Jersey Landscaping:Planting in the Summer

The day you thought would never come during a long and cold winter is here. The ground thawed long ago, the sun is beating down on you, you’re on vacation and you can’t think of a better way to spend that time than by embarking upon some yard work! On one hand, there’s no limit to what you can do in your yard during the summer. On the other, there ARE only so many days in the summer and on your vacation so plan accordingly to maximize your productivity!

It’s a good idea to concentrate on one area of the yard. Do you want to improve the landscaping? Perhaps you want to plant a tree, or at least some perennial plants. Or maybe you just want to enjoy the fruits of your labors in your own garden. Decide what it is you want to do before you head outside and concentrate on that throughout the summer.

Making a plan and sticking to it will enhance your enjoyment of the experience while also giving you a better idea of your long-term goals. As much as you’d like to improve and enhance everything at once, it’s impossible to do so. But working on the yard in segments each summer can lead you to an ultimate—and ultimately very satisfying—goal.

Planting is one of the most relaxing ways imaginable to spend the summer. Your vision of the final product will get you out of bed early in the morning and perhaps even leave you too excited to sleep at night! Get to work on devising a plan today and make your summer yard work as enjoyable as possible!

Jersey Landscaping:Preparing a Pool for Summer

The long winter is over, Memorial Day has come and gone and the kids are counting down the number of days left in the school year. That can only mean one thing—summer is almost here! And with summer, of course, comes refreshing dips in the pool. It almost seems cruel, after waiting so long to enjoy the hot weather, to NOT be able to jump in the pool the first time the temperature hits 85 degrees. But, alas, life is not that simple. The good news is a little pre-emptive maintenance will make it easier for you to take advantage of your pool as soon as it gets hot enough to do so.

First, of course, take off the pool cover! If there is any water on the cover, make sure it drains away from the pool, not into it. Sweep the cover and clean it with any number of cleaners that will get rid of any stains and prepare it to be stored away for the summer.

Secondly, fill the pool with fresh water and make sure all the equipment in the pool—filter, pump and skimmer basket—is working. Get rid of any debris that has gathered in the pool, fill the pool up to the middle or so of the skimmer and start circulating the water—it’s important to conduct a test run before anybody actually uses the pool to ensure everything is fine and operational.

Confirm that the pool water is clean and all the chemicals are working properly by taking a sample between 24 and 48 hours after the water has begun circulating. Test the sanitizer and pH levels to make sure everything is balanced and ready to handle a summer of fun in the pool!