Who doesn’t want to have a garden that is lush, green and beautiful?! Having a nice lawn is very important and it helps make your property look beautiful and attractive for people as well as helps increase the value of your property. One way to increase the beauty of your property is by using sod.

But the question arises what is sod? Read more here on how we can help you install and maintain sod if you’re interested.

Sod is basically grass that has been planted already and is also commonly known as “turf grass”. It is grass that is sold in sections and held together by their roots or by other materials. This type of grass is commonly used on golf grounds as it is more lush and grows more evenly. It also lasts much longer compared to other type of grass.

Many people prefer using seed grass while others prefer using sod. There are tons of different opinions on what type of grass to use. Below are some of the pros and cons of having sod.

Pros of Sod

• Compared to seed grass you will have a lawn much faster with the Sod.
• Mowing the lawn can start up much sooner in the season as the sod tends to grow better.
• As for grass seeds you need to wait for a specific time of the year to plant them but with sod you will not need to wait and it can be planted at most times of the year.
• With grass seeds you will be busy all year long pulling out the weeds but with sod you do not need to do so.
• If you are not able to water you lawn everyday it is ok with sod. As sod doesn’t need to be watered that much compared to seed grass.
• The root of sod is much better as well as much more reliable compared to the roots of seed grass.

Cons of Using Sod

• Using sod can be extremely expensive rather than using grass seed.
• Some of the sections of your sod may not be able to take roots thus would require you to purchase a new section and replace it with the existing one.
• Sod is also much harder to install on your property compared to the spread of grass seed.

Do you love gardening and love to plant plants within your garden or on your property? But at the same time can’t seem to figure out when to plant a tree?

You need to remember that you should never plant a tree during the hot summer season as that would be an extremely bad choice because the extreme summer heat can be a real threat for young trees. The best option to plant a tree is late winter or early spring and if you miss both the seasons then at the latest you should plant your trees is during the autumn season. Our lawn care Toronto company will help you decide the perfect time and can even do all the work for you!

Summer season on the other hand can be an extremely bad choice as the weather is too hot which could really have a negative impact on the growth of the tree. It can also damaage the tree and roots. On the other hand winter can also be a bad option to plant a tree because during the winter season the ground is freezing cold for any kind of vegetation growing.

The best option to plant a tree is when it is “dormant”, and when are they dormant? Trees are dormant mostly during the autumn season. There are two types of trees that should be kept in mind while planting them. They are:

• Deciduous trees
• Evergreen trees

For both of these types the time for planting them could vary. For instance when planting a tree that is deciduous the best time to plant them is during autumn. As during the autumn season it is when the trees start dropping of their leaves thus signaling that they are entering dormancy. And during the spring season when the buds start to spring out they are signaling that they are coming out of dormancy.

For evergreen trees the best option is to plant these trees during earlier fall or later during the spring season. It should be kept in mind that you should always avoid planting them during the summer seasons no matter which month it is. Hot weather can kill the newly planted trees. It should always be kept in mind that too much heat can be a major setback and an enemy for newly planted trees but at the same time another enemy for newly planted trees are the lack of water needed them to grow properly.

Tree planting isn’t supposed to be a simple job as it seems to be. To plant a tree and then make it thrive as well as survive, here is what you have to do.

You should always plan to plant a tree during the right year
You just can’t plant a tree whenever you feel like it. You will have to keep an eye on when would the right time be to plant a tree, it should be kept in mind that never plant a tree during late spring and summer seasons as that might be stressing for the plant and thus die out, therefore the best seasons to plant a tree would be autumn season or early spring season.

The plant should be selected according to its native region, and climate.
Before planting a tree check if the tree will be able to survive in your areas given climate, and space according to the native soil of your area.

How to make a hole
Once the type of tree has been decided that you are planning to plant and then start digging a hole. The hole dug to put the tree shouldn’t have more width from 4 to 5 times according to the root ball and should be enough to make it fit in it as well as have enough room for new roots can grow without having any kind of problem.

Preparing of planting the tree
The planting of a small tree from a large tree is a bit different from one another. For a small tree the tree can be turned upside down so it would be easy to take the tree out of the pot. While for a large tree the tree should be handled with care while putting it in its dug hole, as too much movement in the tree will lead air to the roots which could dry them off and damage the roots.

