The sticky subject of weed mat...

(Another post by Glen...)

Controlling weeds has been a problem since the Garden of Eden… About 25-30 years ago, many years after the days of Adam and Eve, weed barrier fabric was introduced to the landscape market. It was, of course, billed as the “solve all” for all weed problems in planting beds. This new weed barrier fabric had the distinct advantage of allowing the water to actually get to the plant roots while stopping most weeds from coming up. At the time, the main material used in planting beds was some form of gravel, lava rock, or big chunks of pine bark placed on top of a layer of black plastic. Therefore, this weed fabric was a much needed improvement over the black plastic that was the industry standard. The black plastic seemed to work very well but it got holes in it when you walked on the gravel and the weeds always found the holes. Also, this black plastic was not then and is not now suitable for planting! The new fabric was really a very good product and still works very well under gravel, lava rock and such materials.
Then came the guy that invented the use of wood mulch, rumor has it he was related to the guy who started bottling water and selling it for the same price as sodas. Not sure who this guy was, but before about 25 years ago all the bark that was stripped off of logs during processing was a waste product and was pretty much wasted! Suddenly, this mulch product started taking over the market for planting beds. It was cheap, good for the plants and soil; and for the landscaper, it became “reoccurring revenue”. (You are supposed to refresh, replace your mulch every year or so)
Landscaper bright idea: This new “weed barrier fabric” would be great to put under mulch, would control the weeds and life will be great… wrong! After about a year or two we realized that the weeds were actually growing on top of the weed barrier fabric! The properties that made the mulch good for the plants, mainly that it decomposed and improved the soil, also provided the perfect “potting soil” for weed seed to germinate. The mulch that did not blow away, exposing the weed barrier fabric, turned into the organic matter but never really got down to the soil to help the plants. So we still use weed barrier fabric; in fact, do not put gravel down without it. But do not use it under mulch!  We typically use a pre-emergent herbicide when we use mulch. Put it down every season, and then spray the weeds when they are small enough to “melt” away. After you break the cycle of the weeds reseeding themselves (and control the weeds in the lawn), the mulch works very well without the weed barrier fabric.

Common Landscape Questions.... Edging

We're going to be answering some questions we get everyday- hopefully providing answers for you. Ask us, either on the blog or Facebook, if you have questions we haven't touch upon!


Edging 

What is a good kind of landscape edging? 

If you could invent the perfect landscape edging you would probably never have to work again.

Natural Edging: This is where the edge between the turf and planting bed is cut down 3-4” and then tapered back into the planting area.  This creates a pocket to hold the mulch in the bed.

Works great but needs to be maintained by trimming with a string trimmer and really should be re-cut with a shovel when ever mulch is added to maintain the “pocket” as well as keeping a clean edge and neat transition between the turf and planting bed.

Plastic edging: This is commonly the 4” black plastic edge with the ¾” black tube showing between the turf and planting bed.. It has a nice clean look when installed properly but, as is common with most edging, it will tend to “frost heave” during the freeze-thaw cycles (common in the Kansas weathers), then get hit by the mowers.  If it does frost heave, you are stuck with pulling up all the edging and re-digging it. If you don’t, it will become mower bait.

Most of the problems with plastic edging are due to installation problems and purchasing the wrong product.  Don’t purchase plastic edging that has been rolled up so it is easier to ship from China! You will never get it into the “sexy curves” you need to make it look great; instead it will look wavy and really quite bad.  Installation is also a problem. The plastic tubing should be the only thing you see after installation. You should not see any of the ”vertical web” of the edging. You should be able to run the edge of the mower along it without risking damage to the edging. It is edging- not a mulch retainer!  The ability to retain the mulch should come from the “pocket” created… see Natural edging above.  The other key that seems to help with the “frost heave” is to drive the edging stakes (...yes you should have steel edging stakes… and no they probably did not come with that “roll of edging”) These stakes should not be driven vertically thru the lip at the bottom edge of the edging. We have found that if you drive these stakes into the vertical web of the edging and drive them horizontally it will help with the frost heave problem (noone will propbably tell you that in the directions but it is true).  Not sure how a piece of black plastic really fits into the “natural landscape” but some people like the look…

