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Fast Growing Trees: Which Types Best Fit Your Needs?

. Posted by in • San Antonio
Fast growing trees

When you moved into your home, you realized that you had a lot of room to grow—quite literally—in the tree department. You probably expected that over time, your trees would provide you with much-needed shade on a hot summer day, a reduction in your utility bills and an improvement to your curb appeal.

So, what if that wasn’t the case? What if you now want to make up lost time so that you can enjoy the benefits of having trees on your property?

Below, we will explore which fast-growing trees tend to grow the best in southern states—USDA Zones 6-10—and divide them up by type. We’ll also provide you with important information about what conditions create optimal growth so that you can add these valuable plants to your landscape.

Fast-Growing Trees For Privacy

One of the biggest reasons people graduate from apartments to houses is to get more privacy. While a fence is nice, … Read Full Post »

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Squash Vine Borer: Protecting Your Plants From This Pest

. Posted by in • Corpus Christi
Squash vine borer

Squash is a very versatile vegetable. You can use it in salads and soups to up the nutrient profile. Some prefer it fried in copious amounts of butter for a delicious, yet simple side. Still others choose to turn it into a number of delicious and hearty casseroles.

Given all the ways you can use this plant, it’s no surprise that many homeowners add some summer squash to their garden. Say you decided to as well and followed all the best practices: planting after the last frost; choosing a well-drained, sunny area; using compost; adding a slow-release fertilizer; planting only a few seedlings per “hill”; keeping the hills three to four feet apart and watering early, so the leaves had plenty of time to dry.

Just as the plants started to grow, the wilting began. No matter what you did, you couldn’t seem to do anything to help the situation. Sadly, the … Read Full Post »

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Tree Crowning: Is It Good Idea Or A Mistake?

. Posted by in • Austin
Tree crowning

One of the things that drew you to your home was the beautiful trees. Perhaps you’ve never really had much of a green thumb, so you left the trees to their own devices. So far, that hasn’t been a problem.

Recently, though, you’ve noticed that those gorgeous trees have gotten a bit out of control. Where once they were uniform and well-manicured, now there are random branches jutting out here and there, giving your trees a ragged, lop-sided appearance.

You’ve considered dragging yourself up on your ladder to cut the offending branches. You’ve heard there is a technique called “tree crowning”, but you’re not really sure exactly how to do it—or even whether it would be a good thing to do.

The most important thing we can convey is that tree crowning is very rarely recommended by reputable lawn care experts. Although it may achieve your aesthetic goals, tree crowning will often damage … Read Full Post »

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What You Need to Know About Drywood Termites

. Posted by in ,
drywood termites

Termites are easily one of the most expensive types of pest infestations that can plague your home. They can chew away at important structures undetected for weeks and cause major damage to your property.

The best way to help prevent termite damage is to become more educated about the pests causing it. Here is our comprehensive guide covering what you need to know about drywood termites from ABC Home & Commercial Services.

What Do Drywood Termites Look Like?

Unless you are an extermination expert, correctly identifying insects can be tricky and confusing. Sometimes it can help to compare the insects on your property to pictures on the internet, but many species have a range of different colors and sizes that are considered normal. Here are some of the key characteristics of drywood termites to help you identify them.

  • Size – Drywood termites differ in size according to their role in the colony. Soldier termites … Read Full Post »
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Planting With Compost: Expert Advice From The Pros

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
Planting with compost

What do cow manure, grass clippings, dead leaves, coffee grounds and dinner scraps have in common? All of the above can be used to create or feed a compost pile, which you can then use in your garden to help keep your trees, plants, vegetable crops and soil healthy and thriving. Planting with compost is easy, as long as you know what you’re doing. Ready to learn everything you need to know about how to make and use compost in your garden? You came to the right place!

First, let’s talk about what compost is and what it’s used for. At its most basic, compost is simply partially decomposed organic matter—in other words, plant and other material that is nutrient-rich because it’s in the process of breaking down. Gardeners use compost to add important nutrients and microbes to the soil, in order to build its structure and help plants thrive. If … Read Full Post »

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Cyanuric Acid: Is That What’s Missing From Your Pool?

