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How Long to Water Grass Seed

. Posted by in , , • San Antonio
how long to water grass seed

Your yard looks fine, but there are some bald patches. So you decide to fill them in by using some grass seed. Seems pretty simple. But when you do a quick search to see how long you need to water them, the answers you get are conflicting. What’s the real story? What do you need to be doing to make sure your seeds take root and give you the lush, green lawn that you want?

How Long to Water Grass Seed

New grass seed needs special care, although it may take less time than you may think to get it growing. If you keep a few things in mind during the period of time grass seed needs to take root, your extra effort will pay off with a beautiful green lawn.

What You Should Know About Seeding Grass

When you are trying to decide how long to water grass seed, first take into consideration your planting … Read Full Post »

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St. Augustine Grass: Is It Right For Your Lawn?

. Posted by in , , • Austin
St. Augustine Grass

Many homeowners spend hours of hard work on their yard in the hopes of getting a lush, thick, green carpet of grass. If you look closely, you’ll probably notice that St. Augustine grass is a key part of many picture-perfect yards in your neighborhood.

St. Augustine Grass: Is It Right For Your Lawn?

St. Augustine is a very common type of lawn grass in parts of the United States which have mild winters. But is it right for your lawn? What kinds of pests call St. Augustine grass home? How do you take care of St. Augustine grass? Let’s explore more in depth below.

What Should I Know About St. Augustine Grass?

St. Augustine grass is a medium-to-high-maintenance grass that does best in the southern United States. Ask anyone about St. Augustine grass and they’ll all say they love the carpet-like look and feel of it.

St. Augustine is characterized by broad, flat blades of grass, … Read Full Post »

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What You Need to Know About Shade Trees in Texas

. Posted by in , , • San Antonio
shade trees texas

You opted for the house with the big yard. Only there’s a problem. It’s kind of hard to go outside–at all–in a yard without any trees to shield you from the blistering Texas summer sun. So now you’re wondering: should I get a shade tree? More than one? What are the most common trees in Texas? How long do they take to grow? What exactly do you need to do to care for them?

What You Need to Know About Shade Trees in Texas

You can start to answer your own questions by looking around and doing some “Texas tree identification” on your own. In other words, the best place to start is with the shade trees that you see growing in your own neighborhood.

From there, though, you’re probably going to need a bit of help. You’ll need to learn what it takes to get the shade tree that’s right for you and … Read Full Post »

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Lawn Care with Pets: How to Keep a Dog From Digging

. Posted by in , • Austin
How to Keep Dog from Digging

Large or small, active or couch potatoes, dogs dig. It’s built into their genes. Yet even as “normal” as digging is, coming home to a yard that looks like a bomb went off or a minefield was placed can make you question whether dog ownership is worth it.  The good news for your four-legged family member is that we’ve got some tips on how to keep Fido from destroying your lawn.

Lawn Care With Pets: How to Keep Dog From Digging

Gone are the days when the family pet needs to dig a hole to hide food supplies, find food or camp out against bad weather. The family dog digs for a number of reasons or for no reason at all–sometimes it’s just fun.

Boredom 

Dogs that are left alone outside for a long period of time with nothing to do will find something to do and it usually is not productive. Digging … Read Full Post »

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Buying A New AC Unit? Five Things You Should Consider

. Posted by in • San Antonio
buying a new ac unit

During an age when the truth is just a few clicks away, many HVAC companies trade transparency for smoke and mirrors. Focused on the upsell, these heating and cooling contractors rarely take time to explain your options, consider your budget and make the recommendation that’s best for you. At ABC Home & Commercial Services, we take a different approach. Leading the industry by example, we educate customers about what they can expect from our products and services—then provide straightforward pricing without gimmicks and fine print. It’s this honest transparency that separates us from the pack, and it’s the reason so many of our customers stick with us for years. So, where do you begin when it’s time to replace your air conditioning system? It’s a confusing process, but we’ll walk you through it.

