If you are thinking about a larger job which will require a building permit from your town or village and want it to be completed early enough for you to enjoy most of the year, we will have plenty of time now to complete the design and make any needed adjustments before filing for the permit. Most towns and villages now require permits for patios, retaining walls, driveways, and in some cases even drain tile work. In addition to expanding their permit requirements, many of villages have reduced their building department staff, which has increased the amount of time needed for getting a permit approved. The permit approval process, which previously was a simple 2 – 3 day process has now become a 2 – 3 week process in some villages that are requiring more and more specifications. Some towns are now even requiring engineering prints and seals for retaining walls over 24” – 30” high. I’m not telling you of these new requirements to scare you off of doing your project; I just want to inform you of what some of you may be up against. We here at A.G. VanGundy Landscape, Inc. have worked with a majority of the towns/villages here in the Chicago area and I have to admit, we have a pretty good working relationship with most of those building departments. We understand that they have limitations, as do most of us, and are willing and able to work with them and act as your liaison to get your permit approved. But, why not start this process as early as possible? The longer you wait on this, the longer the permit process will probably take.

I’m sure plenty of you are thinking about changing some things in your current landscape, but aren’t quite sure what to do. Where do you get “the most bang for your buck”? For ideas, there are plenty of publications and t.v. shows, but I think a great way to get ideas and/or meet contractors early in the season is to attend one of the week-end home improvement shows that occur just about every week-end somewhere in the Chicago area. Currently we are scheduled to be at two local home shows within the next few months. On February 25 – 27, 2011 we will be at the Home show in Arlington Heights and on March 12 & 13, 2011, will be at the home show in Palatine at Harper College. This is a great opportunity for people to come out and talk to us personally about you’re wants and needs for landscaping, look through our portfolios of before and after shots and of some of our completed projects. This also give you an opportunity to set up a free first appointment (with some restrictions) right then. We love taking part in these home shows as it gives us an opportunity to “show our stuff” to potential clients in the area.

For more information regarding planning for spring, check out our previous blogs from January, 2010, I think you’ll find them informative.

For more information regarding A.G. VanGundy Landscape, Inc., please visit us at www.agvangundy.com or call us at (630) 295-8190. We’ll be more than happy to go over the areas we service and the services that we offer.

When trying to fill a deep void (over 10”) i.e. a swimming pool or larger build ups, fill dirt may be used. The “fill dirt” from A.G. Landscape Materials is a product developed from the removals of soil, sod, and land from our customers’ projects. There can be almost anything in it (including, but not limited to, soil, clay, decomposed sod, and some stone), but it is predominately soil. This material usually needs a top covering of pulverized topsoil to first be able to smooth out the top layer and then to have something better to grow into. A real plus for using fill dirt in these applications is that it is inexpensive and a heavier soil. The drawbacks are that it can be difficult with machinery to place and work with.

Rough vs. Pulverized Topsoil: First off, we at A.G. Landscape Materials, Inc. do not carry rough or un-pulverized topsoil. We can have it direct shipped, but like fill dirt you may need a machine or Bobcat to spread it. We prefer to sell pulverized topsoil. Pulverized topsoil is mainly a soil that is removed from farm fields and brought by truck to our location and then reloaded on trucks and sent to homes throughout the Chicago- land area. I discussed “What is Topsoil?” in a blog back on April 1st, 2010. Pulverized topsoil is relatively easy to work with and rake out since most particles are less than ¾” to 1” at most. It is also easy to plant grass seed or other plants into and can be used in either deep applications or thin applications. A con to topsoil may be that the particles can “melt” together and in deeper applications settling may occur if it was not compacted.

Garden Mix is a blend of pulverized topsoil, compost and sand. It is best to use when establishing a new garden or when adding to a garden. I have seen people use this material for lawn seeding application due to its finer granulars, drainage capabilities and being more fertile due to its compost. Although it costs more, since it is premixed, it simplifies the process. You can also plant right into it.

