Don't Get Buned...By Bad Contractors Recently, the Montgomery County Office of Consumer Affairs announced that there has been an upswing in the number of people being ripped off by unscrupulous home improvement contractors. In several incidents, people were ripped off for thousands of dollars with little or no work around the homes to show for it. One elderly resident was even taken for $240,000. Here is a link to the article in The Gazette detailing the issue:  Gazette Article How can you be sure that you are dealing with honorable and law abiding contractors? Here is a list of things to check on before you agree to have anyone work done on your property. Insurance - Anyone working on your property should have enough General Liability insurance to cover any damage they may do to your property. The State of Maryland requires that all home improvement licensees carry a minimum of $50,000 in liability insurance. Additionally, to have a pesticide applicators license the state requires $15,000 per occurrence in liability insurance with a $30,000 annual aggregate provision. Of equal importance is that the contractor carry adequate worker's compensation insurance otherwise anyone that gets hurt working on your property can hold you responsible. Any legitimate contractor should be able to furnish you with a certificate of insurance naming you as a co-insured. (FYI: Allentuck Landscaping Co. carries $1,000,000 per occurrence in liability insurance and $500,000 per occurrence in workers compensation insurance. Protecting our clients is very important to us). Licensing - Licensure is one way that the local governments help assure that only legitimate businesses are working in our area. There are several different licenses that are required of any business doing home improvements and landscaping. Montgomery County requires every entity doing business in the county to have a Business License. The State of Maryland requires all contractors, including landscapers, to hold a Home Improvement License. Maryland also requires anyone applying pesticides to hold a Pesticide Applicators License and anyone applying fertilizer to have Nutrient Management Certification. All three of these licenses require several years of experience in the field and the passing of exams. Your contractor should be able to show you these licenses.   References - All good contractors are proud of the relationships they have with past customers and of the work they have done. If you are unsure about them, ask for three references and their contact information. Accurately Written Estimate - If it is not written, it probably will not get done. Estimates should be accurate as to what work will be completed and for what price. Do not accept open ended contracts with no finite dollar amount. Things change on many job sites but only allow them to happen with change orders, again stating what work will be changing and for how much money. Specifics matter and save everyone a lot of headaches in the end. Not every job goes exactly as planned but if you are working with a good contractor and have an open line of communications, most problems can be worked out to everyone's benefit. If you feel that you have been taken advantage of by an illegitimate contractor, there are numerous authorities available to help including Montgomery County Police Department, Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office, Montgomery's Office of Consumer Protection, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the state Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.  Let's hope that by taking the above steps, this will never be necessary for you. To find out more how Allentuck Landscaping Co. can create beautiful landscapes for you, please call us at 301-515-1900 or email at info@allentucklandscaping.com.

June Stuff To Do

June Stuff to Do Summer is here and the livin' is easy. But that does not mean there are not chores to get done. Here is a list of Stuff To Do in June. Pinch out the flower buds of fall bloomers like asters and mums to keep the plants full and bushy, and to prevent early flowering. There will be periods of drought so keep those plants watered. Click this link to find our Watering Instruction: Keep It Watered! Spot treat perennials weeds such as dandelions, plantain and clover to control them before they get out of hand. Deadhead annuals as their flowers fade so they'll know to produce more. To discourage mosquito breeding, clean birdbaths at least weekly and don't allow standing water to accumulate. (Did you know that Allentuck Landscaping Co. has a fantastic mosquito and tick control program? Contact us for information). You haven't missed tomato time yet. Go ahead and get them in the ground before it is too late. Stay on top of weeds. It's easiest to pull them after rainfall. June 14 is Flag Day. Hang out your stars and stripes. June 15 is Father's Day! Show Dad some love! To find out more how Allentuck Landscaping Co. can create beautiful landscapes for you, please call us at 301-515-1900 or email at info@allentucklandscaping.com.

April Stuff To Do - Breath

April Stuff To Do

Wow. I do not ever remember a year when we were this far behind garden-wise. It is time to get busy! Here is a list of Stuff To Do in April. 

• It is safe now to plant hardy perennials, shrubs and trees but the word from the nursery industry is that they are running 2-3 weeks behind on getting plants in, especially from the south. Look for full nurseries and garden centers around mid-month.

