Easy Garden Décor With Tree Branches

Posted on July 30, 2021 by levylawns

When it comes to using natural elements for garden décor, most people think of landscaping with rocks. But, did you know that tree branches can be used to improve your garden decor? Yes, those hanging or fallen tree branches all over your garden can do much more than serving as fuel for your fire pit. In this post, you’ll find ideas for easy garden decors with tree branches.

3 Ways To Use Tree Branches To Decorate Your Garden

Stop letting those tree branches in your garden go to waste. Here are three ways you can repurpose them to decorate your garden.

1. Build a Garden Arbor or Chair

You can build a simple garden harbor or lounge chair with tree branches and twigs if you love DIY projects. You don’t have to make it elaborate for it to be a beautiful addition to your garden. Just punch in some holes and nail the branches together to build the chair or arbor, and the rustic look will add charm to your garden.

2. Provide Support for Plants

If you’re trying container gardening in the Pacific Northwest, you can construct a potholder for your pots or containers instead of just placing them on the ground. This will give it an elevated garden look. You can also construct a tree branch ladder to serve as a trellis for climbing flowers to twine around.

3. Create Borders & Boundaries

You can use tree branches to build a picket fence to give your garden a rustic look. They can also be used to create boundaries around different parts of your garden and borders to protect specific plants. Furthermore, you can strip a couple of inches of the side of small branches to make a decorative plant marker. You can write creative names for your plants on the markers to add a personal touch to your garden.

Need more creative ways to decorate your garden? Contact us at Levy’s Lawn & Landscaping today!

Posted on July 30, 2021 by levylawns

Can Discarded Furniture Be Used To Plant Flowers In The Garden?

When you have furniture to discard, you probably think of your local thrift shop. Or, you come up with reasons to keep that old sofa and find ways to can still use it. If the question, “can discarded furniture be used to plant flowers?” ever crossed your mind, then the answer is absolutely! Yes, you can use discarded furniture to plant flowers in your garden. Continue reading to learn how.

How To Use Furniture To Plant Flowers

No matter the type of furniture you want to discard, you can repurpose it into a planter for flowers in your garden. Here’s how some discarded furniture can be used to plant flowers in the garden.

Desks and Dressers

Desks and dressers have drawers that can serve as containers for planting flowers. First, line the inside of the drawers with plastic garbage bags, and drill a couple of holes through the bags and drawer bottoms. This will enable sufficient drainage of water and prevent the wood from decaying quickly. Next, fill the drawers with potting soil and plant your flowers. Then, open some drawers a little and others entirely to create a layered effect.

Broken Chairs

Yes, even a broken chair can be used to plant flowers in your garden. Just cut out the seat and hang a plastic container in it to plant your flowers. You can even grow climbing plants that will twine around the back of the chair.

Bed Frame

You can literally put the bed in “flowerbed” by planting flowers in an old bed. After taking out the mattress, cut out some sections of the bottom wood of the bed frame. Then, fit in several planters or containers to plant your flowers.

The bottom line is that discarded furniture can be repurposed as planters. So, before you discard that old piece of furniture, first think about how you can use them to plant flowers. If you need more creative ideas to make your garden look even more fabulous, reach out to us at Levy’s Lawn & Landscaping today!

Partition Your Garden

Posted on July 30, 2021July 30, 2021 by levylawns

Partition Your Garden Using Boundaries, Borders, and Clever Planting

Partitioning your garden is a great way to improve your garden design, create a private area for socializing or relaxation, and even keep prying eyes out of your garden. Whatever your reason for deciding to partition your garden, you can use boundaries, borders and clever planting.

How To Partition Your Garden

Thinking of partitioning your small or spacious garden? Outlined below are some ideas for creating partitions in your garden with boundaries, borders, and clever planting.

1. Climbing Plants

You can use climbing plants to create a boundary or border with an archway. Also, climbers that grow vigorously, such as clematis and jasmine, can be grown near a dividing wall or trellis to make a luscious green boundary.

2. Bricks & Stones

Bricks can be used to build a low wall to partition a private relaxation nook. Drape the wall with rambling plants like nasturtiums for a pop of color. You can use stones to create borders around different sections of your garden, as well as pathways between them.

3. Trees & Branches

Deciduous trees like Shadwood and Birch trees can help provide boundaries at the edges of your garden. These trees have airy foliage that allows sunlight to still get through to your garden plants. Also, fallen tree branches can be used to create rustic short fences around different sections of your garden.

