Walk into any supermarket, hardware, store, or general store and you will usually see shelves loaded with fertilizer, pest control
, pesticides, etc. The list goes on and on. People are, however, focusing more and more on health issues from looking for natural ways to encourage a healthy lawn to washing fruit thoroughly before eating.

How many times have you set your lawnmower at its lowest setting to cut your grass as short as possible? You are doing this for basically two reasons: cutting less often and shaving off those unsightly weeds, right?

Did you know that shorter grass encourages weed growth? If you will adjust your mower blades to around 3 inches and make sure they are sharpened, you will actually discourage weed growth and pests! Instead of raking the grass clippings, leave them unless they are very long. They actually work as a natural fertilizer.

It makes since that the more grass coverage you have, the less weeds there are to deal with. Keeping that in mind in the spring and fall, sprinkle grass seeds liberally on bare areas in your yard, so that you choke out any unwanted weeds. You will need to first loosen the soil and spread some type of organic filler like peat moss. Make sure you walk over the area that you have just seeded to flatten the seeds into the earth. If you know a good rain is on the way, this would be the perfect time to plant and then let the rain wash the seeds into the earth.

If you are having a fungus problem, look in your kitchen cabinet or pantry for the answer. Vinegar has so many uses and killing fungus is one of them. Add about 3 or 4 tablespoons per gallon of water and use a sprayer to cover problem areas. Water your lawn in the early morning hours. If you wait till the cool of the evening, the water will not have the opportunity to go through its natural evaporation process, thus encouraging fungal growth. Another way to control fungus is to apply liquid seaweed. It is chocked full of the nutrients that lawns need. Apply it monthly for the full benefits of this cure-all. It is very inexpensive!

Not sure about the health of your soil? Dig for worms! That’s right! Earth worms are a great indicator of the health of your soil. The general rule is that you should find at least 8 to 10 earthworms in a square foot of soil. Earthworms are natural aerators. They do the work for you!

If your soil seems unhealthy, take it to your local county extension service. Many times you can find help at your local cooperative store, also. If the soil is too acidic, you may need to add lime, another inexpensive treatment. If it is too alkaline, then sulfur may be what you need. Your extension agent can test your soil for you and make recommendations.

Composting is an easy way to harvest more nutrients for your soil, and it is recycling, too! If you have a vegetable garden, use your mower to mulch the left over stalks, plants and bushes. Make sure you save any pea shells or bean shells to throw into the mix. Mow them several times to make the pieces smaller, then leave them in the garden through the winter and let nature do its work! You can add various leftovers from the kitchen such as egg shells, potato and carrot peels, fruit peels and cores, etc.

Before you get ready to work on your lawn in the spring, spread your compost pile out a little and mow over it again. Now, spread your compost over your lawn. Less trash for you, and vitamins for your grass! Make sure to save enough to pile around various plantings that you have added to your lawn and flower gardens.

There are many ways to control those pesky insects that invade your beautiful lawn. One simple way is to combine some dishwasher liquid with water and spray your shrubs and grass that have problem areas. Grubs and other insects hate this simple combination. You can also steep approximately 2 tablespoons of rosemary into a half pint of water for about 20 minutes, let cool, and apply to problem areas. Place birdbaths and birdfeeders in your yard to encourage birds to visit and dine on your area pests.

Some insects are good insects, and you want to attract them. Praying mantis and ladybugs eat the insects that attack your plants and lawn. Refrain from using any type of pesticide so that you encourage these bugs to take up residence in your yard. Various types of flowers such as daisies, marigolds, and sunflowers, and herbs such as dill provide food and a place for the good insects to live and flourish. As you can see, there are many ways to have a beautiful lawn without sacrificing the health of you, your family, and your pets.

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Weed control tips

Simple ideas to keep weeds away from your lawn or garden

Keeping weeds under control doesn’t have to be a huge chore. Whether you’re suffering from weed problems in your front lawn or in your flower or vegetable garden, removing them quickly and keeping them from returning is a fairly simple matter. The trick is planning your attack.

Removing weeds
If you’ve already got mature weeds, you’ll need to remove them before they do any more damage to your desired plants. These tips will help.

