Archive for the ‘Gardening’ Category

Dave Text asked:


Lawn mowing services provide a professional and organized lawn outdoor cleaning and maintenance. This is with the use of well-serviced equipment. Usually, lawn mowing would entail the use of a lawnmower machine which is suited for cutting grasses in residential lawns, gardens, golf courses and parks. Many lawn mowing companies offer quality services and equipments in order to satisfy their customer needs.

Lawn mowing services provide a professional and organized lawn outdoor cleaning and maintenance. This is with the use of well-serviced equipment. Usually, lawn mowing would entail the use of a lawn mower machine which is suited for cutting grasses in residential lawns, gardens, golf courses and parks. This is because a lawn mower has one or more revolving or rotating blades that generally come in different types. This would include the following:

•Cylinder or reel mower – This is a form of mechanical mower that employs an assembly blade that rotates on a horizontal axis, carrying the lawn mower close to the grass.

•Rotary mowers – This type employs a blade that rotates on a vertical axis. It is often powered by an internal combustion engine that runs on liquid fuels or gasoline.

•Cordless mowers – This type is considered as a battery operated type of machine.

•Riding mowers – This is a type of machine where in the operator rides on it and controls the mower. It uses a horizontal rotating blade system that would go hand on hand with its multiple blades.

•Hover mowers – This is a rotary push powered mower that uses turbine in order to drive the air down, creating an air cushion that lifts the mower like a hovercraft.

•Robotic mowers – This is a robot type of mower that requires the user to set up a wire border that points out the area to be mowed. Plus, its boundaries will be trimmed as well.

•Professional grass-cutting equipment – This is used in larger platforms such as stadiums, universities and large establishments.

In history, lawn mowers were invented in the year 1827 by the famous Edwin Beard Budding, an English engineer. Edwin’s mower was designed to cut gardens and lawns, particularly on sports grounds as an alternative to scythe. The mower was patented on October 1830 and its manufacture began in the early 1860s. Hence, gasoline powered rotary mowers were introduced by Power Specialist Ltd in the 1930s.

Nowadays, many gasoline powered lawn mowers are seen in the market. Hence, side effects in our environment vary with the use of this machine due to the carbon dioxide emissions.

There are also several designs that are best suited for residential and commercial lawns. These are made and are currently being used by the evolving lawn mowing service companies. Thus, it also became an alternative for personal gardeners in working on the maintenance of either small scaled or large called lawns.

Here are the lists of some of the lawn mowing services:

1.A1 Lawnmowing Services Ltd.

This company has been operational for over 25 years now. They started as a contractor, operated only by one man with the name of Bryan Knight. Thus, A1 provides professional and compete outdoor maintenance packages. It is located at Marua Road Mount Wellington, Auckland.

The associated companies and expertise of A1 are as follows:

•A1 Lawnmowing Services Ltd – Offers a commercial type lawn mowing service that can be endorsed to other contractors as well.

•A1 Stump Services Ltd – Develops equipment and offers free quotes. They can completely start and finish their work for a span of seven days.

•A1 Landscape Services Ltd – Their services are equipped towards ongoing maintenance, commercial and small areas.

•A1 Tree Services Ltd – Services all types of trees and removes it from ones property, especially if there are cases of falling and big debris.

2.Xtreme Mow Over

Free phone: 0800 08 08 09

Xtreme has been in operation for 15 years now. They boast of their experience in lot or lawn mowing services, carefully eliminating high brush and weeds, cutting grass and clearing vacant lots and commercial spaces. Their price is highly competitive due to their highly specialized and effective services.

For instances where in they will be serving in Neuces County, Texas, Xtreme offers 50% off on mowing services, along with an annual contractual service until you sell it.

These are some of the services they provide:

•Vacant lots – Mowed 6 times a year for an annual fee. You can also contact them for an emergency or on call basis. The price would depend on the size of the lot.

•Residential and commercial vacant building – Mowing of waist high grass in a weekly, bi-monthly, monthly and even on a quarterly basis.

•Red carpet service for large acreage lots – Maintains a five foot perimeter path on ones property.

3.Grasshopper Lawn mowing Services

A complete lawn mowing service is what this company offers, along with a full range of new equipments. Grasshopper also guarantees the quality of work from the smallest to largest commercial lawns.

Services:

•Cutting lawns using mulching mowers or collecting clippings and disposing it as well.

•Specialized in manicured lawns for factories, Schools, Villages, Office Blocks, Parks and Lifestyle Blocks.

•Full garden service maintenance includes planting, pruning, weeding and spraying.

Grasshopper also gives a loyalty card to every regular customer. This actually entitles him with a 10th cut free. Prices start as little as $12.00.