4. Hedging Plants

Plant evergreen hedges like Yew and Beech to use as green borders. You can even trim the hedges into attractive topiary shapes. Bright flower hedges like foxgloves can also be used to block outsiders from looking in, while giving your garden a pop of color.

5. Pergola or Arbor

Building a pergola or arbor will create a section of your garden where you can relax with family or socialize with friends. You can border the area with a trellis made from tree branches, and decorate it with climbing plants.

Need help creating beautiful partitions in your garden or yard? Reach out to us at Levy’s Lawns & Landscaping today!

Best Plants to Plant in The Shade for Seattle, WA

Posted on May 4, 2021May 4, 2021 by levylawns

Not all plants can thrive in the shade of Seattle. As a gardener, knowing what plants fits where is the first step to cultivating a beautiful garden. So, if you’ve recently moved to Seattle or found it challenging to find plants that can thrive in the shady areas of your Seattle garden, this post is for you.

Top 5 Shade-Tolerant Plants For Your Seattle Garden

Whether a particular part of your garden is shaded for a couple of hours or does not get direct sunlight all day, these plants will bloom in the Seattle shade.

#1: Lenten Rose

The Lenten Rose is a low-growing perennial plant that blooms with beautiful tropical foliage. If you fancy a colorful garden, then you should definitely plant the Lenten rose. They come in various colors, and due to their dense nature, they can help control weed growth.

#2: Hostas

Hostas can thrive beautifully under shades. They even attract animals such as bumblebees, hummingbirds, and slugs. They can do well without much attention, but when in need of water, they start wilting. However, they don’t die quickly, and will regain their glow immediately they are watered.

#3: Bleeding Hearts

This plant thrives excellently in shades, and when summer comes, it goes dormant. Its flowers come majorly in three variations; white, red, and pink. Depending on your garden goals, the bleeding hearts can be a beautiful addition to your garden.

#4: Indian Plum

The Indian Plum is a deciduous plant. The female species have pendant-like white flowers that give off a faint fresh scent. During the fall, the leaves of the Indian Plum turn yellow. Having the Indian Plum means your property will be home to birds as they are attracted to the tiny plum fruits of this plant.

#5: Ferns

Unlike the previously discussed plants, ferns don’t have beautiful, colorful flowers. In fact, they have no flowers at all, and this can be discouraging for many gardeners. Nevertheless, ferns can be a great planting option for your shady garden as they are durable and can survive harsh weather conditions.

Need more suggestions or help planting beautiful plants in the shade of your Seattle garden? Contact us today at Levy’s Lawn & Landscaping!

Where To Focus Pruning Efforts

Posted on February 22, 2021 by levylawns

So, the trees in your yard look like they’ve seen better days, and you’re considering pruning them. It’s a great idea. Pruning will help restore their structure and improve their health. It’ll also manage the direction of their growth and reduce the risk of causing damage to people or property. But where should you focus your pruning efforts? Read on to find out.

How To Decide Where To Focus Pruning Efforts

Two major factors determine how much you should prune your tree: the age and the health status of the tree.

Is the tree matured or young? You should prune a matured tree lightly, as its growth rate has slowed down. On the other hand, a young tree can withstand heavier pruning, as it will grow back its branches rapidly.
Is the tree healthy or diseased? If a tree is suffering from a severe disease, you’re likely to do more pruning than you would from a healthy tree. Branches that won’t be removed from a healthy tree would have to be cut because they are diseased.

Parts of The Tree To Prune

Sometimes, all you need to focus on is removing some twigs and overgrown branches. Other times, you would need to remove more. In any case, here are the several tree parts to focus your pruning efforts.

Diseased, dying or dead branches
Twigs sprouting at the trunk’s base
Branches growing across the tree’s center
Branches that cross and rub together or may rub in the future
Vertical branches that may grow into additional or secondary trunks
Overgrown foliage and branches affecting buildings, power lines or visibility.

How To Prune Your Tree

When pruning, you should cut back to a bud, twig or branch to encourage healthy new growth. However, you have to do it carefully, so you don’t cut into the trunk and remove or expose live tissues, as this will create an entry for insect pests and diseases that may damage the tree. You can avoid this by cutting branches just before the points where they spring from the trunk (i.e., the collar). You can find a more in-depth pruning guide here, or reach out to us at Levy’s Lawn and Landscaping for professional help.