• It is also safe to plant the cool season annuals like pansies, dianthus and primrose. Add some color to your gardens!

• Lawn mowing will begin as cool season grasses respond to ideal temperatures and spring rain. Most lawns will need to be mowed weekly. Keep lawns between 2-3 inches in the spring. Don't forget to change the oil, spark plug and add fresh fuel.

• Transplant cool season vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, leeks and onions.

• As plants leaf out, aphids will begin showing up too. Use an insecticidal soap to control this pest.

• Slugs continue to increase in size and numbers this month. Spread organic slug bait around the garden.

• Don't forget to turn on your outside water to water new plants adequately.

• This is a good time to clean out flower pots, add fresh soil and fertilizer. This way they will be all ready to plant next month.

• The late season also means there is less for wildlife to eat. Re-stock those bird feeders.

• Grilling season is upon us! Clean the grill with soap and water. Replace briquettes and check propane hoses for damage and leaks.

• Go to the Cherry Blossom Festival. Here is a link to there website: http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/
• BREATH. ENJOY. That is spring air out there!   

Spring - Fourth Time's A Charm

Spring - Fourth Time's A Charm

Maybe this time spring is for real? With the spring, snow, spring, snow pattern we have had this year, it has been hard for anyone to even contemplate their landscape or getting any outdoor project moving. We are confident that we have seen the last of snow (famous last words) and are now 100% in spring landscape mode!

Which brings me to reminding you that Allentuck Landscaping Co. has three outstanding maintenance programs to fit your needs.

• TotalScapes is our all inclusive program for caring for your lawn, gardens and plants. We will take care of it all so that you do not need to.
• GardenScapes takes care of you garden and plants as only our experts can. Your plants will get the TLC they deserve.
• TurfScapes will give you the lushest lawn in the neighborhood. Fertilization, weed control and seeding are all included.

In addition, we are happy to introduce two new services to our customers:

• Deer DeFence is an organic approach to keeping deer away from your plants.
• Mosquito & Tick Shield will keep the dangers of biting and stinging insects away from you and your family so you can enjoy the great outdoors.

Both services use organic products that are safe for pets, children and the environment.

Give us a call or shoot us an email. We would love to tell you more about our great services.

Dogs in Funny Outfit Helpng Honeybees

Just thought this was interesting:

Beekeeping dog in 'astronaut' suit detects infected hives by smell

Michael Graham Richard
Science / Natural Sciences
July 12, 2013

© Josh Kennett

Bzzz bzzz woof woof

Bees are extremely important. We've been writing about for years about the various threats that they face (Margaret has a great timeline of bee articles between 2005 and 2013), and about various ways to protect them. But this story from Australia might be the most original yet, or at the very least the cutest.

On the photo above is Bazz, a black labrador that beekeeper Josh Kennett has trained to detect by smell a serious bee disease called American foulbrood. The Paenibacillus larvae caused by the infection are usually only visible under high-magnification microscope, but thanks to Bazz, that's not necessary.

© Josh Kennett

Microscope analysis might not be needed thanks to Bazz's nose, but the dog still had to be protected from bee attack to get close enough to sniff out the hives. That's why Kennett built this protective suit that makes Bazz look a big like a canine astronaut.

It's particularly important to detect American foulbrood infections early because there is no cure (yet), so the only thing that can be done is quarantining the infected colonies to keep the disease from spreading.

wikimedia / Shawn Caza/CC BY-SA 3.0

You can listen to a radio interview with Mr. Kennett here about his bees and dog.

Via ABC Australia

January Stuff To Do

January Stuff To Do    Yes, we know it is cold outside but that does not mean there are not things to get accomplished in the garden. Here are this months tips: Use this month to check your houseplants: divide and re-pot any pot-bound plants. Prune judiciously to create a compact, attractive specimen. Closely inspect houseplants. Remove aphids from houseplants with a mixture of equal parts rubbing alcohol and water and add a drop of dishwashing detergent. Apply this to troubled plants with a soft brush. Plan your vegetable garden and make a diagram drawn to scale before placing your spring order. Organize, clean, oil, and sharpen garden tools. A splash of bright paint on tool handles will make them easier to spot if misplaced out in the yard. Remember to supply fresh water and seed for the birds. Gently shake or brush off snow-weighted branches that have no support. Heavy snow cover protects evergreen foliage from windburn, but too much weight will break branches. Prune fruit trees now. Avoid walking over the same areas of your frozen lawn, or you may find bald spots in the spring. Plant lettuce in flats this month and harvest before it's time to start some of the later seedlings. Artificial light may be required, but the air should not be too hot. Finalize your landscape garden plans on paper (or better yet, call us and have our designers do it for you!).   Adapted from The Old Farmer's Almanac

