Sarasota landscaping soil profiles are usually flawed from the start of your lot being established for the building of your house or place of business. I cant tell you how many times I 
have watched new landscapes start to decline from the time they are installed. Usually landscapes in Sarasota start off with dirt that is dug from retention ponds to establish drainage for the homes in the development. This dirt contains shell, and other components that are hardly ever good for plants and turf, this is the reason you should get your landscape beds and turf areas soil tested at your local extension service or have a landscape professional do it for you, cost to get your soil tested is around thirty dollars, this thirty dollars will be the best thirty dollars you ever spend in your landscape. Another tip for landscaping in Florida use Florida friendly plants, this will help you with not having constant problems, using fertilizers and irrigation systems which constantly need repair, and the fertilizers are killing our beautiful Florida water ways. Also use shade trees when ever possible, never plant large shade trees too close to houses or other structures, never plant under power lines, this will cauw sever damage to tree when you have to harshly cut it back because of improper placement. Remember to get your soil tested and happy landscaping to everyone.
Sarasota landscaping with native plants is in the interest of all in our community. Old Florida is almost a thing of the past, with out conservationist and Florida residence who saw the 
destruction of Native Florida plants and habitat being devastated at alarming rates most of the beautiful Florida Natural landscape would be gone,
Posted by admin | Posted in Uncategorized | Posted on 15-11-2009
Venice lawn care tips on annuals are available in many local libraries and bood stores. There are so many beautiful flowers to choose from when it comes to annuals, Geraniums, 
petunias, or lobelia, these common annuals can make any property come alive with color, here are some tips on planting annuals in Venice. First pick a site that will accommodate your flowers such as full sun, partial shade mostly shade, always read instructions on how to polant before installing your annuals. After picking site and flowers that will do well there, make sure to do a soil test to check ph. stabilizing ph will help flowers thrive and last much longer. I always work soil ammendments into planting area, such as perlite, fertilizer, pine bark, oak leaves to give soil some components to break down, another important component of successful annuals in Venice is proper irrigation, you need to have well drained soil with proper irrigation coverage, after watering check to see how quick the water dissapates into the soil, or if there is quick run off. A real good way to make big impact is to mix up to three colors and layer your annuals, and plant them against an all green woody ornamental back ground this will make them stand out and pop. Remember annuals have endless application, theycan be used in window boxes, entrance beds, as cutting for the table, there are some with good fragrance, some from seed, and the ones I like bewst is from your local nursery, for more information on annuals call me at 941-809-8735. or visit our web site at www.stateoftheartlandscaping.com
Venice lawn care mulching tips. What type of mulch is best for your landscape beds ? There are so many diffrent types of mulch, the best is the mulch that is readily available in your landscape, such as Oak leaves, pine needles, mulched shrub trimmings, leaves from trimming hedges such as viburnum, rake leaves into the bed and water them to keep them in place, these leaves will break down and give natural benefits to the plants. No fertilizer no mulch, big savings. Cypress Mulch in Venice is not recomended becuase it is an important barrier to our costal waters, with out them storm surge from storms becomes much worse, also it is a nursery for fish and crustacians to reproduce, being destroyed at alarming rates the landscape industry has done the right thing and leaned towards other mulches such as Flora Mulch, which is mostly mellilucca trees, I find mulching with flora mulch in Venice is better in a few ways, such as it last longer than cypress mulch, its color is darker and makes the landscape stand out much better, also it is helping the Florida Everglades rid itself of the ever invasive Mellilucca tree, this species of tree is so invasive that it is changing the entire make up of the Florida everglades. So to rap things up, always use mulch in your landscape beds, it suppreses weeds, keeps moisture around root zones of plants, and decomposes to make a rich nutrient filled soil in which you would not have if not using mulch.
Venice lawn care irrigation tips. As most homeowners or property mangers know irrigation is a very important component in keeping your lawn and landscape healthy and thriving. As the studies show turf in Venice requires more water that landscape, trees, shrubs and such, and with irrigation restrictions in Venice because of a seven year drought and over watering our auquifer has been taxed to the point of wells going dry, deep wells drawing air leaving us with no choice but to conserve. Please take your irrigation seriously, never over water. Here are some tips on when yourVencie lawn needs water. Grass has adull grey look to it, Foot tracks remain in grass, Leaf blades are folded in half on atleaset a third of turf, Soil samples are dry or crumbly, landscape plants are dry looking and drooping. Keeping your Venice turf fertilized four times per year, keeping ph optimum, this can be done by taking asoil sample to your extension service one time a year, and follow their advice, make sure you know the total square footage of grass, this will make fertilizing much easier. Back to irrigation tips have a certified water auditer research your property and find the effeciency rating of your irrigation system, this will tell you if your irrigation system will support your landacape and turf . Poorly designed irrigation systems will just keep problems going and end up costing you more money which will never solve the problems you may have, mowing your lawn at proper hieght or fertilizing four times per year wont bring positive results without a well designed irrigation system.
Sarasota landscaping with water features adds so much to a landscape. The sophistication of a door way wall fountain, A multiple tiered fountain, water fall inside the home, or a fish pond. All these add so much to your over all enjoyment of your landscape. Nothing sounds better when you are trying to relax than the soothing sound of a gentle water fall, therapist for years have used water to sooth the soul. Here are some tips on how to pick a water feature for your home or office. First of all do some research, check your local nursery for water features ask questions such as installation cost, maintenance cost, make sure to install in a place where it can be enjoyed. This can be done by visiting water features that have already been installed, this can be done by making appointments to view already installed water features, most people love to show off there landscapes and especialy water features. One of the biggest mistakes is not leveling the fountain or stabalizing its platform in which it will be standing on, water will show the least little bit of bad installation. One thing about a water feature it ahas to be perfect. Sarasota water features are endless in design, if you can think it it can be done. Visit www.stateoftheartlandscaping and click on fountains and ponds to see afew of our water features we sell and install.
