Category Archives: Uncategorized

How do I plan my front yard for landscaping?

landscaping around a blue house

Beautifying your landscape

Keeping your yard mowed and edged, the shrubs trimmed, and the tree limbs managed makes for a nice yard. These are “must do” things. Then there is that home landscaping that can take your lawn, and home, to a whole other level!

You can do this for your own self enjoyment too, not just to keep up with the Joneses (although that helps the entire neighborhood). Nor do you need to only do this if you’re placing your house on the market. Home landscaping is something you can enjoy and take pride in.

Are you not sure about what home landscaping things to do for your home? Surf the internet or watch any of the landscaping or lawn and yard television shows and you’ll find a plethora of home landscaping ideas. Scout the neighborhood and see what’s going on everywhere else, including other neighborhoods besides yours.

How do you do basic landscaping?

So, you’re new to the world of home landscaping? Get ready to have some fun!  When it comes to designing an outdoor space, there are a few home landscaping basics you need to keep in mind. First, determine how you will use this space, then consider the shape and style of that space to create your home landscaping.

  1. What are you looking to get from this project? A play area for the kids or a quiet place to relax, or maybe both? Do you want an herb and vegetable garden, or flowers?  Make a list of what you want and what you need to make that happen. Create a generalized sketch, and this is where you start.  
  2. Take an assessment of your yard, like when and where is it the sunniest, does it get light breezes or powerful winds? You should place seating where the wind doesn’t blow you away, nor does the sun bake you to a crisp, but yet, you want to be in the sun on a crisp day. Can you get water to every corner and edge of your yard?
  3. Take a seat in your yard before you dig. Sit there for a few minutes, then move to another spot and try several spaces at different times of the day and evening. What is the focal point of each place you sit? Are these places able to interact with other places in your yard? Are there existing walking paths to workaround?
  4. The most elegant of all things is often the simplest things, or as some would say, too much of a good thing isn’t good. Choose things that matter to you, from the framework that doesn’t block the way to your home. Intuitiveness is often the best design.
  5. Borrow views and focal points from other houses on your street or a different neighborhood. Make a grouping of trees your focal point that will provide shade during the summer. Flower trees can be decorative and aromatic.  
  6. What plants are your favorites? Plants make a garden, so make a list of the ones you like the most and see how best to fit them into your earlier assessment. Will they grow with shade, or do they need sun? Are you going to be able to water them as needed, don’t consider just your time, but access to the water?
  7. The change should be embraced, so as you plan and plant your home landscaping, keep in mind it may need to change as time moves on.
edging along a garden and hydrangeas

What do I need to know before landscaping?

Planning your home landscaping will make for a last curb appeal and a thriving yard. Here are 10 tips to help you get started and keep going: 

  • Strong home landscape edging is important. It creates barriers between the lawn, the flowerbed, and the garden. Home landscaping edging can be anything from plastic to steel or something abstract! 
  • Most home landscaping ideas front yard or backyard include mulch. Some is good, too much is not. Add mulch to maintain the soil and add some decorative color, but don’t let it overpower your flowers and plants and keep it back from the tree trunks. 
  • Good soil is a must. If the soil is packed, the roots won’t penetrate and grow. Till it up or bring in fresh soil. 
  • Grouping is splendid in threes or fives. This will give your garden a look of fullness from afar, and if the five plants all bloom a different color, even better! Plant so that you have some color blooming year round. 
  • Yes, your home landscaping needs water, but not too much. Use soil to build up any low area so that water isn’t pooling up. 
  • Consider the sunlight each plant will get and how much it needs (or doesn’t need). 
  • Know your limits when it comes to maintaining your home landscaping. The more you plant, the more you must tend to. 
  • Most important, know your budget! Home landscaping can get away from you if you’re not careful. Determine how much you can spare to spend, how much you can spend for maintenance and be firm to stick with it.      

How do you arrange plants in landscaping?      

There are two straightforward rules for home landscaping designs when it comes to arranging flowers and plants.  

  1. Plant individual plants so they will touch once they have each matured.
  2. Allow the masses of plants to overlap and fill gaps and sizeable areas so there is a continuous flow.

What can I plant near my house foundation?

Annual flowers and small root plants can be planted within six inches of your home’s foundation. If your home landscaping includes bushes or shrubs, they should be planted a minimum of one foot away from the foundation. Now that you have a direction to get started with your home landscaping, get it done, and then sit back and enjoy your work! Get the home landscaping you need in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX. Dial 817-396-0125 today.

How do we take care of trees?

tree with large branches in need of trimming

Tree maintenance

Many times, it is the trees around a home that make it home. The greenery around the house, the shade they provide, and sometimes, it is that certain shadow that one tree casts through an open curtain. Therefore, knowing proper tree care is important for a homeowner. 

Growing up, you may have noticed grandpa or dad “cleaning up” a tree, but you probably didn’t pay that much attention to what they were doing, or how. Today, tree care now seems to be more important because our climate and environment differ from what they once were. There are companies that specialize in tree care and landscapes and offer tree care consulting to homeowners. 

Is tree care that much more complicated than back when grandpa cleaned up his trees? We have answers to some common questions about tree care. Because if you want to “clean up” your trees, there is a right way and an incorrect way to do that if you want your trees to stay alive and beautiful, casting that shadow through an open curtain …. 

What does a tree need to survive? 

Like animals and humans, there are many things that trees need to grow and survive. They need nutrients, sunlight, and water. And like animals and humans, when we don’t have these three things, trees quit growing and will ultimately die. 

