Hardscape Quotes - Part 3 of a 3 Part series.

 Hey everyone!    Today, we are going to finish up our 3-part quote series.   The first two in the series were lawn maintenance quotes and flower bed quotes.  Today is hardscaping quotes - and this will complete the landscaping trifecta. 

Hardscape quotes are very similar to flower quotes, in that it all depends on what you want, and how much your budget is to spend.  

First, you want to look at your design.  What do you want to do with your hardscape?   Do you want a patio?  A pergola?  A retaining wall?   A firepit?   Would you like it all to go together?    For this, you need to be able to draw out exactly what you want, and how you want it placed.   

Complete measurements are extremely important, because being off on the measurements can mean you don't have enough material, or you may have too much.   Not enough is a real pain, especially if you have to have it delivered, because then you'll have to order more, and pay another delivery fee.   Always better to err on the side of too much!   

Now look at what you want to build.  Do you want a patio?   How large?   A retaining wall?   How long and how tall?   How about a firepit?   What circumference do you want the firepit?   How tall do you want it to be?  

OK!  Once you've figured out what you want, and how  you want it to look - then  you need to figure out which material you want to use.  

Do you want to use brick?

How about stones or pavers?

Every time I've ever done hardscapes on my home, I've always tried to stick with the same material.   I love using pavers, because you can use them for so many different outdoor projects.  You can use them as hardscape around  your flower bed (don't forget your weep holes!), you can use them for a firepit, or a retaining wall.  Your imagination in your only limitation to what you can do with pavers.  

Now - this is hard work.  This is really hard work.  You'll need to be prepared to wear work gloves, and break a few nails, ladies, if this is what you want to do.   It's not easy, but the end result is spectacular, and  you'll make all your friends jealous with the work  you've done!

Thanks for joining us this week, and as always, if you have any questions about anything we've talked about, please don't hesitate to contact us!  We will be glad to help!

Flower Bed Quotes - Part 2 of a 3 Part Series

 Hey y'all, and welcome to our Toad Talk! 

This week, we are going to talk about flower bed quotes.   We get a lot of requests for quotes to build a flower bed, and we can absolutely do that.   We just need a little info from you.

First thing we need to know is your budget.   Flower beds can range in price from super inexpensive to OMG 😄.   Just depends on what you want.   You give us your budget and some ideas of what you'd like, and we can design it for you.

Second thing we need to know is what kinds of flowers you want.   Do you want annuals?   Perennials?   Do you want all flowers?

Do you want us to mix in shrubs or greenery, to break up the flowers?

What about mulch?  Do you want organic mulch?

Maybe inorganic, like rocks?

There are so many variables involved in flower beds.   You can go pretty inexpensive, and get some great color.   Inexpensive flowers can include freesia, mums, daisies, carnations, and more.   You can also go more expensive, and fill your bed with hydrangeas, peonies, lilies of the valley, and crocus.   It's just what you want - what you like to see.  You can mix them all up, too.   

Your mulches and bedding range in price from a small, cheap bag of mulch, to the more expensive smooth river rocks.   Look at cost of ownership when planning your bed filler.   Mulch is cheap right off, but will also fade over time, and needs to be replaced about once a year.  River rocks don't fade as quickly.  They look nice and last for a long time.   

Other things to consider when building a flower bed are the preparations for the bed itself.  Is it in rough shape from last year?  Does it need to be tilled or turned over from last season?  Do we need to dig out old, dead plants?   Do you want us to fertilize it for you?   What about landscape fabric?   That varies in price as well, based on thickness.

So there are lots of variables to consider when planning a flower bed.   We have 35 years of planning and building flower beds, and just give us an idea of what you're looking for, and we will be glad to help you build a nice bed that will make all your neighbors jealous!  

Just give us a call!

Lawn Service Quotes - Part 1 of a 3 Part Series

 Hey, yall!  Welcome to our Toad Talk!

