Utah Landscaping | Scape Pros LLC http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com 801-830-9545 Mon, 26 Mar 2012 01:10:08 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 A Guide to Planting Grass Seeds by Region http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/a-guide-to-planting-grass-seeds-by-region.html http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/a-guide-to-planting-grass-seeds-by-region.html#comments Mon, 26 Mar 2012 01:10:08 +0000 admin1 http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/?p=140 The method for planting grass seeds will not change where you live, but the timetable will, as well as which grass seeds are most suited to your area. Want to know which grass seeds you should plant, and when? First, check out these handy planting tips, then look for your region from the list below to see exactly which types of grass are best and when to plant them.

  • For warm-season grasses, the soil temperature should be 70-80°F. For cool-season grasses, the soil temperature should be 55-65°F. The air temperature is generally a few degrees warmer than the soil temperature, but you can be more accurate in your planting time by investing in a soil thermometer.
  • Seeding rates per square foot will vary according to grass species. Check the label on your bag of grass seed before you begin planting.
  • For seeds to germinate, they must have constant moisture. You will need to water lightly and briefly several times a day. Be careful of planting during a season of heavy rains; there is a good chance that the seeds will be washed away.
  • The average planting times below are only approximations. Planting will always depend on the weather and current conditions, so be observant and adjust your plans as necessary.

Warm/Humid Region

Where: Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, eastern Texas, southwestern Oklahoma, Arkansas, western Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, and western Kentucky.

When to plant: Early March, when temperatures are at least 60°F.

What to plant: Warm-season grasses like Zoysia grass, Bermuda grass, and buffalo grass.

Warm/Arid Region

Where: Arizona, New Mexico, western Texas, southwestern California, southeastern Nevada, southwestern Utah.

When to plant: Late March or early April.

What to plant: Warm-season grasses only. These grasses will only survive if you provide enough supplemental watering.

Transitional Zone

Where: Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, northern Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, northern Georgia, northern Alabama, northern Mississippi, southern Illinois, southern Indiana, southern Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, southern Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, southern New Jersey.

When to plant: Mid-March to mid-April, when temperatures are above 60°F if you are planting warm season grass seeds, or between 50 and 60°F if you are planting cool season grass seeds.

What to plant: Any kind of grass will be a little tricky in this area, so it will depend on your preference. Plant a cool-season lawn if you don’t mind daily watering in the summer, and plant a warm-season lawn if you don’t mind a brown lawn in the winter.

Cool/Humid Region

Where: Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, eastern Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, western Washington, western Oregon, and northwestern California.

When to plant: Late April or early May.

What to plant: Cool-season grasses such as Kentucky Bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and fescues.

Cool/Arid Region

Where: Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, eastern Washington, eastern Oregon, northeastern California, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and northwestern Oklahoma.

When to plant: Mid-May, or whenever there is no longer a danger of frost.

What to plant: Cool-season grasses only. Be careful not to over water or over fertilize the new seeds. This would weaken their endurance during the summer months.

Jonathan McGraw is a natural landscape designer who writes for Naturesfinestseed.com, known for its environmentally safe grass seed — from warm-season Bermuda grass to Zoysia, and cool season choices like fescue and Kentucky Bluegrass seed.

]]> http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/a-guide-to-planting-grass-seeds-by-region.html/feed 0 Landscape Architecture and Your Home http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/landscape-architecture-and-your-home.html http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/landscape-architecture-and-your-home.html#comments Thu, 23 Jun 2011 04:12:17 +0000 admin1 http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/?p=137 Whether the space outside your home is a small patch of grass or a vast expanse of lawn, a landscape architect can make that outdoor place more beautiful and useful.

A landscape architect will analyze the terrain around your residence and decide where to put flowers, trees, shrubs, walkways, and other landscape details to achieve the most aesthetically pleasing results. A landscape architect will walk your property to see where sunlight falls at different times of the day and year. They take into account things like climate, soil quality, terrain, water, shade and the existing plants.

Once landscape architects have made an initial assessment, they will draw what they want the landscape to look like. They make sketches, models, and take photographs to explain their concepts. Some landscape architects use video simulation to help clients see what a finished project will look like.

In addition to aesthetic concerns, the landscape architect will consider things like storm water runoff, sustainability, existing trees, whether to use native versus non-native plantings and long term maintenance of the landscape.

Landscape architecture is combines multiple disciplines to conceptualize the whole finished product. It incorporates a broad range of subjects including botany, horticulture, architecture, geology, geography, ecology and the earth sciences.

Landscape architects can make their most valuable contribution at the very beginning of a project. At that point, they will use their expertise to generate useful and creative ideas for the design, organization, creation and use of the landscape. In short, the landscape architect can come up with the overall model and design the master plan. That plan acts as the blueprint from which the project will proceed step by step to completion.

Landscape architects use their understanding of the landscape design process and specialist skills such as knowledge of native plantings, local climate, soil science, hydrology, and botany to advise homeowners about the long-term care and development of their landscape.

For the period before 1800, landscape gardening (as landscape architecture was called at the time) consisted largely of master planning and creation of elaborate garden designs for estates, formal gardens palaces religious and government properties.