Unlike animals and humans, trees can’t move and relocate to find their own tree care and the necessities for survival. They only have what is available to them where they stand, so if the nutrients disappear, the water evaporates, and the sun was to quit shining, it will cut trees lifeline off, slowly killing them. 

How do you trim a tree without killing it?   

If you’re not comfortable or equipped to trim your trees with proper tree care, before you do any damage and harm to the tree, your house, or yourself, you can always call a professional for your tree care needs. They have the proper tree care equipment and know-how to use it all. If you’re insistent on doing it yourself though, here are some tips: 

First, you should do tree trimming in the winter while they are asleep and dormant for correct tree care. All their sap is at the roots, so trimming now, as the sap moves upward when spring arrives, the cuts will heal. There aren’t as many active diseases, fungi, and insects in the winter either to attack the open cuts.  

How do you prune a tree? 

  1. First to begin your tree care, address the four Ds by removing them: Dead, Dying, Diseased, and Decaying. If you aren’t sure which branch is dead, scratch the bark. If there is green there, it isn’t dead. 
  2. Establish the central leader of the tree: This is the healthiest, straightest, tallest stem that is in line with the trunk. Any branches that are taller and thicker, angled close to the trunk, are competing branches and need to be removed to provide the best tree care possible. 
  3. Find the lowest permanent branch. The lowest permanent branch will be half as thick as the tree trunk and shouldn’t be any lower than 14 feet over the street or 8 feet over the sidewalk and growing away from the trunk. 
  4. Follow the central leader branch down the tree and any branches that are too close together, clip them off, leaving larger, stronger branches.  Any branches that cross over other branches, remove or trim them back in order to provide good tree care. 
  5. Any branches are lower than your permanent branch that is one-third the size of the trunk should be removed.
well cared for tree in front yard

How can I make my tree healthy again? 

Trees get sick just like any other living thing. They suffer from adverse weather, disease, environmental stress, insects, and other issues can cause that sickness. However, if that sickness is addressed, it can be saved. However, we can interfere too soon with our goal of good tree care. Trees have a way of healing themselves. So, the first thing you can do to make a tree healthy again is to wait and see if it heals itself. 

When the time is right to intervene, these five steps will help you get your tree healthy again:

  • Identify: Before you can save your tree, you must identify the problem which can be challenging. If you can’t find anything right away, you need to call an arborist to have completed extensive training and gained knowledge that enables them to diagnose problems and successfully provide tree care that will treat the problems.
  • Watering: Yes, tree care includes water, but moisture can cause making your tree sick, either too little water or too much water. A tree needs to have good drainage, but if the weather is dry and hot, then make sure it gets water.
  • Mulch: Mulch around trees looks good, but for proper tree care, it can also be harmful to the trees. You can apply it too thick and it should not be right against the tree trunk. The roots need to breathe and too much mulch can create bacterial, fungi, and rot while attracting insects.
  • Fertilizer: Fertilizer is good for the yard but it not good for tree care. Regardless of what the packaging says about the lawn fertilizer, you use in your yard, avoid getting it too close to the trees. Never fertilize a tree that you think is sick without consulting with an arborist to get the best advice on tree care.
  • Pruning: To save an unhealthy tree, do your research before you prune is important for proper tree care. Visible diseased areas on a tree that is healthy everywhere else have to be pruned with care to remove the diseased parts and save the tree. Part of proper tree care includes destroying any diseased branches so that it doesn’t keep spreading and sterilize your tree pruning equipment.

How much do you water a new tree? 

Water is important for a tree’s growth, which we’ve discussed earlier in this piece. It is also possible to over-water. So, while you need to be diligent about watering your tree, the first year is especially important, you want to be cautious about how much water.  The basic rule for tree care watering, but you may need to adjust this based on the climate and area where you live is every three to four days: five gallons of water, not to exceed more than ten to fifteen gallons a week. 

Trees can be a wonderful addition to a home, when in the right place. Know the characteristics of a tree before you plant a new one. This will help you determine how close to the house it should be (or shouldn’t) and what other outdoor life it thrives around or could kill. Need tree care in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX? Reach out to the experts at MDM Landscapes when you call 817-396-0125!

What is the Best Time to Plant a Tree?

A Person Plants a Tree.

What is the best time to plant a tree?

While you might think spring is the ideal time to plant trees, it’s generally best to plant them in the fall. Tree planting times may vary, however, depending on where you live and what kind of tree you’re planting. For the most part it’s best to plant the tree in either late August or early September or October in temperate areas. Even those months are relative, depending on where you live. You want to plant when it genuinely begins to feel cool, which in Texas could be as late as the middle of October or early November. Cooler weather encourages good root growth. Colder weather and freezes, as well as the scorching weather of summer, can damage trees and limit growth. 

There are some trees like pines or other evergreens that you can plant in either the spring or fall because they don’t go dormant. Fruit trees can be planted in either the spring or fall depending on how severe your winter is. If you have severe winters, then the spring is best, while in milder winters, you can plant in the fall. Some popular trees used in landscaping like birch, willow, dogwood or magnolia trees should be planted in the spring, and watered properly throughout the summer, because they need more time to get established. 

If you are planning to plant trees some time during the year, or have trees as part of your landscaping, you want to make sure those trees are trimmed and well cared for. For expert tree care in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX count on the professionals at MDM Landscapes. We offer a full range of tree care and landscaping services. Find out more by calling 817-396-0125.

What is the purpose of planting trees?

Tree planting has a variety of purposes. With so much talk about the environment and climate change, you may wonder, “Does planting a tree help the environment?” The simple answer is, “yes.” They produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide. They help manage flooding and soil erosion. They help control the climate, moderating the sun’s effects, rain and wind, and serve as nesting places and food sources for a variety of animals. They also serve as a food source for humans, including fruits like apples and oranges, as well as nuts like pecans.

