With La Nina bringing warm winter weather conditions to Northeast Florida our lawns and gardens are likely to experience more pests earlier in the season. Ants, aphids, chinch bugs, grubs, mole crickets, mosquitos, sod webworms, termites, and wood-boring beetles, may all arrive and reproduce early this year. “Warm means that insects could become active sooner,” said Eileen Buss, a University of Florida associate professor of entomology. The warmer winters essentially act as an alarm clock for plants and bugs, which spring into action, Buss said.”
There are complications though as not all pest species respond the same way to warm winter weather. “A warm winter day could cause insects to become active (e.g., woolly bear caterpillars) when they normally would be dormant,” explained Integrated Crop Management News. “Activity uses up stored fats they depend on to survive until the spring. Without access to food, these active insects could starve to death before food becomes available.” However, Iowa’s average low January temperature is in the twenties compared to Florida’s high fifties and Jacksonville high forties. Insects typically begin to enter a hibernation-like torpor state called diapause when temperatures drop into the low forties. Whereas, regional species of fleas begin to die off below 37F other species of insects produce glycerol using it as a sort of antifreeze that allows them to walk around during warm Winter weather and not die during a periodic cold snap.
Florida lawn and garden pests develop in fewer days during warm winter weather as the insect growth rate is temperature-dependent. “Every insect requires a consistent amount of heat accumulation to reach certain life stages, such as egg hatch or adult flight,” according to Utah State University. “Degree day values interpret that heat accumulation. When used to determine treatment timing, they are an important component of an Integrated Pest Management program, providing a cost effective tool to reduce insect feeding damage.”
Be vigilant in monitoring your lawn and garden plants during warm winter weather, checking the undersides of leaves, and being ready for applying preventative treatments.
Insects aren’t the only threat as fungus spore survivability improves with warm Winter weather. La Nina Winter conditions forecast less precipitation throughout the Southeast. While ensuring your lawn and landscape have adequate weekly watering, don’t overwater, which is an invitation to fungus. Be on the lookout for Brown Patch fungus in your turf prevalent when evening temperatures are below 70F. Signs of Brown Patch fungus are rings and small irregular patches of dead grass.
Learn the signs and symptoms of pests and pathogens in your landscape to reduce the risk and threats of infestations. Ensure your lawn care service is proactive in assessing and preventing these potential warm Winter weather threats with adequate treatments early. Earth Works Lawn Care division offers free quotes for Lawn and Landscape disease and pest control services.
Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Visit us or for specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact us at 904-996-0712. Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Concrete retaining wall benefits include aesthetics, affordability, durability, erosion control, and add functionality to your landscape design. Additionally retaining walls expand usable space in the landscape, form boundaries, direct traffic, and reduce maintenance.
-Aesthetics: You can’t put a price on the joy you get from a pleasant experience with friends and family on and around your well designed safe and durable seating wall or along a raised flower bed built with concrete wall block as focal points in your outdoor living space.
-Affordability: Concrete retaining wall blocks have a big impact in landscape designs at competitive prices to retaining walls constructed of other materials including wood, rock, and metal. Factors effecting cost of concrete retaining wall block projects include the design complexity, block style, overall footprint, elevation, grade, whether its stepped, the choice of base material to be used and accommodations for drainage and stability. Every project is unique and Earth Works landscape designers consult with clients onsite before collaborating with our design team and implementing the client approved design.
-Durability: Concrete wall blocks are cast concrete, gravel, sand, and cement. Studies demonstrate that hollow concrete block masonry are stronger than solid brick walls. Concrete block walls are stronger than walls made of low-density cinder block that aren’t recommended for high-load-bearing projects and prohibited by some building codes. Besides a gravel base additional retaining wall block structural supports are typically required with slopes and projects exceeding certain heights and footprints. A preferred method for additional structural support are use of alternating layers of compacted, and backfilled, soil reinforced with geogrid, a geosynthetic material sandwiched between courses and embedded in the substrate.