4.Land Impressions

Address: Jacksonville, Florida CALL 904.537.2587

This company includes free lawn vacuuming for bagging leaves. Aside from this, they offer price reductions, along with per visit and per month fee basis.

Per year visit: 42 visits

Apr-Oct- one visit in a week in summer Price: $41.42

Nov-Mar. – one visit every two weeks in winter Price: $54.48

Some of the services they provide are as follows:

•Edging

•Blowing

•Mowing

•Weed-eating, and

•Controlling of bed weeds and flowers

5.Mow My Lawn

Address: 337 Route 36 Port Monmouth, NJ 07758

Phone: 732-391-2281

Fax: (888) 503-1989

Email: support@mowmylawn.com

Mow My Lawn is a family run business of Bill and Greg Beier. They basically offer lawn care services by creating and maintaining manicured lawns. The company provides excellent services, especially in residential weekly lawn mowing right in Lincroft, Middletown and Holmdel of New Jersey.

The services and packages they guarantee would include:

•Weekly service calls

•Trimming and Edging of entire property

•Walkways

•Plant beds, and

•Tressing

•Lawn mowing

•Customizing a solution on property

•Spring cleanups, and

•Fall leaf cleanups.

6.Mowing & More, LLC

Address: Chevy Chase, MD 20815

Phone Number: 301-674-0312

Mowing and More provides landscape management services throughout Washington D.C. and Montgomery County Maryland.

The services they offer are as follows:

•Lawn Fertilizing

•Spring Cleanups

•Professional Lawn Mowing

•Fall Leaf Cleanup

•Lawn Fertilizing

•Snow Removal

•Gutter Cleaning

•Flower Bed Care

Professional weekly lawn mowing service includes:

•Collecting grass clippings and leaves on the lawn and hardscapes (charges on disposal apply).

•Edging along each defined sidewalks, flower beds, driveways, and the like

•Cleaning of stairwells in order to prevent flooding.

•Power blowing meant for debris along your sidewalks, driveway, curbs, and patios.

Spring Cleanups:

•Re-edging of bed edges by hand

•Trimming of dry long-lived plants to remove any dead growth on the plants.

•Cleaning of all leaves, sticks, garbage and debris from the property.

Mulch Installation:

•Heightens the beauty of any landscape while keeping the moisture in the soil, reduces weed growth and prevents erosion.

•Provides double-shredded hardwood mulch at depth of 2″ – 2.5″.

•Spreading the mulch in designated locations and combs it in order to leave the place finished and clean.

Flower Bed Care:

•Regular bed landscape maintenance that includes trimming of overgrown ground cover and ornamental shrubs, cutting back of dead perennials and weeding of mulched areas.

Fall Leaf Cleanup:

•Clears the property of piles and leaves.

Landscape Maintenance:

•Maintaining landscapes from small commercial properties up to large companies and condo-associations.

7.Greenhouse Landscaping & Lawn Care Service

Address: San Antonio Lawn Maintenance

Contact person: Adolph Marroquin

Phone number: 210- 843-5004

Greenhouse is a professional landscaping company that offers the following services:

•Residential and commercial needs in lawn care (year-round yard services)

•Landscape design and maintenance

•Sod installation

•Fertilizer

•Insect and weed control programs

•Free estimates

•Lawn analysis

•Edging

•Fence installation and repair

•Clean-ups

•Hauling

•Mulching

•Gutter cleaning

•Tree and shrub trimming, and

•Hand leaf raking

8.High and Tight Lawn Service

Phone number: 904-379-5522

E-mail: HTLawnCare http://comcast.net

The products and services they guarantee are as follows:

•Commercial and Residential lawn mowing

•Edging

•Weed eating

•Pressure washing

•Athletic fields, and

•Free estimates

Brands: John Deere

Certification & Affiliations: Licensed and Insured Wayne McElroy Owner/Operator

Hours of Operation: Mondays up to Saturdays from 7:00 AM up to 6:00 PM

9.The Lawn Lady

The Lawn Lady provides a reliable grass cutting and lawn care services for both commercial and residential areas. Based in Fareham, Hampshire, it is run by mature professionals that use quality equipments. The company also renders services to nursing homes, letting agents, holiday lets, hotels, and business developments. Plus, they also cater to relocating companies. Thus, Lawn Lady encourages the recycling of garden waste and composting it as a part of conserving the natural resources.

Their services are as follows:

•Cutting of lawns including edging

•Cutting of rough grass

•Maintaining lawn edges with an edging machine

•Mowing

•Cutting of small hedges and shrubs.