Trees are also essential for landscaping in both commercial and residential environments. Not only do they help prevent soil erosion and flooding, they impact our homes, providing shade in the summer that affects cooling costs. You may wonder about the economic benefit of planting trees and wonder, “Is tree planting worth it?” Along with reducing energy costs in the summer, trees have great economic value when it comes to private property. Trees, for instance, improve the curb appeal of homes, and great landscaping can increase a home’s sale price by 6% to 7%. Great landscaping can increase the property value by 20%.

What trees can be planted close to a house?

When planting trees, you need to have a strategy when it comes to selecting trees to plant near your home. Certain trees like white ash, maple and poplar have large root systems that could damage your pipes and foundations. You want to plant trees that have small root systems. Some popular trees to plant near the house include:

  • Crabapple
  • American hornbeam
  • Cornelian cherry dogwood
  • Japanese maple
  • Flowering dogwood
  • American holly

How far away from a house should a tree be planted?

Tree planting can be a complicated process when you’re landscaping. A major consideration is how far away you should plant your trees from your home. While trees provide great shade and can reduce cooling costs in the summer, there are some species like poplar or white ash you want to plant far away from your home. These trees have large or aggressive root systems that can damage your pipes or foundation. In fact the size of the root system, as well as its height and width when it’s fully grown will determine where you place it in relation to your home. Tree roots can spread out as much as three times its crown’s width.

Larger trees that grow 70 feet or more should be planted at least 20 feet from the home, while a medium-size tree that reaches a height of up to 70 feet tall should be at least 15 feet from the home. But even smaller trees that are under 30 feet tall should be at least eight to 10 feet away from the home. For most average size one-story homes, smaller and medium height trees are usually best. Large trees in front of a smaller home can make the home look even smaller. Although larger trees like oaks are very popular, smaller trees, even with larger homes can often enhance the landscaping better, and put your home at less risk of damage.

Tree planting and aftercare

Of course, once the trees have been planted you’ll have to care for them properly to ensure they grow into healthy adult trees. Tree planting and watering is a key to the tree’s survival. Making sure young trees get enough water, especially in the summer, is essential. Before the first leaves reach full size the tree should be watered at least 4 to 5 times per week, and every day in the summer. Of course, make sure to follow any summertime water usage restrictions set down by city ordinances. 

Your young tree also needs to have adequate soil. They’ll compete with grass and weeds for the soil, so a small turf-free space should be kept around the tree as it grows. Thick mulch should also be added to the soil to control weed growth, compaction, erosion, and will conserve moisture. In the past, extensive pruning was recommended. Now only light or no pruning is recommended. Pruning at this stage should be primarily used to shape and train the tree. This should be done at three years of age, and a tree care service like MDM Landscapes can help with this service to ensure it’s done properly. You also want to regularly inspect the tree for pests and disease.

Trees in Front of Homes

Tree planting near me

When it comes to tree care, among the many services MDM Landscapes provides is tree planting as well as after care. We offer a full range of tree care and landscaping services. Find out how we can help or schedule our services by calling 817-396-0125.

How do I choose an outdoor light?

step and exterior lighting for your home

Illuminate the outdoors

Outdoor lighting can make a huge difference in your house at night. Not only from the appearance but the security it offers too. You can choose outdoor lights for houses that go along the walkway or placed in the flowerbed to accent the shrubbery and another décor. There are outdoor lights to hang in trees in the backyard as you entertain guests, or simply enjoying your yard with the family while cooking out or swimming.

Many homeowners forgo having outdoor lights because of the added expense to the electric bill when they forget to turn them off. Today though, there are outdoor lights with a timer that you can set to turn on and off at certain times, even different times each day. There are lights that sync with your mobile device today so that you can operate them when you’re late getting home.

Are LED lights good for outdoor use?

Yes, in fact, today, lighting experts are recommending LED lighting over other outdoor lights because they are better.  There are two main quality indicators that you want to consider if you’re not sure about which outdoor lights to go with when it comes to LED lighting. 

  • Color Temperature
  • Color Rendering Index

The Color Temperature defines the glow of the light. It can range from a cool white/bluish to a warm reddish-orange. This is a preference outdoor lighting thing and with LED technology, there is a wide range to choose from today. 

The Color Rendering Index advises you on how close the objects that are illuminated appear comparatively under daylight conditions. This is having a value of 90 or above is more aim, making it an excellent choice in outdoor lights.  

What is the best material for outdoor lighting fixtures?

When choosing outdoor lights for your home, have some knowledge and understanding about the different materials and metals used, because basing your choices simply on how a light fixture looks, isn’t enough. The choices of metal that outdoor lights are available in a range from aluminum to brass, from copper to stainless steel. Read on to learn the pros and cons of the different metals to choose from for your outdoor lights.

Aluminum

Aluminum outdoor light fixtures are popular because they are inexpensive. They are also a low-quality metal that isn’t meant for extended outdoor use due to oxidization. Aluminum that is painted will fade quickly unless it is powder-coated. In a coastal area where the air may carry salt from the water, the aluminum lighting will corrode.  

Brass

Because brass is a hard metal, it will hold up longer in any environment. The combination of copper and zinc that makes brass, it won’t corrode and has an extensive lifespan, making it perfect for a coastal setting. However, it will not keep that brass appearance because it will “patina” when exposed to the outdoor elements. Brass fixtures for outdoor lights are a durable and high-quality metal with a long-life expectancy.