-Erosion control: Retaining walls by definition retain soil and prevent erosion. Earth Works provides a variety of retention wall drainage systems that could involve perforated pipe, filter fabric, and drainage stone in proximity to the project. The best drainage solutions for retaining walls also take into consideration an assessment of drainage of the entire property that can involve channel drains, French drains, and connecting downspouts.
-Functionality: Concrete retaining walls provide a variety of functional benefits to your landscape including fixing grades that can be too steep or sloping. Your concrete retaining wall as part of your walkways, pathways, raised beds, patios, and seating walls expands your usable outdoor living space. Our landscape designers look forward to sharing with you the retaining wall benefits for your project and creating a project that meets your aesthetic and functional requirements.
Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations.
Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Congratulations to our 2021 employee of month award winners recognized at our monthly meetings scheduled on the first Thursday of each month.
January 2021 Employee of Month Patti Sanders joined the Earth Works design team this past summer and jumped right in with a great attitude and a smile. She had gone to school for landscape design but ended up in management and sales for a few major companies. She moved to Jacksonville 2 years ago and was a manager for Lowes Garden Center in Mandarin. She realized how much she missed her passion for design and sought out Earth Works. After learning the Earth Works Way, she is off to a great design future with the Earth Works team. Thanks, Patti, for doing a great job for our clients!
February 2021 Employee of Month, Matt Friend, is the Jaguar Trevor Lawrence’s new biggest fan! He also is one of our all-time most enjoyable employees to work with all day. Even on tough days, Matt ALWAYS has a smile. Every day, he shows up extra early ready for any challenge with his “can do” attitude. Since joining our team three and a half years ago, he has brought us many years of FUN with his witty commentary and excellent dancing and singing skills. Thank you, Matt, for brightening up our long days!!
March 2021 Employee of Month Jarred Taylor joined the Earth Works team 2 years ago when he did his summer internship. He was well-liked by everyone and immediately accepted by all. It didn’t take long to see that Jarred’s computer and design skills, as well as a great work ethic, would be a great asset to our team. We said at that time, “Wouldn’t it be great if Jarred came to work with us after school?”. Our wish came true and we are honored to have Jarred as our lead designer. In the few months he has been back, his organizational skills and ability to work closely with the design team has been a tremendous help to us.
April 2021 Employee of Month Christina Lowe (nickname Dee) has been easy to work with from day one. Dee started in the Garden Center and quickly picked up on everything she was asked to help out on. She learned about plants, helped cover the register and front desk, and worked with customer service helping shoppers pick out plants for their landscapes. Her flexibility and positive attitude came into play when the Landscape division needed help over at our “bluff” location as the Bluff Grounds Supervisor. Dee increased her value to the company by learning new skills, loading material for jobs, and helping keep the bluff organized. Recently, she has come back to the Garden Center in time of need and has quickly transitioned to helping us route incoming plants, cover the front desk when needed, and helping customers. She exemplifies teamwork, systems, and commitment with everyone in any department. We are grateful to have her on our team for over 3 years. Thank you Christina!
May 2021 Employee of Month Larry Yancey came to us a year ago as a lawn maintenance foreman with a great and flexible attitude. From the start, his dependability was noteworthy. You can set your clock for his timely arrival to gather his crew and be the first truck out for the day’s adventure. He is very methodical in his work and his customers love him. This past winter, Larry single-handedly ran all the maintenance customer’s extra job requests that were outside the weekly, routine dispatch schedule. His hustling work ethic helped the maintenance department achieve its’ best month ever! Thanks, Larry, for being a dedicated, skillful teammate!
June 2021 Employee of Month Erik Kalwicki came to Earth Works almost one year ago and has been very flexible and helpful in multiple departments. With his great laid back attitude, he is very patient and understanding. Erik is very consistent with his methodical and meticulous work habits. He has made improvements to the Bluff and its functional flow and keeps tabs on inventory. He helps keep the plants looking good for our installs. He also helps the maintenance department run smoothly with sharpening blades, checking oil, and cleaning air filters. He enjoys music, gardening, and long road trips but most of all he loves jelly donuts! Thank you, Erik, for being a great team player and always getting the job done!
