Let’s face it: weeding your garden is not a fun task. There are several things you can buy from a store to kill and reduce weeds, but that cost can add up quickly. And their effectiveness can be questionable. Try these 6 inexpensive hacks for a weed-free garden:

Save your newspaper

Next time you find yourself throwing last week’s newspaper in the recycling bin, save it for your weeds! Newspaper is a great (and cheap) substitute for a weed blocking cloth. Simply place the newspapers in areas where you don’t want weeds to grow, then cover the newspapers with grass clippings, mulch, or dirt.

Don’t forget to mulch

Mulch suppresses weed growth because it blocks the sunlight. You can use grass clippings or pine needles in place of wood mulch. Be careful not to mulch too close to your tree trunks, bushes, and vegetation because you don’t want to suppress their growth!

Make your own weed killer

Weed killer can be expensive and toxic to your body. Instead of store-bought herbicide, use these household essentials:

• 2 cups distilled white or apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp table salt
• 1 tsp liquid dish soap

Mix the ingredients in a spray bottle. For best results, spray weeds on a warm, sunny day.

Create your own compost

Compost is another inexpensive hacks for a weed-free garden. Collect all your food scraps in a bucket (fruit and vegetable peels, eggshells, leftovers, etc.) and use them to kill the weeds in your garden. Not only does composting reduce the weeds in your garden, it also acts as a fertilizer for your growing fruits, vegetables, and flowers!

Weed after it rains

The ground is softer right after it rains, so it will easier to pull weeds and their roots. It’s important to get the roots and not just the top of the weed so that it won’t grow back.

Keep your lawn healthy

A healthy lawn will have the energy to choke out weeds and do some of the work for you. Follow these 6 tips to maintain a healthy lawn all summer long!

Call Great Goats Landscaping today!

We’re here to help! Great Goats Landscaping offers full-service lawn care which includes lawn mowing, fertilization and weed control, and lawn renewal. We offer a variety of other services and would love to help you bring your yard to life! Give us a call today so that we can get those pesky weeds out of your garden for good!

One of the most important and noticeable things about your landscaping is your lawn. Make sure you’re mowing your lawn weekly. If your grass is poorly managed it will negatively impact your landscaping, no matter how many flowers and water features you have. Keep your lawn looking pristine with these 6 tips:

Change the mowing pattern

Cutting in the same pattern every week can lead to ruts in your yard. It will also cause your grass to lay down in the direction you mow. If you change up the mow pattern, your grass will stand up straight throughout the yard.

Don’t mow too low

Grass should be at least 3 inches tall. If you cut below 3 inches, the grass won’t be able to retain water or soak up nutrients. If your grass is too short, it will also reveal imperfections and patches of dirt in your yard. This is also bad for your mower because the blades will hit the ground rather than the grass and dull the blade. Ideal grass length is 3-5 inches long.  

Try mowing when it’s dry

Don’t mow right after it has rained because wet grass clumps and damages your mower. If the mower blade isn’t sharp enough, it will tear your grass rather than cut it. Torn grass is susceptible to disease and drought.

Consider mowing in the evenings

You probably don’t want to be out mowing in the beating down sun anyway. The direct overhead sun will put unnecessary stress on your grass and cause it to brown. It’s not a great idea to mow your lawn in the mornings either because of the dew. Evening is the best time to mow to keep your grass healthy.

Maintain your mower

A dull blade won’t cut grass, it will tear grass. Torn grass is susceptible to disease and drought. Additionally, if your mower has too much grass built up underneath it, it will be difficult for it to function properly. Maintain your mower so that it can do its job and keep your lawn healthy.

Don’t forget to edge

Edging is an easy step to skip because it seems like the mower did the job. Taking the time to edge will give your lawn a completed look.

Call Great Goats Landscaping

We would love to help you maintain your lawn and give you a beautiful yard to enjoy all summer long. We offer many services including a free mow! Gives us a call!

Are you ready to tackle your yard but don’t want to break the bank? Budget can be one of the biggest reasons why people avoid landscaping, but it doesn’t have to be! Here are 7 ways you can create your landscaping on a budget:

1. Plant edible plants

Planting a vegetable and/or herb garden is a great way to save money! Not only will it cut down your grocery costs, it will also fill your yard with diversity.  

Pro tip: plant marigolds around your vegetable garden to keep pests away. They add a color pop and they’re edible too!

2. Consider mulch alternatives to keep your landscaping budget

Mulch is a great way to give your landscaping a clean and finished look, but mulch can be pricey! Instead of mulch, consider using grass clippings, shredded leaves, or pine needles.