The compost sold at A.G. Landscape Materials, Inc. is developed from a mix of organic materials and turned over and over until it becomes compost. It does not contain manure, and I feel it is easier to work with. It is best when tilled into the soil and can be used with new or existing gardens and flower beds. It also helps loosen clayish soils. Ground covers love this product. I suggest compost on most of our landscape planting projects. A con to this product is that it is light and thus has no weight carrying capabilities and may be more susceptible to wash out in extreme conditions. You should also not plant directly into only compost. It can dry out faster and the solidity of topsoil is helpful.

Most of these materials have other uses than those we discussed here. For your needs, you can e-mail or call us at (630) 295-8190 and we’ll be happy to assist you and hopefully get the right material to you so you can do your job right.

There is much to say about fertilizers and herbicides. Since the time I started A.G. VanGundy Landscape, Inc. nearly 30 years ago, my opinion on fertilizers and herbicides has swayed back and forth many times. For about the past 10-12 years though, I feel that the use of chemicals in the landscape is greatly overdone and the marketing of these chemicals and the companies that spread them has created a sense that if you don’t have 5 or 6 applications of chemicals a year, you won’t have a great lawn. In my opinion, for most lawns, you should not need more than 3 applications per year. These applications would be: a good balanced fertilizer in March or April, a fertilizer with herbicide that kills weeds by contact in May, and a late summer/early fall treatment. More applications than that, I feel, causes additional fertilizer and chemicals to “run off” and end up in our streams and rivers. I believe in using balanced fertilizer with a good over-seeding program that promotes root development. Without getting into specifics, usually there are three (3) numbers on a bag of fertilizer (like 12-12-12 or 28-6-6). A high first number (over 20 for example) usually promotes a faster growth rate and some “greening”. I feel that it is just as important to develop root growth and that a fully healthy plant will, in time, look just as great and most likely use less water as well. This means that the first treatment for most lawns that are basically healthy should be a 12-12-12 or 14-14-14. A slow release type is best, if the weather stays cool in early spring.

I often over-seed during the middle or end of April, so I do not use a fertilizer with pre-emergent or regular herbicides. I only use these chemicals in a weedy situation or if there is bountiful crabgrass. As we get into May, and the Dandelions and other weeds begin to show in earnest, I then use a fertilizer with herbicide added.

Most commercial solid/granular herbicide based fertilizers must be drop-spread onto a “wetted” or “dewy” lawn so that the herbicide sticks to the leaves of the weed and can be absorbed into the plant. Please note to make sure that you read the recommended spreading rates for your application on the bag and do not exceed their recommendations, as this may cause a chemical burn to your lawn. If your lawn has a severe weed problem, using a solid fertilizer again and spraying a liquid weed killer may be the best option for you. Many liquids come in a bottle ready to attach to a hose and spray across the lawn. Please refrain from spraying on windy days, as this may force the chemicals to “over-spray” onto any ornamental plants that you or your neighbors may have adjacent to the lawn.

Finally, in late summer or early fall apply a balanced fertilizer similar to 12-12-12. This strengthens the lawn to go into the winter season. I do not recommend a super late application. I feel that this just runs off and that little benefit, if any, comes from it since I highly suggest a late March/early April fertilizer application.

For most applications this program should work. It does for my own home. When I do get that stray weed or two, I spray them singularly with a hand held or pump sprayer instead of a “blanket” spreading. I believe that this is easier on the environment.

Following these simple and easy steps should lead you to a good lawn. Sometimes though, thru negligent or otherwise, a complete removal and reinstallation of sod or new seeding may be required. This can be a large task to undertake and you may want to call a company, like A.G. VanGundy Landscape, Inc. or A.G. Landscape Materials, Inc. for guidance and/or assistance with material selection. Many times, I feel that sodding is faster and easier in the long run. The “speed” can be a big benefit if you have dogs or children as it usually only requires watering to get it established. However, a complete regrade is usually required along with the removal and disposal of the existing lawn/turf. Sodding’s largest con is that the up front costs can be higher than seeding and in high shade areas may have only temporary success. Overall, though these costs are overcome in less time and re-work or touch ups in seed starting.

For those of you considering seed and have the 20-35 days to establish a lawn, the seed benefits are a lower initial cost, less hard labor to install and the seeded lawn conforms to the area planted. Generally, I feel that seed lawns initially use less water, but that increases over time to equal with the sod.