Steel edging:  Typically made of 1/8”-1/4” x4” strap iron; usually green with pre punched stake pocket. You can also get aluminum.  Has some of the same problems with “frost heave” but is generally easier to get back in the ground as you can pick muddy day and walk along and tap it back down with a sledge hammer or tamper.  It does make a nice clean edge, nice sexy curves, and you really don’t see it as it is only 1/8" to 1/4" thick. It does have a disadvantage over plastic is that it does not bend vertically very well, in fact it does not bend vertically at all!  So if you are trying to run it thru a uneven area it does not work very well for obvious reasons. It can be kind of dangerous in “kid” areas, as it does not have any give if anyone should fall on it. I have also heard of dogs cutting the web of their feet on it. I like it in many situations… but again, not a perfect solution for everywhere.

Stone edge: I love the way it looks, but it is more expensive, needs to be string trimmed and it also moves around with the frost. But since it is natural, it still looks good with very little adjustment. This type of edging has some advantages as it does have some ability to retain mulch depending upon how large the stone is. Takes more labor to install since it needs to be dug in, not just laid on top of the ground.  Key here is to spend the money on stone that is cut or split for edging.  Good long term choice, and good long term investment.  Consider it like buying a fine antique.. it is real and very old!

Brick edge: Good formal look, can be laid on edge in a saw-tooth pattern or laid flat so you can mow over the top. You will get grass coming up in the cracks, so you will be doing some string trimming or training your goat to only eat the grass in the cracks!  “Round Up” works well, unless you pick a windy day (then you will have bigger problems). Costs more that steel or plastic… another good choice in the right application.

Modular Block edging: There are several good choices this modular concrete edging; this means precast concrete that fits together. There are many retaining wall caps or smaller wall block that will work but some are  just really ugly. There are also some nice ones. I prefer the tumbled blocks or edging stones that look more natural and come in some nice colors. So I think they are a good choice for a lot of situations. Again you have to dig them in. Don’t just leave them on top of the ground! This is really a landscape taboo and annoys me.  Do it right- it takes some work or just call Lawrence Landscape. (Duh!)

Some other considerations" Don’t put the edging in higher than the siding on your house or you will create a dam or a “Damn” when you are sucking the water out of your carpets in the basements. 

(This was written by Glen Westervelt, co-President of Lawrence Landscape)

Please note: we are in the midst of becoming avid bloggers (watch us blog, watch us blog)! But we haven't managed to have the most riveting photos, YET. If you are a customer and have a great landscape pic of your yard, let us have it! Send it, post it to facebook. We want to get it out to the public the kind of work we do...

Ah, Mulch- the nitty gritty stuff

Did you know that we carry bulk mulch, topsoil and compost at the Tree Farm? We can deliver it to you and your garden! We charge $50 per delivery trip. We don’t have the capacity to combine types of mulch/ soil in one trip.

What we carry: Harwood mulch, midnight black, cocoa brown

Prices per cubic yard: $28, $35, $35

One cubic yard covers approximately: 

100 sq ft= 3"

150 sq ft=2"

300 sq ft= 1"

Our soil and compost:

Pulverized Top Soil   

Ton= $40.00

.5 ton= $30.00

Compost                     

Cu yd= $45.00

.5 Cu yd= $25.00

Instructions for mulching in your yard

It’s that time of year. Time to clean out the debris; the leaves, the dead, the limbs and twigs. It’s also time to replace mulch. Mulches are materials placed over the soil surface to maintain moisture and improve soil conditions. Mulching is one of the most beneficial things a home owner can do for the health of a tree. Mulch can reduce water loss from the soil, minimize weed competition, and improve soil structure. Properly applied, mulch gives your landscape a neat, tidy appearance too. Mulch must be applied properly; if it is too deep or if the wrong material is used, it can actually cause significant harm to trees and other landscape plants.

