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Aerating Your Customers’ Lawns

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If your customers don’t have the thick, lush lawns they’ve imagined, you can rack your brain trying to figure out the cause.
 While you interrogate them about their watering practices and second guess yourself on fertilization, the problem might be a lot simpler.  It might be time to aerate.
Are there tracks in the lawn?  Are there tons of weeds despite a good fertilizer with weed prevention?  Are pests becoming a problem?  Is water pooling in the lawn after heavy rains?  Are there bare spots that you haven’t been able to help?  The soil might have compacted, and it might just take a little aerating to make the lawn thrive.  If the customer has clay soil or it’s a dry area, you’ll need to aerate more frequently.  There’s a simple and pretty unscientific way to tell when it’s time to aerate.  Grab a stick.  If the soil is difficult to penetrate with the stick, you should aerate. 
You should choose a nice, clear day to aerate.  If the soil is wet, you will have a huge mess and a lot of explaining to do to customers.  You’re also going to get compacted soil much more quickly if it’s wet.  If it’s too dry, you won’t be able to penetrate the soil with an aerator.  Pay attention to the weather.  You should have nice weather for as long as possible (a week at least) after you aerate for maximum benefits.
If you don’t yet have an aerator attachment for your mowers, you can rent one.  I recommend renting them before you buy one anyway.  There are different types of aerators with different features, and the best way to determine which you prefer is to try them out.  Aerators with spreaders allow the plugs (or cores) of soil to be spread throughout the lawn.  It’s fine to leave them, but they should be raked to make the lawn look better right away.  If you have a lot of clay soil yards or live in a dry area, you want longer spikes on your aerator.  You also want more spikes to play the odds.  The more spikes you have, the more likely at least some will penetrate harder, dryer soils.  In particularly dry areas, it’s a good idea to water a day or two before aeration, just to promote penetration.  Then simply mow in the same pattern you were going to mow anyway, with the aerator attached.
Aerating a lawn allows air, water, and nutrients to get to the roots of the grass.  It allows earthworms to move about.  Other good little organisms that take care of pests and naturally fertilize the lawn will thrive.  You’ll also break through some weed roots, and the healthier lawn will have a better fighting chance against the weeds.  You’ll have fewer problems with flooding, and the lawn will be more drought-tolerant.  Bare spots will fill in much better.
Right after aerating is the perfect time to overseed if you are trying to repair bare spots or filling in during fall for a green winter lawn.  By core aerating the lawn, you’ve perfectly prepared the soil to thrive on the seeds.  This should be done as soon as possible after aerating, and it’s best to remove the pulled plugs from the lawn if you’re going to seed.  It’s also a great time for water to get deep into the soil in dry areas, so watering after aeration is preferable.  If it’s fertilization time, it’s also a good idea to aerate first if it’s needed.
In hot, dry climates, you might need to aerate in summer, fall, and at the beginning of spring, depending on how dry the winter was.  Cooler weather grasses are better aerated early in fall.  They are too fragile and will recover more slowly if aerated in the summer, and fall is the perfect time to prepare them for winter.  If the soil is heavy with clay, you might need to aerate more often.  It’s a good idea to keep your stick (knife, screwdriver, etc) handy to check if the soil has compacted. 
Aerating will save your customers time and money watering in the summer as their lawns will be better able to withstand drought, and they will be thrilled with their healthier, fuller lawns.  It’s well worth investing in a good aerator.
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Adding a Water Feature to Your Yard

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Adding a Water Feature to Your Yard

