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Can You Over-Mulch?

March 7, 2024March 25, 2021 by The Parke Company

As a proud property owner, you are doing everything you can to help your lawn flourish. Between irrigation systems, careful monitoring, and hiring the perfect landscaping services, decisions like mulching may seem simple. While it may not be as intricate of a process or as overwintering or a hardscape installation, mulching is much more complex than it may seem.

Let’s explore the complexities of mulching so we can assure you don’t over-mulch and hurt the lawn you’ve worked so hard to maintain.

Is it Possible to Over-Mulch?

Over Mulching

Mulch is great for your lawn and garden when it is done correctly. It can fertilize and protect your landscape to create the lush, beautiful backyard or garden you’ve always dreamed of.

Unfortunately, there are a number of different things that can go wrong when you over-mulch. One of the worst effects of over-mulching is the suffocation of plants. Dropping too much mulch around the roots of your trees or plants can cut off the roots’ ability to absorb nutrients and grow.

In addition to stifling the growth of plants, large piles of mulch can also harbor plant disease.

Typically, mulch is a great way for your soil to retain moisture and nourish plants. But when too much mulch is used, the mulch traps moisture without releasing it, which can lead to mildew and rot of your plants’ roots.

Mulching Done Right

Mulching right isn’t easy, but it also isn’t impossible if you’re willing to do a bit of work in your yard. When deciding how much mulch to use, it’s essential to choose the right type of mulch for your yard. There are important decisions to make regarding organic versus inorganic mulch, color, material, and other factors when deciding what will be best for your yard.

Especially if you are a landscaping novice, you may want to contact a landscaping company to help determine which type of mulch will have the greatest impact on your landscape’s health and fit your budget. Once you’ve determined the type of mulch you want to use, determining the amount of mulch to use takes some simple calculation and observation.

Watch out for mulch “volcanoes”, the pyramid shapes that form at the bottom of your tree or plant’s roots. These mulch volcanoes are an indication you’ve over-mulched and are sure to trap moisture that will rot of your plants. You can also check a tree’s roots to double-check that you have not mulched too much. The roots should always be visible. If they aren’t, you’ve probably over-mulched.

The easiest and most efficient way to determine how much mulch is right is by hiring high-quality landscaping services to figure it out for you. Expert professionals like those at The Parke Company can quickly and efficiently determine the right type and amount of mulch for your lawn. By hiring lawn services, you avoid the hassle of repairing damaged plants and save yourself the headache of trying to uncode the formula for the perfect amount of mulch.

Contact The Parke Company Today

Even if your mulching project starts off with good intentions, things can quickly go awry if you don’t know how to do it right. Avoid the hassle and the mess of a project gone sideways by hiring the right landscaping maintenance company to meet your specific needs. Whether it is lawn mowing, leaf removal, or more complex projects like hardscape installation, The Parke Company is the right landscaping company for the job.

Our experienced professionals are ready to develop a landscaping plan that works for your property and your budget. Don’t leave your landscaping maintenance up to chance. Give us a call (615-350-6033) or contact us online today to see how The Parke Company difference can work for you.

Build Your Dream Garden This Spring

March 7, 2024March 8, 2021 by The Parke Company

It’s time for something bright and cheery to lighten everyone’s mood. New interior design like a fresh coat of paint or new throw pillows can be nice, but this season calls for backyard parties and outdoor gatherings galore. Now is the time to start planning and budgeting for everything you want out of your backyard space this spring and summer season.

Fortunately, with The Parke Company, you don’t have to decide between a beautiful patio or a colorful garden. With our experienced technicians, you can install everything from hardscapes to softscapes to bring your garden to life.

At The Parke Company, we’re ready to make your garden dreams come true this spring; here is how.

How to Create Your Dream Garden

Landscape Design

It can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to landscape services. How do you prepare soil for new plants? How do you know what will grow best in your region? How do you know what plants are safe around your pets and children?

You could spend your days poring over articles trying to earn your honorary degree in agriculture– or you could talk with one of our expert landscaping professionals.

At The Parke Company, we specialize in more than just clearing spaces and planting flowers. We take the time to get to know your property’s specific needs and work with you to devise the perfect plan for fulfilling your gardening dreams. We can help you determine the best type of garden for your aesthetic preferences, level of commitment, and, most importantly: your budget.

Hardscapes

Not only can beautiful flowers, lawns, and shrubbery help to liven your garden this spring, but hardscapes can also be the key component in bringing your garden dreams to life. If your backyard space has been feeling a little lackluster, hardscapes can help to elevate your garden area with no maintenance required.