So the sun is shining after a rainy few days, and that means only one thing - your grass is growing.  You go out to the shed to get your mower, and after a few grinding cranks, your mower won't turn over.    The mower repair guy is backed up for weeks, and your HOA won't let your grass go that long without service, so what do you do?   

You call a lawncare professional for a quote!   This will be the first of a couple of quote blog posts, because this is a big area to cover.  

Now.  There are many variables involved in quoting your lawn for service.   We often have people who say, "My lawn is about 1/3rd of an acre - what will you charge me to cut it?"   Well we usually don't give quotes over the phone because of the variables involved.   

Let's look at some of the variables!

First of all, of course, size does matter when it comes to your lawn.  😁   A larger lawn will always cost more than a smaller lawn.  However, it's not all about size.   

Do you have lots of flower beds?   Tree rings or stones surrounding your favorite tree?   How about this - something you may not have considered.  Are you on a corner lot?   All of those variables mean you'll need much more weedeating.   Weedeating will always affect your price.   

While we are talking about weedeating, what about fencing?  Do you have it?   If so, what kind?   Regular privacy fences don't get charged as much because they are much easier to weedeat around, but chain-link fences are difficult to weedeat around because the string from the trimmer gets wrapped up in the links, causing us to have to constantly start and stop again.   If there are lots of things in the lawn (debris, sheds, cars, playgrounds, etc), it will cost a little more as well, because again - more weedeating.  

How long is your grass?  If it's pretty high, it will take more passes with the mower, so that takes more time.   Is there debris in the yard?  Sticks, twigs, paper, etc?   That has to be picked up as well, as we don't mow over the top of debris.  

Spring clean-ups usually cost more because the lawn has basically been left for the winter months, because the grass is dormant.   However, there are other things involved in spring clean-up, like yard debris, etc.   With our clients, if we continually provide service during the winter months, we don't have to charge more for spring clean-up.   We just transition into mowing with a greater frequency.  With our winter clients, we go out about once a month, and just give the lawn a good once-over, keeping it clean and neat looking.  

We are here for you - those who are our clients, and those who are not.  

If you ever have any questions about quotes, drop us a line or give us a call!   As always, we will be "hoppy to help you!"  🐸

Much Ado About Mulching

Welcome to my Toad Talk!

Good morning, my dudes!  It's a beautiful, sunny day here in north Alabama.  It's crisp and cool, and looks to be a spectacular week.  

So let's talk about mulch, because what else would we talk about?  😆

Your beds are clean.  Your flowers are planted.  Now you're ready to mulch. 

Mulch has more than one purpose - it not only makes your flowers and shrubs stand out in your beds, but it also keeps your weeds at bay.   

There are several different kinds of mulch that you could use, so let's talk about what kinds are available, and how they work for your beds. 

First, let's talk about organic mulches.  

This is what most people use.  It's your bagged mulches from the big box stores (but buy from small, locally owned stores if you can), and it can also be compost, sawdust, pine needles, straw, or wood chips.   You can buy mulch in bulk from your landscaper, also.  He or she can deliver it to your property in his truck or trailer, and install for you.    

Pros of organic mulch:  Well, it's organic.  That's always going to be healthier for you, because there are far fewer toxins.  It also allows you to often upcycle, as those tree limbs that you no longer need can be shredded into mulch.   Also, the darker your mulch, the warmer your soil underneath will be, and your plants can use that extra few degrees of warmth for growth.  

Cons of organic mulch:  It usually only lasts for about a year, so in the spring when you're ready to redo your flower bed,  you'll probably need to redo your mulch.  It dries out, and the color fades.  The faster it fades depends on how well your beds drain, and how much rain you get.  

Next, let's talk about inorganic mulches.

There are lots of inorganic mulches as well.   You can buy plastic or rubber mulch, geotextiles, rocks or stones, as examples.  