3. Construct palette furniture for landscaping on a budget

Repurpose old palettes to use instead of patio furniture. Palettes are cheap, easy to come by, and will add a rustic flair to your yard.  

4. Add stepping stones or wood rounds

Stepping stones are a great way to fill out the space in your yard and add dimension. They’re pretty affordable and you may even have some stones on hand. They don’t need to match each other either!

Wood rounds are another option for creating a path. Cut a log into thin slabs and place them through your yard or garden for an artistic touch. The rounds don’t have to be identical – get creative with size variation!

5. Incorporate raised beds in your landscaping

Raised beds are a great way to section off your garden and fill out your yard. You can use pretty much anything to create a raised bed. If you want something simple and classic, go with wooden beds. If you want something more unique try bricks, logs, or galvanized metal.

6. Repurpose old tires for landscaping on a budget

Tires are so cheap and easy to find! They are extremely versatile when it comes to landscaping – the possibilities are endless!

• Stack and stagger them to create raised beds (raised beds can be made out of anything!)
• Cover with outdoor pillow casings or rope for patio ottomans.
• Use as a retaining wall
• Turn the tire on its side, mount it to a wall or fence, and fill the bottom half with flowers
• Create a recycled tire climber for your kids
• Paint them

7. Include a pop of color in your landscaping

Color is a great way to bring your yard to life! Plant flowers strategically so that your eye is drawn to pops of color around your yard rather than one location. This will make the yard feel balanced and cohesive.

Do these 5 things to keep your flower garden from dying

Call Great Goats Landscaping!

We’re a small, local landscaping company and we love to create beautiful yards. We collaborate with the homeowner and work to accomplish all your wants and needs within your budget! Give us a call, and let’s get to planning!

Flower gardens are a wonderful addition to your landscaping. They provide diversity and beautiful colors, and they’ve been proven to help boost your mood! After all the hard work of planting your flower garden you want to make sure it lasts all season long. Here are five ways to to keep your flower garden from dying:

Choose the right location

There are many species of flowers, and they all come with their own unique set of needs. Some flowers need lots of sun, and some flowers prefer shade. When planting your flower garden, pay attention to how much sun and shade your garden receives each day and then choose your flowers accordingly.

Water appropriately

Over or under watering is one of the most common reasons flowers die. If flowers are in direct sunlight, they likely need more water. If they’re planted in the shade, they’ll probably need less water. Most flower gardens need to be watered 2-3 times a week (on average) depending on what point of the season we’re in.

Pro tip: Avoid watering in the heat of the day. Water your flowers in the mornings or evenings to keep them from wilting or scorching.

Check out these other tips for picture perfect landscaping!

Pick flowers suited for your climate

Again, there are so many species of flowers and they don’t all live in the same place. Some flowers do better in hotter, dryer climates and some need a lot of humidity to thrive. Make sure you choose flowers that are either native to your area (best option!) or choose flowers that tolerate your climate. Consider your area’s rainfall too. Some flowers can tolerate heavy rain but not all can!

Trim dead stems and leaves

A great way to keep your flower garden from dying is to trim dead stems and leaves so that it has space to continue to grow. Think of the dead stems and leaves as a dead end. If there isn’t any road left, you can’t keep driving. In the same way, the flowers can’t keep growing.

Have a game plan for summer vacations

It’s unfortunately way too common that flower gardens reach their demise while the family is on summer vacation. Remember, flowers need to be watered 2-3 times a week. Don’t leave your flowers baking in the sun while you’re enjoying your much needed time away. Consider putting a timer on your sprinklers or asking a neighbor to water while you’re away.

Call Great Goats Landscaping today!

We believe every home deserves GREAT landscaping! We’d love to help you design your landscaping and determine the best location for your flower garden(s). Let’s create a beautiful outdoor space together!  

Now that spring is here, are you feeling ready to tackle some yard projects but don’t know where to begin? Don’t let your landscaping goals and dreams take a backburner. Here are 5 tips to get out there and make your landscaping picture perfect:

Create a landscaping plan

Before you start digging and planting, it’s important to make a plan. You should set a budget and determine all your needs and wants. We recommend drawing a blueprint to help decide how many plants you’ll need and how well they will fit in your yard. With a plan, your landscaping will end up looking more professional and you’ll likely stick to your budget!

Consider your future yard

When you first put your flowers and shrubs in the ground, things might look a little sparse. Don’t worry about filling every gap and try not to overcrowd. Remember, your plants will grow and spread out. Part of creating picture perfect landscaping is thinking about how your yard will look once everything has bloomed and blossomed.

