Avocados are a great addition to any meal and can add an interesting flavor to a great number of dishes, but the high costs of this fruit may discourage some people from partaking. Save yourself some money and try growing your own avocado tree! Imagine thinking up a tasty southeast cuisine that would be complete with a perfectly ripe avocado. Instead of running to the store and paying an outrageous amount of money for only one avocado, you can step outside and pick one right off the vine.

If you live in a colder area and the winter months are not ideal for growing, it is wise to start this plant off indoors, making sure to give it the amount of light it would have if it were outside. Place an avocado seed in a medium to large planting pot and keep the soil damp, but not saturated. If you decide to plant the seed outdoors, choose a section of your La Crosse landscape that has well-drained soil and in an area where it won’t get too much sunlight, as the leaves can become sun-scorched. It is also important to choose an area in your yard where the avocado won’t have “competition.” It won’t be bad to plant a couple of trees together, but make sure there aren’t any other plants whose roots could be cut off by the roots of your avocado trees.

In the first year of growth, it’s important to keep the tree safe from pests with a mesh fence. Fruits should start to grow after seven months or so, but it could take longer depending on the climate conditions. Landscaping experts also recommend using organic fertilizer after the first year, especially if you notice a yellowish tint to the leaves, indicating an iron deficiency. If you aren’t sure what kind of fertilizer to use or you want to protect your avocado trees from pests and diseases, contact your local La Crosse landscaping company and have an expert come out to tend to all your La Crosse landscaping needs.

So you’ve finally decided this is the season you will add an outdoor living space that will give you a place to escape to and take in the sounds, smells and sights of your gorgeous La Crosse landscape, as well as provide a comfortable and convenient area to entertain great friends and family. Lawn care experts suggest adding a hexagonal gazebo might just be the perfect avenue to that destination!

Hexagonal gazebos are traditional in appearance, but add a style and sophistication to your La Crosse landscape. And although you may choose a design and materials that exude luxury, La Crosse lawn care specialists say hexagonal gazebos are quite affordable. Furthermore, your property value will increase with this beautiful addition!

Hexagonal gazebos do not have to be one-size-fits-all in style. Lawn care professionals say there are several different options, including whether or not to add benches inside the gazebo and different types of railings. When it comes to topping your hexagonal gazebo, you can choose from a canopy top, an ornamental cupola or more traditional roofing shingles, perhaps to match the roof of your home.

Hexagonal gazebos typically come in 8 foot and 10 foot sizes. Lawn care pros suggest a great way to accentuate your La Crosse landscape gazebo is by adding garden lights and seasonal plantings around the gazebo itself. The plants and flowers will give you something beautiful to gaze upon as you relax the day away in your La Crosse landscape and the garden lights will allow you to enjoy this outdoor living space even on cool, summer nights.

Contact your local La Crosse lawn care company today to find out more about adding a hexagonal gazebo to your La Crosse landscape this season!

If nothing else, landscaping professionals insist that you water your La Crosse lawn. If you do nothing else, watering at least should be a priority. But as it goes, life has a funny way of getting in the way of things that you need or want to do and the next thing you know, a couple of weeks have passed and your La Crosse lawn is as dry as dust. So what’s the remedy? Why, an irrigation system of course!

Many landscaping companies are adding sprinkler system installation to their menu. It does no good to aerate, fertilize and maintain your La Crosse lawn’s pH level if you’re not properly hydrating your turf. Grass needs water more than it needs anything to remain healthy, durable and vibrant. A La Crosse lawn that is dehydrated is susceptible to disease and will often have brittle grass blades and look dull in color, sometimes even brown if the dehydration is severe enough.

Installing an irrigation system might seem like a luxury, but if you take into the consideration of what you might have to pay to renovate or repair your La Crosse lawn after a severe bout of dehydration, it’s more than worth the cost. A sprinkler system can include features such as timers to ensure that your La Crosse lawn is watered at the same time everyday and with just the right amount of water. Don’t want a visible system? No problem! Most irrigation systems are installed underneath the ground and some landscaping companies also offer products that blend in with your landscaping.

If you’re looking for a guaranteed method of keeping your La Crosse lawn hydrated throughout the growing season, consult your local landscaping company and ask about how an irrigation system can benefit you!

Cedar trees are a favorite tree to plant on many landscapes and are relatively easy to take care of due to its drought tolerance. This tree has a pyramidal shape and grows relatively slow. There are different varieties of cedar trees and their height varies from one species to another. The eastern red cedar typically grows anywhere from 30 to 50 feet high, while the western red cedar can reach heights of up to 200 feet (however this is usually only typical for western red cedars that grow in the wild).

Many homeowners or commercial property owners use cedar trees as a pleasant-looking privacy screen on their landscape. Others may plant cedar trees for the purpose of being windbreaks or hedges. Whatever the reason you choose to introduce cedars onto your landscape, La Crosse landscaping specialists say that mulch is an important part of caring for this special tree. Mulch will help keep the soil around the tree damp and loose.

