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Beautifully mulched flower beds

 All your flowers are coming up and the beds are looking a little worn. Let’s get them ready for the season! Good preparation of your garden will save time and money … and your back …. down the road.

• Weed the flower bed before mulching. Hopefully you won’t have to do it again or at least it’ll be minimal. Pull the weeds by the roots to be sure they’re completely gone. Use a tool to loosen the soil if necessary.
• You can add a layer of newspaper or lawn grass to further prevent weeds from popping up.
• Next, remove all dead plant materials: leaves, spent blooms, decaying plants. You don’t want this beautiful garden with dead plants left behind!
• Now mulch gently. Don’t dump the mulch into the flower bed and then spread it. Use a small bucket or pail to create smaller mounds around the plants and spread gently with your hands. Do not cover perennials like iris and peony, they require their bases see sunlight in order to bloom.
•  Water lightly and deeply. You want the water to penetrate and reach the roots.
• Enjoy your well-cared-for garden and enjoy yourself now that you don’t have to WEED!

How to Mulch Flower Beds

All your flowers are coming up and the beds are looking a little worn. Let’s get them ready for the season! Good preparation of your garden will save time and money … and your back …. down the road.

·         Weed the flower bed before mulching. Hopefully you won’t have to do it again or at least it’ll be minimal. Pull the weeds by the roots to be sure they’re completely gone. Use a tool to loosen the soil if necessary.

·         You can add a layer of newspaper or lawn grass to further prevent weeds from popping up.

·         Next, remove all dead plant materials: leaves, spent blooms, decaying plants. You don’t want this beautiful garden with dead plants left behind!

·         Now mulch gently. Don’t dump the mulch into the flower bed and then spread it. Use a small bucket or pail to create smaller mounds around the plants and spread gently with your hands. Do not cover perennials like iris and peony, they require their bases see sunlight in order to bloom.

·         Water lightly and deeply. You want the water to penetrate and reach the roots.

·         Enjoy your well-cared-for garden and enjoy yourself now that you don’t have to WEED!

Learn to Build a Patio for your back yard

Saturday, May 19, 2012
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Call 508-203-5945 to register

Benefits of Mulching for You and Your Garden

Want to save time and money? Spend a little of both now and you’ll have more time and money later.

The biggest benefits of mulching are:

Conserves moisture. With the moderate drought we’re in you don’t want to be out there watering all the time. There will probably be a ban soon anyway. Mulch reduces water runoff – which means the watering you’re doing is sinking in better than if it were bare soil. There is also a 10-25% reduction in soil moisture loss from evaporation with a 2-4 inch layer of mulch.

Conserve time.  Although you can apply mulch any time of the year, the best time is late spring after the soil has warmed. Apply mulch in the Spring and weeds will have a tough time getting through during the rest of the year. No weeding, more time for you!

Improves curb appeal. Curb appeal on your home will increase after mulching. The colors in your shrubs and plants will pop, and it gives your yard that “finished” look.

Mother Nature Provides her own Mulch

Trees in their natural environment have a blanket of leaves and organic materials. The typical home landscape is much harsher. It’s usually got poor soil, very little organic matter and fluctuating moisture and temperature.  Applying mulch will:

•  Reduce weeds. A 2-4 inch layer will reduce growth and germination of weeds.
•  Moderate soil temperatures. Mulch will keep the soil warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.
•  Improve soil structure. Mulch breaks down and provides nutrients and aerates the soil.

Make your trees feel like they’re back in the forest – but better. With a few inches of mulch they’ll look beautiful and be healthier.

Trees in their natural environment have a blanket of leaves and organic materials. The typical home landscape is much harsher. It’s usually got poor soil, very little organic matter and fluctuating moisture and temperature.  Applying mulch will:

·         Reduce weeds. A 2-4 inch layer will reduce growth and germination of weeds.

·         Moderate soil temperatures. Mulch will keep the soil warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.

·         Improve soil structure. Mulch breaks down and provides nutrients and aerates the soil.

Make your trees feel like they’re back in the forest – but better. With a few inches of mulch they’ll look beautiful and be healthier.

Properly Mulching a Tree

Mulching is one of the best tings a homeowner can do to keep their trees healthy. Applying mulch retains moisture, provides nutrients, minimizes temperature fluctuation and reduces weeds.

