No matter the season, it is never too late to transform your garden. And sod is a great solution for this. But, it is essential to know that you need to take care of sod and maintain it regularly.

If you are the type of person who wants an incredible landscape but are unable to take out time for maintenance because of your schedule, you can look for other alternatives like artificial turf. You can weigh down the pros and cons and then decide which option will work best for you.

As for sod, we have listed all the steps to laying sod so that any questions that you may have in mind can be cleared out before you finalize the decision.

Prepare Soil

The first and fundamental step is definitely to prepare the soil for the sod. Whether you are learning the process of how to lay sod for the first time or you want to brush up your memory, never forget this basic yet significant step of laying sod. You will be using a rototiller to first loosen up a few inches of soil, preferably 6-8 inches for the sod.

Check pH and Add Organic Matter

Even before preparing the soil, you need to check the pH of the soil to make sure that it is optimum for the sod to be placed. A pH between 6.5-7, i.e. towards the acidic side, would be the best rate for placing sod. Once you are done with that, and you have also prepared the soil, you would have to put in some organic matter or soil nutrients so that you can ensure that the soil will be able to provide a healthy environment to the sod that will be placed.

Rake the Soil

Another very essential step is to rake the soil so that it can be made sure that the soil is at the same level. This is very important because if not, the sod will not lay properly on an uneven surface. Hence, you must use a rake to flatten the surface on which the sod can be placed appropriately.

To make sure that there are no uneven surfaces, water the area and see if any damps are being created. If so, fill those areas and flatten the surface well before jumping to the next step!

Lay the Sod

Finally, you can now lay the sod on the surface that is now completely ready for it. The sod will come in a particular size, and so you need to make sure that you place it in straight rows one after another without leaving any gap in between.

Be extra sure about NOT placing small pieces towards the edges as they might dry out and die early if placed on the corners. You can fill in the gaps through the leftover turf in the middle though.

Roll the Sod and Watering Procedure

Once the turf is completely placed, use a roller over the sod to make sure that everything is settled. After which you need to take care of the watering procedure. At the start, make sure to water the sod every day more frequently, eventually shifting to twice a week in your 2nd or 3rd week. Once four weeks have passed, watering once a week either through rain or irrigation should be enough!

We hope that this guide has helped you understand the process better. If you are looking for more creative landscaping ideas, contact Red Mountain Landscaping today, and we will help you build the dream landscaping for your home!

 

If you wish to bring the level of your property’s aesthetics up to the next level, investing in a good landscape design is one of the best ways to go about it. A well-designed and well-maintained landscape can completely transform your property in all the good light, making it a worthy investment.
If you were inspired by a landscape design that you saw somewhere and wish to get a similar one for your property, you should understand that the landscape design depends on various factors. Just because you liked a certain landscape design doesn’t mean you can replicate the same at your property. Many factors come into play when you’re getting your landscape design. Let’s see what these factors are.

1.     The Soil of Your Property

The plant variety forms a critical part of a landscape. And the type of plants that you can grow at your property depends on the type of soil. Not all soil types are suitable for growing all plant varieties. If you want your landscape to breathe life to your property all year long, you should only opt for the plants that can be grown in the soil type of your property. Who knew soil could be one of the factors that influence landscape design?

2.     Purpose

One question that you must ask yourself before getting your landscape revamped is, what are you planning to use the outdoor space for? Is it only for aesthetic purposes, or do you plan on hosting outdoor parties or plan to use for a relaxing time with your family? Depending on what the purpose of the outdoor space will be, the landscape design features will vary. You can’t spend a hefty amount of money on exquisite grass if you know kids will be playing around. Similarly, you’ll have to consider installing appropriate lights and seating if you plan to use your outdoor space for formal and informal gatherings,

3.     Maintenance and Upkeep

You can’t expect your landscape to keep looking as it did on the first day. Like everything else, your landscape needs regular maintenance work. The more attention you give to the maintenance of your landscape, the longer it’ll retain its aesthetic appeal. Some landscape designs may demand more upkeep than others. Your choice of landscape design varies depending on how much time and money you’re willing to invest in your landscape’s maintenance.

