This past weekend was spent filled with determination, sweat, and concerns about hydration levels.

I was driven to accomplish a goal I have had all season: seed my horse paddock and back yard.

Now, this may seem a straight forward task, and it is, once the prep work is completed. My father and I spent a weekend back in May raising up the grade in part of the pasture, to stop water pooling there - we did seed that at the time, however, beyond that we left it to neglect. As such, it became a area of tall, green weeds that my horse decided not worthy of eating and instead used that area as an outhouse (her own privacy screen created by the weeds, no doubt).

My back yard is a more complex creature. Our property was once a nursery, and, looking at images of it from back then, it was well maintained and beautiful. Unfortunately, the two property owners in the interim since our purchase allowed things to go a bit wild. We have spent the last two years expanding the backyard, installing fence, and pulling weeds; on top of getting the rest of the farm property up to snuff!

When removing the old chain link my husband discovered that underneath the Stinging Nettle, Mulberry trees, and Goldenrod, Poison Ivy was happily trailing along the base of the fence line. That was a learning curve - he looked like he had been involved in a chemical spill, large red splotches and welts over his arms and upper body. We do not recommend!

So, this past weekend was spent with help from a best friend and father (as fathers are helpful creatures) re-grading dirt, cleaning up weeds and Mulberry trees (anyone need Mulberry trees?) - this took about nine hours total, with a few decent breaks due to the heat.

We were exhausted. My Garmin watch said I had taken over 22,000 steps over the course of the day (2x my daily goal!).

That was day one.

Sunday was just me on my lonesome with an over seeder I had rented from our business neighbours The Equipment Centre, a bag of Sports field Blend Seed from The General Seed Company (not the cheapest blend available, but supposed to be the toughest, and with my population of dogs and a horse, we need something robust!) and a bag of 6-24-24 fertilizer from Underhills. I started at 9am in the horse paddock, walking the machine in both horizontal and vertical lines, then followed up with a round of fertilizer from the push spreader.

My horse watched impassively from her other paddock beside this one.

I then moved on to the back yard, which being a less smooth grade right across was tricky with the machine at time. These over seeders are not made for uneven or soft (sandy) terrain like what we have, so there were some heavy push moments. But, I did manage to get most of it done with the machine, then followed up with the small push spreader. Fertilizer was then applied everywhere!

Next came the less intense but just as important watering mode. Although we have a large property, and although I am sure the pivot sprinklers used in fields would be useful... we are not that advanced yet. So old faithful oscillating sprinkler it was! Every 20 minutes I moved it to a new area, and when it was in the horse paddock I had a bit of a trial chasing the ducks and chickens out of the way ("helping").

It was incredible how green the existing grass went with a little water after our fairly serious drought lately.

After the watering had been completed (not soaking, but the ground was damp, a good start for seed germination) I went inside to crash on the couch.

It was now 4:00pm.

I was very satisfied with what I was able to accomplish, and was further pleased when earlier than fore casted (my weather app had said 3am) at around 11pm it began to rain.

Now as long as the weather forecasts for this week hold true and we get rain every day, I should not need to worry about babysitting the soil - it should stay just damp enough on its own.

I do not think I could manage this type of endeavour every weekend, but such is the life when you want to improve your property - it just never ends!

*AI image to give an idea of the state of my yard prior (not my ideal for what Pyrenees should look like, but the dirt is correct)

As summer careens towards its conclusion, the countdown to fall ignites excitement for many! It is signaling the arrival of cooler temperatures, vibrant foliage, and cozy gatherings. The official first day of Fall is September 22 - and we are less than one month away! The days are already starting to shorten, and we anticipate the seasonal transition marked by the rich palette of autumn leaves, pumpkin spice lattes (yes, Instagram is already blowing up with the Pumpkin Spice posts *eye roll*), and harvest festivities (Waterford Pumpkin festival, we're looking at you!). October brings Halloween thrills and a chance to embrace outdoor adventures like apple-picking and hiking amidst the picturesque landscapes. This countdown invites us to celebrate the beauty of nature’s transformations and the warmth of community as we prepare for a season rich in traditions, flavors, and reflective moments.

