July 2024 Update — Originally Published June, 2011 Last spring and summer were brutal for landscaping in New Jersey… almost zero rain and non-stop heat in the nineties. I had a line of emerald green arborvitaes that had been growing beautifully for about 8-9 years. These got hit really hard, and I frankly never saw […]
Maintenance
Landscape Anchors To Save My Wind Damaged Spruce
2024 Update – This time it was a perfectly shaped and well-established blue spruce that took the hit. The wind knocked it to an awkward angle, and I could almost certainly pull it the rest of the way down by hand had I wanted. We had to secure this focal landscape tree to save it, and […]
Paving an Asphalt Driveway
2024 Update – Surface tree roots and water drainage problems had been slowly killing my asphalt driveway for a number of years, but it was a convoy of construction trucks en route to the backyard that really finished it off. None of the usual asphalt repair quick-fixes could possibly help. We tried to get creative […]
Rehabbing My Crappy Fire Pit Patio
2023 Update – My fire pit paver patio area was disgusting. It didn’t start out that way, of course. But after a while, everything needs a facelift. Or a rehab. Or maybe just some TLC. The mold, moss, algae and weeds in my paver patio were out of control. Rust, rot and filth had consumed […]
5 Easy Ways to Bring Your Landscape Back to Life
This guest post is by Landscape Designer, Joe Ciaglia. 2023 Update – It’s your turn this season for hosting the annual family reunion! You’ve decided on planning your party as a “start of the summer kick off” barbecue. Your preparation checklist includes who will be invited, a list of foods and drinks that you will […]
Switching from Mulch to Ground Cover
2023 Update… I love the look of black mulch and I’ve used it for years to enhance all of my landscaping beds, but it’s frankly becoming a bit too much maintenance. And a bit too expensive. I’ve come to realize, I now have to try to find the perfect ground cover (among so many choices) […]
Inspecting and Cleaning your HVAC Evaporator Coil
2023 Update: Periodic inspection and the occasional cleaning of your HVAC Evaporator Coil are critical home maintenance tasks to ensure optimal indoor air quality. No matter when you use your central A/C and heating system (for summer cooling and also winter heating), the air pushed through all the rooms of your house will flow through […]
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