Top 3 Reasons to Choose Native and Adapted Landscape Plants

1. Native and Adapted Plants Help Protect and Preserve Our Water Resources in Central Texas.

Time and again, our study of chosen native and adapted plants have shown that they tend to be drought tolerant and can survive and retain foliage with little to no watering up to a few weeks. The key here is to plan the overall landscape ahead of time, and place your selected native and adapted plants in areas where they typically thrive. If a plant calls for shade, do not place them in full sun while watering very low. In other words, the magic happens when you use the right plant in the right location. The city of Austin have landscape design and other resources available for Austin residents at www.austintexas.gov/department/landscape-design. By actively participating in being a more responsible bearer of our lands, we can conserve and protect our natural rivers, aquifers, and lakes.

2. Most Native and Adapted Plants in Austin Need Very Little Supplemental Fertilizer.

There is a reason why they are called native and adapted plants in the first place. They will grow in Austin's wild habitat without human intervention! Sure, some may need a little fresh compost once in a blue moon to get the extra "umph!", but all will likely survive unattended for many, many years. In fact, sometimes, they survive and thrive for so long that homeowners who have planted them decades ago use our services to remove them. But there is no need to feel guilty. Any plant we remove are either re-potted or re-planted. We do our very best not to trash anything that easily.

3. Many Native and Adapted Plants Provide Habitat and Food Sources for Local Wildlife.

It may be hard to believe, but the circle of life is true. the native wildlife use native and adapted plants as safe refuge and food. Native and adapted plants sometimes have edible leaves, berries, nectar, and flower petals. They also attract insects and other animals that can complete the local cycle; just as how a pond full of mosquitoes will naturally attract frogs, a rose bush will attract butterflies and incidentally bees. It is up to your provider to plan and adjust accordingly to find the right balance for your lawn and landscaping needs.

What Your Lawn Care Provider Does Not Want You To Know.

Long-term Service Contract? Service Commitment? Terms of Agreement Over 12 Months? Oral Commitment of 6 Visits? Lawn Care Service Providers of All Sizes Have A Lot of Confusing Mambo Jumbo To Throw You Off. Now Updated for 2019, What Your Lawn Care Provider Does Not Want You To Know.

New homeowners in Austin and perhaps elswehere sometimes get confused of what a long-term lawn service contract actually means to them. Some of whom we have spoken with thought that having one saves them money. This may perhaps be true if lawn care service providers are losing money servicing lawns. With the industry, according to IBIS World, worth $78 billion and having grown 4.6% in 2016, it is safe to assume they are NOT losing money.

Justification

The industry contends that contracts have been an industry-wide practice for decades. This is particularly true for huge sprawling commercial properties. Bidding on these commercial lots are cutthroat. That we know all too well. And why shouldn't it not? Commercial properties have economies of scale due to the sheer sizes of their lots. Because lawn care providers had to acquire additional trucks, trailers, laborers, and other equipment just to service them, the long-term service contract was created to avoid the commercial property management company from walking away easily. That is to say that from the perspective of the lawn care provider, the long-term service contract is there to protect the lawn business. It provides proof to creditors that the additional debt incurred from assets purchased are feasible and can be carried throughout the duration of the contract. In Austin, we notice the same logic being applied by lawn care providers to Austin homeowners. A growing number of homeowners in Austin are being asked to sign similar long-term service contract for their modest lawns. But the question begs to be answered, why do lawn care providers require homeowners to sign a long-term service contract in the first place?

In this blog entry, 50K Professional Lawn Services LLC explores what your lawn care provider does not want you to know. Let's begin, shall we? The long-term service contract is there to do the following:

1. To Make You Overpay

On commercial properties, professional managers almost always already know what they want out of the service. These managers are there to protect the property owner's interests. They have what people in the industry call, "Specs Sheet" or "Specifications". The Specs Sheet have all the services they want to see. It includes height, diameter, color, shade, etc. The detail will mesmerize you should you actually see one. From years of experience and lots of data from blind bids, property managers know what they want, and know how much the going rate is. The same can not be said for the typical homeowner (except, of course, for the really savvy ones! You know who you are.). But we digress. See, on a residential setting, the long-term service contract makes the deal sound really great at first glance because everything has been bundled together. They commonly call the bundles "Basic", "Better", and "Best". The really profitable bundle, a company will typically say, "Best Value", to somehow make you feel you outsmarted them. In fact, they outsmarted you. By bundling all services, the lawn care provider is making it much more difficult for you to decipher how much each service actually cost. The really big lawn companies will typically have a highly trained salesman/lady as a front liner. If you ever talk to one over the phone, they are easy on the ears. If you ever walked in to one of their locations, they are easy on the eyes. This is part of the sales process, and most homeowners stand little to no chance to these highly persuasive professionals. See, the sales team do this kind of thing all day, everyday. You are just another customer out of hundreds if not thousands of prospective leads they have talked with in the past few days. You will first be told of how great it is that you will now only be paying a flat rate. Imagine bundling your landline and internet services. You may think you're saving money until you realize you don't even use the landline. Nobody calls the landline except telemarketers! The same logic can be said for residential lawn care service contracts. It may be great when you need all those services, or when you just know more information than the "house", or in this case lawn care provider. Chances are that is not the case. You will be bombarded with industry jargon you are not familiar with. Now, coupled with a little tactical push and pull from the sales team, it is only a matter of time before you justify to yourself that you are ripe for the hook. After all, if you have incomplete information, it will be harder for you to compare similar services from other companies. Their hope is that you won't do a thorough research and will simply sign on the dotted line. But of course, you know better. That's why you're here.

Expert Tip:

Only order the services you need right now. If they want you to sign up for other services, ask for their justifications. If you are satisfied, check for more information to other references online. The idea is to trust your professional lawn provider but verify their justifications.