Preparing your lawn for Fall is essential for ensuring its health and vigor in the upcoming seasons. Begin by mowing your grass to a slightly shorter height, which helps preventing disease and encourages new growth. Rake up leaves and debris to allow sunlight and air to reach the soil, while also reducing pests and diseases. Aerate the soil to promote better water absorption, especially if your lawn is compacted. Following aeration, overseed with a cool-season grass blend to fill in any thin spots and improve the lawn’s density. Finally, apply a balanced fertilizer to provide essential nutrients that support root development and prepare your lawn for Winter dormancy. Water thoroughly to ensure that the grass establishes strong roots before the onset of colder temperatures.

In general, your yard also needs to be put to bed before Winter. It is essential to ensure a healthy landscape during the colder months and a vibrant spring awakening. Trim back perennials and dead annuals to tidy your garden, and remove any diseased plant material. Consider mulching around trees and shrubs to protect their roots from frost. Ideally, take potted outdoor plants inside for Winter if possible. Put away excess pots, especially if they are clay or stone, so they don't crack; if you do not have room for them inside, lay them on their side to ensure they do not fill with water/snow and crack as the water expands. Lastly, clean and store garden tools to keep them in good condition for the next planting season. With these steps, your yard will be well-prepared for the fall and ready to thrive when spring arrives.

Image by freepik

We understand that the weather in Canada has always been a tad unpredictable, but we are

beginning to feel shorted on our actual seasons! They all seem to be merging into one!

Summer was a mish mash of Spring showers and hot humid deadly hot Summer days (possibly in a 60:40 split). We thought we were just starting to get some decent reasonably warm, sunny days, when WOOSH! Now we are ito Fall. Solidly, Fall. At 10 degrees Celcius this morning, we are back to donning our sweaters and contemplating warm drinks when the breeze is strong.

We didn't get as many ideal days as we perhaps would have liked, especailly when it seemed a plot against us that the majority of weekends were doused in rain.

However, the positives are thus:

- we can now complete our grub suppression applications

- hauling giant hoses in cool weather is ALWAYS better than hot weather (for our final round of weed spraying)

- the weed burden will reduce with the cooler temperatures (less ideal growing environment)

- less mosquitoes and lake bugs

- this is much better weather for our dogs!

I have just been told that next week is back to hot Summer heat - so now that we have potentiaslly adjusted to the *new* weather the old weather is going to throw itself back into our faces >_<

.... thanks Canada.

Although the weather here in Southwestern Ontario has been... unpredictable, to say the least, there is one component of the Summer months that has remained reliable: unwanted bugs.

Personally, the most annoying pest on my own property is Mosquitoes. They have been rampant this year, more so than the first couple years we have resided on our Brant County property. Something in the weather patterns and perhaps the plant growth has led to a insurgence of these bitey buggars, and it is driving us nuts! Or maybe its the uncommonly often and unpredictable rain fall we have been having - keeping our puddles and ponds high!

However, a discussion with my friend Priscilla (RBC mortgage broker extraordinaire) led to the 'plain as the nose on your face' information that we can plant specific plants in our gardens to deter pests! Now, thinking about it, things such as Citronella plants are obvious, but there were a few that she shared that I did not even think about! Pests such as mosquitoes (of course), flies, spiders, and even some herbivore mammals (looking at you rabbits) can be off put.

Here is a list of four plants that can help make your garden (and yard) a less appealing stop:

1. Lavender (thanks Freepik for the image)

Due to the essential oils found in the leaves of this fragrent bloom (not only useful in calming the body or getting a good night's sleep) these plants are great at discouraging unwanted pests (although Bees do love them and can make lavender flavoured honey). It is a perennial plant, so a one time ourchase with recurring use. It is drought resistant and hardy. it does require full sun (ideally), and blooms in Summer to Fall.

2. Rosemary (picture c/o FreePiks)

This tasty herb (great with poultry recipes) is note worthy for its ability to repel moths, flies and mosquitoes. It has a woody, strong scent; this is what the bugs do not like. It is an annual, so it will only last the season unless you bring it into the house over the Winter/cool Spring. It does best in hotter temperatures and moderate watering.

