We live in beautiful Southwest Florida. One of the most beautiful, sought after destinations for vacation homes in our area is Sanibel, Florida. The outdoor spaces added to these vacation homes is no less than remarkable.
A lot of the homeowners that contact us are considering adding a patio area for outdoor entertaining. We think this is a fabulous idea. There aren’t many places where you can entertain outdoors almost year round.
If you are considering adding an outdoor patio to your Sanibel home take some time to think ahead to how the water that will roll off your roof during rain storms. Are there gutters installed? Have you considered extending your gutters to the next level with flexible drainage pipe so the moisture will make its way off the house and away from your patio? Not very many people do.
Many engineers and builders fail to think ahead on drainage issues. They don’t stop to think where the water will travel. Faliure to think ahead on drainage issues leads to large areas of pooled water, damaged landscaping, can cause erosion to the foundation and creates a breeding ground for mosquitos. In addition it can create areas of your patio that form mold and mildew that are unsightly and difficult to get rid of. It ends up being a maintenance nightmare.
Think ahead. Consider the worst case scenario like a tropical storm or a hurricane where you will be receiving a large amount of down pour in a short period of time. You can even go up on your roof with a garden house and simulate a sudden burst of water in specific areas of the property to see where the water lands and more importantly if it stays or drains. If your property was constructed with the correct grades, gutters and drainage it should roll off and away into the closest storm water drainage system, ditch or retention pond.
BEFORE we begin the construction of an outdoor patio we take rain water drainage into consideration. We think ahead in order to save the homeowner costly headaches later on down the road. We get the drainage in BEFORE the construction of the deck instead of having to back after the project is complete. Going back to install drainage for your Sanibel patio could double the project price because we essentially have to DE-construct the patio, install the drainage and RE-construct.
If you are considering adding a paver patio to your Sanibel home give us a chance to look at your job. We take the time to evaluate the property BEFORE construction begins to avoid costly mistakes AFTER it’s complete.
Let our knowledgeable team help design an outdoor living space with a paver patio today.
Some Sanibel property owners are particular about where they want foot traffic through their property. It makes sense to avoid traffic in certain areas for security reasons, safety reasons, to avoid a wear pattern in the grass or to prevent damage to delicate landscaping. There are some easy ways to control foot traffic using a variety of methods and materials.
Install stepping stones along the path you’d like folks to travel. This is a great idea along the sides of a house. You will have higher traffic along the side of the house especially with maintenance contractors like pool technicians and pest service men.
Installing small bushes or shrubs on either side of the area you want traffic in your yard is a natural way to keep people away from areas of the property. It’s like driving on the road, you have to stay in your lane.
Install a continuous walkway using pavers. This is popular choice for Sanibel properties for a pathway from the pool to the dock.
Construct an entire deck, just like in a preserve area. Make it so that stepping off the wood deck is uncomfortable and folks will keep their foot traffic exactly where it should be. This is especially helpful if you are trying to preserve the natural landscape of Sanibel beach or if you are concerned about turtle hatchlings.
Build a path with landscape material such as mulch or rock making the intending path of visitors and family members obvious and expected.
There are many different and creative ways to control the foot traffic on your Sanibel property. Let R & R Sprinkler and Landscape know how we can help in constructing one that works for you.
We Kill Sod in Cape Coral and Fort Myers!
Doesn’t sound like a company you want to hire right off the bat does it? It’s a genuine proposal though. If you have bought a Cape Coral foreclosure or an old Fort Myers house and the property had been badly neglected for a long period of time then you may need to do an overhaul on the yard. In a lot of instances you can fertilize and irrigate the grass along with some tough weed control and get it to come back to a normal yard. However, in extreme cases you need to just start over.
We usually don’t recommend sodding over sod unless you are just making a patch. If the Cape Coral or Fort Myers yard is in that bad of shape you don’t want to take the chance of the weed and pest problems of the old yard overtaking the new sod. That would be a horrible waste of your money.
1. Chemically kill the old yard using a professionally licensed pest control company.
2. Scrape out and properly dispose of the dead materials.
3. Re-grade the property so the new yard will be even and free of holes or lumps.
Incidentally, if you don’t already have an automatic sprinkler system the best time to install it would be between steps 3 and 4. It’s always better to put a new irrigation system in during a construction process rather than disrupting the rooting of the new sod at a later date. If you are really dedicated to the restoration and rejuvenation of your Cape Coral or Fort Myers Home then you should ask us about our landscaping services as well.
My Dog Is Destroying My Fort Myers Yard!
We all love fido. He’s our best friend. He provides unconditional love. He’s a member of our family. He also can destroy our yard!
There are two main ways we can identify with as areas that your dog can damage or destroy your Fort Myers yard.
A digging dog may be bored. Perhaps they need more attention from you. A good walk or some back yard play time may be good for both of you.
A digging dog can also be hiding his valued treasures such as toys or bones in which case we would recommend you not let him take these items into the yard. Perhaps they will be content to just hide them in the couch instead.
A digging dog may also be a phase of their life because they are young. Obedience training and lots of patience will help Fido get past these days. Usually a dog will out grow this by the age of 3 (you hope!).
