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How Landscaping Can Increase Your Home’s Value

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How Landscaping Can Increase Your Home's Value

Landscaping is one of the most effective methods that can help increase the value of your home. Not only that, but it is also great for the environment and has been shown to improve your health as well. So, regardless of what you intend to do with your home in the future, a quality landscaping design can boost your curb appeal while increasing the property value. So, let’s take a look at some ways that you can increase your home’s value with a landscaping design.

Design The Landscape With A Strategy In Mind

If you are looking to increase your home’s value with a landscaping project, you will need to implement a specific strategy. For example, you wouldn’t want to just fill your yard with various plantings and landscape design elements for the sake of adding them to the yard. You might want to work with a professional who can help you achieve a uniform look with the right amount to keep things interesting, but not so little that it comes off plain and boring.

Add Trees To The Yard

While this might seem like a simple strategy, adding a few trees to your landscape can make a huge difference in the value of your home. In fact, in one study by the Wall Street Journal, including trees helped homes sell for 10-15% more than their asking prices. There are many reasons for this, some of them include: trees can remove carbon dioxide and pollution from the air; trees are viewed as an environmentally-friendly option; the shade that trees produce also keeps yards cooler and more inviting; and finally, plants, including trees, bring a relaxing and calming feeling to your space.

Have A Uniform Style Between Your Home And Landscape

Another great way to increase your home’s overall value is to create a singular style and sticking with that style. For example, if you have a modern style home with a Mediterranean-style landscape design, it can create too many opportunities for design clashing and it would take away from the home’s appeal. So, your best option would be to create a versatile landscape that you can adapt to any style home, in the event your taste changes or you decide to sell your house.

Add Color

Having a garden with full, leafy plants and vibrant flora will add color, texture, and dimension to your landscape. These beautiful flowers and blooming plants will create an instant curb appeal to your home and give your landscape a well-maintained appearance. You may also want to include aromatic plants and flowers as those will invite birds and butterflies to your yard. 

These are just a few ways you can use landscaping to add more value to your home. For more information or if you are looking for professionals to assist you in your landscaping project, give Giovine Landscaping a call at (973) 325-1758 today!

Essential Gardening Tools You Must Have

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Essential Gardening Tools You Must Have

As the weather begins to slowly get warmer, it is important to begin thinking about the improvements you can make to your garden this coming spring. In order to make some of these changes, you are going to need the right tools for certain jobs. So, in this article, we are going to look at some of the most essential gardening tools everyone should have for landscaping

Weeder

If you are looking to tackle weeds, your best option will be to get simple weeder, rather than polluting the garden with any harmful chemicals. These small hand tools have a forked end which makes them ideal for digging individual weeds and removing them by the root. Plus, if you use your weeder correctly, you should be able to remove all of the offending plants so that it does not return. This will require some hard work though as removing weeds one at a time can be a time-consuming process.

Garden Scissors

Garden scissors are an essential but sometimes overlooked tool for gardeners. The reason for this is that they are extremely versatile and you can use them to a lot of simple chores. For example, you can use them for opening seed packets, performing delicate pruning jobs of small flowers, and you can also use them to dig out weeds if you have nothing else available. You will just need to be sure to clean them thoroughly afterwards. As a gardener, you need to be ready to improvise when the right tool is not at hand, and with a tool as versatile as garden scissors, you can do just that. 

Curved Blade Digging Shovel

Having a full-length curved blade digging shovel is a staple gardening tool and for good reason. You can use your shovel for a lot of the heavy-duty digging jobs such as planting trees and large shrubs. Shovels are also great when you are working over a lot of soil over a short amount of time. You can use it to loosen up the soil and get it ready for planting before you use a rake to break down any lumps and get the soil into a smooth finish that is ready for planting.

Gardening Gloves

Many people enjoy the feeling of dirt in their hands, but despite that, you still need a good pair of gardening gloves. They will definitely help you avoid any unwanted blisters from handing digging. Make sure you get a versatile pair that can help with weeding, planting, landscaping, picking fruit and vegetables to name a few.