3. Lemon Grass (or Citronella grass)

This strong scented grass is valued for its citronella oil (famous for its anti-mosquitoe properties), and can reach glorious heights of up to four feet! Although it is a perennial, it is not frost tolerant, and can also be invasice; as such, it is recommended to treat it as a large container plant and bring it into the house for the Winter. Otherwise it is a low-maintenance plant.

4. Catnip

This readily available plant is possible already in your garden for your furry feline's enjoyment. It is a very prolific grower, and often tries to take over unoccuoied gardens if we are not careful. However, when managed, it is a fantastic mosquitoe deterrant. Once again, it comes down to the oils in the leaves. There were even scientific studies showing it more effective as a bug repellanet than mand-made chemicals! As a segway, we can also use this to point out that many members of the mint family in general are suitable anti-mosquitoe plants!

5. Marigolds

Not sure if you are like me and were taught to plant Marigolds in vegetable gardens to ward off invading nibbling pests, but here again I come across this information. They have a strong scent that dissuades pests (from caterpillars to mosquitoes) and make a beautiful garden or vegetable plot border. The downside is these plants are annuals, so again, unless you wish to keep them insdie durin cooler months, they are annual purchase. But so pretty!

Thanks Freepik for the image.

Resources:

https://savvygardening.com/is-lemongrass-a-perennial/

https://www.gardendesign.com/plants/mosquito-repellent.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/06/04/bug-mosquito-repellent-plants/85400368/

With the oncoming warm season, and the massive uptick in outdoor activities here by our staff (including myself), our customers may notice that there is a surge in having to leave messages on our answering machine or email.

This is not a bad thing! We will strive to return your communications the next business day, however, to make this process more efficient, I thought perhaps I would suggest a few tips.

#1 Be sure to relay your address

     Whether you are a potential new customer or a seasoned loyalist, it is always helpful to provide your address so that we know where we are envisioning. It also makes searching in our database a smidge easier.

#2 Please pronounce your phone number slowly

     We all know how we become programmed to rattle off our phone number, however, please be sure you speak it slow enough that we can hear it down the long tunnels of the telephone wires. The pattern of three numbers, pause, three numbers, pause, three numbers has actually been studied and found to be a mnemonic memory tool.  We as humans are better able to process values in that pattern; this means we are more likely to interpret what we are hearing and be able to record it correctly.

#3 Do not be afraid to repeat your phone number

    Although technology is great, even when we press the button that is made to relay to us the date/time and number that left the message, sometimes (if your listing is fancy) it will only reiterate a name. Therefore, we appreciate if you repeat the phone number, just in case we did not get it the first time.

#4 A brief description is fine

     Since we are going to be calling you back regardless, even if our response may not be in the affirmative, a one or two sentence description of your topic will suit us fine, just enough to put us in the right direction. Unfortunately, our messaging system does have a time out length, so we want to be sure that the contact details are a priority.

We understand that you are calling us with a topic that is on the top of your to-do list, and we endeavour to assist you as quickly as possible; as such, we appreiate when you understand that we are not always able to comply immediately, especially when setting up new services. We must be sure that everything is correctly quoted, scheduled and prepared for - as the saying goes, "measure twice, cut once"! With the quick start to the season our estimator (a.k.a our Manager Jeremy) is often pulled in many directions on a given day. Jeremy is best able to predict the needs and most efficient ways to addressing your lawn and garden plans. This lawn care experience also makes him key to directing our teams. Your patience for quotes and service scheduling is greatly valued by us.

We are honoured to be your choice for your lawn and garden care needs, and we look forward to working with you this season!

The turn of events in the weather atmosphere has had us spining!

With a crash and a thump we fell from warm to cold to freezing to... holy cow it's SPRING!

We thought we were ahead of the game sending out the estimates to existing customers in March, but then we had to spice it up and jump right into services by the first week of April! We had thought last year, when we started April 15, that it had been an early start.. but no, no, this year had to put that to shame!

So here we are! Flying! We have already completed the first round of corn gluten application (for crab grass prevention) and are working our way through the first round of Spring granular fertilizer applications.