Your professional landscaper can help you select the best type of mulch for your cedar tree. There are several different options:

• Sawdust or straw: Cost-effective, but doesn’t offer much in the way of nutrients to the soil.
• Bark nuggets/wood chips: Offer an eye-pleasing aspect to your landscape, has a slow rate of decomposition and stays put even through strong gusts of wind.
• Composted yard waste: Cost-effective, eco-friendly and offers an abundance of nutrients.
• Grass clippings: Making use of yard waste is always a plus, but tree care authorities warn of using grass clipping too much. The clippings can become compacted when frequent or hard rain occurs and stop moisture from being absorbed into the soil, dehydrating the roots of your cedar tree.

Once you have decided on the right kind of mulch for you, you or your La Crosse landscaping authority will need to pull out all of the weeds around the area to be mulched, so the mulch can be applied to bare soil. If mulch is applied on top of existing weeds, it will not only appear unkempt, but it also won’t prevent the growth of the weeds.

An area of three to six feet in diameter and two to four inches thick around the tree should be covered with high-quality mulch during any time of the year except in the beginning of spring. The ground is still thawing from the cold weather and the soil and the roots need time to thaw and respond to the warming sun. Mulch will prevent that transfer of heat. Although you want a wide area around the tree to be mulched, leave a gap of about six inches between the base of the tree and the mulch to deter insects and other unwanted pests.

If you want more information on mulching your cedar tree, call your local La Crosse landscaping professional for expert advice.

Ever wonder what to do with those scraps of food that shouldn’t go down the disposal, but create a terrible smell if left in the garbage for more than a day? Or perhaps you’re looking to enhance the growth of your La Crosse landscape plants in a more natural and cost-effective manner? Landscaping experts recommend using your kitchen waste to make your own all-organic mulch.

The first step in this journey toward a more eco-friendly way to fertilize your La Crosse landscape is by choosing the right type of composter. Many La Crosse landscapers recommend using worm bins. Filling the bin with live worms, your kitchen waste will be broken down by the worms and voila! You have a nutrient-rich fertilizer for your La Crosse landscape! Using a worm bin is also beneficial because you can keep it inside your home if you wish for easy access. The only rule when it comes to worm bins is to not leave it in direct sunlight.

If you’re not sure how to use a worm bin or where to get the materials (or the worms), check with your community’s Department of Water and Power; they may offer worm bins as well as instructions on how to use them.

So what can you throw in the worm bin? The ingredients that make up worm bin mulch can range from fruit and vegetable rinds and pieces to most La Crosse landscape debris, according to La Crosse landscaping experts. So instead of throwing your kitchen scraps in the trash, or even to the dog, think about creating your own personal brand of all-organic mulch.

If making your own mulch is too much of a hassle but you still want to bring a more organic approach to fertilizing your La Crosse landscape, call your local La Crosse landscaping company and ask about their organic fertilization program.

All grass types are susceptible to diseases and weeds, however, there are ways to prevent, deter and combat these issues through proper lawn care techniques. But even with the absolute best care, you cannot guarantee that disease or insects will never be a problem with your St. Augustine lawn.

St. Augustine grass is a sturdy type of turf and is able to assert itself over weeds as long as it is healthy and is receiving adequate care. If St. Augustine grass is left to fend for itself, it may become weak, at which time opportunistic weeds will stop popping up throughout your La Crosse landscape. This is especially true if the lawn is already infested with insects or has been infected with a disease. St. Augustine turf is usually found to have broadleaf and grassy weeds, however, chickweed, clover and henbit have also been found by lawn care specialists to be a menace to this type of grass. These weeds respond best to hormone-type herbicides that are applied in the early spring. Other weeds such as fescue, crabgrass or annual bluegrass require a different type of treatment that includes precise applications of pre-emergent herbicides.

In addition to fighting off weeds, St. Augustine grass is also susceptible to a number of turfgrass diseases including Helminthosporium, brown patch, SAD, Pythium, gray leaf spot, rust, downy mildew and more. Most of these diseases are caused by the presence of fungi and can be easily controlled by a knowledgeable lawn care company. SAD is a virus disease for which there is no chemical solution, which means only defiant types of St. Augustine grass are resistant to the disease.

Brown patch and gray leaf spot are the most severe diseases caused by fungi infecting St. Augustine turfs. Although these diseases seldom destroy St. Augustine, they weaken and thin the grass to the degree that the lawn is extremely unattractive. Precautionary treatments of fungicides are most effective against these diseases.

To keep your St. Augustine lawn primped and pristine, call your local lawn care provider and ask about their weed and disease control programs.

Because Leyland Cyprus trees are coniferous and not deciduous, they are resilient to most diseases and insect infestations that are devastating to other trees. However, because they are coniferous and not deciduous, some of the insects they do attract are among the most harmful when it comes to a tree’s health.