2. To Force You To Prepay For Services

This is connected to reason number one. The long-term service contract forces you to prepay for services you either will not need until much later in the season or do not need at all. Lawn care providers use long-term service contracts as a strategy to get paid in advance at the beginning of the season. A simple mowing that should have only cost you $40 will now be $80 because you are paying for upcoming services. They use it to bundle other services that under normal circumstances, you probably won't purchase anyway or may not even need. We see this all the time. Lawn care service providers spraying herbicides when weeds can just be pulled, and applying fertilizers when soil nutrients are normal. Herbicide overuse is already a problem and is producing herbicide resistant strains of weeds according to the director of Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative published on Phys.org, a leading web-based science, research and technology news service. Herbicide overuse in the green industry is no different than the overuse of antibiotics in the medical industry. There are adverse effects in misusing great products. The same can be said in the overuse of fertilizers. SFGate.com reports, "The misuse of fertilizer often has negative effects on fish and other aquatic animals. Algae feed off of the nutrients in fertilizers, using up oxygen that fish and other animals need. Additionally, ammonia released by fertilizer is harmful to fish." The problem with long-term service contracts is as much of an economic problem to the typical household in Austin as an environmental one. They push so many products to make a profit. In most cases, they push too much that we end up wasting resources.

Expert Tip:

Look for lawn care service providers that avoid the use of herbicide and synthetic fertilizers. There are a lot of reasons why the use of herbicides are controlled. For herbicides that can be purchased at your local big box store, hold off until the controversy regarding cancer has been cleared. It is much better to stay healthy than to fully eliminate weeds on your plant bed. See Roundup Lawsuit. There are a lot of organic and natural herbicides on the market that are naturally occurring and are safe for pets, children, and our aquatic resources. Only use organic fertilizers after a soil test. A soil test will give you the immediate nutrient available for a specific area. There is no need to pre-package these services. Only use the products as needed.

3. To Lock You In

The long-term service contract avoids competition and locks you up with the lawn care service provider regardless of service quality and customer satisfaction. There are a lot of bad apples in our industry. Yes, even large bad and rotten apples. Go to Yelp or Google Reviews, and you will read a lot stories from large franchise businesses to large publicly listed companies. Some lawn care providers have tried all the smarts in the world can muster to break the business down into a science, where one client can bring a certain number of profit and so on, that the overwhelming majority of lawn service providers, both large and small, fail to see the real intrinsic value for having great clients with whom you have great relationships with over a long period of time. A long term lawn service contract will limit your options months down the road. But why risk being unhappy and getting stuck with a lawn care service provider you no longer want? See, in a commercial property, the lawn only needs to look presentable because nobody lives there. Professional managers, moreover, do not have the kind of appreciation for their commercial properties similar to the one you have for your home. At your home's lawn, you play with your children, play fetch with your dog, relax with your wife, and celebrate the good times with other family and friends. Frankly, one of the best moments in life are created at your home, a stark contrast to that found at a place of business. When you are not restricted by a long-term lawn service contract to walk away at anytime, you keep the lawn care service provider on its toes. Because of this, service quality greatly improves and customers stay not because of legal obligation but because they are absolutely happy and fully satisfied. This we think is the right way to go. It may have been a long and winding road of capitalism, but we truly believe we will all end up back to where we started, just like the good old days.

Expert Tip:

Only use on-demand lawn service and ask to setup a risk-free recurring service. By going for this route, you will have the same benefits of a "service contract" without having to sign one. Services will still recur automatically, only this time you can walk away at anytime. Also, the best way to make sure that you are on the right path is to CALL your chosen lawn care service provider. If your call went straight to voicemail, then you know what to expect should you move forward with them. In the event that the provider answered the call, expect the provider to be an expert in the industry and be able to answer all your questions to your full satisfaction. No matter if they are office personnel or general manager. They must be trained in the business they are in. A lot of lawn care service providers now have an answering service to answer calls. Answering service as of this writing are absolutely clueless to who you are and what you need. They are just there to write down notes. At this point, express your desire to maintain your entire lawn and your need for guidance. If guidance is not there, move along. The typical mow, blow, and go guy will be hard pressed to discuss extensive maintenance outside of mowing. A trusted provider, on the other hand, will always perform a free soil fertility test and bore testing before quoting any type of service. They do not just fertilize because of a schedule. Fertilizer is applied because nutrients are insufficient. They also do not aerate just for the sake of aerating. They aerate because a bore test confirmed specific compaction points. These two free tests alone will save you hundreds of dollars in unnecessary services.

We hope to have added an insightful perspective on this topic. Let's keep on tearing up those long-term contracts! Add them to your compost pile! For more information about lawn care contracts, here are 3 Reasons Why You Should Dump Your Residential Lawn Care Contract

Taking Care of Trees and Shrubs

In our urban environment, we have replaced wildlife, tree clusters, and soil with buildings, open spaces, and paved roads. The need for taking care of trees and shrubs by us as we change the landscape of our urban forests is imminent. Because of this, we have compiled information from universities and anecdotal experiences from us and other experts in our industry to formulate three concise yet definitive guide that every homeowner must consider before planting trees and shrubs. Hopefully, we can replicate what nature naturally does for them in the wild. Here are the three things to be aware of:

1. Enough Space

Plan ahead of time by making sure your trees and shrubs have sufficient space to grow through maturity. Texas A&M University, Forest Service is a great resource for identifying native trees and shrubs in Austin, Texas. Once you have identified your tree specie, take into account the expected final diameter of its trunk. As a general rule, give it a 1:1 space ratio. This means that a projected final diameter of a foot will also need a foot of space diameter starting from the base of the trunk. This space is called the critical root zone or CRZ. Tree roots from trees planted in a new development do not usually trench very deep into the layers of compacted soil. Instead, we find tree and shrub roots spread within 2-4 inches below grade around the CRZ. The reason for this is simple, oxygen, sugar, nutrients, and water are abundant around this depth. However, there are other species that do go deeper. For more information about CRZ, North Carolina Urban Forest Council expounds more on this subject.

