With a training center, tool center, and thousands of stones on display, you would think that AJT Supplies was all about providing you with the tools to transform your home. As the years have gone on, we still provide homeowners with materials, but our approach to masonry and hardscape has changed. Now, we strongly encourage homeowners to not only purchase their supplies from us, but to also have us do the work that you want done.

We have had the privilege of selling materials to thousands of customers every year, but we can no longer sit back and watch homeowners build walls with stones that are not spread an equal distance apart, stairs that crack within a year, or patios that lack the attractiveness provided by a professional touch.

Over the years, we have had too many customers call AJT Projects to repair or redo their self-made work. Therefore, what seemed to have cost you less in the short term actually ended up costing you more. While we are more than happy to help such customers, we do not want you to go through this suffering.

The AJT Crew has been providing Massachusetts residents with affordable pricing, outstanding craftsmanship, and legendary customer service spanning seventy years and three generations. Thus, our greatest asset is our experience, as the next job is always easier than the previous one. Whatever you want done, we are willing to bet that we have done it or something similar in the recent past. Repetition leads to mastery and precision, two significant qualities that the average homeowner lacks. Learn from the mistakes of others and let AJT get you the material and then install it too. Not only will that save you money, but your yard will shine like never before.

There are two kinds of mulch – organic and and inorganic.  Organic mulches consist of previously living material like grass, leaves, wood chips, bark, sawdust, pine needles, paper and compost.  Inorganic would be stones, gravel, black plastic and landscape fabrics.

While both mulches work against weeds, the organic kind also decomposes into the soil and makes the soil rich and healthy.

In using mulch to fight weeds, you need to prepare the garden first by clearing it of weeds already there and laying a somewhat thick layer of mulch (4 to 6 inches) to discourage any weeds from growing through.  In particularly “weedy” areas, you can place your plants in the soil, water well, and spread newspaper around them BEFORE applying the thick layer of mulch.

Be aware that thick organic mulch may also cause some problems since it retains moisture which means there is a risk of roots rotting, so with plants clear about 1” around the roots and in trees and shrubs clear about 6 to 12 inches.

With regard to compost, it is fine to use it as a mulch to enrich soil BUT it is recommended that you spread it thinly and then cover over with an organic mulch to ensure moisture retention.

For those of you with larger properties, here are a few tips for saving some money…

• For shredded leaves, you could clear the fallen leaves around trees, shred them and work them into the soil in the Fall.
• For wood chips, there may be tree maintenance companies or utilities that will sell what they have to you for a minimum price OR community yard waste collection companies offering chipped yard debris or composted grass clippings and fall leaves to residents for free or for a small fee.

Click here to check the best times of the year to Mulch

If you had mulch like stone, plastic, etc., this is not biodegradable material.  We are only speaking of  materials such as bark, leaves, straw, etc.

The answer depends on whether last year’s mulch is still in good condition to be used again or whether it is no longer useable and becomes waste.

How do I tell if the mulch is still good?

You can determine that by scooping up some in your hands.  If it breaks down into fine particles and is hard to distinguish from the earth in the garden, it is time to replace it.  If it has retained the look and feel of when you bought it, you can most likely reuse it, UNLESS you had disease problems in your plants, flowers and/or bushes last year.

How do I re-use Mulch?  Do I have to buy new as well?

First gather up the old mulch and set it aside in order to prepare the area you are going to do planting. Then if you have compost you want to add to the soil, do so and work the compost into the soil and then plant your seeds or transplant the plants, flowers and shrubs you have recently bought for this year – then and only then re-apply the mulch you have over the top.

What if I am still not sure if the mulch is still useable?

You spend a lot of time preparing and then growing your garden in order to get the results you want.  If you are unsure, be aware that you can still use the older mulch.  BUT, you would work it into the existing soil as organic matter so it can work along with the compost.  And buy new mulch to apply over the new seeds and transplanting you are doing for this season.

What about “Living Mulches”?

This kind of mulch is used to cover your vegetable garden or flowerbeds to protect them from winter’s harsh elements.  You can reuse it the same way you would use questionable mulch from last year.  Sow it into the earth below as it contributes nutrients to the soil.

How do I dispose of old mulch?

You can check with your city or community to see what guidelines you must follow to dispose of mulch.

You may be wondering why you need to be safe when gardening or landscaping.  What could be dangerous in a garden?

Here are a few tips on how to be safe.  Plan ahead to have everything you need at hand….

