We all want that gorgeous, thick green lawn. The easiest and fastest way to accomplish that in most cases is by installing sod. Sod is sections of cut from the surface of grass including the roots. Although sod may be the fastest and easiest way to get an instant lush lawn, it doesn’t come without some work and careful considerations that should be taken to mind.

Here in Central Florida, we are somewhat in a “transition” zone when it comes to plant hardiness. While we don’t have the consistent cold temperatures and freezes of North Florida, we do get frost and an occasional freeze. We aren’t far enough south to have the sub-tropical and tropical environments of South Florida. Regardless of the zone, the entire state of Florida has a warm enough climate that it is important to make sure you chose a warm-season sod grass to install. The best grasses to install in Florida include St. Augustine, the most popular, Bermuda, Centipede, Bahia and Zoysia. These grasses spread by runners above and below ground and hence are better suited for warmer climates. For reference, cool season grasses include Fescues, Ryegrass and Kentucky Bluegrass which grow in bunches.

Once you have chosen your type of sod, the next thing to consider what time of year would suit best for the installation of Orlando sod here in our local yards.

Grass roots go dormant in temperatures less than 50 degrees. While we don’t have many hard freezes here in Central Florida, we do see some consistent days that fall below this threshold. For this reason, winter is very risky to install sod because of possible exposure to cold temperatures. If this happens, the grass will go dormant and the roots will not have time to establish into the soil. This could kill an entire installation that would be very costly to replace.

Spring is a good option at times, but here in Orlando, we have very little true spring. Because of our climate, spring temperatures can get extremely hot very quickly. It is best to be observant of weather patterns and watch for trends. You will need to water to make sure the grass stays moist so that the roots can develop and establish into the soil.

Summer temperatures are too hot and while it is possible to install sod at this time of year, it requires a lot of water due to evaporation. Unless you have an irrigation system installed or a lot of time on your hands to make sure it doesn’t get dried out, Summer is best to avoid. Summer here also brings a lot of rain. Too much water on new sod will make it more susceptible to insects, fungus and disease. Because Florida summers can be brutal, we would think twice about installing sod at this time of year.

That leaves us with Fall! Fall brings cooler temperatures while grass continues to grow. This is the perfect condition for installing sod. It will be able to root quickly and withstand any winter temperatures. As well, if you are maintaining yourself, cooler temperatures will make it easier to water, fertilize and mow to assure a well-established lawn with Orlando sod and the very best looking Florida grass for years to come.

Fall is a great time to install sod also because most other landscape plants have been planted and have matured by this point and therefore require less maintenance so you will be able to spend more time focusing on creating the thick, lush lawn that will make the neighbors jealous next summer! This is why we recommend Fall. It will be both optimal conditions for the grass and for those installing and maintaining it!

Some other tips to consider when preparing to install sod are:

• Be sure you clear your soil of any weeds. They can penetrate newly installed sod very easily. This can be accomplished with chemical weed killers or by covering with plastic sheeting to create heat and sterilize the soil.
• Grade the soil to be sure that it slopes away from structures, large trees or surface installations such as patios or concrete sidewalks. This will help drainage of water and avoid puddles that could be damaging to your grass.
• Test your soil to determine which sod will work best and what nutrients if any will need to be added. All sod will be installed over a layer of topsoil or compost, but the roots will eventually penetrate this layer and establish deeper into existing soil.

The weather here in Central Florida is finally beginning to match the calendar! As we usher in the season, you may want to consider adding some fall décor to your Florida patio to create an inviting environment to enjoy and entertain. Although these days don’t last as long here as in other climates, we can look forward to cooler evenings and more time to spend outside basking in our wonderful Florida Fall combination of chilly weather and warm sunshine. Absolute bliss!

Pillows, Pillows, Pillows – Accent your patio furniture with pillows in warm fall colors. This will you’re your space comfortable and entice company to stay a little longer. Include patterns and solids to create variety and depth. You can DIY with seasonal words and embellishments as well. One our favorite things to do is find pillow covers. You can invest in inserts and switch out your covers for every season that fold away and store far easier than multiple different holiday pillows.

Candles! Here in Central Florida temperatures are still mild for most of the season. While we all enjoy that roaring fire, it might be a little much until we get our occasional freeze watch. Until then, you can use candles to provide the same warmth and ambiance to your Central Florida patio. Flameless candles have come a long way and can add just the right touch without the worry of flame or the mess of wax. Use these in fireplaces and fire pits, lanterns and chandeliers to bring that warm glow to your fall outdoor oasis.

