Swenson Landcare

03/10/2024

02/10/2023

The Right Way to Plant Trees and Shrubs - Seven Steps to Ensure Success
- Prepare the proper planting hole for trees and shrubs. ...
- Plant trees and shrubs high. ...
- Inspect tree roots and disturb them when necessary. ...
- When to amend the soil. ...
- Eliminate air pockets when planting trees. ...
- Add mulch. ...
- Watering new trees and shrubs.

02/09/2023

https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/garden/1731996/how-to-remove-lawn-w**ds-prevent-returning/amp

02/06/2023

KEEP YOUR LAWN PROPERLY TRIMMED
Maintaining your lawn trimmed at a proper height (above one-third of the leaf blade) is perhaps the easiest and most affordable way to prevent w**ds from sprouting. One reason for this is that well-trimmed grass is healthier and more capable of outcompeting w**ds. Ideally, your grass should cover and insulate the soil underneath to prevent w**ds from growing after sprouting. Mowing regularly also stops w**ds from propagating further by removing the protruding seed heads before they have a chance to mature.

FIND THE RIGHT PROFESSIONAL TO INSTALL SOD
For those new or expanding businesses looking to install sod on their property, be mindful of who you hire for the job. Laying sod is not as straightforward as it might seem. Preparation is crucial to ensure a healthy lawn and decrease the chances of w**ds from taking over. As a well-established, family-owned, and operated business, our landscapers take every step necessary to ensure a job well done. For sod installation, we remove all debris from the soil, till the ground, apply fertilizer to eliminate w**ds, level the area, and provide thorough guidance on how to irrigate before the sod arrives. To maximize your investment, we can even help you determine what type of sod is best for your soil. Contact us to learn more about the different types of sod we have experience working with.

PRESSURE WASH HIDDEN W**D GROWTH
Have you ever wondered how some w**ds can grow in between pavement cracks and other seemingly soilless areas? Well, it’s because w**ds only need a relatively small amount of soil or dirt to grow. Even the tiniest cracks in your driveway or parking lot could accumulate enough soil over time for w**ds to settle in. One convenient solution for this is pressure washing. With power washing, not only do you get thoroughly clean surfaces that would otherwise be incredibly difficult and time-consuming to clean, but you can also remove w**ds from their roots as well as any spores that may be lingering nearby.

MULCH AWAY!
Mulch has become incredibly popular for commercial landscaping, no doubt due in large part to how effective it is at simplifying lawn maintenance. Whether you choose wood chips, bark nuggets, straw, or even pine needles, mulch benefits plants by keeping the soil cool and moist, which effectively decreases the amount of irrigation needed. Mulching also helps prevent w**d growth by depriving any sprouts of sunlight. Just make sure to schedule commercial mulching services with reputable and experienced landscapers who know the types and amount of mulch that will work best for your commercial front.

02/03/2023

How To Recover Your Lawn From Frost/Freeze Damage

Mow The Lawn
It’s already back up in the 80s here, so the lawn will start trying to pick itself back up and start growing again. You can help by giving it a good cut and in fact, go ahead just this one time and take the cut height down 1 or even 2 notches.

For Zoysia and Bermuda lawns, this isn’t going to be anything to be concerned about. You can even decide to give your lawn a full scalp if you want (remember, I’m talking to central and south FL here where it’s 80F during the day). Here is some more detailed info on what your options could look like.

For St Augustine and Bahia lawns, yes, it’s also ok for you to take your lawn down 2 notches on this next cut and then go back to normal thereafter.

It’s ok to mulch the clippings if you are not seeing clumps but if you see areas piling up, go ahead and bag the clippings or do a double cut to get all that dead stuff chopped up and worked in.

The idea here is we want to expose that green and growing part underneath too as much sunlight and heat as we can. This will help it to recover faster. Mowing in general also accomplishes this and helps the lawn regain its vigor.

Continue Watering The Lawn
You also want to start right back up with your watering cycles. This time of year you for sure want a minimum of ½” of water on the lawn weekly. If we continue to get days into the 80s, you may need to double that.

