We’ve arrived at spring – at least that’s what the calendar says.  And the warmer temps can’t be far behind.  When warm weather arrives, it naturally brings insects with it. Ants awaken from their hibernation and work their way into homes in search of food. However, winged ants and termites look a lot alike. Both species are black, have six legs and are roughly the same size.

Although ants are annoying, they’re not as destructive to your home as termites are.  How can you tell the difference between the two? Here are some easy ways to determine what you have.

Eastern Subterranean Termite

Body :  Termites’ bodies don’t change their shape from head to tail, but ants are composed of three distinct sections. They have thin necks and waists where the various sections meet.Legs:   Although the number of legs is the same, the length is not. A termite’s legs are shorter than an ant’s.

Antennae:   If the antennae are bent, you have an ant. If they’re straight, you have a termite.

Termites are notoriously hard to get rid of on your own, and they can wreak havoc on a structure’s wood work. If you think that’s what your infestation is, call an exterminator right away. Getting the problem taken care of as soon as possible will spare you the cost and stress of repairing or replacing damaged landscaping or structural support.

Ants are somewhat easier to take care of. Stores sell bated traps which will allow drones to bring bits of poison back to the nest to eliminate the problem. Although it takes a little longer than spraying pesticide, this method is usually more successful in the long term.  Amongst the plethora of more natural methods out there, the following two show the greatest amount of success:

- Keep food stored, wipe up messes and don’t let crumbs stick around.

- Use salt or chalk wherever ants could enter to deter them from coming in

If these methods don’t do the trick, call a pest control service. Those ants may actually be termites.  To find out more specific information about local termite species or to find a professional termite control service, visit this site on Destructive Termites in Minnesota.

Once a large house gets built on a small lot, it’s an all too common situation when the water that once flowed or ran off in one direction is altered. This can mean standing or running water on a landscape.   It’s often a result of poor drainage because the natural features which previously permitted good drainage no longer exist.  In many of the newer neighborhoods, based on the fact that large houses are being built on small lots, it is mandatory for the developer to install catch basins, buried pipes, and open concrete swales to direct the runoff from the homes.

Many homeowners are taking matters in their own hands as their houses are built on spaces that have extreme landscapes. Due to placing new homes on the side of a hill, on a steep slope, at the bottom of a hill, or even built into the side of an extreme hill working, with water and how it flows on a lot has become more important. Now homeowners are installing dry stream beds that take care of directing periodic water flow as well as offering a visually interesting and beautiful focal points for their landscapes. They are lining dry creek beds with well-worn stones or boulders and softening the edges with plantings that catch the eye.

It’s hard not to alter the movement of water across a lot when adding a large structure where there wasn’t one before. The addition of impervious surfaces like terraces, retaining walls, roofs, and driveways restrict the flow of water across a landscape. Dry streambeds only have water in them when it is raining. They can help to retain the soil and offer runoff for rain while creating a beautiful focal point. To create a dry creek bed that is functional requires a certain level of expertise. It is important to understand the variation in the elevation of the land and also to know how as the creek bed meanders through the landscape plantings should change based on the light.

If you’re dealing with drainage and erosion issues due to occasional flowing water, consult a professional landscape design architect who can help you identify the source of the problem as well as recommend effective and attractive solutions such as dry stream beds. 

Yesterday we gave you some basics on putting your garden away for the winter.  There is a lot to do in getting a yard ready for the long fall and winter months. That doesn’t mean that gardening is over. There are a lot of things gardeners can do to keep on gardening in the winter months. Take an inventory of the gardening tools and making sure they are clean, sharpened where need be, and properly stored. Clean and fertilize your indoor plants.

In addition to a time for celebrating the holidays, the winter solstice offers another celebration opportunity occurring on December 21. It is the shortest day of the year. Bringing flowers in doors is just one of the things to do to check the drabness outdoors that occurs when snow is on the ground.

Add some appeal to your winter landscape by making your home merry and bright by hanging welcoming holiday lights. Put small trees in planters outside of your front door.

Buy bulbs and start amaryllis and narcissus to make a big splash of holiday color with the red, shades of red-pink of the amaryllis and the white of the narcissus. Buy red poinsettias, bring in evergreen boughs, and sprigs of holly to make the house fragrant and add color. Hang some mistletoe for excitement. You can use all of these or a combination to make grow or create gifts for others.

Maintain and repair all your tools and your mowers. If you haven’t done it yet ,tune up the mower by changing the oil and sharpening the blades. Clean all the tools with rubbing alcohol and store them. Disconnect hoses and drain water out of them before putting them away for the winter. Clean up the gardening area by putting away all fertilizers, pesticides etc and placing them out of children’s reach. Cover the compost pile and turn it over until it freezes.

And now sit back and dream of your garden bursting forth with life again come spring.   Now is the time to take out those garden catalogs and make notes for landscaping changes next year.  If we can help, give us a call. 

Planters provide opportunities to extend fall colors into winter when you combine them with the traditional greens of winter treetops. When the trees leaves go from green to yellow, orange, red and even purple, it’s easy to think that the next step is to create winter evergreen tree top planters for your home. Keeping the colors of fall combined with traditional spruce treetops can make dramatic and vibrant planters that will carry you through the winter months.

Containers are perfect for fall and winter because they don’t require any maintenance and they’re easy to put together. Think about placement for your inspiration – where will your planter sit? Hardscapes like your sidewalks, walkways, railings, and even your house will stand out more when your trees and plantings have lost their leaves. Take direction from your house –  you’ll want to pick materials and planters that complement your house and hardscapes and provide a unified feel. You can find small shrubs, and small trees that will hold their shape and color when the temperatures fall. Pick containers that can stand changes in temperatures like iron, thick plastic, or stone. Be cautious when using glazed pottery or terra cotta pots, even if they have been sprayed with sealants for clay and stone statuary; it’s doubtful that they will weather the winter, although some do.

The amount of material you need for your containers depends on the size. Start with fresh white or black spruce treetops put them in your containers or planters in a tight grouping. Divide the size of your pot by 2 to get the number of treetops necessary. So if your pot is 14″, you’ll divide by 2 to determine you need 7-9 tops. Re-cut the treetops before you put them in the soil in your pot. Once you get the container planted you’ll be watering it until the ground freezes. Red twig dogwood branches are a standout and help add contrast as are white birch logs, pine cones and other types of evergreen; and adding autumn colored real or artificial plant materials will make your container vibrant!

Unique landscape designs and accents to help people get more enjoyment out of their yards is what we specialize in.  Call us if we may be of help to you.