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6084 NE 22nd St, Des Moines, IA 50313
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Our educational tips and advice for your lawn and landscape!
At A+ Lawn & Landscape, we are often asked how long it will take to complete the installation of a new landscape project. Unfortunately, there is no solid answer as it all depends on the total scope of the project and what all may be involved in the process, along with dependency on weather conditions.
Learn about the landscape process and about how long it may take to complete certain types of projects for properties in West Des Moines, Des Moines, Ankeny, and the surrounding cities of central Iowa.
Once you call for a consultation, we can schedule that and come out to your residential or commercial property. During that consultation, we will ask you about your wants and needs, as well as your total budget. Our designers will cull that information and plan out a design for you, which may take a few days to a week or more to complete based on our current workload. We send the design to you for approval so that you can review it and tell us if there are any changes. If you do not have changes, we can schedule you sooner, but if there are changes, this step in the process could take longer.
After we receive your final approval on the landscape design, our office manager will then look to find a time slot for your project installation. If you have contacted us during a time when we are less busy,...
Adding a new landscape project can be an exciting time for any property owner, but once you start meeting with the designers and contractors, you may wonder what they are talking about when they start throwing out terms such as hardscaping and softscaping. These terms are used frequently in the landscape industry, but for those who do not often work in the arena, they may not know what they mean.
Learn here what landscapes, hardscapes, and softscapes mean and decide which features you may want to add to your residential or commercial property in West Des Moines, Des Moines, Ankeny, and nearby cities in central Iowa.
The term "hardscape" covers any inorganic features that you decide to have installed in your yard. Usually, they are what makes up the structure of your outdoor living space. Items such as patios and fire pits are made with long-lasting and durable materials that also look great and natural so that the feature blends in well with the rest of your yard. Common types of hardscapes include paver patios, walkways, fire pits, fireplaces, outdoor kitchens, retaining walls, seating walls, outdoor lighting systems, and more.
When you hear the term "softscaping," know that it refers to all the organic materials in your yard. In other words, softscapes include grass, wood mulch,...
Pollinator populations are unfortunately on the decline in our country, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. There are multiple reasons that affect their populations, but one area of concern is the application of pesticides that are used to control nuisance pests such as mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks.
At A+ Lawn & Landscape, we have learned ways to avoid spraying when pollinators may be present in order to reduce the environmental impact of pesticide applications in West Des Moines, Des Moines, Ankeny, and surrounding areas of central Iowa. Learn more about how we strategically work to protect beneficial pollinators in our area.
There are several types of beneficial pollinators in central Iowa and they are all essential to our local ecosystem. Pollinators include:
These insects land on flowers, taking pollen with them and fertilizing other plants. In fact, pollinators are directly responsible for a third of the food we consume, according to Pollinator Partnership. Their presence in our environment is vital.
Pollinators are a key component of a healthy and happy ecosystem and necessary for our survival.
At A+ Lawn & Landscape, we are devoted to protecting our local environment, but we also know how important it is to keep harmful pests like...
If you start to see holes in the leaves of your landscape plants and notice iridescent flashes of flying insects, it is highly probably that your landscape plants, shrubs, and trees are falling victim to the pesky Japanese beetle. This invasive bug eats the leaves and flowers off of your plants, destroying the beauty of your landscaping and taking your investment with them.
Learn how you can get rid of Japanese beetles in central Iowa areas such as West Des Moines, Des Moines, Ankeny, and the surrounding cities.
As these beetles begin to emerge from the soil after pupating, usually in late June to mid-July, they begin to eat your plants. If you have applied a preventative treatment, then this should help to control their population. Curative treatment may also be required, particularly if the invasion is bad or the beetles stay around for a while. Generally, it is recommended to apply the treatment once or twice per season.
At A+ Lawn & Landscape, we use a product called Bifenthrin to get rid of these beetles. This product is used for Japanese beetles, but can also prevent other pests such as ticks, fire ants, spiders, yellow jackets, flies, fleas, termites, and more. Each treatment will be effective for about 30 days or so. If the beetles are present on your plants, the spray will kill them on contact, thus protecting any part of the landscape that has not yet been damaged by these...
Mosquitoes are a pest that no one likes to deal with, especially when you are trying to enjoy your time outside. They dole out painful, itchy bites, and those bites can also come with harmful diseases with undesirable side effects, such as West Nile virus or Eastern Equine Encephalitis.
These pesky insects can ruin a fun time outside pretty quickly, so how can you get rid of them to be able to enjoy your outdoor living space? Here are some of our tips to get rid of mosquitoes in Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, and other cities in central Iowa.