Hardscapes are a great way to add interest to the look of your garden without the requirement of frequent maintenance. Installations like water features can be the perfect way to wow guests (even if you don’t want to spend a lot of time tending a garden).

Between pavers, walkways, lighting fixtures, and ponds, hardscape installations are a surefire way to create an oasis in your garden that will last even through the winter. And with the right landscaping company, you’ll never even have to lift a finger.

Contact The Parke Company Today

Most of us have been dreaming about our spring and summer plans all winter long. Guarantee your wish-fulfillment by hiring the right landscaping maintenance company to meet your specific needs. Whether it is lawn mowing, leaf removal, or more complex projects like hardscape installation, The Parke Company is the right landscaping company for the job.

What Add-Ons Should I Consider to My Irrigation System?

March 7, 2024February 18, 2021 by The Parke Company

While it would be nice to have perfect spring conditions all year long, spring only lasts a few months for most of us. Even if you live in an area with four seasons, it is possible to extend the benefits of the warm, moisture-filled months through an irrigation system.

With an irrigation system, you can control the amount of moisture in your lawn or garden to make sure that your landscape gets the perfect amount of watering, regardless of the conditions outside.

An irrigation system can be one of the best ways to create a lush, verdant lawn even in the dry months, but there are more things you can add to your irrigation system to optimize garden growth even further. Here’s what you should consider incorporating.

What You Should Add to an Irrigation System

Sprinkler Heads

While many people immediately picture in-ground sprinklers when they hear “irrigation systems”, those are not always included in the typical irrigation system installation.

Adding on sprinkler heads to your irrigation system is a great way to create a dramatic difference in your landscape’s quality.

Even if you have an irrigation system already, adding on rotary sprinkler heads can be a great way to expand your irrigation system’s reach and create a greener lawn.

Smart Controllers

Whether your motivations are to save money, reduce water usage, or both, it is always a good idea to add smart controllers to your irrigation system. If you have automatic settings on your irrigation system, your programs for watering may not respond to changes in your landscape and the environment around it. Ultimately, this results in lost money you didn’t need to spend in watering your landscape, as well as a waste of water that is harmful to the environment.

Asking your landscaping services company about installing a smart controller to your irrigation system is a great way to get a lush lawn and feel good about your investments.

Budgeting with Irrigation

Some add-ons to your irrigation system may just be more of your irrigation system.

Because of the nature of the installation, it can be installed in parts. Many property owners may not be ready to invest in fully irrigating their whole lawn or garden, so adding on to their irrigation system piece-by-piece is a great way to pace investments and beautify the landscape without breaking the bank.

Talking with your lawn services company about your options for a long term plan of irrigation system installation is a great way to cater to your budget without compromising the quality of your landscape.

Contact The Parke Company Today

Complicated tasks like irrigation systems are best left to the experts. Avoid a DIY disaster by hiring the right landscaping maintenance company to meet your specific needs.

Whether it is lawn mowing, leaf removal, or more complex projects like hardscape installation, The Parke Company is the right landscaping company for the job.

The Parke Company’s experienced professionals are ready to develop a landscaping plan that works for your property and your budget. Don’t leave your landscaping maintenance up to chance. Give us a call (615-350-6033) or contact us online today to see how The Parke Company difference can work for you.

When Is the Best Time for Heavy Pruning?

March 7, 2024February 4, 2021 by The Parke Company

For the experienced green thumb, gardening is a lot like a dance. Once you learn the basic steps, you can usually hold your own in any space and improvise until you get to the really advanced moves. If you’re dancing, you probably want to master the box step before you try to tango. If you’re gardening, it’s best to focus on things like pruning before you try to grow prize-winning azaleas.

When it comes to basic gardening practices like pruning, timing is everything. It is just as important to know when to cut as it is to know where to cut. So, when is the best time for heavy pruning?

What to Know About Heavy Pruning

Tradition v Heavy Pruning

All plants will require some type of pruning from time to time. Typical or traditional pruning should be conducted on a regular basis. This type of pruning is to remove small, dead parts of your plants that may inhibit growth.

Ultimately, the purpose of pruning is to promote growth, so your plants can reach their full potential. Heavy pruning is strategic pruning that goes further than regular trimming for your plants. This type of pruning must be completed at specific points throughout the year, depending on the plant to maximize growth.