Placing of the tree into the dug hole
It should be kept in mind that the tree should be placed into the hole that shouldn’t be too shallow or too deep. The ground level should be equal to the level to the pot in which the tree was first planted when purchased. It should be also kept in mind that not to bury the area of the tree where the stem changes into the roots or to leave the roots exposed out of the ground.

Other points that should be kept in mind while planting the tree are:

• Always use composted manure if required as nutrients while planting the tree
• Try using organic fertilizer instead of commercial fertilizer
• Extra attention is required for plants that grow fruits or nuts
• The newly planted tree should be watered regularly

And there you go by following these steps you will have planted your very own grown tree within your yard.

Have you been to Toronto lately or do you live there and you just don’t know what to do with your spare time? Well in this article we will discuss 3 exciting outdoor things to do in Toronto either if you come here to visit or are residing here in Toronto. You can always contact us here http://www.nlinc.ca/lawn-care-etobicoke/ if you have questions about Toronto.

1. Visiting  Niagara Falls

What’s the use of visiting Toronto and not going to Niagara Falls as then your visit will be considered incomplete. Niagara Falls is about a 90 minutes drive from Toronto as well as a huge tourist attraction. And who wouldn’t be excited to watch almost 750000 gallons of water falling off a cliff every second and right in front of your own eyes; that is definitely quite impressive for anyone’s standards. There are a lot of ways to experience Niagara Falls however you want to, you could stand on the “Table rock” site that will let you stand just a few meters away right from the edge of the fall or you could go behind the Niagara Falls by a lift or best of all you could book a helicopter to see the extraordinary site from the skies with the Niagara Helicopters from their online website www.niagarahelicopters.com. A boat will also carry you close enough to the falls to be drenched in its mesmerizing mist.

2. Go ice skating

Who doesn’t know how to ice skate in Canada? You have a choice to go to one of the 50 or more of any of the outdoor rinks in Toronto, some of the most popular ones being Nathan Phillips Square and the Harbour Front Centre right in the heart of downtown Toronto. And as ice hockey is the most beloved game for anyone in Toronto you can always try to go to a game of the Toronto Maple leafs even though their tickets are always sold out. Another great option is that if you are a game person you can join a game of shinny which is basically a friendlier version of ice hockey at any of the public rinks; and all you will require are some skates and a stick.

3. Going to the islands

Another great option for an outdoor activity in Toronto is going to the Toronto islands as that is a great place for many outdoor activities ranging from cycling and walking at the cycling and walking territory, going to the seabird sanctuary for a bird watching time, or just enjoying some sun at the nudist beach. No matter how you plan to spend your time here anyone of these beautiful breezy spots can be just the place for you.

As Etobicoke is situated within Toronto, and the weather in Etobicoke is quite comparable to the weather of cities such as Montreal or New York City, basically having all the four seasons with changing weather conditions.

The different weather conditions of Etobicoke are:

Winter

The weather of Etobicoke in winter is a bit on the milder side compared to most of the different Canadian cities, but even then can get quite cold and snowy and become extremely biting due to the wind chill factors. The snow mostly falls during the months of December to March with almost an average of 52 inches. The snowstorms can be quite sudden as well as very intense in the area of Etobicoke.

For people who are just visiting Etobicoke in the winter season it would always be recommended to them to pack some warm and waterproof clothes and different accessories such as scarfs, sunglasses, hats, umbrellas or mitts.

The average temperature that you will find during the winter seasons in the area of Etobicoke is as follows

The average temperature is between -6ºC / 21ºF

The average high is between -2ºC / 28ºF

The average low is between -10ºC / 14ºF

Spring

Spring in the area of Etobicoke is quite unpredictable as the temperature could take a drastic change and there could possibly be quite some unexpected thunderstorms. The temperature can even rise up to 30°C, and some rain is usually expected for 10 to 11 days in the month of April.

Visitors who plan to visit Etobicoke in the spring season should always keep in mind to pack a lot of different variety of cloths plus waterproof jackets, shoes and umbrella; winter hasn’t quite left yet.

The average temperatures that you will find during the spring seasons in the area of Etobicoke are as follows

The average temperature is between: 6ºC / 43ºF
The average high is between: 11ºC / 52ºF
The average low is between: 1ºC / 34ºF

Summers

The summer in Etobicoke can get very humid and hot. The temperature could possibly rise up to 80F to 90F and rain is expected in the month of July for 10 to 11 days but it may happen for more days. It’s important to not overheat when doing yard work. If you need a lawn service Toronto company then give us a call!

