Mike's Irrigation

Like all places, there are terms and definitions that can be construed with different meaning. Just like sign language has its own slang, did you know that east coast and west coast are different in sign language? Just like that, the terms of taking care of your lawn and making a brand new lawn are two different things. In example, landscaping sounds better than lawn maintenance so many lawn care services just use the term “landscaping”. The definition of landscaping, according to dictionary.com states, “…to improve the appearance of (an area of land, a highway, etc.), as by planting trees, shrubs, or grass, or altering the contours of the ground…” so calling “lawn care” “landscaping” probably isn’t that too far of a stretch. But there are distinct differences in a company that creates one for you from scratch and one that maintains what you already have. Let’s examine that shall we? Landscaper (creating) Landscaping is the beginning or remaking of an outside area of la...

The yellow pages lists over 183 landscaping companies in the surrounding Bend, OR area. The US Census Bureau lists over 90,000 landscaping services nationwide so if we calculate the number of incorporated places nationwide 19,354 by 90,000, we get 21 per city. So, how many landscaping companies are actually in Bend, Sisters, Redmond, La Pine, Prineville and Madras? 21 companies times 6 cities are 126 so the yellow pages isn’t too far off. Now that we know there are between 126 and 183 landscaping services in Central Oregon, how on Earth do we pick the right one for our personal or business needs? Here is a good list of questions to ask when choosing the right landscaping service: Are they bonded, insured and have their contractor’s license? There is a board for landscaping contractors and they need a pesticide license including a certificate of insurance provided by their insurance company. These are great questions to ask and to look for on their vehicles. Do they...

Landscape health is something many homeowners do not take into consideration. Simply mowing and watering lawns will not improve the life and health of the property. Edging, lawn care, mulching and pruning are essential for the longevity of your lawn. There are two processes that involve this choreography. Landscape Maintenance & Irrigation. Both are critical to your land value and the longevity of your property. Landscape Maintenance There are four processes to maintaining your landscape. Lawn care, edging, mulching and pruning. Lawn care involves soil testing, seed awareness and planting (what type of species you have so we don’t plant the wrong type – bluegrass, fescue or ryegrass) and cutting. Lawn care in Central Oregon involves the right amount of water because of the high desert climate. The cut of the grass is important too as the lower you cut the grass, the less sun it gets for nutrition and the higher you cut is the same due to a covering it produces. Edg...