South Florida is home to extensive diversity of wildlife that individuals may encounter in their garden. Some are poisonous, others deliver a painful bite, while some are just scary looking. They seek shelter in gardens and want to be left alone, but they will defend themselves against what they perceive as an attack.

The best solution when gardening is wearing pants, long sleeves, socks and shoes – not sandals – look carefully where hands and feet are placed or if movement is detected. Individuals may also want to contact a professional should an infestation become apparent.

Spiders

Spiders are the most common type of wildlife that individuals will encounter. The two most dangerous are the southern black widow and the brown recluse. Humans typically won’t encounter a brown recluse, but it’s important to be aware. While it’s not poisonous, it’s dangerous in the effect it has. The venom injected by a bite result in liquification of the flesh around the bite site.

Southern black widows don’t have the distinguishing red hourglass markings of their northern counterparts. They’re venomous, but their bite typically won’t result in death. The bite can cause pain, burning, swelling, redness, nausea and severe pain. The venom affects the nervous system. Some people are relatively unaffected, while others may have a severe reaction.

Snakes

Between breeders and owners releasing exotic snakes into the wild and hurricanes that send snakes seeking higher ground, there are many different types of snakes in South Florida that people may encounter. Only six species are truly dangerous with bites that can harm people, but no snake should be trifled with, just to be safe.

Dangerous species include the Canebrake rattlesnake, copperhead, coral snake, cottonmouth/water moccasin, diamondback rattlesnake and pigmy rattlesnake. While most people won’t encounter the pythons or any of the other constrictors, they can appear. Snakes typically enter gardens in search of food such as moles, voles and mice, along with gophers, chipmunks and other rodents.

Fire Ants

Gardeners may encounter several species of fire ants that inhabit Florida. The red fire ant is the biggest problem. The species is native to South America and found a favorable environment in Florida. The imported species is aggressive and attacks anything that disturbs them. They come out of their mounds en masse and each ant can sting numerous times. The most common reaction is pain, itching and swelling. While the sting is painful to most, it can result in a life-threatening reaction for some.

RCH Landscaping is a full-service landscape company based in Boca Raton, Florida. We design, install and maintain Commercial and Residential landscapes all around Boca Raton, Delray Beach, and The Palm Beach areas. Our team of highly skilled landscape technicians has an undisputed track record of creating and maintaining beautiful commercial and residential landscapes all over South Florida.

Contact RCH Landscaping Today for a Free Estimate

561-779-9760

There’s nothing like the taste of fresh vegetables or the fragrance of a newly picked bouquet of flowers. Millions of people are discovering a new hobby, a healthier lifestyle, and even making extra money through the use of raised gardens.

Rather than placing plants directly in the ground, an increasing number of people are having raised beds constructed, building the containers themselves, or purchasing pre-made kits. Raised beds can be created from a wide variety of materials ranging from wood to stone. Some creative gardeners are even repurposing items such as claw-footed bathtubs to add a decorative look while growing flowers, herbs, and vegetables.

A raised bed can be as plain or elaborate as desired and one of the most welcome features is that they can be created at any desired height to make gardening less stressful and painful on the back. Most people favor beds that are 6-12 inches in height and placed directly on the ground, many individuals are choosing to support their beds on legs so they don’t have to bend over at all.

Raised beds mitigate the tedious and time-consuming task of weeding. They’re ideal for areas where drainage is a problem or the soil is poor and won’t support plants well. Gardeners have the ability to control the type of soil in a raised bed, allowing them to provide optimal conditions for any type or plant they want to grow.

With the addition of a well-supported net, trellis or other structure, individuals can even grow vining and climbing varieties such as morning glories, pole beans, and sugar snap peas. Vertical gardening can easily be combined with raised beds to add additional growing space. It also reduced damage from insects and disease, while facilitating harvesting.

There’s really no limit to what individuals can grow in a raised garden bed, up to and including raspberry canes. Just be sure to select a variety without thorns for ease of harvesting. Fragrant herbs are another choice. When selecting plants, keep in mind that some can be aggressive growers and become invasive if not carefully monitored and controlled.

RCH Landscaping is a full service landscape company based in Boca Raton, Florida. We design, install, and maintain Commercial and Residential landscapes all around Boca Raton, Delray Beach and The Palm Beach areas. Our team of highly skilled landscape technicians have an undisputed track record of creating and maintaining beautiful commercial and residential landscapes all over South Florida.

