LAND DESIGNS UNLIMITED LLC

A Patient Craftsman Creating Exceptional Landscapes

Category: How to Landscaping

  • Should I Use Landscape Fabric

    Should I Use Landscape Fabric

    When I started my career I thought landscape fabric, or weed fabric, was a wonderful invention.  The magic cloth ensures a weed free landscape for years.  Or does it?

    Should I Use Landscape Fabric or Weed Fabric?

    Landscape Fabric is a nuisance that creates more work for you and an unhealthy landscape.

    What happens when mulch starts to break down?  How does it mix with the soil?

    It doesn’t!

    Grass and weed roots under weed fabric are impossible to get out without removing the fabric.  The weeds grow through the fabric and stick to it.  Plant roots stick to weed fabric too.  Every time I have to rip out landscape fabric I curse it.

    The grass rhizomes got under this landscape fabric making removal of the grass impossible without removing the fabric. I had to hack at this fabric with a shovel to remove it.
    Grass roots got under this landscape fabric making removal impossible without removing the fabric. I had to hack at this fabric with a shovel to remove it.

    When deciding whether to use landscape fabric just say, “No.”  It’s not worth the frustration.

     

  • How NOT to Mulch a Tree

    How NOT to Mulch a Tree

    I drive through neighborhoods daily and see trees mulched improperly.  People want to do the best for their trees and apply the “More is better” principal with disastrous results.

    Trees that have been over mulched dry out quicker in hot summer months and are prone to disease and attacks by rodents.  Mulching a tree like a volcano also doesn’t look natural.

    If your trees have mulch that looks like a volcano the best thing you can do is remove the excess.  There should only be 2-3″ of mulch around a tree with a minimum of 6″ of space between the mulch and the trunk of the tree.

    Be gentle when removing mulch.  You don’t want to damage the tree with your shovel.  Use your hands to remove mulch near the trunk and large roots.  Cleanly cut roots with sharp pruning shears to help them heal more quickly.

  • Keep Dirt and Mulch Off Your Siding

    Keep Dirt and Mulch Off Your Siding

    A  drip edge is a trench filled with gravel that prevents mud from splashing against your home.  You install it where water drips off the roof.  I also use a drip edge when the grade next to the house is the same level as  the siding.

    Install the drip edge one foot from the siding when controlling a grade and a little outside the drip line of a home when controlling splashing water.

    If your grade is level with the siding install a drip edge level with the mulch.  Leave a 1-2″ gap from the top of the edging to keep mulch from touching the siding.

    Closeup of drip edge.
    I removed mulch touching the siding before installing the drip edge. You can see where the mulch touching the siding blocked the painters.

    Use commercial grade metal edging for drip edges.  No rolled plastic from a box store.  It comes in 1/8″ and 3/16″ widths that are 4″ tall and 10′ or 16′ long.  This is heavy-duty stuff.  If you have tight curves go with the thinner metal.  There are fitting available for the edging for corners and splices to make the job look more professional.

    Fill your trench with a minimum of 1″ diameter gravel.  Gravel smaller than 1″ blows out of the trench when cleaning up leaves.  The gravel also blocks sunlight and preventing weeds.

    Measuring Stick
    A stick cut the distance you want from the house is the best tool for measuring.
    Depth Control of Drip Edge
    Draw a line on the stick to control the depth of your trench. Avoid over excavating your trench.  You want soil there to hold the edging.

     

    Sometimes You Have to be Creative
    You have to be creative with existing plants when installing a drip edge.

    I use gravel with earthy tones that blends with the landscape.  A river stone with rounded edges works nicely too.  The choice is yours.

    I don’t use weed fabric under the gravel.  Weed fabric traps sediment and the gravel will soon be sprouting weeds.  Not using fabric also makes the stone easier to remove should the need arise.

    Belgian Block Drip edge
    You don’t have to use metal edging to create a drip edge.

    Apply black spray paint where you cut the edging to prevent rust.  I use a Milwaukee Portaband to cut edging.  A hacksaw, some elbow grease and a lot of patience works just as well.

    Time spent installing a drip edge will keep you from having to replace siding, or worse, down the road.

    By John Holden

  • How to Renovate a Lawn

    How to Renovate a Lawn

    In this video I show you how to renovate a lawn using a tool called a Rotodairon.