Both seeding and sodding require the same prep work with the exception that when sodding, the grade must be an inch lower at concrete sidewalks and driveways to allow for the thickness of the sod. We, at A.G. VanGundy Landscape, Inc. and A.G. Landscape Materials, Inc., believe in using an erosion control blanket or straw blanket stapled over the seed bed for sun protection and water/moisture retention. In my opinion, hay should not be used, as hay may contain weed seed and could contaminate the new lawn. We sell the blankets, staples, and grass seed and also the sod here at our yard in Roselle.

Most of the directions given here are for work in the Chicagoland area. If you are one of our readers that live in another growing area, check with your county or state horticulture extension service for information for your area.

Finally, there are many opinions out there on how to achieve a great lawn. For the most part, patience and determining a plan or course of action and then sticking to it should be your best remedy.

Step 1 – Assessment

Is the lawn bare? Is it completely bare? Does it have a lot of bare spots? Can you see if there is gravel in the lawn?

Is it full sun or shade or both? If it’s in the shade, how much of the time is in the shade? 20%, 50%, or more?

Now, if the grass looks brown/tan and lying down with new green shoots coming through it, you may have thatch build up.

Finally, does water stand on the lawn for a day or two after a rain? If yes, then you have a drainage problem that may simply require some soil spread over the effected area or you may have to refer to our blog on drain tile work or ask about grading.

Write down your assessment. In this blog, I will address most of the above problems. I will follow up with a blog about fertilizers and then maintenance and watering and patience.

If the lawn has some bare spots or is just sparse, then use a rake to loosen the soil a bit. There’s no need to rake up more than an inch or so, the raking is so that when the grass seed is applied, it has a chance to connect to softer soil and imbed itself as opposed to lying on a hard surface. If the area is too large to do by hand, then rent a power rake and set the tines to scratch the surface. Then apply the grass seed. For seeding purposes, we at A.G. VanGundy Landscape, Inc. have had better luck seeding in late April/early May once the temperatures are higher. I would recommend overseeding these types of lawns as follows: 6 lbs per 1000 sq. ft. for sunny locations and 8-9 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft. for shady locales, depending on the amount of shade. A.G. Landscape Materials, Inc. sells a great seed that is available in 5 lb. bags and 25 lb. bags. Now, if in the bare spots you see just a little gravel, don’t worry too much. But, if you see the gravel is very apparent and that it is impossible to remove for whatever reason, you may try lightly raking in a ½” – ¾” layer of Organic Compost (also available at A.G. Landscape Materials, Inc.) and apply the grass seed. Increase the above seeding rates by a pound or pound and a half.

Often the lawn has this dead brown material that looks like laid down grass with some green grass shoots trying to push their way through. This is thatch. A thin layer of thatch at the soil can actually be beneficial in that it holds moisture longer. However, once it gets too heavy it “chokes out” the good lawn and should be removed. You know it’s too heavy when the grass looks dead brown. If the area is small, then this can be raked out manually with a thatch rake. After the material is disposed of, overseeding should be done at a rate again of 6 lb. per 1000 sq. ft. for sunny locations and 8-9 lbs. for shady locations.

If the problem areas are due to standing water or poor drainage and if the area can be graded by simply adding soil, then try to following these recommendations:
Spread a good, clean pulverized soil, similar to that sold at A.G. Landscape Materials. Soil that is not too light, but workable is fine. Make sure the top is soft, yet firm. Patting or lightly rolling the soil then raking the top ½” – 1” helps. Apply a good quality grass seed to the soil and lightly rake the seed into the top ¼” of soil. Address the areas surrounding the new soil area by raking out the dead grasses and seed directly in them as well. This will spread seed into a greater area so that the lawn does not have as much of a “patched” look. It is best if the entire area can be overseeded. I like to increase the seed rates in these applications by at least 2 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft.

Please be careful with pre-emergent weed control prior to seeding as the use of these chemicals may stop or slow down grass seed germination.

Hopefully, these tips help. Please look forward to our next blogs where we will address fertilization, watering as well as a complete re-sodding of a lawn.