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By Lisa Allen Tips and Tricks • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

How to Prepare Your Olathe Outdoor Living Space for Winter

While some outdoor living spaces can be used almost year-round, like an enclosed porch, others need a little extra care as temperatures move from warm to cold. Taking preventive measures now, before the temperatures drop, can save your outdoor living space from unnecessary damage during our cold weather months.

outdoor-living-space-olathePrepare Your Outdoor Living Space for Winter Weather

Your winter preparation checklist will vary depending on which elements you have in your lawn and landscape. Keep reading for tips that pertain to our most popular outdoor living spaces:

Outdoor Fire Elements 

Outdoor fire elements like fire pits and fireplaces are examples of outdoor improvements that you can continue to use even when temperatures make being outdoors difficult. Provided you’ve stocked plenty of firewood and you bundle up to protect yourself from the elements, you can cozy up with friends and family around a fire unless temperatures are severe.

You’ll want to be sure that you keep the area free of debris ( this is a good tip for year-round maintenance) and that you’ve pruned any foliage that encroaches on the area in which you’ll build a fire. 

Outdoor Water Elements

Outdoor water elements like koi ponds and fountains should be winterized. Be sure to clean the area and make sure it’s free of debris. Drain all pumps, heaters, filters, and other pieces of equipment to prevent cracking or breakage. You should also cover water elements to keep unwanted visitors away and to inhibit mold or algae growth. 

Walkways and Stone Work

If you’ve had pavers installed or have created any kind of walkway, you’ll want to ensure that the area is safe even during the coldest of winters. To start, make sure the area is clean. Remove any debris, including fallen leaves or dead foliage. Reseal the area if necessary (or hire a professional to do so). 

Outdoor Lighting Elements

Even if you’re not using your outdoor space as much during cold weather, you’ll still want to make sure that you have proper lighting and that it continues to work well. Before it gets so cold that you don’t enjoy working outdoors, check all outdoor lighting elements and change bulbs where necessary. You might consider switching to high-efficiency options, especially if you use the lighting element year-round.

Outdoor Patio Furniture

Outdoor furniture is built to withstand all weather conditions, but it’s still important to take precautions to help it last as long as possible. Cover furniture with weather-resistant coverings, especially anything soft like cushions or chair pads. Another important thing to do is to check wood and other natural elements. Painting with a waterproof sealer can help keep wear and tear at bay.

Curious about the other projects we’ve really enjoyed lately? Visit us on Facebook or take a look at our website. And, as always, we’re here to help with whatever project you have in mind. 

By Lisa Allen Tips and Tricks • • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

How to Prepare Your Olathe Lawn for Winter

Our cooler nights and earlier sunsets mean one thing: winter is getting closer to Olathe. Soon we’ll be bundling up in layers and switching from AC to heat. Before colder temperatures move in, there are specific things you can do to help prepare your Olathe lawn and your outdoor spaces and protect them from the elements.

Prepare Your Olathe Lawn for Winter Weather

When it comes to your lawn and landscape, it’s important to remember that winter weather preparation comes down to two categories: preparation and preservation.

To prepare your lawn for coming cold and freezing temperatures, you should consider doing these things:

  • Clean up: make sure your outdoor space is free of debris. Rake up any remaining fallen leaves, trim back dead foliage, and generally clean the space. This not only makes your space look nice. It also helps your lawn and landscape elements direct energy to appropriate growth. Fallen leaves might look innocent–and pretty–enough, but can actually smother your lawn if not removed. This doesn’t mean that they can’t serve other purposes, though. Fallen and collected leaves are a fantastic addition to a home compost pile. If you don’t compost, you might check to see if your community does. Some communities, like Olathe, have community gardens that accept compost material. Others have drop-off compost sites like this one. Be sure to check the specifics for each. For example, the community garden compost at the Sunset Administration Building in Olathe accepts some kitchen scraps while the drop-off yard compost site in Olathe accepts only lawn waste. 
  • Aerate: Core aeration is a way to prevent compacted soil, which can lead to an unhealthy and unsightly lawn. Our soil in Johnson County is particularly dense because of the amount of clay it holds. Aerating helps open up that soil so that the roots of grasses and other plants can grow appropriately.
  • Overseed the lawn: Fall is the ideal time to overseed your lawn, particularly with tall fescue and bluegrass. But it’s not as easy as just tossing handfuls of seeds onto your lawn and walking away. You should use proper verticutting and aeration techniques, fertilize properly, and plant the right ratio of seeds to soil. 