14 Ways To Live More Sustainably

14 Ways to Change Your State in 2014

Reprinted from NCSU* Sustainability (Bruce's alma mater! - Go Pack!)

Posted December 29, 2013 by cwdavis3 & filed under All Blogs, Community,Planet.

These 14 actions will help you, NC State and our world be more sustainable:

Use a reusable water bottle.

They help reduce waste and they’re awesome (see our favorite reasons why).

Drive less, walk more to reduce your carbon footprint.

Both you and the world benefit when you start stepping. You reap benefits of more exercise while also preserving clean air and natural resources.

Eat more local food.

Nothing’s better than homegrown — both in taste and benefits to your local economy (read reasons why you can go loco for local food).

Take shorter showers.

You’ll save at least 2 gallons for every minute you reduce your shower time. Reduce your daily shower by one minute and you’ll save 730 gallons a year!

Use natural lighting instead of overhead lights and lamps.

Lighting accounts for up to 15 percent of all energy use, so hit the switch when you can to save energy.

Use reusable bags.

Why waste a plastic shopping bag when you can bring your own? Check out other reasons why reusable bags rock.

Grow your own kitchen herbs.

Nothing will make a dinner better than adding some homegrown herbs. Plus, indoor plants help improve your indoor air quality.

Pick up one piece of litter per day.

It beautifies our communities and ensures that loose trash doesn’t later interfere with waterways or wildlife.

If you are able, take the stairs instead of an elevator.

Think of all the extra calories you’ll burn while saving the electricity used by elevators.

Use dish clothes instead of paper towels.

You can use a reusable dish cloth over and over again instead of throwing away paper towels. It’s an easy way to save trees.

Turn up your thermostat in summer and down in winter.

Aim for indoor temperatures of 78 in the summer and 68 in the winter to cash in on the biggest energy savings.

Wash your clothes on cold.

Often the hot isn’t hot enough to clean clothes more effectively, so save some energy and click the temperature dial to cold.

Line dry your clothes instead of using the dryer.

You’ll use less energy and your clothes won’t shrink in the dryer.

Reduce food waste.

Up to 40 percent of food is trashed, so make sure your eyes aren’t bigger than your stomach when you’re picking your portion size. Get what you know you can eat so you’ll waste less food. Live on campus? Check out the real weight of campus food waste.

Wishes

Snow...Good or Bad

Snow...Good or Bad? Not meaning to be wimpy on the answer...both. Snow is a great insulator. Extreme cold temperatures can damage tender roots but snow, like a good blanket, provides enough insulation to protect them. Snow provides moisture. Ten inches of snow equals about one inch of rain. That is a good amount of water going into the water table for plants to use later on. Snow prevents heaving. When soil freezes, it often heaves. This can cause plants to actually be pushed out of the ground. Snow helps prevent this. Snow can be damaging. Unfortunately true. Heavy snow can cause tree branches to break and shrubs to split. A good way to prevent this is to have your trees professionally pruned and to brush heavy snow off of shrubs. If nothing else, a snowy landscape is a beautiful thing to enjoy, especially from inside.

And The Winner Is...

And The Winner Is.... Lady Bug Submitted by the Seneca Lake Elementary Garden Club. See the rest of our wonderful entries at our Facebook Page

Jack-O-Lantern Photo Contest!!

Win $250 in Allentuck Landscaping Bucks for you and for the school of your choice. Here's How It Works (so easy):  Get a pumpkin (preferably not from your neighbor's porch). Carve or paint your pumpkin. Take a picture of your Jack-O-Lantern. Click the "Submit" button below and attach the picture of your Jack-O-Lantern. Tell us your name and school. Go to our Facebook page between October 20th to October 30th and "Like" your picture (we'd sure appreciate it if you would "Like" our page too while you are there). Tell all your friends to go to our Facebook page and "Like" your picture too. Winner and school will be announced on October 31st on our Facebook page and by email. Why are you still reading this? Go get a pumpkin!