July 2021 Employee of Month Sean Friedman has been with us for 3 years in our lawn maintenance division doing a wonderful job while never receiving nor offering complaints. His customers regularly give him raving reviews. Sean’s communication between our clients and our team is excellent. He lives our points of culture (integrity, excellence, teamwork, and fun) every day with his positive can-do attitude. While he may be a true plant nerd, he also truly cares about being a star employee, wonderful father, and husband. Thanks, Sean for being a great employee!
August 2021 Employee of Month Sean O’Toole joined us this past spring to help with our outside team but a broken foot injury just days later allowed our customers to experience his extremely warm, detail-focused customer service skills at the front desk. Rarely do customers leave the garden center without Sean knowing their names. He follows up with them to ensure our team and customer expectations are met. His connections with customers and numerous Google reviews have made Sean a valuable addition to our nursery team. He is honing his outside skills as he heals, wrangling any palms and product out back that he has not sold yet. With his fun & can-do attitude, he looks forward to assisting us with our drop-off deliveries in the next couple of weeks. This will offer our customers even more opportunities to experience Sean’s outstanding customer service. Congratulations, Sean!
September 2021 Employee of Month Tim Greer has worn many hats since arriving 3 years ago. He is a vital link between our customers and foremen. Customers love him for his exceptional customer service. The foremen know they can reach out to him for a fast response on their field issues. Most recently, he has stepped into and excelled in his role as the Bluff Manager taking on any task that needs to get done; including welding trailer parts! He lives our points of culture (teamwork, integrity, excellence, and fun 24/7 always looking out for our best interests. Thank you, Timbo, for your part in leading our landscape team to success!
October 2021 Employee of Month Jackson Harris came to the landscape department 3 years ago as an excellent team player with a great work ethic from the beginning. He will always happily do what is asked of him. He spent a few weeks covering the Bluff plant router position. Though he can be a smart aleck, he also can be very humble expressing gratitude for his Earth Works job. On work sites, he exemplifies professionalism and has become a strong member of the landscape and pond crews. He asks great questions and is always curious to learn more. Recently, Jackson has transitioned into a Landscape Foreman position. On Saturdays, you are likely to see him wandering the nursery and supporting the business. Thank you for being a steady and strong teammate, Jackson!
November 2021 Employee of Month Doug Fisher exhibits all of our points of culture arriving one and a half years ago. He was promoted to a foreman position last summer and has exceeded all expectations. We constantly get calls from his very happy customers. He does awesome work and has great attention to detail. He brings a good attitude and never complains, even when he would be right to do so. Thank you, Doug, for being a great team player always ready to help out anytime or anywhere!
December 2021 Employee of Month Adam Cooprider arrived 2-1/2 years ago as a crewman with little to no landscaping experience. Every day since he has consistently worked to improve. He shows up to work on time bringing a great attitude to every job. Recently, he has stepped up and filled in for foremen to keep jobs running for us and our customers. He is eager to take on more responsibility to help us grow. As a great team player, Adam does whatever is asked of him at any time. Thanks for all your hard work, Adam!
Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center in Jacksonville/Plant Nursery and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions.
Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Paver patios, walkways, and driveways add to your property value, but be aware of common paver problems and solutions associated with poor craftsmanship.
SINKING PAVERS AND LEVELING ISSUES are common paver problems associated with poor site grading and an insufficient amount or type of aggregate base material installed to provide a stable foundation for the pavers. Popular aggregate base materials include recycled concrete (crushcrete), gravel, and geotextile materials. Choosing the correct aggregate is essential for the stability of pavers. Northeast Florida construction sites are commonly built on sand that holds water due to our being at or near sea level. Soil composite considerations are standard for reputable hardscaping professionals. The amount of base material required to avoid sinking pavers and leveling issues can vary based on soil composition and what is found during excavation. For instance, concrete driveways are poured on top of old cracked ones. We’ve experienced circumstances wherein additional excavation was required, and the use of extra base was needed. Strong concrete edging helps maintain the integrity of paver stability. Tree roots can also lift pavers. However, unlike concrete driveways and pathways cracked by tree roots, the equivalent paver driveways, patios, and walkways can be easily reset without a jackhammer and pouring additional concrete.