Visitors who plan to visit Etobicoke in the summer season should keep in mind to pack clothes such as shorts, t-shirts, sunglasses, sandals, an umbrella and even a light jacket, and definitely some sunscreen.

The average temperatures during the summer season are as follows.

The average temperature is between 21ºC / 68ºF
The average high: 24ºC / 80ºF
The average low: 16ºC / 60ºF

Fall

During the fall season the temperature of Etobicoke hardly drops below zero but still it would be wise to carry a warm jacket around. But the temperature can be most unpredictable during this season. Undoubtedly, this is the most picturesque of all the seasons due to the changing color of the leaves.

During the fall season the temperature of Etobicoke are as follows.

The average temperature: 9ºC / 48ºF
The average high: 14ºC / 57ºF
The average low: 4ºC / 39ºF

A raised bed gardening is a gardening technique which is very popular in many areas across the globe. This technique looks very attractive for landscaping as well. Almost all kinds of plants can be grown in it from fruits, vegetables, flowers shrubs and trees.

So what exactly is the raised bed gardening technique? This bed gardening technique is a way of gardening in which the soil is raised to about 3 to 4 feet wide beds and these beds could be of any length as well as shape. The soil is almost raised about 6 inches to the waist height and is closed with a frame that could be made out of rock, wood or even with concrete blocks and can be filled up with fertilizer as well as compost. Benefits that this type of gardening offers are:

• It has a better drainage system

The raised beds let the plant roots develop in the soil which is more likely to be above compacted zone or water logged zone. This creates the best environment for the roots to grow in. As the beds are raised high it helps in improving the structure of the soil, drainage as well as the capacity to hold nutrients.

• It has a higher yield

As the roots growth in a bed it is much better as this leads to higher yield for a lusher growth for ornamental plants as well as for food crops. In this way no space can be wasted as more plants can grow in the area of the raised bed only, thus saving a lot of space.

• More season time to grow

As the drainage system of the bed is much better it helps keep the soil warm much faster therefore leading to early spring planting. While during the rainy season the soil would dry out much faster which helps the plants to grow even during the rains without any problem.

• The maintenance of the bed

As the plants are grown above a walkway level there is less requirement of stooping that is required for watering or weeding. As the beds provide quite dense foliage cover there is less chance for weeds to grow.

• Raised bed gardening in difficult locations

The beds make it possible to do gardening on areas where otherwise it may be  impossible to do so such as roof tops or on solid rock areas, hill sides as that also helps in the reduction of soil erosion.

Who isn’t interested in fresh growing some vegetables right at home? But what mostly happens is that when growing vegetables at home doesn’t always turn out to be as expected, possibly because of the harsh weather or even too much sunlight. Discussed in this article are some of the basics that everyone should know about while thinking of growing vegetables indoors. Our lawn care Etobicoke services include gardening help so please let us know if you need assistance.

• Choosing the right kind of plant

There are some crops and vegetables that can easily grow indoors such as lettuce or spinach if the proper environment is created.  Smaller vegetable plants can easily survive within the cooler temperature of a home such as different kinds of herbs. Vegetables such as tomatoes or peppers can also grow indoors but might need a lot of light and heat thus would need a much greater investment with the type of equipment as well as electricity that would be needed to grow such vegetables inside. And if you have decided to grow tomatoes you can also grow cucumbers or peppers within the same conditions that would be needed to grow tomatoes.

• Soils and containers needed to grow indoors vegetables

Vegetables that might be leafy or even herbs can both be grown in different type of pots which could be as small as 4 inches. But for vegetables such as tomatoes or peppers a 1 to 2 gallon container would be needed while for larger vegetable plants at least a 5 gallon container would be needed for the roots to properly grow. Soil such as fertilome or espoma would be recommended to use in the soil for better aeration and drainage.

• Starter plants or seeds needed to grow indoors

For many plants you would need to buy seeds to start growing vegetable but herbs can be an exception as for herbs you would most get starter plants especially for the winter season. The best option is to always read the proper instructions given on the packet before planting them but you can start planting them in almost anything such as egg cartons, paper cups, and nursery starter trays. All you have to keep in mind to fill the container with the soil-less mixture and plant them within the depth that would be recommended on the seed packet.