4.     Budget

Of course, your budget is one of the biggest factors that influence your landscape design. Every landscape design comes at a different cost. The more money you’re willing to spend, the more features you can add to your landscape design.

Summary

You can get your landscape designed as per your preferences. All you need to keep in mind is that every property is different, and not every landscape design can be implemented everywhere. There are many factors that influence landscape design. Having a professional landscape company do the job for you is the wisest thing to do as they’ll take care of all the physical and mental work for you!

One of the finest ways of keeping your property exterior looking great is installing the artificial turf. Artificial turf, unlike natural grass, stays green and lively all through the year, and that too, with minimal maintenance. Homeowners who’re as conscious about the outdoors as well as the indoors often get artificial turf installed to have the outdoor aesthetics sorted.

Although artificial turf is low-maintenance, it does take some effort on the homeowner’s part to keep it looking great. If you’re concerned about your aesthetics losing its vibrant and attractive appearance, continue reading the artificial turf maintenance tips listed below.

1.     Treatment of Mild Stains

Your artificial turf is prone to getting dirty. From kids and pets playing around to backyard BBQ activities, your artificial grass is exposed to extensive wear and tear and is sure to catch some stains. It would be best if you didn’t let the mild stains stay for long. It would be best if you cleaned them as soon as you see them. Stains like that of pet urine, alcohol, blood, tea, cola, etc. are quite easy to clean. All you’ve to do is clean the stain with a mixture of household detergent and water or 3% ammonia and water solution. What you need to make sure is to treat the stains promptly to have your artificial turf looking good for longer!

2.     Treatment of Stubborn Stains

Your artificial turf may catch stains that are tougher to clean, like that of oil and grease. These stains look unsightly and can greatly affect the appearance of your artificial turf. To maintain the artificial turf in its best condition, you should treat tough stains as soon as your turf gets them. Try cleaning them with household detergent or ammonia solution. Still, if that doesn’t work, you can try using mineral spirits that will help you draw the stain content out and make the cleaning process quicker and easier. Again, the tip for maintaining your artificial turf is to clean the stains at the soonest.

3.     Clean Sticky Stuff

Sticky stuff like chewing gum is much harder to remove, and that shouldn’t be a reason for you not attempting to clean it. Let’s face it – blots of sticky substance on your artificial turf are a complete turn-off. Use aerosol refrigerants or dry ice to freeze the sticky substance and then scrap it off the artificial turf. It is one of the best artificial turf maintenance tips that not many people are aware of.

4.     Invest In Essential Lawn Equipment

If you’re getting artificial turf installed, invest in essential lawn tools as well. Tools like a garden hose and lawn blower are great tools that’ll help you keep your artificial turf looking great. You wouldn’t be very willing to have a professional to simply blow the fallen leaves off, because that’s something you can conveniently do yourself!

Summary

Following the artificial turf maintenance tips will ensure that your landscape is looking great at all times, whether its winter, summer, or autumn. If you’re extremely conscious and wish your artificial turf to look as good as new for days to come, you can always have a professional landscaper come over for the regular maintenance.

The purpose of a landscape project is more or less the same, whether it’s a residential property or a commercial property, that is – to improve the outdoor appearance of the property. While you may think that planting a variety of colorful plants is all it takes to build a breathtakingly beautiful landscape, you’ll be surprised at how much goes into making a landscape one that catches attention.
Not every landscape design looks good. In an attempt to make the landscape attractive, many people end up over-doing it. However, there are certain qualities that make a landscape design good. If you know what contributes to good landscape design, you’ll be able to build a landscape that is truly worth the praise. Let’s see some of the major qualities of good landscape design.

