By Lisa Allen Landscape • • • • • • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

Common Summer Landscaping Challenges and How to Tackle Them

Common Summer Landscaping Challenges and How to Tackle Them

Common Summer Landscaping Challenges and How to Tackle ThemThe high temperatures of summer bring unique challenges to lawns and landscaping in the Olathe and general Johnson County area. How do you know if you’re doing everything you can to ensure that your yard and your outdoor spaces are healthy and look as good as possible?

We’re going to tackle a few of the biggest challenges you might encounter during these long summer days, along with a few suggestions of how to approach them. Remember, however, that even though there are lots of ways to DIY your lawn and landscape jobs, consulting with a professional is often the easiest and most cost effective way of making sure your space looks and performs exactly how you’d like.

Summer Landscaping Challenge #1: Unsightly Plants and Weeds

It never fails: you take great pains to plant the perfect flower bed or you work with your landscape architect to create a gorgeous water feature or outdoor environment, and everything is gorgeous. But then, they appear. Weeds! Nuisance plants, like ivy or thistle!

This happens so often in the summer months because the conditions are just right: you’ve prepped your soil. You are watering (or it’s raining) and applying the right fertilizers. Just as those conditions make for gorgeous plants that you want, they also make hospitable conditions for weeds and plants you didn’t intend to include in your outdoor space.

While it’s not possible to prevent all weeds and invasive plants from trying to lay claim to your lawn or landscape, it is possible to keep them to a minimum. This requires frequent weeding, which can be most enjoyable earlier or later in the day. Try to weed by the root, meaning pull the entire plant from the soil when possible. If you just weed-whack them flush with the ground, you’re leaving the root system intact, which means they’ll continue to grow.

Be sure, too, to properly dispose of those unwanted weeds and plants after you’ve pulled them. Bag them and either put out for pickup or take them to a compost facility. If you pull them and let them linger on your lawn or in your garden, they just might decide to stay!

Summer Landscaping Challenge #2: Getting the Moisture Levels Right

Summer can be fickle. Sometimes it’s too dry and you have to worry about dry soil and burnt plants. Other times, you have to worry about too much moisture, which can lead to unsightly mushroom growth and other issues.

One way to mitigate this issue is to install automatic irrigation systems that will water your lawn when it’s dry. Another factor to consider is proper drainage. Working with a landscape architect firm to create these systems before extreme weather hits is best; but it’s never the wrong time to start.

Summer Landscaping Challenge #3: Not Wanting to Be Outdoors

It’s okay to admit that sometimes it’s just too hot to spend much time outside. Whether that means that you’re not up for pulling weeds or mowing the lawn, or that you want to grill dinner but can’t stand to stand in the sun for that long, there are ways we can help.

One way is to hire us to do your maintenance so you don’t have to. This is a time when you really can have it all: a gorgeous lawn, no matter the season, without having to do the work to get it.

Another way is to let us help you create a space that feels good, even when it’s hot. Think of adding a swimming pool if you have the room or a koi pond or water feature if you prefer. You might also consider a covered deck or patio, so you can sit outside but still be in the shade. The truth is, we love working with clients to find creative yet practical ways to make their outdoor spaces perfect for them. We’d love to do the same for you!

By Lisa Allen General Information • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

Questions You Should Always Ask Your Landscape Architect

landscape architect

Questions You Should Always Ask Your Landscape Architect

The idea of hiring a professional landscape architect to turn your outdoor space into the space you’ve always wanted can be overwhelming. Where do you start? What questions should you ask? What research should you do prior to calling different companies?

Don’t worry—we’re going to break it down for you.

First Things First: Plan

We’ve said it before but we’ll say it again: before you hire a professional to make improvements to your lawn and landscape, you should be thinking about what changes you’d like to make. Do you want a retaining wall? New outdoor lighting? A water or fire element? Are you ready to expand by adding a gazebo or an outdoor kitchen? Or are you looking just for landscaping?

When you have an idea of what you might want, the next step is to determine—roughly, not down to the exact penny—you budget. This will help you understand how much you can get with the money you have available, but it will also help the professional you choose know how to prioritize your budget.