Types of Mulch- what to use, why and where

Mulches come in two major types: inorganic and organic. Inorganic mulches include various types of stone, lava rock, pulverized rubber, fabrics, and other materials. Inorganic mulches do not decompose and do not need to be replenished often. On the other hand, they do not improve soil structure, add organic materials, or provide nutrients. As plant specialists, horticulturalists recommend and prefer organic mulches in vegetable and garden beds. Inorganic/ rock mulches are great for drainage areas, near the house to minimize splashback and in beds that are not meant to grow plants.

Organic mulches include wood chips, pine needles, hardwood and softwood bark, cocoa hulls, leaves, compost mixes, and a variety of other products usually derived from plants. Organic mulches decompose in the landscape at different rates depending on the material and climate. Those that decompose faster must be replenished more often. Because the decomposition process improves soil quality and fertility, many arborists and other landscape professionals consider that characteristic a positive one, despite the added maintenance.

Organic mulches include wood chips, pine needles, hardwood and softwood bark, cocoa hulls, leaves, compost mixes, and a other plant matter. Organic mulches decompose in the landscape at different rates depending on the material and climate. Those that decompose faster must be replenished more often. Because the decomposition process improves soil quality and fertility, many arborists and other landscape professionals consider this a POSITIVE, despite the added maintenance.

We suggest that when you mulch trees you follow these rules. Yep- rules! Do not make a mulch volcano around your tree trunk. This is when the mulch is piled up 6 inches or so directly touching the trunk. Think of making a mulch donut instead! Keep the mulch low (about an inch) around the base of the tree- expose the trunk flare (where the base of the tree and roots meet). Then make a nice, wide donut about 2-4” deep out to the dripline of your tree or whatever is feasible. The dripline is width of your tree canopy. “Mulch wide- not deep” say the professionals!

Tree Farm progress

Overlooking the pond

Stone fireplace

Soon to be outdoor kitchen!

 

One of the great things about the tree farm is the chance to show off. Yep, this is going to be an outdoor kitchen. The construction is being done by our very talented crew of carpenters and masons.
Eventually, we want the tree farm to be our design offices. It will give us a chance to show you our plants, as well as our range of hardscape choices. Plus, it'll make you want an outdoor kitchen!

Welcome!

Well, it's finally happened! They've allotted me the job of office blogger...

It's early spring- believe it or not! Those flakes (alternating between raindrops and huge snowflakes) notwithstanding. It's the time that many of us start to think about our yards.
What's on your list this spring? A vegetable garden? St. Patrick's day is the traditional day for putting out potatoes. My dad always believed that we could put out spinach, lettuce, chard and the like too by that date! Make sure you plan before you dig. If you are creating raised beds, you will need good topsoil. We offer bulk amended topsoil as well as COMPOST!! $45 per cubic yard. Woo hoo- we deliver too. :)
If you are starting to think about cleaning up your yard, keep a few things in mind. We offer maintenance services, at an hourly rate.  This is a nice treat for yourself if you or a loved one doesn't have the time (or energy) to do all the raking, hauling, clearing and mowing.
As well, we are proud to offer design services. Our designers have years of experience solving drainage problems and offering solutions for that trouble spot in the yard. As well, it's always great to have a master plan for your yard- even if you can't install it all at once, it gives you a blue print for many seasons to come! We are happy to design in phases.

New this spring, we will have retail hours at the tree farm. It's located in south Lawrence, 1185 N. 1250 Rd.  The daily hours will take effect April 1. Feel free to call Mike, our nursery manager, if you want to visit right now! He's a peach and will give you a tour! 785-423-5861. Also check out our website for a more complete tree and shrub availability list. You can buy a crabapple, a maple, an evergreen that has been grown in local soil, so it's acclimated to our heavy clay and weather.

Got questions? I'll try to help. Any topics you think we should cover in this blog? Let us know!