PLANTS AND DEBRIS BETWEEN UNSEALED PAVERS are common paver problems. Polymeric sand fills in-between the cracks and prevents anything from washing between or washing out and causing your pavers to become unlevel, said Earth Works Foreman David Arthur. The polymeric sand binds the pavers keeping out weeds and debris. Sealing pavers further protects them from damage and enhances their color.
DRAINAGE issues contribute to a variety of common paver problems, including sinking and leveling issues mentioned above, plus pooling of water resulting in mold and mildew buildup and associated slip and fall hazards. Proper drainage is essential for the longevity and safety of paver projects, so drainage considerations are an integral component of Earth Works design consultations. While drainage isn’t sexy, it’s essential for client satisfaction with their outdoor living space.
Contact us to book your hardscaping design consultation to avoid these common paver problems. We are a member of the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute and refer to them for additional information.
Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions.
Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Breaking dormancy for cold-hardy seeds and bulbs requires mimicking plant germination cycles, techniques called stratification, which is accomplished by controlling temperature and moisture for a period of time. Stratification has been in practice for hundreds of years and was first described in the 1664 writings of English Horticulturist John Evelyn. Evelyn’s emphasis on the relevance of stratification had to do with efficiently growing trees to replenish timber for British Navy ships. In botanical terms, stratification is distinguished from “chilling” which is the amount of cold time fruiting plants require to blossom, also known as vernalization. Although it sounds complicated stratification is easy to do when you are equipped with the right information for each of your plant choices.
It’s important to understand that there are two types of dormancy both endo-dormancy and ecto-dormancy. Endo-dormancy is before chilling whereas in ecto-dormancy chilling has already occurred and the plant is ready to begin growing once the temperature rises sufficiently. “As the plant enters endo-dormancy, it tracks chilling units to track the passage of the winter. Chilling units are hours of time spent above freezing,” according to Michigan State University. “As long as the plants are in endo-dormancy they have the ability to acclimate to colder temperatures and withstand winter cold. After chilling is completed the plants are no longer in endo-dormancy. They are now in eco-dormancy. The plants are dormant only because of cold or cool weather. Warmer temperatures into the mid-40s will cause them to begin growth. Once the plants start to grow, they lose the ability to readjust to colder temperatures. There is usually a slow progression of development when the plant begins to grow as the temperatures slowly rise.”
Most Northeast Florida native and tropical plants germinate in warmth, but the cold-hardy varieties with thick seed coatings often require a set period of cold temperature and moisture to soften the shell and break dormancy. “Having such a tough shell ensures that germination occurs only when conditions are right,” according to The Guardian. “Weather fluctuates; you don’t want your seed jumping into germination just because autumn has a few cold nights and then a warm one. It’s not spring yet and those cold nights did not represent winter. So time and temperature are the keys necessary to unlock germination for many seeds.”
Considering breaking dormancy requirements are specific for each species follow the seed and bulb package stratification recommendations for time, temperature, and planting media. Additionally, if chilling in the refrigerator is deemed appropriate, ensure that the temperature, packaging material, and germination media are also appropriate. Stratification in the refrigerator is typically better done in paper than plastic, which improves air circulation and reduces threats from pathogens. While some plants germinate best wrapped in a damp paper towel in the back of the refrigerator others do just fine in a pot of soil outside. Do your research.
Seeds that require cold stratification include Anise Hyssop, Asparagus, Milkweed, Baby’s breath, Black-eyed Susan, Butterfly bush, Caper, Chinese Lanterns, Columbine, Coneflower, Delphinium, Echinacea, Geranium, Lavender, Lobelia, Oregano, Poppies, St. Johns Wort, Sunflower, Violet, and Yarrow. Although Earth Works typically offers seedlings of many of these varieties of plants when they produce seeds stratification is required for germination.
