Posts Tagged shrubs

Protective Landscaping

http://www.StartALawnCareBusiness

What are your selection procedures when choosing landscaping plants and materials?

As landscapers, we have great opportunities to make significant positive differences in our customers’ lives.  It goes without saying that one of the differences we make is for the simple aesthetic beauty of their properties.  We also make nature areas for increased wildlife and song birds, properly prune shrubs and trees for better health of the landscape, and clear scrub brush and over grown shrubs to give an open feeling to the yard and better views of surrounding landscapes.

Using pathways, watergardens, and sitting areas, we help our customers enjoy their property with areas to relax after stressful days in their jobs.

You may have never thought of it before but landscapers can also help our customers feel safe within their homes.  There are certain landscaping techniques that can help protect a home and make its occupants feel safe. 

According to the National Crime Prevention Council, homeowners should trim shrubs and trees that might give criminals a place to hide or climb to second stories.  Thieves often hide behind dense or tall landscape plants that hide windows or other entrances to homes.  Lowering the height of and thinning these shrubs reduce the invisibility that robbers seek.   Planting prickly shrubs is also a great idea.  Plants such as this Adam’s Needle will help deter people from snooping close to windows.

Protective Landscaping for your Lawn Care Business

Knowing your landscaping customers’ desires for their landscaping will help you make suggestion on types of landscaping.  The Adam’s Needle pictured above was planted for a single female who was living on her own.  The deterrent offered by the plant makes her feel safer in her home at night as it offers some protection against people trying to spy through her window.

Do you want to make money with your own landscaping and lawn care business? We have developed a very detailed account of how to start and operate a successful lawn care business. You can read more about the course at:

http://www.StartALawnCareBusiness.com

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Lawn Care Business Owners Face Alien Invaders

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Today’s Trivia Question: What’s on this leaf?

I love coming across new information in the field of lawn care and landscaping. The challenge of a new discovery keeps the lawn care business interesting. Anytime you are working in a customer’s lawn, I challenge you to be on the lookout for new discoveries.

Last weekend, during a mountain bike ride and hike on a local mountain trail, I was surveying the trees and plants as I rode by. I came across this interesting leaf and I though it would be fun to see if the readers of this blog know what is growing on (out of) this leaf.

invaders on a plant leaf

Is it alien invaders?

Homicidal Spores?

A fungus never before seen by man?

We would love to hear your guesses. Comment on this post or send it to your favorite landscaper to see if he/she knows the answer.

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Pruning shears for the lawn care business

by: www.StartALawnCareBusiness.com

Pruning Tools for your Lawn Care Business

Sooner or later your lawn care customers are going to ask you to prune
shrubbery branches or small tree limbs. Proper pruning is an art and as an
artist you must employ the proper tools for the job.

There are two types of loppers which will help you perform the
most common types of pruning jobs.
Shears are small handled cutting devices.  Loppers are very similar to
shears though loppers have longer handles than shears.
The two types of loppers are bypass and anvil.
 

Bypass Loppers

bypass lopping shears loppers pruning

The most familiar type of lopper is the bypass lopper. 
Bypass loppers are designed to cut through green and soft woody material. 
Bypass loppers should not be used to cut hard woods or softwood branches that
have hardened over time.  Overly tough cutting jobs will deform the cutting
blade.

Bypass loppers have two blades.  The
cutting blade severs the branch while the counter blade provides resistance
against the branch.

bypass lopper blades, cutting and counter


Anvil Loppers

anvil loppers for cutting hardwood

Anvil loppers are tougher than bypass
loppers.  Anvil loppers are designed for hard woods and branches that have
hardened over time.

Anvil loppers have one blade and one anvil. 
At the end of the cut, the blade comes to rest within a grove in the anvil. 
The anvil is often made of a soft metal which will not damage the cutting blade.

anvil and cutting blade

 

We advocate teaching new lawn care
companies how to properly prune low, small tree branches and shrubs. 
Proper pruning knowledge will gain you respect with your lawn care customers
allowing you to attract better quality customers that are willing to pay you a
higher price to do their lawn care work.

If you want to operate a better,
more profitable lawn care and landscaping business, check out our lawn care business program available from our website: 
www.StartALawnCareBusiness.com

 

 

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