Expert Tip: A good rule of thumb for freshly planted trees and shrubs is to totally avoid soil compaction and disturbance to at least 25% of the total CRZ.

2. Use the Correct Soil.

Different species propagate in different climates. Some trees and shrubs like acidic and drier soil more than others. But what all trees and shrubs have in common is the need for the correct soil type to imitate the natural habitat where they are normally found. The trick here is to stick with native plants found around your region. Ask a local grower or nursery for native plants. This way, you can simply use the soil around your undisturbed yard. Going native also lessens and even at times eliminates the need for soil amendments and irrigation. In a Drought Survivability Study by Texas Water Resources Institute , they found a significant amount of native plants in Austin and San Antonio show little to no noticeable change after they reduced or totally eliminated irrigation for 12 full weeks. This means that native plants are naturally hardy in their respective climate, and are able to survive with less human intervention. This comes as no surprise. Soil in different climates have different parent material, living organisms, and topography. These factors affect nutrients and acidity level of the soil. Science Learning Hub expounds more about it.

Expert Tip: If you ever have a native tree or shrub that has stunted growth, try getting soil at an undisturbed portion of your yard, and then spread it around the CRZ of the tree or shrub. This will give it a boost of nutrients and microorganisms.

3. Aerate Regularly

There is a lot more happening beneath the ground than we currently know. What we do understand is that soil compaction decreases the amount of air, water, and sunlight that enters the soil; thereby creating anaerobic conditions similar to the soil found in swamps and wetlands. Trees and shrubs need aerobic conditions, the opposite of anaerobic, to survive. Aerobic soil increases soil productivity and environmental quality according to Pennsylvania State University . But over and over again, we see trees and shrubs being planted right beside houses, patios, streets, walkways, and driveways that require more aeration and general maintenance. These locations are prone to compaction because of the use of heavy machinery to produce them, the amount of human traffic, and the sheer weight of our modern infrastructure. Without strategic planting and regular aeration, trees and shrubs near or at compacted soil risk root rot, a condition wherein fungi decays the roots around the CRZ, eventually causing structural failure. This is happening more common than we presume, especially in city living. Storms are usually blamed for fallen trees or uprooted shrubs. However, this is not the only reason we find onsite. Usually, the root has rotted because of years of neglect. The wind simply finished the job.

Expert Tip #3: Till two inches deep after aeration.

Conclusion

Trees and shrubs have been around for hundreds and thousands of years. They are fine without us. But the problem here is that they coexist with us. We, as responsible custodians, need to have a general understanding of their environment, and how we're changing it. Giving enough space, the correct soil, and aeration will take care of your trees and shrubs in the urban setting for the years to come. Let's learn to replicate nature because nature does it best.

Snakes are Common in Austin, Texas - Here are 3 Simple Tips to Stay Safe

Snakes Found During Yard Cleaning

We find snakes in 1 out of 10 lawns we service throughout the year. Most of the time, they hide under the leaves, grass, and tucked at a corner rosebush. If you haven't been out for quite sometime, there is a good chance a snake is just lurking around your lawn. As a weekend warrior, here are our 3 simple tips to safe gardening.

Simple Tip 1

Our first tip is to make sure to regularly maintain your surroundings by having a lawn service provider come over at least once every other week. This ensures your lawn is looking presentable and keeps the local snakes at bay.

Simple Tip 2

If you ever find yourself in front of a deep overgrowth or piles of leaves, use a rake to disturb your targeted area and flatten up piles of leaves before walking over them. The hope here of course is to scare the snake away. Do not stick your hands anywhere you can't see. On corners, be extra vigilant. You may encounter a nest or a bunch of baby snakes hiding. Baby snakes mean mommy snake may be somewhere around your lawn.

Simple Tip 3

Wear tall leather boots and other protective clothing in case there is an attack. Note that this won't work on larger snakes, so make sure to call an expert when you're in doubt!

4 Reasons To Hire Licensed Private Haulers in Austin

Austinites, there are unlicensed individuals and companies advertising to haul away yard debris, junk, or trash on Craigslist, Facebook, or elsewhere. Be very careful, private haulers operating in the City of Austin are required to be licensed haulers. Here are the top 4 reasons why you should only hire properly licensed haulers in Austin, Texas.

Reason 1: Commercial Insurance Certification

Private haulers licensed by the City of Austin are required to have adequate commercial vehicle insurance to operate a hauling business within the city limits.

Here's a list of required limits imposed by the City of Austin:
a. Bodily Injury Liability Limit: $250,000.00
b. Bodily Injury Limit for Each Accident: $500,000.00
c. Property Damage Liability Limit for Each Accident: $100,000.00
d. Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury Limit for Each Accident: $500,000.00
e. Uninsured Motorist Property Damage Limit for Each Accident: $100,000.00

The City of Austin's licensing requirement is fairly simple. Doing this for long hours everyday, workers get tired and accidents may happen. The city's licensing goal is to protect the public from unexpected incidents.

Reason 2: Properly Marked Vehicles

Licensed private haulers in Austin have their vehicles inspected yearly and have appropriate signages on display. Their vehicles are marked with the company's name and identifiable contact information, as well as hauling license stickers on both front doors. They are easily identifiable. If something goes awry wrong, you will know who to contact right away.

Reason 3: Fully Registered

Licenses on the vehicle's doors are identifiable back to individuals, partnerships, or corporations. We are individuals and entities who work and live in our communities. You won't see a fly by night licensed hauler. However, the same can NOT be said for unregistered and unlicensed individuals and entities working under the radar.

Reason 4: Responsible Disposal

Your trees, shrubs, and general lawn debris will be recycled to create new compost and mulch. If there is anything we can't recycle, re-use, or re-purpose, we make sure to dispose it properly and responsibly at our neighborhood landfills.

Got Lawn Debris?

