Summer days are all about backyard cookouts, sipping iced tea on the porch, and watching your kids play in the sprinklers or chase fireflies. At least, that’s the dream. The reality isn’t always as idyllic, especially here in Atlanta. Mosquitoes, gnats, and other pesky insects have a habit of crashing the party, and their itchy bites sure can take the fun out of your summer!

Fortunately, you don’t have to resign yourself and your family to hiding out in the air conditioning all season while the bugs enjoy free reign of your outdoor living spaces. You can actually use outdoor plants to repel bugs. These bug repelling plants will not only help keep pests away, but many of them are also wonderful additions in their own right, adding beauty, fragrance, and even food to your garden. 

Best Outdoor Plants to Repel Bugs

Herbs: Rosemary, Mint, Thyme, Basil, Garlic, Catnip, Lemon Verbena

Mosquito repelling herbs are some of the best plants to add to your porch, patio, or yard this summer. They can be grown in beds, planters, and pots, making them convenient even for those with limited space. Rosemary, mint, thyme, and garlic also discourage ants, although we recommend our fire ant treatment service if ants are a persistent problem in your yard. Stepping on a fire ant hill is one of the most painful insect run-ins you can have in Georgia. 

Grasses: Citronella and Lemongrass

When it comes to mosquito repelling landscaping plants, citronella and lemongrass are the heavy hitters. Citronella grass (not to be confused with citronella plant, which is often marketed as a mosquito repellent but doesn’t actually do the job) can grow to be up to 6 feet tall and equally wide, so make sure to plan accordingly when planting. 

Citronella’s close cousin, lemongrass, also repels mosquitoes, and can grow to a height of up to 5 feet. However, with a maximum width of only 2 feet, it has a much smaller footprint, making it a better choice for compact spaces. 

Flowers: Marigolds, Geraniums, Chrysanthemum, Wild Bergamot, Floss Flower, Lavender, Feverfew, Pitcherplant

If you’re hoping to add some vibrant color to your landscaping in addition to keeping bugs away, there are plenty of beautiful options to try. Scented marigolds are the superheroes of the garden, keeping mosquitoes and ants away, as well as parasitic nematodes. Geraniums (specifically Pelargonium citrosum) are another popular choice to repel mosquitoes, ants, and other insects.  Lavender (which could also have been placed in the herb category) not only grows beautiful purple flowers, smells incredible, and discourages bugs, but also makes a wonderful addition to your cooking or baking. Just combine with rosemary, thyme, basil, tarragon, marjoram, and oregano to create your own homegrown herbs de Provence. 

Trees: Eucalyptus, Tea Tree

While humans generally like the fragrance of eucalyptus and tea tree, their strong scents are a major deterrent to mosquitoes. The CDC has even approved eucalyptus oil as an ingredient in mosquito repellent. 

Make the most of your summer landscaping with these mosquito-repelling plants, and get in touch with us if you’re looking for residential or commercial lawncare services around Atlanta.

Outdoor living spaces have only grown in popularity in recent years, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, their value is more apparent than ever this summer. If your family is looking for ways to get out of the house safely, the answer lies right in your own backyard. Check out these summer yard ideas to use it to its full potential and give your family a summer of fun that even a pandemic can’t ruin. 

Summer Yard Ideas for Family Fun

Create Zones

Even in a relatively small yard, creating distinct areas for different activities can help you maximize the potential of the space, as well as making your family more likely to use it. Do you have areas for lounging, cooking and eating, active play, gardening, or other interests? Think about what your family needs and enjoys, and prioritize those activities rather than trying to emulate landscaping from a magazine or a set list of what a backyard “should” have.

For instance, if you have younger kids, you may want to prioritize a lush patch of lawn, swings, a sandbox, or a sensory play area; if you have teens, a comfy lounge area might be more your speed. Make sure to include shade into your plans, as no one wants to sit outside in the hot Georgia sun for too long without relief—they’ll be running back into the air conditioning in no time! 

Welcome Wildlife

Even in the city, you’d be amazed at the wildlife living right in your backyard—or at least nearby. If you live in a more suburban area, it’s even more likely that there are animals around. Habitat loss is a major issue around Atlanta, but you can help local wildlife with some easy additions to your backyard that won’t decrease your enjoyment of the space. In fact, observing the wildlife you attract can be a hobby of its own! Some ideas to create and enjoy a wildlife-friendly backyard include: 

• Adding birdhouses, bird feeders, and bird baths
• Building a bat house (Contrary to popular belief, bats aren’t scary—they actually eat bugs and can keep the mosquito population down!)
• Planting pollinator-friendly flowers, trees, and shrubs
• Setting up a trail cam to see which animals visit your yard at night or early in the morning 

And if you’re really feeling extra, you could even build a squirrel obstacle course!