Wheelbarrow

When it comes to digging out new gardens or taking care of a weed infestation, you’re bound to develop a lot of waste material. This is where having a wheelbarrow can be extremely useful because even if you have a backyard compost, you can use the wheelbarrow to carry the waste there. It will help save you a lot of time and effort, but make sure that the tires are properly inflated before you get to work.

These are just some of the essential gardening tools you should have and there are plenty more. For more information on this or any other landscaping needs, be sure to call Giovine Landscaping at (973) 325-1758!

Upcycling Ideas For Your Garden

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Upcycling Ideas For Your Garden

Garden waste is a very common problem and to reduce the amount that we produce, households have been urged to upcycle items rather than throwing them away. The great thing about this is that you can upcycle just about anything and place it into your garden. Doing so, not only will help you save money along with the environment, but it can also be a unique project that can show your personality for others to see. Plus, you don’t have to be a green-fingered garden pro or a DIY expert to do this. Take a look at some easy upcycling tips that anyone can try.

Plant Pots

Almost anything can be turned into a plant pot. You can use a wheelbarrow which is no longer working or even old boots that you planned on throwing out. Simply fill them with soil and then plant seeds or flowers straight into them and it will help give your garden personality while also reducing waste.

Pallets

An easy way to create your own organized and healthy garden is by making your wooden pallet. Now, you can purchase these at any garden center, but making them on your own is just as easy and will be much more useful moving forward. The best part is that the rows created by the wooden slots will make sure weeds do not grow amongst your flowers and plants. Also, if you want to get creative, you can use these pallets for a variety of other purposes. For example, you can use them for benches, storage boxes, and even outside tables.

Jam Jars

Are you unsure what to do with your empty jam jars? All you have to do is give it a rinse with hot water to sterilize it and remove the labels. Then, you can get creative and paint the jar and place it outside as a nice outdoor decoration. If you want something simpler, you can use them at home and place freshly-cut flowers inside them.

Tiles

Do you have any spare tiles lying around your house? They would be perfect to create garden labels. All you need is to use pens to write or draw what you are planting in the soil, stick the tiles to lollipop sticks and then you can put them into the soil. You can also do this with any slate or even old cutlery.

Tires

A very common challenge comes in figuring out what to do with tires from old cars. A great suggestion would be to stack them to create a deep plant pot, cut them in half and then place them amongst the soil to create a unique adventure playground for your children. You can also use them as a break between grass and borders. 


These are just a few simple ways you can use everyday items around the house to spruce up your yard. For more landscaping needs, feel free to call Giovine Landscaping at (973)-325-1758!

5 Winter Landscaping Tips

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Winter Landscaping Tips

If you own a garden in a snowy region, you probably have a plethora of reasons to get cold feet about the winter. For example, while your plants are at rest, their bright colors dissipate and leave a palette of white and gray. So, with nothing to plant, most might think that there are very few landscaping tips for this season. However, by focusing on a few areas during the winter, you can keep a beautiful landscape that shines even through the restful season. So, here are five winter landscaping tips to help your yard.

Focus On Bark

Most transient trees lose their leaves in the wintertime which leaves their branches and trunks in focus. However, that can actually be a good thing. According to Barbara Pierson who is a nursery manager at White Flower Farm in Litchfield, Connecticut, “if you have any interesting ornamental trees that have really visually distinctive bark, they will end up adding winter interest.” A majority of those trees and shrubs are smaller, so they are easier to find spots for in the winter landscape. 

Include Berries

There are many trees and shrubs that have berries and hold onto them during the fall and winter seasons. This can provide food for any birds who are spending the winter in your area. Pierson mentions that crabapples, specifically hold onto their little fruit which makes them a great addition to the winter landscape.