. Posted by in • Houston
Cyanuric Acid

To save a little money, you decided to go the DIY route with your pool. You did the cleaning. You handled the maintenance issues. You mixed in the chlorine and other chemicals to keep the pool pristine.

At first, it seemed to work pretty well. The kids had lots of fun, and you got to enjoy not paying for a service, putting a small chunk of change back into your pocket. Not too bad.

After a little time passed, though, you noticed that you were starting to get some algae growth. Later, you discovered that the pool was kind of green and cloudy. Then, after a bunch of kids came over and swam for the afternoon, several of them got sick—including yours.

What was going on? Weren’t the pool chemicals supposed to be stopping those kinds of things from happening?

They are, provided that you make sure you’re using the right chemicals in the … Read Full Post »

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How to Get Rid of Rodents

. Posted by in ,

Mice and rats can pose some of the most difficult pest control problems for homeowners. They can squeeze themselves through extremely tiny spaces and wreak havoc everywhere they go.

At ABC Home & Commercial Services, we have years of experience eliminating and preventing rodent problems in homes or businesses. Here are some tips from our extermination experts on how to get rid of rodents.

Seal up entry points.

By closing off entry points to your home, you can prevent rodents who live outdoors from sneaking inside. Mice and rats can flatten and contort their bodies to fit through spaces that seem like they would be too small. To test whether or not a mouse can squeeze through an opening, see if you can fit a pencil inside. It the pencil fits, the mouse can too. Seal up cracks and holes in the foundation, walls, and molding.

Seal up food.

Mice and rats can chew through … Read Full Post »

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The Difference Between Bed Bug And Mosquito Bites

. Posted by in • Orlando
Difference between bed bug bites and mosquito bites

Unless you live inside an air-conditioned bubble, you’re likely to find yourself scratching your skin at some point throughout the year as you come into contact with different varieties of biting insects. Both indoors and outdoors, and especially during the summer, you might have run-ins with fleas, mosquitoes, horse flies, black flies, or even—shudder—bed bugs. Bed bugs can be very difficult to get rid of, so finding suspicious, itchy welts on your skin can cause momentary panic as you try to figure out the culprit. Fortunately, it’s relatively easy to tell the difference between bed bug bites and mosquito bites or the bites of other insects, as long as you know what to look for. Read on to learn about various insect bites and the signs and symptoms indicating which pesky pest has taken a chomp out of you.

Mosquito Bites Vs. Flea Bites

Here’s the good news: Most common insect bites … Read Full Post »

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5 Facts About Bed Bugs

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Bed bugs are infamous for the problems they cause in households. They can ruin your mattress, cover your skin in bites, and keep you from sleeping soundly at night.

In order to better prevent bed bugs from infesting your home, it helps to become more informed about their habits. Here are five facts about bed bugs from our team of pest control experts at  ABC Home & Commercial Services.

1. Bed bugs can live anywhere – not just in your mattress.

Lots of people associate bed bugs with dirty hotel rooms or old mattresses. But bed bugs can pop up anywhere and everywhere, as long as they have access to a source of food. They can hide in your suitcase or clothes – or even nightstands, dressers, and other furniture – and travel from one location to another easily.

Be careful to examine your luggage after hotel stays and be wary of purchasing used … Read Full Post »

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Best Trees For Central Texas: A Homeowner’s Guide

. Posted by in , • Austin
Best trees for Central Texas

If you live in Austin, San Antonio or any of the surrounding cities, towns and rural spaces that make up the vast and beautiful Central Texas region, you already know something about Central Texas trees: In order not just to survive but to thrive, they have to be able to withstand periods of high heat and drought as well as occasional frigid snaps and deluges of water when the rainy season hits in spring and fall. That’s right—Central Texas trees have to be as tough, hardy and resilient as the people who live here. The best trees for Central Texas landscapes include varieties that can withstand all of the above, along with a variety of soil compositions, including plenty of rocks and limestone. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the best trees for Central Texas gardeners and the outdoor spaces they love.

Texas Ash Tree: A Classic Choice For … Read Full Post »

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