Lawn Moss Control

Posted on February 22, 2021February 22, 2021 by levylawns

RECLAIM YOUR LAWN

BATTLING LAWN MOSS

We hate to say this, but if you’re currently battling lawn moss, the situation is going to get worse unless you take steps to rectify this situation. All the grasses on your lawn will soon be forced out, and you’ll have little or none left. Fortunately, we also have some good news – you can reclaim your lawn from the moss “mafia,” prevent re-infestation, and enjoy thick, green grass again with the expert lawn moss control tips in this post.

First, Why Is Lawn Moss Control Difficult?

Well, the simple answer is that mosses aren’t like other weeds. Thus, regular weed killers don’t have any effect on them. They only require moisture or water to thrive and can grow on little nutrients and light. So, they grow really fast and spread quickly to outcompete your lawn grass for nutrients.

How To Control Lawn Moss

Your lawn becomes prone to moss infestation when soil conditions don’t enable grass to thrive. Conditions such as poor drainage, acidic soil, and heavy foot traffic are significant culprits that support moss infestation. Here are some lawn moss control tips to help get rid of moss and prevent re-infestation.

1. Improve Lawn Condition

You can prevent lawn moss infestation by correcting soil conditions that support their growth. Test your lawn soil acidity and lime if necessary, and improve areas with poor drainage. Also, prune trees with thick foliage to allow more light to reach your lawn grass, and aerate compacted soil.

2. Scarify Your Lawn

Scarifying your lawn involves using a dethatcher to rake over the affected areas to cut through the soil and remove moss and dead grass. The process also helps loosen and aerates the soil, thereby improving the overall health of the lawn.

3. Use Iron-Based Lawn Products

As mentioned earlier, regular weed control products can’t kill lawn moss. You need iron-based lawn moss products, such as those containing ferrous sulfate, to virtually eliminate lawn moss. These products cause mosses to dry up and die by sucking the moisture in them.

Depending on the severity of the moss infestation, you may need to combine all three tips above. If the infestation is mild, you only need to scarify your lawn and carry out regular maintenance. Otherwise, you should use an effective moss control product and then scarify to remove the dead mosses and improve lawn conditions. If you don’t want to go through the hassle, you can contact us at Levy’s Lawn & Landscape for professional help.

“You can reclaim your lawn from the moss “mafia,” prevent re-infestation, and enjoy thick, green grass again with the expert lawn moss control tips in this post.”

Turning Poor Soil Into Super Soil

Posted on November 24, 2020 by levylawns

Poor soil is never suitable for planting anything. Even weeds don’t love to grow in poor soil. So, whether you’re thinking of planting some flowers or vegetables, you need to turn your poor soil into super soil.

So, What Is A Super Soil?

Simply put, super soil is a soil that’s rich in all the components that are needed for a plant to grow. That is, it contains a more than sufficient amount of Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium (NPK). This soil is usually fortified with organic elements instead of chemical fertilizer, and help enhance the quality of whatever you plant in it.

How To Turn Your Poor Soil Into Super Soil

Turning poor soil into super soil involves composting to add organic matter to the soil and make it rich in necessary plant nutrients. Here are the basic steps to follow.

Step#1: Collect food scraps or wastes from your kitchen, such as leftover vegetables, watermelon, banana, and potato peelings, etc. in a container. These wastes are broken down into beneficial organic matter.

Step #2: Dig several holes in your yard, a foot or two deep. Then each time you collect sufficient waste, you dump it in each hole. These spots are where you’ll do your planting after your poor soil is turned into super soil.

Step #3: Fetch some humus soil with worms and add it to the waste in the hole to jumpstart the breakdown process. Then cover everything with some soil. After a couple of months, all the materials would have been broken down and add rich nutrients to your soil.

Bonus Tip:

If you don’t have enough kitchen waste, you can purchase and add some organic matter rich in NPK to the poor soil. These include bone meal, worm castings, bat guano, rock phosphate and kelp powder.

If you need any more help with cultivating a beautiful garden that will transform your home’s landscape, you contact us at Levy’s Lawn & Landscape today!

Landscaping Ideas For Sloped Yards

Posted on November 24, 2020November 24, 2020 by levylawns

Have a sloped yard? No problem! You can still make it pretty.

So you just love how your house is located on slightly elevated grounds. It doesn’t only showcase your home’s architecture to passersby, but you also have a great view. However, landscaping the sloped yard is difficult. Even when you manage to plant a garden, there’s the threat of erosion washing everything away. We understand the challenge and have put together some landscaping ideas for your sloped yard.