1.  Depending on what you want to do to create your garden and property, it is always advisable to check “under” your property – i.e. gas lines, wiring, water pipes, etc. You may not have considered what you will find when you dig down far enough and not only can it be dangerous, it could create a very expensive repairs.
2. Gardening gloves are a must for protection from sharp objects in the soil, insect bites, allergic reactions, toxic ingredients in fertilizers, gardeners tools like trowels, etc. and the list goes on. Fully read directions on all the materials you will be in contact with.  You might even need to get a mask, if some ingredients are toxic.
3. Are you going to move heavy objects – stone or quantities of earth, larger plants or shrubs or young trees or patio stones, bags of gardening materials like fertilizer, grass seed, etc? You are going to need a wheelbarrow to move them
4. Gardening can be hard work. If you are a new gardener, be mindful of the stress to unused muscles and joints.  And even if you don’t have back issues, you may develop some new aches and pains you didn’t anticipate.  There are cushioned pads to kneel on and small portable stools you can use to sit on to ease strains.
5. Last but not least, be prepared with sunscreen and sunglasses and possibly a hat. Hours in the sun can do harm.

Now that you are ready, go create that beautiful garden or backyard you’ve dreamed of!  There is nothing so rewarding as working to provide a beautiful outside space you and your friends and family  can enjoy!

Spring is upon us and if you are planning on a Landscaping Project or Designing Your Outside Space, you can save time and money in creating a Strategy for Success!

Here are seven tips you should consider before you start your design…

1. The internet is a great source of hundreds of landscaping images others have created. If you don’t know exactly what you want to create, have a look to see what pleases you.  That will generate your creativity and ideas that will be uniquely you!

2. Consider the space you have and the design of your home. Create a landscape that compliments both.

3. Do an evaluation of your space. Where are the areas that are shaded as opposed to open to the sun.  Are there areas that can get flooded with heavy rains?  Do you have trees, walkways, a patio, a deck, fences, a pool, a hot tub, a garden shed, etc.

4. What do you want to accomplish with your space? Do you want a flower garden, a vegetable garden, a children’s play area, an area for entertaining, a privacy space?

5. Now it’s time to decide how you are going to divide up the space you have and what should be placed where – e.g. a flower garden that requires more sunlight but avoiding the tree that will rob your garden of the sun’s light.

6. Consider what you need in the individual spaces. What kind of flowers/plants/bushes, trees?  Ask yourself if you desire high maintenance or low maintenance gardens.  Do you want to add materials like decorative brick or stone, a birdbath, a fountain, a pond?   What color schemes are your preference for plants and flowers?

7. Factor in the growth of what you plant. Spacing is important in allowing your gardens, trees, and bushes to grow naturally and not crowd out or damage growth due to lack of light, excessive flooding, etc.

After all, your goal is to create a Landscaping Project that is a visually stunning space to enjoy and be proud of with no unpleasant surprises or additional expenses and fixing mistakes along the way.

The heat, humidity and winds can dry out several inches of the soil and shallow roots from which they may not recover, and especially recent transplants which would have a better chance of survival if they are planted in close proximity to larger shrubs and plants which can provide some shade relief.

The best defense against this damage is mulch.  It protects the surface from sun damage and retains moisture in the soil, which reduces the need for watering.

The easiest mulch to use would be recent grass cuttings.  It would be ideal to think ahead and gather the grass cuttings a couple of days after cutting your lawn, when it has dried out somewhat and store a pile of it to distribute over your gardens when heat waves happen.   But there are other alternatives to grass cuttings.  Light coloured mulches are the best as they will reflect the sunlight and help maintain cooler surface soil.

Some experts recommend Bark Mulch but be warned – depending on what Bark Mulch you use, it might contain weed seeds which may introduce an invasive species into your garden beds that are difficult to eradicate.

Best practice in watering your gardens is to do it early morning.  It gives the water a chance to drench the soil before the heat and sun dries it out.  Also, it prevents the direct sun from scalding wet plants.  Hand watering is preferable in directing the water to the areas that need it the most.  In persistent hot weather, a second watering late in the day is advisable.

Another option is soaker hoses that can be placed below the mulch in order to soak the soil directly beneath.

In recent years, we have been experiencing more severe climate changes that will challenge all gardeners, so think ahead and prepare for prolonged heat waves.

If you are a home owner, there is nothing like driving up to your house and seeing how welcoming it looks to you and to your friends and family when they visit.

There are plenty of ideas you may already have for your property and we can suggest a few you may not have considered that don’t have to be too expensive or elaborate to make your front yard attractive.