    If your lawn is not growing well look at the big picture to see what is causing the trouble.

    Some, of the many, causes of a poor lawn are:

    • Sandy soil
    • Too much shade
    • Soil has a low ph
    • Soil has a high ph
    • Low organic matter content
    • Buried debris under the soil
    • Too damp of an area
    • Too dry of an area
    • Mowing too short
    • Too many tree roots (Please don’t cut them all, there’s a better solution.)

    The key is to look around and figure out why your lawn isn’t growing well and don’t make assumptions.  This is a situation where like Joe Friday says you have to look at, “Just the facts.”

    If you have any questions about lawn renovation please post them below.

    By John Holden

  • How to Prune a Tree Hydrangea – Part 3

    How to Prune a Tree Hydrangea – Part 3

    In the last video in my series on How to Prune Tree Hydrangeas I show you the results of our effort.  A tree hydrandgea full of flowers.

    This winter I hope you will get out and try pruning your tree hydrangea.  I know you can do it!

    By John Holden

  • How to Prune a Tree Hydrangea – Part 2

    How to Prune a Tree Hydrangea – Part 2

    Over the winter I showed you how to prune a tree hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata).  In this video I show you the new growth emerging on the same shrub.  I hope this video gives you the confidence to try pruning your tree hydrangea.

    By John Holden

  • How to Prune a Tree Hydrangea – Part 1

    How to Prune a Tree Hydrangea – Part 1

    Prune your tree hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) after growth has stopped in the fall or before new growth in the spring.  Tree hydrangeas can take a heavy pruning with ease.  Don’t be afraid to prune them.

    Your goal when pruning tree hydrangeas is to:

    1. Remove crossing branches.
    2. Remove dead branches.
    3. Remove last years flower buds.
    4. Thin out weak stems to encourage larger blooms.
    5. Make room for new growth.

    The first time you prune your tree hydrangea it’s probably going to take a while.  Take it one cut at a time and you’ll do fine.

    The video above goes into all the detail you need to get the job done.  Please post any questions in the comments below.

    By John Holden

  • How to Aerate and Overseed Your Lawn

    How to Aerate and Overseed Your Lawn

    A few hours aerating your lawn this weekend will give benefits for a long time.

    Why should I aerate?

    Aerate your lawn if you have compacted soil, the grass is getting thin or you would like to overseed with a more vigorous type of seed.

    When should I aerate?

    I prefer to aerate from late summer to early fall because grass can set up before the heat and drought of the following summer.  Aerate an established lawn every two to three years, yearly for a poor lawn until you get it back under control.

    What type of aerator do you recommend?

    You can rent an aerator for the day or a few hours at most rental centers.  If you have a small lawn a few hours is all you need.  Aerators are heavy.  Have a friend help you load and unload the machine.

    There are many different types of aerators.  Some have hollow tines which move up and down to punch holes in your lawn, some have a drum with hollow tines that remove cores from your lawn and some are a solid drum with solid tines that you pull behind a tractor.  I recommend a machine that removes a core and is easy to maneuver.

    What type of grass seed do you recommend?

    There are many types of grass seed and just as many types of lawns.  Grass seed mixes for our climate here in Connecticut include ‘Landscapers Mix’ or ‘Sun and Shade Mix’.  These mixes have bluegrass, ryegrass and fescue for a nice lawn.

    Avoid ‘Contractor Mix’ grass seed which establishes quickly but not give a quality lawn in the long-term.

    Do your research before purchasing seed and always buy the best.  The biggest factor in determining you lawns success or failure is the seed you plant.

    A word of caution

    Before aerating mark all sprinkler heads and wires less than four inches deep.

    If you run the aerator over a sprinkler head or wire you may break it.

    By John Holden

  • How to Deadhead and Maintain Daffodils

    How to Deadhead and Maintain Daffodils

    While maintaining a gorgeous bed of Daffodils I thought, “I wish more people knew this simple garden tip.”  The tips in this video will keep your daffodils blooming and looking their best.

    I deadhead the spent flowers to return the energy to the bulb to produce blooms next year, not to produce seed for next year.

    This video has a special place in my heart as it is the first landscaping tips video I ever recorded.

    By John Holden