Leyland Cyprus trees still have a few environmental enemies that are capable of severely damaging, if not altogether killing the tree, including bagworms and spider mites. One of the ways to prevent these infestations, as well as the damage that occurs along with the presence of these tree pests, is to engage in helpful tree care practices. As with all plants, landscaping experts insist that correct pruning procedures must be engaged in order to keep the tree healthy. According to La Crosse landscapers, if proper techniques are not followed, the tree can become severely and irreparably injured.

Landscaping specialists say Leyland Cyprus trees will greatly benefit from bi-annual shearing. Over-shearing, which means shearing more than twice a year, can actually weaken the tree and leave it vulnerable to fungal infections. Landscapers recommend spaying the Leyland Cyprus with fungicide immediately after it has been sheared. In addition to fungal infections, the Leyland Cyprus usually only suffers from four other diseases: Seiridium cankers, Botryospaeria, Cereosporidium and Phytopht, also known as root rot. The good news is that with the right preventative care, the Leyland Cyprus may remain unaffected by these diseases.

To find out more about proper landscaping techniques for the Leyland Cyprus, call your local La Crosse landscaper and schedule a consultation.

Just because it is wintertime, doesn’t mean your outdoor chores are over. Your trees continue to need care throughout the cold weather. You should make sure there is a thin layer of mulch around your trees and ornamentals to help them retain water and to reduce temperature extremes. The mulch will act like a blanket and give the tree’s roots extra protection.

Trees also need water now, just like they do in the summertime. Winter droughts can be just a severe as summer droughts.  If temperatures permit, you should water your trees occasionally, it can be a life saver. Experts say when the ground is not frozen, trees need at least an inch of water a week. But make sure you only water when the soil is not frozen, otherwise the water may freeze and cause your plants to suffocate.

Wintertime is also the perfect time to prune your trees. It’s easier to see the tree’s structural problems without leaves blocking the way. You should prune off the dead limbs and the ones that are growing improperly, like limbs that cross other branches.  Dense trees can also be pruned to reduce wind resistance which also lowers their risk of being blown over. Plus winter pruning can also reduce ice and snow damage to the trees and nearby structures.

When snow falls you can help unburden your trees by gently brushing from its limbs all that loose snow. And watch where you use de-icing salt. It’s very harmful to trees and other plants because experts say it restricts the root system from absorbing water, creating a drought-like situation. Choose environmentally friendly alternatives like sand, sawdust, ashes and non-clumping kitty litter.

During the winter we prepare for harsh weather by piling on layers of clothing and wearing heavy coats, gloves, hats and scarves; unfortunately, not many people think about how the living things in their yards and gardens react to the cold.  Trees and shrubs are vulnerable to cold weather just like we are.  If new growth in the early  Fall doesn’t have enough time to harden off, experts say the sudden drop in temperatures can create ice crystals that can rupture cell walls, resulting in dead branch tips and branches.

Officials at a state cooperative extension service say one of the biggest problems for trees and shrubs is the sharp temperature change from day into night during the winter.  They say that dramatic change can actually freeze the water in the trunks of trees, causing them to explode or split open.  That reaction is called frost cracking.  Sometimes these cracks can close when warm weather returns, if the damage isn’t that severe.  Many shrubs can suffer from something similar, called bark split.  Extension service officials say those particularly susceptible are many cultivars of evergreen azaleas.  In most cases plants close over the cracks with no treatment necessary.

During this winter there are some things you can do to protect your trees and shrubs.  You can wrap the trunks with burlap strips or commercial tree wrap.  Experts also recommend painting the trunks white or shading them with a board to prevent bark splitting.  These methods reflect sunlight and reduce temperature fluctuations, like the buildup of heat during the day, that cause splitting.  All wraps should be removed after one season to stop insect or moisture damage.

Bagworms are often the bane of any homeowner’s existence. These stubborn insects can take a perfectly healthy and beautiful landscape and destroy it in a matter of months. Their incessant feeding depletes trees and shrubs of the nutrients necessary to keep them alive and thriving, thus killing the plants if there is no intervention.

The presence of bagworms is usually not diagnosed until early June, at which time the introduction of pest control applications is usually effective. The key is to eliminate them before they begin to reproduce, which they do at a rapid rate. If nothing is done about their presence in your trees until mid- to late summer, La Crosse landscaping experts say saving your trees might be much more difficult, if not impossible. As time passes, the “bag” becomes thicker, making it more resilient against insecticides.

The primary method used by many La Crosse landscaping specialists is removing the bags from the trees and burning them. In addition to this process, professional-grade insecticides are applied to stop reproduction and ward off future infestations.

If you have had problems in the past with bagworms and can’t afford to lose more trees to these destructive critters, contact your local La Crosse landscaping professionals and ask them for their help in reducing these populations before it is too late.