• Stop the weed. If possible, get to the weeds before they flower. In most cases, this means just removing the weed as quickly as possible. White heads on dandelions or rows of ball-shaped seeds on pigweed mean that the plant is already in germination stage, and it may be spreading. If you don’t have time to dig up the plant, chop off its head with a lawn mower or scissors. This will control the weed until you can come back later and fully remove it.

• Remove the entire weed. A common mistake made by many gardeners is to simply pull up the garden or lawn weeds. Most weeds have a very long taproot, or a large clutch of roots, and pulling them up will simply tear the roots and leave some in the ground. For successful weed removal, get out a spade and dig the entire root base from the ground.

• Use weed killer wisely. Weed killer can be a great solution, but keep in mind that these chemicals are designed to kill plants- period. They can’t distinguish between weeds and your tomato patch. If you use a chemical, spray it directly onto the weed, lifting up the leaves and spraying the base. If the weed killer needs to be sprayed onto the leaves of the plant, do so on a calm day so that the spray won’t blow onto your other plants.

Preventing future weeds
Removing all of the weeds from your lawn or garden is great, but chances are good that new ones will crop up–in some cases, almost immediately. Make your lawn or garden less enticing to weeds with a few simple hints.

• Mulch helps. A thick layer of mulch over garden soil will help prevent weeds from digging in. Add mulch to the soil right after planting your new seedlings.

• Consider landscape fabric. If weeds are a serious problem in your garden, consider covering the area with landscape fabric. You’ll have to poke holes in order to plant your seedlings. Water and light can get through the fabric, but weeds can’t. Cover the fabric with a layer of mulch to improve appearance.

• Create a barrier on your lawn. Keeping weeds out of your lawn is tricky. You’ll need to create a solid surface of healthy grass in order to choke out the weeds. In some cases this may require new sod or grass seed. When you mow the lawn, leave the grass clippings where they fall to create a cover for the grass and help keep out weeds.

• Try pre-emergent chemicals. If you’re interested in chemical weed control, consider pre-emergent weed killers that are designed for use after the soil is prepared but before anything begins to grow. These chemicals create a noxious barrier between any weed seedlings and the surface. They work well in preparing a weed-free area for your new garden planting.

The trick to weed control is to be persistent. Continue removing weeds by hand when you see them, and take a few days prior to a new planting to prepare the area by digging up roots and spraying chemicals. Ridding a garden or lawn completely of weeds may require a few years of diligence. With the right methods and some time and effort on your part, the desired plants will take over the area and be strong enough to keep the weeds from muscling in.



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Be sure to keep walkways, driveways, rooftops clear

BY CHARLES DAVIS
cedavis@greenbaypressgazette.com

Children aren’t the only ones hoping to get on a good list for the holidays. Whether you’ve been naughty or nice, you should expect a visit from an area snow remover.

Signing up early for services can get you preferred treatment when your driveway starts to look like the frozen tundra. And if you dare take on Mother Nature by yourself, here are a few tips to keep you safe.

Early bird

Homeowners can sign up for one-time snow removal or seasonal service, said Matthew Kispert, owner of Sawyer’s Tree Service in De Pere. Seasonal subscribers can get Kispert to come out every time it snows at least one inch. They also can get a 10 percent discount, which can save $5 to $10 each time it snows.

“The best thing to do is plan ahead and get on our list before the snow storm,” he said.

Those on the seasonal list also get served before those who call the day of the storm.

Clear the path

Kispert comes equipped with snowblowers, and he shovels off driveways and sidewalks leading up to the home. He even takes care of edges leading to garages and can shovel off your porch.

“Salt is optional, but even the ones that don’t want it, if there’s bad spots, we put it in for free,” he said. A bad spot consists of ice patches on the sidewalk.

“Once in a while, people will have us clear a path for a dog,” he said.

Snow stretch

If the snow isn’t bad enough to call out professionals, be equipped for some taxing activity, said Jason Pienta, owner of Heartland Construction & Services in Green Bay.

“Just stretch out before you go shovel,” he said. “If you can’t grab your toes standing up, I don’t think you should be shoveling snow.”

Necessary tools include at least one good shovel, a snowblower if you can afford it and rock salt, Kispert said.

