Dogs have to be walked, but when the feces can ruin your lawn. Defecating dogs and inconsiderate humans continue to plague South Florida homeowners. It’s an ongoing problem and one that can discolor lawns, kill grass, and damage expensive landscapes. There are some safe and simple measures that you can take to aid in alleviating the problem.

How Dog Feces Affect Your Lawn

South Florida residents are proud of their lush, green lawns and work hard to maintain them. The nitrogen in dog feces causes lawn discoloration. Dogs will return to where they’ve previously relieved themselves. Feces in the same spot kills grass.

Fungi and Disease

Multiple types of fungi can grow where a dog relieves themselves. Some of those fungi are capable of spreading throughout the lawn. The fungi flourishes in environments rich in nitrogen and moisture from rain or high humidity levels. Dog waste can also carry bacteria, fungal, viral, and parasitic organisms that can be transmitted to humans.

Ways to Discourage Dogs

If you know who the culprit is, try speaking to them. Be calm and respectful. They may not realize or understand the damage being done. If that doesn’t yield results, you can try the following:

• Use a scent repellent along your border such as vinegar, citrus or citronella- lavender plants are also a good repellent
• Activate the sprinkler system
• Keep the yard clean
• Install signs and a motion sensor camera
• Create a barrier by installing a fence

Bags and Receptacles

Many neighborhoods have installed pet waste disposal stations that provide bags for people to clean up after their canine, along with a receptacle to dispose of the waste. It eliminates the “I forgot a bag” excuse.

Be Prepared for Pushback

Pet owners are intensely loyal to their animals and will often defend against their activities, even when they know cleaning up after their canine is the right thing to do. If you can’t come to an equitable arrangement with your neighbor, the solution of last resort is to seek legal intervention.

Contact RCH Landscaping Today for a Free Estimate

561-779-9760

Tis the season for holiday decorating and that extends to outside plantings. There are some dos and don’ts of decorating plants that should be observed, along with etiquette that won’t start a feud with your neighbors.

Lights On Plants

Holiday lighting that remains cool to the touch is generally safe for plantings, whether it a tree or bush, but don’t use lights designated for indoor use outside. For delicate plants, try to limit the amount of light they receive. It’s never a good idea to string heavy lights on a young tree as it can damage limbs and buds.

A popular adornment is net lighting that can be draped over a bush.

Some ornamentation can be difficult to install and you may be tempted to leave it up year-round to avoid the hassle next year. Don’t given in to temptation. The cords on light strands can result in girdling on tree trunks that expand in size each year.

Decorating Etiquette

Holiday decorating has moved from the realm of restraint to productions worthy of a large budget Hollywood spectaculars. Dozens of people are featured on social media each year for their elaborate designs, lighting synchronized to music, and range of inflatables.

Illumination and Traffic

The glow from that many lights can be extremely annoying to neighbors, especially those of school age children. It can also result in an unwelcome and unsafe increase in traffic as people come to view the presentation.

Observe the Rules

Some homeowner’s association (HOAs) have very strict rules about the types of decoration that can be installed. All homeowners are well advised to check local ordinances to see if there are any restrictions.

Even more important, if you intend to have an elaborate holiday display, it’s a good idea to talk with neighbors first. Even if there are no ordinances against the display of your dreams, your neighbors may not appreciate it or be understanding. Be sure and turn it off at a reasonable time.

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Shade is a relative term for people. Plants take their shade requirements a little more seriously. Everyone has taken home a plant that required some form of shade, only they had miscalculated the level of shade in their landscape. The amount of shade must be determined accurately.

Doing so will guarantee that the plant flourishes as a unique specimen or fills in any areas where nothing seems to want to grow. You’ll be the recipient of distinctly colored and patterned foliage or brightly colored blossoms. It’s also important to remember that some plants will tolerate shady conditions that overlap one another.

Filtered Shade

In filtered shade, sunlight reaches the ground after being filtered through a canopy of tree leaves. It’s sometimes referred to as dappled sunlight. The pattern of light shifts throughout the day and doesn’t remain the same. Astilbe, fuchsia, impatiens, begonias and bleeding heart are good choices.

Partial Shade

A partial shade situation occurs when an area receives 2 to 4 hours of sun each day. Caladiums, coleus, hostas, primrose, hardy cyclamen, and lily of the valley will grow in these conditions.

Full Shade

You have full shade when an area receives less than 4 hours of direct sunlight per day due to dense tree canopies or building overhangs. Hostas like shade.

Deep/Dense Shade

This occurs when plants don’t receive any direct sun. The light they do receive is reflected or indirect. Primroses, lily of the valley, trilliums, coral bells, and foxglove are just some of the flowering plants that will tolerate deep shade.