•Strimming grass banks and uneven grassed areas

•Sweeping of adjoining hard surfaces

•Trimming grass around trees and structures

•Undergrowth clearance.

•Removal of hedge cuttings

Schedule of Contracted Operation: Regular (will range from weekly up to monthly)

10.The Liberation Team

Phone number: 09 4282981 or 021 2601422

Liberation team provides friendly, fast and reliable services at a great price.

Their services are as follows:

•Spraying and weeding

•Trimming of hedge

•Garden tidy ups

•Scheduled lawn mowing that may start at $10, including mulching or catching and edging among others

•Mulching and garden bed planting

•Lawn care such as fertilizing, aerating, patching

•Weed whacking

•Suggests new plantings and hard landscaping

Finding a professional lawn mowing company is really a tough decision, especially if you are keen in creating or maintaining a certain yard, whether it’s a small or a large lawn. It is best to check on the various lawn mowing services in your area. Check with other people and assess their portfolio, past projects and testimonies. It will really ease your doubts if you get to talk to some of their customers.

Thus, lawn mowing companies should provide the most effective and quality equipment services to their clients. They should also have the capability to recommend good ideas based on their customer’s budget and desires. Lawnmowing has truly become the most convenient way for the best possible, competitive and affordable lawn and garden maintenance.



Create a Lawn care Business
Craig Elliott asked:


In order to have a beautiful lawn, provide adequate food, protection, and water, and keep it well manicured! Fertilizers are the primary source of supplying a lawn with its first two basic needs.

It’s necessary to use fertilizer before any problems are obvious. Once disease, weeds or insects are noticeable; the lawn’s health has already been seriously compromised. Even without these annoyances, lawns need fertilizer to grow; if they don’t get it, blades will turn yellow, thin, and fail to thrive. Grass then becomes susceptible to any number of unattractive and unhealthy conditions. Lawns need fertilizers just as much as humans need food!

Many factors play a part in determining which fertilizer is best. All grass requires more fertilizer during its growing seasons, but some fertilizers should not be used during rainy periods, such as those with a high nitrogen level and no time-release mechanism. If the lawn owner will not be able to keep up his fertilization schedule of every 2 weeks or so due to personal scheduling, that will also determine the kind of fertilizer timing that may be needed. (Slower-acting fertilizers only need to be applied about every 6-8 weeks, but are usually more expensive.) The lawn owner should even consider whether sprayer or spreader application would be most effective for his physical limitations and size of lawn. (It may be confusing to determine the varying amounts needed for liquid instead of granular fertilizers, and using liquid fertilizers with sprayers may be logistically difficult for those with very large lawn areas. But, it does prevent the homeowners from having to store large bags of granular fertilizer and purchase, then store, a spreader.)

Most fertilizers use a mixture of approximately 30% nutrients (stated as a series of 3 numbers on the product bag) and 70% “fillers” or chemical agents. Lawn owners should have an idea of what type of grass his lawn contains and how large the square footage is before purchasing any type of fertilizer. Fertilizer requirement is based on a calculation of one pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of grass for “average” Centipede grass.

The amount of nitrogen chemicals, which encourage the green color, is the first of the first 3 fertilizer numbers on the product bag, such as 29 in the series 29-3-4. To figure out how many bags to buy, divide the first number, 29 by 100; the result is 3.5 pounds for every 1000 square feet of grass. Once the amount to be applied has been reached, application should stop, and any remaining fertilizer stored for future use. This is important to remember, because just as too little fertilizer will keep a lawn from growing into a lush and thick green carpet, too much fertilizer will burn and kill it. (It’s also good to remember that applying fertilizer with higher nitrogen levels too frequently can cause grass to grow more quickly and need additional mowing!)

Using the above calculation, some grasses will require more than one pound per 1000 square feet: Buffalo and Blue Gramma may need up to 2 pounds, fine Fescue, Bahia, St. Augustine, Ryegrass, Zoysia should have 2 to 4 pounds, and Bermuda, Kentucky, Bentgrass, and tall Fescue must be given 3 to 6 pounds. (All of these estimates can be based on the lower range for cooler temperature areas and shorter growing seasons.)

Buyers should not be concerned only about the nitrogen amounts. The second number represents phosphorous, which affects growth of the grass roots. The third number reflects the fertilizer’s level of potassium, which builds the lawns’ resistance to stress. Many experts believe that any nitrogen numbers below 12 don’t provide enough nutrients and are not worth their low prices. But, Zoysiagrass, Fescue and Bermudagrass will normally respond well to all fertilizers, so price can be a deciding factor for those varieties.