If this all sounds confusing, we can help you prepare your lawn and plant the grasses you want. Just give us a call!


How to Preserve Your Lawn Over the Winter

  • Leave your grass shorter for the winter. Think of it as a nice haircut before hibernation sets in. Cutting it shorter than you would in warmer months help keep it pest-free (mice and other pests look for anything that will offer warmth as the temps drop) and keep it as healthy as possible. 
  • You can also fertilize your lawn in the Fall. If you’ve not yet tested your soil to see which fertilizer is best for your lawn, you can do that as well. Getting the right mix of fertilizer elements is key to properly nourishing the soil and the grass seed you will plant.

    One final tip: when it does get icy, try to not walk on your lawn if at all possible. Scott’s says that even the strongest lawns can become weak if walked on too much. 

We’re ready to help you transition from summer to winter! Keep track of what we’re up to on Facebook or send us a note to get started. 

By ddmg Do It Yourself • General Information • Landscape • Tips and Tricks • 0 Comments

7 Winter Landscaping Tips From Your Olathe Landscapers

It’s almost here. Fall is winding down. Leaves have fallen, and it’s almost time to get out the snow shovels and blowers. There’s no telling when a few inches of white powder will cover our lawns. It could be tomorrow, or maybe a month from now.

As Olathe landscapers, we understand that the winter months are not the kindest to your plants, flowers, and landscaping. You need to properly prep in the fall to ensure your lovelies stay lovely throughout the long, harsh winter.

Check out these seven winter landscaping tips from your favorite Olathe landscapers:

  • Clean It All: As the months get colder, debris tends to accumulate on your lawn. Leaves and other debris end up sitting on your lawn and landscaping for far too long. This leads to no sun reaching the grass and plants beneath. This is not what you want. By constantly keeping your lawn clean and free of debris, you give the grass a good shot of staying healthy longer.
  • Mulching Maniac: Right before winter is one of the best times to focus on mulching, as the mulch acts as a shield against harsh winter weather. Add 2 inches of mulch to all your planting beds. It’ll look nice over the cold months and give the plants below a shot at survival.
  • Protect Your Home & Plants: You need to prepare your home and plants. Protection is more important than fixing a disaster. Check your sprinkler system, make sure your pipes, water valves, hoses, and more are all ready for winter.
  • Fertilize Fruits: If you want your fruits to be blooming in the spring, then you need to give the fruit trees and plants on your property some love in the winter. Make sure you fertilize your fruit plants and trees in the late winter – and they’ll be blooming like crazy in the spring.
  • Evergreen Energy: If you have evergreen trees, then you know how stunning they can look in a winter landscape. Evergreens look amazing covered in a little snow. If you plan to do any landscaping over the next few weeks, getting some evergreens on your property could make a huge difference.
  • Pay Attention to Bark: Snow often brings out different textures and colors than we’d normally notice throughout our landscapes. This is especially true with regards to bark. To ensure a stunning snowy texture this winter, check out the health of your tree’s bark before a winter wonderland occurs.
  • Lighten Up: Last, but not least – winter is about lights. Christmas lights often work, but you can do so much more with your landscape lighting in this season. Try shedding a lot of light on your outdoor spaces when the days turn darker. You can use lighting to focus on an evergreen tree or create a pathway to a door.