Ever wonder what to do with those scraps of food that shouldn’t go down the disposal, but create a terrible smell if left in the garbage for more than a day? Or perhaps you’re looking to enhance the growth of your Milwaukee landscape plants in a more natural and cost-effective manner? Lawn care experts recommend using your kitchen waste to make your own all-organic mulch.

The first step in this journey toward a more eco-friendly way to fertilize your Milwaukee lawn and Milwaukee landscape is by choosing the right type of composter. Many Milwaukee lawn care experts recommend using worm bins. Filling the bin with live worms, your kitchen waste will be broken down by the worms and voila! You have a nutrient-rich fertilizer for your Milwaukee lawn and Milwaukee landscape! Using a worm bin is also beneficial because you can keep it inside your home if you wish for easy access. The only rule when it comes to worm bins is to not leave it in direct sunlight.

If you’re not sure how to use a worm bin or where to get the materials (or the worms), check with your community’s Department of Water and Power; they may offer worm bins as well as instructions on how to use them.

So what can you throw in the worm bin? The ingredients that make up worm bin mulch can range from fruit and vegetable rinds and pieces to most Milwaukee lawn and Milwaukee landscape debris, according to Milwaukee lawn care experts. So instead of throwing your kitchen scraps in the trash, or even to the dog, think about creating your own personal brand of all-organic mulch.

If making your own mulch is too much of a hassle but you still want to bring a more organic approach to fertilizing your Milwaukee lawn or Milwaukee landscape, call your local Milwaukee lawn care company and ask about their organic fertilization program.

So you’ve finally decided this is the season you will add an outdoor living space that will give you a place to escape to and take in the sounds, smells and sights of your gorgeous Milwaukee landscape, as well as provide a comfortable and convenient area to entertain great friends and family. Lawn care experts suggest adding a hexagonal gazebo might just be the perfect avenue to that destination!

Hexagonal gazebos are traditional in appearance, but add a style and sophistication to your Milwaukee landscape. And although you may choose a design and materials that exude luxury, Milwaukee lawn care specialists say hexagonal gazebos are quite affordable. Furthermore, your property value will increase with this beautiful addition!

Hexagonal gazebos do not have to be one-size-fits-all in style. Lawn care professionals say there are several different options, including whether or not to add benches inside the gazebo and different types of railings. When it comes to topping your hexagonal gazebo, you can choose from a canopy top, an ornamental cupola or more traditional roofing shingles, perhaps to match the roof of your home.

Hexagonal gazebos typically come in 8 foot and 10 foot sizes. Lawn care pros suggest a great way to accentuate your Milwaukee landscape gazebo is by adding garden lights and seasonal plantings around the gazebo itself. The plants and flowers will give you something beautiful to gaze upon as you relax the day away in your Milwaukee landscape and the garden lights will allow you to enjoy this outdoor living space even on cool, summer nights.

Contact your local Milwaukee lawn care company today to find out more about adding a hexagonal gazebo to your Milwaukee landscape this season!

There are several different varieties of mulch to choose from, but many homeowners and commercial property owners seem to prefer cedar mulch. Cedar mulch offers the Milwaukee landscape a hint of rich color, and of course there is the aromatic cedar smell that adds an extra incentive. Cedar mulch also offers Milwaukee landscape beds superior protection against soil erosion and compaction, weed growth and protects the roots of your plants from the hot sun. If you think cedar mulch is only useful when the weather is warm, you’ll be happy to know that mulch also protects the roots from freezing during spells of cold weather. So now that you know all the benefits of cedar mulch, you may wonder how you can make your own.

In order to make your own cedar mulch, according to professional Milwaukee landscapers, you will need cured cedar wood in the form of a stump or logs, a chainsaw, a hatchet and a hammer. Using the chainsaw, cut the cedar stump or the logs into two-inch sections, stacking the pieces atop one another. Once you have a complete stack, use the chainsaw to cut vertically down the stack again in one- to two-inch sections. Gather the stack back together and proceed to perform another vertical cut, this time forming a crosshatch pattern. All of the resulting wood shavings and pieces will serve as part of your mulch.

You will still have some smaller pieces that need to be broken up into tinier pieces. Use your hammer and hatchet to bust them up in whatever sizes you prefer. Place all the wood in a large container and add an amount of water that is proportionate to the wood chips. Landscaping professionals say for this project, a gallon of water is usually plenty. Make sure all the wood chips have been dampened by the water and let sit for three days. Drain the water from the container and let the cedar mulch dry in the sun for a day, turning it occasionally to make sure the undersides of the wood chips have a chance to dry out as well. Once all the pieces have dried, you have your very own source of cedar mulch to adorn your Milwaukee landscape!

Making your own cedar mulch may be a fun activity, but perhaps you’re looking for a more professional approach. Call your local Milwaukee landscaping company and ask about their mulching services.