Starting in the 1800s, urban planning became a more urgent need. In the second half of the century, the well-known landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted designed and oversaw the completion of a series of parks (including New York City’s Central Park), that have had a tremendous influence on what landscape architecture is today. Landscape architecture continues to evolve and develop as a design discipline, and is adapting to respond to new concerns about ecology, water quality and sustainability.

As a homeowner, you can benefit from the newest innovations in landscape architecture to create a beautiful yet eco-friendly landscape. You can combine the best aspects of aesthetics with low maintenance, and long term sustainability.

Looking for professional landscaping landscape design and architecture in WA? Living Environs landscapers Perth offer professional services including landscape architecture, construction and project management to both residential and commerical clients Living Environs will help you realise the potential of every square metre of your property.

]]> http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/landscape-architecture-and-your-home.html/feed 0 Mulch Basics http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/mulch-basics.html http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/mulch-basics.html#comments Mon, 18 Apr 2011 21:12:18 +0000 admin1 http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/?p=122 “Why should I mulch my flowers beds and garden?

Mulches help to:

1. Retain moisture in the soil.  Wherever you use mulch, the soil dries out more slowly.  This minimizes extremely dry periods that can stress your plants.

2. Moderate the soil temperature.  Simply put, mulch is an insulator that slows the heating and cooling of your soil.

3. Reduces weeds.  A 4 inch layer of mulch makes it difficult for weeds to ever make it to the surface.  The weeds that do make it are usually easily pulled because the soil remains moist.

4.  Make your flower beds more attractive.  A well chosen mulch is more pleasing to the eye than bare soil.

See Types of Mulch for a list of mulches and their advantages and disadvantages.”

]]> http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/mulch-basics.html/feed 0 Pruning Basics http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/pruning-basics.html http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/pruning-basics.html#comments Mon, 18 Apr 2011 21:04:49 +0000 admin1 http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/?p=114
  • Always remove dead or diseased wood first.  This allows you to see what you have left to work with.
  • Decide which major branches you are going to keep.  As you go down this list and determine what needs to be pruned away, make sure you look healthy branches that provide a good structure for your tree.
  • Remove branches that grow into the middle of the tree.
  • Remove branches that rub.  The rubbing cause open wounds and or weakened branches.  Select which branch should remain and remove the other.
  • Remove branches with narrow crotches.
  • Remove branches that are too close or run parallel, this results in poor spacing.
  • Don’t take off more than a third of the tree. This results in bad growth (water sprouts or suckers) and stresses the tree.
  • Don’t take off all the low branches too soon – they help to thicken the trunk.  The first time you get poked in the eye while mowing the lawn, you’ll be tempted to remove all branches lower than 6 feet, but leaving a few lower branches for a few more years will benefit the tree.
  • Always use the three cut approach to larger branches to avoid damaging the trunk.
  • Don’t cut too close to the trunk.  Leave the collar to avoid creating a bigger wound than is necessary.
  • If your tree has a terrible branching structure, you may have to do corrective pruningin phases over several years (to avoid issues from #7).
  • Don’t fight the natural branching pattern of the tree. For example, flowering pears have a narrow or columnar growth pattern until they are larger, then the branches begin to spread.  If you prune against their nature, it will look funny.
  • Never use the “topping” approach. This pruning style is ill advised but still used.  It promotes poor branching structure, weak crotches, and results in more damage from wind and storms than your tree would normally have.

    • “

    ]]>     http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/pruning-basics.html/feed 0     Smart Gardening Tips http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/smart-gardening-tips.html http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/smart-gardening-tips.html#comments Fri, 18 Mar 2011 21:08:19 +0000 admin1 http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/?p=118 Smart Gardening Tips

    Do you enjoy spending time in your yard or garden, but get tired of all the grudgery and maintenance?  Here are some tips that can help:

    1. Use plants that will thrive in your area. This sounds simple enough, but every gardener or landscaper is fascinated by the possibility of growing that unique plant that no one else has. Unless it is a new species or hybrid, stick to the tried and true varieites that do well in your area.
    2. Select low maintenance trees. Don’t be lured into buying what looks good at the garden center.  Do your homework with these Tree Selection guidelines.
    3. Always mulch your flower beds and border. See Mulch Basics for the benefits and types of materials you can use.
    4. Prune trees and shrubs while they are young to develop the proper good branching structure. See Pruning Basics for details.Eliminate weeds at the right time.
    5. Use a slow release fertilizer – such as Osmocote. It fertilizes slowly and evenly so it can be applied anytime.  Slow release fertilizers lessen the stress on plants in hot weather.
    6. Take advantage of your Microclimates instead of fighting them. Or, at the very least, be realistic about what will grow in them.
    7. Dormant oil spray in the spring. This is an environmentally friendly way to control aphids and other pests before they become a problem.

    “

    ]]>     http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/smart-gardening-tips.html/feed 0     Aerating http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/aerating.html http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/aerating.html#comments Fri, 18 Feb 2011 21:12:44 +0000 admin1 http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/?p=125 “Should I aerate my lawn?

