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2/6/2020

When is the best time to start a lawn?

Spring is in the air! It's time to plant grass!

Actually, it's not.
[Did you hear the sound of that record scratching?!]

To clarify- you can definitely plant grass in the spring, but you may not get the long term results you're hoping for. The best time to plant cool season grasses (fescue) in the fall. The cooler temperatures we have during the fall months allow the grass to germinate, establish, and build strong roots through the winter.

When grass seed is planted in the spring, however, your new lawn can’t catch a break before the summer heat kicks in. The grass seed will look great and fill in well, but because the roots aren't fully established, the heat will stress the new fescue plants. The density of the grass will then fall off during the summer, and patchy areas can form, requiring more seed.

Growing a lawn takes time, so don't give up when you don't see immediate results. If you're starting from scratch, be ready for it to take 18-24 months to fully establish. If you already have some existing healthy turf, expect about a year to get it built up. Here are some ways to ensure that when springtime comes, your yard is looking its best.

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1/15/2020

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HONEY BEES AREN'T THE ONES IN DANGER

This article is intended to bring attention to local pollinators, and show how focusing on honey bees does not solve "the bee problem".

THE SITUATION

Managed honey bees are not in decline.

Most people know the danger that honeybees face, and I have been wondering for years if honeybees are in danger of extinction. I'll preface this by saying- I’m not a scientist or a botanist. These are my observations from studying this situation over the years. The bottom line is, from the research I have found, honeybees are not in true danger of becoming extinct.

I have a chart below documenting the total number of colonies in the United States. It does indeed indicate fluctuation in the number of national colonies, but not with enough variance to support colony collapse disorder (CCD) as a widespread threat. It actually shows an increase in the total number of colonies. I believe that the continued awareness regarding pollinators as a whole has been beneficial, but could also have the potential to be used for other agendas. Again, the net publicity has been good- but it can also have some side effects (which I cover a bit later on).

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1/13/2020

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MY SIX RULES FOR LANDSCAPE DESIGN

I often get asked what goes into creating a landscape design. Honestly, it's a hard question to answer. Every space has so many variables! The terrain and soil composition can vary wildly from property to property. There is a dizzying array of plant and tree options, as well as material choices. The way the sun hits each spot in the yard must be taken into account when selecting plants, as well as considering the drainage situation in each area. Some slopes bring moisture to a space, while others take it away. Additionally, existing structures and trees will need to be incorporated into the new space.

Even after considering material options and environmental variance, there is then the question of personal preference. Just as every landscape designer has their signature trees, shrubs and perennials, most clients also have their own favorites. All these variables aside, there are still some general rules of thumb for landscaping that I apply to just about every space I design.

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About Easton Outdoors

We started out as the neighborhood lawn boys – a group of high school friends trying to make some pocket change. It soon became more. We realized how much we enjoyed landscaping. Over the years, we've transformed hundreds of properties, beautified countless landscapes, and made many homeowners proud. This has become our passion!

Easton Outdoors is a premier landscaping business located in Yorktown, Virginia. Our specialties are water features and waterfalls, landscape design and installation, and drainage solutions.