There are many different air conditioner types to consider when choosing a new unit for your home. Don’t … Read Full Post »

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Lawn Pests: Identification

. Posted by in , • Bryan-College Station
lawn pests identification

When you bought your new home, one of the first things that sold you on it was the large, gorgeously maintained yard. From being the greenest grass on the block to the colorful flowers and vibrant plants, it was like your own little oasis. Then something happened. Despite your best efforts, brown spots started appearing. Something was ravaging the leaves and flowers. You had been invaded. But by what? If you don’t know much about lawn pests, identification techniques or how much damage they can do, your beautiful lawn could be at risk.

You want to get rid of the pests and protect your lawn, but you’re not exactly sure what’s doing the damage. And you don’t want to get rid of helpful creatures along with the hurtful ones–not if you can avoid it.

Lawn Pests: Identification

So how do you identify which types of critters are harming your lawn? In this article, you’ll learn how … Read Full Post »

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How To Control Humidity In Your Home

. Posted by in • San Antonio
How To Control Humidity

When the air outside feels so much hotter than the weather report indicates, it’s usually because of the humidity. When it’s hot and humid outside, your body cannot cool down the way it naturally does. Normally, your body sweats to cool down, and you feel cooler as sweat evaporates. But sweat cannot evaporate quickly when there is too much moisture in the air.

When you go indoors and turn on your air conditioner, you feel cooler not only because the AC removes heat from the air and sends cool air through the vents, but also because your system is designed to remove moisture from the air. In fact, some of the first air conditioners were invented mainly with humidity control in mind. In this post, we’ll share some tips on how to get rid of moisture in your home and how to keep your home more comfortable.

What Is Humidity?

Humidity is what … Read Full Post »

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How to Get Rid of Geckos

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
How to Get Rid of Geckos

What’s that hanging around your porch light in the evenings, particularly in the warmer months? Most likely, it’s a gecko. 
In this post, we’ll tell you what you need to know about geckos in Texas, how to get rid of them (if that’s what you decide to do) and how to prevent them from coming back again. Read on to learn more about this reptile.

What You’ll Learn:

  • What Is A Gecko?
  • What Do Geckos Eat?
  • How To Get Rid Of Geckos

What Is A Gecko?

Is a gecko a lizard? Technically, yes. Geckos are small lizards that belong to the Gekkonidae family. While geckos are lizards, a few characteristics set them apart from other reptiles. The common household gecko has bulging, lidless eyes and sticky toepads. These toepads allow geckos to climb walls and even move across ceilings. These crawling creatures are typically between three and six inches in length. Geckos can shed their skin, although … Read Full Post »

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Black Spiky Caterpillars: Should You Be Worried?

. Posted by in , • Austin
black spiky caterpillars

You’ve probably seen one at some point–a black spiky caterpillar with red stripes. Those fuzzy little creatures can be quite intimidating if you don’t know much about them. You have probably stayed away because you were worried about these fuzzy creatures being poisonous.

Worry no more–the giant leopard moth caterpillar is just looking for a quiet space to get ready to turn into a beautiful white moth with black circular designs, creating a leopard-like pattern. This type of caterpillar is both harmless and beautiful to look at, which makes them a welcome visitor to your outdoor spaces.

What Will I Learn?

  • What is That Red and Black Caterpillar?
  • Are Fuzzy Caterpillars Poisonous?
  • Giant Leopard Moth
  • How to Attract Caterpillars to Your Yard
  • Get Professional Help to Attract Caterpillars

What Is That Red And Black Caterpillar?

Also called an eyed-tiger moth caterpillar or commonly a “woolly bear”, this type of caterpillar has black spikes all over its body, … Read Full Post »

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Jadera haematoloma: What You Need to Know About This Bug

. Posted by in • Orlando
Jadera haematoloma

“Unknown insect – Jadera haematoloma” by Eugene Zelenko is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

If you’re like most people, the term or phrase “Jadera haematoloma” means nothing. There’s even a chance you’ve never even heard it before. As with most insects, the bug connected with this term is often known by its common name, not scientific. Instead, most people refer to this bug as either the red-shouldered bug, the goldenrain tree bug, or simply the Jadera bug. Do any of these names ring a bell?

Jadera haematoloma: What You Need to Know About This Bug

Found across the United States, the Jadera bug is easily identifiable and quite common. But because of this name confusion, we thought it would be an excellent time to dive deeper into the facts about this species to understand a bit more. Let’s explore together.  

First, What Do They Look Like?

As you can see in the photo … Read Full Post »

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