Lawn debris are mostly organic matter made of leaves, grass clippings, branches, fruits, seeds, and nuts. At normal levels, they are excellent natural fertilizers . For example, grass clippings cut at 1/2 an inch gets reabsorbed by the lawn in only a few days. Leaves, on the other hand, can be re-purposed as natural mulch for trees and plant beds. Fruits return an abundance of nutrients back to the soil. At manageable levels, they are a welcome addition to an already healthy lawn.

However, excessive debris in your backyard can be both an eyesore and become harm to your plants. At a few inches deep, leaves scattered all over your lawn can block sunlight and water that are essential for grass and plant growth. They also become a nuisance when they ferment as they become a breeding ground for parasites and pests. And since moisture often gets stuck inside a mound of leaves, fungal growth plays an important role in diseases. Other yard debris left over for so many days, not to mention weeks, months, or even years, can lead to soil compaction, stunted growth for trees, shrubs, and grass, and even leave bald spots on your lawn when finally removed. So unless you are breeding squirrels, pests, fungi, parasites at your backyard, or plainly just love to be the eyesore of the community, it is time to maintain your lawn.

Cleaning your entire yard can be a daunting task. Sometimes you write it down on your to-do list, but you don't even know where to start. A thorough yard cleaning by a crew of 2 experienced lawn care professionals while using full-size commercial blowers, vacuums, and rakes can take more or less 2 hours for a small yard, assuming debris are less than 600 gallons. Alone, powered by just a rake and a household blower, will probably take you the entire day to finish. Well, probably two. Let's make life easier for you. Enjoy the outdoors after we have done all the hard work.

Updated: 06/02/2019

Let's face it. Sometimes, we put the lawn on the back burner until the day we get the damning letter from the homeowner's association or property manager that the time has come to cut the lawn or else... Then, you try mowing the lawn yourself, only to realize the grass was just too high for your good old mower. The mower kept bogging, getting stuck, or the blades were simply dull. You perspired under the sun like you were young again, just this time without the extra energy, dexterity, and stamina you once had as a young fellow. Finally, you gave up. Unlocked the phone. Started to call around. By now, you realize that lawn care service providers in Austin are either so cheap, they do not ever show up, or so committed in getting you to sign a contract, you ended up finding us here. Oh, paradise!

First, Is My Lawn Overgrown?

Yes, if any of the following is true.

Overgrown lawns get even more difficult to mow as time passes by. Don't believe us? See us in action for yourself with our YouTube video below:

The Top 3 Reasons Why Overgrown Fees Exist

Reason #1: Overgrown Lawns Take More Time to Mow.

As you may have realized by now, overgrown lawns take more time to mow than well-maintained lawns. In fact, most overgrown lawns take twice as much time to mow. Mower blades often get stuck from excess grass clippings. Our crews compensate by trimming the pathway with weed whackers first, and then mowing at a much slower pace than normal to keep the mower blades turning. Because the blades are not turning at full speed, we almost always have to make multiple passes just to get an even cut. Moreover, crews have to be more cautious of what lies ahead. These factors increase the biggest cost factor anybody can find in lawn care services: labor time.

Reason #2: Servicing Overgrown Lawns Are Hazardous.

Overgrown lawns are both neglected and very moist. Neglected lawns are prone to having random debris lying somewhere beneath the surface, while moist lawns make sure plowing deep into the soil is made possible. Since we normally find toys, two-by-fours, baseball bats, dog bones, dog poop, empty beer bottles, among other things that are not supposed to be there at the time of service, overgrown lawns created the perfect recipe for disaster. Random debris are often just a couple of inches beneath the grass, and can be difficult to notice, especially on big sprawling backyards. This means that they are also inches from our mower blades, spinning at who knows how fast. Flying debris from mowers or weedwhackers can break windows, scratch cars, or injure not just our crews but also other people in the area. Because of these, the risks involved in mowing overgrown lawns increase. Fees are there to compensate us appropriately for the risks we take.

Reason #3: Overgrown Lawns Cause Increased Equipment Wear and Tear.

Overgrown lawns are very heavy on equipment use. Since they take at least twice as much time to mow, they also bring at least twice as much wear and tear. Sometimes, even more. Imagine the mower blade spinning at half speed suddenly get wedged by a 2-by-4 your son had left somewhere around the lawn months ago. Maybe it is a piece of landscape boulder your wife had dragged to the lawn. Either way, something just has to give: either the blade, the mower's belt, the engine's crankshaft, the 2 by 4, or the landscape boulder. Usually, the one that gives is the mower blade. Sometimes, the belt. And at rare occasions, the mower's crankshaft. It is never the 2 by 4 or landscape boulder. The possible wear and tear to equipment and damage can easily amount to hundreds of dollars, and they do happen... quite often.

Conclusion

Having an overgrown fee does not make it rain profits on our end. It is just the additional cost for having an overgrown lawn. You are not saving money by skipping service this week. In fact, whether you do it by yourself or hire us, the cost of servicing your overgrown lawn will be realized. Give yourself a break this weekend. Sit back, relax, and leave the lawn to us.

We hope our blog entry has helped you better understand why we charge an overgrown fee for overgrown lawns. If you need professional lawn care assistance in Austin or around Travis County, please don't hesitate to contact us at 844-50K-LAWN (844-505-5296).

Winter is coming, are your trees ready for the cold chill? At 50K, we recommend to mulch your trees to get ready for the winter months. Mulching is very beneficial for trees. It will preserve its current dormant state. This stops premature plant growth in winter due to temperature fluctuation.

Ideal materials for winter mulching are shredded wood and pine. These kinds of mulch are affordable, easy to install, maintain, and remove.

Natural Mulch and Ground Cover Available for Lawns in Austin, Texas.

Natural Mulch and Ground Cover are essential part of lawn and landscapes in Austin, TX. Our lawn care experts can help you choose the right mulch or ground cover material for your needs. In this blog, written and compiled by recognized lawn care industry professionals, we will arm you with the knowledge to help you make the right decision. Afterall, any type of landscape installation is a no easy feat. It requires proper planning and expert-level knowledge to create a landscape that works for you, not the other way around.