Hay! Get Corny! Using hay bales and corn stalks is a cheap and easy way to add a touch of fall to any area. You can bring the harvest to your patio by creating corners decorated with corn stalks, pumpkins and hay bales topped with bright mums and fall leaf garland. You can also create great seating areas all around your yard with hay bales. Some great tips for seating is to combine hay bales and rocking chairs on the patio in groups of 3 or 4 or create a circle of hay bales around your fire pit in the backyard for making those delicious smores. You can use the hay later to prep for your garden.

Wrap them Up! Keep blankets around outdoors for your guests to snuggle in when it gets chilly. This will prolong your time to enjoy outside instead of sending everyone inside away from the cold. Mix flannels and solids, rolled in a basket and thrown over various furnishings is inviting enough for everyone to get cozy and spend more time enjoying the weather and the company. This is especially great around that fire pit while sitting on hay bales roasting s’mores!

Illuminate your patio and backyard with lights as the days grow shorter. Adding some twinkling fairy lights to distant shrubs, around tree branches or to edge your patio will encourage longer lingering outdoors when the sun goes down early.

Add the Fire!  A fire pit is a great hardscape addition to your backyard for those especially chilly nights so you can entertain and enjoy your backyard oasis all year round!  Getting a custom built Florida patio may not be as expensive as you think! Consult your local landscaper to design a firepit that fits your yard and budget.

It is finally starting to cool down here in Central Florida. We always welcome fall here to give us a break from all the summer heat and humidity. Although the thermometer is dropping, we don’t get a lot of fall colors in the form of changing leaves here in the Sunshine State. However, there are some ways that you can add some special plants to your Orlando Landscaping that will bring in the colors of Fall and escort in the Holiday Season. There are also some good tips that you may not consider for winterizing your landscape to ensure that it will handle cooler temps and flourish in the spring.

PLANT BOLD

There are some great plants to add to your Orlando Landscape this time of year that will bloom over the next few months.

Annual plants that will need replanting each year include:

Pansies

Perennials that will bloom each year include:

Salvia

Holly & Lillies

PLANT FOOD

Maintenance Tips to make the most of Winter

• Control Weeds – Winter months are a good time to apply a “preemergence” herbicide that will help control weeds before they appear. It is important to do this once the temperature is between 55-60 degrees at night.
• Fertilize – October is the last month to fertilize your lawn before it goes dormant for the winter months. Choose a fertilizer with very little fertilizer unless your soil has tested a need for it. Also try to avoid any weed and feed product as they can harm your lawn. You can also add a controlled release fertilizer to any plants or shrubs that are not performing well to help give them the nutrients they will need to survive the winter months and flourish in the spring.
• Insects – Lower temperature months are a great time to apply oil sprays to control insects.
• Irrigation – When planting in the fall, remember to water well and add mulch to minimize weeds and keep those new plants healthy. If you have existing perennials or bulbs in your garden already, now is the time to divide and replant any that are overgrown so that they can establish well before cooler weather. Other than new plants, be sure to turn off irrigation systems and water only if needed as established plants need less watering in cooler months.

With some new additions and some proper preparation, you can create beautiful Florida Fall Landscaping to enjoy all the colors of Fall without the falling leaves to manage and get a jump start on spring with maintaining and preparing your lawn and plants.

Without incorporating landscape drainage solutions, flooding can be a huge issue for homeowners. More than the unsightly pools of water or muddy footprints into your house, drainage issues can cause some serious issues to the foundation of your home as it seeps into walls, causing cracks and mold issues. Standing water also harbors the reproduction of mosquitoes that can not only be annoying but carry disease. As well, poorly drained areas will ruin your landscaping. Grass and most trees and shrubs that are over saturated too often will suffer from root rot. You will have issues mowing, trimming and simply enjoying your yard if it is a wet, sloppy mess.

In some ways, we are very lucky here in sunny Central Florida. We have lots of sunshine, no snow and plenty of summer rain. Our rainy season here runs from April to October. That gives us more than half the year here in Orlando to deal with possible draining issues. We are also fortunate to have a sandy soil type in and around Orlando. This type of soil allows for good drainage for the most part. However, there are many other issues that can cause problems and wreak havoc on your Orlando landscape. Let’s take some time to identify what some of those are, what to look out for and some drainage solutions to address them.

If you are building or buying a new home, the best thing to do is to inspect the property before you buy. Even if you bring in a reputable Orlando Landscaper to assist in your assessment, it will save you time, money and lots of frustration in the long run. Be sure that the lot is graded properly to allow for proper runoff. This is key. Also, check the soil around the perimeter of the house compared to the soil further into the yard. If the soil around the house is more clay or overly compacted, this could mean trouble down the road. If you love the house and still detect some issues, work with your Orlando Landscaper to determine what drainage solutions will be needed and the cost associated. You may be able to negotiate this prior to purchasing your home.

