Category: Landscaping Tips

How to Prevent Plant Diseases in Winter

Powdery mildew on a cucumber plant. Grasshoppers talks about ways to prevent plant diseases this winter in Orlando, FL

Bacteria, viruses, and fungi can all cause diseases in your plants. These diseases aren’t much of a problem during cold winters, but if you live in a warm climate like Florida where you have mild winters, you’ll want to take action. Plant diseases can cause significant damage to your landscaping.

Common Plant Diseases

Armillaria Root Rot: Armillaria root rot also called mushroom root rot infects the root of a plant, causing it to wilt and eventually die. Armillaria root rot can continue to live in the soil, so if you’re going to replant in the same area, consider finding a plant that is resistant to the fungi. Armillaria root rot attacks:
- Loquats
- Azaleas
- Ligustrum
- Oak trees
- Hickory trees
- And more
Powdery Mildew: Powdery mildew is a serious fungal disease. It causes plants to become distorted and stunted. It can attack a variety of plants including:
- Rose bushes
- Sycamores
- Crapemyrtles
- Squash
Sabal Palm Disease: Sabal Palm Disease also called, lethal bronzing is transmitted by a tiny winged pest called the American palm cixiid. This disease causes a palm’s leaves to turn brown and eventually die. Sabal palm disease is often difficult to diagnose because it shares similar characteristics as a tree that’s been over-fertilized. If you believe your palm has this disease contact your local landscaper or arborist. They may be able to save it with oxytetracycline injections.

Prevent Plant Diseases with Good Practices

Oftentimes people wait until their plants are already sick and/or dying when they decide to take action and by then it’s too late. The best way to cure a plant disease is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Below are some good practices to help keep your plant disease-free.

Remove leaves and debris from your lawn to prevent mold growth
Continue mowing your grass through the winter until it has stopped growing
Prune trees and shrubs during the dormant season. Pruning during the growing season causes sap to flow which attracts insects like bark beetles.
Winterize sensitive plants like roses and young trees with thin bark. Tender plants can be seriously damaged in the winter, putting them at risk for a secondary infection like canker fungi.
Keep an eye on stressed plants and water them to promote healthy root growth.

Keeping your lawn and plants well-fed, watered, and cared for is your best defense against plant diseases. When a plant is stressed, it is more vulnerable to diseases and is more likely to be affected by lawn pests.

At Grasshoppers, we understand these steps may be a lot which is why you may want to consider hiring a professional landscaper for your property. In addition to being knowledgeable about the plants native to Florida, we’re also familiar with plant diseases, including how to prevent them and treat them.

Hardy Plants Native to Florida

Lantana plant. Grasshoppers in Orlando FL talks about some hardy plants native to Orlando, FL

Thinking of adding plants to your landscape, but worried they won’t survive with our unique Florida climate? Don’t let that get the best of you. There are plenty of Florida-native plants out there you can use to build your perfect landscape!

We at Grasshoppers have put together a list of our favorite Florida plants that can endure the humidity, drought, and heat we often experience in Florida. Let’s get right into them.

Agave

The agave plant is a perennial succulent that has large rosettes of thick, pointy leaves. These plants are easy to grow and are very drought-tolerant.

Beach Sunflower

Beach sunflowers love the sun, in fact, their flower heads always follow the sunlight! These bright yellow flowers are often used for groundcover. They are drought-tolerant and salt-tolerant, so they’re great if you live on the coast.

Blanket Flower

Blanket flowers are a bright red and gold flower in the sunflower family. These short-lived perennials are easy to grow and love direct sunlight. They make a great companion for the beach sunflower.

Firebush

The firebush is a large perennial shrub in the coffee family that works well on its own or in hedges. This shrub grows best in full sun, but it can also be planted in areas with partial shade. Firebush is also slightly salt-tolerant, so it can work well in coastal areas. Many people love this shrub because its flowers and berries attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and songbirds.

Lantana

Latana plants are one of the most popular landscaping plants available. Used for groundcover, these plants are low-maintenance, salt-tolerant, heat-tolerant, and drought-tolerant. They also come in several varieties.

Passion Flower

The passion flower is as drought-tolerant as it is strikingly beautiful. These perennial plants produce flowers that come in shades of purple and lavender. Each flower lasts around a day or two during the summer and fall, then matures into a green fruit.

