Build Life inside with a DiY Indoor Garden!

Folks from Lee’s Summit, Raymore, and on down to Harrisonville, Missouri have a huge love for gardening. Some may have even run out of room to plant anymore outside!!!  You know the ones I am talking about.  Even if you are not a “Green Thumb” per say, bringing your gardening indoors can be easy, fun, and even healthy! There are a great number of DiY garden plans online that are available to most people. Today, we want to take some time to show you some of our favorite DiY indoor gardens that are absolutely clever, and quite interesting to look at.

This garden is so intriguing. It almost makes you look twice at it just to make sure you’re getting all the details. A DiY garden like this works very well for most homes. It’s very accessible because almost everyone has a light bulb like this in use currently in their home, or they can get access to one. It’s good to reuse things after their main purpose has expired. Once the bulb breaks, you open the bottom end to allow airflow, and then place the plant with the dirt inside. This bulb will last you until the plant is too big for it’s home. You can then replant it very easily.

This garden can be made by connecting empty bottles through a string, or rope. Hanging them by the window in a chain pattern will allow them to really catch sunlight. This type of indoor garden is most useful for edible plants like herbs. Another plus is that they a great eye-catcher for people both inside and outside.

Needing to replace your gutters after a bad storm? Consider repurposing them into a nice indoor garden trough like this. These make for great gardens because of their adjustable sizing, their bigger size which resembles other lengthy planters, and their eye-catching look is sure to improve your home.

This hanging garden is absolutely gorgeous. If you’re able to get your hands on several globes, and enough wire to secure them, this garden can transform a room into a wonder of your neighborhood. Make sure the wire you use to hang them is strong enough to last, otherwise you’ll have a fantastic problem on your hands.

Thinking of trying any of these ideas in your home? Let us know which ones appeal to you, or show us some of your ideas that weren’t on this list.

Thanks for reading, and have a blessed day!

Putting up walls to break down barriers

Does your home have a hill in the yard? I’m not talking about a small mound. I mean a large hill that takes some effort to get up and over. Hills can be a problem for your yard. They can create a nasty runoff for water to pool at the bottom of them. This can really ruin your grass, and keep kids from using it. They can also limit functionality. It’s very difficult to throw a nice dinner cookout when your yard is slanted.

So what can you do? There is a solution to your problem. Retaining walls. Retaining walls are an affordable way to renovate the layout of your yard, increase the resale value of your home, and improve the functionality of your property.

Stone retaining walls are great for almost any home because they look clean and cut, they require little to no maintenance when built properly, and they can add structured flower beds, or a nice sitting area just outside a leveled off playing area. Below are some pictures of some of our projects in Raymore, and Lee’s Summit, MO, showing three different kinds of retaining walls that can help your home out.

This wall is designed to fix a steep slope leading down to the driveway. It levels out a good portion of the yard, making it more useable, and provides a small seating area for driveway activities like cookouts. The front yard looks far more structured now too. It no longer looks like a great mound. This is one example of fixing a front yard.

This wall is very long and winding. It has a lot of great s-curves to it, and some steps to accommodate the grade of the hill. This retaining wall is very useful because it adds a sculpted and structured flower bed that will last a long time. It keeps the contents of the flower bed from growing up and over and into the grass, and it keeps the grass out as well.

This retaining wall went up in the backyard of a home, and was installed with the intention of controlling too much water runoff. It also helped create a separate area for kids and adults to enjoy. It also provides a seating area, and some nice natural stone steps to give the yard the feeling of two separate rooms. It also keeps the upper level of the yard from washing out into the lower half.

These are just a few examples of how a quality retaining wall can help you out. Contact your local landscaper to see if a retaining wall could help you out. Our team is ready to help.

Thanks for reading, and have a blessed day!

Mower Maintenance Makes More Money!

Summer is in full swing here, and it is hot. We’ve addressed mowing lawns in the Raymore, Lee’s Summit, and Blue Springs, MO, area a few times on our blog, but this time we want to talk about how to do season ending maintenance on your lawn mower.

Mower maintenance is critical for you to know. Why? Because when you are going to spend your hard earned money on something that you are counting on to keep the carpet of your yard (lawn) clean and beautiful, you’ll want to learn how to make that money work as long as possible for you. Here are some helpful ways for you to maintain your mower:

Keep your mower clean – Landscapers go to a lot of effort to keep their heavy tools clean, and it’s important for you to do the same. Not only is it easy to see damage on a clean mower, but the mower itself runs smoothly when it is clean inside and out. Make sure the deck and undercarriage are clean. Your mower will look great, it will run even better, and longer.