1.     Attractive Appearance

Of course, your landscape has to be attractive. After all, this is why you’re putting in so much money! So, the first and foremost quality of a good landscape design is that it looks attractive. It’s neither over-done nor under-done. It catches attention and makes the visitor go ‘wow!’

2.     Inviting

Good landscape design is the one that makes people want to visit your property. This is specifically important for commercial properties. Apart from looking good, it should be inviting. Some ways to make your landscape more exciting is by including pathways, fountains, seating arrangements, etc. You can choose the number and type of elements as per your preference.

3.     Individuality

Just like your home is a representation of your style and taste, your landscape should be the same. If you have a modern taste in home décor, your landscape should represent that taste. However, if you’re more of a traditional person, people should be able to tell that much just by looking at your landscape. The closer it is to your personality, the better it is.

4.     Functionality

If a landscape design doesn’t offer functionality, it is not good – plain and simple. A landscape design must allow easy navigation around the yard. It should have accessible and neat pathways so that you or your visitors can conveniently roam around. Moreover, if you’ve had your landscape designed to enjoy quality time outdoors, it should have the right outdoor furniture to support the purpose. Good landscape design is the one that offers the highest degree of functionality.

5.     Practical

Good landscape design offers practicality. Get a very fancy, high-maintenance landscape design is great, but if it means that you’re not able to maintain it in the long run, that’s your investment down the drain. Make sure that you get a landscape design that’s easy to maintain in the future.

Summary

Investing in a good landscape design is definitely worth it! However, you should make sure that it has all the qualities of a good landscape. One way to ensure this is to hire a professional landscaper to do the job for you.

What is the first thing that visitors see when they visit you? It’s your front yard, of course. A visitor can tell a lot about you, your personality, and your style sense before entering your home just by looking at your front yard. It is, therefore, important that you pay close attention to how your yard looks.
Hiring a professional landscaper to revamp your yard is a great option, but it comes with a price that not many people are eager to pay. Spending money on getting your front yard revamped is not just a home improvement project but an investment that comes with great returns. We’ve listed down some of the reasons why we say landscaping is a good investment.

1.     Boosts the Value of Your Home

One of the most obvious reasons why you should invest in landscaping is that it increases the value of your property in the market. If you invest in a good landscape, you’re likely to get a return of 100 to 200% of your investment at the time of sale, which is more than what you get from kitchen or bathroom remodels. Buyers are more than willing to pay a higher price for properties that have a beautiful landscape.

2.     Increased Aesthetic Appeal

Another reason why landscaping is a good investment is the increased aesthetic appeal. Your property looks a lot more beautiful when there are colorful flowers and outdoor decoration accessories in the front yard. Landscaping makes your property more attractive and even the talk of the town!

3.     Cuts Down Energy Costs

Did you know that investing in a good landscape can help you save on energy costs? That is entirely true. The presence of trees reduces the amount of sunlight that falls directly on your house and hence, keeps your house cooler. With that, the load on the cooling system is reduced greatly. Similarly, trees also reduce the intensity of cold winds that your house in winters, reducing the load on your heating system. When the load on the cooling and heating systems is reduced, there is a noticeable reduction in your energy bills.

4.     Improved Coordination Between Indoors and Outdoors

Most of the time, people spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on renovating the inside of their homes without realizing that it can create a major disconnect between the indoors and outdoors. What truly improves the value and appeal of your property is when both the indoors and outdoors of your home are equally good looking. The improved coordination between inside and outside of your home is another reason why landscaping is a good investment.

5.     Optimizes the Use of Available Outdoor Space

The front yard of your property is a valuable outdoor space that often goes unutilized. Investing in good landscaping brings this outdoor space in excellent use, which eventually gives you tremendous returns on investment.

Summary

Landscaping is a good investment for all the right reasons. It improves the appeal of your property, increases the value of your property, brings unused outdoor space in good use, and makes the indoors and outdoors of your property highly coordinated. The only thing you should keep in mind is that you can only reap the benefits of landscaping if you hire professional landscapers to do the job.

