Your lawn’s spring time regiment should consist of these important steps.

Your first step should be clean up. Winter can wreak havoc on your lawn, start by raking up any of the left over leaves, sticks and twigs left over from the fall.

Next you’ll want to contact your chosen lawn maintenance provider and have them properly aerate your grass. If your lawn receives a good amount of use throughout the year it can cause it to become compacted. Aerating helps by removing plugs of sod, loosening the soil and helping water and fertilizer down to root structure of the grass.

You’ll then want to have a top dressing applied. By adding a thin layer of peat moss evenly over your entire lawn you help gradually strengthen the lawn throughout the year. Helping it greatly resist weeds, disease and ground cover. It also helps reduce the amount of water and fertilizer needed for the lawn.

You now can move on to the dead spots. Whether it comes from dog urination or weeds, dead spots can be an eye sore. Simply remove the dead grass and sprinkle some new seed along with some fertilizer. Make sure to keep it damp until the new grass starts to show.

Through out the year along with it’s regular mowings your going to want to keep your grass weed free. Despite having the top dressing a weed still manages to pop up here and there. Also thatch blocks sunlight, moisture and oxygen from getting to the grass so removing the build will keep your grass looking healthy.

Now is the time to come up with a yearly lawn maintenance plan with your lawn care specialist and keep your yard looking the best on the block all year round.

Some of the services that Grass Roots Landscaping and Home Improvements offer include:

Landscape Design and Installation – whether there is a completed lawn or simply a dirt patch, Grass Roots has the expertise to handle your design smoothly. Grass Roots professionals can convert your open spaces, lawns or property into appealing living areas.

Hardscape Design and Installation – this word is used to convey an outdoor house or lawn attachment that is erected using materials such as brick, wood concrete or asphalt. This can increase home value or make your property look attractive. Some hardscaping constructions are patios, walkways and driveways.

Drainage and Erosion Control – it is important for a property to have a good working drainage and erosion system. An efficient system helps to steer water away from the property into assigned areas. Erosion can be taken care of by using sod to balance soil or by way installing new drainage fixtures.

Outdoor Lighting and Amenities – lighting is a valuable aspect of any property. It can add artistic effects or can be used for safety and security reasons.

Water features – having a water feature, can help your property attract attention and be conspicuous. The benefits of having a water feature is that the audible noise of running water can be calming and refreshing. In addition, running water blocks out the day to day sounds of traffic or neighbors around.

Home Improvements – since your home is where you spend most of your time, you would want to make sure that it is kept in the best possible condition for yourself and family. Home improvements make your property more visibly attractive and can increase the financial value of it also.

Keeping the gutters and downspouts in working order will help to prevent water that runs off the roof from soaking into the ground at the walls. Landscaping that creates a gentle slope provides a means of diverting water away from the house as well.

Another important component in maintaining a good landscape is erosion control. Strategically directing the storm water runoff in the right direction is very helpful. Using sod, vegetation, and trees are very effective ways to stabilize the soil. Not only does controlling erosion prevent deterioration of the soil, but water pollution will be significantly reduced.

Individuals with property that borders a body of water not only have to be concerned with rain water, they must find ways to protect against water erosion caused by the body of water itself, whether it be a river, lake, or the ocean. Many soil erosion specialists use riprap along the edge of the water to protect the soil. Riprap is also referred to as rock armour, a term that is descriptive of its function. It is made of stone, usually granite or limestone, to serve as a buffer between the land and water. Control of erosion is best handled by a company with the resources to handle it professionally.

Grass Roots Landscaping and Home Improvements has the experience and expertise to make your living space more interesting and desirable to both your family and possible future residents.

Attention is focused on a home that appears to be cared for. Make a good first impression by sprucing up the landscape and exterior of the house. A neat yard with well placed shrubs and plants and a clean face on the house will shout to passersby that this place is loved.

The center of a home has always been and will continue to be the kitchen. Buyers will usually look at the kitchen first and want to know that it is clean and functional. They are impressed when there are matching appliances that meet the standards of energy efficiency, and counters and cabinets have a smooth finish with doors and drawers that open and close easily. Your family deserves this, too.

Home buyers look for homes with at least two bathrooms. But if you cannot find the space to build a second bathroom, why not remodel the existing one and install double sinks. Bathrooms are number two on the list of a buyer’s concerns, so make the one you have so attractive they will forget the ‘other’ bathroom.