Take it Outside

To get your family interested in using the backyard more, start out with some fun activities. Set up a tent and “camp out” in the backyard, Lay out some blankets and read or have a picnic, eat dinners on the patio, grill out, blow bubbles, roast marshmallows, tell stories, sing songs! The possibilities are endless and you can make your backyard your own, perfectly tailored for your family.
The key to making your backyard an oasis for your family is to nail the basics, like a lush, green lawn. We can help you make it happen with residential lawn care in Atlanta, from professional fertilizing and weed control, to aeration and seeding, to fire ant control.    

Give us a call at 770-923-0387 or contact us online to find out how we can help you execute your summer backyard ideas and enjoy your home to its fullest potential this summer and beyond!

The weather is heating up, enticing Atlantans to head outside and enjoy their patios, porches, and yards (while safely social distancing, of course). We’re all sick of being stuck inside, and the warm spring days are beckoning us out for a little boost of vitamin D. 

As the coronavirus pandemic rages on, it’s more important than ever to make sure those outdoor living spaces are safe and enjoyable for you, your family, and your pets. Unfortunately, warm weather also means that it’s flea and tick season. So, how can you get outside for some much-needed R&R without the bites? 

We’ve got you covered with flea and tick lawn treatments by Simply Green. Keep reading to learn more about this invaluable Atlanta lawn care service and why you should give us a call to schedule yours today!

Fleas and Ticks: More Than a Nuisance

If your family includes a dog, cat, or other furry friend, you’re probably on the lookout for the excessive scratching and biting caused by fleas. Pet owners who have dealt with fleas or ticks know that it’s a huge hassle… But what many may not know is that fleas and ticks are not only annoying, they’re also potential carriers of viral and bacterial diseases that can be dangerous for pets and people. 

In addition to itchy bites, rashes, swelling, and skin irritation, fleas can carry serious diseases like typhus, the bubonic plague, and lymphoreticulosis, more commonly known as “cat scratch disease.” Ticks are also prolific carriers of disease, able to infect their victims with everything from Lyme disease and tularemia to Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and anaplasmosis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), illnesses from mosquito, tick and flea bites are on the rise across the U.S., causing homeowners to look for new solutions to protect themselves from these serious illnesses. 

How to Protect Your Family and Pets from Fleas and Ticks

At Simply Green, we’re known for offering high quality lawn care services across Atlanta, but we do more than just make landscaping look good; we can also help you protect your family with preventative flea and tick lawn treatments. Here’s how it works: 

Our prevention service consists of 2 applications—one during the spring and one during the summer. These treatments significantly reduce the presence of these pests, leaving you to enjoy your outdoor spaces worry-free! 

If you’re ready to make the most of your outdoor living spaces this summer, give us a call at 770-923-0387, email us at [email protected], or use our easy online form to request a consultation and estimate. 

Sign up for flea and tick prevention service today and prepare for warm-weather fun without the worry.

Here in Atlanta, the azaleas are blooming, the flowering trees are putting on a colorful show, and you’re probably thinking about getting your yard ready to enjoy for spring and summer. If achieving a beautiful, lush, healthy lawn is on your to-do list, it’s important to understand what thatch is and how it affects your grass. At Simply Green, our business is all about helping you achieve that “dream lawn,” so take a look at some pro tips from our lawn care team! 

Lawn Thatch 101

What is Thatch? 

You’ve probably heard of thatch before, but do you know what it is? Thatch is a layer of plant material which accumulates around the base of your grass. Remember that your lawn is an interconnected network of grass plants which not only sends roots down into the soil, but also grows shoots (stolons) horizontally across and just under the surface. Over time, that plant matter— rhizomes, runners, roots, blades, and crowns (the base of the grass plant)— eventually  settles down around the base of your grass, where it will start to decompose and form a thick layer between the blades of grass and the soil. 

Why is Thatch a Problem?

So, why is thatch a problem? After all, thatch is a natural result of growing grass, right? Well, while some amount of thatch is normal, this layer can become so thick and impermeable that it impedes the healthy growth of the grass. If proper lawn care is not maintained, the layer of thatch blocks sunlight, air, and water from permeating the ground and reaching the roots of the grass. This leads to compacted soil, roots that are shallow and weak, and ultimately, a sparse and lackluster lawn.

How to Deal with a Thatched Lawn

While there are several things that can cause thatch to build up in excess, your best best option for addressing the issue and improving your lawn is core aeration. This process removes small plugs or “cores” from your lawn, creating tunnels from the surface to the soil. Creating these holes allows water, air, and sunlight to reach all the way to the soil where the roots of your grass are located. Over the next month or so, your lawn will become denser and grow deeper roots, making your lawn more resistant to weeds and other invaders.

When Should You Aerate Your Lawn? 

If your lawn contains warm season grass varieties like Zoysia, Bermuda, or Centiped, you should have your yard aerated now. Spring and early summer aeration will help you enjoy a thick, green lawn all summer long. 