Each year, people report heart attacks while shoveling, so take breaks if you do it yourself. “We’re prepared to stand the wet, the cold, the windy conditions,” Kispert said. “We have the right equipment for it.”

Call of duty

You don’t have to be a lazy bum to call on snow removers. Many customers simply didn’t plan ahead or couldn’t “get the kids out of bed to shovel snow,” Kispert said. Other clients live out of town or aren’t physically able to do it.

Up on the rooftop

Refusing to remove the snow at all will have you feeling ho-hum during the holidays, Pienta said. Snow left on the roof can create ice in the gutters — known as ice dams — and work its way back into your shingles. When the ice melts, it can rain inside your home. “It’s a pretty big thing,” he said.

It’s also not a good idea to let snow pack down in your driveway. “It can damage the underside of your car if you drive it through snow,” Kispert said.

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There are several ways to successfully weed a garden, adding a good heavy layer of mulch will cut down on weeds but the most successful way is the old fashioned way, pulling them by hand. Hand weeding is the easiest, quickest and by far the most convenient way to eliminate weeds from your garden. The best tool however to use when hand weeding is a hand small hand hoe for those stubborn larger weed that have taken a good root hold. If you have a vegetable garden that has long rows of plants then a traditional Draw Hoe will be best in removing weeds.

If weeds have begun to grow between the rows I suggest a Warren Hoe, it has a sharp pointed blade that just right for removing small weeds in between rows and making furrows. If you have a large area that needs weeding use a Dutch hoe it easy to use with a simple pushes and pulls action.

Large stubborn weeds may sometimes require several applications of a good Herbicide or even chemicals to get rid of them completely. The use of herbicides however is tricky because you have to be careful as to spray the individual plant to prevent the spray from getting unto other vegetation. If your only other option is to kill the vegetation and all around it, then there are many sprays on the market that can do the job.

Persistent weeds like Dandelions, Poison Ivy, Creeping Buttercup, Plantain and Pearlwort may and usually require several applications before they are eradicated completely. If your garden is in an area where mulching isn’t very feasible then hoeing is still the best way to keep the area clear from weeds.

If you decide to uses sprays to kill weeds, do your spraying on a day when there is little wind to help prevent insecticides from traveling to and killing your garden and ornamental plants. As with any spray the most effective way to use them is by simply following the manufacturer’s suggestions.

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S.E.CT Landscaping Company provides all aspects of commercial landscaping. Whether you are looking for a design, installation, maintenance, or seasonal color,  S.E.CT can proficiently handle all of your needs.

Service

You deserve a company that is responsive to you! Our maintenance organizations allows us to do that. Our horticulturists are directly responsible for scheduling, production, and quality control. As a result, they will react quickly and efficiently to your request.

Creativity

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is “that little extra”. Our extensive knowledge of plant material, color, and texture combined with our knowledge of plant performance guaratees traffic stopping color displays.

Teamwork

We are a team of professionals who demand excellence and provide quality beyond expectations. SECT will work with you to meet your goals. Our team and maintenance managers are committed to the idea that Together Everyone Achieves More.

Results

A consistent image for your property – an image that reflects quality and professionalism. We will strive to meet your objectives as well as those of your property managers, asset managers, and owners. The result will be an exterior environment that is pleasing to tenants and will maximize the investment of clients.

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Landscape Design and Installation

S.E.CT Landscaping Company offers a proven track record of creative, quality landscape design. Homeowners who have followed our design/build approach find it not only produces a better landscape environment, but often saves them money.

Our designers are constantly challenged to find something wonderful, new and different in their designs. Based on the rave reviews that  S.E.CT Landscaping Company designs receive, we are convinced they are more than meeting the challenge. Our emphasis is on constant quality, but we also appreciate the colorful twist and turns that go along with creating a beautiful environment.

Our designers work with our clients from start to finish. This means our designers will work with you from the initial design to the completion of the project. They are on site to insure your landscape is completed properly. Through the industries most advanced designs, finest quality and most efficient service, S.E.CT Landscaping Company provides the ultimate value in professional landscaping. Our company strives to deliver true value for our clients investment.

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• Commercial Landscape
• Landscape Design and Installation
• Weeding Your Garden