Check your machinery, and check ‘em often – This step is all about prevention. Make a point to regularly inspect belt tension, the sharpness of the blades, tire pressure, and even the deck itself. Keeping yourself abreast of all the needs of your machine will help you save money from costly repairs, as well as saving you time. It can be a real downer when you have to spend a lot of time and money to fix a problem that could have been fixed with a little extra greasing, or even replacing a few bolts.

Follow instructions carefully – How many things do we buy without ever reading that huge owner’s manual? It’s even more annoying when we can’t find it and there’s a problem with our machine. This is true with mowers as well. If your owner’s manual does not address a problem you have found with your mower, don’t fix it blindly. Call a professional. You could alter your mower irreparably, or even hurt yourself.

End of season tips – Make sure that your gasoline mowers are run at the end of the season till they are out of gas since it can go bad. Just like people, mowers don’t want to run well with bad gas. Also, make sure the oil is clean. It’s the blood of the machine after all. If you can, give it a tune-up as well.

Doing these simple tasks can really prolong the life of your mower, and your money as well. No matter what part of Kansas City you live in, whether it’s Bucyrus, Overland Park, Raymore, Blue Springs, or Lee’s Summit, you can have a beautiful lawn. The first step is taking care of your tools.

Thanks for reading, and have a blessed day!

For more tips:
monumentaloutdoor.com
http://landscaping.answers.com/lawn-care-equipment/5-important-lawn-mower-maintenance-tips
http://www.totallandscapecare.com/3-ways-to-keep-your-mower-out-of-the-shop/

Landscaping Pro Tip: How to Properly mulch a tree!

In this video we instruct you on how to properly mulch a tree. Our goal, as always, is to instruct you and keep you informed. Let us know how we can help you further! Subscribe, and comment if you have any questions, and we’ll get back to you ASAP!

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Landscaping can be pet friendly!

Landscaping can be pet friendly

How many times have you looked at your yard and thought, “I should get some nice, high quality landscaping done in this yard,” only to look at your dog next and think, “Probably not.”

You’re not alone. It’s happened to a lot of people. Many homeowners in the Raymore and Lee’s Summit area think that it is not possible to own a beautiful yard if you own pets. We want to challenge you to think differently! Good landscaping and lawn care can provide a relaxing, beautiful spot for you and your pets to enjoy.

When it comes to designing a landscape that is pet friendly, you need to start by designing with your pets’ needs in mind. It’s important to know what you can put in a yard that will allow your pets to run around without tearing everything nice to pieces. So what are some things that you can do to improve your Raymore or Lee’s Summit area home? Here’s a few ideas for you:

Know your pets: The best way to plan a quality landscape plan for your yard is to know what quirks your pets have. What are their likes and dislikes? Are they frolickers, or relaxers?

Hardscapes: Hardscapes can be very useful in designing a yard that is fit for your pets, and you. Hardscapes can take a beating and keep on pleasing. Some yards use smooth flagstones with pebbles to form a dry creek bed that is safe and comfortable for your pets.

Mulch: Mulch is great for most landscapes because it enhances the look of your flower beds, keeps moisture locked in so your plants can stay happy, and it’s easy on the paws. It’s also too large to stick to most pets’ coats. Chipped mulch is recommended. However, it should be noted that some mulch can be harmful to pets if it is consumed. Make sure that you communicate with your landscaper about using “pet friendly” mulch.

Borders: Using driftwood or edge stones around a flower bed can be used to teach your pets where they can and can’t tread. This might take some time, but they’ll learn that borders mean “no”.

Sensible plants: Make sure to place durable, but soft plants next to high traffic areas. Avoid anything spiky or spiny, or potentially poisonous to your pets. These plants need to be tough.

Running paths: When you look at your yard, do you see a trail being made by your pets from their constant running over one path? Don’t worry about it. Turn that area into a running path and make it work for your yard’s beauty.

Lastly, make sure that your pets have a place to relax and bask in the sun, just like you wish to do too. Some pets like to be burrowers. If that’s the case, consider adding some chicken wire, or some rebar underground to deter them. Keep these things in mind, and your yard will be relaxing, beautiful, and fun for all members of your home.

For more tips:

http://www.sunset.com/garden/backyard-projects/dog-friendly-gardens/page2

monumentaloutdoor.com

monumentallawnandoutdoorblog.wordpress.com

The Garden that’s built to last.

You’re looking at that nice rock garden in your backyard, and it dawns on you that you don’t have any color to go with this great decorative rocks. It’s difficult to know exactly what rocks work well with rock gardens, especially in the Raymore/Lee’s Summit area where the soil can get tricky at times. After doing some research, we’ve managed to find some plants that we think would look great with any rock garden in the Raymore/Lee’s Summit area.