Copper

Copper is another material that is great outdoor lights, even though it isn’t as durable as brass, it will also “patina” with age. A con to this metal is the rarity of it makes it a high theft metal.

Stainless Steel

For a modern-styled home, stainless steel is the perfect metal for outdoor lights. It reflects the sun, but also requires more maintenance than the other metals we’ve discussed. Stainless steel will corrode if not kept cleaned and/or has a chromium oxide layer for protection.

Vivex

This revolutionary outdoor lighting material is notches above the typical polyurethane resin material found on most outdoor lights. It comprises a unique synthetic of ground marble powder and a latex composite that gives it durability and strength when those two agents are bonded together. Testing of this biodegradable material has found that it can withstand temperatures below -20°F and up to or above 130°F, making it a great metal for all regions.

What are the best lights for outside?

Your backyard, front yard, or garden area can be transformed into a personal and unique style with the right outdoor lights. Not only will the right outdoor lights make your house stand out, but they allow you to enjoy your outdoor living space longer. 

One of the first things you should know as you shop for outdoor lights is that this is one area where more is better, meaning, the more you pay, the better the quality, especially if you’re going with solar lighting. If you are going to be attaching the outdoor lights to your home, experts recommend going with wired instead of solar, and with that in mind, having a professional electrician, landscaper, and in often, a roofing contractor, to install them is always best. A few ideas for your outdoor lights: 

  • If you have a small area, such as a garden, the better the light is a wall-mounted light. If it is a path or walkway with gardens on either side, string lights are best and can be left year-round. If you like the look of solar, go with the free-standing lantern on a table or hanging from a tree branch. 
  • The classic spike lights are always a popular choice for a garden or to illuminate pathways and ponds. If you will choose solar, you want to make sure they will get plenty of sunlight, so they work well at night. Directional lights are a classic option if you’re looking to highlight a statue or water feature you want to make a statement.

Before you make any final choice in outdoor lights, make certain they are rated for outdoor use and are weather-resistant. Keep in mind that lighting for a pond will differ from garden lighting. 

What is a good wattage for outdoor lights?

It depends on the area that you want to illuminate. The average outdoor light wattage is 80 watts; however, a lower wattage is better for some areas and uses. Like a garden or pathway, 40 watts is plenty. However, the driveway or a small backyard, you may brighter lights and 80 watts would be best.

house lights for exterior

How many lumens do you need to light a backyard?

Outdoor lighting lumens range between 12 and 1300, with recommended path lighting and step lighting at 100 lumens. For floodlighting and motion sensor lighting, we recommend 700 lumens. When looking for underwater lighting like a fountain, a pond or pool, 200 to 400 lumens is recommended, and wall lights should have 50 to 185 lumens. Fifty to 300 lumens are enough for general landscape lighting. 

Outdoor lights can change the whole curb appeal to your home in the evenings, make it a warm welcome for guests while providing security. For the backyard, outdoor lighting allows you to enjoy that extension of your home for entertaining or simply just enjoying your backyard year-round. Call 817-396-0125 today for outdoor lighting in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX from MDM Landscapes.

How Can I Make My Yard Look Nice?

A Home With a Front Yard Garden.

How can I make my yard look nice?

As a homeowner, you have several options when it comes to keeping your yard looking nice. Your options range from simple projects like adding plants to a full blown landscape design project. Some basic ways to keep your lawn looking nice is regular lawn care that includes pulling weeds, raking and trimming trees, bushes and plants. You can also add features like plants, birdbaths, or building a fire pit or digging a pond.

But, if you want to go all out, you might want to have a landscape company make your yard a work of art. Landscaping professionals add features like plants or ponds or walkways that are both usable and aesthetically pleasing. A professionally landscaped yard will also add value to your home.

If you are considering making your yard a work of art, and want to find a professional landscape design team in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, look to the experienced landscaping experts at MDM Landscapes. Find out how we can help you improve your yard by calling 817-396-0125.

How do I design landscape?

Whether you plan to hire a professional or do it yourself, landscape design requires a lot of planning, even if the design is simple. Think of a landscaping model as you might an interior home remodel.

At the very least, when designing a landscaping project, you’ll need to sketch out landscape map of your property that includes all features from buildings to trees so you’ll have an idea of your work area. You can then use tracing paper and draw over the map to create your design. This is where you get to play with various ideas to make sure they’ll work with what you have in mind. Here, you can sketch out not only the basic design but figure out where traffic patterns are and where lighting systems, irrigation, and access points go.

After you’ve sketched out a workable plan, you’ll then draw the final plan. Your plan will also have to factor in climate and the types of plants you’ll want to put in along with features. Once you have a plan in place, it’s time to develop a budget and select the materials. After the materials are selected, you’re ready to get into the physical work of landscaping.

Is there an app for landscape design?

As with almost everything else, landscape design has apps to help you plan. Even if you are going to hire a landscaping team to do the job, an app can help you come up with ideas for the design and see if they work with your property. Some apps that are available are Houzz, iScape, and Microsoft Pix Camera. Each of these apps have different features and many are free. Some like iScape and Landscaper’s Companion are available only on iPhone and products running the Apple operating system. Many are available for both Apple and Android users.

Why landscape design is important

Whether we want a simple or complex design, when we are trying to make our yard look nicer in some way, we are generally doing it to improve our well-being and quality of life. In this way, landscape design is like putting up a work of art in our homes. Landscaping can give you places for quiet retreat or reflection on one hand or create a place for socializing. 

At the same time, landscaping offers practical aspects as well. Good plans will help prevent erosion, especially when you add retaining walls. Quality landscaping can also help you prevent flooding, and depending on the type of plants you have, improve air quality, and even improve the environment. Adding native plants for instance will get their nutrients from local soils without needing added chemical fertilizers, and will be a great environment for local birds and other small animals to thrive. Landscaping will often improve your property value as well.