Saw Palmetto

Saw palmetto plants are another popular landscape plant because they tolerate a range of conditions. These palms prefer direct sunlight but will grow nearly everywhere. If you’re trying to landscape a walkway, saw palmetto is not a good choice. These plants have sharp, saw-like teeth that can cut through skin.

As a commercial business, you know how much of an impact your landscape has. This is just a shortlist of hardy Florida-native plants you can add to your landscape. To learn about more drought-tolerant plants or to revamp your landscape, give us a call. We can provide you with an expansive list of plants, flowers, and shrubs you use as part of your landscaping.

Agave Beach Sunflower Blanket Flower Firebush Lantana Passion Flower Saw Palmetto

How to Prepare Your Lawn for Hurricane Season

September is the most common month for hurricane landfall in Florida, so we at Grasshoppers are offering some ways you can help keep your lawn and plants safe before a storm hits.

Check Drainage

Clean out your gutters, downspouts, and storm drains. If they’re filled with debris, they won’t drain properly, leading to flooding. Standing water can spell disaster for your property because it can cause trees to fall over even long after the storm.

Prune Branches

Unhealthy and dying branches are weak and more likely to fall off during a strong storm, which can damage roofs, cars, and siding. Prune these now and remove the debris off of your property to help prevent a safety hazard.

Take Care of Small Plants

Have decorative plants outside? If they’re small enough, bring them indoors. If they’re on the larger side, put them in another protected area or lay them on their sides.

Stake Delicate Trees

If you have young or delicate trees on your property, consider staking them. Young trees don’t have strong root systems like mature trees do so they are more prone to being uprooted.

Turn off Irrigation

Many sprinklers turn off automatically when rain hits, but if a storm is imminent, you’ll want to turn them off manually. Hurricanes already bring lots of heavy rain. Pair that with your irrigation and this will only cause trees to uproot and plants to become overwatered.

Mulch

Mulch is often washed away from plant beds during heavy storms so plan to replace your mulch once the storm clears. If your plant beds are still quite wet, wait for them to dry before mulching. Some edging materials can help contain the mulch, but they also hold water in.

Clean-Up or Tie Down Belongings

Walk around your property and remove any debris or other items that can pose safety hazards during a hurricane. You’ll also want to make plans for your patio furniture and other large items you cannot store indoors. Tying them down is one option.

Are You Prepared for a Hurricane?

Many businesses and HOAs try to handle problems on their own. While we understand landscapers can’t do everything for you, there are instances when you can’t afford to use their services. If a storm wreaks havoc on your property, don’t wait to get it cleaned up. Instead, contact us. We provide storm cleanup services for businesses in the Orlando area. Our experts will clear out downed trees and haul away debris, eliminating any hazards on your property so you can get back to business.

Top Benefits of Landscaping Your Business

Grasshoppers Commercial Landscaping Portfolio in Orlando FL & Longwood FL

If you own a business, you know that time is money, and taking care of your own landscaping is a huge undertaking, especially if you have a large property. There are trees to prune, grass to mow, sprinklers to manage, and flowers to take care of. These examples alone are perfect reasons to hire a landscaping company to maintain your business. But that is just the tip of the iceberg, having a properly manicured lawn also comes with other benefits.

1. Curb Appeal

Never underestimate the power of curb appeal. The exterior of your building and the landscaping are the first things people see after all! Beautiful, well-kept looking landscaping may influence and attract potential buyers, thus increase more sales, while unmanaged eyesores may turn people in the other direction.

By beautifying your landscaping, you’re also showing customers that your business cares about its image.

2. Help Increase Your Property Value

Attractive and well-maintained landscaping can also provide you with a high return on investment as good landscaping help increase property values.

3. Support Sustainability

A great way to support sustainability in your community is to go green. Consider planting native trees and plants on your property or installing drainage systems to properly channel stormwater.

Plants and trees are great for the environment. They can filter out dust and pollutants from the air and help lower your heating and cooling costs. Trees are also attractive and can help make your business more appealing to customers. In fact, one study found trees highly influence consumer perceptions and behaviors.