Contact RCH Landscaping Today for a Free Estimate

561-779-9760

As a Florida Landscaping Company we realize privacy is important. With the ever growing population housing is being pushed closer together now more than ever and many people are looking to hedges to obtain some privacy. Once confined to a select group of bushes, today’s property owners have a wealth of selections from which to choose, many of which flower to provide food for bees, butterflies and birds, along with shelter and resting areas for avians of all types.

A privet hedge is still the most popular, primarily due to its quick, dense growth habit. The shrub can grow up to three inches each year and provides a more formal appearance. It easily tolerates the required shearing to shape it and keep it contained to the desired appearance.

The fast-growing ficus is dense and second only to the privet as a privacy hedge. It does require a significant amount of trimming and manicuring to keep it in bounds.

For property owners that want a more tropical look, areca palms are fast growing. They have a very informal appearance and can grow up to 20 feet in height, though they typically remain smaller when used as a hedge, and don’t need trimming.

Another fast-growing bush for hedges is the cocoplum. It’s a native of Florida, can be trimmed, and is appropriate for formal or casual landscapes. It has red-tipped leaves and produces small white flowers followed by a fruit that’s popular with birds.

Surinam Cherry, also known as the Brazilian or Florida cherry, is a tall-growing shrub that can easily be kept pruned to the desired height. It produces fruit that’s attractive to birds.

Indigenous to Florida, firebush has tubular orange flowers that attract birds, butterflies, and bees, along with blackberries attractive to avians. Property owners should avoid the dwarf variety if they want a high hedge. It forms a very informal hedge and thrives best when left untrimmed.

Hedges provide privacy for humans, a sanctuary for birds, and flowering varieties are beneficial for pollinators. Depending on the species, they can be manicured for a formal look or allowed to follow their normal growth pattern for informal landscaping. Hedges help to reduce road noise, provide protection against wind, and aids in conserving energy.

RCH Landscaping is a full service landscape company based in Boca Raton, Florida. We design, install, and maintain Commercial and Residential landscapes all around Boca Raton, Delray Beach and The Palm Beach areas. Our team of highly skilled landscape technicians have an undisputed track record of creating and maintaining beautiful commercial and residential landscapes all over South Florida.

Contact RCH Landscaping Today for a Free Estimate

561-779-9760

A lush green lawn is a pleasure to behold, offering a multitude of opportunities for entertaining and spending time with family and friends. A lawn requires far more than mowing to keep it looking inviting and that’s where a full-service lawn care professional like RCH Landscaping of Boca Raton is essential.

Lawn services can include landscaping and irrigation system installation, along with seeding, fertilizing, mowing, edging, weed-eating, and leaf/grass blowing. It may also include tree and shrub trimming, mulching, dethatching and aeration, treating the lawn for insect pests or diseases, and removing any vegetative debris when necessary.

Lawn grass encompasses a myriad of varieties, not all of which are appropriate for every type of soil. Some grass requires less water than others, while some varieties are best used on steep slopes or in high traffic areas. The installation of an irrigation system offers convenience and saves money and time. A high-tech system can be programmed to water on a schedule that accommodates the type of grass.

The pH content of the soil will have an impact on the type of grass used and the fertilizer. The pH level can be adjusted, but it can be expensive and take time to show results. Professional lawn care specialists will know how to test pH levels and the appropriate materials to use for the type of grass desired and seed the area if needed.

Fertilizer is an essential element for a lawn that looks good year-round, but it must be applied at the correct time and in the right amount. Depending on the composition of the fertilizer, it will nourish the grass in different ways and feed the needs of the roots for growth of greenery.

Two of the biggest mistakes that property owners make is mowing their lawn too often and cutting it too short. The type of grass in the lawn, prevailing weather conditions and the season of the year must all be factored into a mowing schedule that maintains the lawn without damaging the grass.

A full-service lawn care company will know how to aerate and dethatch a lawn for better growth, be able to trim hedges appropriately and treat lawns to control insect pests or eradicate common diseases that can result in brown outs. A professional lawn service will also be able to perform edging that creates crisp, clean lines between driveways, patios and flower beds for a manicured appearance.

RCH Landscaping is a full service landscape company based in Boca Raton, Florida. We design, install, and maintain Commercial and Residential landscapes all around Boca Raton, Delray Beach and The Palm Beach areas. Our team of highly skilled landscape technicians have an undisputed track record of creating and maintaining beautiful commercial and residential landscapes all over South Florida.

Contact RCH Landscaping Today for a Free Estimate

561-779-9760