By Rusty,

As the season's change, so should your Gainesville lawn maintenance action plan. We have compiled a few lawn care myths that we would like to debunk to help keep your lawn in great shape during the winter months.
Feel free to share this with your neighbors as well! That way, the whole neighborhood knows the facts and has beautiful landscapes this winter.

MYTH 1: Turn irrigation system off
FACT: Your lawn will certainly need less water in the winter than summer, but it still will need some if you want a quick green-up in spring. In North Florida, we get several cold fronts that really drop the temperatures quickly - but we also get some warm fronts that can spike temperatures during the day as well. Having a drought-stressed lawn combined in those warm spells will cause your lawn stress and slow down its spring recovery. For most lawns, we recommend watering once a week during the winter and bumping it back to 2 days in March.

MYTH 2: Prune back Crape Myrtles as soon as they drop their leaves
FACT:
Properly pruning your Crape Myrtles (watch the linked video to avoid 'Crape Murder') will maximize blooms, promote new growth, and give your tree a great shape. Because of this, the best time to prune is in late-winter. By waiting till after the last of winter, you will no longer have the chance of frost killing the new growth early pruning can promote. We have more information on pruning your crape myrtles here- Quick Tip: When to prune your crape myrtles

MYTH 3: Don't worry about winter weeds
FACT:
Weed control in winter is just as important as summer weed control, and it also sets you up for a better spring. The mistake most homeowners make is to wait too late to treat winter weeds, and the weeds thin out the turf and really start to take over. Winter is the best time to get started on turning your lawn around, because it will set you up for a quick green up in spring.

MYTH 4: There is no way to prevent brown patch
FACT:  Most lawn pest control companies will tell you they cannot prevent brown patch fungus, and they only treat it reactively when it shows up. The truth is that although the active fungus will always live in the soil, a preventative fungicide application can be made a couple times a year during transition seasons, and the brown spots never show. Our disease prevention program uses a formula that has been tested and proven to help put a stop to those pesky brown rings.

MYTH 5: Prune back frost-damaged plants quickly
FACT: Many tender plants - such as Ginger, Lantana, and Philodendron can get frost damaged on some of our colder evenings. Pruning off the frost damaged growth can make them look more appealing, but you can actually do more damage if you remove the frost-damaged growth too soon. In fact, those ugly brown leaves actually help to protect the interior of the plant from future freezes, as the frost falls on them (like a natural frost blanket) instead of closer to the interior of the plant. Also, by pruning your plants, you can be promoting new growth in warm spells. If another cold snap comes through, you have a higher chance of completely killing the plant.

If we can be of help with any of your winter Gainesville landscape maintenance chores - or the surrounding areas of Alachua, Jonesville, and Newberry - please don't hesitate to reach out to us at (352) 378-LAWN or fill out our form at the top of the page!

By Rusty,

Cold days in Gainesville are a perfect time to dream about spring and what improvements you want to make to your landscaping. Have you been considering adding a water feature? Reclaiming natural areas? Replacing existing landscaping with native plants or installing a butterfly garden? Whatever your hopes might be for your landscaping, now is a great time to get started planning. To help make that easier, here are six tips to get you started planning a landscaping project

1. Prioritize

A landscaping project can escalate quickly in cost but a smaller budget can go a long way if you focus your dollars in the right way. We recommend prioritizing your project to make the most of your budget and create an impact. For example, focus on the front yard this year and save the backyard for another time,or install a Gainesville paver patio with room to grow and add a fire pit later. Phasing a project helps to break it out into manageable and budget-friendly pieces.

2. Consider Maintenance

A traditional English garden is a beauty to behold but this beauty also comes with a price. That price is most pronounced when you consider the time it takes to maintain. If you plan to maintain the landscaping yourself, make sure to consider the ease (or difficulty) of maintaining the design. You may still want to go with that traditional English garden, but you may also decide to scale back if you decide you don’t want to spend that much time on landscape maintenance.

3. Accent your Home

When choosing plants and flowers for your landscaping be sure to consider what will compliment your home. Choose colors and textures that enhance the colors of your home and showcase the design features in the architecture. For a traditional-style home, (a classic style and white picket fence) adding evergreen foundation plantings and a few planters on the front porch is a simple way to add landscape impact. If you home has a more modern or contemporary feel you may want to consider adding in a few century plants, or soap aloe to accent the home’s design.

4. Choose the right plants, in the right place

One of the landscaping mistakes that I see far too often is installing plants that are not suited to our climate, or installing plants in the wrong area. If there are tropical plants that you love, research to make sure they are suited to our chilly winters. Often times there is a similar look and style that can be found that is better suited to our climate. Also, consider your yard when selecting plants and make sure to install plants in the correct area. Planting a sun-loving Daylily in the shadiest part of your yard could yield so very disappointing results!

5. Know your Limits

Landscaping is hard work! As you plan the size and scope of your project consider how much of your project is best to DIY or if you want to bring in some help to get the job completed. Filling in a small landscaping bed with some extra plants and some fresh mulch could be a great weekend project. But laying sod throughout the front yard is something that could take dozens of hours and require specialized tools and equipment to get the right results. Make sure you know what you are getting into before you start and plan accordingly.

6. Consult a Professional

The best way to get your landscaping off to the right start is to speak with a landscape designer who is well-versed in the unique needs of Gainesville yards. The Master’s Lawn Care offers complimentary landscaping consultations for just this reason. We can help bring your landscaping dreams to life and ensure that the right plants go in the right places, underground utilities are located, and ensure that your Gainesville irrigation is providing correct coverage for your new plantings. We can even provide fertilization and lawn pest and disease treatments to maintain the healthy, beautiful landscaping of your dreams. We’d love to meet with you for a free consultation!