Consider the size of your house and the size of the property in front of it.  A few simple additions for small space goes a long way, where larger properties may provide more room to add some really interesting features.  And don’t forget to consider low maintenance – a lot easier on the work for you and if you decide to sell, low maintenance for the buyer.

1.  Update and Refresh Your Front Door

It is a focal point of the front of your house.  It could be as simple as a new coat of paint in a pleasant colour and shining up the doorknobs and any other metal.  Or you may consider an upgrade and refresh to a new wood door with a design that fits with the general style of your house.  Or a door with glass inserts above or on both sides.

2.  Install Window Boxes

Install metal or wood window boxes painted or in natural shades under the windows and choose flowers or plants in colours to mesh with the colours of your house.

3.  Install Lighting

You could add or replace an old fixture with a newer style, add solar lights around your walkway or even add a new fixture on a pole somewhere on your front lawn near your driveway or in the midst of a garden area away from the house.

4.  Add Potted Plants or Flowers

If you have a wide stairway, they make a beautiful touch at each side going up the stairs OR if you have a wide walkway, lining it with well spaced tubs can make an amazing change.

5.  Add an “Easy” Garden

Potted gardens are very popular now.  You can buy plants, shrubs and flowers in large tubs from garden centres and group  them in an eye-pleasing design or you can buy the tubs and choose your own favourites.    Choose where they would look best – at the front of the house, in a specific corner of the lawn or maybe think about a small picket fence in a corner.

6.  Upgrade Your Planter Beds

Remove weeds, add mulch, create more colour with new additions and you can even go farther to add bricks or natural stone in a border around the garden.  Arbors, garden gates or decorative fences can also be added.

7.  Add Outdoor Art

A small statue, bird bath or fountain can greatly enhance a garden or lawn with surrounding shrubbery, plants or flowers.  Consider the style of your house and property to decide what will match and stand out, not clash with the overall look “from the curb”.

We would love to hear your ideas and any pictures you may have to show how it turned out for you.

We recently found a news item that really resonated with us.

A southern California 7.5 acre plot of land was donated to the community Food Bank to create an “Edible Park”.  This park evolved with the help of 15,000 volunteers who plant and cultivate the land to provide food for 200,000 people a month.  You can read more here:  http://www.trueactivist.com/this-edible-park-feeds-200000-hungry-people-every-month/

This Edible Park exists year-round…..

But what if in more northerly areas like ours, groups of people could come together to create an “Edible Park” for our communities in the warmer months from May to September?

This could be groups made up of a school, a club, a neighbourhood, an organization or even a community of volunteers who want to give back.  What a great idea for older students on their time off in the summer months to start a project like this and see it through – great community involvement they can add to their skillsets and experience to add to their resume, or retirees who can put their great experience in participating in a worthwhile pastime and help their community.

There may actually be small community projects, similar to this,  that aren’t widely known.  If you know of any local projects like this, we would love to hear about them in your comments.

Trees and Shrubs

There are several causes of tree and shrub damage:

• Wind Desiccation
• Leaf scorch/reflective damage
• Salt Damage
• Temperature Fluctuation & Low Temperatures
• Frost Cracks
• Sun Scald
• Winterburn on Evergreens
• Spring Freezes
• Root Damage
• Snow and Ice Breakage
• Girdling by Animals

Although trees and shrubs may look dead, it is wise to wait until mid-May and into June. That is when new growth occurs and shows where damage has been done and where it should be pruned.
This source can provide you with more information: http://www.rutgersln.com/nursery/maintenance-and-care-tips/coping-with-winter-damage/

Lawns

Damage to lawns can be from various causes:

• Salt from roads as well as the salt thrown on driveways and pathways
• Exposure to extreme cold

This grass will not likely regrow. The solution is reseeding the lawn. Hand rake out the areas to be rid of the debris and loosen the soil enough that there is good seed to soil contact. Select a good quality seed appropriate to the area – direct sun, shaded, etc. Choose a starter fertilizer that is low in nitrogen but high in phosphorous to help grow stronger roots.
You can find more information here: http://www.903inc.com/spring-lawn-tips-hard-winter

Plants

Salt damage can appear to make plants look dead. Most people would assume they need to be removed and replaced. But that may not be necessary.

Look for new growth from mid-May to June. Salt can also drain into root systems of plants and cause damage to root hairs. You can hose down your plants and soak the soil thoroughly to dilute salt build-up from winter.

Of course, the best way to minimize winter damage is to take the necessary steps in early Fall when preparing your lawns, gardens, trees and shrubs for the coming winter.  If you have any further tips you’d like to share, please make a comment!