Remember Evergreens

There are many reasons as to why evergreens are great for a winter landscape. First is their color. Evergreens do not just come in green; they are available in yellow, blue, and all colors in between. They also make good design sense and not only are they important for the winter landscape but they are good focal points for all year-round. Barabara Pierson says if you are planting a new bed, you will want to have at least one evergreen.

Enhance Your Summertime Containers

Hanging baskets, window boxes and winter-hardy containers are all indispensable for winter landscaping. A few options that are perfect for the winter include miniature dwarf Alberta spruce and broadleaf evergreens like Japanese Andromeda, holly and rhododendron. The only caveat is that they need to be watered during the dry periods. According to Pierson, “fill your containers with evergreen boughs of different textures and colors and interesting twigs, anything with color in it.”  

Stick With Four-Season Perennials

Certain perennials have evergreen foliage such as ornamental grasses, hellebores, and even dianthus with its low-creeping foliage which makes them great for winter landscaping. Be sure to read the plant label to ensure that the plant has foliage in the winter so that you can see it all year-round.

Conclusion

By implementing some of these simple tips, you will be able to add texture, color, and beauty to your yard even during the winter months. These tips can also keep your yard in tip-top shape throughout the year, helping you stay ahead of the curve. And as always, for any landscaping needs, especially during the winter, be sure to give Giovine Landscaping a call at (973) 325-1758.

How To Prepare Your Lawn For The Winter

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Winter is coming quick with weather already dropping into the 20’s and your lawn can actually become damaged due to this severe weather.  Cold weather damage leaves nasty dead spots, unhealthy soil, and weak growing grass.  While you may want to do nothing more than hibernate and sit by the fire this winter, there is some work that needs to be done first to care for your lawn in order to prevent dead lawn spots from forming.  Doing this little bit of work up front will create a lush green lawn built upon healthy soil this spring.  By simply protecting your grass and following a strategy to promote lush spring growth, you can almost guarantee a healthy lawn this spring.    

Protect Your Grass This Winter

Firstly, clear your yard of leaves because just keeping your yard clear will protect your lawn.  A pile of leaves sitting on your lawn is one way the grass underneath gets killed since this pile blocks water, sunlight and air from reaching your grass.  Next, put down a layer of mulch surrounding your plants, trees, and shrubs to give them extra protection this winter.  Putting down mulch helps maintain a uniform temperature in the soil around your plants.  You can use your lawnmower to mulch a small amount of leftover leaves on your property, which creates a layer of nutrients for your grass to absorb.  Another way to protect young trees is to wrap a wire mesh around them protecting them from animals gnawing on the bark during winter. 

Usually during winter, it is much easier to walk across the grass then to use the sidewalk, especially if the sidewalk is slippery with ice but by cutting this path across your grass, the grass will have a difficult time re-growing in the spring.  Try not to continually walk across your grass and keep sidewalks clean and walkable during the winter.  Rock salt can damage your lawn as well.  When applying rock salt to your driveway and sidewalk, make sure to avoid the lawn and the plants.  You can also wash away any salt with a hose or bucket of water if you get rock salt on your lawn and plants.  These above strategies prevent damage to your grass so that dead spots won’t form during the spring.    

Promote A Healthy and Lush Spring Growth

Fertilizing your lawn during the fall is one of the best ways to add nutrients to your lawn that will make it full and lush during spring.  During the hot summer months, nutrients are lost and by fertilizing in the fall, nutrients will get trapped in the soil during the cold and freezing winter months.  These trapped nutrients will be released in the spring causing a lush lawn to grow.  Also, clean up any items left on your lawn whether that’s toys, lawn furniture or stray logs before the first snow comes.  You can clean your lawn of these objects before the last mow of the season and do occasional sweeps during the winter months as well.  If an object gets frozen to the lawn, it can create dead spots and, in the spring, those areas will appear stunted and thinner.