    If you have clay soil and/or high traffic areas, your lawn will probably benefit from aeration.  The aeration holes can fill with active grass roots, grass clippings, thatch, and other organic material.  Over time this helps to enrich your soil and strengthen the root system.

    Aerating is a total waste of money if the person who aerates your lawn does it when its too dry or they don’t sink the tines in deeply. The soil plugs will be so short (and the holes so shallow) that little or no benefit will be gained.  Talk to the person who will be aerating, and inform them of your expectations and explain that you only want it done if the aerator tines goes 2-3 inches deep.

    Be sure to post sprinker flags by each sprinkler head so the aerator operator can avoid damaging them.

    Also be aware that when aerating your lawn you risk introducing a fungal disease such as Fairy Ring.  The only way to eliminate this risk would be to disinfect the aerator tines, which would be very labor intensive and unrealistic unless you rent an aerator and do it yourself.  Even then, getting all the soil completely removed from the tines is very difficult.  Disinfecting tines that still contain soil may not eliminate the lawn disease they carry.

    Should I let the plugs break downe or rake them up?

    That depends on:

    1. How much they bother you.

    2. Whether or not you want them to raise the level of your lawn.  This would occur very gradually only if you aerate every year.  This will also make your lawns’ root system deeper.  But there is a limit to how deep grass roots will go, and a raised lawn may require you to raise sprinkler heads at a later date.

    Helpful tip: a low maintenace way to level low areas of your lawn is to rake aeration plugs into those areas, but if you pile them too deeply, you’ll kill the grass.”

    ]]>     http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/aerating.html/feed 0     Best Gardening Tips http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/best-gardening-tips.html http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/best-gardening-tips.html#comments Tue, 18 Jan 2011 21:13:16 +0000 admin1 http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/?p=128 ”

    Best Gardening Tips

    Do you enjoy spending time in your yard or garden, but get tired of all the grudgery and maintenance?  Here are some tips that can help:

    1. Use plants that will thrive in your area. This sounds simple enough, but every gardener is fascinated by the possibility of growing that unique plant that no one else has. Unless it is a new species or hybrid suited to your climate, stick to the tried and true varieites that do well in your area.
    2. Select low maintenance trees. Don’t be lured into buying what looks good at the garden center.  Do your homework with these Tree Selection guidelines.
    3. Always mulch your flower beds and border. It looks better than bare soil and your plants will withstand dry spells better.  See Mulch Basics for the benefits and types of materials you can use.
    4. Prune trees and shrubs while they are young to develop the proper good branching structure. See Pruning Basics for details.
    5. Eliminate weeds at the right time.
    6. Use a slow release fertilizer – such as Osmocote. It fertilizes slowly and evenly so it can be applied anytime.  Slow release fertilizers lessen the stress on plants in hot weather.
    7. Take advantage of your Microclimates instead of fighting them. Or, at the very least, be realistic about what will grow in them.
    8. Dormant oil spray in the spring. This is an environmentally friendly way to control aphids and other pests before they become a problem.

    “

    ]]>     http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/best-gardening-tips.html/feed 0     Mulch Types http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/mulch-types.html http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/mulch-types.html#comments Sat, 18 Dec 2010 21:13:46 +0000 admin1 http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/?p=131 ”

    1. Rocks/gravel – Make sure to see what it looks like when its wet.  The color may be very different than when it is dry, and may influence your decision.
    2. Bark (dyed or undyed)
    3. Wood chips
    4. Pine needles
    5. Grass clippings
    6. Leaves
    7. Hazelnut shells
    8. Cocoa shells
    9. Coconut fiber

    “

    ]]>     http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/mulch-types.html/feed 0     My boyfriend owns a landscaping business but he wants to become an actual Landscaping Architect? http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/my-boyfriend-owns-a-landscaping-business-but-he-wants-to-become-an-actual-landscaping-architect.html http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/my-boyfriend-owns-a-landscaping-business-but-he-wants-to-become-an-actual-landscaping-architect.html#comments Wed, 28 Apr 2010 02:07:57 +0000 admin1 http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/my-boyfriend-owns-a-landscaping-business-but-he-wants-to-become-an-actual-landscaping-architect.html
    futures trading charts said:

    We live in the state of California… How would he go about getting his Landscaping Architect’s License and a Landscaping Business License? Please help!
    We live in the state of California… How would he go about getting his Landscaping Architect’s License and a Landscaping Business License? Please help! (this is for Christy’s question and answer) I believe its for both his career and the money… thanks!

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    ]]>     http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/my-boyfriend-owns-a-landscaping-business-but-he-wants-to-become-an-actual-landscaping-architect.html/feed 4     How much does good landscaping increase the value of your home? http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/how-much-does-good-landscaping-increase-the-value-of-your-home.html http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/how-much-does-good-landscaping-increase-the-value-of-your-home.html#comments Tue, 27 Apr 2010 05:41:59 +0000 admin1 http://www.utahlandscapingpro.com/how-much-does-good-landscaping-increase-the-value-of-your-home.html
    said:

    I’m landscaping in my front and backyard using plants and flowers that are pretty much mowable and does not requires much maintance at all. Mostly groundcover to aid in less mowing time. How much will this increase the value of my home?

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