1. Create Levels

You can use concrete or stone pavers to break your yard into several levels. This will help manage soil erosion and enable you to use different landscape design themes for each level. For instance, you can flatten and build the space close to your door into a terrace for relaxing. Then the next level can be a rocky garden, and another level a water feature.

2. Build Stone Staircases

A staircase will not only make it easier for you and your guests to walk up to your house, but also add some beauty to your landscape. You can use large slabs of rocks or stones to create the stairs, so it looks natural. Then, landscape the rest of the yard with artificial grass designs and decorate the stairs with potted plants.

3. Cultivate A Rock Garden

Gardening on a sloped yard can be challenging, particularly because the soil can be washed away by rainfall. However, you can plant a rocky garden, in which you place rocks and boulders in your yard to anchor and cultivate rock-loving plants like Aubretia, Candytuft and Yellow Alyssum. An added benefit of this type of garden is that it requires very low maintenance.

If your house is on a hill or you have a sloped yard, you can still landscape your yard with the right design. You can reach out to us at Levy’s Lawn & Landscaping for more landscaping ideas for your sloped yards in the Pacific Northwest.

It’s Time for A Fall Garden Evaluation

Posted on October 12, 2020October 12, 2020 by levylawns

Planting Your Best Fall Garden 2020

Now that the summer season and its accompanying excitement are waning, how are you preparing for the fall season? As a gardener, this is a great time to start preparing your garden for the new season. However, before you dive into it, let’s take a look at how well your gardens fared in the fall of the previous year.

First Off, What Worked Last Year?

Owning a thriving garden in the fall isn’t a feat many people have mastered. For the few who have, they have used various tips and trips to achieve this. Here are some of the tips that worked wonders for gardeners in the fall of 2019:

Applying Mulch: To keep your plants away from the destruction that losing excess water or being exposed to frost causes, gardeners used layers of mulches to protect their plants. This trick has worked for years and remains relevant today.
Using Fabric Covering: To protect plants from frost and pests, gardeners have resorted to fabric covers. In previous years, many gardeners kept harvesting some of their favorite vegetables such as kales and lettuces, way past the fall season, thanks to fabric covering.
Applying Organic Fertilizers: In place of synthetic fertilizers, gardeners used organic matter for fertilizing their gardens in the fall. They did this by letting weeds and debris decay in their fall gardens.

What Shouldn’t You Repeat This Year?

If you are new on the fall gardening scene or the previous year was an epic fail, here are some mistakes you shouldn’t repeat this year:

Pruning your plants too early.
Leaving your flower or vegetable beds untidy.
Forgetting to water your plants before a hard freeze.
Leaving dead leaves liter instead of raking them up.
Planting spring bulbs late into the fall season.

How to Assess the Success or Failure of Your Garden?

What does a successful garden mean to you? Before you set out to grow a fall garden, be clear on your goals and the perimeters you would use for measuring its success. You can get garden evaluation tools online or reach out to us at Levy’s Lawn & Landscape to help track your progress.

pruning your garden

Fall Garden Cleanup: Where to Begin

Posted on October 12, 2020October 12, 2020 by levylawns

Fall Garden Cleanup

Many gardeners do not know the proper way to clean a fall garden, so they just overhaul the entire garden. But, here’s the thing: overhauling is a whole lot of work! Fortunately, we’ve figured out where to begin a fall garden clean up without having to take down everything. Keep reading to find out what we know.

Step #1 – Clear Out the Layers of Leaves

When you take one quick look at your garden, you most likely will see a bunch of leaf litter all over the place. This makes clearing out leaf litter the perfect place to start your fall garden cleanup. Of course, leaf debris can be beneficial for pollinators, but you do not want to have thick layers of leaves in your garden, as they tend to block out sunlight and trap too much water.

Step #2 – Remove Thatch Buildup

All things die, grasses too. After a while, your lush green grasses will begin to die, and this could be marked by the sharp change in color from green to yellow and, finally, brown. These dying grasses are known as thatch and must be removed to allow nutrients to reach growing plants/grasses’ roots.

Step #3 – Rid Your Garden of Weeds

For your plants to thrive, they need all the nutrients they can get. When weeds compete for these nutrients with them, the plants you want to keep may not survive the competition. So you do not spend resources on plants you do not have use for, get rid of them!

Step #4 – Make Your Waste Valuable

All the waste you’ve gathered in the form of leave litter, thatch, weed, and other organic matter can be deployed into making composts. When they decompose, they can serve as a rich nutrients source for your plants.

Need help cleaning up your fall garden and making your landscape beautiful? Reach out to us at Levy’s Lawn & Landscape today!