A few rules (sorry, have to have a few): Entrants must be from the Allentuck Landscaping Co. service area. You do not need to be a current ALC customer to enter or vote (although we would like you to become a customer of course). ALC reserves the right to reject any photo it deems inappropriate.

Fall Is Great For...

Fall Is Great For ...

 

Fall is like a breath of fresh air, literally. The heat and humidity have faded, the kids are back in school and football is back on television. It is a fresh start for us, and for our gardens. There is plenty to do.

Revive the lawn - Even in mild summers, turf grass takes a beating in our region. Fall is the perfect time to core aerate, apply lime to adjust the pH, install new grass seed and fertilize. Your efforts will be rewarded in the spring with a thick lush lawn.

Refresh the garden - Falls is a great time to add shrubs, trees and perennials to your gardens. Fill in those empty areas, add some new interest or overhaul tired areas. By planting now, the roots will be better established and the plants will take-off in the spring.

 

Energize the garden - Add a splash of color. Pansies, Chrysanthemums, Cabbage and Kale can all be planted now to add super splashes of color to your gardens. It is also time to plant spring bulbs such as Tulips, Daffodils and Hyacinths for spring beauty.

Maintain the garden - Add a layer of mulch to give your gardens a fresh look and protect your plants for the winter. It is also time for that last shrub and tree pruning of the year.

Plan the garden - Fall is an exceptional time to meet with our Landscape Designers and start planning new gardens, patios, walkways and other projects. Give us a call today to get started.

Make Your Patio Awesome

Make Your Patio Awesome

A patio is a patio right? Not exactly. We view patios as an extension of your home, your outdoor family room, so to speak. A family room is not a family room right? It is your family room and you have probably gone to great lengths to make it special. Why not do the same with your patio?

Here are a few ways to make your patio awesome:

Add a seat wall - This sounds simple enough, and it is. A seat wall around part of your patio not only provides extra seating capacity, but also creates a boundary to your patio, making it feel cozier and more private. Another benefit to a seat wall is that when other families come over, the children naturally migrate to sit on the seat wall leaving the parents to enjoy the meal even more.   

Light it up - Lighting can greatly enhance any patio room and extend its usefulness into the night. With today's technology, LED lights can also save energy and reduce the need to change light bulbs. An automatic timer makes the whole system care free.

Let there be fire! - What is better than sitting around a campfire in the comfort of your backyard. A fire pit can really make a good evening a great evening. Choose from wood burning or gas, just save us a s'more.

There is no reason in the world to settle for boring. With these options, your patio can be awesome! 

See more of our patios at Our Portfolio.

Project Profile: A Step Up

Project Profile: A Step Up

Before

After

In this project, our client presented us with several challenges. The driveway was too narrow, access to the front door was inconvenient, and their children wanted to plant herbs and vegetables. Our designers set out to create solutions to these issues and give our client a great landscape.

A two and a half foot high Celtik block wall was constructed along the left side of the driveway. By doing this, we wereable to expand the driveway by three feet giving enough space for car doors to open, bicycles to get past the parked cars, and for trash cans to be wheeled out to the curb.

In the front yard, a slope created a difficult obstacle for walking directly to the front door from the driveway. To solve this, Western Maryland steppers were stacked to create steps. Our client remarked that this gave the feeling of a vacation spot in Maine that she and her family like to spend time at. Plantings of Winter Jasmine, Fountain Grass and a Sangu-Kaku Japanese Maple makes the walk to the front door seem like walking through a garden.

The only sunny spot, other than the front yard, is on the right side of the house. This area was prepared for herbs and vegetables. A Southern Magnolia grown on a trellis was placed against the chimney to serve as a backdrop. Stone steppers lead to the back yard and travel under a stunning Wisteria that gives a magical roof to an area the children like to run through.

"Allentuck Landscaping was fun to work with and really listened to our practical concerns.  And since we are fairly plant-illiterate they asked a lot of questions to figure out what kinds of style and look we like.  We are still admiring it every day when we pull up in front of our house."