If you have a lawn in the front yard, it may not be as green as you want it to be. Investing in seed that you can place on the lawn in the spring time is important. This is also a great time to get rid of weeds and other problems so that they don’t grow out of control. Adding sod may be just what your lawn needs to revive brand new life into it. Just make sure that you take care of the soil before you place the sod on it. Take your time to find quality sod and to lay it out properly.

Some other front house landscaping ideas to consider include colorful rocks. Maybe you live in an area where keeping a nice lawn is difficult. You can add reddish brown or white rocks to be able to add some color to the front of your home as well. If a lack of shade is a problem, you can consider adding some nice trees to your front year. They will improve the overall appearance and as they grow, offer more shade.

A fence for part of your yard may be just what you need to help define it. This is one of the front house landscaping ideas that can really make a difference without much cost or effort. Maybe you want to fence off a small area of it to create a flower garden.

Take some time to look at images online, to drive around and look at yards, and to read various magazines. You will find ideas that are perfect for your style of home, for the amount of money you want to spend, and for the overall look you are striving for. If you don’t have the time or the desire to do the work on your own, you can hire a contractor to do it for you. Many of them will offer free estimates which can be very helpful in the planning stages of upgrading your front yard appearance.

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A lawn full of weeds can be painful to look at, however if you don’t take care of the problem it can quickly get out of control. Most people head out to the lawn and garden store and purchase some weed killing spray, walk around the lawn and hope it works. The problem here is rarely does it solve the problem. Some products that are sold are intended for prevention rather than elimination of weeds. If you don’t know the difference you can be wasting a lot of time and money. Keep in mind when you are consulting with an Ottawa landscape company you might also consider looking at landscape design which can add flair to your property.

If you are reading this article perhaps you are seeking some lawn care knowledge, or lawn care tips. Depending on the extent of your problem it may be best to contact a professional. Give a landscape contractor in Ottawa a call and they can provide you with a free evaluation and knowledge insight into your problem.

Weed prevention lawn care is a lot of work. If the extent of the damage to your lawn is severe be aware it can take a few seasons to get everything back to normal. This is why it is important to call an Ottawa landscaper, it may very well be that your lawn is beyond repair and you may want to consider other options such as installing a new lawn. It is important that you contact a qualified and experienced landscaper. There are a number of fly by night companies out there that are just looking to scam homeowners. Stick to a reputable company, and always get a couple of different opinions as well as references. Your home is a big investment you want your property to look good and this begins with a nice lawn and exquisite landscaping.

This is the time of year to get started. With a bit of hard work in the spring, a lawn will look amazing by summer. It will also help prepare the lawn for the following winter by encouraging it to produce a strong, deep root system.

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One common lawn issue that many landscape contractors in Ottawa and many other cities are contacted about every year is grub damage. Home owners lawns have been either partially or entirely affected by grubs and animals in search of food destroying lawns. Grubs can cause some serious damage to your lawn, and gardens. They are also known as white grubs or scarab beetles. Grubs prefer to reside near the surface and thrive on the roots of grass and various plants. As grub feeding continues, areas of grass (sod) throughout the yard begin to wilt and turn brown. In areas where their numbers exceed five to 10 per one-tenth of a square metre (1 sq. ft.), dead patches of turf will result.

Unfortunately ridding your lawn of grubs is not an easy task and likely best left to the professionals. Soaking your lawn with nematodes is one of few remaining solutions to defeating grubs. Spraying nematodes is most effective in the early fall season as the grubs are smaller and closer to the earth.

Aside from killing them off with nematodes to prevent further damage you’ll likely need to repair the existing damage by topdressing and seeding, or resodding your lawn depending on how bad the damage is. Also keep your lawn moist as grubs tend to dwell in more dry areas or lawns.

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As the snow melts off our tired lawns we’ll need to complete some spring maintenance. Now is the time to get the jump on your lawn work to ensure a healthy and luscious lawn all season long. Looking out your window the work seems like a daunting task, one many choose to ignore, or just don’t have time for. Depending on what you want your lawn to look like, it is important that you take care of your landscaping early on. Hiring a landscape contractor in Ottawa may be your best option.

Spring lawn care includes raking, doing repairs to areas that hold a lot of snow or ice, fertilizing, and appropriate seeding if required. There is a lot more involved than raking and throwing some seed around more so if your lawn has acquired serious damage the fall prior or from winter damage.