Choose a focal point to make your landscaping picture perfect

You want your landscaping to be one cohesive look. Selecting a focal point such as a water feature, a statue, or a bed of rose bushes will help determine the other aspects of your landscaping. Use your focal point to decide on the other bushes, flowers, or features that will compliment your focal point. This will give your landscaping a picture-perfect finish.

Picture perfect landscaping should be kept simple

Often times, less is more. Be careful not to go over the top with your landscaping plants and features. You want a balanced yard, not a chaotic one. However, keeping it simple doesn’t mean it has to be boring. There is still plenty of room for creativity! For example, consider curving the rocks by the flowers rather than putting them in a straight line.

Think outside the box

Landscaping is more than just flowers and bushes. Add mulch, rocks, or bricks to give your landscaping a completed look. Add a statue or water feature to bring a wow-factor to your yard. You could even add in a firepit for those perfect Minnesota summer nights!

Call Great Goats Landscaping Today!

Ready to have a beautiful yard but don’t know where to begin? Give us a call! Great Goats Landscaping believes in collaboration. We work with you, the homeowner, to create a one-of-a-kind yard that meets all your needs and desires. We’d love to help you have the picture-perfect landscaping you deserve! (And, be sure to check out some of our other offerings!)

Have you been looking at your yard unsure whether to hire a landscaper or attempt to DIY? Here are a few reasons why hiring a landscaper will be of your best interest.

1. Landscapers are professionals

Landscapers know what works and what doesn’t work. They have an understanding of which plants are native to your area and are best for the amount of rainfall your region receives. They know which plants, bushes, and trees go together both artistically and practically. Landscapers are able to integrate your needs and desires with the natural needs of your yard creating an artistic and environmentally sustainable outdoor space.

2. A landscaper will save you time

From designing the yard to purchasing the supplies to executing the vision, landscaping takes a lot of time. Landscapers operate on a strict timeline, so you won’t have to worry about your intended weekend yard project turning into a summer-long ordeal. You’ll get all the benefits without giving away any of your time.

3. Hiring a landscaper is cost effective

Landscaping can get expensive quickly. The cost of plants, shrubs, bushes, mulch, and rocks adds up! Especially if you don’t plan your landscaping before you start purchasing. With a landscaper, you won’t have to worry about unforeseen costs. All you have to do is give them a budget and they will work with you to create the yard of your dreams.

4. Landscapers bring their own tools

Landscapers come with all the needed tools and supplies. Once you get into your landscaping project, you will quickly realize how many tools and pieces of equipment you need. You may even find yourself needing to rent large machinery. These purchases can eat into your budget. Don’t forgo certain aspects of your landscaping plan; call us instead!

5. A landscaper will help you get creative

Just because you’re hiring a landscaper doesn’t mean the project is out of your hands. At Great Goats Landscaping, we love to collaborate with you and create a unique landscape that fits your needs and desires. We don’t come with a cookie-cutter template for your yard. Every family is different, so every yard should look different! Let’s get creative together!

Call Great Goats today!

What are you waiting for? It’s time to clean up your yard and transform it to a beautiful oasis. Don’t wait until summer; take advantage of these early-spring days!

Now that spring is here, have you noticed elements of your yard that maybe don’t look as nice as they did last year? We can fix that! Here are 3 reasons why you should plan your landscaping today.

Yards are an extension of your home, and they are just as important as any other room in your house. When you have a well-maintained yard with beautiful landscaping, you have a whole extra space to spend your mornings, afternoons, and/or evenings! We love a good bonfire in the backyard on a Minnesota-summer night.

3 Reasons to Plan Your Landscaping Today

We get it, there are always a million things to do, and it can be hard to get yard maintenance at the top of your to-do list. That’s why we’re here! Everyone deserves a beautiful yard, even if you don’t have the time for the upkeep. If you want a good-looking and enjoyable yard for the upcoming warm months, here are a few reasons why you should prioritize it right now:

1. Spring is the time of year to establish new plantings. Seeds need time to grow, and cuttings need time to settle into the ground before the summer sun starts beating down. Spring is also a great time to design the layout of your yard and existing landscape.

If you don’t prioritize landscaping now, you may be stuck with left-over plants and bushes instead of getting first pick!

2. Cleaning up debris takes time! Unfortunately, creating a beautiful yard isn’t as simple as planting a few flowers. Before you get started with the fun stuff, there are many sticks and leftover debris from last fall and winter that needs to be removed before fresh landscaping and new yard designs can come in.

