There is nothing better than stepping out your door into a well-maintained, beautiful yard.  Keeping your landscaping and flowerbeds tidy takes on-going care and attention, but it is worth the effort. When it’s done right, being in your yard can feel like a mini-vacation. Here are our top tips for keeping your yard looking it’s best.

Watering

1. Water regularly and deeply, about one to two times per week, depending on rainfall.
2. Evenings or early morning are the best times to water plants. The soil is cooler and you’ll lose less water to evaporation.
3. Avoid watering the leaves of plants as much as possible. Too much water on the leaves can lead to mold. Also, water gently to avoid damage to young plants.
4. A drip irrigation system can help if you are away a lot. Water is delivered near the plant base and can help maintain moisture levels in the soil.

Lawn

1. If temperatures rise above 85 degrees, consider letting your grass grow a little longer. Grass that is shorter can become damaged by the sun, and the soil underneath can dry out.
2. The best time to water lawns is early in the morning, between 4 and 8 a.m.
3. Too much water is just as bad as not enough. A good guide is between 2.5 to 4 gallons per square foot.

Weeds

1. Deter weeds before they start and plant beds densely to minimize space and sunlight availability.
2. Adding mulch can also prevent weed seeds from sprouting while adding a polished look.
3. If weeds do pop-up, get at the source. Remove the roots by using a weeding trowel or you’ll find yourself pulling that same weed again when it pops back up.

Sound like more then you want to take on? Great Goats Landscaping offers a regular landscaping service to keep your yard and flowerbeds looking their best. Give Mike a call today to set up a free consultation.

Love spending time outside but don’t have a comfortable place to sit and entertain? A deck might be the perfect solution.

If your yard slopes or you aren’t excited about the idea of adding a concrete patio, a deck can be a great option. You’ll be able to comfortably spend time outside while adding to the value of your house.

Here are some of the biggest benefits of adding a deck to your home.

Outdoor living spaces are on trend right now

One of the biggest trends right now is having an indoor space that flows into an outdoor space. Homeowners today want to be able to enjoy their yard and landscaping as much as they enjoy their home. A wood deck is a great way to get the indoor/outdoor space feel. Decks can be designed to fit with the structure and style of your home and can provide easy access to your yard.

Host friends and family get-together

If you enjoy entertaining, having a deck gives you the perfect area to throw a summer barbecue, birthday party, picnic, or other holiday events. Summer get-togethers are easier and more comfortable for groups of people on a sturdy deck with lights and furniture.

Enjoy the outdoors

Adding a deck to your home will naturally increase the amount of time you spent outside. Imagine stepping out to enjoy your morning cup of coffee or eating supper outside just because you can. Some people even use the deck as a home gym area to workout in the fresh air.

Great for pets and kids

A deck with a railing is a great place to let kids and pets safely play outside without worrying that they are going to be able to wander off. They will be able to play, and you’ll have the peace of mind knowing that they are safe and near the house.

Add value to your home

One of the most practical reasons to add a quality deck is that it will increase the value of your home. According to experts, many people recoup about 70% of the cost of a deck in their home value. Even if you aren’t in the market to sell, adding to the value of your home is always a good thing.

Deck material options for everyone

Decks can be built in a variety of materials that have varying benefits and drawbacks. Treated wood is the lowest cost option. Cedarwood has a higher cost but is long lasting and the best for paint or stain finish. Composite material has the longest lifespan and requires zero maintenance, but it also comes with the highest price tag.

Did you know that improving your home’s curb appeal can increase the value of your home by as much as 10 percent? Even if you aren’t thinking of selling, improving the look of your home adds value – and that’s always a good thing!

If you are selling your home, the best time to start cleaning and upgrading your yard is about a month in advance. That should give you enough time to get things polished and looking their best.

Improving the value of your home with landscaping

Don’t let the time of year hold you back, professional landscapers will always work with you to create the yard you are envisioning.

Whenever you start, make sure anything planted has enough time to establish itself before facing the tougher weather conditions of summer or winter.

Tidy outdoor containers

Container plants add interest to doorways, decks, and patios. They offer a world of possibilities and are a quick way to add color and dimension to an area. They are also a great option if you don’t have a large yard but want to add greenery or flowers.

Refresh mulch

Adding a fresh layer of mulch helps garden beds look polished and tidy. Plants and flowers are able to stand out and really pop. Mulch is relatively cheap and quick to apply, making it an easy way to improve the curb appeal of your home. Mulch is also ideal for suppressing weeds and helps the soil retain moisture during dry months.