Corrugated Cardboard Boxes

Corrugated cardboard boxes are biodegradable and will decompose as time passes by. It is normally used as a natural barrier to suppress turf or weed growth on specific areas. It cools down the coverage area, like a garden bed or pathway. As it decomposes, nematode population naturally increases to create a local ecosystem, which affects macro and micro nutrients in the soil. This natural ecosystem also lessens the need for human intervention, the use of herbicides, pesticides, and the need for synthetic fertilizers.
Note that corrugated cardboard boxes can be unpleasant to look at, and lawn care professionals like us almost always use it as a natural weed barrier, thereby lessening the need for non-biodegradable oil-based weed fabric in Austin.

Newspapers

Newspapers are very similar to corrugated cardboard boxes, like all paper based material, will decompose if left in contact with the soil. It can be used to suppress weeds and pests, and also cools down the garden bed. Newspapers create the same pros and cons found on corrugated cardboard boxes. Lawn care professionals installing newspapers typically use it as a natural weed barrier, to be used in conjunction with hardwood cedar mulch, decomposed granite, or pea gravel to improve aesthetics.

Hardwood Mulch

Hardwood mulch is very popular and came from recycled wood. Unlike corrugated cardboard boxes and newspapers, it does not smother weeds. This is the reason why lawn care professionals in Austin, Tx use hardwood mulch in tandem with either corrugated cardboard boxes, newspapers, or oil-based weed fabric. Hardwood mulch is naturally found in Austin, is aesthetically pleasing once professionally installed, and can be purchases in different colors (Red, Brown, Natural, or Black). While it also increases moisture on plant beds, picking a darker color will increase heat absorption. We, however, do not recommended cedar mulch to be used around deciduous plants or areas with a lot of fallen leaves. Hardwood mulch can hard to clean thoroughly with rake, blower, or vacuum. As a result, expect frequent and higher overall maintenance cost when removing leaves.
Note that you may leave fallen leaves on the mulch as well. While leaves may not look as aesthetically pleasing, mixing it with the existing mulch is not unheard of and can help lessen maintenance.

Decomposed Granite

Decomposed granite is also one of the most popular rocks used as ground cover. It can increase drainage when mixed into the compost or soil. Similar to a hardwood cedar mulch, it does not protect the area against weeds or pests. When using decomposed granite on areas with a lot of leaves, expect lawn care professionals to only use rake. Using a leaf vacuum or blower will inadvertently suck or blow away the decomposed granite. Despite this, decomposed granite is still commonly used in Austin as it gives a modern look on any landscape.

Pea Gravel

Pea gravel is preferred by lawn care professionals in Austin, Tx on areas prone to fallen leaves or around deciduous plants. Unlike hardwood cedar mulch and decomposed granite, leaves on top of pea gravel beds are easy to clean with either a rake, a leaf vacuum or blower. This decreases overall cost of removing leaves on plant beds. Similar to hardwood cedar mulch and decomposed granite, pea gravel does not protect an area against weed. It is best practice to combine pea gravel with at least one other ground cover material for weed barrier. Pea gravel increases moisture as well and will need power washing once a year to remove dirt.

1. Faster Setup

Without a long-term contract, you could call today and have everything setup in minutes instead of days. The setup process is much faster and simpler. All you need to give is your address, basic contact information, and the kind of services you wanted done. From here, you will get a direct quote on the spot. You may either accept the offer, decline, or make suggestions. Now, once accepted, the rest is very easy. If you love the quality of service, you could go ahead and tell us, "Hey, come back next week." Either way, you will always have a choice. Compare this to a lawn care provider that will bind you in a 12-month contract. When you contact them, they would schedule a visit in the next couple of days to measure your lawn and discuss with you the multi-tiered service packages they offer for the rest of the year. You would be talked into the need of lime soil protection, targeted weed control, among many others. There would be pressure on you to decide upfront the kind of services you want throughout the year. You would most likely have to talk with your spouse, neighbor, and friends about what they did with theirs and possibly what to do with yours. All these hassles just for lawn care complicate things and bog down the time to setup service. You no longer have to go through this. With pay as you go, you can be in and out in the setup process a whole lot faster.

2. Flexibility

You may easily add, change, and remove services at anytime. No longer will you have to deal with service bundles just to get the service you need. With pay per visit, you only pay for the service you want. Simply say what you need, and it is done. Easy as pie. You may even switch lawn care providers without worrying about breaking your contract. Save hundreds of dollars because the hefty cancellation fee is just a thing of the past. Unwanted things can happen in 12 months. You may need to sell your house, move to another city, or no longer need the professional lawn care service. Whatever it is, you want to be flexible. The goal of a reputable lawn care provider should be that of a helping hand in making life easier for you, not to financially destroy you. Unfortunately, this old school value is all but gone nowadays.

3. Quality

When you dump your 12-month service contract, every lawn service visit becomes a trial period. If you and the provider are not an exact match, you don't have to wait out the next few months. You can leave right away and replace it with another provider. This being said, there is a lot of pressure on pay per visit lawn service providers to ensure the highest quality of service on each and every visit. This is also the main reason why the majority of lawn care companies want you to sign a contract. They are driven mainly by profits. After the trial period, service starts to suffer as clients get piled in a very tight schedule. Crews rush the job to meet their deadline. Things get skipped. A pay per visit service provider is driven mainly by quality. They want you to stay because you absolutely love the service. Gone are the days when you are just waiting for the contract to expire.

Afterthought

A few questions would have to be answered. Why pay should you pay for a service you no longer want/need? And is the lawn care company seriously contemplating of going after you should you break contract? If not, then a long-term service contract in residential properties is really unnecessary. There is no reason for it. It does not help. Dump your service contract today, and get the fast, flexible, and quality service you deserve.

Updated: 05/17/2021

This guide has been updated to industry specifications in 2021.