We want the lawn to recover and water is the basis of that. If you have not already, take your tuna can challenge and get your zones set up for the season starting right now.

Fertilize With High Potassium
Lawns under stress can benefit from applications of potassium. Potassium helps maintain balance with plant cells and aids during stress and recovery from stress like we just faced.

The 7-0-20 Stress Blend is perfect for this because it has 100% slow-release nitrogen and 20% potash. Many of our community members used this with success after the Texas freeze of 2021 that many of you heard about. That freeze was much worse than what we have seen and most of those lawns recovered with no lasting visual effects.

You can apply the Stress Blend anytime in the next few days and get it watered in so it can go to work.

Another excellent edition here would be the Root Growth Stimulant (RGS) found in the Bio-Stimulant Pack from Greene County Fertilizer. RGS contains sea kelp that stimulates healthy rooting and humic and fulvic acids to condition soil. It’s a part of my regular program anyway but for sure it comes in handy as an aid during times when we want to get our lawns growing again after a freak event like this recent frost.

Apply at 6oz/1,000 sq ft for a real kick in the face that the lawn will actually like!

01/30/2023

Your lawn is a living organism, so proper irrigation practices can do wonders for promoting a healthy, thriving landscape. Because there must be a balance between too much and too little water, it’s critical to take great care when watering your grass.

How much water does my lawn need?

Most grasses require 1-inch of water a week during the active growing season including rainfall. Depending on your climate, you may need to consider rainfall in addition to your watering routine.

Once temperatures begin to drop in the fall, slowly reduce the amount of water given to the plants. You may continue watering during the beginning stages of dormancy to prevent the possibility of dehydration—especially if you live in an area with really dry soils.

Continue to water the lawn at a reduced amount during the winter season, but don’t altogether stop. Afterall, your lawn is dormant, not dead.

How do I measure how much I’m watering my lawn?

This is a great question! If you’re confused about how long you should water your lawn or how to quantify how much water your lawn is receiving in various areas, you’re not alone! One of the best ways to get this information is by conducting an irrigation audit. This basically consists of placing a few measuring cups around the lawn to see how long it takes to accumulate 1-inch of water. It may even help you properly place sprinkler heads in more effective locations

01/18/2023

https://www.greenmatters.com/p/water-conservation-landscaping-ideas

Water conservation landscaping ideas — check out these useful techniques to help build a greener lawn while reducing your environmental impact.

01/18/2023

Starting to get warmer outside and getting closer to Spring! Contact us today to get your lawn freshened up.
813-575-7200

01/13/2023

4 Landscaping Ideas For Your Manufactured Home

Landscaping around a manufactured home is the finishing touch that really turns the house into a permanent fixture on the land. In addition, landscaping offers the ability to transform the land and personalize your home beyond the color of the walls. From the moment you place your manufactured home on dirt, you can begin planning your landscape to enhance your view, boost your home's efficiency, and more. Here are four ideas to get you started.

Create an Entryway
One of the characteristics of manufactured homes that many people wish to expand upon is the entryway. Some manufactured homes have flat entryways with stairs that look a bit out of place. Landscaping can cure this problem by concealing the base of the stairs and adding dimension and color that leads to a pathway. Start by planting tall bushes in the corners closest to the house and stairs, and work your way forward with shrubs and flowers that create a visual barrier connecting you to the entryway. This way the approach to your home looks welcoming and draws the eye up toward the front door.

Add Shade Trees
Another important landscaping tip is planting trees that will provide shade for your manufactured home as the seasons change. Since most manufactured homes are located on smaller lots, it is important to gauge where the sun will pass over your home, and plants that will filter some of the light and provide shade. You will need to plan for both short and long term growth, including looking for any power lines or other external factors that may interfere with growth; however, a well-placed tree can significantly reduce your cooling bills during the summer months.