Plastic or rubber mulches aren't recommended by the Grumpy Toad, and let me tell you why.   It's best as far as longevity, because plastic or rubber mulch can last for years.  Instead of replacing your organic mulch every year, you'll have plastic or rubber for yeeeeears.    Guess what else you'll have for years?   Toxins in your flowerbed.   Many plastics and rubber mulches have VOCs (volatile organic compounds), plus other toxins that seep into your flower bed, as the mulch heats up.   Just doesn't seem safe to me, as far as your children, your pets, or your plants.  

Other, safer inorganic mulches could be rocks or stone.   There are many, many different kids to choose from, including lava rock.  Look how porous the lava rack is!  It's also deceptively light.  Not nearly as heavy as regular rocks and stones. 

My choice?   My choice is a little of both organic mulch and stone.  I love the way it looks!

 

Thanks for stopping by, y'all, and let us know if you'd like to set up a time to work on your flower beds for you! 

“Earth laughs in flowers.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

 Hello, my friends.    Let's talk about flowers today.  

A couple of weeks ago, we talked about getting your beds ready for the season.  Hopefully you've done so, and if not, go back and read the blog from March 21, to give you ideas on how to have a super healthy bed.  

Now you want your beds to be weed free, so make sure you prepare before you plant.   The problem we are going to run into is that for any chemicals or organic, safe weed killers we do use, they run the risk of killing your flowers and plants instead.   The best way to keep weeds out of your garden is to prevent them from getting there in the first place, and then keeping an eye on the bed.  

After your bed is ready, put down a good landscaping fabric.  You can buy them in different thicknesses, and the thicker your fabric, the better deterrent they are to weeds.  Now don't just plop the fabric down on top of the weeds and hope that the lack of sunlight will kill them.  Some weeds are far too sneaky, and far too aggressive for that.   Make sure your weeds are gone first, then lay the fabric.  Also - don't assume that you're finished with weeds.  You'll need to keep an eye on your garden, and if you do see weeds, you can pluck them out.   

Next is the fun part - flowers!   We here in north Alabama are in Zone 8A.  Look for flowers that do well in our zone.   I'm going to give you a few ideas, but please - either ask me or do your own homework.  Don't rely on big box stores with garden centers.  They are usually told what to sell by corporate, and they don't take into consideration our screaming hot sun in the dead of summer.  

You want to slope your flower bed height, starting with taller flowers in the back, and the shorter ones in the front.   I'm going to give you a couple of examples, but these are not my beds.   These images are used to give you an idea of what I'm talking about. 

This image is an example of sloping the taller flowers in the back, down to the shorter ones in the front.   You obviously don't want to put small flowers in the back, because you'll never see them! 

Now this is an example of a free-standing flower bed, set apart from your house.    The same rules apply, but this time, the taller flowers are in the center, sloping down to the outside, where the smaller ones are. 

When choosing flowers,  there are so many things to keep in mind.   First of all, do you want perennials?  They come back every year.   You may just want annuals, which usually last only one year.  

Good examples of perennials that do well in our climate? 

Irises

Lupine

Peonies

Russian Sage

Yarrow

These will come back every year if they are taken care of.  These guys do well in full sun, and also have varying heights, so you can build a flower bed with these, and it will look fabulous.  

Let me add my favorite flower - it's a perennial called hyacinth.  It's beautiful, and comes in pinks, purples, whites, and blues.  It's very tall, so it would do fabulously in the back of your flower garden, and the scent will knock you out!  

These are just a few examples of flowers that will do wonderfully in your bed.  

OK now once you have your fabric laid down, and your flowers planted, next you want to mulch.  Mulch also helps tamp down your weeds.  Also, make sure you (or your lawn maintenance professional) edge well around your beds, if they aren't hardscapes.  Edging helps keeps the weeds at bay as well.  

And that's it - that's the beginning of what could be a beautiful flower bed that will make your neighbors jealous!    Just make sure your plants stay well watered (early morning or late evening), and keep an eye out for any weeds.