How to Build a Wooden Fence That Will Last a Longtime

Installing a new fence can be a very daunting task. This is a step-by-step guide to help you Do It Yourself. It is crucial to use the right materials to build the best wooden fence in the neighborhood. Use metal posts instead of wooden 4 by 4's. Metal posts with proper foundations are designed to outlive all of us. For pickets and planks, use cedar wood instead of pressure treated wood. Cedar naturally absorbs moisture and can last for 20 years or more with regular pressure washing, cleaning, and staining.

Tools

1. Spade Shovel
2. Post Hole Digger
3. Pencil Point Digging Bar
4. Wheel Barrow
5. Miter Saw
6. Cordless Impact Wrench
7. Measuring Tape
8. Leveler
9. Triangle
10. Pencil
11. Knife Sharpener
12. Steel Stakes and Tie Downs
13. Roller

CAUTION: Please practice extreme care. Check with your local authorities for gas, oil, water, electric, or other below ground utility lines before digging. Always use safety glasses, safety gloves, knee pads, and a lot of common sense.

CALL BEFORE YOU DIG.

Materials

1. 2-3/8 by 2-3/8 8 ft. Metal Tube Post
2. 2-3/8 Grip Tie and Cap
3. 1-1/4" Deck Screws
4. 2 x 4 x 8 Lumber
5. Appropriately-sized Pickets
6. Fast-setting Cement
7. Wood Stain

Step 1: Planning

Begin by taking photos and detailed notes of the existing fence line's location. This is very crucial, as this will be your only guide moving forward. If you are building a new fence, mark where you want your fence to start and end. Make a rough sketch of the completed fence's shape and a general idea of how you want it to look like. Use your imagination. You can add more complex and interesting twists, like following the contour of a tree branch, working around a physical barrier, a waterway, etc. This guide will only focus on building a simple fence line that you won't need to touch for a very long time.

Step 2: Marking

Use the spade to mark where you want your first post to stand. Maintain a gap of 7-3/4' to 8' between every fence post's center. Repeat this step until you have completely marked the entire fence line.

Industry Tip

You may mark your first post and directly proceed to step 3 and 4. Then, repeat the steps 2-6 for each and every fence post until you have completed your entire fence line. This makes it easier to make adjustments especially if you are not used to carpentry. Note: when digging near utilities or foundations, always call in for safe dig and only dig by hand for safety.

Step 3: Foundation

Remember, take your time and be consistent. Some areas are much more easier to dig than others. Use your spade to start digging the marked locations. If the soil is too dry, consider watering until moist. Use your post hole digger to remove soil debris. Use a digging bar or pick to remove rocks or to break through boulders. Repeat until you have reached 24" in depth. For areas with considerable water overrun, such as those found in uphill/downhill slopes, consider adding another 6" to add gravel as extra drainage. Do not shortchange yourself. You have gone this far. Go by the book, and you will be pleased with the results. For fences taller than 6', you will need to dig deeper. As a general rule, the foundation's depth tend to be 1/3rd of the total height of the fence above ground. If tree roots are on the way, use your digging bar to breakthrough them. Note that moving the post to another area usually do not help. It is not uncommon for trees to have multiple main root lines not too far from where you have already dug.

Industry Tip

Check for post foundation alignment by either using a laser or a fish line. If these tools are not immediately available in your tool box, you may also eyeball the holes to get the approximate alignment and simply make small adjustments to line up the posts when you start setting them up. Also, make sure your spade, post hole digger, and pencil bar are sharp. They do get dull after a couple of holes.

Step 4: Set-up Posts

Place your post in the center of the hole. Should your post alignment be off, consider digging some more on one side to correct the alignment. Take your time. Preparation is key for a successful fence project.

Step 5: Mix Cement

Open a bag of concrete and put it in your wheel barrow. Water and mix until you get a muddy texture. Avoid over watering as this will weaken the concrete. Make sure to mix the concrete thoroughly using your spade before pouring in the hole. Should you have added an addition 6" of drain, make sure to put the gravel in first, then compact the gravel using a piece of wood for even footing.

Industry Tip

Only open a bag you know you will use. Fast setting concrete may dry up in as little as 5 minutes. If it ever dries up while still in the wheel barrow, add more water and re-mix thoroughly.

Step 6: Leveling

Level the post by making sure you have center bubble all the way around (front, back, and sides). For posts higher than 6' above ground level, tie down using stakes to maintain desired leveling. For 6' posts or shorter, the weight of the concrete is enough to hold it in place. Make alignment adjustments as needed before the concrete dries up.

Step 7: Curing

Let the concrete cure for 4-6 hours. Note that even fast setting concrete will have a hard time curing during wet and cold weather. If the weather is colder than 60F, consider waiting for a couple more days.

Step 8: Grip Tie and Cap

Install grip ties a foot above ground and at the very top of the fence post. Tighten up until snug. Place two or three levels. If you're going with three levels, place the third grip tie exactly in the middle of the top and bottom grip ties.

Step 9: Plank

Install your planks by screwing one side first unto the grip tie and then the other. Use two or more planks between posts. Screw in 2 screws per side or 4 screws per plank.

Step 10: Picket

Place the first picket a quarter inch above ground. Screw in your first screw. Level to center bubble before screwing in your second screw. Install 4 screws per picket. Repeat the steps until the entire fence line has been completed. You may maintain an eight of an inch gap between pickets by placing a nail in between or by eyeballing the gap. The gap, however, is not necessary. Your fence will be fine with or without it.

Step 11: Staining

Use your roller and carefully stain with even strokes. Thoroughly saturate one area before moving to the next. For best results, stain both front and back of the fence line. Repeat every 2-3 years.

Follow these steps and you will be on your way to a great looking fence that will last a very long time.

We hope our article has helped you better understand how to properly install a wooden fence that will last a long time. If you need professional lawn care assistance in Austin or around Travis County, please don't hesitate to contact us at 844-50K-LAWN (844-505-5296).

DISCLAIMER: This general guideline is meant for educational purposes only. We will not be responsible for damages caused by you for following any of our suggestions. Every situation is different. Please consult 50K Professional Lawn Services LLC for professional help.