As a homeowner, your first priority is to make your home look beautiful and attractive. The first and most important part of any property is its yard. Your yard is the first thing that visitors see. If you want to make next-level up-gradation to your property, we suggest you start with adding an artificial landscape to your property.
If you’re convinced with the idea of investing in a landscape, you got to make sure that you hire the right professional to do the job. Below is a list of qualities that you should look for in a professional landscaper before you hire them.

1.     List of Referrals

The most reliable way of knowing whether the landscaper you’re considering is the right one is to evaluate their track record. Request the landscape company for a list of referrals so that you hear from the previous customers about how good the company is at their job. Firsthand experiences will give you an excellent idea of what to expect from the landscape company that you’re planning to hire.

2.     Experienced Staff

Patio design, lawn mowing, pruning, and other landscape-related activities require proper training and equipment. A landscape company that is still new in the field might not be as experienced and trained as a company that has been doing the work for several years. Before you hire a landscape company, make sure to ask them for how long have they been working. It will help you get an idea about how skilled they are at their job.

3.     Customer Service

One of the most important qualities to look for in a professional landscaper is their customer service. The landscaper should be highly committed to satisfying their customers. Before you hire a landscaper, pay close attention to how soon do they respond to your queries and how willing are they to entertain you. Moreover, keep a close eye on their attitude when you ask them simple queries during the process. If a landscape company doesn’t respond to you actively or has no patience to entertain queries that are too simple for them, you should look for other options.

4.     All-Year-Round Services

Your yard needs attention throughout the air. Whether it is spring clean up for preparing the yard for winters, you’ll need services of a professional landscaper. If the landscaper you’re planning to hire is available only during certain months of the year, look around for other companies that operate all-year-round.

5. Transparency

​If a landscape company isn’t transparent in their charges, consider it a red flag. Transparency is one of the qualities that you should look for in a professional landscaper. The quotation they give should have all charges clearly mentioned.

Summary

Hiring the right professional landscaper can be challenging since all of them would claim big, but only a few will be able to live up to their promises. To make sure that the professional landscaper that you’re planning to hire is the choice, ensure that they’ve got a good repute, have experienced staff, provide survives in all seasons, and are transparent in charges. 

A landscape has a significant impact on the appearance and curb appeal of a property. It is the reason why people invest in artificial landscaping and landscape maintenance. A badly-kept lawn is a complete visual turn-off, which is why you need to put in a lot of consistent dedication when it comes to landscape upkeep.
If you find yourself putting the task of landscape maintenance to the next day, you can probably benefit from hiring a professional landscaper to do the job for you. If you want to know if spending money on regular landscape maintenance is even worth it, have a look at some of the benefits of regular landscape maintenance.

1.     Increased Curb Appeal

Nothing matches the beauty of a well-maintained, beautifully-kept lawn. Getting regular maintenance of your lawn will add to the overall curb appeal of your property, making it look all more attractive and aesthetically appealing.

2.     Increased Value of Your Property

One of the most significant benefits of regular landscape maintenance is the increased value of your property. As mentioned above, a well-kept landscape improves the curb appeal of your property, and with that, the value of your house automatically jumps up. Potential buyers will be more eager to purchase your home if you’ve got an attractive landscape!

3.     Healthier Lawn

While regular watering and mowing are essential to keep your lawn thriving, it isn’t all. To keep your lawn healthy, vibrant, and attractive, it needs a significant amount of attention and maintenance all around the year. Getting regular landscape maintenance will not only keep the lawn in the most exquisite shape but will also bring any serious issues in light that you may not know about. If any underlying potential problems with the plants aren’t addressed on time, it can cause widespread damage to your entire landscape.

4.     Weed Control

Weeds are unwanted plants that can literally invade your landscape. They compete with your natural plants for water and nutrition, which usually ends up in the weeds taking the lead over your landscape plants. Regular landscape maintenance can help keep weeds under control. Therefore, to make sure the weeds do not invade your lawn, don’t put off your lawn maintenance for too long.

