GROW A LITTLE KNOW-HOW ABOUT TREES & SOD

Trees and sod are features that add exceptional value to your home. Follow these tips to get the most enjoyment out of your landscaping

Sod

To ensure your installation goes smoothly, plan ahead! Make sure you have all the right tools, extra help if you need it and the time to do the job properly. When in doubt hire a professional for the job.
Measure the area where you will lay the sod. That said, it’s best to order a bit more sod (approximately five percent) than you need, in case you need to cut around trees, curved walkways, etc.

Prepare your soil in advance of the sod delivery. This includes completely removing the old turf.

Finally, once the sod is installed, roll the entire lawn with a lawn roller to allow the roots in the sod to quickly connect to and grasp the soil. Water the new sod deeply on a daily basis for as many days as necessary, but don’t let water puddle on the new sod.

Newly placed sod requires extra water for several weeks. Watering should be done in the cool part of the day at regular intervals for the first three weeks. After seven days, water every other day, wheather pending, for the next few weeks.

Sod is a great way to get an instant, beautiful lawn, and it requires less maintenance than grass seed.

Trees

Plant new trees properly to make them less vulnerable to stress. Determine the right level of shade and sun for the species, ensure they have room to grow and plant them away from hydro lines.
Place mulch, rather than grass or flowers, around the base of the tree. Avoid tilling or planting flowerbeds the first year.

Remember to water trees during the summer or during warm dry periods in the winter. Spring and Fall are the times to fertilize and prune as required by the particular species.

To help keep the soil from becoming compacted from human traffic, remove the sod from around the base of the tree. This will also keep you from accidentally getting too close to the tree with a lawn mower or whipper snipper. And it will keep grasses and other plants from using the water and nutrients that are essential to the tree.

Find tree-care professionals when repairing the tree requires climbing, when a mature tree needs to be removed, when cabling or bracing are required or when you don’t have the training, experience or ability to do the work or if heavy pruning is needed.

Trees increase property value, improve privacy and provide many environmental benefits. They reduce heating and cooling costs, reduce pollution, take up carbon dioxide, produce oxygen, provide habitat for wildlife, hold water and reduce soil erosion.