Lawn Fertilization Tips for Spring in Tulsa

After Tulsa's wintery weather this past month, it might be hard to think past the cold, but believe it or not, it's never too early to start planning ahead. With these simple lawn fertilization tips, your grass can get a head start on looking great sooner and staying lush and green longer! Good fertilization builds a healthy foundation from which your lawn will grow and also protects agains stressful conditions later in the hot Tulsa summer.

Test Your Soil's pH

Depending on what kind of grass you have, it's typically time to start fertilizing your lawn once soil temperatures start reaching 60 degrees. Fertilization isn't a one-size-fits-all practice but is intended to correct and optimize the chemical and nutrient conditions that are unique to your soil. Start by having your soil’s pH tested to see what nutrients might be lacking.

Even the best-kept lawns have now spent the past few months under the strain of a cold winter. Testing your soil's pH will tell you how to provide good nutrition to get back up and running this spring. You may need to replenish nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium in order to build strong roots and turf.

Prepare for Spring Fertilization with Lawn Aeration 

You will also want to prepare your lawn by aerating. This helps remove thatch or dead grass and breaks up compacted soil to ensure that the nutrients can penetrate deep into the earth. Aeration also helps achieve better drainage and makes more room for oxygen—it's all about building the strong and healthy root system your lawn needs to thrive. While you're at it, you might consider overseeding to help fill in any gaps in grass coverage left after the winter.

Combine Fertilization with Pre-emergent Weed Control

Springtime isn't just about fertilization. Remember that the same nutrients that kick start your grass are also favorable for other organics hiding in your lawn, even weeds! Get ahead of the curve by utilizing pre-emergent weed control to prevent these troublesome plants from establishing themselves. There are even some weed control and fertilizer combos, including some organic options like corn gluten meal. These convenient solutions can both strengthen your grass and kill weeds at the same time.

Protect Your Work with Good Mowing Techniques

When it is time to start mowing, don't forget to start out with a higher blade height around three inches, cutting no more that a third of the grass blade at a time. This will help reduce strain on your lawn in this crucial time of growth and replenishment, keeping the soil cool and preventing weed seeds from getting sunlight. Make sure you do not over-stress the grass by scalping the lawn with an overly short blade height.

Make a Lawn Fertilization Schedule

When your done, it's time to sit back and watch your grass grow! We advise fertilizing your lawn again six to eight weeks after this initial treatment, so keep a fertilization schedule to know what's up next and don't hesitate to contact our Tulsa Lawn care specialists. You're well on your way to a vibrant and beautiful Tulsa lawn this spring!

Ensure Your Tulsa Sprinkler System Is Ready For Spring

Before you start the sprinkler system for your Tulsa home this spring, there are several things you’ll need to do to ensure the irrigation system is not damaged.

It is always best to call a professional Tulsa irrigation company to perform the spring start-up maintenance for your sprinkler system. These sprinkler system professionals can ensure all of the components are working correctly and that your sprinkler system will conserve water, saving you time and money.  They fully understand the hydraulics involved in the piping system along with the best placement for sprinkler heads, and the best watering schedule for your specific lawn, soil, and various plants and shrubs. 

Hunter Industries also provides a great spring start-up guide with photos to help you make sure your Hunter sprinkler system is ready to use. 

But before you begin any of these start-up procedures, you’ll need to ensure the ground is not still frozen. Use a shovel to make sure the soil is frost-free at least 12 inches below the surface. Filling the system when the ground is still frozen can cause significant damage to sprinkler system pipes. 

Check all of the Tulsa sprinkler system parts such as valves, sprinkler heads, nozzles, and pipes to ensure that none are broken, cracked, or chipped. If any of these components are damaged, replace the parts before turning on your sprinkler system. It’s very important to make sure that all of the valves are working properly and not leaking. Make sure there are no leaves, dirt, or other debris blocking the sprinkler heads. Check and clean the main irrigation controller and ensure everything is set properly.

Usually about once a month, it’s important to check the sprinkler system for any leaks or broken components. Regular irrigation system maintenance will help keep your system running properly and help you save water.

When you open the main water valve, be sure to open the valve very slowly to allow water to fill the pipes. If these valves are opened too quickly, a surge of air pressure from the rushing water can cause the main lines to crack or burst. Then slowly fill each zone of the irrigation system. This high-pressure surge or “water hammer” is one of the biggest problems in sprinkler system start-ups, so read the manual for your particular sprinkler system before beginning the start-up or call a professional irrigation company to perform the start-up tasks.