Starting in late April to early May, we begin applying routine mosquito control treatments. These are applied every 5-6 weeks for a total of four treatments during mosquito season. Our teams use a backpack fogger to distribute the product. We spray around the entire perimeter of your home or business, as well as any shaded or dark landscaped areas. If you have any standing water or bodies of water on your property, we will cover those areas as well.
Need extra treatments? Talk to our pest control professionals about scheduling more.
Another way to repel mosquitoes is to install plants in your landscaping and around your building that naturally deter them. As an added bonus, many of these plants are incredibly beautiful and/or give off a pleasant scent for humans, such as:
If you are thinking about adding a hardscaping project to your home, then you have many decisions to make, such as what types of hardscaping to add, where to build it, and what materials to use when you do build it. Adding a patio, walkway, or even a driveway is a big choice, and we can help you with these decisions.
At A+ Lawn & Landscape, we often build patios, walkways, and other hardscapes with pavers and flagstone. Learn about these materials and decide which one may be best for your home in central Iowa areas like Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, and the surrounding cities.
Considering flagstone? It is a beautiful choice, but do keep in mind that it does come with a higher upfront cost. It is harder to install, as the pieces are delivered straight from a quarry and will require shaping by our expert stoneworkers. Due to this, flagstone hardscaping also uses more labor for installation.
The term flagstone is actually inclusive of all types of natural stone, and we can use various types for your property. Since natural stone has an almost infinite lifespan, we do recommend you pick a color that will complement the outside of your home and that you know you will love for years to come. Types of natural stone we work with include:
Natural stone will not require as much maintenance as pavers, so if maintenance is a...
As the weather is warming up and we start to spend more time outside, you may take a look around and realize your landscape beds need some sprucing up. A great way to do that is by adding some warm-season annual flowers that are popular in the Des Moines area. If you choose to install them yourself, then come check out the selection we have available every day in our local garden center. We also offer annual flower planting services. Check out some of the flowers that are frequently chosen in central Iowa.
The bright yellow and orange of the marigold is almost iconic. These flowers will provide beautiful color all summer long. They do need full sun in order to stay healthy throughout their lifespan, so keep that in mind if you are planting on your own. We do not recommend planting them in shade, as they can catch powdery mildew if they get too wet.
One of our favorites each year to plant is the impatien. This fun, happy flower thrives in shaded areas and brings vibrant color to otherwise darkened areas of your yard. The flower blooms in shades of pink, purple, red, white, and other colors. Make sure these are not planted until you are certain that we have seen our last frost for the spring.
Geraniums are a very popular warm-season annual due to their pretty colors and the pleasant scent they...
If you have ever walked around your property after a heavy rain and found that soil had washed away or your lawn looked different afterward, it is possible that you have erosion issues in your yard, especially if you do not have trees or shrubs with strong root systems to hold dirt in place.
Fixing erosion may not be simple, but it can be adjusted with proper grading and retaining wall installations. If you own a home or business in Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, or other central Iowa areas, learn how a retaining wall can help eliminate erosion in your yard.
If you are concerned about possible erosion on your property, check for some common signs of erosion, such as:
After your lawn and landscape emerge from winter dormancy, they will need some tending. They've just been through several months of cold weather and more than likely sat under snow for a while.
To get your grass and plants adequately prepared for the growing season in central Iowa areas such as West Des Moines, Des Moines, Ankeny, and nearby areas, there are several tasks that need to be done. Learn more about these tasks.
It's important to start your lawn and landscape maintenance in early spring so that the grass and plants will get into a routine and will grow properly throughout the growing season. Here are six of those critical tasks:
Even though your lawn and landscape plants don’t tend to grow during the fall, this season is the optimal time to start preparing your property for the upcoming winter. Fall aeration, seeding, and fertilization will give your lawn a strong foundation for the winter, and fall yard cleanups will tidy up your landscape before the cold weather hits.
Contrary to popular belief, fall is when your lawn and landscape should receive the most maintenance and attention so it may return strong and healthy after winter dormancy. Here is how to prepare your landscaping for the winter in Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, and nearby areas.
Aerating your lawn breaks up dry, compacted soil, allowing nutrients, light, water, and air to penetrate deeply into your soil and down to your lawn’s roots. Providing greater access to your grass’ roots is vital to making sure it receives proper nutrition before entering dormancy. For the greatest effect, fertilize and seed just after aerating your lawn in the fall. The seed you lay down in fall will have time to sink deep down into your soil and take root to create a thick, lush lawn in the springtime.
Fall fertilization is key to ensuring your turf is prepared for the winter season. Providing your lawn with a mid- to late fall application of fertilizer provides it with essential nutrients to feed and sustain it through the harsh winter. These...
