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Professional Lawn Care and Gardening Needs | Greenside Landscaping

Category: Gardening

27 Sep 2018
fall gardening
By seoteam Gardening

Why Fall Watering is Important

One of the single biggest questions facing many home gardeners: When should I stop watering in the fall? Every garden is different, and so is every summer season – many homeowners struggle with the balance between saving water and keeping the yard healthy and prepared for winter.

At Greenside, our landscaping pros are here to help. We have a wide range of landscaping services, including lawn care and maintenance areas like watering. Let’s look at some of the important factors that go into fall watering.

Root Growth

The fall period is important for root growth, for multiple reasons. For one, the soil that these roots sit under has already gone through several months of summer heat, which has warmed it up and softened it. For another, the fall season hopefully comes with a bit more precipitation – when combined with warm days and cool nights, this is a recipe for encouraging roots to spread out and firm up ahead of the winter.

At the same time, though, a hot climate like Utah often means there isn’t enough rainfall to complete this process fully. Roots can quickly dehydrate if they don’t get enough moisture. You should always be ready to water during this season, especially if your yard goes more than 10 days or two weeks without any rainfall.

Sending Fluids Downward

Part of the reason why roots are so important this time of year? The plants they’re attached to are sending their fluids downward, hence the falling of leaves common in autumn. If this happens too soon, or to too great a degree, vital buds may die and cause stress on the plants just before they’re preparing for winter dormancy – never a good sign for their long-term health.

For this reason, you need to have a plan in place for your root system. Prioritize the areas of the garden that you know need the most water – one standard here is that south-facing plants tend to need more water than north-facing ones due to their proximity to sunlight. At minimum, keep hoses handy for things like newer plants, transplants or plants that are particularly prone to weather damage.

Consider Wind

Another important factor to consider here is wind, which dries out the ground and roots even further. High winds during the late summer can dehydrate the tissues of plants while they attempt to move nutrients downward to their roots. If you notice lots of this as you begin to taper off your watering cycle, consider maintaining things a little bit longer.

For more on why watering in the fall is important, or to learn about any of our landscaping services, speak to the pros at Greenside today.

06 Aug 2018
landscape
By seoteam Gardening, Landscaping

Tips for Achieving a Low-Maintenance Landscape

While many other landscaping companies will generally insist on promoting only the grandest and most expensive products to you as you design your space, we at Greenside are here for you and you alone, regardless of the bottom line. We’re here to help with all ranges of landscaping desires, from minor projects all the way up to major renovations.

For many homeowners, all they desire for their outdoor space is what we refer to as “low-maintenance” landscaping. What does this term mean, and how can we help you achieve this for your home? Let’s take a look.

Defining “Low-Maintenance”

Low-maintenance is a relative term – it all depends on the person performing said maintenance. If you’re a gardener who loves to be out in the yard tinkering, your idea of low-maintenance will be very different from someone who doesn’t enjoy that activity at all. Here are a few basic questions to help yourself determine what you’re looking for:

  • What qualifies as “low-maintenance” to me?
  • Can I quantify this? Can I list the tasks that fall under low-maintenance for me?
  • What will I willingly do regularly? What will I never do?

Achieving a Low-Maintenance Landscape

Achieving your low-maintenance landscape is simple and easy – but to be clear, low-maintenance doesn’t mean no-maintenance. There will be some work involved, but the concepts are easy to follow. Here are four basic steps to take:

  • Know your existing conditions: Take all the steps to understand your current situation before getting started. Try to avoid complete overhauls, as these will rarely qualify as low-maintenance.
  • Align your plans: As you get your plan going, do a thorough site analysis and integrate your new ideas with what you’ve already got naturally.
  • Use best practices: Our experts can help you observe the best possible environmental and landscaping practices, including caring for soil and root systems and using high-quality materials.
  • Plan for support: Before you begin your project, plan for how you’ll care for it once it’s finished. Develop a long-term plan here that will allow you to keep your great space without a ton of heavy maintenance.

For more on achieving a low-maintenance landscape, or to find out about any of our lawn care or general landscaping services, speak to the pros at Greenside today.

16 Feb 2018
By seoteam Gardening

Tips for Properly Spacing Outdoor Areas

As one of the top landscaping companies out there, we at Greenside are all about advance planning when it comes to your home and lawn care. Especially when considering a brand new landscaping design, such as a new spring look you’re putting together this winter, it’s important to take the appropriate time and lay out all the relevant elements early on.