4. Improve Safety

It’s important that you, your customers, and staff feel safe at your business. Keep in mind, trees can get sick and flower beds can be harborages for rodents and insects. Landscapers can diagnose plant diseases and provide pest control services on properties. They can also spot weak branches and prune them before they become safety issues. Not only that, landscapers will also ensure your walkways are in good condition as most companies also provide hardscaping services.

Lighting is another important aspect of landscaping that can improve safety. Not only can it highlight your storefront or business sign, but lighting can help people avoid stumbles in dark places or even help deter criminals.

5. Improve Employee Morale

In addition to these other benefits, landscaping your business is also a great way to improve your employee morale. You can provide them with a nice outdoor space to unwind and take breaks or even create a staff garden for team building and stress management.

Landscaping for your business is very important as you can see. If you’re interested in landscape maintenance, irrigation, patio installation, lighting, and more contact Grasshoppers. We specialize in commercial and HOA landscaping in the Orlando Florida area. We look forward to helping meet your landscaping goals.

The Importance of Maintaining Your Irrigation

Irrigation sprinklers watering lawn. Grasshoppers Landscaping serving Orlando FL talks about the importance of maintaining your irrigation. in Orlando, FL

A lush, beautiful yard adds curb appeal to your property, and to keep it looking pristine, you need to water it. Most commercial properties use underground sprinklers because they’re efficient but as with any other piece of equipment, you’ll need to maintain your irrigation system to keep it properly working.

Inspect Your Sprinklers

Your sprinkler system is comprised of many different parts. You have sprinkler heads, pipes, nozzles, and valves. Although they’re designed to withstand normal wear and tear, the environment, time, dogs, and people can cause them to move or break. You should inspect your sprinklers monthly and seasonally to ensure they’re where they should be and working properly.

Types of monthly checks include:

Sprinkler spray adjustments
Time adjustments
Mainline filter cleaning

Types of seasonal checks include:

Filter cleanings
Sprinkler head cleanings
Valve inspections

Adapt Your Sprinklers to the Changing Season

The seasons change and so should your irrigation system’s schedule. Each season has different weather patterns and temperatures that will affect your lawn and landscaping, especially during the summer. You don’t want brown patches on your lawn!

You’ll want to adjust your irrigation system seasonally to ensure your property is being well-watered–never underwatered or overwatered.

Service Your Irrigation System When Necessary

While routine maintenance helps keep your irrigation system in good working order, it’s still important to perform repairs when needed. For example, leaks and clogs are issues you’ll want to fix immediately before they become worse and damage your entire irrigation system.

Experts in Irrigation

Your irrigation system is constantly being put to the test, especially in Florida’s hot summer months as it works hard to hydrate your lawn, plants, gardens, and shrubs with just the right amount of water. We understand that it can be easy to overlook your irrigation system, especially when it’s working as it should. But in time it may start experiencing issues like line clogs which only get worse as time goes on. If your Florida irrigation system is in need of maintenance or repairs, Grasshoppers is here for you. Give us a call today for an estimate!

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Irrigation

Summer Lawn Care Tips

Summers are wonderful in Florida, but if you live here, you know it can be a challenging time to keep your lawn lush and green. Hot temperatures may stress out your lawn and weeds may flourish. Learn how to help your lawn thrive this summer with our summer lawn care tips.

Mow Regularly

Keep your lawnmower blades sharp and mow regularly. While you may be tempted to drop down your mower blade, so you don’t have to mow as much, don’t do it. This is not like the hair on your head. Cutting no more than ⅓ of the grass blade at a time will keep your lawn healthier and help prevent weed seeds from germinating.

Don’t Fertilize

Another lawn temptation is fertilizer. Fertilizer helps provide your grass with the nutrients it needs to grow. But fertilizing during the hot summer months can cause your lawn to burn and actually kill it. Instead, save it for the fall and spring seasons. If you have flower beds or vegetable gardens, ignore this summer lawn care tip.

Another tip, pull weeds as necessary. Weeds are not only unattractive but they also steal nutrients away from your grass and plants.

Water Well

Lawn watering is especially important in Florida because we have a warm, humid climate. Timing is also key. You’ll want to water between midnight and 9 a.m. for the most efficient watering. Water your lawn during the sun’s peak hours, and it will evaporate so quickly. You’ll end up just wasting more time and money in the long run.

