Are you on social media? What a silly question–almost everyone is on social media nowadays. Even the Pope has a Twitter account. When you think of companies to follow on Facebook or Twitter, your first thought may not be lawn care services, but it should be! What will you find if you “like” Alternative Environments on social media? 

• Lawncare reminders! A lot of lawn care is seasonal. Following us on Facebook or Twitter is like having a personal assistant to remind you when to schedule core aeration, which pests to look out for when, at-home remedies to supplement our professional services, and more.
• Behind the scenes content! You’ll find pictures and fun stories about our biggest asset–our professional, knowledgeable staff. At Alternative Environments, our people know how to have fun while doing their jobs well, and we can’t wait to share it all with you.
• General tips and advice for homeowners. We’ve been doing this a long time, and we know what we’re talking about. Get privy to that wealth of knowledge to make things easier for you!
• Get first notice about specials and discounts, new blog posts, beautiful landscape design ideas, reviews, and more! You can even contact us through Facebook, though of course, our contact page is always an option as well.

Our content isn’t always the same from platform to platform, so don’t be afraid to follow us in more than one place. You can find Alternative Environments on Facebook. If Twitter is more your style, you can find us @aelmilandscape!

The first thing people see when they visit your business isn’t your building, your signage, or even your employees. It’s your landscaping. How does yours shape up? Alternative Environments isn’t just a source for commercial landscaping in the Villa Rica, GA area–we’re the best source! Good commercial landscaping does so much more than keep the lawn mowed. When you work with Alternative Environments, we present your business in the best possible light, make a great first impression to your customers, increase your curb appeal and foot traffic, and create a beautiful, comfortable environment for you and your staff. We work with your budget and constraints to create a cost-effective plan. We can even do multi-year contracts. Plus, we work hard to make sure you’re satisfied–check out our reviews if you don’t believe us. When you work with us, our process has several steps. First, we walk your site, take measurements, make notes, and take stock of your current landscaping conditions. You’ll receive a bid from us that’s broken into two or three sections depending on what items are on your property. We always sit down with you to present our bid, discuss it with you, and answer any questions that you may have. Once you’ve accepted, we connect you with your contract, and then we handle everything else while you reap the benefits! Fall is a great time to make a commercial landscaping plan. Call or email Alternative Environments today and let’s start working to make your business really bloom!

The days are getting shorter and temperatures are finally starting to cool down. While you’re pulling out winter clothes and holiday decorations, have you thought about preparing your lawn for cold weather? Now is the time! With proper care now, your lawn will come back strong in the spring. Check out these tips from Alternative Environments in Villa Rica, GA.

• • Mow Smart. The trick here is to keep mowing your lawn through the fall, but lower the blade so that more sunlight can reach your grass.
  • Plant Perennials. If you plant these now, they will have time to establish themselves before spring, when they’ll burst into colorful life! Check out some of our favorites.
  • Control Invaders. Weeds and fallen leaves can cause havoc in your yard anytime, but especially if left unchecked in the winter. Leaves can cause mold and fungus and provide a home for pests. The fewer weeds you allow to get established now, the fewer weeds you’ll have to deal with in the spring.
  • The Most Important Words. Three words apply in the fall: aerate, seed, fertilize! Fertilizing is especially important. While the stems of grass won’t grow much during the winter, the roots will! Fertilizing now means that the roots get the bulk of nutrients, so they can become well-established.

When you’re ready to prepare your lawn for cold weather, give the lawn care experts at Alternative Environments a call. We’ve been doing this a long time, and we know how to do it well! Contact us now for a great yard in the spring.

September is upon us! Now is the best time to core aerate and over-seed your fescue lawn, when the grass is growing most rapidly. At Alternative Environments in Villa Rica, GA, we offer core aeration and great customer service. But why is this service so important for your lawn?  Fescue grass is comparatively low-maintenance: it needs less watering, less mowing, and less fertilizing. On the other hand, it doesn’t germinate automatically, so it must be reseeded each year. Before you can do that, you need to prep the soil with extra water and nutrients. Especially after a summer of hot weather, rain and lots of time spent playing on the lawn, soil can get very compact and hard. Since Georgia soil tends to be hard and contain a lot of clay, aeration is vital! If it’s not loosened, water, fertilizer, and new seeds won’t reach the right depths to do any good–they will just sit on the surface and get washed away. Loosening soil also makes it easier for roots to reach down deep. That’s where aeration comes in! Core aeration is the process of poking hundreds of holes in soil to loosen it. Aerating in the fall allows your cool-weather grass to establish roots and flourish in the spring, thus lessening the harsh effects of hot summer weather on your lawn.  At Alternative Environments, we take pride in all our services and products. Contact us today to set up your aeration appointment and let’s get to work on your lawn!

With fall just around the corner, the armyworm invasion is imminent. Each year as summer wanes, these turfgrass pests go on the march, destroying lawns with their voracious appetites. Armyworms cause significant damage to newly planted sod and sprigged grass. While the damage caused to establish turf is mostly aesthetic, it can destroy a summer of careful landscaping. Are you prepared for the armyworm invasion?

Everything You Need to Know about Armyworms

• Adult armyworm moths are most active at night. Female armyworms lay a minimum of 50 eggs and can lay as many as a few hundred. Within several days these eggs hatch and the larvae feed on the best leaves available: your lawn.
• Larvae feed for 2 to three weeks before pupating, during which time they consume huge swatches of grass.
• Heat drives off armyworms. They’re most active in late summer and early fall, resting during the day and becoming active in early mornings and evenings. Cooler weather causes armyworms to become more active during the day.
• According to some UGA Cooperative Extension agents, this summer may bring the worst armyworm infestation in 25 years.
• The best way to spot armyworm damage is to pay close attention to the lawn. Young armyworms often eat leaves in areas that aren’t immediately apparent, causing significant lawn damage before they’re found. It’s especially easy to overlook armyworms in thick, healthy grass.

Stop the armyworm invasion in its tracks. Alternative Environments offers a fast-acting, effective armyworm treatment that kills both active armyworms and grubs that aren’t yet active. Call our offices for the best armyworm prevention in Villa Rica.