First, Take a Good Look Around

When was the last time you thoroughly inspected your landscaping? Whether we’re talking about a home or business, chances are you’re far too busy to spare a glance for your shrubs and beds. However, visitors to your home or business will certainly notice the landscaping. Take a walk around outside and look for spots that could use improvement – places where plants are scraggly or sparse, spots that would look nice with a pop of color, beds or window boxes that have died. Make a good list of the improvements you want to see, then call your landscaper to come out and make your vision a reality.

Here are some of the things your landscaper may do:

Check Your Irrigation System

If you’ve noticed your water bill getting higher, it could be a sign of a leak or weakness within your irrigation system. All Summer provides a one-year warranty on our irrigation systems, but even if you are outside these parameters we can still assess your system and determine if there are any leaks.

Update the Flower Beds

Remember those spots you noticed that needed a pop of color? Point them out to your landscaper and they can assist you with choosing the best flowers for your soil and location. When you plant new flowers in the spring, they will be ready by the time summer comes around. This is especially important for homeowners wanting to show off their property at summer parties!

Address Drainage Issues

Water erosion is a serious concern that can damage your property and impact its value. In your walk around your property, did you notice any puddling areas or signs of aggressive run-off? As with your other concerns, make note of these areas and point them out when your landscaper comes. Catching and repairing drainage issues now can go a long way towards preventing a huge financial headache later on.

Call All Summer Landscape Group for your property’s “spring checkup” today!

How to Bring Your Murfreesboro Lawn Into Spring

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As the temperatures continue to warm, everyone in Murfreesboro will want to start spending more time outside. Kids will be playing, parents will be grilling, and your lawn needs to be ready for Spring. There are a few things your landscaping company will need to do in order to bring your lawn fully into the season.

Clean Up Debris

The first step is to pick up any leftover leaves, sticks, acorns, or other debris that are still on the lawn. Over the winter months, debris may have built up even if you raked leaves regularly. Leaves and other items can impede proper growth in your flower beds and even grass.

Know What You Want

Before bringing your landscaper in, you need to know what you want your lawn to look like. Do you just want perfect green grass? Do you want a new design for your flower beds, or to improve existing beds? Look around the internet or magazines for inspiration so you can know exactly what you want your landscaper to do.

Have Beds Edged or Cut

If you have decorative landscaping, you will need your beds freshly edged. Edging helps make sure that grass and weeds don’t make their way into your beautiful flower beds. If you do not have any decorative landscaping and want it, have your landscaper cut new beds. Decorative landscaping can add a lot of appeal to a home or business’s external appearance, but it is of course not necessary.

Add Fresh Mulch

Mulch is essential to help soil retain moisture and to fight weeds. Have your landscaper lay fresh mulch where necessary. Different types of mulch are suited for different lawn needs. Your landscaper will be able to tell you what variety of mulch is best for your Murfreesboro lawn care needs.

Give us a call at All Summer Landscape Group, and we’ll help you bring your home or business’s lawn into spring!

6 Ways to Boost the Curb Appeal of Your Home

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The entire exterior of your house and yard is the first thing that will catch the eye of anyone visiting your home. If your space is clean, well taken care of, and features attractive landscape design, it is sure to give a good first impression. Whether you are looking to sell your home, throwing a big party soon, or simply want to freshen up, here are six simple ways you can add to your house’s curb appeal.

Trim Trees and Shrubs

Trimming trees and shrubs is your first step. This tells passersby and visitors that your home is well cared for and maintained. Keeping your trees trimmed not only looks attractive, it also increases the overall health of your yard. Regularly cut, green grass, lack of weeds, and fragrant flowers planted near the home can also do a lot to increase curb appeal.

Edge Flower Beds and Add Fresh Mulch

This is one of the simplest fixes you can have done to increase your home’s curb appeal. There are a multitude of mulch types for you to choose from. You won’t believe the difference fresh bed edging can make. Get in contact with our team to schedule your mulching and edging services!

Power Wash Everywhere

After their eyes skip across your lawn, visitors will land on the surfaces leading up to your front door. This includes any walkways, steps, driveway, deck, or patio. These areas not only experience high foot traffic, but are also constantly exposed to the elements. Power washing these surfaces can make a surprisingly large difference in their attractiveness. You may have forgotten what your porch steps used to look like, but once the dirt and grime of the years is cleared away you will be amazed. Don’t forget to wash often-forgotten window exteriors as well!