Once you have filled the lines of the irrigation system, you can test the system by running each zone, starting it from the controller. Then walk through the running zone and check that the water pressure is in the proper operating range with a water pressure gauge. Low pressure can indicate a line break, and too much pressure can crack or burst pipes or sprinkler components. Also check to make sure sprinkler heads are aligned properly and watering the right areas of the lawn as well as checking valves, nozzles, and other components for leaks or cracks. Then you can set the valves to their regular operating positions.

Ensure the sprinkler system timer programs are set properly for each zone.  You may also need to replace the controller back-up battery, Hunter Industries noted.

It's best to have a professional make sure your sprinkler system in Tulsa is working properly and ready for spring. The Tulsa sprinkler system experts at Oklahoma Landscape can design, install, monitor, and maintain your entire irrigation system. We offer smart controllers and ET weather sensors to automatically adjust daily run times based on your landscape’s needs and onsite weather conditions. These sensors are economical and can reduce your water consumption by as much as 50% while creating a healthier lawn.

Call us today to ensure your Tulsa sprinkler system is working properly and running most efficiently.

Prevent These Mistakes in Your Tulsa Outdoor Living Space Design

Planning to build an outdoor living space at your Tulsa home? These outdoor additions are a great way to create more “livable” space for your home, increase your property value, and provide an ideal spot for entertaining friends and family or just relaxing on the weekends. But before you get started on the project, here are some mistakes toavoid. 

Forgetting to plan. A well-thought-out design plan is a must for any outdoor living project, large or small. Decide what style or theme you want for your Tulsa outdoor space. 

Determine how you and your family will use your outdoor environment. Choose where various shrubs, plants, and trees will go. Decide on a budget for your project. Even if you’re going to build your project one piece at a time, it’s good to have a design plan for the whole project so that in the end, the entire outdoor living space has one complete look. Often, it’s best to hire a Tulsa landscape designer who understands all the nuisances of the various outdoor living elements and can bring all of your ideas and goals together into one design.

“  . . . A beautiful, well-designed landscape costs the same as a poorly designed one. This difference is with the designer. Well-trained landscape designers who work with a large palette of plants and materials as well as a wide range of styles are geared to give you a fine project,” The Landscaping Network noted.

Choosing the wrong plants.  Without a plan, you may be tempted to go to the nursery and buy whatever catches your eye, but you should give much forethought to your choice. How tall will the plant be when it reaches maturity? Will it overcrowd other plants? Although at first you may want to cover every bare spot you have in your garden, you need to give your plants enough room to grow and not overcrowd each other when they’re mature. Also, will the tree you plant block a view or overtake your sidewalk or patio?

What will the plants you choose look like in winter? It may be good to plant some shrubs or trees that have winter interest and that will look good all year like evergreens. It’s also good to choose a color pallet when planning your outdoor living space in Tulsa so flower colors don’t get overwhelming to the viewer or look mismatched.

Also, plant foliage with similar watering and sunlight needs together. This will make watering and maintenance much faster and easier.  

Not thinking about erosion, drainage, and irrigation. Erosion can be devastating to your landscape. Plan ahead by building a retaining wall into the overall design of your outdoor space. Retaining walls are not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing if designed correctly. Proper drainage and irrigation can also do much to prevent erosion as well as flooding and other landscaping issues. Make sure you carefully plan out the drainage and irrigation system for your outdoor space before you begin.

Not planning with your home in mind. This might sound strange, but the elements of your outdoor living space – hardscapes in particular – should complement the style and architecture of your home so that the interior flows seamlessly into the exterior. When you look at your Tulsa outdoor living space from inside your home, does the outdoor space seem to be an extension of your home or does it look out of place? Although you may like how the outdoor living space looks when you’re outside, make sure it also looks great from inside your home and that it creates a cohesive theme for your property.

Forgetting the front yard. Although you’re excited about your building your backyard outdoor living space, you can’t overlook your front yard. Curb appeal is priceless. Whether you want to sell your home right now or not, you’ll want to create a welcoming home and landscape for your guests and your family. So in your busy planning and planting, don’tforget to give your front yard some planning too.

Not building big enough. While you don’t want to go overboard and build outdoor elements that are so big that they overpower the space, you also need to plan for their many uses. Patios, for instance, are one area that can be built too small for functionality. It must be big enough, not only for a patio table and chairs, but also for people to walk around the table and chairs comfortably.

This might seem overwhelming, but the Tulsa outdoor living experts at Oklahoma Landscape can help. Our landscape architects are experienced in designing and building outdoor living spaces of all types and sizes. We can create the perfect outdoor space for your family. Whether you want a pool, outdoor kitchen, outdoor fireplace, patio, deck, or just help with your lawn maintenance and planting, we can take care of all your landscaping and landscape design needs.