Feel free to email me at grumpytoadlawncare@gmail.com if you have any questions about what will or will not work in your bed.   I'll be glad to help you!

Happy planting, y'all!  🎕

Drainage - Act 2

 Hey y'all, and welcome back to my Toad Talk!   🐸

We are going to finish up our drainage talk this week.   Last week, we talked about keeping the water off the house.  This week, we are going to talk about flower bed and perimeter drainage.  

Your flowers beds and immediate perimeter need good drainage too!  The wicking and weeping power of water is amazing.  It always flows downhill, and travels the path of least resistance.    It's our job to make the path flow away from our home, and not under the house.  

We do this by making sure that our beds drain away from the home.  There are ways to do this, some that we touched on last week.   If your beds are hardscaped, just have weep holes for the water to drain, and when you are building your bed, let your mind follow the path of the water.  Think about where it's going to come from, and where it's going to go.

Remember - it takes the path of least resistance.   

If your beds are edged, there will be an "escape," or weep hole 2 ft apart at the bottom of the edging.  That drains the water away, as long as you have weep holes in the hardscape, or your mulched bed tilts somewhat downward.  The important thing for you to remember is the water has to be able to leave the beds to get to the weep holes in the edging.  

You should make sure the soil around your house has 2" fall, 5' outside the drip edge of your home.  What that means is that you need to allow the rainwater to flow downhill.   Starting at the drip edge, until you are about 5' out, slowly allow the soil to fall 2" lower than where it begins at your house.  That makes for proper drainage.   Now keep in mind that soil will also erode, so you'll need to keep an eye on it to make sure that erosion doesn't wash your soil away entirely. 

The moral of this story is, the further we get the water away, the less damage it can do.   Remember - the Grand Canyon all started by the flow of water.  

In closing - check out these beautiful examples of ways to drain water away from your home.  It's call "rainscaping," and you can do it any way you like.  All you need is a little imagination, and a good load of smooth river rock!

Till next time! 

Drainage - A Play in 2 Parts

 Hey y'all, and welcome to my weekly Toad Talk!  

This week we're going to talk about drainage.   It's going to be a biggie, because proper drainage is extremely important to keep your lawn and flower beds healthy.  

Part 1 - Drainage Off The House

Here, we are going to start at the top.  First thing we need to do is clear all the sticks, leaves, and loose roof gravel from the nooks and valleys of our roof.   This debris prevents water from flowing properly, and causes it to pool in the nooks and crannies.   That doesn't sound so bad, right?   WRONG.   Built-up water causes the water to wick up inside your shingles, which will cause major roof leaks and even worse, rotting of the roof.  

Next, we need to clean out the flats of the gutters - again, removing all sticks, leaf matter, and debris from roof gravel.   Clean out the downspout elbows also, as we are washing out our gutters.  This prevents gutter overflow, which can backflow into your soffit and facia, causing rot or mold inside the the soffit, which can eventually grow into your interior walls.  

Y'all - it's extremely important to keep your gutters clean.  

Keeping your gutters clean prevents 90% of facia rot, rafter tail rot, soffit mold, and edgeline roof leaks, all which can add up to be very expensive repairs.  

Next, let's move on to our lower downspouts.  We want to insure that they are also clean of all debris.  We want our draining to be extended at least 4' off of our house, to prevent crawlspace flooding.   Even a small amount of water that gets inside your crawlspace can cause mold and mildew to grow inside the crawlspace.  It could permeate inside your home, making for respiratory issues for you and your family.  

Irrigated flowerbeds should also have proper weep holes if you have hardscapes, or sloped off the house if not edged.  

Y'all, standing water is never good.  Just these few steps to start can save you thousands in repairs and mold mitigation around your house.

Thanks for reading, and always remember!  Nothing grows without water!   ... just keep it outside.  😉