Tulips grown from bulbs in Florida require cold stratification to break dormancy, as do daffodils and hyacinths. “To grow tulips successfully, the bulbs need cold treatment, but not moist stratification or storage in a damp soil medium,” according to SFGATE.com. “Although tulips prefer a moist planting site, the bulbs are mainly responding to the cold temperatures rather than water availability.” A few of the bulbs that don’t require chilling for Florida gardens include Anemone, Allium, Caladium, Crinum lily, Gladiolus, Oxalis, and Turks Cap.
By learning to mimick plant germination cycles successfully and breaking dormancy techniques you will significantly increase the varieties of plants you can successfully grow and enjoy year after year in your lawn and garden.
Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact us at 904-996-0712. We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
We expect our turf grass to go dormant in the cooler months, but don’t turn your back on Fall Winter watering as the lawn and garden need that moisture. “The month with the fewest wet days in Jacksonville is November, with an average of 5.3 days with at least 0.04 inches of precipitation,” according to WeatherSpark.com. “The drier season lasts 8.2 months, from September 27 to June 2.”
We are halfway through our third week of November here in Jacksonville, and it has rained just three times this month, mainly on the 6th & 7th. Then we got a sprinkle on the 12th. In November 2020, it rained several times each week in Jacksonville for a total of 17 times that month. That was a much more favorable set of circumstances. Like a soaker hose, the water is delivered with greater frequency in small regular doses. Nothing is perfect though, as too frequent watering can result in shallow root systems and invite fungus.
“As Jacksonville heads into the driest month of the year in November, the potential for a flash drought will grow without persistent rain in the forecast,” according to News4jax.com. “A flash drought often begins as a small rain deficit in one county and then expands like fire across the landscape. Flash droughts are often accompanied by erratic precipitation over sharply defined geographic areas.”
There is only a slight chance of rain over the next 10 days. And November, along with October, has the clearest skies of the year for Jacksonville. Some days may be overcast without much precipitation ahead of a cold front, which can give us a head fake that we will get rain that never materializes. Rain totals thus far for November are what they were for all of Nov 2020, but when it comes down all at once, the soil doesn’t absorb as much of it as it is lost to stormwater runoff.
“Irrigation frequency will vary based on grass species, rainfall amounts, soil type and amount of compaction, shade presence, geographical location in the state, and, most importantly, by season,” according to the University of Florida. “Irrigation systems should be reset seasonally to reflect the differing water requirements of grasses based on time of year. Ideally, University of Florida guidelines call for watering lawns on an “as-needed” basis. This can be determined by observing the grass for signs of water stress, which indicate that water lost in transpiration is not being replaced and the plant’s needs for water are not being met. The signs that you need to look for are: • Leaf blades are folded in half lengthwise in an attempt to conserve water. • The grass takes on a blue-gray tint rather than maintaining a green color. • Footprints or tire tracks remain visible on the grass long after they are made.”
The Fall season watering is more crucial than Winter, primarily considering higher daily temperatures in Northeast Florida. As seen in the chart by Meyers and Horn, Florida Turf Growers, our St Augustine turfgrass requires a greater frequency of rain or watering in Fall than Spring. Measured in Gainesville the St Augustine grass can go 3-9 days between watering in Spring and only 2-8 days in Fall.
Obviously, our flower beds, landscape plants, and garden will need rain or regular Fall Winter watering. Drought conditions cause plant stress. “Without periodic rains or irrigation, your plants will stop producing fruit and will drop any fruit they have already produced,” according to UF Gardening Solutions. “Remember, most Florida soils drain easily and don’t retain water. Adding organic matter to the soil will help the soil retain moisture, conserving you water and saving you effort.”