Fall lawn care is just as important as spring lawn care. For those that ignore the lawn care required in the fall may have more work to do come springtime. The long winter that we have here in Ottawa can do a ton of damage to our lawns and garden. Both the cold weather and snow causes our lawns to enter a comatose state. The frost level effects not only the grass roots and growth but coupled with the snow and ice can cause serious drainage issues depending on where you live. First and foremost it is important that your property drains well. You don’t want low lying areas that hold water as this will cause trenching and damage to these areas. Once your lawn has aired out and all of the snow and ice is gone it is important to get the rakes out. Avoid raking your lawn if it is still wet as this can damage your grass. Clean up any fallen branches, leaves, garbage etc.

Depending on the size of your lawn you may want to contact a professional landscape company in Ottawa. For a job that is going to take you 6-8 hours the professionals can come in and have it done for you in a couple of hours. You can also pick their brain for advice, and other landscaping ideas for your property.

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One of the best tips for laying sod is to do your homework before you buy it. Make sure where you get it from is offering the very best products available. That quality will influence the results you get so don’t just get it from any location and hope for the best.
How much to lay sod is also a common question. Perhaps you don’t have the time to do it or you aren’t physically able to do so. You may worry about the outcome and decide paying an expert to do the job is a better option. Hiring a professional will vary in cost depending on location and their expertise. The size of your yard, if they will prepare the soil, and other factors will all play a role in the cost.

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Ask for free estimates before you hire anyone. How much to lay sod for you should be included in that estimate. It should be broken down too so that you can see the itemized cost of each aspect of the work they will do.

One of the tips for laying sod when you hire someone to do it is to get everything in writing. In addition to the cost, you want to find out when the work will be started, when it will be completed, and any warranty. You can also get some great advice from the sod suppliers too. They’re generally very open and willing to answer any questions regarding sod quantity, extra for waste and the varying types of sod and suitability for your home.

Removing any previous grass on your lawn and getting the soil ready is important when it comes to how to lay sod properly. If you just put the sod on top of bad soil then you won’t gain results that are favorable. Take the time to have your soil sampled so that you can see if it needs more nutrients or if you need to remove some of the acidity. Take all the time you need to get this ready, even if it means bringing the new top soil up 3-6” before you put the sod in place.

Good quality sod is important. Make sure to evaluate the sod suppliers, growers and the varying types of grass before purchasing a couple skids of sod. Find a company with a good reputation and fair pricing. Have them deliver it the day that you are going to install the sod. It may even be best to complete all the preparation in advance, (as you may accurately account for the amount of time for preparation) and call the supplier once you are absolutely ready to install the sod.

How to sod a yard also includes proper care for it once it is all done. Don’t let anyone walk on it or pets roam on it for a couple of weeks. When you go out to water, try not to stand in one place too long as if its moist you will sink. The watering should be done daily for the first three weeks to keep the ground very wet. The sod doesn’t have much to offer in regards to roots, so you need to water in order for it to take well.

There are videos online that you can watch for a visual aspect of how to sod a yard. As you see the entire process from start to finish, you can decide if it is something you can take on to do yourself or not. Make sure you read through tips on how to lay sod so that you can avoid common mistakes too.

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Before you go about laying sod in spring though, think about the quality of your top soil. It doesn’t make sense to put the sod down without leveling it and without offering it additional nutrients. Once it is leveled, add some fertilizer to help the sod do well. It is recommended that you add some soil nutrients (seasonal fertilizer) to the soil which will help the grass root faster and maintain a healthy root system. If you need to completely replace the top soil, you should add 3-6 inches before you put down the sod.

When it comes to laying sod in spring, you need to make sure you are ready to use it. Don’t have it delivered and then just sitting around for several days. Try to have it delivered the morning you plan to install it. When it is fresh, the sod will have a better chance of growing successfully. Those that deliver sod realize this, and they should be willing to accommodate your need for a specific delivery date.

Once the sod is in place, you still have some work to do. A lack of water after it is put down is a very common mistake you need to avoid. Since 2/3 of the roots are cut when the sod is laid, more water is necessary than people realize. For the first three weeks, you need to make sure the sod and the soil under it gets enough water to remain damp. If you have a sprinkler system, check to make sure no areas are being missed. It is also a good idea to get the soil damp before you place the sod on top of it.

Before you go about laying sod in spring though, think about the quality of your top soil. It doesn’t make sense to put the sod down without leveling it and without offering it additional nutrients. Once it is leveled, add some fertilizer to help the sod do well. It is recommended that you add some soil nutrients (seasonal fertilizer) to the soil which will help the grass root faster and maintain a healthy root system. If you need to completely replace the top soil, you should add 3-6 inches before you put down the sod.

