Run for the Border: Creating a Beautiful Landscape Border Using Stone Native to North Texas

Step 1
Once you have established the purpose for the wall (i.e. decoration, retaining wall, etc) you will then need to choose the right stone for the job. In North Texas rustic white stones are common and popular, however, other options are available. While big box retailers offer a handful of stone options I have always found better success at a local stone yard. Do some online research to find a stone yard in your area and call them to make sure they are open to the general public.

Step 2
Make a list of the supplies you will need to complete the job. Examples of such supplies are stones, mortar, rock hammer, mortar trowel, spray paint, landscape netting, garden stakes.
Step 3
Use the spraypaint and stakes to outline your desired bed configuration and then measure how much space you’re bed will take.
Step 4
Within the outlined area use tools a shovel or gardening hoe to clear out the area removing grass, rocks, weeds, and any other debris in the space.
Step 5
Ensure that the ground is level where the wall will be made to ensure long-term stability. Once ground is levelled place a high quality gardening plastic down to prevent grass and weeds from growing up between the stones.
Place your stones. If you are using loose gravel to create your border all you have to do is dump the rocks between your two borders and spread them out to create an even layer. If you are building a stone retaining wall then you will want to start by placing a single row of slab stones on the leveled dirt. Make sure that the stones are fitted tightly together. The second layer of stones needs to be staggered slightly to help hold the retaining wall together. If you want, you can complete a third row; however, two rows are generally enough.
Step 6
Begin placing stones by carefully grouping them according to size and compatible shape. Start by placing stones along the bottom that have relatively flat surfaces. Note: You can use a rock hammer to carefully shape stones as needed. Construct along the base of the wall with stones that fit will together and against the ground. After the first row has been placed begin to fill apply concrete and continue to layer stones until you reach a desired height.

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Getting Green While Living Greener

Earth Day is just around the corner and many people are looking at the way that they live their lives including their impact on the environment. We can also make our lawns and landscapes greener while being eco-friendly.
The great thing about this is that it only takes small changes to make a positive impact. Here are some options to improve your lawn and landscape while being friendly to the environment:
-If you do not mulch your lawn when you mow and you use bags to dispose of debris then consider using Biodegradable lawn bags. These can be purchased at your local home improvement or hardware stores. These can be used for yard clippings as well as for cleanup of leaves, sticks, and other yard waste. When disposed of these bags will safely biodegrade with the organic waste inside reducing the amount of plastics in landfills.
-When it comes time to fertilize your lawn and plants you might consider using non-hazardous fertilizers and pest control. Scotts® Organic Choice Soils & Fertilizers offer a few options. Scotts® Organic Choice Potting Mix is made from sphagnum peat moss and composted bark, and the natural ingredients help plants to grow up to twice as fast. Scotts® Organic Choice Lawn Food is made from chicken litter and feather meal nutrients so it is completely safe for use around the home. You can also look for a product called Dynamite Organic All Purpose Plant Food. This is OMRI guaranteed which means it is a reviewed organic material by the Organic Material Review Institute.
-Consider looking for plant retailers and wholesalers who sell plants in biodegradable containers. These allow you to plant the containers directly in the ground and they will decompose into the soil as the plant grows.
-Look into replacing your wood chip mulch with an innovative product by Vigoro. They make a rubber mulch which replaced the wood chips, in turn conserving water and helping irrigation in your beds. The best part is that rubber mulch is made from recycled rubber tires and will hold it’s color for over 10 years.
The more we can each do now to conserve our resources the better off we will be in the future. Put your “Green” thumb to work now and think of ways to be earth friendly today.

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Know Your Type

Have you ever found yourself wondering why your grass will grow right up to the shadow of that tree in your yard but won’t grow underneath? Or maybe your lawn takes a little while longer to come back in the spring than your neighbor’s. The key to answering these questions is knowing just what type of grass you have in your yard. There are two main types of grass found in North Texas and are commonly found in lawns throughout the region. Bermuda and St. Augustine grasses can be found throughout the state of Texas from the gulf coast north through the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex. Let’s take a look at both of these types to better understand what you have and what suits your lawn best.
Bermuda is a generally termed a single-blade grass due to the fact that it sprouts vertically from a single seed. It also thrives in North Texas because of efficient use of water and minerals from the soil. Bermuda grass can also manage colder temperatures than St. Augustine which is why your lawn may not be as luscious early in the season as your neighbor’s lawn. The one drawback of Bermuda grass is in a yard which has a great deal of shade. Shady areas will look bare on lawns with Bermuda.

The primary visual characteristic of St. Augustine grass is the presence of horizontal “runners” that are intertwined throughout the lawn from which individual grass blades sprout from. In cold weather conditions St. Augustine is more susceptible to damage and generally takes longer in the spring to green. For those bare areas in your yard due to shade coverage St. Augustine is a perfect solution to fill in those spots.
The fact is that most established neighborhoods in Dallas/Ft. Worth have a mixture of Bermuda and St. Augustine due to dominance of one species under those circumstances.

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Importance of Proper Spring Lawn Maintenance

Springtime has come and plants are beginning to wake from their winter rest. This year you have committed yourself to ensuring that you have a beautiful looking lawn and landscape but as you look out over your yard you see patchy spots of grass along with a lot of weeds. The first key is to get a proper analysis of your yard to provide some direction to how you will treat your yard and prepare it for a healthy and attractive summer season.

1. Get to know your yard by walking each part looking for bare spots of weak turf or areas that may have insect damage.
2. Take some time to rake through your grass with a wire rake. During the winter months debris can settle below the grass surface preventing proper penetration and absorption of water and nutrients to the grass root system. This process is called de-thatching and can remove the debris caused by decomposing leaves and grass clippings.
3. Once you have a good understanding of the condition of your lawn there are two possible next steps. The first step would apply to those lawns that have bare spots. If you find that you have spots in your lawn that show bare dirt you may need to spot-seed in those patches. You can purchase grass seed from your local home improvement retail store. If you are unsure of what type of grass you have you can take a small sample with you to the retailer. If you don't have any bare spots in your lawn you should proceed on to the second next step option which is fertilizing. I always recommend using a professional fertilizing company to apply your treatment because they can customize a treatment that is specific to your lawn and also treat against weeds. If you choose to purchase and apply fertilizer yourself make sure to read and fully understand the application instructions from the manufacturer.
4. This is the time of year that is most essential to make sure your lawn is getting enough water, especially after fertilizing. Even though springtime is considered the rainy season there are many weeks that lawns are not getting enough water coverage to supply their needs for sustainable root growth and structure development. An average lawn will need to be watered about 3 times per week to provide sufficient moisture and nutrients to the roots.
5. Once you have taken the above steps you will begin to see your lawn become greener, fuller, and more beautiful. The final step in developing a great looking lawn is to mow at least once per week to allow for abundance of sunlight, water, and air circulation to the soil.
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