Eliminate Lawn Pests

You may begin to see grubs in the summer as they start hatching. These tiny white insects are one of the most lawn-damaging pests. They burrow right beneath the surface of your soil and feed on grassroots, eventually killing your grass. If the damage is severe, you can use a lawn insecticide or hire a professional that’s experienced in lawn care pests.

Maintaining your yard is a year-round commitment. In fact, people spend on average around 70 hours a year on yard work. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with your commercial property, feel free to give us a call. We’re commercial landscaping professionals and we know everything from irrigation and flower beds to hardscaping and lawn pest control.

Grass Care lawn care Lawn Care Tips

5 Tips For Hiring a Landscape Company

Considering hiring a professional to perform landscape work on your property? That can be a big decision to make. You want someone who delivers quality work but that’s also safe and well-informed.

We want to help you find the right landscaping company that’s “a cut above the rest.” Read this blog post for tips and considerations to make when looking to hire a landscaper.

1. Read Reviews

Do your research. How long has the company been in business and what’s their reputation like? Scour the reviews on their website, Google, Yelp, BBB, and Facebook to see what kind of service they provide. Check their website for awards they may have earned.

2. Learn What Services They Offer

It would be a pain to have one company mow your lawn and another take care of your shrubs and flower beds. Do your due diligence and find a company that provides all of the services you need. Many companies do more than simply cut lawns. Take us, at Grasshoppers for example. We provide everything from lawn care and irrigation to hardscapes and outdoor lighting. We also provide lawn pest control services.

3. Are They Safe?

You want to be sure your family and pets are safe so you may want to learn if the company you’re going to hire:

Goes through training
Is licensed
Performs background checks on their employees
Is insured
Uses EPA-approved products
Carries worker’s comp

Some of these questions may be easily answered by visiting the company’s website.

4. Contracts

Some landscaping companies may require a contract before providing a service, especially when the client is an HOA or commercial property. Talk with your landscaping provider and learn what the contract entails before signing.

5. What’s Their Rate?

Related to tip #4, before signing any documents, you’ll want to know how you’ll be charged. Will they charge you hourly or by the service? Compare rates in your area for the same service. This is something you may also want to look for while researching reviews. Are customers satisfied with their service and rates?

We want you to have the quality lawn care service you want and need for your property. The right landscaping company can relieve stress off of you and increase your home’s value. Put your property in the right hands and due your homework when looking to hire the right landscape company.

What Your Lawn is Telling You

Your soil serves as the foundation for a healthy lawn. Whether you have lush green grass or brown spots on your lawn, one thing is certain, your lawn growth (or lack of) reflects the quality of your soil. This is why we came up with this helpful guide to help you determine what is going on with your soil and how you can properly care for it.

Arc of Mushrooms

Has a mushroom-formed circle appeared on your lawn? This is called a fairy ring. No, it’s not a magical portal. Fairy rings are a fungus infestation. They start as dark green circles and develop into mushrooms that will break down organic matter in the soil, eventually killing the grass. If you have fungus on your lawn, you’ll want to avoid watering at night. A fungicide may also help treat the affected area.

Brown Spots

Brown patches in your lawn are a sign that your soil is too acidic. A soil test can help determine the pH of your lawn soil. These pH testing kits can be found in many hardware stores and garden centers. If the results show your soil is highly acidic, you may want to consider a lime treatment to help balance the pH.

Clumps of Grass

If your grass is coming up in clumps, you most likely have grubs. Grubs are the larvae of Japenese Beetles. They typically look like small white worms; the bigger they are, the more damage they cause. You can check for grubs by cutting out a small section of grass and lifting it up like a piece of carpet. They’ll be just under the surface. Most grub-control products sold in stores are preventive measures. If you have an existing grub infestation, you’ll want to hire a professional. They’ll be able to apply a fast-acting insecticide to eliminate these pests quickly and effectively.

Wilting Grass

Wilting can be a sign of a pest infestation, disease, a lack of soil moisture or heat stress.

