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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 • Landscape • Management • Tips and Tricks • • 0 Comments

5 Olathe Landscaping Mistakes to Avoid this Winter

Life is seasonal. In the spring, you invest a lot of time into your yard. This ensures some green grasses and lush landscaping as the winter months turn to warmth.

Over the summer months, you make sure to water your lawn often. This offers an extension to the green, lush landscaping that comes from a properly manicured lawn in the springtime.

In the fall, you’re probably fond of coasting when it comes to lawn care. And the winter? Snow is going to cover it all up anyway. So you throw a few Christmas lights around the house once all the leaves are raked and you call it a day.

Landscaping Mistakes to Avoid this Winter

If you know anything about winter landscaping, you know that ignoring your grass during the holidays isn’t the best idea. With this in mind, here are five Olathe landscaping mistakes to avoid this winter:

  • Keep Watering Your Plants

Sure, some plants die off during the winter months. But not all do! Shrubs, fruit trees, and hedges all need watering during the winter months. Don’t delay watering your plants in the winter, especially when the temperatures are fairly tolerable. You can save more plants during the winter than you’d ever think – with a little water.

  • Rakes On Rakes On Rakes

Nobody likes raking. It’s important to continually rake leaves during the cold months. This will allow your lawn to “breathe” at all times. Plus, fungus and mold that can grow on leaves when it snows won’t make its way to your lawn.

  • No Weed Killer

You should NEVER use pesticides and weed killers in the colder months. The grass already has enough struggles in the cold months. You don’t need to add an external one by continually spraying weed killer. It’s important to stop pesticide use once the temperature gets below 55 degrees.

  • Too Much Manicuring

It’s common for homeowners to focus on their landscape too much as the months turn cold. One of the biggest Olathe landscaping mistakes we see is lawns being cut too short. If you cut your lawn too short once it gets colder, you’ll run the risk of doing extensive damage if snow or sleet arrives. 

  • Find the Right Fertilizer

While you won’t want to manicure your landscape too much as the freeze comes in, you do need to pay a little attention to your lawn. Doing one final fertilizer run in the fall will ensure your grass is green come spring. Just make sure to avoid granular fertilizer during the colder months, as it takes too long to dissolve in cold temperatures.