Slope

Likely the number one cause for drainage issues in Orlando Landscaping is yard slope or pitch issues. Again, when new homes are built in subdivision, it doesn’t allow much space for builders to consider all the details of individual sites’ slope and pitch. Without the proper slope of land away from your home, water runoff cannot be diverted away. This can also happen in older homes over time if the pitch or slope is slightly off and progresses to erode soil.

It is typically recommended that a 2% pitch slope can divert water away, but more and more Landscape architects and engineers are recommending at least 3%. This is an important change from traditional opinions. When yards are less than this, it is recommended to install other means of drainage to your yard and around your home.

Poor Design

Another possible issue for drainage issues could be poor design. This could be site design when the home was built or landscape design that did not properly consider drainage issues when replacing or installing new landscaping. Some factors here are things such as:

• Front sidewalks that run parallel to the house. This creates an “island” of lawn or flower bed in which water will sit and not drain properly unless some precautions are taken.
• Downspout Issues will cause issues when either not installed to divert water or installed improperly and actually divert water towards the house instead of away. This is a very common problem that happens frequently when inexperienced site workers install drainage solutions.
• Erosion happens when excessive downspout water pools around pipe openings. This can be especially troublesome here in Central Florida in our Summer rainy season.
• Soggy areas can appear in your yard if there is an irrigation or pool pipe broken underground, or if your home is built in a low-lying area such as a flood zone. These usually happens in the lowest area where all the water is draining. This can also happen with improper slope as well.

DRAINAGE SOLUTIONS

There are various drainage solutions available for your Orlando area home. Depending on your issue, some or all of these can be installed to help keep your yard dry and your landscape healthy. We will list a summary here but we highly recommend that you contact a local Orlando Landscaper to assess your issues and give you the best options that will solve your problems. You can always take the DIY approach to installation, but an expert should be on hand when analyzing the problems and determining the best drainage solutions.

• Installing gutters either on the roof edge or in the ground below the drip edge can do a lot to prevent excess runoff in those Florida thunderstorms. This is by far the best investment you can make to prevent drainage issues. This is particularly helpful when you have landscaping up close to the perimeter of your home.
• Extending your downspouts can also be a simple step in solving drainage issues. Downspouts usually do not extend very far from the side of your home. When this is the case, water can pool and eventually erode the soil in these areas. Extending downspouts further away from your home and into the yard can get the excess water away and further into the downward slope of your property.
• French Drains can be used to divert water away from the perimeter of your home into other areas of your yard. If your issue is great, you can actually use the water runoff to naturally irrigate other parts of your landscape.
• Installing a dry well can also be extremely helpful in areas like Central Florida where summer rains can be quick and dump a lot of water in short order. These can be rain barrels or other forms of dry wells in which piping leads to that is typically dry unless there is an excess of runoff. In this case, the runoff is piped into the dry well which will have smaller holes drilled into the bottom of and be encased in stone so that the water it captures will slowly drain back in to the soil. These should be place a good distance away from the home and on a downward slope. Some rain barrels are also placed near a hose bib and piped from a downspout. This water can be used for future irrigation so long as it is sealed and air tight to prevent breeding pests or bacteria. Be sure to size your barrel properly before considering this use.
• Create a creek bed or rain garden. These are two creative ideas that can supplement your landscape design. Particularly for uneven lots, with lots of challenges. With the right landscaping, these can look good even during dry season. A rain garden uses an existing low spot and incorporates water loving plants. It doesn’t necessarily solve a drainage issue, but if the low spot is sufficient distance from your home, it can add a focal point to your landscaping with beautiful plants instead of just a low, muddy spot in the yard.

As you can see, while we enjoy lots of advantages by living in Central Florida, we can also encounter some challenges when it comes to our Summer rainy season and drainage issues. Be sure to take a look at your yard after the next heavy rain and address any issues now, even small. Using the proper drainage solutions sooner than later will save your yard, plants and pockets in the long run.

Most everyone is surprised when it comes to the cost of landscaping. The trendy and popular “reality” TV renovation shows make it look so easy. It may be shocking to realize the actual costs of a project. There are many details to consider when estimating Landscaping Costs that most homeowners are not aware of. Professional Landscapers consider many costs beyond just material and labor. They also include time for consulting and planning, subcontractor costs (which are marked up), a rate for use of their equipment, and hauling and disposal of waste among others.

When preparing for a landscape project, there are many elements to consider from the prospective of the homeowner as well. The cost of your landscape will be directly proportional to the degree and complexity of your plan. Some can be simple with mostly lawn and a few flower beds while others can be extensive with patio areas, retaining walls and features like water fountains and misting systems. A typical landscaping project can average from $5,000 up to $100,000 or more depending on the size of your property and your wish list. We hope to help you begin your journey with some guidance on what will need to be considered as well as some good tips on saving money.