Don’t let your dreams of a beautiful yard fall to the side because clean up is taking too long. Call us, and we’ll give you a hand!

3. Early season scheduling allows for earlier job completion, so you will be able to enjoy every minute of the warm summer months. (And they go by quickly!) Once the warm months really settle in, projects are already booked weeks in advance. By planning early, you will be ahead of the rush.

Yards Can be More Than Just Play Areas

Workscpaing brings your 9-5 job to the outdoors. We’ve all been stuck at home in our houses for too long. Let us build a custom, outdoor office for you! Ready to move your office outside? We’d love to collaborate and provide you with a space that meets all your needs.

Call Great Goats Landscaping Today!

Great Goats Landscaping specializes in creating beautiful and unique yards. We believe the customer comes first. No two homes are alike, so no two yards are alike. Dream big, get creative! It’s time for you to have a beautiful yard. We offer free estimates and a quick turnaround. Call us today!

Looking for a Landscaping Job?

We’re hiring!

Now that the snow is gone, your yard is waiting to be brought to life again. It’s time to do a little spring cleaning! With the warmer temperatures and extended daylight, our backyards have become an extension of our homes; let’s make them beautiful!

The Importance of Spring Cleaning

1. Your yard is the first thing people see when looking at your house

Well-cared-for yards boost your home’s curb appeal and raise its market value. Your yard also says a lot about you! It’s a great way to express your personality. At Great Goats Landscaping, we love to custom design yards. Let’s get creative, think outside the box, and create a beautiful yard together!

2. It boosts your mood

After being cooped up all winter, we need to get outside to replenish that coveted vitamin D. Trees and other plants around your yard create fresh, clean oxygen which is so healthy for your body. When you step outside, you don’t want to be greeted by debris and fallen branches. You want to see beautiful flowers and one-of-a-kind landscaping, right?

3. It becomes an extra room of your house

If you have a beautiful yard, you’ll want to spend more time outdoors. Your kids will have a safe and healthy place to play, and you’ll have a peaceful oasis to spend your evenings. Consider adding a water feature for extra relaxation, a fire pit for creating fun family memories, or flower beds to appreciate simple beauty. Or, turn your backyard into a home office!

It’s a Big Job!

Lawn care is a lot of work. There are many steps to the process – cleaning up debris, planting, mowing, adding unique features – and it takes dedication. Is a beautiful yard something you want but don’t have the time to execute?

That’s where we come in! Great Goats Landscaping specializes in creating beautiful and unique yards. We believe the customer comes first. No two homes are alike, so no two yards are alike. Dream big; get creative! It’s time for you to have a beautiful yard. We offer free estimates and a quick turnaround. Call us today!

Remember the good old days of sitting in traffic every morning and evening? Remember needing to factor your commute into your daily schedule? Now your commute is as tiresome as walking from your bed to your desk. And let’s be honest, this commute is getting pretty old. It’s time to revamp your home office.

We’re all tired of being cooped up in the house. Not only does the scenery get a bit stale, but also you have the constant struggle of finding a quiet corner of the house for your fifth Zoom meeting of the day. It’s time to get away from the kids and get out of the house!

But, where can you go?

How about outside in your own backyard?!

Introducing Workscaping: Your New Home Office!

Traditionally, we’re a landscaping company. We love transforming yards into beautiful oases. We do anything from outdoor firepits to water features to flower beds (and more!).

But with the rise of working from home, we want to expand to meet your new needs. Let us build a beautiful, custom outdoor office for you.

Do you have a shed in your backyard?

Perfect!

We can easily take the existing structure and convert it into a custom home office, complete with windows so that you can enjoy the beautiful Minnesota summer we have ahead of us.

If you don’t have a shed, or if you don’t want to lose your shed, we can create a new structure for you.

Here are a few examples of what we could do for you:

Don’t see what you like here? Let’s collaborate to make something that meets all your needs and desires!

Truthfully, working from home isn’t going anywhere too soon. Even after the pandemic clears, many offices are opting to have their employees stay at home. After an entire year of being cooped up in your house, in less-than-ideal conditions, wouldn’t it be great to treat yourself to a beautiful outdoor office?

Some features include:

• Insulation
• Sound proofing (so the kids can play outside without causing too many distractions)
• AC/Heat
• Windows
• Tax write-off
• Custom design just for you!

Call Great Goats Today!

Don’t hesitate; give us a call and let’s get to planning your new outdoor home office!

