding any that are soft or mushy. While it’s normal to choose flowers based on colors and presentation, you have to know if they will bloom in spring or summer. When they bloom will determine when you should plant them. It would be best if you planted Spring-blooming bulbs in the fall after soil temperatures have cooled. Living in the transition zone of the Mid-Atlantic, that could mean as late as October or even November. Evening temperatures should be between 40 to 50 degrees, and the ground

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