Cedar trees are a favorite tree to plant on many Milwaukee landscapes and are relatively easy to take care of due to its drought tolerance. This tree has a pyramidal shape and grows relatively slow. There are different varieties of cedar trees and their height varies from one species to another. The eastern red cedar typically grows anywhere from 30 to 50 feet high, while the western red cedar can reach heights of up to 200 feet (however this is usually only typical for western red cedars that grow in the wild).

Many homeowners or commercial property owners use cedar trees as a pleasant-looking privacy screen on their Milwaukee landscape. Others may plant cedar trees for the purpose of being windbreaks or hedges. Whatever the reason you choose to introduce cedars onto your Milwaukee landscape, landscaping specialists say that mulch is an important part of caring for this special tree. Mulch will help keep the soil around the tree damp and loose.

Your professional Milwaukee landscaper can help you select the best type of mulch for your cedar tree. There are several different options:

• Sawdust or straw: Cost-effective, but doesn’t offer much in the way of nutrients to the soil.
• Bark nuggets/wood chips: Offer an eye-pleasing aspect to your Milwaukee landscape, has a slow rate of decomposition and stays put even through strong gusts of wind.
• Composted yard waste: Cost-effective, eco-friendly and offers an abundance of nutrients.
• Grass clippings: Making use of yard waste is always a plus, but tree care authorities warn of using grass clipping too much. The clippings can become compacted when frequent or hard rain occurs and stop moisture from being absorbed into the soil, dehydrating the roots of your cedar tree.

Once you have decided on the right kind of mulch for you, you or your landscaping authority will need to pull out all of the weeds around the area to be mulched, so the mulch can be applied to bare soil. If mulch is applied on top of existing weeds, it will not only appear unkempt, but it also won’t prevent the growth of the weeds.

An area of three to six feet in diameter and two to four inches thick around the tree should be covered with high-quality mulch during any time of the year except in the beginning of spring. The ground is still thawing from the cold weather and the soil and the roots need time to thaw and respond to the warming sun. Mulch will prevent that transfer of heat. Although you want a wide area around the tree to be mulched, leave a gap of about six inches between the base of the tree and the mulch to deter insects and other unwanted pests.

If you want more information on mulching your cedar tree, call your local landscaping professional for expert advice.

Ever wonder what to do with those scraps of food that shouldn’t go down the disposal, but create a terrible smell if left in the garbage for more than a day? Or perhaps you’re looking to enhance the growth of your Milwaukee landscape plants in a more natural and cost-effective manner? Landscaping experts recommend using your kitchen waste to make your own all-organic mulch.

The first step in this journey toward a more eco-friendly way to fertilize your Milwaukee landscape is by choosing the right type of composter. Many Milwaukee landscapers recommend using worm bins. Filling the bin with live worms, your kitchen waste will be broken down by the worms and voila! You have a nutrient-rich fertilizer for your Milwaukee landscape! Using a worm bin is also beneficial because you can keep it inside your home if you wish for easy access. The only rule when it comes to worm bins is to not leave it in direct sunlight.

If you’re not sure how to use a worm bin or where to get the materials (or the worms), check with your community’s Department of Water and Power; they may offer worm bins as well as instructions on how to use them.

So what can you throw in the worm bin? The ingredients that make up worm bin mulch can range from fruit and vegetable rinds and pieces to most Milwaukee landscape debris, according to landscaping experts. So instead of throwing your kitchen scraps in the trash, or even to the dog, think about creating your own personal brand of all-organic mulch.

If making your own mulch is too much of a hassle but you still want to bring a more organic approach to fertilizing your Milwaukee landscape, call your local landscaping company and ask about their organic fertilization program.

When the leaves on the trees start to fall, each year you are faced with a tough decision: to bag, or not to bag, that is the question.

Raking and bagging leaves is a tedious Milwaukee landscaping chore. It means spending countless hours outside, hoping and praying a gust of wind doesn’t come along and undo all your hard work. However, despite your disdain for this Milwaukee landscaping have-to, you know that leaving the leaves on the Milwaukee lawn or Milwaukee landscape isn’t an option. Or is it?

Many homeowners believe in the power of mulching. Landscaping experts say it is a common misunderstanding that using a Milwaukee lawn mower to mulch leaves is bad for your turf or Milwaukee landscape. Quite the contrary, actually. But mulching the leaves and cutting them up into teeny tiny little bits, you will create a buffet of nutrients and organic matter on which your Milwaukee landscape can feed and thrive.

In addition to the nutritional benefit and the fact that mulching leaves with a Milwaukee lawn mower requires less time and effort, there is also the environmental benefit. Unless you use the brown leaf bags provided by Lowe’s or The Home Depot, you’re probably filling plastic bags and hoping the garbage men don’t get too nosy when loading your trash into the compactor. These plastic bags will end up in landfills, taking up even more room and putting a material (plastic) into the ground that will never decompose.

So the next time your Milwaukee landscape is covered with leaves, rev up the mower and get those leaves mulched!

