Category Archives: How to Talk to a Landscape Contractor

Welcome to TRU Landscape Services

The solution for all of your Orange County Landscape needs.

We are a licensed and insured landscaping company that installs everything related to your outdoor spaces from patios to ponds, barbecue islands to concrete driveways. We are known for professional landscaping remodels, hardscape installations, and landscape maintenance

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Outdoor Wall Decor

1. Vines and Plants as Outdoor Wall Decor

This side yard had a lot of open space on a very bland block wall. The homeowners decided to accent it with living elements like the succulent window and star jasmine vine you see here. As time goes on, with proper coaching, the star jasmine should become a healthy vine attached to the wall. This will provide a much more interesting slightly overgrown look for their walkway.

Star Jasmine Vines are just one of many vines that add to outdoor wall decor

2. Seating Allows People to Fill in your Blank Wall Space

Another solution to decorating an outdoor wall would be adding a bench or some other practical item. Seating areas are great, because they fill out a space, make it more functional, and make a bland wall look much more lively!

Decorate with bench!

3. Decorate an Outdoor Wall With Another Wall!

If your blank stucco wall is just too boring, or your chain link fence is just too ugly, there is another solution! Consider putting up a floating wall in a section of your fence like the one below. For this landscape, we constructed a beautiful hardwood wall section to accent the white stucco wall behind it. There are many variations of fence that could spice up a wall from custom wood to more modern metal decorations.

Bench and decorative wood fence wall

Thanks for checking out our information on outdoor wall decor! For more information on all of the other great things that TRU Landscape Services can do for you, call 1-866-487-1359. If you live in Orange County and are looking for a licensed landscape professional, TRU Landscape Services is your one stop for Orange County Landscape Construction.

We install sprinklers, demolish concrete, install pavers, replace lawns with synthetic turf, build custom patio covers and outdoor fireplaces… The list goes on!

How to Talk to a Landscape Contractor #2

“Weed & Feed”

Welcome to our latest post of “How to talk to a landscape contractor” where we let you in on the definitions of common landscape contractor lingo. When we tell a customer that “Weed & Feed” needs to be applied to their lawn, we frequently get the question: “what is weed and feed?”

It is the commonly used name for a product that will kill most broad leaf weeds while simultaneously fertilizing the lawn.

What is Weed and Feed?

Weed and feed is an application process for lawns with dead patches and many weeds. First, check if your lawn has dead patches because of improper sprinkler coverage. You may need to take a look at your irrigation system if this is the case.

Next, your lawn may only have a few patches of weeds. In this case, it might be better to spot treat for weeds. Misusing weed & feed can actually result in more damage to your lawn! You should never apply more than twice a year. Contact your local lawn care professional with any questions you may have! Many lawn care professionals have different chemicals that can accomplish the same results.

How To Weed and Feed

The best time of the year is late spring; however, we will recommend that our customer also apply in the fall. It’s very important that you apply early in the fall. If night time temperatures drop too low, the application won’t work.

Apply weed & feed a couple of days after the last mowing. This way the weeds have a little growth to them which allows the weed killer to attach itself to the weed. The best practice is to water your lawn heavily on the nights before the application.

In the morning after application, apply a light watering. The water also allows the weed killer to attach to the weeds. This is the one step you don’t want to miss.

Next, shut the water down for 2 days. This allows the weed killer to burn up the weeds. After 2 days do another heavy watering. By failing to apply water after 2 days, you run the risk of burning up your grass. The water allows the fertilizer to release into the soil.

Once this process is complete, go back to your normal watering schedule. Within 10 days you’ll see the fertilizer working and all of the weeds should be gone. If there are still some remaining weeds, apply a small a amount of weed & feed on the remaining weeds. There is no need to apply weed & feed to the entire yard again.

Contact a licensed landscape contractor with questions or concerns. Even though many home owners apply weed & feed on their own, it’s important to follow the application process and to check what type of grass you have. Weed & feed will burn up several different types of grass. If this process seems to hard or you’re not a “green thumb” feel free to contact your local gardener.

Should I Weed and Feed during the drought?

In the current California drought, properly weeding and feeding your lawn is a huge luxury. If you are concerned about water usage, you should consider re landscaping with a drought-tolerant landscape. Properly done, a drought tolerant landscape can stand out and look very nice. Many Orange County landscapes are turning to this environmentally friendly alternative.

Or, you can completely avoid the need to weed & feed with the installation of synthetic turf. Our modern synthetic turf looks way better than the AstroTurf of the past, lasts, and helps with water conservation. Summer is a bad time to weed and feed anyway, because of the likelihood your yard will burn. Best to wait it out until the beginning of fall or even late spring.

You have the knowledge of a licensed landscape contractor!

Now, if anyone asks “what does weed and feed mean?” You have a very complete answer for them. They’ll probably think you’re a landscape contractor and hire you on the spot! Okay, maybe that’s a little crazy, but if it does happen, be sure to point them our way.

TRU Landscape Services, your Orange County Landscape Contractor is just a phone call away: 1-866-487-1359

How to talk to a Landscape Contractor: “Demo”

What does “Demo” mean?

Our word for today is “Demo.” This is a shortening of the word “demolition” and can range from pulling out pre-existing plants and turf, to an extensive excavation to prepare for a landscape remodel.

Some “demos” are delicate and require manual removal, whereas concrete removal requires the use of tractors and tools like jackhammers.

Basic Demo usually only takes a day once the plans have been finalized and the property is ready. More intense demo projects can take more than one day, but it’s always easier to tear things apart than build them up!

Next time you need some landscape demolition, remember TRU Landscape Services the only name you need to know in Orange County Landscape.