With that in mind, and especially as we sit in a winter period that’s perfect for planning, let’s look at a few bits of advice we can offer for proper sizing and spacing your outdoor space.

Walk Around

The first and most important step here is to walk around all your important areas, starting with the transitions from indoors to outdoors. This journey is an important part of your space, particularly if you regularly entertain outdoors and bring food or other items back and forth.

For starters, you want to arrange things logically – if you cook often, you don’t want to have the patio on the other side of the house from the kitchen, for instance. From here, consider all the other logical elements of how people move in and out: Whether there are any tripping or vision hazards, how pets will handle the transition, things like that.

Check Your Views

Another important factor to keep in mind is the view from your kitchen and other important indoor areas. You don’t want indoor dining guests to be staring at a barbecue from their indoor view, for example – consider the ambiance of both inside and outside together.

Keep Comfort In Mind

In many cases, homeowners make the mistake of underestimating the space they’ll need for a deck or patio. Some people build them to fit a space that isn’t yet filled with a table, chairs or other vital elements of the patio. This is an area where you want space to stretch out and chat, and when you’re designing it, you should shoot for more space than you think is necessary.

For more on properly spacing your landscaping design, or to learn about any of our services, speak to the pros at Greenside today.

15 Oct 2017
By seoteam Gardening ,

Why Bees are Valuable in the Garden

While it’s understandable that many people are afraid of being stung by bees, this fear keeps some from recognizing their undeniable importance to Mother Nature and even our daily lives. Bees are pollinators, vital to many of the most important crops, and their presence can be a significant factor in an improved garden.

At Greenside, our landscaping experts can speak to you about the effect of bees on the garden. Let’s go over some basics about their benefits, plants they love and tips to attract them to your garden.

Bee Basics

There are numerous crops that depend on bees and other pollinators for continued life. This extends beyond the home garden – in farming, some of the plants that depend on bees are used to feed livestock and keep the entire operation running. Crops that depend on bees and other pollinators include apples, pumpkins, almonds, pears, blueberries, melons, plums, cotton and more.

Unfortunately, though, the US has lost over 50 percent of its managed honeybee colonies in the last 10 years. This is a frightening trend that could have major effects in the future.

Plants Bees Love

There are several plants that will easily attract bees to your garden:

  • Butterfly weed
  • Coneflower
  • Poppies
  • Clover
  • Black-eyed Susan
  • Bee Balm
  • Cranesbill

Tips to Attract Bees

There are several things you can do to attract bees to your garden for healthy reasons:

  • Diverse garden: Plant flowers and other plants that bloom during different times of the year. This will help attract both bees and other important pollinators. Choose trees and plants that vary in height, color and size.
  • Single flowers: Single flowers are great for providing food and nutrients for bees in a very easy place for them to access.
  • Pesticides: Pesticides have played a big role in the decline of bee colonies, as they are toxic to bees and other pollinators. Look to other pest control options for your garden.
  • Color: Bees are more attracted to specific colors: Blue, yellow and purple in flowers. Look for options like lavender, daisies, zinnias, snapdragons, bee balm and nepeta.

For more on how bees can benefit your garden, or to hear about our lawn maintenance and lawn clean up offerings along with other landscaping services, speak to the pros at Greenside today.

01 May 2017
By seoteam Gardening, Landscaping , ,

Noticing and Preventing Yard-Related Pests

Within the world of landscaping and yard care, there are a number of priorities to take. These can range from lawn care and weed control to fertilization concerns, and at Greenside, we’re here to help with any and all areas of need.

Another important consideration for the discerning gardener? Preventing pests in the yard, and particularly in trees. There are several pests that can damage and even ruin landscaping projects – luckily, though, there are also a few telltale signs. Here are a few of these signs.

Boring Insects

Boring insects are the types that tunnel inside trees and feed on their bark. These are often the most destructive pets for ornamental trees and shrubs. These bugs often make it impossible for the tree to transport water and nutrients.

You may notice exit holes in the trunk or branches of the tree, or sawdust-like debris or frass. You could also notice lots of leaves in the area. If you notice these issues repeatedly, or in multiple trees, you should call our Greenside professionals and set an appointment as soon as possible.

