Outdoor Entertainment Areas

Spring continues on with it's usual chilly Michigan start, but it doesn't keep us from thinking about all of the great things we can do to the yard to make it more inviting and create a wonderful area to entertain in as we enter my favorite time of the year. Summer!!

When pondering an outdoor entertainment area you should consider a few things. First, you'll have to decide what you really want to do in your outdoor living space. Is it a relaxing space, where you can lounge and visit? Is it a busy space where you can play outdoor games? Do you intend to have an outdoor eating area? Do you have existing landscaping or features in your yard that you want to highlight or blend into the new plan, like a swimming pool, fire pit, fence line, or retaining wall? As you consider some of these issues you can begin to shape your plan for your outdoor space. 

Just like with a major interior building project there are lots of decisions to be made, and you'll want to go into the project with a couple of essential things.

#1 a budget, having an established budget is important because it's easy to over spend and dream big.  By establishing what you can afford to put into your project in advance it will help you and your contractor put together a realistic project plan. There is nothing more stressful than starting a project and getting over your head financially before the work has even started. So, be vocal about your budget; a great landscape contractor can help you create a beautiful landscape while respecting that bottom line. Many contractors can even create staged projects that you can add a new finished section to every year, and after 3-5 years you'll have an amazing outdoor living space that is the envy of all of your neighbors!

#2 there are many different mediums to choose from having a general idea going in can help to give direction to the project. Some people prefer a more rustic feel and like to use natural wood, and stone. While others may prefer the worry free look of vinyl. Maybe something more industrial  like poured concrete, or metal. Write down a couple of your favorite ideas or visit websites like pinterest.com and houzz.com (look for our company on these sites!) to really get your creative juices flowing. Print or cut out pictures of items you really like and share them with your contractor.

#3 be active in your project, evaluate the progress of your project, and if you have questions ask your contractor to make sure you are both remaining on the same page.  At the end of the day you have to live with the outcome, so build a partnership with the crew doing the work, most companies enjoy having the input of their clients, because it's an easy way to make sure that your customers are happy, and happy customers are often return customers. So, ask questions and evaluate progress, and easy step to ensuring the space is exactly what you had envisioned.

Our final piece of advice, enjoy the process, change can be challenging and there is always that initial shock when you see a contracting team tearing up your turf, but try to remember how wonderful the finished project will be, and how much more enjoyment you'll get out of your new outdoor living space.

Call Greener Solutions Lawn And Landscape for a free consultation to upgrade your outdoor living space this summer! 517-945-1204

Andy and Courtney Bailey
Greener Solutions Lawn And Landscape
517-945-1204
www.greenersolutionslawn.com

Get To Know Greener Solutions Lawn And Landscape

We talk a lot about our services and our company, but we think it's important that you get to know us as people, and as a family too.  I always like to know who it is that I am working with when I hire a contractor to do any work at our home, or on our property.  We are huge advocates of supporting local contractors, and our community economy. 

Our President:

Andy Bailey was born and raised in Jackson, MI more specifically in Vandercook Lake.  He is a VCL alumni, having graduated in 1996.  In 1998 he married his wife of 15 years, Courtney (Alldaffer) Bailey, and they continue to live in the Vandercook Lake area with their three children. Jordon age 15, Logan age 12, and Brianna age 10. 

Andrew has held many managerial and sales positions over the course of his career, and has spent more than 12 years in the building and construction trades industry.  He was a top earning outside sales representative for Building Supply of Jackson from August 2000 until the company was sold to Siding World at which time he was selected for store management, where he further developed his skills in customer service and sales.

In 2007, Andy created Greener Solutions Lawn And Landscape.  He created a company with a cause, driven to provide the best customer service and the highest quality of work to all of our customers.  Andy also committed Greener Solutions Lawn And Landscape to a high level of community improvement and involvement, sponsoring little league ball teams, 4H organizations, and local Relay For Life Events.