It is a good idea to aerate your lawn in the fall as well.  Aerating your lawn will give your grass the chance to breathe before it becomes dormant for the winter and relieve any soil compaction that has developed during the warmer summer months.  You can purchase an aerator at your local home depot.  An aerator removes plugs of soil from your lawn loosening compacted soil and allowing vital air, water, and nutrients to reach the roots of your grass.  Doing so, gives your grass the ability to grow fuller in the springtime. 

Conclusion

Strategies like clearing your lawn, mulching leaves, keeping it free of rock salts, and adding fertilizer are all ways you can prevent damage to your lawn this winter and provide your lawn nutrients that help it flourish in the spring.  It is a small amount of work to complete these tasks but having a lush lawn free of dead spots will be well worth it.  For your landscaping needs, call Giovine Landscaping at (973) 325-1758. 

Best Fall Fertilization Treatment

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Too often, we see landscapes go neglected during colder months and then get doused in fertilizer come early spring, right when the grass is already blooming. In reality, prepping your lawn during fall is one of the wisest steps you can take to have a lush and healthy spring and summertime bloom. After a long season of nutrient depletion and intense summer sun, fertilization can help restore the ground, making it less vulnerable to winter frost and better rooting any new seeds you may have planted during this time. The best time to fertilize your soil is after mowing season but before your ground freezes over. While this may vary depending on your location, oftentimes this falls between October and November. Here are some of the tips we recommend for the best fall fertilization treatment.

How Much Fertilizer?

Too often we see companies promoting the use of way too much fertilizer simply for more sales. However, too much fertilizer can harm your garden. As a rule of thumb, according to the University of Illinois, for every 1000 square feet, we suggest you either go with one pound of soluble nitrogen or two pounds of slow-release nitrogen. Many fertilizer packages at your gardening store will have a chart to help you figure out how much you need.

What Type of Fertilizer?

Fertilizer should have a nitrogen to phosphorus to potassium ratio of 24-4-12 or something similar since this ratio extends the release time of the nitrogen, allowing it to slowly nourish the ground for longer. Extended-release nitrogen is important, especially in times of winter dormancy. As always, fertilizer with too much phosphorus can lead to poisonous water run-off.

Also, the amount of nitrogen you’ll need differs depending on the type of turf. Cool-season grasses, such as Kentucky Bluegrass, which are more popular in northern states, have different fall fertilization needs than more southern warm-season turf. The pH of your soil is important to know too. Many homeowners don’t know this off the tops of their heads, so we recommend visiting a plant store that offers a soil testing kit so you can adjust the type of fertilizer – based on what nutrients your soil needs most — accordingly.

When to Schedule Your Fall Fertilization

Many fertilizer companies recommend four feedings for each season, but we see that your lawn may benefit from a single summer feeding and then a lighter fall feeding. For most of our customers who have cool-season grasses, October to November is the best time to fertilize. To get even more specific, we recommend six weeks before the first frost of the season, since any time afterward, the fertilizer is unable to penetrate the soil.

Aerate and Water!

Aerate your lawn before you fertilize so that it’s able to better penetrate the soil. Depending on the size of your property, you can rent an aerator for a small fee or hire a company to do it for you. Also, make sure to water your grass before applying fertilizer so that you don’t accidentally wash off all the valuable nutrients into run-off.

Get Rid of Weeds

Fertilization benefits can get derailed if your lawn is overrun with weeds that are soaking up all those nutrients. Fall is a great time to properly remove them so that they’re less likely to spring up during the warmer seasons.

As with most things, lawns see the best results with some thoughtful preparation. Instead of waiting until next year to begin taking care of your lawn, fall is a great time to implement some of the tips we recommended so that you can have a dream turf during the spring. If you have any questions about fall fertilization, be sure to contact Giovine Landscaping. We’ll take care of your landscaping with our years of expertise and professionalism!

Top Five Ways to Keep Your Lawn Healthy in the Fall (and Beyond)

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The end of summer doesn’t mean that you should just let your beautiful lawn and garden wither away until Spring. Fall is a wonderful opportunity to do some much-needed maintenance on your property so that it will continue to look well kept year-round. Preparing your lawn for winter helps lay down a good foundation for a solid spring bloom. Here are some recommendations we’ve compiled from our expert landscaping team to keep your lawn healthy in the fall.