Earth Works recommends keeping your turf, landscape, and garden healthy with at least two rain or watering events per week while abiding by local watering restrictions. Contact Chad Lakin, Earth Works Lawn Maintenance Operations Manager, with your specific lawn care questions at 904-996-0712 and get a free quote for your lawn care.
Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations.
We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
The 2022 Jacksonville Pond Tour is our annual opportunity for water gardening fans to visit many of the area’s finest water gardens and koi ponds built by Earth Works. This year’s pond tour date and times are Saturday, June 11 from 10 am- 4 pm. This is an opportunity to not only view them in person but speak with and ask questions of homeowners about their water gardens. Join us on the bus to see some of Jacksonville’s most beautiful ponds and water features.
Earth Works’ pond specialists will give details at each stop and answer any questions you may have. Lunch and cocktails are provided. This tour will also include a free self-guided option. A self-guided map will be provided on our website and in-store the week of the tour.
$75 per person provides bus tour of the ponds, with lunch, beer, and wine provided. (If participating in the bus tour please meet at the garden center at 9 am, will arrive back from the tour between 5 pm & 6 pm). BUS TOUR SIGN UP LINK.
THANK YOU to all our 2021 Jacksonville Pond Tour hosts including Coggins-Robins, Jungs, Delands, Beckenbachs, McGregors, Duffneys, Sellers, Leens, DeLoachs, Wards, and Payne families. If you were kept away due to the cold, wet, and windy day or something else enjoy some of our photos and videos here of ponds on the tour.
The 2021 Jacksonville Pond Tour was a self-guided event held on Saturday, November 6, from 10 am to 4 pm. The first stop on the tour was the Garden Center which has displays of:
-Ponds in Four Sizes and Pondless Water Feature options to view and schedule construction for at your home or business.
Before the 2021 tour, during a visit by Greg Wittstock, founder of Aquascape, one of the 2021 tour participants, Denise Sellers, shared a testimonial about their water garden. View her testimonial video here.
We consider our clients part of the Earth Works family and that certainly goes for the Leen’s who we’ve done numerous projects and photo/video specialty shoots with promoting aspects of the Aquascape Lifestyle. The Leen’s were #9 on the 2021 Jacksonville Pond Tour route. The construction challenges of building a pond around the pool equipment are a faint memory after seeing the final product at the Leen’s residents. The beautiful Missouri limestone gives this waterfall and 11’x 16’ pond its unique style.
The Wards were one of our first filmed pond construction videos. They are a friendly couple that we are grateful for access for a second time on the pond tour as #11on the list of stops for 2021! This 12’ x 12’ pond is tucked in nicely next to the pool creating the effect of being one beautiful body of water. The surrounding gardens and outdoor kitchen finish off the space beautifully.
The DeLand residence was #4 on the pond tour. Completed only weeks before the tour it has multiple entertainment areas. This backyard has it all, starting with a pondless 2.5’ waterfall cascading into a 25’ stream you cross over to relax in a hot tub or hammock. The enclosed space also has a summer kitchen and comfy sitting area.
At the DeLoach residence #10 on the pond tour, we removed every bit of grass in the backyard and filled it with lush plantings and activity areas for this growing family. The centerpiece is a 16’ x 25’ swim pond with a sunbathing area, custom stone staircase, and a 25’ stream running throughout the space. There are so many special features to this landscape design to explore and enjoy.
The Beckenbach residence in Atlantic Beach was #5 on the pond tour. The size and number of perfectly placed boulders create an incredibly natural effect on this pond. The addition of 2 stacked slate urns gives it an extra splash! A beautiful tree-covered deck and surrounding garden finish this great place to enjoy nature out of the hot Florida sun.