Take The Hassle Out of Lawn Care With Tulsa's Oklahoma Landscape

Spring will be here in no time, and the Tulsa lawn care season will begin. If you’re searching for a lawn care company in Tulsa, why should you choose Oklahoma Landscape? Well, simply because we are your single source solution for all your lawn care, outdoor environment, and landscape design needs.

Why deal with the hassle of multiple contractors? We can take the hassle and labor out of Tulsa lawn maintenance and landscape design so that you can “find yourself outside” stress-free this year and enjoy to the full your landscape investment. We offer both residential and commercial lawn maintenance and landscaping.

At Oklahoma Landscape, we offer, not just lawn mowing and weed control, but complete estate maintenance to keep your property looking its best all year. From turf care, including lawn fertilization,weed control, aeration, and overseeding, to shrub and ornamental tree care, specialty pruning, flowerbed planting including low maintenance color beds, replacement or updating of existing plant material and addition of seasonal color, we offer comprehensive landscape maintenance for your property.

We provide landscape upgrades, clean-out, and renovation, metal/stone edging installation, snow/ice control and removal, leaf removal, mulching, and of course, weekly lawn mowing, edging, trimming, and debris cleanup.

Have you wondered when to prune your shrubs or trees? Our crews are well-trained in plant care and will ensure that specialty pruning is performed at the proper time of the year for each particular plant, shrub, and tree.

Our professional and courteous Tulsa lawn care crews will always visit your home in uniform so that you have no doubt who is at your home and always leave your property clean and well cared for. Feel more secure knowing just one company is taking care of all your outdoor maintenance needs.

Although we provide routine lawn care and maintenance in Tulsa, we also provide complete outdoor environment design and build services. We can custom design all types of outdoor living enhancements including outdoor kitchens, custom pools, outdoor fireplaces and fire pits, pergolas, gazebos, driveways, walkways, pavers, and much more. Think of your landscape as another room you can enjoy and live in. These outdoor living spaces really can extend the boundaries of your home, creating areas to elegantly entertain family and friends or just enjoy an evening at home. 

We also provide outdoor lighting design and installation as well as complete irrigation system design, installation, and maintenance.

Don’t spend all your time this year trying to keep up with lawn maintenance or trying to fix an overgrown, weedy flowerbed. Let us take care of everything. As your one-stop-shop Tulsa lawn care professionals, we can keep your lawn looking lush and vibrant and take all the hassle out of lawn maintenance.

Call us today to find out more about our complete residential and commercial estate lawn maintenance programs and other landscape design and build services.

Tulsa Outdoor Kitchens - The Latest in Outdoor Living Amentities

What is one of the best home design trends of the year? You guessed it – outdoor kitchens and outdoor living areas, according to a recent article on CNBC.com. Outdoor kitchens have really become one of the top features of homes in the Tulsa area too.

What can you have in today’s outdoor kitchens? 

More than just your basic grill. Outdoor kitchen grills today are much more than the old small grill we used to have on the patio. Now barbecue grills are really advanced cooking appliances and can have warming racks, rotisseries, side burners for cooking side dishes, and more. These are lean, mean cooking machines that can almost literally do it all.

Increased functionality with storage and lots of extra amenities. In the old days, most of the food for an outdoor event would be prepared inside the house and just the meat cooked outside on the grill. Today outdoor kitchens have the functionality to prepare and store almost everything outside. With built-in refrigerators, sinks, storage cabinets, granite countertops, and barbecue islands, you can stay close to all the action and cook at the same time.

Outdoor kitchens are often made now with bar seating on the other side of the kitchen so that guests can sit, chat, and eat - even if the host is still preparing food. Outdoor kitchens in Tulsa today can also have wine coolers, beer taps, and ice makers for an evening of entertaining. 

Weatherproof entertainment systems are also becoming more popular additions to the outdoor kitchen so that while you’re grilling, you don’t miss any of the big game.

Cover, seating, and dining a must. To have the perfect outdoor living space in Tulsa, you must have enough space for seating and dining. Thus, outdoor kitchens are now including adjacent space for an outdoor dining area, even with a dining table, and an outdoor living area with weatherproof sofa and chairs.

Instead of the old umbrella, today’s outdoor kitchens have entire open-air structures built over them to protect guests and the kitchen itself from the elements. These structures can also have a ceiling fan or mounted heater.

The possibilities are endless for outdoor kitchens in Tulsa today. These luxury outdoor environments provide the perfect getaway at home. Call Oklahoma Landscape today to find out how we can design and build an outdoor kitchen to match your dreams and help you “find yourself outside.”