Regarding organic fertilizers: they may not be high in all of the nutrients that lawns require, and there may be adverse reactions. Cottonseed meal results in acidity, so it’s better for certain plants than for grass. Blood meal is so rich in nitrogen, it may cause burning. Fish emulsion has a very strong odor that takes a few days to fade. Manure, although nutritionally balanced (based on what the animal is eating) may be low in all of those nutrients. Plus, manure is most rich in nutrients when fresh (but not too fresh or the high salts will burn roots) and acquiring it may not be always easy for the lawn owner, who probably does not want to apply 70 pounds for every 1000 feet of lawn area!

For optimum results, professional lawn care consultants can recommend specific amounts and blends of nutrients to ensure that the lawn owner gets the most out his fertilizer and lawn enjoyment!



Start a Lawn Care Business A Whole New Way!
Robert Johnson asked:


Nature provides us with beautiful lawns to enjoy and appreciate, and we have a responsibility to care for them. The irony is that some of the traditional lawn care products that were designed to enhance our lawns, are actually killing them.

The U.S. National Wildlife Federation reports that where pesticide is used, 60 to 90 percent of earthworms are killed. Earthworms are vital for healthy soil, and act as very good indicators that the soil in your lawn is healthy enough to support the growth of vibrant green grass. While the use of pesticides is intended to protect your lawn from pests, these chemical treatments are actually killing earthworms and creating a serious environmental disruption.

Practicing natural lawn care will reduce the tendency to be dependant on chemical fertilizers and pest controls. Organic lawn care creates a healthy lawn that is naturally resistant to disease, insects and weeds. Follow these natural lawn care basics to create a beautiful, earthworm-friendly lawn:

Soil Improvement

Natural lawn care begins and ends with healthy soil. Start your natural lawn care regime by testing the pH level of the soil. The ideal pH level for lawn soil is between 6.5 and 7.0, giving it a slightly more acidic property than regular loam soil. If your lawn soil is not acidic enough, add some sulfur into the soil. If it is too acidic, sprinkle lime liquid over your lawn. These materials are available at many garden centers.

Soil testing is a simple process that you can do independently as part of your natural lawn care regime, with pH tester packs readily available at $40 – $60. If you prefer, lawn care professionals are also available to test the soil for you.

Grass Varieties

Understanding grass varieties and their growth cycle is an important part of your natural lawn care plan. You should be aware that grasses vary in the type of climate they prefer. They may also differ according to the amount of water and nutrients they require, sun preference, shade tolerance, and the degree of traffic they can stand. If you do not know which variety of grass is best for your lawn, ask your local garden center to recommend the type best adapted to your area.

Mowing

Don’t give your lawn a crew cut. If you mow too short, the surface roots may become exposed, allowing the soil to dry out faster and reducing surface aeration. As a general natural lawn care rule of thumb, do not cut off more than one-third of the grass height at any one time. You may have to mow more often, but it’s worth it when you discover that your lawn thrives with more frequent mowing at just the right height. Most turf grass species are healthiest when kept between 2.5 and 3.5 inches tall.

Watering

Thorough watering encourages the development of deep root systems, making the lawn tougher and more drought-resistant. However, it’s important to let your lawn dry out before re-watering. As a general natural lawn care rule, when the grass colour looks dull and footprints stay compressed for more than a few seconds, its time to water.

For a truly beautiful and healthy green space, remember to “keep it green”. Forget the chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and opt for easy and inexpensive natural lawn care treatments instead. You’ll have a beautiful lawn, naturally.



How To Build Auto Lawn Sprinklers
Brian Jenkins asked:


Like most good things, achieving a bright green lawn takes some planning and work, all year round. It’s not enough to take care of your lawn in spring when it’s about to start growing. Good lawn care requires that you combine some essential elements-sunlight, water, mowing, and nutrients, in the form of fertilizer.

Controlling the amount of sunlight your lawn gets isn’t possible for the most part, but there is one thing to watch out for. Sections of lawn that are overshadowed by your home, or heavy tree shade may need more special care, as they may not get as much sunlight as they need. If this becomes a problem, try trimming tree branches to open up the ground beneath them and allow your grass to get more sunlight.

Soil

If you’re not sure about the composition of your soil, it’s best to have it tested. The sand-silt-clay ratio of your soil, and the types of nutrients it contains, will affect the health of your lawn and the type of fertilizer you need to maintain that luscious bright green.

Watering

The perfect loamy soil is around 40% sand, 40% silt, and 20% clay. If your soil has a higher percentage of clay, it’ll hold water more easily, and may cause drainage problems after heavy rains. On the other hand, a higher percentage of sand and less clay means the soil won’t hold water well, and may need more frequent or deeper watering.