Adequate storage is not only essential for you and your family but is something that house hunting individuals will find appealing about your home. Even if there is not enough room to enlarge a closet, the existing space can be improved with enough drawers and more shelves to accommodate all the clutter that is now crammed into the closet.

Grass Roots Landscaping and Home Improvements can advise you on the improvements that will make your home the one the buyer will want.

Besides moving a favorite tree, new homeowners may bemoan the lack of privacy shrubs to which they have grown accustomed. Rather than waiting for nursery-bought shrubs to reach maturity, a privacy hedge can be installed fully grown. Established landscapes may be begging for the addition of a special tree or shrub with off-season blooms, yet aesthetic placement requires moving other perennial elements out of the way first. Fortunately, Signature Trees can help with all of these needs. With a team of tree-moving specialists, they can handle trees over 30 feet in height with one of the highest survival rates in the business.

How Does the Tree Moving Process Work?

The first step is calling for an appointment, after which a specialist will assess the site(s) for access and utilities and provide an estimate. Special equipment will be brought in to prepare the new home for the tree or shrub, before it is removed from the old location. Care is taken to stabilize the tree both during the move and after placement, as it may take a while for the roots to recover. With an intimate knowledge of tree needs and the specialized equipment to get the job done, Signature Trees ensures the best possible survival rates.

Whether you are looking to replace one tree with another, moving a favorite tree full of family memories, or just wanting to get a head start on enjoying a new property, tree and shrub relocation services may be able to help. You don’t have to wait 10 years or more to enjoy the benefits of shade trees and border shrubs with the tree-moving services of Signature Trees.

We use several types of equipment for snow removal. We offer snow plowing with pickup trucks, one tone dump trucks, backhoes, tractors and skid loaders. We are responsible for snow removal throughout the immediate Annapolis area and beyond from commercial warehouses to residential communities.

With snow removal, the most important part is getting it done quicly to prevent any accidents or hassle to businesses and their customers. Grass Roots, Inc. is conveniently located just outside Annapolis, Maryland and can respond quickly to locations throughout Maryland, Washington D.C. and Virginia.

Businesses, schools and other such places need to remain open and have safe walkways and driveways at all hours. When this is not done, it is an inconvenience to the patrons and people that need to access the business. This can also be a hazard and a potential lawsuit if appropriate areas are not open and maintained during snowy weather. Having a reliable snow removal company like Grass Roots, Inc. will ensure that all of these needs are met.

In Maryland and the mid-Atlantic region, one never knows what the winter months will bring. Having access to a professional and reputable snow removal company is important. Contact us to learn more about our snow removal services and how we can help your business or community.

Lawn

Continue mowing your lawn until the first frost hits and after the final mowing, rake the clippings so they won’t smother the roots. Aerate the soil and plant seeds in thin spots. To strengthen the root system, spread out a winterizing fertilizer.

Perennials

Before the soil is frozen, trim back perennial flowers leaving one inch of stem and do the same with herbs. Clean out the dead leaves and other debris from the area around the plants and mulch with wood chips for insulation.

Shrubs, Bushes, and Annuals

Around the middle of autumn, take out all the dead plants from bed or planters. Bushes will need to be trimmed and any dead parts need to be cut off. Insulate the beds with wood chips and cover rose bushes with burlap that contain straw.

Trees

Halfway through fall, water your trees with one inch of water every week until the ground is frozen. Cut back all the dead parts and any low-lying branches. Add mulch around the base but leave a small area between the mulch and the trunk to keep out rodents. Trees that are not very old may need to be wrapped and you may want to fertilize when fall is at an end.

Watering System

To avoid damage to hoses, drain them and store them inside a storage room or garage. If you have a sprinkler system, use a compressor to get rid of the water and when that is done, leave the valves open a bit to prevent a rise in pressure.

Deicing Protection

For vegetation that is close to the driveway or sidewalks, you need to protect it from the chemicals and/or salt that will be used for deicing. You can cover the ground with plastic and sensitive plants with burlap or plastic. Gypsum can be added on top the dirt to help absorb the salt.

“I have used Grass Roots for over ten years on many residential projects of varying levels of complexity. They have always done an outstanding job. The company has been reliable and delivered the highest quality landscape work.” John, Davidsonville, Maryland.

Grass Roots is a family owned and operated company, proud of its well earned reputation as one of the leading landscaping firms in the Annapolis area. Find out more about Grass Roots services and schedule your free consultation today!