Ditch the Grass
Grassy lawns may look great on a golf course, but they pose many challenges for homeowners. They are incredibly inefficient to maintain, and when living on a smaller lot, you will likely find it quite difficult to keep patches of grass healthy if you have pets or kids. Instead, by choosing mulch, rock, or other materials, you can cut down on monthly maintenance significantly and create beautiful garden beds and walkways instead. Raised garden beds add to curb appeal and are easier to work with than in-ground gardens.

Build a Perimeter
Finally, building an inside and outside perimeter on your lot is a great way to enhance your living space, create privacy, and conceal the underside of your manufactured home without putting up fences or spending a ton on rockwork. Using small shrubs and bushes you can add a decorative perimeter around your home. Then you can add slightly taller bushes at the edge of your lot to create a visual barrier between yourself and your neighbors. In between your perimeter and your home, you can have a private seating area, quiet gardens, fresh fruits and vegetables, or even a water feature like a fountain or bird bath.

With proper landscaping, you can make your manufactured home blend seamlessly into your plot of land as if it had always been there. You can also break the stereotype of manufactured homes with blank faces and unfinished lots. Whether you start at the entryway and work your way out, or start at the perimeter and plant your way back to the center of your lot, you can change the look of your home to fit any aesthetic you enjoy. At the same time, your landscape will determine how much water and energy your home uses, allowing you to take full advantage of the energy efficient features that are already hard at work in your manufactured home.

01/10/2023

Many businesses in Florida like to participate in holiday and winter traditions by installing outdoor embellishments. This is great but it’s equally important to properly care for your lawn and your garden plants during the winter months. All it takes is one night of temperatures in the low 30s to 40s for your most loved plants and shrubs to receive damage.

Here are a few Swenson Landcare tips you should consider in order to protect your plants when decorating the outdoors of your business:

1. Pruning and maintaining trees is often left off the list when it comes to winter planning. It’s a great time of year to selectively remove branches to provide clearance, reduce the risk of breakage, or reduce size. If you are unsure about proper pruning techniques, consider hiring an arborist-a specialist in the care of trees-to prune your trees.

2. Mulch moderates soil temperatures, and keeps roots warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. It also helps sustain soil moisture, reducing the water needs of trees. Mulch inhibits w**ds, helps reduce soil erosion, and can improve soil, which improves or maintains tree health. Mulch with coarse materials such as pine nuggets or pine straw applied to depth of 3-4 inches, but do not allow mulch to accumulate to greater depth. Mulch will insulate the plant absorbing the sun’s radiation using it at night to keep your plants, flowers and trees warm, just like a blanket uses our body heat to keep us warm at night.

3. Continue to water newly planted plants, trees and shrubs since it doesn’t rain often in Florida during the winter. Most of the above ground plant is dormant however the roots can continue to grow if adequate moisture is present.

4. Cover tender plants by using cloth, such as old sheets or quilts, burlap or special covering from local nurseries that is made for plants and always avoid using plastic. Plastic will cause condensation to form on the leaves from freezing temperatures, which results in the leaves burning in the sunlight.

5. When using outdoor lighting and/or decorations that require electricity, be careful when running extension cords and other power sources on the ground or through your landscaping

6. Make sure to discuss any electrical power sources that are outdoors with your landscaper or maintenance personnel. You wouldn’t want your holiday lights run over by the lawnmower, would you?

7. This is a great time of year to put poinsettias outdoors to show off their beautiful, bright red color. A few places you might want to consider are your community clubhouse, guardhouse, or even pool area.

8. Even though a Florida fall isn’t very cold, it’s still a good time to start preparing your lawn for the cold weather. Shorter days, lower light intensity, and cooler temperatures result in slower-growing lawns. Timing is important, the last recommended time to fertilize your lawn in North and Central Florida is October / November. A high-potassium fertilizer would be best for this time of year.

Give us a call at 813-575-7200 for a free estimate!

01/05/2023

We are looking for a few Irrigation techs subs. Must be licensed & Insured and be able to provide W 9 taxes and proof of insurance.
We have several jobs ready for you to work on!!
Call us 813-575-7200 or reply to this post!