Our cutting crews started their lists this week, only to be interrupted by monsoon rains yesterday, which then paused only to restart in the evenings leaving marshy ground for the morning.
 

As a Spring move, Celia also purchased some plants for the office a couple weeks ago.

... Too late has she learned that if she does not want me to kill them, they should be cacti.

However, I will do my best! Today I have managed to identify them - thanks to some input from a staff member at Park Road Veterinary Clinic. They have one of the types of plants in their exam room, which we saw while our dogs were donating blood to the Canadian Animal Blood Bank. Of course, it is a plant named after my least favourite species: Snake plant - Sansevieria. I am now going to google the heck out of how this thing is supposed to be cared for, starting with this article.

The other plant appears to be a Calanthea. This one is taking a bit of a hit already under my attentions, so I am hoping I can revive it! Starting with this article, but I think I will need more information for this one. The leaves are already yellowing and I keep seeing a lot of contrary diagnosis so... we will start from step 1.

I like plants, don't get me wrong, but I have never dealt with ones like this. At home I pride my self on orchids (constructive neglect) and succulents/cacti. As such, I make no promises. But. If I manage to kill these plants (that cost the company money) I will replace them with a Spider plant and perhaps some cacti... nothing like having a plan B.

We are having the weirdest "Winter" in our recollection. 

A few weeks ago was the topper. A thunderstorm in February, broken up by a bout of hail, is one for the diary for sure. When we checked the weather apps this morning, we were told only a 30% chance of rain, and not until noon. The sky was beautiful and blue, the sun bright and warm... glorious.

Then the sky turned dark.

The temperature perhaps stayed the same, but if felt colder. 

I had thought perhaps it was just trucks driving over bumps in the roadway at first, but then the real rumble of thunder broke out, followed by the cracks of lightening. We had crews out doing some early season garden edging; it was not long before they called in to say there were going to have to head back. As they were driving back they had lightening strike not far from the truck, and hail followed soon after. It was a collective decision that today would be an inside play kind of day.

This did not change much for my duties personally, as I have been engulfed in computer screens since last week, working on our first round of estimates for the Spring/Summer seasons. Now we have a few hundred estimates waiting for the finishing touches (and approval from the Boss) before we send them out. Our estimates sent out early in the season contain what we have coined our "Money Saving Packages" where we share the complete lawn care options we have, along with the recommendation of our 10% discount for those who pre-pay for their seasons' services. This is our way of passing along our gratitude. 

Now that we have prepared for our recurrent customers, it is a good time to suggest that if you were curious about having us take care of your lawn's needs, now is a good time to inquire. The oddly warm weather enables us to assess properties quickly and efficiently without having to wait for a "melt". The Money Saving Packages are available to new customers if it is before we start property visits. This is a great opportunity to get a jump on refreshing your property. Our estimates can be customized with additional services if there is something specific you are looking for too.

If this thunder and lightening, wanna-be Spring storm, has you looking at your lawn anew, give us a call - we could help the grass to be greener this season.

This past weekend was... snowy.

All our team members were out in one capacity or another from Friday until early Monday morning. The temperatures ranged from 4 to -18 C with wind gusts and overcast skies. Whether we were in trucks clearing driveways and lots, hand bombing salt, or shoveling, we worked hard to keep everything clear. Sunday in particular, it was fierce.

It was darn cold when I was out shoveling and salting in Port Dover Saturday, and, after a day out working muscles that have not been stretched in those directions for awhile, the following day felt even colder and longer... whether in actuality or just in my mind. I put to use some -ancient- hand warmer.. pads? Packets? Those little "open and expose to air" things. They were not necessarily fast enough to warm up off these hop, but they did kick in and by golly was I grateful. I had been losing feeling in my fingertips within my winter gloves, even though they are well insulated and made for Winter weather, and the little.. heaters (one either side of my palms) heated the blood circulation enough to bring them back to life. We tackled a big residential suburb that we care for, with 100+ individual houses. We hand shovelers are responsible for the walkways, steps and directly in front of the garage door (to remove risk of blades from the machine plows hitting the doors). We had a crew of five, including our beast of a muscle machine boss Celia, to attack these properties. We started around 7am and finished up around 3pm; for a change it was daylight the entire time we were there (usually we are there well before the sun rises, however this past weekend the weather insisted on maintaining a steady snow fall our start was delayed until it started) and that helps it not feel like such a chore.