Make the Front Door Fun

Add a little style by painting your door an attractive color. Whether you choose classic bright red, deep emerald green, muted grey, or glossy black, a freshly painted door gives instant curb appeal to a home. Top it off with a wreath to complement the season, the door color, or match the plants found in the yard. Try adding a doormat as a final touch. There are even websites where you can have a doormat customized with your family name, favorite team, or a fun phrase you like!

Add Potted Porch Plants

Attractive colors and thoughtful arrangement of planters creates a unique and welcoming entrance to your home. Your potted plants can echo the colors used in the rest of your landscaping, or be designed to match window boxes or the front door wreath.

Landscape Around the Mailbox

This is an extra step that can truly do wonders for adding curb appeal to a home. In addition to simply setting your house apart from others on your street (“Mine is the one with yellow flowers around the mailbox. You can’t miss it!”), this extra bit of landscaping will show that you take pride in your address.

Give All Summer Landscape Group a call when you want to boost your Murfreesboro home’s curb appeal. We know how to take a yard from neglected to flourishing!

Your Guide to Mulch Types for Middle Tennessee Landscaping

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What does mulch actually do for your lawn? Its purpose goes beyond simply making landscaping look better. Properly mulching your lawn can actually save you precious time and money. Not only does mulch help soil retain moisture, but it also acts as insulation by keeping roots cool in summer and warm in winter. Mulch helps control weeds and slows erosion caused by wind and rain run-off. If made of organic matter, mulch can improve the health and fertility of soil. The kind of mulch you need depends on your specific landscaping needs, and your landscaper will know what to use. But what are the common types of mulch that are used in Middle Tennessee landscaping?

Pine Needle Mulch  

Also known as pine straw, this lightweight mulch is made from fragrant pine needles. The needles form a mesh-like covering over the soil that allows water to penetrate yet will keep it in place during times of wind and rain. Pine needle mulch is slow to decompose, which means you don’t need to replace it as often. Even when it does decompose, it can feed nutrients into your soil. Pine needles are acidic, meaning acid-loving plants such as rhododendrons, hydrangeas, and azaleas will benefit from the covering.

Cypress Mulch

Made from the wood and bark of cypress trees, this bark is less expensive when shredded versus chipped. This organic option for mulching actually does better at repelling insects than some of the more expensive alternatives.

Wood Chip Mulch

Often made of a combination of tree parts, using this kind of mulch helps to reduce environmental waste. This kind of mulch breaks down slightly faster than other organic types, so keep a watch on it to know when to call your landscaping company back.

Cedar Mulch

Made from the bark of cedar trees, this mulch has a pleasant scent that works to repel insects. It is more expensive than other organic mulches, but cedar mulch can take several years to decompose, so the cost may balance out since you don’t have to replace it as often.

Rubber Mulch

This mulch is not necessarily recommended for gardening or landscaping use, but it is commonly found on children’s playgrounds. The material is incredibly durable, heavy, and long-lasting. Unlike organic mulch, it will not decompose over time and does not need to be regularly replaced.

Whatever your unique landscaping needs, All Summer Landscaping knows the best mulch to suit your Murfreesboro, TN lawn or garden.

Why Tree Trimming Is More Important Than You Think

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One aspect of landscaping that home or business owners sometimes ignore is the upkeep of trees. You might be tempted to leave it up to nature, but it is more important than you may think to have tree trimming as part of your regular landscaping routine.

Aesthetic Appeal

The most obvious benefit of trimming trees is, of course, aesthetic appeal. As they are often the largest feature of a landscape, the first thing visitors’ eyes are drawn to are the trees. However, there are several benefits to having your trees trimmed that go beyond beauty.

Safety Benefits

A tree branch that is dead or diseased may end up falling unexpectedly. This not only has the potential to hurt any people under the tree, but it also can cause damage to power lines and surrounding buildings. It is not uncommon for the Murfreesboro, Tennessee area to experience extreme weather such as thunderstorms, tornadoes, and even winter storms. During these dangerous weather events, tree branches that are too large and too heavy can detach or fall and cause devastating damage to nearby objects and structures.