While landscaping can help prevent erosion and flooding, your home’s gutters are also essential when it comes to drainage and protecting your home from problems like erosion. If you have clogged or damaged gutters, you will want to call gutter services to get help with them.

What are the elements of landscape design?

As with other types of design, landscape design involves some basic elements as outlined below. Each element will influence the other, so the design elements need to be considered carefully.

  • Mass: This is the description of the space occupied by a single object or a group of objects. l Components like planting beds or even the individual plants in a garden are sized according to the surroundings.
  • Form: This is the shape of the objects in the landscape and different shapes ranging from rectangles and triangles and circles to irregular shapes will appear.
  • Line: Lines carry the eye through the landscape to create flow.
  • Texture: Adds interest and richness to the design.
  • Color: Color also adds interest and richness to the design.

Landscape design and maintenance

In the same way that a home needs maintenance for it to continue to look nice and for all of its elements to function properly, your landscape design will require some maintenance. The levels of maintenance will vary however, depending on the complexity of the design. Native plants will require fewer fertilizers, for instance, than non-native species. You’ll have to keep elements like irrigation systems clean so they’ll run properly. Other maintenance will include trimming and weeding and raking.

Landscape design and gardening

Landscape design and garden design share many elements. They take planning and consideration of elements like line, texture and form. In fact, a garden may be part of your landscape design, in particular for your backyard. Gardens will consist primarily of softscape elements such as shrubs, trees or flowers, but gardens may also have hardscapes like gazebos or benches. All of the elements will work together for a great design.

How much does it cost to hire a landscape designer?

For the most part the costs to develop a landscape design will vary depending on the size of the property and location. To work out a detailed plan could cost anywhere between $300 and $15,000. Projects may be charged an hourly rate, area rate or flat rate. For a consultation, you might expect to pay $50 to $100 per hour or more. Activities like soil testing will cost between $20 to $100.

A Landscape Designer Works on a Deign Plan.

Landscape design near me

When you are looking for quality landscape design in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, count on the pros at MDM Landscapes. We offer a full range of services. Find out everything by giving us a call at 817-396-0125.

Why Is Irrigation Water Management Important?

Pivot Sprinkler System Watering a Green Field

Learn More About Irrigation Management

When you are a farmer, gardener or work in an industry that requires landscape maintenance it’s important to implement a system of irrigation management. In order to produce proper crops or fields of flowers, healthy soil and plants must be watered routinely at the appropriate times and rates. What’s more, proper rates of water and timing are essential for properly yielded results. Oftentimes systems are too extensive or the size of properties to vast to water areas manually which is why automatic systems are used more readily for convenience and ease of use. Be sure to get in touch with professional irrigation management services whenever you are curious as to how to go about securing a system. If you’re in need of landscaping services or whole house water treatment be sure to read the following before you get in touch with a professional.

Why do we use irrigation?

Irrigation management is essential for gardeners or farmers in order to promote plant growth. In turn, stock farmers can use them in order to make sure their animals have available food sources for healthier systems. Since crops and plants need routine moisture the use of irrigation systems has risen in their essential need. 

What is irrigation water management?

Water irrigation management involves the monitoring of water application for crops or yard. It usually will be used for more extensive properties that need a system to help manage the volume, rate, and timing of water application in order to match with water holding capacities and soil intake. In order to promote optimum crop yields, it’s especially important to monitor soil moisture without runoff or deep percolation losses. With your irrigation management, you’ll be able to properly adjust your water with tools that can, later on, be adjusted to ensure properly yielded results. Flow meters are great at recording instantaneous flow rates as well as the total volume of water used. With soil moisture sensors and meters soil water deficit may be monitored. A checkbook method, in turn, may be able to balance soil moisture through its monitoring of leveling an irrigated cropland. Finally, with data loggers, you can record soil moisture history through the growing season of a field or area. 

What are the objectives of irrigation?

The main objectives for irrigation management or irrigation, in general, is to promote the proper growth of plants and maintaining the right levels of moisture for the soil. Another objective can be seen as making sure there is backup insurance when there is a short duration of drought as this can sustain the field enough when water levels are low. Another reason is to cool the atmosphere and soil which is an ideal environment for plants. What’s more, with regular irrigation you’ll be able to dilute any harsh chemicals in soil or even washout harmful salts. Finally, with irrigation you can lower the dangers of soil piping which can increase subsurface erosion from the unnatural underground water flow. Soil piping is an alternate method from irrigation yet it can threaten farming results as well as threaten the stability of any surrounding buildings with movement when soil moisture levels are too high and cause the building to shift.

What are the methods of irrigation?

There are various methods that can be applied to your irrigation management system. Irrigation management methods will be dependent on what your irrigation is being used for or it’s goals.

Row of Sprinkler Irrigation System Watering Tulips

The Different Irrigation Methods Used

  • Center Pivot Irrigation
  • Drip Irrigation
  • Lateral Move Irrigation
  • Localized Irrigation
  • Manual Irrigation
  • Sprinkler Irrigation
  • Sub-Irrigation
  • Surface Irrigation

What is the best method of irrigation?

The best typed of irrigation management for you may depend on the specifics of what is needed as well as the characteristics of your property. In general, however, it seems that drip irrigation is one of the most efficient types of irrigation systems due to their percentages of applied and lost water ratings in conjunction with meeting crop water need falling between 80-90%. It’s important to take into consideration irrigation management and problems that may befall your particular property with a professional in order to ensure the right method is applied for you.