As an essential business, we are still open and providing lawn care services to clients across metro Atlanta. Give us a call today at 770-923-0387 for a free core aeration estimate, or fill out our quick and easy online form. 

Shrubbery is one of the most important parts of your landscape, providing structure, adding visual interest, and maybe even creating privacy between you and your neighbors. Just like trees, shrubs can fall victim to pests and shrub diseases that can sicken or even kill them. Fortunately, many of these can be prevented if you know what to look for and how to treat it. 

Check out these tips from our lawn care experts to help you identify common shrub diseases, or call us at 770-923-0387 for a free estimate and landscape analysis. 

Types of Shrub Disease

Fungus

One of the most common afflictions Atlanta shrubs face is a fungus, Powdery Mildew Fungus. This shrub disease leaves a white, powdery substance all over the foliage of the affected plant, and can ultimately kill the plant if left unchecked. 

To prevent or treat this shrub disease, you’ll need to remove any parts of the shrub that were infected, thin the shrub to allow for better air flow, and apply a fungicide to kill any spores left behind. Make sure that you’re watering your plants from underneath, rather than dousing them from above, and hold off on fertilizing until the plants have recovered. 

Bacteria

One of the most common shrub maladies is called Fire Blight, a bacterial disease that causes the twigs, shoots, and stems of the plant to shrivel and turn black. If you notice this happening to your shrubs, it’s important to prune the affected areas right away, being sure to clean your pruning tools between cuts. If it’s an active growing season, don’t bother pruning; just remove the whole plant so you don’t risk it infecting the surrounding shrubs. 

Virus

If you’ve noticed the foliage on your shrubs turning mottled colors that are out of the norm, you may have a case of Rose Mosaic Disease on your hands. The disease can also cause stunted growth. 

If you suspect that a plant has this virus, remove it from your landscape immediately so it can’t infect the other shrubs. 

Nematodes

Also known as roundworms, these pests can infect a shrub and cause its undergrowth to die. If you notice dead sections or pieces of your plant falling off, it’s likely that nematodes are present. While harder to see, they also attack the root system of the plant, resulting in stunted, uneven growth. The best course of action in this case is also to remove the infected plant before it can spread.

Want or need to take something off your plate, a plate that is probably already towering with to-dos? Simply Green is here to provide the best lawn care in Atlanta, so  let us help you get your outdoor space into shape for spring and summer. You can even get your first lawn application for only $25!

The holidays are over, the decorations are packed up for another year, and you’re left with a Christmas tree that has seen better days. Once the novelty of “Christmas tree scent” has worn off and the annoyance of vacuuming up the tree’s needles has set in, you’re probably ready to get that tree out of your house ASAP. What should you do with your Christmas tree once the holidays are over? 

Well, as it turns out, there are actually a lot of things to do with a Christmas tree! Whether you decide to return it to nature or get crafty with it, check out these 3 eco-friendly ways to get rid of your Christmas tree. 

Eco-Friendly Christmas Tree Disposal Ideas

Mulch your Christmas Tree.

Pine needles (also known as pine straw) make great mulch for certain areas of your yard. If you have a wood chipper (or can borrow a neighbor’s) you can even turn your tree into wood chip mulch as well! If you don’t want to deal with processing the tree, not to worry—you can recycle it. Just check out these tree recycling opportunities in Fulton and Gwinnett counties to find your nearest dropoff location. Your tree will be turned into mulch and might end up adorning a public flower bed near you. 

Create a wildlife sanctuary. 

Winter can be a hard time for wildlife. If you have enough room, you can sit your undecorated tree outside in the stand to provide shelter for birds. The birds will appreciate a cozy place to get out of the elements, and you can enjoy birdwatching right in your backyard. For bonus bird-points, hang a couple of feeders from the tree, or create “garlands” of pinecones covered in peanut butter and birdseed to decorate the tree. This is a great project to do with kids, especially if they’re a bit sad that the holidays are over. 

Christmas trees also make great fish habitats! Many communities gather Christmas trees to sink in lakes and ponds, especially ones that are man-made and therefore have fairly flat bottoms. The trees give young fish a place to hide from predators, which helps keep the ecosystem of the pond healthy. Check with your county for information on donating your tree.

Use Christmas tree branches as plant stakes. 

If you grow peas, beans, or other legumes in your garden, make sure to keep the branches of your Christmas tree. You can strip the branches of twigs and use them as plant stakes. Legumes thrive when they can climb towards the light, and the knobby, rough shapes of evergreen branches give the shoots plenty of opportunities to grip the stake as they climb. 

However you decide to get rid of your Christmas tree, we hope your year is off to a great start. Give us a call at 770-923-0387 or check out our residential lawn care services to give your yard a head start, so you can enjoy your outdoor spaces more this year.