Tree Health

Thinking long-term, a clear benefit of regular tree maintenance is increasing the health and longevity of your yard’s trees. Proper trimming encourages new growth in trees. It also can influence the tree to grow in a certain way, which in turn increases its structural integrity. It is always a smarter idea to take preventative measures before a disaster happens rather than corrective measures afterward. Keeping up with tree trimming is the best way to avoid the safety hazards detailed above and ensure your trees are healthy and live longer.

Seasonal Service

The best time to trim tree limbs and branches is late fall into winter when the leaves are dormant. Pruning during the colder seasons is ideal because there is less risk of disease and the cuts are likely to heal faster.

Leave it to Professionals

You may be tempted to make an attempt at maintaining your trees on your own, but this is something that should be performed by practiced professionals. By doing your own tree trimming, you could potentially cause harm to both the tree and yourself.

Tree Trimming and More in Murfreesboro, Tennessee

In addition to superior landscaping services, All Summer Landscaping also offers tree and shrub trimming services. Give us a call so we can tell you more about our services!

Prepare Your Business’s Landscape For the Coming Winter

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Commercial landscaping can be an important part of your business. If you take a lot of clients in-office, the landscaping at your establishment goes a long way in establishing a first impression before they even walk in the door. Because your business operates all year round, it is important for your landscape to look appealing all year round, as well. With the winter season approaching quickly, we’ve put together some steps that can keep your landscape looking nice, even when the weather outside is frightful.

 

Make Use of Evergreen Plants

Spring, summer, and early autumn can boast colorful blooms and bright green grasses, but these vibrant plants will go into hibernation for the winter months, leaving your landscape looking brown and dead. This time of year, most of the bright colors will have receded, giving you an opportunity to see what sections of your landscape could benefit from more greenery this winter. Small evergreen shrubs and trees require very little maintenance, so now is a good time to make an investment in durable greenery that will last you for years to come.

 

Prune Away

Pruning shrubs and trees after all the leaves have fallen is one of the best things you can do for them. While the leaves are gone and the trees are “resting,” a good dormant pruning session sets them up for healthier growth in the long run. Eliminating dead branches before freeze sets in keeps your trees safer and makes them look better when spring comes around. Pruning while the plants are dormant also prevents the spreading of disease from the pruning tools, since bacteria and fungi are also dormant or dead at this time. If you aren’t sure about how much to prune or which branches should be cut away, call us at All Summer Landscaping!

 

Get Rid of Dead Foliage

Old stems and leaves are easy to ignore when they’re swept away underneath shrubbery, but removing dead foliage is actually one of the most important things you can do for your plants. During the winter, organisms love to use dead foliage as a wintering spot to nest, feed on decaying bacteria, and lay eggs that will hatch in the spring. This means disease for your landscape when the weather warms up! Clear away debris this winter so organisms don’t have the opportunity to wreak havoc on your landscape in a few months.

 

Think Ahead

As winter approaches, it is also time to consider what you would like your landscape to look like next spring. This is the time of year to plant bulbs that will bloom and make your landscape look bright and beautiful next season.

 

Ready to Prepare Your Business’s Landscape for Winter?

We understand that you have a lot on your plate as a business owner, so putting on your gloves and landscaping your office might be the farthest thing from your mind. Call the expert landscapers at All Summer Landscaping in Murfreesboro to meet your commercial landscaping needs! We can ensure your business will stay looking beautiful through every season.

Which Grasses Should You Choose for Your Murfreesboro Lawn?

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It may have never crossed your mind before you owned a home, but now that you’re looking into landscaping options, you realize that there are more varieties of grass to choose from than you ever imagined! To make your decision even more difficult, Murfreesboro, Tennessee is located in a transition zone, where warm-season grasses and cool-season grasses can fare well when properly cared for. Here, we’ve outlined characteristics of 3 popular grass types that can serve every purpose your lawn requires.

 

Blanket the Lawn with Zoysia Grass

A popular turf grass in this region is Zoysia Grass. Its extremely dense bed growth and resistance to drought and heavy foot traffic make it the perfect luxurious lawn to run around barefoot on during the summer! It doesn’t grow as quickly as other turf grasses, but it keeps its green color longer into the cool season and comes back quicker than other grasses in the springtime. Zoysia performs best when planted, aerated, and dethatched in the spring rather than in the fall like other grasses, and it prefers infrequent, deep watering in order to develop its strong root system.