Here are some guidelines for mulching trees:

• Determine the area to be mulched. Plan to mulch at least to the drip line (the widest part of the tree). The roots are usually just inches below the soil and will absorb the nutrients.
• If the area’s already been mulched check to see how deep it is. Loosen the old mulch to improve drainage and refresh the appearance. If it’s already 4 inches deep do not apply any more; if it’s not, mulch to a maximum of 4 inches deep.
• Be careful not to mulch too deep. A thick layer can prevent air and water from getting to the roots.
• If the mulch is up against stems or the tree trunk pull it back several inches until the base of the trunk and root crown show. This step will reduce stress on the stems and reduce insect, rodent and disease problems.

• If this is the first time mulching or if there is very little mulch around the tree you may want to consider putting down a Landscape Fabric to further prevent weeds. AJT sells a geotextile with the latest technologies built in. Ask about our Fabriscape line.

Mulching is one of the best tings a homeowner can do to keep their trees healthy. Applying mulch retains moisture, provides nutrients, minimizes temperature fluctuation and reduces weeds.

Here are some guidelines for mulching trees:

·         Determine the area to be mulched. Plan to mulch at least to the drip line (the widest part of the tree). The roots are usually just inches below the soil and will absorb the nutrients.

·         If the area’s already been mulched check to see how deep it is. Loosen the old mulch to improve drainage and refresh the appearance. If it’s already 4 inches deep do not apply any more; if it’s not, mulch to a maximum of 4 inches deep.

·         Be careful not to mulch too deep. A thick layer can prevent air and water from getting to the roots.

·         If the mulch is up against stems or the tree trunk pull it back several inches until the base of the trunk and root crown show. This step will reduce stress on the stems and reduce insect, rodent and disease problems.

It’s cost-effective.The simplest and most cost-effective product anyone can add to their garden is mulch; lots of it everywhere and apply it at least 2-4 inches thick over the entire bed. The cost is relatively low, but some sweat equity is required to install it.

It conserves moisture. With the moderate drought we’re in you don’t want to be out there watering all the time. There will probably be a ban soon anyway. Mulch reduces water runoff – which means the watering you’re doing is sinking in better than if it were bare soil. There is also a 10-25% reduction in soil moisture loss from evaporation with a 2-4 inch layer of mulch.

It saves you time. Although you can apply mulch any time of the year, the best time is late spring after the soil has warmed. Apply mulch in the Spring and weeds will have a tough time getting through during the rest of the year. No weeding, more time for you! Improves curb appeal. Curb appeal on your home will increase after mulching. The colors in your shrubs and plants will pop, and it gives your yard that “finished” look. Improves soil conditions. As the mulch breaks down it provides nutrients and aerates the soil.

The type of mulch you choose depends on your taste. Bark mulch is the cheapest and lasts the longest, but there are other options, including the black-looking, composted bark mulch, and wood chips.

Constructing a Wall

Materials Needed:

3/4″ Crushed Stone

Allan Block

Fill Material

Tools

4′ Level

Tamp Measure

String Line

Hammer

Wheelbarrow

Shovel

Compactor

AJT’S Step by Step Instructions

AJT Step 1 – Preparation and Excavation:
After you have decided where you want your wall and the dimension of the wall, you can start excavating. Dig a trench where the wall will be place 24 inches wide and the length of wall you have determined. The depth of the trench should be 6 inches plus add 1 inch for every foot of wall height. Compact the base of the trench thoroughly. Put a minimum of 6 inches of ¾” crushed stone, compact and make sure it is level.

AJT Step 2 – Install Base Course:
Place Allan Block units on your prepared surface. Make sure each block is level check front to back and side to side. Use a dead blow hammer to tap each block into place. It is critical to level at this stage. Align straight wall sections using a string line or by sighting the grooves on the top of each unit. If your wall has a corner, begin at corner and work out from that point.

AJT Step 3 – Backfill:
Fill in the area in front of the blocks with on site soils as you go. Also fill in the center of the blocks with ¾’ crushed stone as well as 12 inches behind the wall. Make sure base course is level before moving forward.

AJT Step 4 – Adding Additional Courses:
Stack the next course on top, staggering the seams as you go. Check each block for alignment and levelness. Continue to fill each block with crushed stone and backfill as you go. Complete the wall to your desired height. (If the wall is over 4’ consult an engineer)

AJT Step 5 – Installing Caps:
You are almost done! Now complete your wall by placing Allan Block cap units on top of the last course of block. Use concrete block adhesive to secure cap. And you are done.