​Are you struggling with what to plant in your pond, pondless waterfall, or fountain? The right plants can take an ordinary water feature and make it simply extraordinary. They can take a basic water feature and turn it into an oasis!

The best part? The benefits of adding plants go beyond simple aesthetics. The right plants can keep your water crystal clear by absorbing excess nutrients in the water.

How can you tell if your tree is dying in the winter, and what can you do to prevent damage to your tree during the cold months? Watch this video for tips and tricks on winter care for trees, including:
🌳 What makes crape myrtles different from other trees.
🌳 Indicators that your tree needs pruning.
🌳 How to tell if your tree is struggling in the cold weather.
🌳 How to 'retrain' your tree to grow in the winter.

Is your yard a muddy mess? If you're experiencing A/C condensate runoff due to a broken condensate line in your backyard then don't worry - there is a solution! Here is our plan to fix your HVAC condensation issues, and it involves a dry well right outside of your system. Dig a hole, line it with landscape fabric, fill it with gravel, and watch it work. Find out more by watching our quick tip of the week!

Many gardeners use weed or landscape fabric to prevent weeds in a landscape or garden. Here's why this doesn't work in reality:

• Since mulch decomposes, within a year or two there will be soil instead of mulch on top of the fabric.
  
• Because of this, weeds will germinate between the fabric and the mulch.
  
• The best alternative to landscape fabric is using a pre-emergent, which will kill weeds from the start.
  

Watch the video to find out one more effective method for preventing weeds without using landscape fabric.

What is aeration, why is it important, and when is the best time to aerate your lawn?
Aeration is breaking up compact soil, which can happen naturally in your lawn or if you have clay soil.
Aeration is important because:
💦 It allows water and nutrients into the soil.
☔️ It helps with puddling issues.
The best time to aerate your lawn is in the fall because the roots are most active and receptive. In the warm season, the best time to aerate is in the late spring or early summer.

Watch this video for more quick tips on aerating your lawn!

The primary goal of a rain garden is to capture run-off from hard surfaces such as roofs, driveways, and sidewalks in order to evaporate the water or allow it to be used by the soil and trees. Another benefit of rain gardens is to attract native wildlife and give them a natural habitat.

Where should a rain garden be installed? Look for a space along areas where water is flowing.

Watch the video for more rain garden facts and advice on how to install a rain garden!

Need advice for starting a garden in the spring? Here is some advice about how to water the new plants in your garden:
💦After aeration and seeding this fall, make sure to provide your lawn with short, frequent waterings to establish the new seed.
☘️Somewhere between 14 and 21 day mark, drop down to a longer once-daily watering. This will allow the water to absorb deeper into the soil.
📆 After about six weeks, your lawn should be established enough to return to a normal watering schedule.

Watch the video for more details about watering your garden!

The difference between annuals and perennials is basic: annuals need to be replanted every year, while low-maintenance perennials can be planted once and will bloom year after year. Unfortunately, a hard frost will kill annuals, but perennials can survive a frost.
🌺 Annuals require more water, but are more lush.
☘️ Perennials do not create as beautiful of a background, but are hardier.
🌷 Perennials do provide structure to your landscape.

Watch the video for more about the debate between annuals and perennials!

Corrugated pipe vs. PVC pipe: which one is better for drainage?

Pros of corrugated pipe:
It is cheap, very flexible, comes in large rolls, and requires no adapters to install.
Cons of corrugated pipe:
Ridges on the inside allows debris to easily clog the pipe.

Pros of PVC pipe:
It is smooth and does not easily clog.
It is typically the better choice between corrugated pipe and PVC pipe.
Cons of PVC pipe:
It requires adapters to get around bends, it only comes in 10-foot segments, and it is more expensive.

So which one should you choose? Watch the video below for our conclusion, and tips on installing corrugated pipe and PVC pipe for drainage!

It's a common question: when should I stop planting trees or bushes? Can I continue planting in my yard or garden during the winter? Our answer is simple: as long as the ground isn't frozen, you can plant what you want!

A few tips and tricks for planting during the winter months:
🚫 Do not use fertilizer, which can encourage top growth.
💦 Make sure to water your plants enough (about one inch of precipitation each week).
🌱 Do not aggressively agitate the roots.
💧 Adding mulch around the new plant will keep heat and moisture in.

Watch the video for more advice on planting in the winter!

Garden roses are absolutely stunning, but they can be incredibly difficult to maintain. Luckily, there is an alternative! Ever since their debut about 19 years ago in the pursuit of creating a drought- and disease-resistant roses, Knock Out Roses have been the plant of choice in many landscapes due to their ease of maintenance.

Benefits of knock-out roses:
💦 Extremely drought resistant - Knock Out roses do not require a lot of watering, and are extremely resistant to drought and disease.
🚫 No need to deadhead - most roses require high levels of maintenance, but Knock Out roses require very low maintenance, with no need to deadhead the roses each year.
💩 Fertilizer helps, but isn’t a requirement - these are rare roses that do not require fertilizer, although applying 10-10-10 fertilizer every 8 weeks will give your plant a boost. You can also get a rose-specific fertilizer to make your blooms pop even more.
🙅‍♂️ Only prune if they get too big - you only need to prune Knock Out roses every 3rd year, unless you want a plant larger than 4-5 feet tall!
🌹 They bloom often - if you are looking for a plant that blooms throughout the spring or summer, Knock Out roses are the answer! They bloom every 5-7 weeks from May to November.

Clearly, Knock Out roses are the best plants to buy if you are looking for low-maintenance flowers in your garden or yard. For beautiful plants from spring to fall and rose bushes that grow to new heights, look no farther than these sturdy plants. And watch the video below for tips on how to take care of your Knock Out roses!

There are four different types of salt you can use to remove ice and snow from your driveway in the winter or during a snowstorm. Not all of them are equal! Here are the types of salt and the best choice to de-ice your driveway.

1) - Urea salt is not as effective as other de-icers, but it is safe for your pets. Unfortunately, urea is the most expensive type of driveway salt and is only good down to 15 degrees.
2) - Calcium Chloride has the best cold tolerance (down to -25°!) and is ideal for colder climates.
3) - Calcium Magnesium Acetate (CMA) is the safest salt to apply to concrete since it is no more corrosive than tap water, and is often blended with other materials to increase its effectiveness. CMA will not cause damage to your driveway. Its cold tolerance is about 23 degrees.
4) - Rock Salt has a lot of benefits! It can be bought in bulk and is very cost effective. Although it can be used on either asphalt or concrete, it is highly corrosive. The cold tolerance of rock salt is about 22°.

When using any ice melt, put a coating down BEFORE the snow storm comes so the ice and snow cannot adhere to the surface of your driveway. Before re-applying your de-icer, scrape away any excess snow or ice to help save on the cost of your driveway salt.

For more tips on how to save money during the winter season, advice on how to prevent messy salt tracked in to your home or business, and more, watch the video below.

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