Positivity

Well,  Sunday is here again and I am determined not to follow the trend from the last few weeks.  I want to enjoy today and not fret about what tomorrow may bring.  I want to maintain a positive mind frame and be present for Jodi and Ollie, instead of being encompassed by anxiety.

I am really looking forward to the NFL games today.  There are a lot of interesting match ups and I am sure there will be a few surprises along the way.  I went out on a limb and picked the Browns on Thursday night for my survival pool which worked out well.  Will be nice to see what games others picked and hope for some upsets.

It is a dreary day outside.  Rain is in the forecast for the next few days.  Great day to relax inside and catch up on some phone calls to family and friends.

Only four more weeks left of cutting grass and then fall clean ups will begin.  I have made it six months and want to push myself through the last 7 to 8 weeks.  I know how rewarding it will be when I make it to my last day.  I will have so much to be proud of and just have to take it one day at time for the remainder of the season.

I am going to post some landscaping tips once in a while.  I can pass on some of the many things I have learned over the last three years.  Hope you may find them useful.

Landscaping tip of the Day: Mulching

Mulching is an effective way to limit weeds and create and aesthetically pleasing look for beds and tree pits.  There are a few things to keep in mind when mulching.

1) Weeding-  It is important to makes some effort to weed beds before laying mulch.  If you simply lay mulch on a weed infested area,  the mulch will not be able to do its job.  Make sure beds are clean before application of mulch.  Small weeds should not pose a problem but, bigger weeds should definitely be take out.  A garden hoe can be a great tool to make weeding much less tedious.

2) Thickness- Mulch should be at least two inches deep in order to be effective.  Putting too much on is much better than laying a thin layer.

3) Quality- The quality of mulch you purchase will make a big difference in the success both in appearance and with weed control.

4) Application- depending on how many yards or bags you are using,  a wheelbarrow and a pitchfork are great for applying mulch.  If you have for example, two or three yards delivered,  you  can load wheelbarrows and dump the mulch in strategic places in the bed.  Use a a pitch fork to spread the mulch.  There will be a need to spread by hand in areas with plants, shrubs and flowers in close proximity.  When spreading mulch around trees,  be sure not to load the mulch right up to the tree base.  This is not healthy for the tree.  You should mound the mulch at least a foot a way from the trunk in order to trap water for the tree depending on the size of it.

5) How often?-  A good application of mulch should last for two years.  You can add a thin layer of mulch the following year to freshen things up.

6) When to mulch?- The best time to mulch is early in the season.  This ensures you get the best bang for your buck.  You can really mulch at any point of the season but, you may as well do it earlier to make maintaining your beds simpler.  You should wait until later in the spring to make sure the ground is not frozen.  Once the ground is fully thawed out, mulch on my friend.

Happy Mulching!

Have a great week.  Take care,  Shawn.

“Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.”
― Søren Kierkegaard