Are you tired of looking through job postings? Do you want to have fun this summer AND get paid? Look no further! Great Goats Landscaping is the company for you! And, guess what—we’re hiring landscapers and foremen!

We’re a small, family-owned business. We believe in being dependable, friendly, and hardworking. We collaborate with homeowners to create custom landscapes. No two families are the same – everyone has different preferences and personalities, so why should their yards look the same?

Great creative with us this summer!

This year, we’re hiring both foremen and landscapers. We need leaders who can oversee projects and participate in creating beautiful landscapes (foremen). We also need people who love to collaborate with team members, work hard, and produce quality results at every jobsite (landscapers). See full job descriptions below.

Don’t hesitate; apply today!

We’re Hiring Foreman

ROLE:
As foreman, your job is to carry out the vision of Great Goats Landscaping—to deliver exceptional customer service and exciting landscape projects.

RESPONSIBILITY:
1. Oversee daily operations. Manage that day’s job with good organization and efficiency.
2. Communicate directly and positively with employees about the day’s tasks and goals.
3. Educate employees about specific tasks, as well as “big picture” concepts.
4. Oversee loading and picking up the proper tools, equipment, and materials for the day’s project.
5. Maintain a clean jobsite. Smile and be nice to the customer and to the neighbors.
6. Oversee securing tools, equipment, and materials if they are left on a jobsite overnight.
7. Thank the employees at the end of the day for their efforts.
8. Call “811” 48 hours in advance of the next project to order utility markings.

RESULTS:
How to do a good job (so you can get PRAISE):
1. Understand the scope of work of the current job. Understand the production goals that day. Accomplish the amount of work we plan to do that day and do it well.
2. Be part of a team meeting each morning to greet the team, ask how they are doing, and communicate what they will be working on that day. Tell them our production goal for the day.
3. Once on the jobsite, take a few minutes to explain the scope of work and what each team member will be working on that day. As needed, educate employees on how to do things (fuel, start, install, dig, plant, etc.).
4. Understand what we want to accomplish that day on the job (even a day in advance), make a list of the tools, equipment, and materials needed for that day and make sure it all gets to the jobsite at the start of the workday.
5. Keep trash bags stocked. Encourage employees to pick up trash and scrap materials on an ongoing basis but always clean up and bag garbage at the end of the workday. Sweep and blow the hard surfaces at the end of the workday. Blow the lawn. Lead by example being nice to the customer and neighbors (smiling, waving, and chatting).
6. Stack hand tools in rows, out of sight of passersby, for the night. Flip wheelbarrows upside down. Put power tools into the dump truck bins or white trailer, so they can be locked up.
7. Give the employees appreciation for a good day’s work. Simply saying, “Good work today!” or “Thanks for your hard work!” goes a long way in boosting morale.
8. Get the information for the next job: customer’s name, address, and an understanding of where onsite we’ll be working and what we’ll be doing. Call “811” and, with a map in front of you, with the jobsite address entered, look at the map and answer their questions so they can mark utilities prior to the beginning of our workday.

Do all these things CONSISTENTLY and you will get a pay RAISE!

We’re Hiring Landscapers

ROLE:
As a landscaper, your job is to carry out the vision of Great Goats Landscaping—to deliver exceptional customer service and exciting landscape projects.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Be dependable
2. Be positive
3. Work hard
4. Be friendly
5. Keep the jobsite clean
6. Ask questions, follow directions
7. Have fun

RESULTS:
How to do a good job (so you can get PRAISE):
1. Dependability means showing up to work every day and working the same number of hours as everybody else on the team. Our goal is to work 40 hours per week.
2. Be a positive force on the team. Leave your problems at the door and enjoy the fresh air, companionship, productivity, and creativity of your time on the job.
3. Do your best every day. Work at a steady pace, get your work done, and do it right.
4. Treat your teammates, our customers, and the neighbors with an upbeat attitude. Smile, be friendly, wave, and chat.
5. Pick up trash, debris, and scrap materials throughout the day. At the end of the day, assist in final clean up, sweeping, blowing, and storing tools and equipment.
6. Seriously, there are no “dumb questions”. One of the greatest parts of this job is the many skills you will learn and the common knowledge you will gain, but only if you ask questions of your team leader!
7. Landscaping is hard work but very gratifying! It’s creative. You will be part of a beautiful transformation from beginning to end. So enjoy yourself and enjoy your teammates. Talk while you work, pair up when possible, have some laughs!

Do all these things CONSISTENTLY and you will get a pay RAISE!