Tag: giovine landscaping

Fast-Growing Shade Trees That Can Help With The Electric Bill

Posted on by Giovine
Fast Growing Shade Trees That Can Help With The Electric Bill

The sun provides us with free solar energy that keeps us warm, brings light into our homes, grows our food, and can generate renewable electricity. However, once the weather heats up, the sun can cause us to use even more energy as we need to run our air conditioners and fans to cool us down. Keeping the sun off of our homes and windows during the summer, which is rapidly approaching, can help you save both money and energy. One of the best ways to do just that is by planting shade trees right in the location of your home so that they can block the sun from streaming through the windows. There are so many options to choose from as well, but you can also find options that can grow fast. So, here are some of the popular fast-growing trees that can add shade to your property.

Hybrid Polar

One of the most popular fast-growing shade trees is the hybrid polar. These trees can grow up to 8 feet per year and even mature at about 40 to 50 feet high. There are many different types of hybrid polars like the Populus deltoides x Populus nigra variety, which is also known as the “cottonless hybrid” and it is a little less messy in the yard than some of the other varieties. 

Nuttall Oak

Nuttall Oak is another fast-growing shade that is also known as red oak or pin oak. These are also the fastest-growing variety of oak and they provide not just a leafy canopy, but also a consistent supply of acorns each year.

Red Maple

Red Maples are also good for more than just casting shade as they also add a burst of color in the fall as the leaves turn a vibrant red before they drop. Red Maple’s growth rate comes to about 3 to 5 feet per year and tops out at about 40 feet high which helps to rapidly create privacy and shade for the home and the yard. 

Paper Birch

Paper birches, while also being a fast-growing shade can also feature white bark which can add to the look of any yard, especially during the winter once the leaves have dropped. These can also be tapped for their sap and be made into birch sap. Keep in mind that you might need a few of these trees if you want to make it work your while. 

American Sycamore

The American Sycamore, also referred to as the American planetree is another fast-growing shade tree that also has a whitish mottled bark and is capable of growing to be quite large. Now, these are typically found near rivers and ponds, but they can also be grown in an urban yard and grow as much as 6 feet per year reaching heights of 70 feet and more.

 Now, be mindful that not all of these shade trees will be the best fit for your yard. There will be many variables that you must take into consideration such as the length of the growing season, the frost dates, the temperatures, annual rainfall, and the type of soil in your yard. So, if you have any questions about which fast-growing shade tree will be best for your specific region, feel free to contact Giovine Landscaping at (973) 325-1758!

Spring Landscaping Maintenance Tips

Posted on by Giovine

Spring season is upon us and while we are currently quarantined due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you can still get out to your garden or backyard and tend to the lawn. 

As this is the perfect opportunity to spruce up your landscaping, there are a variety of ways to improve your spring landscaping. Whether it is decorative new plantings or budding new flowerbeds, homeowners can find ways to refresh the current template of their yards. So, let’s take a look at a few ideas you can use to revitalize your spring landscaping.

Inspect And Spruce Up The Trees And Shrubs

When it comes to great spring landscaping, it all begins with the staple of yards which include trees and shrubs. These are sometimes overlooked, however, they can draw eyes to particular spots on your lawn, enhance any hard and soft landscaping features and also, provide a complete and finished feel to your outdoor space. So, due to this, it is imperative that you inspect the health of your trees and shrubs after the wear and tear of the winter season. For example, you will want to remove any dead or diseased branches because they can be liabilities for your home and property during any strong winds and storms.

Fertilize The Lawn

Next, you are going to want to work on your lawn. Due to the rain during the winter along with the saturation of snow both combined with the compositional changes of the frequently frozen ground, your spring lawn will be in dire need of fresh fertilizer. So, the first step in the fertilization process is to determine the soil’s nutrients through a soil test. This will allow you to understand the exact nutritional makeup of your lawn’s soil and whether it lacks in any specific compounds or becomes too saturated in others.Next, you will need to choose your fertilization method. Keep in mind that not all applications are equal and you need to ensure you choose the best one for your lawn. You also need to know exactly how much fertilizer you need.

Prepare Your Mower

Your spring landscaping isn’t complete just because the lawn, trees, and landscape beds look good. You also need to prep and maintain the equipment that will take care of the plants. Lawnmower maintenance is another important aspect for the health and vitality of your grass. If you have overgrown lawns, it can lead to many issues like vulnerability to the weeds, pests and diseases, and even fire susceptibility. By implementing proper maintenance of your mower, it will keep the appliance efficient, cost-effective and long-lasting. In fact, a functioning lawn mower can give you 15 to 20 years of life.

Add Mulch

Adding mulch is a great way to improve any landscaped area. Whether it is surrounding the base of a patio or preventing problematic areas of weed growth, it can be a welcoming part of your spring landscaping project. Due to its range of colors and chip types, mulch can be a simple but effective way to freshen up the landscaping look.

These are just some of the ways you can revitalize your landscaping for the spring season and with the current quarantine, there is much more time available to get some of these projects done. If you have any further questions or would like some more spring landscaping ideas, feel free to call Giovine Landscaping at (973) 325-1758!

How Landscaping Can Increase Your Home’s Value

Posted on by Giovine
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!