Plant color

Consider the look and style of your home and choose annuals or perennials that will complement it. Flats of annuals are fairly inexpensive and easy to plant. Choose a variety of colors or a more monochromatic color scheme, whichever fits your home and personality best.

Shape and trim trees and shrubs

Pruning trees and shrubs when they are overgrown is good for the health of plants and also improves their overall appearance. A yard can quickly look neglected if there are dead branches and overgrown shrubs in front of the house. Do a little research before you start trimming. Some shrubs and trees are best pruned in the spring, while others will fare better in the fall.

Power-wash dirty surfaces

Power-washers are easy to rent and easy to use. They quickly can clean any grimy paved surfaces, making them look brand-new. Power washers can also be used to clean fences, brick and vinyl siding.

If that seems like more then you want to take on right now, give Great Goats Landscaping a call today. They can handle jobs big or small and also have a maintenance program to keep your yard looking it’s best.

Now that we’re safely into May, I think we can say that we are officially done with winter this year. Spring is here, and that means summer isn’t too far away.

Time to pull out the lawnmower and gardening gloves!

Here are a few things you can do this spring to get a jump on your landscaping and start the season off right.

Weeds

Early spring is the best time to start fighting any weeds that might pop-up in your yard or garden beds this summer. Before weeds even have a chance to get established, start taking measures to make sure they never get a foothold. Mulch areas of exposed soil and use pre-emergent, organic weed treatments in your lawn to suppress weeds. Be sure that you use a treatment that is pre-emergent as it might still be too cold for most topical weed killers to work.

Remove any old plants

Spring is a good time to assess your plants to see which can stay and which have seen their last season. Remove any plants that have died over the winter or are past their prime, and consider replacing them with new plants. Also, take a look at your lawn and treat any areas that have been damaged during the winter.

Prune shrubs and trees

Spring is the time to cut back trees and shrubs before they reach their full bloom. Most can quickly regrow and will benefit from serious cutbacks. Any shrubs or plants that are encroaching walkways, driveways or gutters or that have overgrown their space should also be cut back.

Are you feeling ready for spring? Is your landscaping ready? If you’d like some help this season, give Mike and his team at Great Goats Landscaping a call. They have the expertise and experience to create a custom plan for your home to give you the landscaping you’ve been dreaming of. They also can take care of your landscape with their on-going maintenance program.

Every year as the snow melts, we start getting calls about homes that are having water drainage problems. This year has been no different. In fact, it seems like every day we’re talking to another client about how we can help them improve the drainage around their home to prevent future damage.

This year has been particularly challenging for homeowners as melting snow has created ponds in their backyard and rivers down the driveway. Standing or flowing water always has the potential to damage property and should be addressed before the next heavy rain or snowmelt event.

Why worry about drainage?

We’ll be the first to admit – you probably aren’t going to get many compliments about an excellent drainage system. They aren’t as flashy as beautiful flowerbeds, but they just as important in making a landscape attractive and functional.

Without proper drainage, any time and money you spend on your landscaping could be wasted if heavy rains cause erosion or flooding. You also risk water seeping into your basement, causing damage to the foundation and other property you have stored there.

Over time, erosion and drainage issues can seriously impact home and property values, causing foundations to shift or sink and leading to expensive home and landscape repairs. It also can drown grass and other plants and create a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Good drainage can help

Installing an effective drainage system will help relieve any low spots on your property and ensure that water has a place to go during a heavy rain event. It increases the longevity of landscaping and can even add to the attractiveness of your property.

Great Goats Landscaping specializes in designing and installing drainage systems that can handle heavy rain events without detracting from the function and aesthetics of a property.

If your tired of having a lake outside your backdoor every time it rains, give Mike and his team at Great Goats a call today to see how they can help for a free consultation.

The snow is finally melting, and it won’t be long before spring is really and truly here. Unfortunately, on his way out, Old Man Winter always seems to leave a mess in his wake.

Here are some of the most important outdoor spring cleaning chores to tackle when you’re getting your yard ready.