In contrast from traditional pruning, heavy pruning will typically consist of cutting a plant all the way back to a height of 6-12 inches above the ground and allowing it to regrow. It is important to use the appropriate shears to trim back your plants and shrubs as this type of drastic cutting is not tolerable for all plant types. Talk with your landscaping maintenance provider about the best tools to use on your unique plants.

Best Times for Heavy Pruning

To truly embrace the benefits of heavy pruning, tree trimming for certain plants should be addressed at specific times.

When heavy pruning, you are significantly cutting back your plants to give them the opportunity to grow back with gusto. It is important to make these heavy cuts at a time when the plants have the best environment to grow.

According to the Chicago Botanic Garden professionals, heavy pruning should be completed when a tree is dormant, usually in the later winter months, before active growth will begin. Not only will heavy pruning at this time help you to maximize growth, but it can also prevent certain fungal diseases that can occur in some trees.

Timing for pruning truly depends on what it is that you are pruning. Those at the Chicago Botanic Garden also assert that “Most conifers require minimal pruning that will also vary with species. Needled evergreens such as spruce (Picea) and fir (Abies) are best pruned in late winter before growth begins. Arborvitae (Thuja) and yew (Taxus) can be pruned during spring and early summer. Pruning of any kind can encourage new growth; therefore, pruning should not be performed late in the season to avoid the risk of cold temperatures damaging tender new growth.” Heavy pruning is a task that requires knowledge and forethought.

Contact The Parke Company Today

If you want to get the most out of your garden, pruning is one of the best ways to maximize growth and increase your landscape’s yield, but it does mean that whoever is conducting the pruning knows what they are doing.

You don’t need to be an expert landscape designer for a beautiful garden. You just need to hire the right landscaping company to meet your specific needs.

From leaf removal to landscape installations, the Parke Company’s experienced professionals are ready to develop a landscaping plan that works for your property and your budget. Don’t leave your garden’s health up to chance. Give us a call (615-350-6033) or contact us online today to see how The Parke Company difference can work for you.

When Should I Fertilize My Garden?

March 7, 2024January 21, 2021 by The Parke Company

For most regions of the United States, gardening is a very seasonal activity. Depending on the levels of moisture, temperature, and amount of sunlight, you will need to plant different things to suit each season.

Whether it is overwintering, leaf removal, or tree trimming, there are a lot of different methods of landscape maintenance that are time-dependent, and fertilizing your garden is certainly a time-dependent process.

To avoid the cost and mess of fertilizing at the wrong time, always be sure to treat your garden at the right time. So, when should you fertilize your garden?

What to Know About Fertilizing a Garden

Before You Fertilize

Before you even think about fertilizing, it is important to have a “lay of the land” for your land. Not all landscapes are the same, so not all fertilizers will work for your property. Even if you execute your fertilizing project at the right time, you’ll be left with a malnourished flowerbed and bags of useless fertilizer if you don’t choose the right one for your specific needs.

Before you fertilize, a soil test from your local landscape services provider can quickly identify any deficiencies and help you to determine the specific needs for your soil. Choosing the right fertilizing is the first step to optimizing the impact on your garden.

Before You Plant

Typically, gardening begins in the spring. For most zones in the US, the temperatures, sunlight, and moisture align in the spring months to optimize conditions for garden. Before you plant annual flowers and vegetables, it is common to use a general-purpose fertilizer. Depending on what plants you are working with, the depth at which you incorporate the fertilizer into the soil can vary.

Generally, most landscaping professionals agree that plants will need the most nutrients (which can come from fertilizer) when they are growing the most rapidly. Setting up your plants for success is dependent on knowing what you want to plant and understanding its nutritional needs.

Mid-Season

As any gardener knows, planting a garden is a process. For the advanced gardener, their job is never truly over. These green thumbs will sustain their gardens year round and adapt their landscape to every new season.

Even if you aren’t the most experienced gardener, fertilizing your soil usually shouldn’t be a one-and-done process.

For some long-season crops like corn, fertilizer is applied in the beginning at the time of seeding, as well as in early summer, right before the most rapid growth occurs. While you may fertilize directly before you plant, it is also important to time your fertilizing right around the time of the most growth for your plants.

Contact The Parke Company Today

If you want to get the most out of your garden, fertilizing is a great step, but you may not be able to reap all of the benefits if you don’t do it the right way.

You don’t need to be an expert landscape designer for a beautiful garden, you just need to hire the right landscaping company to meet your specific needs.

The experienced professionals at The Parke Company are ready to develop a landscaping plan that works for your property and your budget. Don’t leave your garden’s health up to chance, give us a call (615-350-6033) or contact us online today to see how The Parke Company difference can work for you.