Imagine this, you water your plants everyday, trim all the excess branches to welcome more sunlight, and add fertilizer every other month. Despite your greatest efforts, your plant doesn't seem to grow an inch, leaves look dry and wrinkly, branches and stem are thin and brittle, and seem to develop brownish freckle-like spots. Wait, what is going on?

The answer to this problem might be more than what the naked eye could see. It is more than just guesstimating. Soil consists of various nutrients that plants need. Nutrients such as Potassium (K) , Phosphorus (P) and Nitrogen (N) are essential to plant growth, any change to each nutrient's levels drastically affects plant growth.

We at 50K are able to measure these soil nutrients by collecting soil samples to be tested. Yes, this is very scientific. We isolate these samples from contamination and test the soil. Results can be read in 12 hours. This will give us a concrete metric of measurement in improving the ph balance and nutrient levels of your soil, which is a crucial step in improving your plants' health.

Before and After Photos

We treat lawn care as a true profession. Our services come with before and after photos, standard. We offer you peace of mind. You will know when we serviced your lawn and what we did while on your lawn. With 50K, there is nothing to worry about. This is another reason why a growing number of Austinites (both new and old) choose 50K over everybody else. You will see the exact condition of your lawn when we arrived and the same exact condition before we leave. Our crews are trained to take accurate and clear photos that will show the scope of all the work we performed. We take clear and wide angle photos of the tasks we completed. No hiding. No guessing. Just old school values, mixed with 21st century technology.

Why Should You Care

You want to know if you should trust your lawn care provider. Without comparison photos, it may be very difficult to confirm if the work order on your invoice was actually completed. The photos will serve as an additional eye for you and our managers to make sure our technicians do what they are supposed to do every single time. Photos are not only useful to confirm every job, but are also useful when comparing the condition of your lawn months or even years ago. This makes for a more objective recommendation for needed services to care for your lawn. In some cases, comparison photos have actually helped our customer identify a drainage issue. On top of this, during service, crews may occasionally miss a spot or two, and while taking after photos, they will have another opportunity to look at their work before handing it back to you. In instances when a spot was missed, our crews would go back to their truck, grab the proper equipment, and do whatever they need to do to get it right. After confirming the job was fully completed, then and only then would they start taking after photos. If at some point during our visit, we found anything unusual with your lawn, tree, or fence, we would take a photo and contact you right away.

1. Transparency of Service.

When we service your lawn, tree, or perform any landscaping project, you will know exactly when we came and what we did immediately after service. This means that even if you are away, in another state, or out of the country, you will see a real side by side comparison of your property. Before servicing, you will receive service reminders of your service date so you will be able to plan ahead of time. Should there be any weather delays, we will contact you with the reason for the delay and service your home on our next availability. This means that you are a priority in our service pipeline. You'll always know what's going on with the service. No more guessing games.

2. Professional Guarantee.

If for whatever reason you are not satisfied with the quality of our work, just tell us what's wrong, and we'll re-do the specific item in question for FREE! But there is more... if after coming back for FREE and you are still not happy with the results, we will hire a competitor of your choice up to the full amount of your invoice to make sure you only get the professional results you truly deserve!

3. Crew Expertise.

Our crews know our culture of excellence and the way we conduct business. We don't take shortcuts. Should a job ever take longer than expected, we would absorb the cost of completion and let you know immediately. We are committed in making sure your experience with us is worry-free. Whatever happens, we would be with you in every step of the way.

4. Management Reliability.

When you contact us, we will answer the phone every single time, from 7AM to 7PM. When you leave a voicemail, we'll get back with you in 24 hours or less. The full force of our management team is dedicated in making sure all your questions are answered and your concerns are addressed. We will give you clear answers. Our managers are on duty to make hard off the cuff decisions should the need arise. At 50K, you will not get the run around.

5. Payment Flexibility.

You may pay per visit, per month, or as much as you want in advance. We also accept online payments via PayPal, over the phone with all major credit cards, charged either automatically or one-time, or on-site payment by check or by mail. We are flexible in whichever way you want to pay your bill.

Decorative Ivies can turn into eyesores if they are not maintained. Excessive ivies will make any beautiful property look very ghastly. Do not underestimate the strength of Ivies. They will slowly infiltrate, bend, and lift to the point of destroying parts of your walls, fences, decks, and more. Although Ivies are not parasitic plants like others might think, by itself, they are harmless to plants and trees. The problem begins once they grow and starts to entirely surround them, they can overpower and weaken them by covering them from sunlight.

3 Solid Reasons to Hire a Professional Lawn Care Company

We all have reasons for doing things the way we do. So if you happen to have a lawn somewhere around your home or place of business, why should you hire a professional lawn care company? Among the many reasons we compiled, here are the top three rock-solid reasons you shouldn't even try to become a weekend warrior.

1. Have More Time

There are only so many hours in a 24-hour day that you can spend studying lawn care, watching dozens of online reviews for different equipment, and researching countless of local laws and ordinances. Rather than wasting hours of your time doing these unproductive tasks, why not invest in yourself today? Yes, why not leave the lawn to the pros, so you can have more time with the people and things that really matter in your life? Yes, them, right here, right now, at this moment. Imagine more quality time with your family, the freedom to just relax and unwind. Imagine reviving your long lost hobbies, reliving the youth within you that has been asleep for so long. Just imagine how much more you can do when you have 2 or more free hours during the week. Having a manicured lawn while getting more time can only be achieved by delegating this monotony to a professional lawn care company like us, a company that only does lawn care all day long.

2. Liability Protection

A professional lawn care company carries a commercial general liability insurance coverage. You no longer need to fear about breaking your neighbor's windows, running over your expensive sprinkler system, or accidentally injuring a passer by; however, be careful of other companies that have a propensity to use sub-contractors to cover their workload. There is nothing wrong with using sub-contractors, but you should be extra diligent in ensuring that these sub-contractors in unmarked pickup trucks have proper insurance because you may be held responsible for injuries or damages caused by them. You don't want a fly by night sub-contractor that will bail on you the moment things go south. You want a local lawn care company that is active in the community and does all the work they schedule from A to Z.