When it comes to laying sod in spring, you need to make sure you are ready to use it. Don’t have it delivered and then just sitting around for several days. Try to have it delivered the morning you plan to install it. When it is fresh, the sod will have a better chance of growing successfully. Those that deliver sod realize this, and they should be willing to accommodate your need for a specific delivery date.

Once the sod is in place, you still have some work to do. A lack of water after it is put down is a very common mistake you need to avoid. Since 2/3 of the roots are cut when the sod is laid, more water is necessary than people realize. For the first three weeks, you need to make sure the sod and the soil under it gets enough water to remain damp. If you have a sprinkler system, check to make sure no areas are being missed. It is also a good idea to get the soil damp before you place the sod on top of it.

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There are many options to look available depending on size and location. Some of the most popular landscape designs include:

• Underground watering systems
• Stone work including walls, bridges, fireplaces, waterfalls, rock garden etc.
• Extensive lighting
• Pathways
• Flower gardens/bed creation, hedging, bushes and tree planting

If at all possible it is advisable to hire someone that is has experience with the design and creation. There important aspects that need to be considered including; assessment, scale, design, sizing, planning and implementation. You as the employer will have important decisions to make with regard to specifics with regard to the look and feel you want. Plantation with regard to what sorts of trees, bushes, flowers etc. Most experts these days will be able to draw to scale your property using state of the art software. This makes it easy to create a visual as to what your yard is going to look like. You want everything to be visually appealing with balance.

Depending on how big your project is you may want to do a bit of research before hiring out a designer. This biggest negative with this regard is the cost. There are a number of programs and websites that you can utilize to do some of this work yourself. If you are at all handy you can save yourself some money by doing this yourself. If money is no object or you have limited computer skills or are unsure of exactly what you want to do hire a professional. The last thing you want to do is go out and spend your time and money creating something that you’re not happy with in the end.

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If your climate has a rainy season you will want to make sure that you have sufficient drainage and grading on the property. If at all possible it is advisable to wait until the rainy period is over before laying your new sod. Low lying areas will create pooling and this can create issue with the lawn rooting. You also want to make sure that you have the grade away from driveways, and your foundation.

If you live in a climate that has a particularly warm winter season you can pretty much lay sod all year round. The biggest threats to new sod are excessive water, excessive sun and frost, obviously frost being the number one threat. If you live in a climate that has cold winters with frost warning in late fall and early spring you need to avoid laying your sod during this time. The frost will kill the rooting system and leave your lawn an utter mess. Remember from the time you lay your new lawn it takes anywhere from 3-5 weeks for it to take hold. You also need to make sure you are not neglecting to water your new sod, at the same time do not over water. I don’t know how many times I have seen people head out for the afternoon leaving their sprinkler system on for hours. I would guess likely as many times as I have witnessed home owners who run around their property with a garden hose spraying down the grass before and after work. Again, you need the water to properly irrigate the new sod so that the roots will grow and take hold. If you simply run around spraying water all over the grass this will evaporate quickly and will cause more harm than good.

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The example I like to use is the running shoe analogy. If you are into marathon running are you going to go out and purchase $10 shoes at a box store or are you going to spend the $200 to ensure you are getting the best product. They are both running shoes, but they are drastically different. So how do you choose the right company for your landscaping needs?

Just the other day my neighbor and I were discussing his property. As he gazed out across the lawn he said “I wish could tear up that corner of my lot and put in a rock wall with a waterfall”. The cost would be high, the work would be heavy, and likely not something that could be done by a DIY’er. So how do you know if you are selecting the right company? The answer that I provided, and stress to my customers is this; you have to provide quality customer service. This includes prior to starting the job, during the job and follow-up after the job. Most of all you need to have open lines of communication with your customers.

The number one problem I see and hear with regard to those that are unhappy with previous landscaper works is broken promises. Sure the company comes in, provides you with a comparable estimate, is quick to get the work done and guess what you get the license plate warranty. What is this you’re likely asking? Essentially once their license plate is gone from view so are they. If a company sets out a lawn treatment plan with you make sure they own up to it. You would be surprised at how many companies will contract up with a customer for bi weekly visits to treat their lawn and don’t even show up. I have witnessed companies pull up in their truck, walk around the house, throw a sign on the grass, and get in their truck and leave. Quick and easy buck right! Another popular scam that I see is automatic renewals written into the contract. Remember what your parents taught you about reading things before you sign them. While you may want the company back next season, it should be up to you to decide this year to year. Often companies will add to the contract that unless you provide them written instruction to end the contract, it will be automatically rolled out every spring/summer/fall.

I could likely write another 50 blog posts about the shady ways some companies scam their customers but I think I will focus on something else next. Remember to always trust your gut instinct, do your homework and compare apples to apples.

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