Remove Decaying Items

Fall leaves are one of the best things about the season – they’re lovely to look at and fun for the kids to stomp around in, but they’re hazardous to the health of your grass. As you leave them sitting in piles or just scattered around your lawn, they will trap moisture underneath and make your grass more likely to wither. Not only that, dead leaves are a breeding ground for fungi, pests, and even small animals.

Mow, Mow, Mow!

One of the most common mistakes we see when fall comes around is that property owners may stop mowing their lawns, believing that the colder weather will immediately cause the grass to stop growing. That’s not the case! If you let your grass overgrow, snow mold is more likely to take up residence. However, if you cut it too short, you may hurt the root system and make it more susceptible to the winter weather. In accordance with Colorado State University, we recommend a length of about three inches, which tends to be the lowest setting on traditional mowers.

Also, mowing will give you the added benefit of helping turn fallen leaves into nutritious mulch!

Aerate Your Soil

A good glass of wine isn’t the only thing that should be aerated in the fall! Aerating creates beneficial holes in the ground while also removing dirt plugs. This important step keeps the soil loose, making it easier to absorb water, oxygen, and nutrients – all key elements in having a lush and vibrant springtime lawn. Without this step, all the fertilizer and mulch you use may not be getting to the roots and might be wasted entirely.

To aerate your lawn, you can rent or purchase a lawn aerator that will operate similarly to a mower. For smaller landscapes, there are shoes with sharp tacks underneath that will get a similar effect when you walk around. It’s often easier to hire a landscaping contractor to do it for larger pieces of property.

Fertilize

Any landscaper worth his salt will tell you that fertilizer should be applied in late fall to have the best effect. Any earlier and the grass will grow just in time for the winter frost. Any later, the root system won’t have time to properly absorb all the nutrients. Trust us, if you fertilize properly at the right time, you’ll keep your lawn healthy in the fall, all the way until spring.

Lay Down Seed

Fall weather tends to be damper and more temperate throughout the day, which are great conditions for seed germination. By laying down new turf, you can help give your lawn the extra boost it needs before spring so that there aren’t any unsightly bare areas.

Keep Your Lawn Healthy in the Fall to Enjoy It in the Spring

A great lawn is a thing of beauty! But most beautiful things don’t come easy. Maintaining your grounds during the fall may seem tedious, but it’s a worthwhile investment for how much greener and healthier they’ll appear in the spring. We’ve often noticed that when homeowners try to cut corners on these steps or fall behind schedule, their grass suffers noticeably next year. If you want a professional to help you with the process, contact Giovine Landscaping! We can get the job done properly for you!

Landscaping Design Style Ideas for Fall

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After a long summer of barbecues and soaking up the sun while reading or enjoying a tall glass of water, you may not want to go inside just yet. One way to keep the outdoor space fresh is a change of scenery for your backyard. According to the University of Minnesota, being in nature can have a positive impact on our health and improve our overall well-being. Whether you want to spruce up your entire lawn or simply add a touch of interest in an unused section, here is a list of design style ideas from trusted landscaping professionals to help give you some inspiration! 

1. Create an inviting outdoor space 

It’s important that you are able to use your outdoor spaces even as the season gets a bit colder and the long days of sunlight dwindle. One easy way to make it cozier for your family and guests is to introduce more light. If you want warmth to be the central focus of your backyard, an outdoor fireplace or firepit can easily create both an awe-inspiring design element as well as a functional piece that will allow you to use your backyard well into the fall. Similarly, more homeowners have been deciding to upgrade their grill with a full outdoor kitchen. This can easily carve out a section of your lawn that feels homier and allows guests to gather around. 

Even more subtle lighting, such as lining walkways with lanterns, can make a backyard more pleasing and usable.