3. Savings

Savings from scale has a lot of benefits for consumers like you. For a small fee, your local lawn care provider can cover the costs of expert labor, high quality materials, and commercial equipment. Why wasting hundreds or even thousands of dollars on equipment you will only use at the very most a few hours a month? Plus the hard-labor associated with learning how to use the equipment you just purchased, and then gaining the expertise necessary to achieve a manicured lawn, not to mention the risks, hiccups, and drawbacks one normally encounter along the way. A local lawn care company like us do this kind of work all day, everyday. This is what we do for a living. We do this full time. We are out servicing different areas day-in and day-out. This is what you want to hear from your provider because companies like us are experts in this industry.

To sum it up, if time, liability, and savings matter to you, you should just leave the lawn to us.

Updated: 1/21/2018

1. Excess leaves destroy grass growth.

Too much leaves (not to be confused with mulched leaves) will block sunlight and water evaporation that are necessary for the turf to grow. This is one of the main reasons why some lawns have bald spots and while others no longer have any turf growth at all. Weak turf growth is common where the leaves have accumulated, especially to the point where it is rotting from within. If you have a deciduous tree, like the Live Oaks that we have in Austin, our recommendation is to at least perform a leaf removal once in the Fall and another one in Spring. This encourages strong turf growth and a beautiful looking lawn.

​2. Excess leaves cause your turf to get plant diseases.

Rotting leaves develop fungus and molds that can potentially cause disease to spread throughout your turf and neighboring plants. Certain strains of fungal infection on plants are difficult to assess and cure. In some instances, the fastest way to remedy the problem is by removing all infected areas.

3. Excess leaves invite unwanted visitors.

Once the leaves start collecting water, drainage issues have already started. This creates a perfect breeding ground for pests which can be harmful not just to your plants but also potentially to people. Many local lawn provider simply "mulch" the leaves which may exacerbate the problem. Others may also try to spray chemicals to eradicate the pests, completely ignoring its root cause. Leaf removal is one of the fastest and easiest ways to rejuvenate your lawn. With regular service, your lawn will look very crispy and clean.

Three Simple Reasons Cedar Wood Is Great for Fences

1. Durability

Cedar will not shrink, swell, or warp as much as other lumbers. When fences made of other lumbers need replacement every five years, fences made of cedar lasts decades with regular maintenance.

2. Appearance

Cedar fences will look better 10 years later than other lumbers because it is hygroscopic. Meaning, it won't split as it absorbs and discharges water moisture in its surroundings. It is, therefore, very stable and has a low shrinkage factor. It will remain straight for decades.

3. Ease of Installation

Because Cedar is a softwood, a very soft one indeed, it is one easiest woods to work with. It is easily sawn either by hand or machine, and has good fastening and gluing properties.

Top 8 Thumbtack Questions Answered By 50K Professional Lawn Services LLC

How did you get started doing this type of work?

We had enough dealing with contractors that either don't show up, don't answer calls, or simply don't do what they say they will do. After getting burned over and over again, we decided to finally start a business that will show up when it says it will show up, that will answer calls when it is supposed to answer calls, and that will do anything and everything it says it will do every single time. This is what we are all about. But don't just take our word for it, the only badge of honor we have is our long line of fully satisfied customers.

What questions should customers think through before talking to professionals about their project?

Exceptional work takes time and energy. It's a lot harder than just mowing yards, trimming trees, putting up walls, laying down stones, or hauling debris. Some companies, like ourselves, take hiring honest and high quality workers seriously. And the really great companies train and train and train their crews to become the best not only at what they do but on what they can be. There are companies that take being exceptional in every sense of the word very seriously. We are one of those companies.

Describe a recent project you are fond of. How long did it take?

Every landscaping project we handle is different from those previously handled. That said, we make sure all our landscaping projects are finished within the agreed project timeline. This means that if we will have a big project, then we will make sure to have a big crew. Our operations do not permit us to sit on any project. All projects, big or small, are finished on time. We can do this because we take into account weather patterns every season. This means that something out of the ordinary has to happen to keep us from meeting our project completion goals and disrupt services. Once we set a date, the entire company stands behind that date and will do everything and anything to meet the set goal. We are that kind of different.

What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?

Look for a company that has an iron-clad 100% money back guarantee in writing that is either posted on their website or service contract, has a multi-million general liability insurance policy to protect your family and can furnish a copy upon your request, and only uses legal U.S. workers and/or verified workers in the U.S. under the H2B Visa program. Otherwise, these workers cannot be background checked. Protect your family above everything else.

What types of customers have you worked with?

We have worked with customers who have properties as small as 1,000 sq ft and as large as 45,000 sq ft, from services like lawn mowing, fertilization, weed control, bush trimming, flower installations, mulch installs, flower bed maintenance, entire property maintenance... of course, we do a lot more than this... but these are just the most common services that we preform every single day.

Do you have a standard pricing system for your service? If so, please share the details here.

We have a standard pricing algorithm for each service. Pricing depends on factors such as distance, scope, square footage or acreage, land grade, window size, tree height, degree of disrepair, etc.

What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?

We operate a professionally run business, and education and training is a very important part of what we do everyday. Our education involves intensive training in our very own University of Property Maintenance, a controlled environment where crews learn real-world application of different concepts in every aspect of what we do, where they receive hands-on training in operating the best commercial equipment in the market, and where shift managers hone skills necessary to ensure each crew maintains the highest quality of service everyday. We are experts who collaborate with and learn from other experts in the industry, not just here in the United States but also overseas.

What is your typical process for working with a new customer?

Our interaction with new customers is very easy and quite simple. We first obtain basic information, perform an estimate, and then work on the job while keeping the customer up to date in every step of the way. With us, there is no guess work. You know exactly what is going on around your home.