Ideally, you’ll schedule weekly deep watering rather than more frequent light watering, to keep the lawn green and healthy. In most conditions, the lawn will need to be soaked to a depth of eight to twelve inches each time you water, but in hot climates, you may find that more is needed. If walking on your lawn leaves imprints in the grass, too little water is usually the culprit.

Mowing

The height at which you cut your grass will also influence how healthy the lawn is, and how green it appears. Mowing helps keep your lawn healthy because it reduces the amount of work the grass’ root system must do to keep the grass nourished. Mowing also helps reduce weed problems because frequent cutting helps promote thicker lawn cover.

In general, cool-season grasses should be kept at a height of around three inches, while warm-season grasses should be maintained at two to two and a half inches. However, you should never cut more than one third of your lawn’s height in one mowing, as this can shock the lawn (due to the fact that you’ve significantly reduced its ability to photosynthesize).

Some experts suggest that the best time to mow is in the evening, as the sun’s heat won’t scorch and yellow newly-cut blades of grass.

Fertilizing

Using the correct fertilizer-and the correct amount of it-is the single biggest contributor to maintaining a sparkling green lawn. Other factors such as water and mowing are important for health and color, but without the right fertilizer, your lawn will sulk and turn pale yellow.

Grasses need a number of different nutrients to thrive. Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are the most important, but a plant can obtain these from air and water. The three macronutrients that are most important to plants, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, tend not to be available in soil in large amounts. Without the three macronutrients, a plant simply can’t grow.

Depending on where you live, your soil may or may not supply enough of those macronutrients to satisfy your grass or plants, and that’s where fertilizer comes in. In addition, if you mow frequently, your grass will need more of these essential nutrients, because frequent mowing will encourage it to grow more quickly.

For the most part, it’s the nitrogen in the fertilizer you add that will give your lawn its rich green color. However, it’s still important to choose a fertilizer with the right balance of macronutrients. Phosphorous, for example, is essential for new lawns, but established lawns don’t need as much, and may suffer if they get too much of that nutrient.

If you would prefer to use organic fertilizers, try blood meal. This nitrogen-rich natural supplement is great for greening up established lawns (however, it’s not suitable for new lawns). Just be sure to limit your application to no more than three ounces per square yard, and don’t apply blood meal more frequently than once every three months. Blood meal is extremely rich in nitrogen, and too-frequent application is harmful.



Create a Lawn care Business
John Pawlett asked:


What type of lawn care works best for you depends on the time and money you decide to put into your lawn. If your lawn is your hobby, you can spend thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of time on it.

On the other side of the fence, if what you want is a low-maintenance green expanse that you can enjoy with family and friends, you’ve come to the right page!

The best lawn care tip you can get is to start with a solid plan.

1. Do you need to plant grass? Do some research on the best seed for your area, where to buy it cheap, and when it’s available. Depending on where you live, you’ll plant either cool season or warm season grass.

Cool season grass, planted in northern areas, is usually best planted in early fall, but if you missed planting then, plant it in the spring when soil temperatures reach 50 F.

Warm season grass needs soil temps of 70F to thrive and is the choice for southern plantings. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can plant warm season grass in the upper Midwest. Warm season grasses are bred to thrive in southern climates and are not winter hardy in the north.

2. Of course, you’ll keep new grass plantings moist, but once grass reaches a height of three inches, water it deeply once a week.

A healthy lawn needs about an inch of water a week. When watering, remember to consider recent rainfalls. Shallow watering techniques keep grass from sinking the deep roots that your lawn needs to compete with deep-rooted weeds.

3. Do you already have a lawn? Aerate it in the spring while it’s still moist and before the spring rains are done.

Aerating your lawn in the springtime gives microbes and other small life forms a breath of fresh air after winter. Aeration also makes new paths for drainage and keeps your lawn from becoming saturated.

4. A lot is written about lawn fertilizer and the big question is why? Grass is the most efficient user of nitrogen on earth!

Feed your soil with nutrient rich compost and let your lawn get its nutrients the natural way. The more chemicals you use, the more you disturb the natural biological processes that convert organic matter into nutrients and the microbes and other small organisms that take natural care of your lawn.

5. Mow your grass high. A 2 to 3-inch high cut makes your lawn look fuller, feel softer, and helps keep it healthy. Taller grass shades pesky weed seeds and keeps them from getting established. In addition, a taller lawn is better able to absorb sunshine and better able to retain moisture, the two main contributors to a healthy lawn.

6. Enjoy your lawn. After all, isn’t that your main reason for having a yard?



Lawn Care Business Marketing Plan