Once you’re clear about what you want and how much you’ll pay for it, think about a few other things. Like how much of your own maintenance you are comfortable doing, and how often you want the company you hire to perform services. Having a few parameters around what you expect, and what you feel comfortable with, will help when you start having conversations with different providers.

Now It’s Time to Talk

Here are a few considerations as you take the leap from thinking about hiring a professional to interviewing candidates:

Tip 1: Contact more than one landscape architect. Like all other services, it’s important to compare your options so you can start to get a feel for how different providers work. Ask for referrals from family and friends you know and trust; they’ll point you in the right direction, and that’s a great start. You can also check with your local chamber of commerce. Church and civic organizations can also provide valuable insight into a company’s involvement in the community.

Tip 2: Come prepared. It’s not a test—but it’s a good idea to come with a few prepared questions, especially when those questions are really important to you. For example, if you’re on a strict budget, you want to be sure to remember to discuss that. Or if you want an outdoor kitchen, you want to be sure the potential landscape architect has experience in that area. Coming prepared means you’ll be able to ask everything you need to know.

Tip 3: Don’t be afraid to ask follow up questions. Your prepared list of questions is a good start. But don’t be afraid to let the conversation expand so you can learn as much as possible about a potential service provider. Ask open-ended questions. For example, ask “tell me about an outdoor kitchen you recently worked on, including a challenge you faced and how you found solutions,” rather than simply asking, “do you do outdoor kitchens?”

Ask About the Entire Team

Chances are you won’t meet everyone at a company that makes their work for you possible. But that doesn’t mean you can’t ask how things work behind the scenes. It’s important to ask about communication preferences. For example: “if I have an issue, how should I get in touch with you?” or “If I reach out, how long should I expect to wait for a return call and will it be you who calls back, or someone on your administrative team?”.

We’re always available to chat about your projects—and we share information about our business, our community, and our staff on our Facebook page. We think it’s important to do this, so you can get to know us. If you’d like to learn even more or you’re ready to get started on a new project, we’d love to work with you. Please reach out if we can offer options or assistance.

By ddmg Landscape • Tips and Tricks • • • 0 Comments

8 March Landscaping Tips For Olathe Gardeners

Spring has sprung. Wild winds are here, and the flowers are about to be blooming. It’s landscaping season, again.

Here are eight March landscaping tips for you to do at home this Spring in Olathe:

  • Remove Winter Debris: First and foremost – make sure you remove any and all winter debris from your lawns, landscaping beds, and garden. Give your landscape as much sun as humanly possibly while they start to grow this spring.
  • Mulching & Pruning: March is the month to mulch and prune. The best landscape beds are tended to in the early spring before too much blooming takes place. Do some research on the types of plants in each bed and see if they need a good pruning in early spring or not.
  • Fertilize Trees Please: Except for a few rare types of trees, you’ll want to fertilize them with a high-nitrogen fertilizer in March. This will ensure they bloom properly as the warm weather comes around.
  • Set Blades High: Never cut the grass too low in the early spring. You want your lawn growing and staying healthy. Try and keep your blades as high as possible during this time. At least 3″ or higher is essential to prevent brown spots from forming.
  • Don’t Delay Hand Weeding: Stay on top of your garden and landscape with a little elbow grease. Hand weeding in the early spring can offer a lot of benefits to your landscape, including keeping weeds from growing out of control.
  • Stay Hydrated: As spring rolls in, your plants will start to get plenty of water. Rainfall will happen in the spring in Olathe. However, if there’s a dry period, make sure to continue watering religiously. Your plants desperately need water during these important times of growth.
  • Avoid Over-Fertilizing: Hit your trees with a solid fertilizer in the early spring, but go light on the rest of your landscape and lawn. You’ll want to use a little during the spring, but save the heavy fertilizing until later in the season – as you don’t need it during the springtime initial growth rush.

The Olathe Landscaper For You

Landscaping in the spring certainly isn’t confusing, but you need to do it right. If you’re looking for a professional Olathe landscaper to help you with any projects, please get in touch. Here at Huston Contracting, we strive to keep Olathe looking green and lovely as the seasons change.