Contact A Professional

Irrigation management companies are available for you whenever you are in need of assistance with the goals you want to be met. In order to properly gauge what measures need to be taken a professional can work with you about the specifications and characteristics required with your property. It’s important to work with a professional in the irrigation management field as there are many particulars that need to be met with fine-tuned details in order to ensure proper growth abilities. Since there are various methods and tools that can be applied it’s important to find the right avenues that will work for you. Find out about the benefits and differences a scheduled irrigation system can make! Yield the results you want for irrigation management today.

If you’re interested in irrigation management in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX call 817-396-0125 with MDM Landscapes!

How Do I Maintain My Lawn In The Summer?

Summer Lawn Care Tips

Summer is a great time for spending time with family, hosting get-togethers, and enjoying the outdoors. When you have family coming over, you of course want to put your best foot forward. That is why so many homeowners spend time and money on keeping their home at its best and getting roof repair or service when its necessary. However, when it comes to your lawn, many homeowners take a do-it-yourself approach to it. While this is great, the summer can be an especially taxing time on your lawn and surrounding greenery. How can you keep your lawn looking lush and enjoyable during the summer? At MDM Landscapes, we’ve put together a bit of advice on summer lawn care to help your lawn impress everyone who comes over.

Summer Lawn Maintenance

For lawns, summer really comes in three parts. This is early summer, middle of summer, and late summer, and each have different requirements for how to handle summer lawn care. An example of this is that summer lawn treatment for weeds should be earlier and late summer rather than middle of summer. The middle of summer is when the heat is hitting its peak, so the more you can avoid affecting the soil with chemicals and treatments can make it less difficult for your lawn to grow. Summer lawn food can be dispersed every six to eight weeks, with heavy emphasis on early summer feeding to strengthen your grass and help it grows. This is also the time you want to do what you can about summer lawn insects such as grubs and beetles. With all of this, you may wonder what about watering? Watering should be done consistently earlier in the day and should reach about 4 to 6 inches deep. Here in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, the later in the day watering is done, the more likely that water will evaporate quickly and rarely reach the roots. To prevent this, you can consider a sprinkler system or an irrigation system. Finally, try to mow your grass a bit higher to encourage your grass to grow and take in the nutrients it needs.

Maintenance FAQ

  • How do I make my grass green in the summer?: With time, effort, and correct summer lawn care, you can guarantee a healthy green lawn all summer. If you need additional care, it is always a great idea to contact your local lawn contractors at MDM Landscapes for service. We are always happy to offer you expert advice and quality treatment to keep your lawn looking amazing.
  • Is it OK to fertilize your lawn in the summer?: Doing a heavy fertilizer to your lawn during the middle of summer or late summer is inadvisable. While feeding your lawn as we stated earlier can strengthen it and keep it healthy, a fertilization treatment can actually result in your lawn burning. It can compromise your lawns capability to grow.
  • Is brown grass dead?: We have some good news for homeowners with brown grass: It might not be dead! Brown grass can be unsightly and may look like your whole lawn is dead. However, it may just be dormant, a state where your grass is alive but needs hydration. If you have brown grass, reduce the amount of traffic in this area to reduce damage and try watering it. If it does not restore in ten days, there may be a different issue at hand.
  • Will watering dead grass bring it back?: Dead grass is very different from dormant grass. As stated in the previous question, there is a good chance if your lawn has gone brown that it may just be dormant. With quality summer lawn care and watering, you may be able to restore it to its lush state. However, if you are treating it and it is not coming back after ten days, contacting a lawn contractor is your next step.

Quality Lawn Care Services

Summer lawn care, while a little more intensive, does not have to be a hassle. Knowing the proper way to water and look after your grass can help you keep it looking its best all year round. Using these summer lawn care tips, you can handle most things that come your lawns way. However, there may be times when you come across a problem and are unsure how to handle it, such as a strange leafy plant in your yard or discoloration on your lawn. Looking for high quality and affordable landscape services in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX? MDM Landscapes is the one to call for your landscape needs, from trees to lawn care. Our expert lawn contractors can handle it all, giving you the lush lawn you need to impress anyone who drives by or visits. Get started on your lawn needs today when you dial 817-396-0125.

What Does Lawn Care Consist Of?

Watering Your Lawn Properly for Adequate Lawn Care

Caring For Your Lawn Year Round

Now that summer is in full effect, you may be looking at your lawn wondering what needs to be done. There may be some brown patches and maybe a few bald patches, but overall the yard looks pretty good. You may think nothing else needs to be done but there is actually so much more you can do to improve your yard. Lawn care in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX is incredibly important. With how hot and humid our summers can get, taking care of your lawn is critical. If you need any help or have any questions, call MDM Landscapes at 817-396-0125.

Raking Leaves is a Great Way to Maintain Lawn Care

Are Lawn Care Services Worth it?

Many homeowners wonder if lawn care services are worth the money and the answer is, they are. Depending on your level of maintenance knowledge, hiring a professional team to maintain your yard and perform other landscaping services in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX can be a sound investment. Lawn care services are meant to help keep your yard looking consistent. That is great for those that live in areas with strict HOA’s. These services will also help guarantee you have a quality looking lawn that is also healthy. Lawn care teams help to take the guesswork out of figuring out how much fertilizer to use or how often you need to water your lawn. They do everything so you can have the peace of mind knowing your lawn is in a good and healthy condition.

How to Maintain Your Lawn in the Spring and Summer

Though summer is in full swing at this point, knowing how to care for your lawn in any condition is important information. Understanding which lawn care is best for which season will prevent you from making mistakes that could lead to a less than appealing lawn. Knowing when to water, fertilize, and when to just take a break will help you maintain a healthy and vibrant lawn.