Landscaping and Tulsa Pool Design - Why They Go Hand-in-Hand

The terms "Landscaping” and "pool design" may not seem overly related at first, but they do in fact go hand-in-hand. When it comes to Tulsa pool design, landscaping is very important. 

Having a well-planned landscape design when you’re building a new pool is important because the pool is part of your outdoor environment as a whole. 

“Your pool won’t exist in a vacuum. It’s a vital part of the whole backyard where the landscape provides the perfect setting. This is why pool design is best done by a landscape architect who understands the big picture of site function and circulation so the pool is placed in the most optimal location,” noted The Landscaping Network.

Yes, instead of just an ordinary pool builder who may focus purely on the pool construction elements, a Tulsa landscape architect who also designs and builds pools will plan the pool to function as part of a larger outdoor environment and understand the best way to weave other landscaping and hardscape features into the overall outdoor living theme.

With custom Tulsa pool design, a backyard can be transformed into a complete resort-like destination for the whole family. The custom pool can be designed with features for children like slides and waterfalls while also having elements for adults such as an attached custom spa. Other custom features can include zero or “beach” entry design, in-pool sun deck or tanning shelf, fountains, grottos, and specialty pool lighting.  But these pool design elements are just part of a larger theme designed around the lifestyle of the homeowner and the architecture of the home.

“It’s important then to consider the landscape as a frame for your new pool. It should enhance pool design and solve problems at the same time,” The Landscaping Network added.

Knowing the best plants to add around your custom pool area also makes landscape experience vital to good pool design. Plants can provide additional texture, style, color, and privacy elements that really enhance the pool and outdoor environment design. These should also complement your overall outdoor living space theme. 

The landscape architects and pool designers at Tulsa’s Oklahoma Landscape can design and build the perfect custom pool to match the outdoor environment of your dreams. Blending nature with hardscape elements to complement one another, we can help you create an outdoor living space that you’ll love to escape to every weekend.

Creating a More Sustainable Tulsa Landscape Design

One of the ways Tulsa homeowners can go “green” is by having a more sustainable Tulsa landscape design.  There are many things we can do to use fewer natural resources and reduce waste.  

Conserve. A major principle of sustainable Tulsa landscape design is to conserve resources already in the landscape. Taking steps to conserve water is also very important.

Make sure your Tulsa irrigation system is working properly and is the right type of irrigation system for your soil. This will help  to reduce water usage. Drip irrigation can be used with soil that drains quickly. Drip irrigation generally uses 30-70% less water than an overhead irrigation system, and plants grow to maturity about twice as fast.

Another key to water conservation is to group plants according to their watering needs. Grouping plants together that need watered more often can help reduce water usage. You can also harvest rainwater with a rain barrel to help conserve water and prevent storm water runoff.

Keep your soil healthy. That is another way to conserve water.  Compacted soil often leads to water runoff.

“Compacted soil leads to problems such as restricted plant growth, erosion, runoff and flooding,” the Landscaping Network noted. “Runoff caused by compacted soils is one of the main sources of water pollution.”

Lawn aeration or removing small core patches of soil and dead grass can help to relieve compacted soil and provide enough room for oxygen and water to reach the root system. The Tulsa landscape design experts at Oklahoma Landscape can aerate your lawn and overseed it so that the soil and lawn are both healthy and sustainable.

Adding mulch to your garden or flowerbed can also do a great deal to conserve water and nutrients while making your landscape look even more attractive.

Choosing the right plants. Which plants you choose for your landscape design can have an effect on the environment. Plants, shrubs, and trees that are native to your area tend to do better and also require less water. As the Landscaping Network noted, often homeowners want to remove many of the existing plants in their landscape, but this can lead to a disruption in the natural processes in the environment. Thus, preserving existing plants and choosing to add others that are native to the local environment can conserve resources while often reducing the time and energy required for maintenance and care.

Hardscape considerations. Another aspect of sustainable Tulsa landscape design is being thoughtful when choosing hardscape materials. Of course, using recycled hardscape materials is ideal when trying to reduce waste, but you can also use more locally sourced materials as well as those that allow for better water conservation. Permeable pavers are hardscape materials that help to conserve water. These pavers allow water to pass through to the soil reducing runoff and pollution. These hardscapes are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors to add a decorative effect to your patio, walkway, or driveway while allowing for sustainability.

The landscape design experts at Oklahoma Landscape can create a design plan for your outdoor space that creates a gorgeous oasis for your home while conserving the earth’s natural resources and allowing you to “find yourself outside.”