5.     Creates a Beautiful Environment

Numerous studies suggest that a beautiful landscape can help reduce stress levels. Regular landscape maintenance ensures that your landscape is maintained looking the best, hence creating a beautiful environment that can have significant positive effects on the stress levels.

6.     Privacy

Many homeowners get professional landscaping services for the primary purpose of adding a sense of privacy in their lawns. In that case, regular landscape maintenance can help keep your privacy intact by ensuring that the plants do not thin out.

Summary

​Regular landscape maintenance is essential to keep your lawn looking their best all year round. Plants do not perform well when neglected, which is why you shouldn’t miss out on professional landscape maintenance.

The lawn is a vital part of your property’s landscape. As much as a well-maintained lawn looks beautiful, it takes a lot of manual effort and time to keep it looking like that. One way you can make your lawn maintenance easier and less time consuming is by installing an irrigation system. The installation of an irrigation system is a major home improvement project that will make your life easier and keep your lawn looking its best every day.
If you’re planning on installing a new irrigation system in your lawn, you might find the list of factors that will help you choose the ideal irrigation system for your lawn quite helpful.

1. The Topography of the Lawn

Considering the topography of your lawn is the most important consideration when you are getting an irrigation system installed.  You need to see if your lawn is situated on a flat piece of land or a slope. Watering plants on a sloped surface is more challenging because the chances of water run-off are higher. In such cases, you will have to adjust the run time; hence, an adjustable irrigation system is what you should consider.

Moreover, parts of your lawn that have native plants need to be watered less as compared to areas where you have planted non-native or vegetable plants. An ideal irrigation system for your lawn will be the one that meets all the watering needs of your lawn.

2. Soil Type

Not all types of soil are the same. The water absorption capacity of every soil type is different. For example, sandy soil absorbs less water as compared to clay soil. Therefore, the type of soil that you have in your lawn needs to be considered before you invest in any lawn irrigation system. There are basically two types of lawn irrigation systems; drip irrigation systems that send water to the roots and sprayers that send water up in the air. The ideal irrigation system for your garden will be the one that ensures the maximum amount of water needs of the soil are met. 

3. Plant Types

Different types of plants have different water needs. Depending on whether you have vegetable beds, hanging baskets, shrubs, trees, containers, annual beds, or seedbeds, the type of irrigation system will vary. An ideal irrigation system would ensure that all the plants get the amount of water that they need to thrive.

4. Weather

Weather is an important consideration when it comes to choosing the best irrigation system for your lawn. If the weather in the area that you live in is hot or windy, most of the water will be lost due to evaporation. In such areas, the ideal irrigation system is the drip type.

Summary

Choosing an ideal irrigation system for your lawn can be tough if you don’t bring into consideration some important factors. To be able to make the right choice, you have to consider the topography of your lawn, type of soil and plants in your lawn, and the weather of your region. 

Building landscapes is a great way of giving your home an organic and a lush feel. As much landscaping can make your property look prettier, you may feel that there is a lack of aesthetics and utility. This can be brought about with the help of human made structures. The art of using low-maintenance and durable materials like stone, concrete, and wood to enhance the value of your property is known as hardscaping.
Hardscaping involves making paved pathways, patios, fountains, and decks in the backyard or garden. If you want to make your outdoor space functional and also highly appealing, hardscaping is probably the best way to achieve it. Hardscaping is associated with numerous benefits, which are as follows:

1.     Low-Maintenance

The most appealing of all benefits is that hardscapes are extremely low-maintenance. Once it is in place, it can stay intact for many years to come with little or no maintenance. Unlike landscapes that require regular watering, trimming, mowing, and pruning, a hardscape is made of durable material that needs no effort from your end.