Removing refuse (natural or otherwise) from your grass and planting beds

Nature and sometimes inconsiderate neighbors can leave a mess behind after the snow melts. Put on some thick work gloves, and start tidying up your yard. You’ll need to remove:

• Litter and dog feces
• Dead grass, leaves, pinecones, ect.
• Dead leaves and stalks on perennials

I know this is probably everyone’s least favorite part of spring, but if your tempted to skip this step, just remind yourself how much better your yard will look and how much more fun planting will be knowing that your yard is in order.

Preparing flower beds

If you are preparing an existing flower bed, add compost and fertilizer. If it’s an annual flower or vegetable bed, also turn over the soil. Remove any weeds that might have been left behind in the fall. If you are opening a new bed, you have a couple of options:

• Use a tiller to break new ground
• Use the “smother method” to kill grass and convert lawn space into a planting bed
• Build a raised bed

If you are breaking ground for a new bed, you can be sure that weeds are going to find it quickly. Used together, landscaping fabric and mulch are sometimes a good way to keep on top of weed problems. If you’d rather avoid landscaping fabric, a good layer of mulch or straw will work too.

Planting

Spring is a good time to plant trees, shrubs, and perennial flowers. If they are hardy perennials, feel free to plant them earlier. Tender perennials should be planted after the first frost date has passed.

New lawns can be started in the spring, and it’s also a good time to overseed an established lawn.

Pest and weed control

It’s often easier to get a head start of weeds, rather than waiting until they are established.  Spring is a good time to add herbicides. Always be sure to follow the directions and safety instructions. Pests can also pose a problem. Watch out for rabbits and deer and protect your yard and plants as needed.

Pruning shrubs

Trees and shrubs often benefit from a spring pruning. Dead limbs and winterkills are easy to spot and should be removed.

Trimming healthy branches requires a bit more care. Spring is a good time to prune:

• Butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii)
• Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)
• Lavender (Lavandula)
• Bluebeard (Caryopteris)
• Beautyberry (Callicarpa)

Wait until shrubs like forsythia, korean spice viburnum (viburnum carlesii), and lilacs (syringa vulgaris) have finished blooming in the spring to trim them. Trimming them earlier could effect spring blooms.

Dealing with mulch and perennial division

If you added a deep layer of mulch to help plants overwinter, you’ll need to carefully remove the mulch before it smothers growing plants. Monitor the perennials so they can come up unhindered in the spring.

Some perennials can also benefit from being divided. There are a few exceptions, but most can safely be divided in the spring.

We’re Hiring!

Looking for a not-so-average summer job? Great Goats Landscaping is looking for motivated, dependable landscapers to join our team. Learn more here.

Getting your fall lawn and garden chores taking care of before winter isn’t always a priority.

Staying motivated to work in the yard and garden can be a little hard during this time of year. After a successful summer, it’s tempting to assume the yard can sit until things warm up again, but if you want another eye-catching lawn and garden next summer, it’s important to winterize your garden and flower beds before it gets too cold.

There are a number of late fall chores that can prepare your yard for a stunning year to come. Let’s take a quick look at some of the tasks that should be done before the snow hits the ground.

Essential fall lawn and garden care

During the fall months, you should at least try to maintain the health of your lawn. It’s fine if you don’t have the time or energy to improve things but try not to let your yard slide backward.

Weeding

A great place to start with fall lawn and garden care is by removing broadleaf weeds so they aren’t competing for nutrients and water. Avoid composting weeds, especially if they have already gone to seed. If a weed is particularly noxious, you may need to burn it to kills any seed and avoid it spreading.

Soil

Fall is also a great time to have soil tests done to check the acidity of your soil. It’s often possible to find a local business or organization that will do a soil test for you. In Minnesota, you can send a soil sample into the University of Minnesota for a small fee.

If your soil is acidic, applying lime can correct the problem (lime takes a while to start working in the soil so fall is a great time to apply). Alkaline soils can benefit from an application of sulfur.

Leaves

Everyone knows that its good to rake leaves in the autumn, but not many know why it is important. Removing the layers of leaves that accumulate in the autumn will help prevent bald spots in your lawn. Of course, raking or using a leaf blower are both good options, but you can also mow them with your lawn mower if you have a bagging attachment. Removing excess leaves from sidewalks, driveways and streets also prevent the nitrogen found in leaves from making their way into our local waterways.

Call Great Goats

Great Goats Landscaping is here to help you wrap up your fall yard and garden chores and to plan for next year’s landscaping projects. Give Mike and the team at Great Goats Landscaping a call today to see how we can help you create the yard you’ve been dreaming of.