If you feel that your backyard is lacking a certain something, a water feature might be just the thing to bring new life to your outdoors.
There are many different types of water features to consider, such as a pond or a waterfall.  Flowing or still water has a peaceful relaxing quality to it, and water features allow you to bring this natural beauty right into your own yard.  You may be thinking that the care and upkeep of a water feature may not be worth the hassle, but they are much less labor intensive as you may think.  By following a few simple guidelines and understanding how your water feature lives and breathes, you can enjoy this natural work of art for as long as you own your home.
Water fountains are considerably easier to deal with then a water garden.  Fountains must be regularly cleaned, but really require little upkeep.  If you want a successful water garden you will probably need to invest a little more time, especially when you’re first trying to get it established.  When creating a water garden, it is vital that you understand the relationships between the plants and animals coexisting in this environment.  If you want your water garden to thrive, you’ll need to take special care to choose the right fauna and flora.
Many new pond owners have problem with algae.  If you don’t want to be cleaning out your pond every few weeks, adding a few fish can greatly help as can floating plants which help to reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the algae.  Ensure you don’t have an excessive amount of chlorine in your water, especially if you have fish.  You may want to install a pump and/or a filter along with regularly checking the pH level of water (should be between six and eight).
If you’re having your pond installed for you, ask the professionals for advice on getting started.  If you are still unsure about where to start you can also buy one of several books which can guide you step-by-step through the process of creating your own water garden.  Once your pond is established you will likely find the upkeep to be quite minimal.
Many people find that adding a water feature to their yard can literally transform their entire surroundings.  Ponds, fountains, and waterfalls add a natural beauty and serenity to any outdoor area, no matter how small or modest.
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A Mini Landscaping Lesson

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Landscaping has often been likened to the painting of a picture. Your art-work teacher has doubtless told you that a good picture should have a point of chief interest, and the rest of the points simply go to make more beautiful the central idea, or to form a fine setting for it.

So in landscaping there must be in the gardener’s mind a picture of what he desires the whole to be when he completes his landscaping project.
Should you include lots of bare open lawn in your landscaping theme? A large extent of open lusious green lawn space is always beautiful. It is restful.
This type of open landscaping adds a feeling of space to even small grounds. If you cover your lawn space with many trees, with little flower beds here and there, the general effect is choppy and fussy. A bit like an over-dressed person. Not the most visual appealing result from your landscaping efforts. 
When landscaping, a single tree or a small group is not a bad arrangement on the lawn. Do not centre the tree or trees. Let them drop a bit into the background. Make a pleasing side feature of them. In choosing trees for your landscaping project, keep in mind a number of things. You should not choose an overpowering tree. The tree should have a good shape, with something interesting about its bark, leaves, flowers or fruit.
For the beauty of landscaping, the catalpa is quite lovely by itself. Its leaves are broad, its flowers attractive, the seed pods which cling to the tree until way into the winter, add a bit of picturesqueness. The bright berries of the ash, the brilliant foliage of the sugar maple, the blossoms of the tulip tree, the bark of the white birch, and the leaves of the copper beech all these are beauty points to consider when planning your overall landscaping arrangement.
Landscaping may follow along very formal lines or along informal lines. The first would have straight paths, straight rows in stiff beds, everything, as the name tells, perfectly formal. The other method is, of course, the exact opposite. You should consider the advantages and danger points in each.
In conclusion, plan for open lawn spaces in your overall landscaping design and keep a visually appealing tree to blend in the background. Think balance and you will come up with a beautiful landscaping design for your yard.
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A Look at Metal Gazebos

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If you’re looking for the strength, stability, sturdiness, and longevity of a metal gazebo, you have plenty of options to fit your needs. They come as 4-sided structures, all the way to 12-sided structures,

A Look at Metal Gazebos

as well as irregular structures like rectangles, ovals, and multi-sectioned shapes. They often boast many flourishes, such as swirling, plant-like shapes. Despite their not being made of wood, they have a very graceful feel to them capable of complimenting any outdoor setting.
Most metal gazebos come in aluminum, or steel and wrought iron. Aluminum is the less expensive and more lightweight material. It will do just fine under most circumstances.  But if you’re looking for a much more permanent structure, steel or wrought iron is your best bet. These metals are much heavier than aluminum and therefore stand up better to hard winds.
Another consideration for some consumers is that steel and iron are not likely to be damaged by vandalism. So while steel and iron are more expensive than aluminum, you might save money in the long run, because they will last.
Most metal gazebos don’t have a contiguous roof to keep off rain or snow. You can either leave your metal gazebo that way and appreciate it for its aesthetic value, or you can add a fitted canopy. These are often made out of a heavy canvass or polymers.  This open design means metal gazebos are great for displaying plants that hang in pots from the roof or climb like vines up the sides. Adding plants to a metal gazebo will bring more shade and beauty to the area.
The best part about any metal gazebo is its ability to withstand everything that a wood gazebo is prone to. Rot, termites, fading, warping, twisting, chipping, checking, discoloring – these elements are nothing to a metal gazebo.
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A Guide To Silk Palm Trees

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A Guide To Silk Palm Trees

The best way to create a truly magical, tropical, and exotic setting is by adding beautiful palm trees to it. Unique in their beauty, palm trees can transform any place, multiplying its beauty and exoticness within seconds. However, to plant tropical palm trees and take care of them can be cumbersome. Hence, life-looking, exact replicas of palms are available in silk which can be bought, assembled, and kept indefinitely without any hassles or pain.