2.     Water-Efficient

Maintaining your landscape can be a lot of hard work. You have to make sure that your plants and flowers are watered regularly and adequately. This can be particularly difficult in areas where there is a shortage of water. On the contrary, hardscape maintenance requires no watering. One of the benefits of hardscapes is its water efficiency, which is specifically useful for dry and hot regions.

3.     Increased Value of Property

A huge percentage of buyers look for an already-built outdoor space, where they can relax when they are looking for a house to buy. Building a hardscape is an effective way of adding more usable space to your property. This makes your house a catch in the market, which means that potential buyers will be willing to pay more for it.

4.     Entertainment Space

A hardscape is an extension of your living space, which is a bonus. You can use this additional space for entertainment activities like hosting BBQ parties and other outdoor gatherings with your loved ones. This marks one of the most prominent benefits of hardscapes that make them an all more appealing option.

5.     Reduced Erosion

Hardscaping involves covering the area with strong and durable materials like stone and concrete. When your land is covered, the soil underneath is protected from erosion. Reduced erosion means that your ground will stay intact for many years to come.

6.     Adds Dimension

Flat, wide-open backyards have become old-school. Adding hardscapes enables you to add multiple dimensions to your outdoor space with each level having defined edges and visually appealing walkways, followed by fences and pergolas. It allows you to modernize your backyards and gardens, which is also one of the benefits of hardscapes.

Summary

There are many benefits of hardscapes, including little or no maintenance, water-efficiency, the aesthetic appeal, increased value of the property, additional usable space, etc. which makes them quite an appealing option. 

A well-kept lawn can increase the aesthetic appeal of any property by several folds. A lawn with well-trimmed, green grass, and blooming flowers is not just a pleasant sight to look at, but it is a vital part of the landscape of your property. However, if you live in a region where the weather is mostly warm, drought conditions are common, and water scarcity prevails, maintaining a lawn becomes challenging.
Just because the weather conditions of your region do not allow you to have a well-kept garden doesn’t mean you can’t have one. With artificial turf, it is possible to have a blooming garden all year long, without any violations of landscaping guidelines or water restrictions. The numerous benefits of artificial turf are listed down below:

1. Minimal Maintenance

Unlike natural grass, artificial turf needs no maintenance. It does need to be watered or trimmed. Minimal maintenance is one of the biggest benefits of artificial turf. The time that you would have spent in trimming the grass can now be utilized in more productive or fun activities with your family.

2. No Puddles

When the ground is uneven and consists of grooves, water may accumulate and form puddles. However, when artificial turf is being laid down, the ground is first evened and smoothed out so that no water puddles form. Small irrigation channels may also be added to make sure that any excess water is drained out and does not form pools in your garden. Your yard will stay tidy and dry, which is another of the many benefits of artificial turf.

3. No Grass Stains

Grass can leave stains on the clothes when you sit down or the grass or while your kids play around in the yard. One of the many benefits of artificial turf is that you don’t have to worry about unsightly stains on your light-colored clothes.

4. No Bare Spots

As you walk, run, or play around in your garden, bare spots may form on the grass. The formation of these ruts, pathways, or bare spots looks unattractive. However, this isn’t the case with artificial turf. No matter how roughly you use it, it will always stay lush and green. It is extremely resilient and can resist the constant pressure, maintaining its vibrancy.

5. Shade or Sunlight Isn’t an Issue

Real grass can burn when the temperature outside is too hot and can even wither when there is no sunlight. However, one of the most prominent benefits of artificial turf is, shade or no shade, it doesn’t really matter. Your garden will look fresh and alive at all times throughout the year.

6. Safer

Soil and real grass may be loaded with harmful microorganisms. However, artificial turf is mostly treated with an anti-bacterial coating that keeps your kids and pets safe from infections. You can now let your kids play all they want without worrying that they’ll get sick or get bitten by insects.

Summary

​There are many benefits of artificial turf, including aesthetic appeal, minimal maintenance, the safety of the inhabitants of your home, and its long-lasting nature. Therefore, if you’re planning on getting artificial turf installed, do it right away!