Other team members had started at 4am and worked until about 9am, then coming back out later in the evening to re-do what had once been done. Sleep is a valued commodity during these heavy snow falls. That and food. We get hungry, so quick visits to Tim Hortons for a bathroom break and a quick snack happens. 

It is three days later now, and today is the first day my muscles are not whole heartedly asking me to curl up into a tight ball and snuggle away the day. Today I have the wonderful update from Jody that it is snowing again... lather, rinse, repeat.

Today's weather, albeit grey, slippery, cold and ... depressing, is actually very exciting for us here at Jody's Lawn Care! We have been watching with baited breath for cooler temperatures, and get a comical giddiness when we see the "special weather alert" posts on our Facebook pages for Ontario snow warnings. With the falling snow/rain combo and low temperatures, we have our salters at the ready to ensure that there are ice free areas throughout Simcoe, Port Dover and Cambridge (and often areas in between)!

We did some salting over the weekend, and those same teams are out today. Salting may seem like a simple, basic, affair, but it is very important. Salt is the first line of defense against slips and falls, and ice accumulation. This is very important not only for our business owners, but all traffic (whether vehicular or pedestrian). Safety is the most important consideration when you tackle Winter weather, whether this is maintaining good body posture (lift with your legs!), ensuring you are wearing proper Winter attire (boots with good tread are essential) or thinking ahead (like applying salt to the parking lot and sidewalks).  Jody's team take this all seriously. and this includes not only actually salting, but also inspecting the site throughout weather events to ensure it is looked after (site visits are free and just help us guarantee the property is safe for our clients/the public). So if you see our team out, be aware we are working to keep everyone safe.

The weather forecast is calling for a moderate amount of precipitation over the next few days. Temperatures are a bit variable, so whether this will be rain or snow remains to be seen. Regardless, we assured we will be attentive and prepared to mitigate the risks.

Be careful tonight with the commute home, roads are not going to lie this freeze/thaw situation we are in. Leave lots of room between vehicles and drive slow. There is no rush to get home, it is more important to get home in one piece. Stay warm and stay safe!

We have closed out 2023 and are now staring down the barrel of 2024.

New Year's Eve had us out salting, combating the long foretold -mild- snow fall. It was not a huge amount, our shovel crews were enable to stay home safe and welcoming the new year in, but our salters were out ensuring the safety of our customers. The weather forecast for this month so far is looking a little snowier than last, so we have crossed our fingers and toes that it will work out in our favour (not sure which way that is precisely, but the Fates will know). 

I also discovered there is a camera on the Port Dover lighthouse (did you know?!) Port Dover Lighthouse Live Webcam - useful for checking if I have to be concerned about a 3am wake up to shovel!

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The Winter Solstice has passed us by, bringing back gradually brighter days - although the recent cloudy days are not allowing us to see the benefit, yet. Already my brain is jumping ahead to April when we will start sending out our estimates to our warm season clients. I think I am just craving the sunshine, this grey, dreary weather is a huge damper on spirits.

I have to remind myself to enjoy what we have. It was kind of pretty yesterday with the crystalline trees and fresh, white snow. It was not deep, but if you snapped a picture before you tred on it, you could pretend. The temperatures have been reasonable too, although to be honest, it feels colder than it really is due to what we have been spoilt with. When it was -3 yesterday, I just could not seem to feel warm once I got inside the house, although I am pretty sure this time last year it was feeling more like -30.

Our dogs did not mind, relishing the long awaited snow baths and skidding fun. Running over the coyote tracks we found coming under one back gate and (we assume) hopping over the other. Even with the cold and snow, the scavengers had been out. This has been an odd Winter for them. Their coats have not completely changed over as they should, and the mud/rain has been less than satisfactory for their amusement. 

We are all waiting to see if we get a true Winter or if we skip straight to Spring.