Annuals and Perennials

A large number of shade loving plants tend to be perennials. Just plant them once and they return every year. However, for those that like the vibrant colors of annuals, there are also choices. Bear in mind that the light and shade requirements stated on plant tags provide optimal conditions. Many plants are able to adapt to other shade conditions – if it’s not a radical difference.

Contact RCH Landscaping Today for a Free Estimate

561-779-9760

A professional tree service has the knowledge, expertise and highly trained specialists needed to deal with a wide variety of tree-related issues. There are multiple instances when hiring a professional tree service will save time, and money and prevent you from putting yourself and others in danger.

Time and Knowledge

It can take a significant amount of time to shepherd a young tree to maturity while maintaining its unique shape and growth habit. Even if you have the time, you may not have the knowledge required to prune it to allow for optimal sunlight, growth, or to minimize damage from storms.

Poor Performance

If one or more of your trees appears sick, the problem could be an insect infestation or disease. It could also be the result of not having the tree’s sun, soil, moisture or fertilizer requirements met. Tree professionals have the knowledge needed to identify pests and diseases, keep contagious conditions from spreading to other trees throughout neighborhoods, and promote optimal growth.

Tree Removal

Trees may be disrupting underground utilities, affecting foundations, or sustained significant damage in a storm. You might need the services of a tree professional if a tree has come down in your yard or on the property. Safely removing a tree requires special techniques to control how it falls, prevent damage to surrounding structures and plantings, and to keep people and pets safe.

Stump Removal

No one wants a dead tree stump marring their landscape. Some types of trees will sprout unattractive suckers from the stump. The solution is to have the stump removed through grinding or excavation. Professional tree services have the powerful tools required to grind tree stumps down below ground level so they can be mowed over and don’t present a problem. The professionals can also excavate the stump to completely remove it from the ground. Excavation is the best answer if you want to plant another tree in the same place.

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

Trees provide a wealth of benefits within the environment and most people believe that once a tree has been planted and is growing, the work ends there. Trees are stalwarts of the environment, but even trees need some help in the form of judicial trimming. It’s best to seek the assistance of a professional for the task as inexperienced trimming can kill a tree.

Strengthens

Trimming a tree eliminates weak branches and limbs to strengthen the overall tree. It’s especially important in South Florida where the potential exists for hurricanes. Trimming better prepares a tree to withstand high winds and other stressors.

Safety

Weak limbs and branches can easily break and high winds compound the problem. They present a danger to people, pets and property. Professional trimming eliminates weak crotches, crossed limbs, and branches and limbs that are dead or dying. Addressing those types of problems must be done carefully to maintain the health of the tree and prevent damage to surroundings.

Sunlight

Trees need sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis to occur and trimming is an easy way to open up the canopy. It allows the inside of the tree to receive more sunlight. A lack of sunlight within the canopy can lead to dead branches.

Disease and Insects

Trees that are well-trimmed and healthy are more resistant to disease and insect infestations. If trees do become infected, trimming safely removes affected parts of the tree and helps prevent disease and insect pests from spreading to other plantings. It’s also helpful for detecting potential problems early.

Structure and Appearance

Some trees grow as textbook examples of their species while others do not. Trimming improves the appearance and structure of the tree, gently steering and shaping its growth in the desired direction. An expert tree trimmer knows what the appearance of each species should be and has the expertise to keep trees looking beautiful, which adds value to properties.

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

Floridians are well-aware of the dangers that hurricane season brings from June through November of each year. Having trees trimmed in anticipation of the hurricane season will aid in preventing damage from limbs that can become damaging and even deadly projectiles during tropical storms.

A strong, healthy, and well-rooted tree may manage to withstand the sustained winds of a hurricane without toppling, but there may still be weakened or diseased branches and limbs. They’re often not immediately obvious to the untrained eye.

During the violent storms, limbs can be ripped from trees and blown long distances through the air. Those limbs can cause damage to an individual’s home, business, or that of a neighbor. Once on the ground, limbs also have the potential to block roads and prevent police or medical professionals from responding in the emergency.

While there’s no way to hurricane-proof a landscape against every type of damage the storms can leverage, having a professional examine trees and remove any weak, sick, or damaged limbs is a critical step to minimize property damage. Some types of trees are better at withstanding the wind forces that accompany a hurricane and there are some that are at more risk than others.

Trees with a dense canopy, those that are dead or dying, have suffered insect damage, have double trunks, young trees, and new plantings are at increased risk and should be examined by a professional tree trimmer. If individuals are in any doubt about their trees, they can also seek the services of an arborist.

Yearly maintenance and trimming is essential for the health of any tree and will ensure they’re better able to withstand the ravages of a hurricane. Trees that have been well cared for and trimmed appropriately are more resilient to insect pests and breakage during a hurricane.

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