You can get a better idea of the moisture in your soil by pushing a screwdriver into the soil in brown and green areas. If the blade easily slips into green areas but not through brown areas, the soil in those areas is dry.
If footprints remain on your lawn after a person has walked on it, in addition to wilting, heat stress may be the culprit.
Detecting lawn pests is a little more difficult. You could cut a section of grass and pull it back to located potential pests since most live just below the soil surface. For lawn pest care, you’ll want to contact your local landscaping company. Many landscaping companies offer lawn pest control services that provide safe treatment options for your family and pets.

If your lawn is showing any of these symptoms, we recommend you take action before your problems get worse.

lawn fungi Lawn Pest Control

Spring Lawn Care Tips

Spring is right around the corner so now is a good time for you to begin thinking about your spring lawn care. Even though we experience mild winters here in Florida, your grass still goes dormant in cooler weather. Whether you live in Orlando or Longwood follow our spring lawn care tips for an immaculate lawn this spring.

Aeration

Do you have a lot of foot traffic on your lawn did you experience a lot of rainfall? These are common reasons your lawn may become compacted. Aeration is the process of removing small plugs of soil from your lawn to help relieve some of this compaction. It’s best to aerate warm-season grasses in late spring to early summer and to aerate cool-season grasses in early spring or fall.

Dethatch

Thatch is a build-up of turfgrass. Too much thatch is bad for your lawn because it can prevent your grass from getting the water and nutrients it needs to thrive. Spring is a great time to dethatch your lawn if you grow cool-season grass.

Fertilize

Most turfgrass in Florida should be fertilized around 4 to 5 times a year. You’ll want to apply fertilizer to your lawn roughly 3 weeks after your grass begins to green. If you apply it too early, you run the risk of fertilizing weeds too. We recommend you test your soil’s PH level and purchase a fertilizer that balances out the acidity on your property.

Mowing

A good time to start mowing your lawn is when your grass is long enough to be cut and when it’s dry. Also, mow your lawn at a proper height. Cutting your grass too short will help encourage weed growth and put it at risk of drought stress.

Reseeding

Spring is a good time to fix dead patches of grass by filling them in with new grass seed. You’ll want to avoid putting any herbicides on your lawn for at least 60 days after you reseed it. We recommend you cut your grass a little shorter before you overseed to allow the seeds to germinate better and afterward keep your lawn moist.

Weed Control

If you have a lot of Crabgrass invading your lawn, you can apply pre-emergent herbicides to keep the seeds from last summer from germinating. Make sure to follow the instructions on the product for the best timing and tips.

These tips will help you get a head start for a better-looking, lush green lawn. Need help tending to your lawn? Contact your local landscaping company like Grasshoppers. They have the tools and expertise to keep your lawn looking great year-round!

Attract Tenants with Professional Landscaping

Are you having trouble attracting tenants to your property? You may want to improve your curb appeal. You see, when potential renters drive past an apartment or house that’s for lease, they want to imagine themselves living there. If your property is unkempt and isn’t attractive, potential renters may feel unwelcome. You want your investment property to stand out.

In this blog post, we’ll look at simple ways you can improve your curb appeal and help make your property more attractive to renters.

Plant Flowers

Flowers are not only aesthetically pleasing but many are very fragrant too. Surround your property with a pretty flower bed using a mix of native plants with attractive scents to make it appear more inviting.

Trim Shrubs and Trees

Do you have vegetation growing out of control? Hire a professional to correctly trim back your trees and shrubs. This will allow more natural light into your property and make it appear bigger.

Add Outdoor Lighting

Landscape lighting will allow your beautiful landscape to shine both day and night and provide safety. Landscape lighting will also add a tremendous amount of value to your investment property. For energy-efficiency, you could consider solar lights or LED bulbs.

Install Underground Sprinklers

Watering the lawn is one less chore a renter would have to do, potentially increasing their interest in your property. Underground sprinklers also help keep your grass lush and your flower thriving. They may also help increase a property’s value.

Create outdoor seating areas

If you run an apartment complex or duplex, does your property have outdoor seating available? Adding comfortable outdoor seats will enhance the property’s value. Some options for outdoor seating include benches, porch swings, picnic areas, and patio furniture.

Hire a Professional Landscaping Company

If you’re working to improve your property’s curb appeal, but you simply don’t have the time, hire a professional landscaping company like Grasshoppers to perform the design and maintenance for you. Since many rental agreements come with landscaping in their leases, now would be an opportune time to build a relationship with a landscaper you like.