2. Rethink your walkways 

As mentioned earlier, you can line walkways with more lighting elements. This can create a warm ambient glow to your home that isn’t as harsh as other forms of artificial light but it also prevents guests from tripping over rocks or plants at night. 

In addition, make sure that your walkways are paved with a very sturdy material that won’t wear down as easily with frequent use so that it can be smooth to walk on. Furthermore, think about the route that your walkway has across your landscape. What good is having a beautiful bird fountain or a flower garden if it isn’t easy to see from your walkway? Consider the features that you want your walkway to access and design the path you imagine. Having a very tailored and well thought out walkway will make you want to use your outdoor spaces more, since they’ll be easier to access, but also it elevates the entire appearance of your home. 

3. Introduce another garden 

Herb gardens have been rising in popularity and for good reason. Having a small herb garden can create a nice touch in your landscape as well as flavor in the kitchen. They are easy to maintain and create since they are relatively simple in design and size. For example, a wooden box can function as a rustic herb garden easily. We recommend having it close to the entrance to your kitchen for easy access. 
If flowers are more your style, you can introduce a berm. A berm is a raised patch of land, often created by a mound of dirt, that you can build flowers or a young tree on. These niche flower gardens don’t take as much work as maintaining a much larger garden but they can add some vibrancy and warmth to an otherwise bland and unused corner of your home.

Whether you have a fully shaped vision for your home or business or just an inkling, our experts at Giovine Landscape can help make it a reality. We offer expert advice accumulated both over years of designing and maintaining other beautiful landscapes as well as the care we have for our clients and our hope that they are proud of the homes they live in. Contact us today to schedule a consultation!

How GreenScaping Makes Your Lawn Healthier

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A healthy lawn is also a pretty lawn! Healthy lawns increase the curb appeal of your home, which actually raises your home’s value. Not only that, but when your lawn is in good health, other greenery and vegetation can grow, giving you more use out of your yard. Read on for tips on how to keep your lawn healthy this summer!

What is GreenScaping?

Greenscaping is the process of using particular landscaping methods to improve the health and “greenness” of your lawn, while simultaneously preserving and stimulating natural resources. Planting specific types of plants that require less care not only saves you time but also eliminates unnecessary water and chemical use. Additionally, you can reduce yard waste by recycling yard trimmings into fertilizer. 

Compost and Mulch

According to the EPA, a single teaspoon of “healthy” soil contains as many as four billion organisms. These organisms build a healthier environment by creating a structure conducive to root growth and the recycling of nutrients. Additionally, you can take steps to ensure that your soil contains the right ingredients needed for proper growth. One such action is to get a soil test done, informing you which nutrients are lacking in your soil. 

Another thing you can do is add compost to your top soil. By digging six to twelve inches deep and inserting one to three inches of compost, you are introducing crucial growing material needed by the plants. Furthermore, you can add mulch, a layer of organic material, around the plant. Mulch serves to balance soil temperature, prevent weeds, provide vital resources for plants, and reduce the amount of water consumed by the plant. 

Know Your Yard

Each lawn and garden is unique and best suits different sets of plants. Do some research on the type of plants that are conducive to the weather and soil available in your geographic region. For example, if you live in a colder area with poorer soil, it would be in your best interest to grow a plant such as the Blue Spruce. On the other hand, if you live in a warmer area, it would be better to grow a plant that requires less water such as the Agave. 

It would also benefit your garden to use plants that have defenses against pests and diseases. Additionally, compost and mulch will help provide key nutrients to your yard.

Comprehensive Pest Prevention Process

One of the most prominent and popular ways to prevent pests is by using pesticides, which are often full of chemicals. Luckily, there are some natural strategies you can try to keep pests away. For example, if you use a myriad of plants, you will have enough variety that many will survive even if a pest attacks. Another strategy is to mow higher off the ground so as to increase the strength of your plants’ roots. And, of course, make sure to regularly remove weeds and diseased plants.