Jacksonville Pond Tour
Jacksonville Pond Tour
Jacksonville Pond Tour
Jacksonville Pond Tour
Jacksonville Pond Tour
Jacksonville Pond Tour
Jacksonville Pond Tour
Jacksonville Pond Tour
Jacksonville Pond Tour
Jacksonville Pond Tour
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact us at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Earth Works builds ecosystem ponds that work with natures’ nitrogen cycle for pond owners wanting to provide a healthy aquatic environment for plants and animals. Organic debris, including fish food, animal, and plant waste, accumulate in ponds and are broken down by nitrifying bacteria making nitrogen available to plants in a process called nitrogen fixation. “Nitrification constitutes a two-step process,” according to the Journal of Microbiology. “In the first step, ammonia is oxidized to nitrite by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), followed by the oxidation of nitrite to nitrate by ubiquitous nitrite-oxidizing bacteria.”
High organic nutrient concentrations from runoff pollution are often in the news causing oxygen depleting algal blooms and high levels of harmful bacteria that kill fish and other wildlife. Earth Works offers annual pond cleanouts as part of regular maintenance for the healthy pond ecosystem. We stock both cold and warm water activating beneficial bacteria for dosing your pond filter to fuel the eco-friendly nitrogen cycle for pond owners. While it sounds complicated, the properly constructed and engineered pond with adequate filtration, skimmer, pump turnover rate, and properly stocked fish and plants with annual cleanouts are ecologically balanced and easy to maintain. “Nitrosomonas bacteria first convert nitrogen gas to nitrite (NO2-) and subsequently Nitrobacter convert nitrite to nitrate (NO3-), a plant nutrient,” according to Lenntech. Nitrates become unhealthy for fish at 120 ppm where plants are insufficient for absorption. While these processes are invisible Earth Works supplies various water test kits and water additives to treat and regulate pond water parameters.
Under dirty conditions, certain bacteria species threaten the health of fish and other pond wildlife populations. “Aeromonas Alley” is described as when water temps are between 42F and 62F when Aeromonas bacterial strains at high concentrations in dirty ponds can result in fish ulcers, hemorrhagic septicemia, brown blood disease (caused by nitrite toxicity), and death. Good and bad bacteria populations are increasing their activities as water temperatures increase, making nitrogen bioavailable over what pond plants can use, which is why we encourage clients to schedule their pond cleanouts in winter heading into spring. Complicating matters, some of these Aeromonas bacteria species convert nitrates back into nitrites in denitrification. Nitrite levels over 0.15 milligrams per liter in fish inhibit their absorption of oxygen. Regular dechlorinated water changes are the best low-tech approach to reducing levels of nitrites and nitrates in the pond.
The nitrogen cycle explains the basics for converting nutrients into plant food. Earth Works and a network of Certified Aquascape Contractors provide information, products, and services to improve biosecurity to beautiful, low-maintenance ecosystem ponds.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact us at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations. We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Understanding curb appeal landscaping principles benefit you regardless of whether you’re looking to buy, sell, or spruce up a home in Northeast Florida. In the accompanying video, Earth Works Owner Jason Duffney provides examples of curb appeal landscaping principles used in developing a plan for a new homeowner in Jacksonville.
The landscape should fit the architecture. The color, form, texture, and scale of plants compared to the home affect curb appeal, as do their arrangement and maintenance. “So when doing landscapes for homes, the first thing I consider is the windows, columns, and walkways…,” Duffney said. “The windows are the eyes of the home. And whatever you do like in the makeup world, you are going to accent around those eyes.” If you decide to have hedges in front of the home, consider trimming them or utilizing a dwarf variety to avoid obstructing the view. Trees likewise should not obstruct windows unless the intent is for them to provide a privacy block. However, the privacy benefit of blocking the street view can become and pitfall if potential buyers can’t see the home. Duffney demonstrates how the sight of columns blocked by hedges is enhanced by removing those hedges and installing Blue Point Junipers.
“Design principles include unity, balance, transition, focalization, proportion, rhythm, repetition and simplicity,” according to Basic Principles of Landscape Design published by the University of Florida. “Landscaping combines elements of art and science to create a functional, aesthetically pleasing extension of indoor living to the outdoors.” These principles aren’t an exact science but a good guide for improving curb appeal in the eyes of many.