Some dogs are such creatures of habit that they will urinate in the same spot over and over and over again. Moderate urination will actually help the grass by fertilizing it. Over urination in one spot will damage the grass due to the high concentrations of nitrogen.
If your dog has the habit of using the potty in the same spot perhaps you’ll need to follow closely behind them to shuffle them to a different area of your Fort Myers yard. Encourage them to use the whole yard instead of a few choice spots. There are even some over the counter sprays at local pet stores that will help discourage them from using a certain area.
If they just refuse to use another area of your Fort Myers yard then pull the garden hose out and water the area down frequently to dilute the effects of the urine.
If you need us to renovate your landscaping or replace some sod let us know. Just remember, Fido loves you. Don’t let a few holes or yellowed spots in your yard alter your affection for him.
Did Tropical Storm Debbie Burn Your Lawn?
Can you believe it’s already been a month since we felt the impact of tropical storm Debbie? We’ve been flooded with calls about dying grass. We are not surprised to find that most of the complaints are from customers that live along the salt water.
Not only did we see the levels of our canals rise over the sea walls and saturate our lawns but Tropical Storm Debbie was also accompanied by high winds. High winds tossed all of that salt water over our houses, landscaping and yards. The areas that got misted with the salt water will most likely recover quickly with the natural drying out process and fresh water rains our Southwest Florida climate affords to us in the summertime.
The areas along the sea walls and near the water’s edge may or may not be as lucky. Too much water on a yard is as dangerous as too little. Too much salty water on a lawn is disasterous. The salt burns the grass. If you notice you have brown spots or your grass is dying where you know there was storm surge, flooding or water sitting that was salty your best course of action is to soak it with fresh water. Fortunatley for Southwest Florida we have had a lot of afternoon storms to help wash away the saltiness that Tropical Storm Debbie brought us.
If this doesn’t appear to be working you may consider adding a little bit of fresh water garden hose time to the area, you may need to fertilize the area (moderately), you may need to re-seed the area or you may even need to consider re-sodding the area. If you live in an area prone to surges of salt water you may want to consider adding a rock bed, mulch bed, an area of pavers or maybe even a retention wall in lieu of replacing sod. R & R Sprinkler and Landscape can send our experienced staff to advise you of your best course of action.
Above all else remember, lawn technicians, landscapers and sprinkler system companies have no control over the weather. If you were the unfortunate one that sodded a yard or planted new landscaping along an area adjacent to salt water just before Tropical Storm Debbie – be kind. Any good business owner will help you the best they can but they cannot warranty items caused by Mother Nature flexing her muscles.
R & R Sprinkler and Landscape has the ability to create engineered retaining walls that are beautiful and functional. We proudly use Anchor Wall Systems. They are free standing, decorative and durable, capable of handling heavy loads. We use the Anchor Wall System retaining wall materials because they do not require the use of mortar. This means there is no permit required. There is no need to get an architect or an engineer involved in the project because the company has spent years of research and development to have their products pre-engineered. That means lower project costs for you.
Materials for a retaining wall purchased from a typical supplier have height restrictions of 2′. We can construct our retaining walls to any height you need. We create large and small concepts for retaining wall additions. Consider adding a small raised landscape island surrounded by a decorative retaining wall as a focal point in your outdoor environment or something as large as a complete outdoor living area extended off your pool deck.
We use a computer aided drafting system so that you will be able to visualize what your new addition will look like before construction begins. Contact our knowledgeable staff today for more information on how a retaining wall can add beauty, value, style and function to your property today.
A garden focal point is a unique visual element that draws attention to the eye. The combination of garden focal points and accessories create an outdoor area that is pleasant and invites people to spend time there. A small garden should only have 1 main focal point with 2-3 accessories while a larger garden can handle more.
There no hard rule for creating garden focal points. Be creative but don’t be over bearing. You want to create a place of serenity, not confusion. R & R Sprinkler and Landscape will be happy to help you design an outdoor area you long to spend time in. With our free design services you will be able to visualize what your outdoor space will look like before it’s constructed.
This is the ninth installment of 11 Things You Need to Know Before Hiring a Landscaping Company which can also be downloaded as a free eBook.
You’re finally there! You’ve hired a professional landscaper, researched their credentials and portfolio, asked lots of questions and chosen your final landscaping plan. After the final review of bids and warranties, you’re confident about moving forward with your chosen provider. It’s time for the Fort Myers landscape installation process to begin.
Do You Really Need a Landscaping Warranty When Working With a Naples Landscaper?
This is the eighth installment of 11 Things You Need to Know Before Hiring a Landscaping Company which can also be downloaded as a free eBook.
A couple months ago, your landscaper planted a lush ficus hedge along the side of your yard. It looked great for a week or so. Now it’s brittle and dry. Who’s to blame?
This is the seventh installment of 11 Things You Need to Know Before Hiring a Landscaping Company which can also be downloaded as a free eBook.
Always have your Cape Coral landscaper make a personal visit to your property for a visual inspection. Walk through the yard with them, and point out areas that concern you. This is the perfect time to repeat your needs and wish list. Make sure that you’re both on the same page. This helps your landscaper give you the most accurate bid. If you’re interviewing multiple landscapers and aren’t specific enough during this walk through, you won’t be comparing apples to apples. What else should you expect?