PLAN, PLAN, PLAN AND THEN PLAN SOME MORE!

While paying for a professional design may be an expense you didn’t think about, it will pay off in the long run. It is best to design your entire project up front even if you will complete in phases. Some designers will work with you on DIY projects but you will be responsible for accurate measurements of locations and needed materials.

You will have a wish list and a dream but will need to detail certain items to make the most of your buck. You will need to create a budget to achieve your goals. Some things you can do to save money here are to first take an inventory of your own yard first. You may have some overgrown plants that can be thinned, pruned or used in a new location. You can also repurpose items for pots and other details such as trellis. Some ideas are old wheelbarrow, tires, or old pot for planting and repurposing bricks or pavers in a new design. HGTV has a great site analysis tool to assist you in assessing your yard.

Your next step in the process of creating your dream yard into reality is to consider how the project will be installed. You may choose to create in DIY phases to lower and spread out the expense or use a Central Florida Landscaping team to install all at once, or you can sometimes negotiate a combination of both. It is important to consider using a professional for installation particularly for any complex projects such as deck building, surfacing, and for any electrical or plumbing projects. You will save time and money in the long run having a team complete these projects because of permits, city codes, efficient completion, etc. You can work with your professional to minimize costs and maximize your DIY contributions. A combination of professional assistance and self-completed projects over phases is likely to be your best option to optimize your budget.

BUDGET WHAT?

When creating your budget, one important thing to understand and consider is the return on your investment. Much like a kitchen renovation or porch addition, a landscape installation costs can also increase the value of your home. When considering this, keep in mind how long you intend to keep your home. If you plan on selling within the next few years, you will want to spend less as the return won’t be as fruitful, but is a good way to quickly add value to your sale price.

A rule of thumb is to value your budget at 5-10% of your home’s value. The return on this will be 10-15% within about 5-7 years. Larger items such as decks and patios add the most return. Be sure to consider the costs of long term maintenance and repairs when creating your design. Water pumps and lights will require electricity and complex designs can create a significant increase in this recurring expense.

TREES, PLANTS AND FLOWERS! OH MY!

When creating your design and budget, it is important to use the right plant for the right place. There are many ways you can save money here. A designer can help you here to be sure of picking the right species for your yard. You can buy smaller plants that will mature to the size of your vision. This is particularly helpful when planting in phases. You can buy smaller, slower growing trees for less than larger varieties that will actually be heartier trees once mature. You can find plants and used garden tools at thrift shops and yard sales. You can check your local horticulture center, botanical garden or county annex for plant sales.

Be sure if you are getting quotes from Central Florida Landscaping companies that you are comparing apples to apples. Some will include labor with the price of the plant which means it will also include their markup, while others may list the plants and labor separately. This will make it hard to truly compare costs later. It is also important to test your soil ahead of time. This will help determine if you need added soil or additional nutrients before and during planting. Soil content can also dictate some of your plant choices in certain areas. For example, oak leaves are acidic. If you plant under a tree, this will be a constant need to address unless your chose plants that like an acidic environment.

BREAK GROUND!

Once you have your design and budget, you will be excited to start digging! Here are some tips to help save time and money when beginning the installation of your vision.

• For instant benefits at a lower cost, create surfaces first. You can create space for entertaining with a patio or deck and you can separate your yard into areas for planting by creating pathways. If you want to save money, concrete poured is cheaper than pavers and you can pour a concrete patio and install finish stone later when your budget allows. You can also create an area of mulch where pavers are designed to go be installed later for a cheaper cost but still get the initial affect and utilization of the space.

• If you utilize a contractor to install a surfaced area or larger project that in the beginning phase of your Landscaping Costs, use them to your advantage. Ask them to install electric and plumbing stub ups for use later. It is often less expensive when they install a job all at once at your address rather than returning multiple times. Be sure to think ahead including future installations when considering when to hire your professional. It can cut down on the overall installation costs to group things together.

• Save your details for later. If you want to add features like ponds, pergolas or built in structures like seat walls and summer kitchens, create your design so that these can be easily added later. You can add little things as you go along to add your personality such as wind chimes, garden art, etc. and still enjoy your space will saving the more elaborate projects for after your landscaping has matured.

ENJOY!

With proper planning and budgeting, you can transform your landscaping vision into reality. It may seem like a lot of work up front when you just want to get your hands dirty and start planting, but it really will pay off in the long run. It will limit your frustrations of figuring out what you did wrong too late and save you dollars from having to replant and redesign your yard as you go. You can design your landscaping to reduce costs by using climate friendly plants that will require less water and maintenance and you can contribute to the maintenance of soil health by creating your own compost. There are many ways to save along the journey. Ultimately, you will create your special oasis that will hold many special memories of home for decades.