  • Lawn Care Equipment: Check all your lawn care equipment like your hoses, lawn mowers, and more. Make sure everything is properly tuned and able to function efficiently.
  • Water, Water, Water: The only way for your lawn to grow and thrive is to water it. It’s important to not overwater, but making sure the soil is always moist will ensure a consistently healthy and growing lawn.
  • Seed and Weed: Fill in any bare patches with seedlings to begin any regrowth process. While your at it, take some time to remove any weeds as well. Doing so will help make sure your lawn will start to look good year round.
  • Keep the Trimmings: When you are done mowing the lawn, don’t bag up or blow away the trimmings. Those trimmings contain great nutrients your lawn needs, like nitrogen and more. 
  • Wait to Fertilize: It can seem like spring is the best time to fertilize, but that is not true. Fertilizing in the spring can lead to rapid growth, which can result in burning and wilting when the weather heats up. Wait to fertilize in the cooler seasons. 

Lawn Care vs Landscaping

Is there a difference between lawn care and landscaping? There actually is. There is also quite a bit of overlap, but generally speaking, these are two separate services. Lawn care can be described as the process of caring for and maintaining the health of a yard. While landscaping still cares for the health, but the ultimate goal is to enhance the appearance through grass, plant, stone, and wood work. Like adding a concrete driveway installation to give your yard a different look. Either service still strives to maintain the health of your lawn, but lawn care will specifically and solely focus on reviving or maintaining the overall condition of your residential lawn. Landscaping will be to enhance to natural beauty.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How do you prepare your lawn for winter?
    • Keep up with your usual maintenance, like mowing the lawn, watering, weeding, and raking leaves. You can also use fertilizer to promote future growth, even in the harsher, colder climate.
  • What should you treat your lawn with in the spring?
    • Fertilizer and seeds. If there are any bald or rough patches of grass, don’t be afraid to overseed the area. You can always trim back any excess, but treating wilting or bald areas will help prevent widespread damage throughout your lawn.
  • How do I revive my lawn?
    • Rake and remove any dead grass and roughen up the soil. Make it ready to plant new seeds with lawn care equipment, such as a lawn roller. If you don’t have that, gentle even paced steps will work just as well. Then just keep the area watered and fertilized to help promote growth. 
  • How often should I treat my lawn?
    • For most lawns, using fertilizer once or twice a year will be plenty to keep your lawn looking healthy and green. Now, when you need to apply the fertilizer will depend on the climate in your area. More than that, the type of grass you have will dictate when and how often you need to treat your lawn.
  • Can I over fertilize my lawn?
    • Yes you can! Overfertilization causes a build up of salt in the soil. Too much salt will actually result in a drying effect which can ultimately kill more of your grass. This is called “fertilizer burn.” Fertilizer burn isn’t always fatal, but it can be difficult to tell if your lawn will recover or not. 
Lawn Care Completed by Mowing the Lawn

Schedule an Appointment With Our Team Today

Give your lawn the treatment and care it deserves. Call MDM Landscapes today at 817-396-0125 to schedule an appointment for lawn care in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX.

What Are the Different Types of Irrigation?

A Picture of an Automatic Irrigation System Spraying Water.

What Are the Four Main Types of Irrigation?

Are you looking to make sure that your front and backyard is green and thriving? The best way to do this is to make sure your grass, plants, and flowers are well-watered. While this is extremely important, there will be times when people forget to water their grass, plants, and flowers. Because of this, their grass, plants, and flowers can wilt, dry up, and die. Another issue that needs to be considered is that even when people remember to water their lawns, there is the risk of the lawn being over watered. When we over water our grass, plants, and flowers, it can actually really hurt them. Not only that, over watering can increase water and electric bills. In order to avoid all of the above, the best thing you can do is invest in an irrigation system. What irrigation system is the best? There are a lot of irrigation systems, but these are the four most common irrigation systems.

  • Drip Irrigation: This type of irrigation system works by installing irrigation lines where water is feed to the surface of the soil or root systems by dripping water or applying small streams of water.
  • Sprinkler System: The way that a sprinkler system works is when a downpour of water is supplied over the grass or plants. This system acts like rain falling on top of grass, plants, and flowers.
  • Subsurface Irrigation: Subsurface irrigation is when embedded emitters are installed below the soil surface.
  • Surface Irrigation: Using gravity flow, water is dispersed all over the soil. This type of system has been described as being somewhere in between drip and sprinkler systems.

What Is Irrigation and Its Importance?

What is use of irrigation? Irrigation is when a controlled quantity of water is supplied through a system by using ditches, pipes, and more. How is irrigation done? There are a lot of irrigation methods that are used, but it depends on what they are looking for in this type of system. When it comes to an irrigation system for farming, the biggest reason why an irrigation system is important is that is can make crops grow faster. As a person who owns a home, you probably don’t have crops that you have to worry about. An irrigation system for a home is important because it helps maintain your front and backyard landscaping, it can reduce how much water you are using, and you don’t have to worry about taking a hose to your grass. With the help of an irrigation system, you don’t have to worry about watering your lawn as irrigation systems are usually on a schedule.

What Are the Benefits of Irrigation?

If you are interested in an irrigation system, you are probably wondering what are the benefits of this type of system. There are a lot of benefits when it comes to irrigation systems. One of the main reasons that homeowners invest in irrigation systems is that they are able to on time and water. Typically, an irrigation system is automated, which means that it schedules when water is distributed. Because it is placed on a schedule, it is able to save you water, by not watering your grass, plants, and flowers every day. With a high-quality irrigation system, grass, plants, and flowers are able to grow a lot faster. Not only that, but it can make sure that nutrients in your soil aren’t removed. Lastly, because an irrigation system is automated, it can also save you money on water bills and electric bills.