It’s important to first identify the problem before attacking it and looking for ways to solve it. Some plants may be damaged because of improper watering and mowing practices. Additionally, you can use long handled pullers, mulching, and crop rotation techniques to protect your plants.

Healthy Watering

Many people tend to continuously and thoroughly overwater their plants which can actually be quite harmful. Most plants will do better if their soil dries partially between waterings. Look for clues that your lawn and plants need more water, such as lost shine on your grass. Your lawn should be getting about 1-1.5 inches of water a week, and it doesn’t need water every day.

Concluding AdviceThe tips in this article are not the only ways you can improve your lawn’s health. Don’t hesitate to add your own styles and techniques to these maneuvers. Giovine Landscaping uses many of these as well as other methods to keep your lawn looking as healthy and lively as possible!  

Top Tips for Summer Pest Control

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During the summer, people love to flock outdoors and soak in the warm sun and relaxing breeze.  However, so do pests and they can wreak havoc on your lawn and landscapes without proper maintenance and attention. Not only that, without pest control, they are more likely to threaten the health of your home by invading the indoors. In order to help your landscapes thrive, we at Giovine Landscaping have compiled this list of helpful pest control tips. 

Keep Your Landscape Trimmed and Pruned

Pests flourish best in lawns, gardens, and greenery that is allowed to run wild because there is more space for them to hide out from predators. That’s why it’s recommended to make sure that your grass is kept at a maximum length of 3 inches, which is long enough for kids to enjoy and run around on but short enough to deter pests from setting up shop. Trimming trees to a recommended two to three feet distance from your roof and pruning shrubs are not only a great way to maintain a neat and refreshing look for your lawn, but it can also make it more difficult for pests to thrive or enter your home. 

Remove Unwanted Yard Waste

If you’ve pulled the weeds in your lawn or recently ground down an unsightly tree stump, we commend you for the hard work! But if you don’t discard those yard scraps soon, it can detract from your attempt to keep your landscape in order. Instead of letting the pile of unwanted scraps mull in a corner of your yard until you have time to get around to it, try to remove them as soon as possible. The longer it sits there, the more time pests have to use it for shelter and food. This also applies to any fruit that drops from your trees! Also, according to The Lawn Institute, most landscape damage occurs when larger animals tear up grass and flower beds to scavenge for insects to eat. 

Consider Additions for Long-Term Prevention

There are several different options that serve both to beautify your home and ward off pests. For example, there are many types of plants that deter pests, such as marigolds and nasturtiums. Contact a trust landscaping company to learn more about your options! 

Adding crushed rocks, such as gravel, around your home is highly effective at keeping slugs, beetles, flies, and other pests at bay. Also, many landowners have mulch on their premises but the warmth and moisture make it a hotbed for crickets, ants, and spiders. Instead, adding gravel around your home instead of having mulch directly against your walls will prevent pests from having easy access to your indoors.

Inspect Your Water Sources 

A clogged gutter with leaves and other plant waste is just like that pile of yard scraps mentioned earlier, in that pests love to make their home in it. Make sure that you get your gutters cleaned regularly and also check that your downspouts don’t lead rainwater back towards your home. In addition, an empty flower pot or bird bath may seem like a bright decorative feature of your landscape. However, if rainwater is allowed to collect there, mosquitoes will collect in the stagnant water, making your lawn an unpleasant place for you and your family. Avoid the pesky mosquitoes by refreshing the water regularly or eliminating the fixture entirely. 

Avoid Overfertilizing Your Lawn 
Everyone wants a lawn that looks vibrant and fresh and adding fertilizer seem like an easy way to accomplish just that. However, too much fertilizer won’t help your plants grow. Instead, it’ll attract nasty clover mites and millipedes, and can make mold and moss blossom.

A beautiful landscape can add joy to a home or commercial property. However, it can also take a lot of labor and investment. If you are interested in having professionals maintain your landscape and prevent unwanted pests from taking over, contact Giovine Landscape today! We have years of experience in caring for many satisfied customers and offer free estimates.