In an effort to provide a wide range of services, Andrew Bailey completed his training and licensing as a builder for the State of Michigan, and became a member of the Jackson MI Home Builders Association in 2011. Andrew continues to look for new ways to become the best lawn and landscape company for any outdoor services needed, whether residential or commercial.  With the support of his family and community he will continue to grow a wonderful community business, that we all can be proud of.

Check out our website for more information, or follow us on facebook, and twitter! Thank you for your support, we appreciate it!

Andy and Courtney Bailey
Greener Solutions Lawn And Landscape
517-945-1204
www.greenersolutionslawn.com

Outdoor Planting

It's time! That's right it's finally time to get out there and clean out those garden beds and start planting! I know it seems a bit too cold but I promise there are a few hearty seeds that love to get started now.  Here is a short list of what you can plant now and how to get the best results!

1.) Carrots.  Carrots should be planted outdoors 3-5 weeks prior to the last Spring frost.  Here are a few more tips for great carrots.

• Make sure your soil is free of stones; carrots need deeply tilled soil that they can push through.
• Have you ever seen a carrot that has grown “legs” or forked? Fresh manure, or even recently applied rotted manure, can cause carrots to fork and send out little side roots. Don’t use it before you plant your seeds.
• Plant seeds 3-4 inches apart in rows. Rows should be at least a foot apart.
• Gently mulch to retain moisture, speed germination and block the sun from the roots.
• Soil should be well drained and loose to prevent forking and stunting of the root growth.
• Once plants are an inch tall, thin so they stand 3 inches apart. Snip them with scissors instead of pulling them out to prevent damage to the roots of remaining plants.
• Water at least one inch per week.
• Weed diligently.
• Fertilize 5-6 weeks after sowing.
• Carrots taste much better after a couple of frosts. Following the first hard frost in the fall, cover carrot rows with an 18-inch layer of shredded leaves to preserve them for harvesting later

 Carrots will be ready to harvest, after 2 1/2 months or when they reach a diameter of 1 1/2inches.

2.) Lettuce. Lettuce is a wonderful cool season crop.  Planting to late in the season can cause early wilting, and low yields.  Direct sowing is recommended as soon as the ground is able to be worked. By sowing early you can get a spring crop, and then replant in early fall for a second late season harvest. Here are few more tips for growing great lettuce.

• Leaf lettuce: Plant 4 inches apart.
• Cos and loose-headed types: Plant 8 inches apart.
• Firm-headed types: Plant 16 inches apart.
• Water thoroughly at time of planting.
• Fertilize 3 weeks after transplanting.
• Direct sowing is recommended as soon as the ground can be worked. Plant seeds ½ inch deep. Snow won’t hurt them, but a desiccating cold wind will.
• You should be able to sow additional seeds every two weeks.
• To plant a fall crop, create cool soil in August by moistening the ground and covering it with a bale of straw. A week later, the soil under the bale will be about 10 degrees F (6 degrees C) cooler than the rest of the garden. Sow a three foot row of lettuce seeds every couple of weeks—just rotate the straw bale around the garden.
• Consider planting rows of chives or garlic between your lettuce to control aphids. They act as "barrier plants" for the lettuce.
• Make sure soil remains moist but is well-drained.
• Retain moisture with mulch throughout the summer months.
• Lettuce will tell you when it needs water. Just look at it. If the leaves are wilting, sprinkle them anytime—even in the heat of the day—to cool them off and slow down the transpiration rate.
• Some thinning may be required for directly sown seedlings; use the space guidelines above.
• Weed by hand if necessary, but be careful of plant roots: They are shallow.

At harvest time cut from the base of the plant, and harvest int eh morning before the sun hits them for the day.  Harvest just before fully mature, and the head will last for a week to 10 days stored covered loosing in plastic in the refrigerator. 

For more planting dates and information visit:
 http://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates/MI/Jackson

Let's get gardening! Greener Solutions Lawn And Landscape can help install a raised garden bed for your vegetables at a great price, give us a call for FREE estimates!

Andy and Courtney Bailey
Greener Solutions Lawn And Landscape
517-945-1204