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Keep out the Moss!

Deter moss

Our wet winters bring all kinds of green wonders to life every year. We are lucky to live among many beautiful evergreen trees and shrubs, ferns and other native beauties that thrive on the rain. However, there is another plant that thrives on all the water we get and it can occasionally invade your landscape. We are talking about moss. Moss can be used artfully in some designs but, for the most part, it is a weed and a nuisance. It can choke grass and other plants and can be unsightly. There are many ways to get rid of it naturally. Keep reading for our tips!

Moss is especially a problem for yards with lots of shade and with poor drainage. They love those cool moist areas and will linger and spread in shady lawns and beds, if given a chance. You can improve the drainage in your yard by adding organic matter or, if that doesn’t help, calling in your favorite landscaping company to fix the problem. We also recommend opening up your yard to sunlight, if it is a persistent problem. This can mean cutting back any evergreen and shade trees or removing them all together. The skilled experts of Frontier Tree Service can help you determine the best way to trim a tree to maximize light getting through, without compromising the health of the tree or the beauty of your yard.

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An easier fix is to add iron to your soil. This does an efficient job of killing the moss and helps to keep it from returning. It will not harm your lawn or other plants and will only enrich your soil. In fact having rich, diverse healthy soil is a great way to keep out many unwanted pests and invaders. It’s a chemical-free way to keep the moss out of your lawn and beds. We can come out and apply iron to your lawn and garden beds for you, as part of our maintenance service.

Give us a call today to get rid of the moss in your yard. 1-(888) 544-5006

 

June Landscaping Tips: Pruning and more!

 

 

Summer is nearly here and everything is lush and green! It’s the right time to just enjoy the garden, while keeping up on maintenance. We have a few tips for you, this June, to keep your landscape healthy and gorgeous.

 

 

Pruning: We don’t recommend doing any heavy pruning this time of year, since any high temperatures can damage freshly pruned plants. We always want to minimize plant stress. However, it is a good time to do minor pruning of flush growth, to help plants keep their shape during this time of increased growth. This is especially applicable to evergreen conifers, whether they are trees or shrubs. This minor pruning helps maintain overall health, without harming the core of the plant. Our maintenance team can come out to help you with this type of pruning and to spruce up your yard while they’re at it. Get an estimate by clicking here.

 

 

Irrigation: It’s time to get your system turned on for the year. Most of the heavy rains are behind us and it does get fairly dry here in the summer. A good irrigation system is adjustable, based on rainfall, so you can tailor it to the weather. Be sure to get on a regular schedule by the end of the month, though. July-September are generally very dry months. Hopefully by now you have had your backflow testing and any repairs done. If your system needs maintenance, contact us soon to get prompt service.

 

 

Weeding: Everything is having a growth spurt right now, including the weeds. It seems like every few hours, some new ones are popping up. We recommend getting to them early and often, to stay on top of it. Try to dig out the entire plant, including the roots, and pull them up BEFORE they make seeds. If it gets out of control, or you just need a little professional help, our maintenance team is on the job!

 

What other garden tasks are on your list for this June? Do you have any concerns or questions about your landscape? Leave us a comment below!

 

Irrigation Repair and Installation: Prepare for the Season

running in sprinkler system

 

Summer is coming and Frontier Landscaping is now accepting new irrigation contracts for the 2020 season! We had some spots open up for our fantastic irrigation services so now is your chance to have Frontier Landscaping take care of your irrigation system. Keep that lawn and garden well-watered this summer, without all the hassles. Whether you want us to come out one time or begin a continuing service, we can take care of your needs.

 Spring Start Up: Irrigation Repair

Spring is the right time to spruce up your system and get it ready for the 2020 gardening season! Our skilled irrigation technician will come test your system for efficiency and safety including backflow testing to ensure that your system is not leaching any harmful chemicals into the watershed. This can have the additional benefit of reducing the amount of water you use, saving money on your water bill. We have a dedicated repair technician for irrigation, water features and low voltage lighting. He has 12+ years experience in the landscape field and is highly skilled in irrigation repairs. He will examine all the pipes, fittings and heads for any cracks or damages that may have occurred over the winter. Then replace and repair any parts that need a tune-up and test the entire system to make sure it’s in tip-top condition for the year. All our repair work is performed on a Time & Materials basis.

 We started our Spring Start Up for irrigation systems on March 5th. If you had already sent in an irrigation contract for this service last fall, you should be seeing a note on your door within in the next month or so, stating that we had stopped by to perform your service. If this is a service you would be interested in, our Spring Start Up service includes pressurizing the system, running through all the zones, making minor adjustments for coverage and programming the controller. This is the time of year that most of Clark County receives their annual backflow testing notification so we will be starting that as well.

We have one certified backflow tester for Washington State. Washington law requires backflow testing once a year by a state-certified tester to make sure they’re working properly. According to Clark Public Utilities, backflow is the reverse flow of water from its “normal” intended direction of flow through a piping system. In an irrigation system, water that may be contaminated by weed killers and/or fertilizers can be siphoned back into your drinking water so it is crucial to test it every year, to ensure safe drinking water.

 

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Installation

 We install a wide variety of irrigation systems for a range of landscapes, including Rain Bird Corporation, one of the leading irrigation manufacturers in the world. Make sure all your plants get the water they need, without the hassles of dragging the hose around this year.  Just set the timer and walk away, knowing your sprinkler system will keep your landscape in good health.

 We install high-efficiency systems designed to be the most cost-effective on the market and geared to your particular property. We are certified to repair and maintain systems as well as perform backflow testing to keep your systems running smoothly all year long. The same technicians that install your system will keep it in top working condition. Click here to read our Landscape and Irrigation Guarantee.

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Now is the time to get your irrigation system up and running for the year!

Call or contact Frontier Landscaping today to get a quote. 1-888-544-5006

Expert Lawn Care

Springtime is undoubtedly in the air for more days than not. It’s time to put lawn care back on your task list. While there is a lot of work that needs to wait for the ground to dry up somewhat, your lawn can greatly benefit from some care in early spring.

Whether you do it yourself or call on a Frontier Landscaping professional to help you, you can give your lawn a jump start on spring, with just a few simple tasks.

 

Frontier Landscaping offers expert lawn care in Clark County and Portland metro

Three Things We Recommend:

  1. Test the soil:

 

The soil beneath your lawn tells you exactly what needs to be done. You can do a soil test yourself, with a soil kit, or call our maintenance crew to come and do it for you. The test will reveal where your soil is deficient, what the pH is and will give you an overall view of the health of your lawn.

2. Fertilize:

 Once you know the status of the soil, you can fertilize accordingly. A general-purpose NPK fertilizer is often sufficient but you may want to amend with a fine compost or decomposed manure, to give the grass all the micro-nutrients as well. Use your soil test results to gauge what amount to use.

If your test revealed the soil’s pH is too acidic (grass likes the pH to be around 6.5), then adding lime to the mix can help bring it into equilibrium. A balanced pH is necessary for healthy plant growth and it keeps moss away.

 

Frontier Landscaping provides expert lawn care in the Clark County and Portland metro region.

3. Mowing:

Don’t wait too long to cut the grass for the first time! Before taking your mower out, give it a once-over: check the fuel and the engine to make sure everything is running smoothly; check the blades and the bag to see if they need repair.

To conserve water over the summer, you may try raising the blade and keeping your lawn a bit longer. It retains more moisture, lowering your water bill.

If mowing the lawn is not your favorite chore (or your teenager is out of the house), give Frontier a call. Our maintenance crew can come regularly to carefully mow and maintain your lawn to perfection. Contact us here to get started.