Most homeowners know what services are necessary for good Milwaukee lawn care: proper mowing, aeration, overseeding, adequate hydration and fertilizer. Aeration is one of the most beneficial Milwaukee lawn care services, especially if you live in an area that experiences episodes of little to no rainfall. Aerating your Milwaukee lawn will allow the water from your irrigation system to reach the grass roots directly and be immediately absorbed. However, even though aeration ensures that your Milwaukee lawn and soil are manipulated, you should go one step further and also have your soil periodically tested by a Milwaukee lawn care professional.

A soil test is a fairly simple procedure and many Milwaukee lawn care companies offer the service for free in conjunction with their Milwaukee lawn care programs. The Milwaukee lawn care technician will take a small soil sample and have it sent to a lab. A qualified soil expert will examine the sample and look at the pH level (acidity); the presence or absence of such macronutrients as phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen; the presence or absence of such micronutrients as iron, calcium, zinc, boron, manganese, copper and other nutrients that deter weed growth and enhance the Milwaukee lawn’s resistance to insect and disease infestations; the soil type, which can help your Milwaukee lawn care technician create a preventative plan to reduce the incidence of compaction; and levels of decomposed plant material, also known as thatch.

Once the results are back, your Milwaukee lawn care specialists can consult with you on what the best plan of action is regarding your Milwaukee lawn care regimen. To schedule a soil analysis, call your local Milwaukee lawn care company today.

Winter pruning allows Milwaukee landscaping experts to fully assess the health and structural integrity of the tree without the interference of foliage. It is important to have this process scheduled early in the winter in order to give Milwaukee landscaping specialists time to accurately diagnose any problems and devise solutions to keep your Milwaukee landscape looking beautiful.

Winter is the ideal time for pruning because the limbs can be fully assessed without the weight of foliage on them. Pruning is generally known to encourage growth, so when it occurs during the growing season, new tissue and bark are constantly being added to the branches. When the foliage is no longer on the tree, proper pruning can take place to establish how much dead or decaying material is on the tree.

Pruning during the growing season is encouraged, but can disrupt the tree’s energy. Landscaping authorities say that since leaves are the primary food source for trees, the pruning that goes on during the summer actually decreases the amount of energy the tree is getting. Obviously the tree is capable of getting through the winter on reserved energy sources, so pruning does not have as much of an impact.

Another reason why winter pruning is ideal and beneficial is because the tree is completely dormant, including disease and insect activity. Pruning sometimes makes trees vulnerable to insect infestations and diseases, especially if the pruning techniques aren’t performed correctly and the tree is wounded. If perchance the tree is wounded during winter pruning, it will be able to seal before or during the early spring before insects and diseases become active once again.

For more information on winter pruning, contact your local Milwaukee landscaping company and schedule a consultation!

Bagworms are often the bane of any homeowner’s existence. These stubborn insects can take a perfectly healthy and beautiful Milwaukee landscape and destroy it in a matter of months. Their incessant feeding depletes trees and shrubs of the nutrients necessary to keep them alive and thriving, thus killing the plants if there is no intervention.

The presence of bagworms is usually not diagnosed until early June, at which time the introduction of pest control applications is usually effective. The key is to eliminate them before they begin to reproduce, which they do at a rapid rate. If nothing is done about their presence in your trees until mid- to late summer, Milwaukee landscaping experts say saving your trees might be much more difficult, if not impossible. As time passes, the “bag” becomes thicker, making it more resilient against insecticides.

The primary method used by many Milwaukee landscaping specialists is removing the bags from the trees and burning them. In addition to this process, professional-grade insecticides are applied to stop reproduction and ward off future infestations.

If you have had problems in the past with bagworms and can’t afford to lose more trees to these destructive critters, contact your local Milwaukee landscaping professionals and ask them for their help in reducing these populations before it is too late.

Superior Milwaukee landscaping involves many steps, but perhaps none is as important as proper hydration. After all, a Milwaukee landscape cannot succeed without water. Adequately hydrating your Milwaukee landscape is not an exact science, but it is close. The best plan is to install a sprinkler system that ensures your Milwaukee landscape is watered every day at the same time. Sprinkler systems with a timer are even more ideal, but you still have several options there. Landscaping specialists highly recommend pulsating sprinklers for the best results.

Pulsating sprinkler systems spray water into the air and allow the water to fall back down to the ground in a fine mist. There are five different types of pulsating sprinklers: impulse, traveling, stationary, oscillating and rotary. Impulse sprinklers are the top choice of Milwaukee landscaping professionals because they cover larger areas.

It is important to know if you have high or low water pressure, as that also factors in to which type of pulsating sprinkler you choose for your Milwaukee landscaping needs. If you have low water pressure, an H-base is a better choice than a spike-based sprinkler which is better suited for high pressure.

Pulsating sprinklers have the benefit of being designed with gusty winds in mind, as well as low-hanging trees or tall shrubs. The height of the water spray can be adjusted accordingly and since the water is typically sprayed close to the ground, its spray is unaffected by the wind.

If you think a pulsating sprinkler may be beneficial to your lawn, contact your local Milwaukee landscaping company. Many Milwaukee landscaping companies also install irrigation systems, especially since proper hydration makes their job that much easier!