Research shows that silk palm trees are among the most popular silk trees. 

As such, they come in plenty of sizes, shapes, and types. Multitudes of companies exist that are dedicated to producing silk bamboo trees.
Some companies that produce excellent-quality, beautiful silk palm trees include Silk Tree House, Inc, Indoor Tropical Foliage, Silk Trees, Silk Plants Plus, Silk Plant Design Center, Kinkade Studios, Earthflora, Valentine Floral Creations, Autumn Foliages, Brands on Sale, Andreas, Inc, Your Silk Garden, Silk Worx by Lori, Silk Reflections, Silk Plant Jungle, Seasonal Impact, Oasis Illusions, Hillcrest Mill, BotanicusEtc, Amazon Foliages, and Northwest Supply, among others.  Shipping normally includes an additional fee, but companies such as BotanicusEtc, among others, ship their trees for free.
Different silk palms like areca palm, cycus palm, parlor silk palm, bamboo silk palm, kentia palm, real wood date palm, phoenix palm, Buddha palm, and many, many more are all available at the aforementioned companies, ranging in size from small to giant.
Northwest Supply, Office Scapes Direct, Amazon Foliages, Seasonal Impact, Brands on Sale, Kinkade Studios, and Save on Crafts are some companies that provide discounts and hence, offer quality trees with huge savings.
All trees come in non-decorative baskets or containers, but some even include a decorative container or pot without charging any extra fee.
Companies usually provide a hundred percent guarantee, but some like Hillcrest Mill, BotanicusEtc, and Office Scapes Direct offer a full refund if trees fail to match up to the expectations and returned within a specified time period.
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A Guide To Red Roses

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A Guide To Red Roses

William Shakespeare penned the words, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose/By any other name would smell as sweet.”
From the days of Romeo and Juliet to modern times, a red rose has been synonymous with love. Today, roses are popular all around the world. However, in its initial stages, roses grew abundantly only in Central Asia. The Persians and Egyptians, who later developed a cultivated variety, discovered the wild roses.
A red rose held in a person’s hand is figurative to socialism and social democracy by the United Kingdom Labor Party. Later, several other European and South American socialist parties also accepted this icon. In Greek and Polish languages the word rose itself denotes the color red.

There are a number of famous red rose varieties.

These include Lancaster’s red rose, which is perhaps the first cultured rose variety and the hybrid tea rose, called ‘Mister Lincoln’. Red roses are a frequent selection for romantic dates and valentine day bouquets. If a person wishes to gift a unique item, a red rose plant in itself is distinct.
Red roses are available in various categories. These varieties include English roses, climbing roses, shrub roses, outstanding hybrid tea roses and rose bushes. However, people should be aware of the fact that red rose bushes and shrubs are subject to diseases. These ailments could include occurrence of black spots on leaves or flowers that don’t open or are deformed when they open. Use of Orthene and Malathion sprays could be useful in keeping red rose gardens free of weaknesses.
There are many emotions involved in gifting red roses. These could include expressions of love, magnificence, bravery and admiration. Other reasons that make receiving red roses a common practice include best wishes, appreciation, sincerity and passion.
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10 landscaping design ideas to enhance your home garden.

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10 landscaping design ideas to enhance your home garden.


