Dog poop on the lawn is unsightly. It also smells and attracts flies. Nevertheless, you probably prefer your dog do its business outdoors than inside the home. Be aware, though, of the dangers of dog feces because it poses health risks for both the lawn and the home’s occupants.

Why Dog Poop on the Lawn Is Dangerous

Here’s a fun fact: The Environmental Protection Agency has designated dog waste as a pollutant. It’s in the same category as synthetic pesticides. Here’s something else to consider: just a single gram of dog waste has 23 million fecal bacteria.

Much of that bacteria can transfer to the grass and remain on the surface for more than a year. A single fly can also carry six million bacteria on its legs after landing on dog doo. That’s bad news if the fly makes its way indoors. Continue Reading →

You probably learned about humates in your grade school biology class but just don’t remember it. A humate conditioner is a compound that may be very useful for your lawn. We’ll explain what it is, how it works, and why it’s beneficial for as a lawn care application.

What Are Humate Conditioners?

Humate is a type of “soft” rock rich in decomposed organic matter. After eons of chemical breakdown of the biological matter, the substance evolves into a mixture of fulvic and humic acids, peptides, and macromolecules. The resulting substance works wonders as an organic soil conditioner and fertilizer. Continue Reading →

To the untrained eye, all grasses look the same on the surface. However, various grass species exist, and some varieties thrive better under Pacific Northwest weather. Cool season grass is especially suited for the cooler temperatures of Bothell and the greater Seattle area.

What Is Cool Season Grass?

Cool season grass is basically what its name suggests. This is a grass type that thrives during cold weather and mildly hot summers. This is a common variety throughout the entire northern area of North America. Lawn care professionals prefer this grass because it’s easy to maintain for this region. Continue Reading →

Are you a DIY gardener? Have you contemplated using landscape fabric? Like all other lawn accessories, this tool has its pros and cons. We’ll cover the basics of landscape fabric and whether it’s the right product for your lawn care endeavors.

What Is Landscape Fabric?

You’ve probably seen dark rolls of fabric at your local hardware store. Beginning gardeners often wonder what this material does. The material is a woven fabric which allows water penetration. The fabric protects the ground from weed growth and UV rays. Most homeowners apply it around trees and shrubs and top it off with mulch for best results.

The Pros

• Inhibits the sprouting of weed seeds beneath the soil. This is a natural form of weed prevention that prevents the need for synthetic herbicides.
• Prevents water evaporation, thus improving soil moisture retention.
• Protects the soil from erosion on sloped surfaces

The Cons

Landscape fabric is by no means a miracle product. It even has some drawbacks.

• The fabric prevents leaves and other organic mulch from making contact with the soil. Leaves provide nutrients as they degrade.
• The fabric is not 100% effective at preventing weed growth. You would have to remove the fabric to rip out the weeds that do grow.
• The fabric discourages earthworms from burying themselves into the soil. Earthworms aerate the soil, preventing it from becoming compact.
• Some fabrics contain petroleum and other chemicals. This is not good for the soil and is especially bad for fruit-bearing plants.

Continue Reading →

Contrary to popular belief, droughts can and do occur in the winter, albeit less often compared to summer. This is why lawn care is important year-round. Without proper maintenance, you can begin to see your grass start to turn brown. We’ll explain how to protect your grass from a drought by ensuring that they receive enough water.

Prevention Measures

Sure, you can keep the sprinklers on longer. However, this may not be possible if the city imposes a water usage limit during a drought. A more clever strategy is to increase the soil’s ability to absorb water. Here’s how:

De-Thatch

This maximizes the absorption rate of available moisture in the air. You should de-thatch your lawn regularly but especially during a drought. Continue Reading →

The lawn provides a significant roaming space for man’s best friend. Some homeowners, though, have noticed that their canine occasionally chows down on the grass or fallen leaves from trees and shrubs. Is this normal behavior, and is it safe? We’re a lawn care company, not animal psychologists, so we can’t definitively explain why dogs eat grass. However, we will share with you what we know.

Why Do Dogs Eat Grass?

From what we have heard, dogs may eat grass out of boredom, out of hunger, or simply because they like the taste. Another theory is that they do it to induce vomiting, though many vets have debunked this idea.

Regardless of why they do it, most experts agree that grass is harmless for dogs. This is assuming, of course, that the grass has no pesticides or other harmful chemicals. The grass by itself, though, is safe. Continue Reading →

The landscape is the perfect backdrop for holiday decorations. Don’t limit the area to trees and shrubs, vines, flowers, and lawn gnomes. To bring out the holiday spirit in your family, adorn your landscape with Christmas decorations. This will also show the neighbors that you value the holiday of giving.

Creative Christmas Landscape Decorations

1. Outdoor Christmas Tree

Does your landscape lack a tree? Why not place the Christmas tree outdoors? You can even have a tree for the home interior and another one outside. Wrap string lights around it and be sure to wrap them deep into the tree branches. This will help the light reflect off the ornaments. Continue Reading →

Fall landscaping is all about preparing the area for winter. Even if you do nothing else, at least contact a landscaping company during autumn for an annual check up. Lawn care during this time of year prepares the vegetation for the upcoming Pacific Northwestern cold.

Fall Landscaping Musts

1. Spread Mulch

Fall mulching protects tree and shrub roots from frost and helps them retain moisture during the dry season. Use two to three inches of mulch around the perimeter of trees. Use only fresh mulch, such as shredded hardwood. Avoid store-bought mulch sold in bulk. This usually contains mulch derived from disease-ridden trees. Continue Reading →

Weeds are not only an eyesore but they’re also a form of pest. Weeds absorb nutrients that would otherwise have gone to your desirable shrubs and trees. Yes, you want to eliminate these burdensome plants. However, what is the best way to get rid of weeds? Should you kill them or dig them up?

Killing Weeds Vs Digging Up Weeds

Killing Weeds

Killing weeds usually involves the use of chemicals. This entails the use of both pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicides. Use the former to prevent the seeds from germinating. Use post-emergent sprays directly on the weed. The leaves absorb the chemicals, causing them to shrivel and die. Continue Reading →

Many of you gardeners may be unaware that your garden isn’t the product of your effort alone. You receive a lot of assistance in the form of beneficial insects. This is why you should construct gardens in a way that invites the good critters. This is what a pollinator garden is all about. We’ll show you how to make your garden attractive to the insects you want on your side.

The Beneficial Insects

Beneficial insects can be arranged into three categories:

• Pollinators—includes honeybees and solitary bees that pollinate flowers
• Predators—includes ladybugs, cellar spiders, and soldier bugs that prey on harmful pests
• Parasites—includes a species of aphids that eliminates more harmful aphids by using their bodies as a nursery for their young

Create the Ideal Pollinator Garden

Make simple adjustments to transform your lawn into a pollinator garden. The key is to create enough hiding places. Be sure the garden has plenty of nooks and crannies. Use hollowed or drilled logs, bamboo poles, and rock piles. Place these materials near trees and shrubs if they’re present on your property. These will provide homes for bugs which are attracted to plant matter and rely on its sap and/or nectar. Continue Reading →