Annuals: 

Moss Rose – Low-growing, tolerant of heat and cold. Comes in an array of vivid colors, including fuchsia, deep red, orange, white, yellow, and variegated. Grows 6 to 9 inches tall and 14 to 18 inches wide. Full sun.

Shrubs:

Junipers – Junipers in general do very well in rock gardens, so this is a very safe plant to put in.  

Perennials:

All Gold Japanese Forest Grass – Dramatic golden foliage looks like tiny bamboo plants. Clumping habit. Grows 18 inches tall and wide. These plants look best in half-shade. 

Dianthus – Tolerate high light and cool nights of traditional rock garden settings. Many different colors including dark pink, purple and rose. 

Succulents:

Blue Spruce Sedum – Bluish color looks like tiny blue spruce trees.  Low-growing and spreading habit. Grows 6 to 10 inches high and 10 to 12 inches wide.

Thanks and have a blessed day!

For more tips:

Totallandscapecare.com

Monumentallawnandoutdoorblog.wordpress.com

4 “Enemies” That Want To See Your Garden Ruined

There are lots of you out there in the Raymore/Lee’s Summit area who really enjoy growing some of your own crops in your home gardens. Growing your own food is fun! Unfortunately, you’re not the only one who gets enjoyment out of growing your own crops. In the Raymore/Lee’s Summit area, there are 4 potential enemies that can ruin that beautiful garden of yours. This post is intended to inform you of what to do to deter these pesky pests.

Critters – Rabbits, raccoons, and deer, oh my! These critters are often successful when they put their minds to destroying your garden. There are easy ways to fix this problem, though, and the writers of totallandscapecare.com suggest putting up a high fence to keep out the deer, while low fences cut into the ground along with netting are useful for keeping out raccoons and rabbits.   You can also plant critter resistant ornamental plants around your garden to help ward them off.  ie; daylily, spirea, impatiens, or forger-me-nots.

Weeds – We recently posted an article on how to care for weeds (https://monumentallawnandoutdoorblog.wordpress.com/2014/05/15/the-war-on-weeds/). Weeds can be aggressive, and pushy neighbors in your garden. Make sure are dealing with these invaders the way you’re supposed to. Remember to get that entire root system out, or they can grow back.

Climate – Not all plants are created equal. There are some plants in your garden that possibly can not survive or thrive as well as they can in blistering heat. Hail and early or late frosts can damage gardens too. Consider using a shade or a cover for your garden to protect your plants during difficult weather.

Water – The best way to care for your garden, is to know exactly what your plants like and dislike, and how much water they need or don’t need. Water and soil quality are two of the most important things to understand in taking care of a garden. The last thing you want to do is cause your plant to rot from overwatering, or dry up and never bloom at all from under watering. Know what you’re dealing with, and your garden will bloom to incredible life.

For more great tips:

Totallandscapecare.com

Monumentaloutdoor.com

Photo credit: http://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/deer-in-garden.jpg

The War on Weeds!

As you survey your immaculate South Kansas City lawn, you may be reveling over how it resembles an emerald high tide gently swelling and roiling with every gust of wind that blows across your yard. That’s when you see them. Weeds!

Weeds are aggressive enemies of lawns. But don’t be alarmed. There are ways to keep them under control.

They appear as harmless little flowers. These sneaky lawn pests can take control of a lawn almost overnight. If you need a mind-blowing fact to act on, one dandelion weed can carry as many as 15,000 seeds, and each is capable of surviving and thriving for up to six years.

That’s an impressive force, but don’t be frightened. With the proper battle plan, you too can conquer these foes. Here are some helpful tips for caring for your Raymore lawn:

1. Know your enemy. With the help of a weed identification guide, you can know exactly what is trying to invade your yard, and how to properly eliminate it. For example, some weeds, like ground ivy, thrive on shaded damp areas of your lawn. Identifying this pest will tell you that the simple solution involves improving the soil drainage in that area, as well pruning some plants for better sunlight.

2. Don’t feed the weeds. A healthy lawn will hinder weeds from growing. It’ll crowd them out. Fertilizer can go a long way in helping with this. But be careful. If you use too little, you won’t feed your lawn enough, and it will give weeds space to grow. If you use too much, you run the risk of feeding the weeds you’re trying to crowd out. If you’re not sure about how much fertilizer to use, contact our team for expert advice.

3. Stay hydrated. Water your lawn thoroughly. Soaking your lawn with about an inch of water once a week will encourage deep grass root growth, while keeping weeds thirsty.

4. Mow ‘em down. The tallest plant gets the sunlight. If you can keep your lawn safe from seed spreading by mowing, do so. You will cut down the tall plants and give the much needed sunlight to the grass blades that need to grow.