 

Decorate & Fill in Gaps with Monkey Grass

One of the most popular types of “supplemental” grass in Tennessee is monkey grass. Homeowners usually choose monkey grass for its durability and ease of maintenance in both sun and shade. It is known for growing in hard-to-cover areas, as well as being resistant to drought, diseases, and pests. However, monkey grass comes in several species, namely monkey grass, lilyturf, and mondo grass. They all grow in clumps and require little maintenance, but their appearances and growth height differ, so make sure you do your research to be sure you’re getting the look you want for the area you’re seeding.

 

Get Through Winter with Kentucky Bluegrass

If you’re on the lookout for a good seasonal transition grass, Kentucky Bluegrass may be a good option for you. This cool-weather grass doesn’t stand up well to the heat and humidity of a Tennessee summer, but it has an excellent winter hardiness that Zoysia and Monkey grass lack. If you don’t want your lawn to be brown all winter, you may want to overseed with Kentucky Bluegrass in the autumn.

 

Landscaping and Lawn Care in Murfreesboro, TN

These are only 3 types of grasses to give you an idea of what a beautiful yard may need year-round. To learn more about which grasses will thrive on your lawn, contact All Summer Landscaping & Lawn Care in Murfreesboro! We offer a variety of lawn care services to give you the landscaping look you desire.

Back to School: A Landscaper’s Guide to Building the Perfect Terrarium

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School is back in session! Little scientists are learning a lot this year, and building a terrarium is a fun way to engage your child at home. Whether it is a school project or just something you just want to undertake yourself, building a terrarium will teach your child how soil, plants, water, and air interact in a perfect environment.

The possibilities are endless when building your own terrarium, but two of the most popular types are jungle and desert themed. These contrasting environments can teach your child how plants thrive in two very different climates.

Jungle Themed Terrariums

Jungle themed terrariums call for plants that thrive in humidity and won’t rot in wet conditions.

What You Will Need:

– Some kind of clear glass container. Fish tanks are recommended, but almost anything will do.

– Pea gravel or other pebbles for drainage

– Activated charcoal (you can get a bag of charcoal used for orchids)

– Very rich potting soil (like you get at the local garden shop) or compost from your yard, enough to cover the entire floor of the aquarium tank with 1 inch of soil

– A few tropical plants (can include plants such as peperomia, pilea, fern, nerve plant, selaginella, begonia, philodendron, and saxifrage, for examples.)

– Rain Water (tap water will do, but rain water has more nutrients for the plants)

– A piece of glass large enough to cover the top of the container – make sure it will cover the entire opening in the top.

What to do:

1. Put the gravel and charcoal in the bottom of the container.
2. Now put the potting soil (or compost) in a layer of at least 1 inch on top of the gravel and charcoal.
3. Dampen the soil.
4. Plant the plants inside the container.
5. Spray 10 spritzes of water from a spray bottle into the terrarium.
6. Put the glass over the top. If you would like to, you can put clear tape around the edges to seal in the humidity.
7. Put your new terrarium in a warm, well-lit spot.

 

Avoid the urge to water too frequently: Misting your plants once a day provides needed humidity without flooding the container.

 

Desert Themed Terrariums

On the opposite end of the spectrum, desert terrariums call for plants that can withstand dry, hot temperatures, so the care instructions differ.

What You Need:

– Clear glass container

– Lava rock or river gravel for drainage

– Activated charcoal (you can get a bag of charcoal used for orchids)

– Succulent potting mix

– 2” succulents (try mammillaria, echeveria, sempervivum, portulacaria, crassula, kalanchoe, sedum, and haworthia).

– Sand (optional)

 

What to Do:

  1. Put the gravel and charcoal in the bottom of the container.
  2. Now put the potting soil (or compost) in a layer of at least 1 inch on top of the gravel and charcoal.
  3. Lightly dampen the soil.
  4. Plant the plants inside the container.
  5. Put your new terrarium in a warm, well-lit spot.

 

Desert plants are very low-maintenance. You only need to water every 10-14 days, remembering not to overwater.

