Gary's Tips and Tricks

Contrary to popular beliefs, it isn’t necessary to have a written plan in order to landscape your yard! However, if you would like to draft a landscape plan, first obtain a site plan of your property. Then, take it to a copy center and have it blown up to a size that’s easy to work with. From there, start designing bed layout.

Marking bed layouts on your lawn is easy! If you don’t have a paint gun like Gary Alan uses, simply use a garden hose for bed layout ideas. This will assist you in deciding on curves and sizes of new beds before removing sod.

Sod cutting machines are the best for removing sod. Roto tillers require more work and produce more waste. They churn up existing grass and bury it up to 3 inches in the ground, creating a mass of trashy soil that must be raked up and hauled away. Sod cutters, however, require less effort because they remove grass neatly, and with little mess. They can be found at most rental centers.

Your new plants were watered at the nursery every day. Therefore, they will need to be climatized – a process by which plants adapt to new conditions.

According to the season and time of year, newly planted plants will need to be watered immediately. However, regardless of climate, all newly installed plants will require a 30 to 60 day establishing period. During that time, it is critical to provide ample amounts of water. Water every day for the first 10 days, every other day the following week, every third day the next week and so on.

Just as an athlete stretches before a workout, you too need to stretch before gardening. Loose muscles not only perform better, but are less prone to injury and strain, as well! Keep your back as straight as possible, lift with the power of your legs and take breaks as needed.