Armed with this knowledge, you should be able to properly control the fight for your lawn. Don’t despair. You can do it!

For more great tips:

http://www.totallandscapecare.com/wage-war-on-weeds/

monumentaloutdoor.com

Get some privacy through plants!

Plants can give your home some privacy.

You have a nice backyard and like to entertain company often. You might be having company over this weekend for a cookout, or some fun yard games. You’ve looked at your yard and realize that, while your yard is spacious and wide open, there is little in the way of privacy.

You’re not alone in your problem. Privacy is important to a lot of people. Many times people think that adding a fence can solve the problem of privacy, but sometimes they give a feeling of confinement. There are many ways that you can add privacy to your home, and natural landscaping is a great solution to the problem. 

 Adding plants to your land can add privacy, and improve natural beauty. With that in mind, here are some things to consider when you want to contact your local landscaping expert about how to improve the problem of privacy.

1. Planning — One of the quickest ways to save yourself time and money is to know what exactly your budget is. This will help your landscaper plan the best plants for your natural privacy screen. Landscapers love to know what exactly they can look for to help you out.

2. Preference — Do you want a more natural or manicured look? A landscaper can help you by suggesting what might look best if you’re not sure. Natural and manicured looks give very different kinds of beauty to your yard, so you’ll need to find out which works best for you.

3. Target — Why are you getting your screen? This is important to know, because your landscaper will know how to help you better when you know what exactly you’re trying to block out. Is it noise? Is it a business property line? Your neighbor checking his mail in his robe? It’s also important to consider how your privacy screen will influence your neighbor’s property. Juniper, spruce, pine, or green giant arborvitae work great for large plant screens.

4. Territory — Where are you wanting to plant this screen? Our team suggests that if you’re putting a screen around the perimeter of your property, then using a few large plants will do the job perfectly. If you’re wanting to screen something on the interior, like a patio, then we suggest using several small plants. 

If you keep these things in mind, with the help of your landscaper, you can turn your home into the perfect place for you and your family to spend time together in privacy.

For more tips:

http://www.totallandscapecare.com/how-to-create-privacy-with-plants/

http://www.landscapingnetwork.com/landscaping-ideas/privacy/screen.html

http://www.monumentaloutdoor.com/blog.html

Photo Credit: https://www.arborday.org/trees/privacyhedge/graphics/photos/1.jpg

Thank you for reading!  Have a blessed day!

Pruning can give your plants new life!

Pruning Pro Tips:

            Do you ever wonder if you are pruning those plants of yours with the right goals in mind? Do you ever wonder if you are actually hurting the plant you are pruning? Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

Pruning is instrumental in keeping a handle on the growth of your trees, and shrubs. It also repairs damage to the plant by removing the damaged portion. If you want your plants to come roaring back to life, a good pruning should do the trick.

If you don’t already have plants in your yard, then a quality landscaper can save you a lot of time and energy by carefully selecting plants that don’t need frequent pruning.

Pruning your trees, shrubs, and other plants should meet any of these goals:

1. Attractive and balanced shape. Your plants need to look good inside and out.

2. Better flowering. Plants reproduce better when they’re cared for.

3. Keep growth under control. Plants will run wild if you let them.

4. Remove diseased portions. Removing a diseased piece of the plant might save the whole plant in the long run.

You can also keep people and property safe by removing these diseased limbs.

5. For selective growth. If you keep the tops of your hedges trimmed, you can encourage  fuller growth from the base.

6. Traffic control. You can direct, or even correct the growth of some shade trees when you prune.

Simple pruning projects can generally be done any time of the year. Major projects should be done in early Spring before the new growth begins. Flowering plants should be pruned after the blooms fall, as late pruning may lead to loss of volume next season. If your plants get injured (vandalism, weather), try and prune the damaged areas as soon as possible.

Pro tips: prune on dry days when the limbs and twigs are dry for clean cuts. After you trim the diseased plants, disinfect your tools to prevent transferring the infection to healthy plants. The safer you are to the bark tissue around your plants, the less likely disease and insects will enter. Avoid pruning in below freezing temperature. Late fall, or early winter pruning can keep wounds open and infected until Spring. Lastly, make sure you’re using the right tools. It’ll save you time and money!

For more great tips:

http://www.totallandscapecare.com/tips-to-proper-pruning/?utm_source=daily&utm_medium=email&utm_content=04-11-2014&utm_campaign=TLC&ust_id=a0ffcf2e12&*

http://www.lawndoctor.com/tree_and_shrub_care.html

Photo credit:

http://web.idiggreenacres.com/Portals/175596/images/rose%20pruning1.jpg

Thank you for reading!  Have a blessed day!