1) The compound wall of the home plot defines the boundary of the garden as well. Use paintings on the wall surface (inside), that will add excitement to your garden . You can go for a theme based paintings such as nature, waterfalls, sunsets etc..
2) Use stone sculptures of actual human size. These statues greatly add a uman touch to the garden and also defines a scale to the space. Everything we use in our daily lives such as clothes, kitchen utensils, office equipment, computer parts, are all always related to human measurements. If this is the case with all other objects, why exclude a garden from it.
3) Use a fountain with artificial mood creating lighting. This adds a great amount of curiosity during night.
4) Use Japanese stone lanterns instead of the normal ones. This is because stone has its own rough texture as against the smooth and fresh look and feel of the plants in a garden. This creates “hot-spots” in the garden if you plan to use light bulbs inside the stone lanterns. These stone lanterns can also be used along a pathway to define the direction of movement.
5) Design a pond that flows partially into the home building. This is a great way to seamlessly connect the interior and exterior of a home landscape.
6) If your garden has a swimming pool, then instead of having normal diving boards, be little creative and make it into the shape of a house or the person coming out of the mouth of an animal etc…Your kids will love this and will be remembered whoever visits your garden.
7) Create private semi-open patios in your garden. This is a great place to sit around and chat with your loved ones and also can be used as a small deck during a small party.
8) If you love pets, then try rabbits, ducks along with a small pond, in the backyard. These pets have very fresh colors and add great amount of liveliness in the garden.
9) If possible plants flowerings trees with fragrance. This is a free and absolutely amazing way to keep your garden fresh.
10) Create levels in your garden to distinguish various areas as per the function of the garden. A leveled garden always creates interest and curiosity.
If you have read this article completely you can see I have hardly talked about plats and their species in landscaping. So landscaping design is also about using creativity with materials and their finishes. I hope this article helps you to start thinking creatively about your home garden and generate more unique ideas.
Copyright Shrinivas Vaidya
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5 Must Know Tips For A Better Looking Landscape

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There is no doubt that when landscaping one wants to save money, as well as have an attractive property. Not only can landscaping help you beautify your home, but it can also provide a source of satisfying exercise in the fresh air. When you take care of your yard on your own, it is possible to save money and to improve your physical conditioning. But if the landscape turns out to look bad, then that is so much time and money wasted. However, it is possible to ensure a better-looking landscape by following a few tips that can help you take better care of your yard.

Know your soil type.

Some plants thrive in soil with more acidity, and others prefer a little more alkali. Additionally, sandy soil and clay soil, as well as the presence of a loamy soil, can make a difference in what types of plants will thrive in a landscape. You should have your soil evaluated in order to determine what types of vegetation should be planted on your property. When you purchase plants that will succeed in the soil conditions present in your yard, then you make a wiser money decision, and you end up with a more attractive landscape. If there are plants that you would like to use in your soil, but the soil is not quite ideal, it is possible to improve the soil to proper conditions. You need only add mulch or peat, or to add crushed limestone or clamshells, depending upon what you hope to accomplish. As long as there is not a great difference in what you have and what you hope to achieve, it is possible to make soil adjustments to be more accommodating.
Understand how much space each of the plants need. There are some plants that require more room for their root systems than others. If you choose one plant that tends to grow everywhere, and you do not have adequate space, you will find that your other plants may be crowded out or that they may choke and die. Also, make sure you understand the spacing requirements for between plants. Many shrubs and small trees need to be planted at least three to four feet apart to have enough room to grow.
Use native plants in your landscape design. One of the most effective things you can do to ensure a good-looking yard is to make use of native plants. Find out what plants grow best in your area, and what plants are indigenous to the region. This way you will already be ahead, in that you know that the plants you choose are adapted to the climate. You will not have to struggle against natural inclinations to keep your landscape looking beautiful. If you due use non-native plants, assure yourself that they come from a place that shares a climate similar to the one in which you live.

Plan your landscape around different blooming times.

Different plants bloom at various times throughout the year. If all of the plants in your landscape are at their most attractive all at the same time, then your yard will look beautiful for a few weeks each year, but quite possible ugly the rest of the year. One way to help avoid this is to choose attractive bushes and shrubs that look good green, but also have some sort flower. However, it is a good idea to stagger plants among each other. Plant tulips and crocus among later-blooming plants so that in early spring the bulbs bloom, and then when those flowers’ time is up, the next plants will be in bloom. In this way the cycle of your landscape is in keeping with the seasons, and looks attractive all year round.
Use wood chips around shrubs, bushes and trees. Wood chips can help the ground around shrubs, bushes, and trees look more attractive. Not only do the chips cover the ground (often looking better than dirt), but they also help keep in moisture, repel weeds, and provide natural food as they break down. Likewise, attractive groundcover like chicks and hens placed around trees and shrubs can make the area more interesting and pleasing to the eye.