Chewing Insects

Chewing insects are often the simplest to notice, and create major damage to leaves or needles. For most trees, this sort of minor defoliation is not a problem – but more severe infestation, or a loss of leaf surface over several years, can reduce a plant’s ability to thrive and continue growing.

With chewing insects, you’re likely to notice nests in place, or even the insects themselves. You’ll see holes in leaves, and the skeletonization or complete removal of leaf tissue. An extreme rate of leaf loss may also take place in some cases.

Sucking Insects

There are several insects that survive purely by sucking sap and nutrients from plants or trees. These are often the toughest yard pests to detect – small and difficult to see. Nearly all woody ornamentals are at risk of infection by these insects, including mites, scales, aphids and others.

Signs here will include withered leaves, dieback on branches and tips, a sooty mold coating, sticky sap or honeydew, or the loss of needles. Premature leaf drop may also take place.

If you see any of these signs, or if you’re interested in any of our other landscaping services, contact the experts at Greenside today.

02 May 2016
By seoteam Gardening, Landscaping , ,

3 Ways to Turn Your Yard Into Paradise

Your yard will be the envy of all your neighbors if you abide by the following landscaping guidelines to make your outdoor space the best that it can be.

  • Landscape for color, texture and height.

Adding interest to your backyard is a much more multifaceted process than simply having some shrubs planted around your patio door or installing sod on your lawn. Consider all of your senses when envisioning a landscaping plan for your yard. What are your favorite flowers and trees to smell? What are your favorite colors? Do you enjoy being able to see over your shrubs into your neighbor’s yard or would you prefer total serenity and privacy? Next, think about what landscape techniques might make these preferences a reality.

  • Grow fruits and vegetables as well as ornamentals.

Having food plants in your yard will encourage you to spend more time outside picking, smelling and tasting. Whether you want to grow a few herbs in pots, build a raised bed for tomatoes and cucumbers or plant fruit or nut trees to enjoy cherries or walnuts later down the road, planting simple edibles in your yard will transform it from a pleasant place to be to a food-filled paradise.

  • Personalize, customize and tweak.

 No one landscaping plan works for every property owner or every backyard. Sit down with a piece of graph paper or a computer-based landscape design program and sketch out an idea of what you want your yard to look like. Or chat with a professional landscaper to get inspired before you put your ideas down on paper. The beauty of landscaping is that you can design your yard to look exactly as you want it to, no matter whether you dream of a waterfall-filled backyard, a yard centered around an outdoor grill patio or a garden that attracts as many birds and butterflies as possible.

As you start to spice up your yard for the summer call Greenside Landscaping to help turn your backyard into a landscape paradise.

02 Mar 2016
By seoteam Gardening, Landscaping , , , ,

3 Ways to Beautify Your Backyard

Some people are born with a green thumb, while others find that skillset elusive. It would be nice to plant and maintain a gorgeous garden, but that’s just not in the cards for everyone. Fortunately, there are services available that will leave you not just with spectacular landscaping, but with an outdoor area that requires little maintenance. Here are 3 options that can transform your backyard without the burden of constant upkeep.

  1. Tranquil Fountains 

You don’t have to be at the Bellagio to see an elegant waterworks display anymore. There are dozens of fountains that can give your yard an aquatic serenity, including:

  • Zen Fountains – Small enough to place almost anywhere, creating a constant source of audible tranquility.
  • Tiered Fountains – These range in size and can act as a yard’s centerpiece or compliment the surrounding natural aesthetic.
  • Wall Fountains – Mount a wall fountain by an entryway so you can enjoy the sound of the water as you’re coming and going.

Fountains can be solar powered and recycle the water used, ensuring your water-themed yard is self-sufficient and economical.

  1. Forested Sanctuary 

For homeowners who struggle to keep their flowers blooming, trees can be easier to maintain while still providing beautiful foliage. With proper spacing, you’re able to create a little forest retreat in your own backyard. Greenside Landscaping services can help you figure out which species of tree will do best in your yard and on your specified budget.

  1. Maintenance-Free Rock Gardens

 Both time and your water bill are spared by a garden comprised of stoic stones. The rocks alone can create a dynamic scene, though they can also be paired with user-friendly succulents and other simple plants.

A well-manicured yard can seem like an impossible dream, but that really isn’t the case. Once you figure out the services you want, a low-maintenance, high-quality garden is pretty much a phone call away.