“We always try to focus on having balance in the yard,” Duffney said. “A home like this, you can do things symmetrical. Certain homes you can’t, but you can always create balance.” Both symmetrical and asymmetrical types of balance help a landscape make sense. “Symmetrical balance is used in formal landscapes when one side of the landscape is a mirror image of the opposite side,” according to Principles of landscape published by Michigan State University. “These landscapes often use geometric patterns in the walkways, planting beds, and even how the plants are pruned into shapes. This type of balance appears to be rather stiff in appearance and often is highly maintained. Asymmetrical balance, also known as informal balance, differs from one side to the other and appears to be relaxing and free-flowing.”
As ongoing maintenance and upkeep are essential for curb appeal landscaping, consider replacing annual flower beds with various colored evergreen plants. “A lot of people get fixated on doing lots of flowers,” Duffney said. “For homeowners that don’t mind being in the garden a lot, that’s a great option, but you can actually create with lots of evergreen material a landscape that is very easy to sustain. You can do it with evergreens and not have so much work.” Annual beds and flowers during the off-season can leave an area of the landscape looking bare and unkempt. That’s problematic for home buyers and sellers potentially burdened with untimely upkeep. Duffney likewise demonstrates how to layer plants and use plant material to hide utilities along with a host of other considerations. You can do curb appeal landscaping projects yourself or reach out for assistance to a professional landscape design firm like Earth Works for a design consultation. We are here to help.
For comprehensive solutions to your specific lawn, garden, and landscaping needs, contact us at 904-996-0712. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations. We proudly serve clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
Understanding the essential tree facts for hurricane season is crucial to reducing the threat of damage from storms here in Florida. Hurricane season is officially from May 22 until November 30, 2021. This is the time when many Floridians will face tropical storms and possibly hurricanes. The Florida Panhandle is currently facing landfall of Tropical Storm Fred with rain bands impacting Jacksonville while Tropical Depression Grace is tracking through the Caribbean, and Tropical Depression 8 that could become Henri is gaining strength near Bermuda.
The following are a few tree facts for hurricane season preparation.
1. Older trees may need pruning to reduce the risk of overhanging limbs to structures and power lines. Remove dead, diseased, cracked, and broken limbs at risk of falling during high wind events and hurricanes. A licensed arborist can provide professional assessments of what needs to be done to protect the specific trees before and after hurricane season. With eighteen inches of rain in the last six weeks, the ground is saturated with water that weakens root systems.
2. Some trees are at greater risk of attracting lighting, with those struck most often being oak, pine, and palms. When hit, the tree will attempt to repair itself but should be monitored over some months. Ultimately the damaged tree may require pruning or complete removal.
3. Tree species with shallow roots and large canopies, when combined with saturated soil, are at higher risk of coming down during high wind and rain events. Examples are Maples, Willows, Elms, and Birches.
4. Recently planted younger trees’ root systems may still be inadequate to protect against extreme wind and rain and can be at serious risk of falling. Staking trees when planted and leaving them staked throughout the season is best. Many can be stood back up, replanted, and secured if they fall. Still, they can be badly damaged in such events where the roots become ajar, exposed, or damaged.
Though tragic, it’s hardly a surprise when we see news coverage of a limb or large tree that fell into a home or that crushed a vehicle during high wind and rain. Regardless of the conditions of our trees, when faced with an impending storm event, it is best to assess the situation. Be aware of your surroundings, especially what is above, and take necessary precautions to protect friends, family, and yourself.
Visit our garden center for all your plants and gardening supplies. Contact Earth Works Landscaping department to schedule a consultation for all your landscaping, hardscaping, and drainage solution needs. Earth Works operates a retail Garden Center/Plant Nursery in Jacksonville and provides landscaping, hardscaping, water features, lawn care service, lawn spraying, and drainage solutions. Contact us with your questions and to book design consultations.
Earth Works proudly serves clients in Northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fleming Island, Orange Park, Middleburg, Green Cove Springs, Amelia Island, Fernandina, and St. Augustine.