When To Install Irrigation System

A Picture of a Drip Irrigation System Being Used On Seedling Vegetable Beds.

Irrigation System for Yard

There is never a bad time to have an irrigation system installed. If you feel that your lawn could benefit from irrigation system, then you should call a professional who can go over the different types of irrigation systems and which one would benefit your yard. While there is never a wrong time to have an irrigation system installed, there might be times when an irrigation system makes the most sense. Maybe you keep forgetting to water your lawn, you want to make sure that your lawn is getting the right amount of water, or the area you live in rarely gets rain and you want to ensure your grass, plants, and flowers survive. These are great examples of when you should get an irrigation system, but again, there is no right time to get an irrigation system, as they are quite beneficial any time of year.

Depending on the irrigation system will depend on the irrigation system life expectancy. Some irrigation systems are going to last longer than others. If you are needing an irrigation system in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, please contact the professionals at MDM Landscapes. You wouldn’t call someone who doesn’t know anything about concrete driveway installation when you want a new concrete driveway, so the same should apply when you want an irrigation system. Not only can we install irrigation systems, we can also offer irrigation management. Please contact us today at 817-396-0125 to make an appointment or to learn more.

What is Hardscape Landscaping?

Hardscaping Services

MDM Landscapes are experts when it comes to hardscaping.

Hardscaping and softscaping go hand in hand as they are two parts of a bigger picture of landscaping. When imagining your front or back yard, there are many different elements to consider. Will there need to be a pathway, water features, or fencing? Whatever your hardscaping needs are, MDM Landscapes are the leading landscaping company to call. We are the experts to help with any hardscape and design needs. Call us at, 817-396-0125, to schedule an appointment for hardscaping services in the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX area.

Hardscaping vs. Softscaping

When it comes to landscaping, there are two halves to the one whole: hardscape and softscape. While both may be necessary for your yard, they are two different aspects of landscaping.

What is the difference between hardscape and landscape?

Hardscape refers to the heavier items used in landscaping: stones, rocks, patios, and driveways. Softscape refers to the softer parts, really just everything else: soil, plants, flowers, and color scheme.

    • Hardscaping: these are the elements that are going to stay the same for years like stone pathways and concrete driveways.
  • Softscaping: these are the elements that are going to change as they mature through the years like flowers and plants.

A hardscape and masonry project should flow with the rest of the landscaping. The pieces and decisions made should make sense for the style of your home, your yard, the overall concept. There is a balance to strike between the hardscape items like a brick pathway and the softer items like a flower garden running alongside the pathway. Having a hardscape and design team that will work with you is important. MDM Landscapes have years of experience with landscaping, including both soft and hardscapes.

What is a Hardscape Project?

Hardscape projects can include any kind of decorative or structural landscaping including

driveways, patios, fences, and benches. Most of these projects will involve things like stone, brick, wood, and/or metal, but they can even include things like water. A hardscape project can be just about anything and MDM Landscapes have the skills and tools to help you.

Hardscape creations & ideas:

Clay pots are a great way to incorporate a water fountain or a waterfall into your hardscaping.

    • Stone retaining wall
    • Tile patios
    • Concrete patios
    • Wooden arbors or gazebos
  • Stone walkways

There can be a lot of imagination with hardscaping. A lot of the designing can include hardscape with rocks, but there are many other variations. Not everything has to be quite so hard. A design can involve different elements, including water. Water features like clay pot fountains, ponds, and waterfalls are very popular. They help to add a soothing and natural element to something typically very hard, even though they may seem counterintuitive. Hardscape and masonry projects like this may require additional plumbing repair if an inexperienced team attempted to create those projects. For quality hardscape and design, MDM Landscapes are the only team to consider. Call us today to schedule an appointment, 817-396-0125.

Hardscaping Elements

For brick pathways or stone retaining walls, MDM Landscapes are the team to work with.

As noted before, there are many elements to hardscaping. When choosing hardscape and masonry, it’s important to make sure that the pieces works together with the rest of the landscaping. Adding a stone retaining wall where one is not needed is not only costly but can possibly lower your resale value later on.

No matter what you’re planning – a stone retaining wall, a brick pathway, or a gazebo – there needs to be a flow to the landscaping pieces. The hardscape and design of your property should make sense for your particular yard. For quality hardscape and masonry services, MDM Landscapes are the company for you. We don’t just put together some stones and call it a day. We help you create decorative and structural elements that will last. And because there are many moving parts to hardscaping, including numerous hardscaping tools for any given project.

For hardscaping services in the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX area, contact MDM Landscapes 817-396-0125.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is hardscaping work?

Hardscaping refers to any design involving stone, rocks, patios, or pathways. This could decorative or structural elements in a yard.

What is the difference between soft and hard landscaping?

Soft landscaping refers to elements such as soil, plants, and flowers. Hard landscaping refers to elements such as stone, patios, and driveways.

How much does hardscaping cost?

The cost varies per project, but on the low end, clients can expect to pay around $3,000 for something like a pathway or a pergola. Retaining walls and fences are more expensive and the actual cost will depend on the overall length desired.

Contact the Local Hardscaping Experts

For quality hardscape services, MDM Landscapes are the unbeatable team. Our contractors have the necessary skills to execute quality hardscape creations. We work with your schedule and your budget to provide your home with incredible landscaping and hardscaping.

Call MDM Landscapes, 817-396-0125, for hardscaping services in the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX area.