• Lighting needed to grow indoor vegetables

One of the most complicated parts of growing vegetables indoors is the amount of lighting they need as some plants hardly need any while other need a lot. When considering what type of light is needed you should keep in mind two main points; the color and the intensity, as different plant have a different type of response based on different colors.

Other basic components that each gardener should keep in mind while growing vegetables indoors are the amount and type of fertilizer that should be used as well as the amount of water to be used.

Who doesn’t like their house filled with plants and giving your house a nature filled appeal? There are a lot of different kinds of house plants that you can plant within your home, some of these popular plants are as follows:

• The Dracaena plant

This plant has a lot of resemblance to a small palm tree and is an ideal plant as one of the best advantage of having the Dracaena plant is that is can be placed anywhere you wish.  This plant can live in any kind of temperature as well as in the shadows but it is still recommended that the dracaena plant should be at least placed not far away from the window.

• The Aloe Vera plant

Also a great house plant it is a very soothing as well as a very beautiful plant to be kept in a home. But do keep in mind that this plant does not appreciate too much sunlight and during the summer season likes to be hung out in the balcony, also try not to keep this plant close to another type of plant. If you do prefer to have this plant in your home do keep in mind that it should be transplanted every year. If you need help with transplanting or gardening click here for more information.

• The Spathiphyllum

The Spathiphyllum is a great plant to be kept in a house as this plant blooms all year long. For plant lovers who prefer to keep the Spathiphyllum in their house, it should keep in mind that especially during the summer and spring season it should be watered quite often while during the winter season it should always be exposed to as much light as possible. Try planting the Spathiphyllum inside a pot as the plant can grow quite large.

• The Jade tree

Also known as the Krassula or more popularly known as the money tree to many people is an excellent example for a great plant. During the summer season the plant should get plenty of fresh air and water but during the winter season try to be more careful with it as the plant should only be watered whenever the soil in which the plant is planted dries up.

• The Schlumberger

Also known as the Decembrist is a plant whose flower blooms in the month of December from where it gets its name. The plant should never be kept in direct sunlight for it will not actively grow in it. And also it should be kept in mind that during the month of March to August i.e. that summer time always supply the plant with abundant of water by frequently spraying water on it.

Check out this new video we posted on our Youtube channel. If you enjoy it please share, thanks!

Planning to do some organic gardening right in your own backyard? Nowadays a lot of people who are into gardening are turning towards organic gardening as part of their gardening hobby. Considering the different ways and techniques that are not harmful to the nature, this method is extremely useful for both the nature as well as man.  Plants become much healthier with organic gardening as well as the ground where they are planted. There is far less pollution spread and the fruits and vegetables grown from organic gardening are good for the human body.

One of the reasons people may avoid organic gardening is because it involves a lot of hard work. To get a professional to do it for you read more about how we can help. For those who are more interested in organic gardening here are some of the most popular organic gardening supplies and methods available in the market.

• Organic fertilizer

One of the best and most effective sources of plant and vegetable food comes directly from within the earth itself and from the organisms roaming in it. This source of food for both plants and vegetables is also the friendliest. The best food for plants and vegetables comes directly from a balanced diet which consists of carbon as well as nitrogen which is produced from animal waste, plant refuse and rubbish heaps. You should know which plant emits more of carbon and which emits more of nitrogen to create the best compost heap. Try creating the compost pile close to or on the ground to give direct access to the different insects, worms and microorganism that are extremely important for decomposition.

• Natural form of pest control

The right type of knowledge about the right type of pest infecting your plants and vegetation helps you reduce the use of chemicals i.e. the habitat of the pest as well as the pest habits. Always try to find out where these pests are coming from and then try relocating their homes or even seal off their entry points. You should know what the source attracting these pests is. This will also help you understand how exactly you should stop them from infecting your vegetation.

Always rely on the different types of nontoxic repellents, organic baits and traps. The larger types of ruminants like the rabbit and deer can be kept away by putting up a fence.

The best option is to plant “native plants” only within your garden as such plants are more accustomed to both animals and climatic nuances within your area.

• Conversion of water

According of the studies of Colorado State University almost 50% of water used in residential areas is mostly used for landscaping, and most of the diseases on plants and deaths are caused by over watering.

For such purposes another popular organic garden supply is the rain barrel which is used for harvesting rain water for watering the plants.