 

Have Fun Learning!

Take notes and enjoy watching your child’s simulated environment thrive. To get all your questions answered about your Murfreesboro home’s real environment and the plants that live there, give us a call at All Summer Landscaping.

How to Keep a Lush Garden in the Heat of Summer

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In case you haven’t noticed the blazing heat, lazy dogs, sunburns, and overactive air conditioning, summer in Murfreesboro is in full swing! Gardening fanatics in this region know that high temperatures and lots of sun can make maintaining a beautiful yard a challenge if you aren’t careful. Summertime landscaping care goes beyond just watering the plants more often. Here are a few tips to keep your garden looking lush and cool all summer long:

Drench Your Garden in Color

Those delicate spring blooms that stole your heart a few months ago are probably starting to look a bit faded by now. That means it’s time to plant some blooms that love the heat! Replace your faded pansies with summer annuals like ageratum, pentas, zinnia, and angelonia. This is also a good time to plant summer blooming bulbs. They grow really fast, so you can enjoy their color this season and next year, too!

Protect Your Grass

To maintain that beautiful landscaped look, make sure you aren’t cutting your grass too short. In the summer, grass is healthier when it has enough leaf surface to protect itself from the sun. If your yard has cool-season grasses like ryegrass, fescue, or Kentucky bluegrass, raise your mower blade to help it keep some healthy length. This trick keeps your grass looking beautiful through every season.

Spread a Nice Layer of Mulch

Summer is the best time to spread a 2-inch thick layer of mulch over the ground in your garden. The mulch keeps the underlying soil protected from the sun, which in turn keeps the roots of your plants happy and healthy. Cooler plants = lusher garden!

Deadhead Your Spring Blooms

If your spring blooms aren’t faded enough to pull, start helping them out by pulling off their weak and wilted blooms. This method, called deadheading, helps the plant stop making seeds and start allocating its resources to the remaining healthy blooms. This helps the flower live longer and maintain its vibrant color.

Murfreesboro Landscaping

If you need any help getting your landscape through the summer, don’t hesitate to call the Murfreesboro landscaping experts at All Summer Landscaping & Lawn Care!

3 Helpful Irrigation System Maintenance Tips

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3 Helpful Irrigation System Maintenance Tips

If your lawn and landscaping feature a state-of-the-art irrigation system, then you already understand how helpful they are. Irrigation system maintenance is essential to ensuring the proper functionality and efficient operation of your sprinkler system.

Sprinkler system maintenance is generally a simple process and ensures your lawn is getting the right amount of water. A properly functioning irrigation system preserves water and saves you money on landscaping maintenance costs. All in all, it’s incredibly beneficial to devote time to making sure your sprinkler system is in perfect shape.

Where to Start

The one part of an underground sprinkler system that you actually see in action is the best place to get started. Each sprinkler head needs to be visually inspected to check for clogs and other impediments. After you have made sure nothing is preventing water flow from sprinkler heads, you are ready to move on to other areas of concern, such as making sure sprinkler heads are facing the right direction.

Leaks Happen

Leaks in an irrigation system can be difficult to detect. It is possible for leaks to occur in the pipes of your system, although this is uncommon. Indicators of leaks in a sprinkler system include:

Soggy areas around sprinkler heads don’t always indicate a leak, however. If you do notice standing water around sprinkler heads, it could very well be an issue of a damaged or misaligned sprinkler head.

Inspect Water Pressure

Water pressure issues will cause your irrigation system to perform sub-optimally and inefficiently. If the water pressure is too high, your sprinklers will not cover their corresponding area properly. Signs of high water pressure include sprinkler heads that are misting or rotating too quickly.

On the other hand, low water pressure can also cause your system to underperform. When you notice sprinkler heads not rising or rotating properly or dry areas of your lawn, you might have a low-pressure issue on your hands.

There are plenty of remedies for the various problems caused by water pressure issues, but the best way to handle the situation is by contacting an irrigation specialist and scheduling an inspection.

Contact Your Local Irrigation System Maintenance Expert  

All Summer Landscaping and Lawn Care in Murfreesboro, TN is here to get your sprinklers ready for the increased workload they have coming up in the spring. We will inspect your sprinklers and provide any irrigation system maintenance required to get it back into optimal working order.