Landscaping Ideas and Updates

By Sam Nelson
Landscape Designer, Johnsons Landscaping Service, Inc.
www.JohnsonsLandscaping.com

When winter weather transforms your sidewalk and driveway into a dangerous skating rink, how do you melt the ice and snow without destroying your lawn and ornamental plants?  

The key is to choose an environmentally safer deicer, use it in moderation and according to instructions, and to apply it before it begins to sleet or snow.

All chemical deicers essentially work in the same manner, by lowering the freezing point of water.  The most common ice melter is sodium chloride (NaCl), otherwise known as good old-fashioned rock salt.  Its popularity can be attributed to its low price and wide availability.  However, since salt water still freezes at 0°F (or -18°C), it is of little help when the temperature falls below this point.  Rock salt can also be destructive:  it can corrode your car and your concrete walkway, and it can damage or kill your lawn and ornamental plants.    

A better bet is to use one of the alternative, safer salts on the market. These include Calcium Chloride (CaCl2),  Magnesium Chloride (MgCl2), and Potassium Chloride (KCl).  In general, these salts are more effective in reducing the freezing point of water to a lower temperature than rock salt, thus making them more effective in colder weather.  Moreover, they tend to be less corrosive to metals and concrete, and are safer for lawns and ground-covers.  Be sure to carefully look at the manufacturer's label for the listing of chemicals.

A newer, salt-free melting agent is calcium magnesium acetate (CMA), which is made from dolomitic limestone and acetic acid (the main compound of vinegar). This material has little impact on plants and animals, and is a good alternative for environmentally-sensitive areas.  Pelleted fertilizers containing ammonium nitrate or ammonium sulfate are sometimes also used for melting snow and ice, but these  tend to damage concrete more than the salts.  For locations where chemical deicers are not appropriate, sand, kitty litter, or gravel can provide some traction, but they will not melt ice or snow.

Whatever product you choose, be sure to read the manufacturer's instructions carefully and do not over-apply.  Too many people erroneously believe that if 8 ounces is good, then 16 ounces must be better.    Improper use of any chemical deicer may cause plant injury, which appears as drying, stunting, dieback, or "burning" of the foliage.  

For more information see: http://www.gardensalive.com/article.asp?ai=524&bhcd2=1259678711

(Sam Nelson is a landscape designer for Johnson’s Landscaping Service, Inc.  Learn more about Sam and see his landscape design featured in the Washington Post at http://www.jlsinc.net/view-by-tag/washingtonpost/. )

Comment (0)

By Ryan Sarvis, Johnson’s Landscaping Service, Inc.

Are you deterred from venturing outside by cold weather and annoying pests?  Do you shy away from inviting friends and family over because the only gathering place is inside your cramped house?  This fall, why not add value to your property and extend your living space with an outdoor fireplace?
With a return to the coolness of Autumn and the decline of the sizzling hot and humid summer evenings, many Washington, DC area residents are now returning to the outdoors from their air conditioned enclaves.   To combat cold temperatures and biting insects well into the Fall season, you can install an outdoor fireplace that will warm and protect you and your family while you gather around the warmth of a glowing fire. 

The options for outdoor fires are numerous, but Johnson's Landscaping Service, Inc. has many years of experience building fire pits, fire rings, fire places with chimneys.  Our experienced stone masons can build any fire place that you may desire with a wide range of material options. We can provide both natural and manufactured stone to build a fireplace.  You have the option of a wood or gas burning fireplace.  Whearas gas is cleaner, no mess, and easier to start, wood has a great smell, prevents pests, and provides a little charm to your patio. Please contact one of our professional designers so we may design a fireplace that will suit your outdoor living needs.

The outdoor fireplace adds a centerpiece to your landscape that will last forever and will bring friends and families together for years to come.   In addition to the outdoor fireplace, there are many other options to enhance our outdoor living spaces, to include landscape lighting, shade structures, patios, and seating walls. 
Interested? Contact us today!

Comment (0)

Have You Ever Been a Part of Uncovering History?

By Ryan Sarvis

Recently, Johnson's Landscaping Service, Inc. has had the honor of renovating a piece of American history; namely, a crypt used as a hiding spot for escaped slaves on the Underground Railroad.  Nestled in the heart of Georgetown and above Rock Creek is the small, Mt. Zion cemetery, established in 1822 when the Mt. Zion Church acquired several acres from the federal government. The church began to use the property for the final resting place of its congregation members and some of the unclaimed dead from the city morgue.  A simple and basic crypt was built just above the creek made of brick and mortar to be used in the future. 

As a gateway to the North, Washington, D.C. was a vital and important stop for African Americans escaping the oppression of southern slavery via the Underground Railroad. Many white citizens provided escaping slaves shelter in their homes or on their property. Mt. Zion Church and its members, many of whom were freed slaves themselves, provided aid in the form of food, drink, shelter, and directions to the next stop on the Underground Railroad.

The slaves only traveled at night to avoid patrollers looking for blacks on the road without permission.   During the daytime, the Mt. Zion crypt provided shelter for the escaped slaves.  After the Civil War ended, the crypt was no longer used, and after many years of neglect, fell into disrepair.

As the church's budget shrank over the years, the hillside surrounding the crypt became overgrown with polk weed, poison ivy, and other brush. For many years very little maintenance was done to keep the area in good shape. In 2003, the church applied for assistance from the National Park Service to renovate the site and to later become a national historic preservation area. After several years of campaigning, the Church was successful in getting the needed assistance, and was able to move forward with the areas' renovation. 

Several church members were long-time customers of Johnson's Landscaping, and looked to us to help implement the needed changes.   We were very excited about the possibility of uncovering history for all to see.

The church's main purpose was to enable easy visitor access to the site, and to create an area for people to sit and receive information about the site's history.   When we first visited the site, we could barely see the crypt through the thick brush and we had difficulty getting close due to the steep hillside. We could see that they were in need of serious assistance. We set out to design a visitor's path and surrounding landscape that were both scenic and useful. We also had to keep the small budget in mind. Most of all, we wanted to provide a safe as well as scenic setting for visitors. 

After presenting our plan, the church leaders and the landscape designers from Johnson's Landscaping worked together to fine tune the design so that all parties were fully satisfied.  After approval, Johnson's sent out expert construction and landscaping crews. The crews first cleared and hauled all brush and debris from the site. We excavated a path and installed timber steps and leveled areas between steps. We planted several evergreen shrubs and hardy grasses....plant life that would thrive in the conditions surrounding the crypt. For safety, we installed a railing made of 4 inch posts and heavy duty rope. Finally, we put a thick layer of mulch to prevent weeds and unwanted plant material from coming back. The final product was a low maintenance landscape that all visitors could enjoy.

 

 

We at Johnson's Landscaping were proud to share in the work of uncovering an important piece of local history.

Comment (0)