Termites

It's mulching season again and many people are concerned with termites that attract to wood.  Actually termites are already in your yard the wood mulch just gives them a place to live.

Termites can't live in a pile of mulch it ends up drying out and they will die.  Termites like moist areas and mulch once in your garden bed creates the moisture for the termites to be active. 

Should you do stone then over mulch?  Not necessary, rock could possibly allow the area to be less moist but it is still a good hiding place for termites and other insects.

What can you do to prevent termites from entering your home?

• Buffer:  When placing anything in the garden bed directly next to your siding make sure to put nothing within a foot of your foundation, leave it dirt.
• Don't put wood hardy plants directly next to your home, place dainty flowers.
• If you have mulch next to the house, keep it dry and leave it on 2" thick or less.
• Don't allow wood to pile up on the ground next to your house.
• Bark mulches are less favorable to termites but still could become a source of food.

When looking for termites

• Do you see tiny wings places near your home?  Once termites find away into your home and start their eating process they will dispose of their wings.
• Are you finding wood damage?
• Do you see mud tubes near trees, sheds or footing of house?
• If you have a crawl space, rafters or exposed wood under your house, go to it with a screw driver and give it a little push.  If the wood falls out or your screw driver sinks in then you have wood damage.

Stone & Mulch Coverage

When ever you are ordering stone are you confused on where to begin?  How do you know how much you need?  You don't want to much and you don't want to be short.

1.)  What do you want stone or mulch?

2.)  Measure your are in length and depth, you will also need to know how thick you will be spreading the materials.

3.)  A general idea of coverage

-  Mulch / Topsoil -  1 yard at 3" thick will cover 100 square feet
-  River Jack 1"-3" - 1 ton raked out covers 100 square feet
- 3/4" Stone - 1 ton raked out covers 150 square feet

4.)  We have an online calculator coming soon or you can call our office to get an exact quote on your materials.

Mold in My Mulch

Sometimes after you mulch you will find mold and fungi growing on the surface.  This is normal, the fungi is what helps the woody mulch product break down and decompose.  You can always just remove the area of mulch that may have the fungi growing.

Artillery Fungus

Mushrooms

Slime Mold

About Delaware Hardscape Supply

Salt on your Landscapes

Salt is not good for your plants or concrete.  When salt dissolves into the water after it melts the snow the run off gets into your soils and seeps into your plants root system.  When your plants take in the salt it stops the plant from getting the proper nutrients for it to grow.  Your soils are also in danger of salt.  The salt alters the ph balance of your soil.  The change is negative and the nutrients of your soil becomes poor.  Concrete and salt, is another thing that just does not go well together.  The chloride in the salt attacks the concrete bond.  When the bond is weak water will get into the enlarged pours.  The water once frozen will cause the concrete to expand and crack.  The acid in the salt will eat at your concrete over time as well.

Best Practices

• Build a trench between asphalt and plants to stop grab the run off
• Put in plants near the asphalt that are more salt tolerant
• Don't place plants directly next to asphalt
• Run fresh water over your soils that have come in contact with salt
• Mix Gypsum in the top 6" of soil after a salting
• Use smaller amounts of salt
• Remove snow immediately to stop from icing
• Seal concrete to protect it from salt

Announcement

Winter Company Announcement

• Saturday hours will end for the season on 12/17/2016.
• We will be closed from 12/24/2016 - 01/01/2017.
• Website is going to be updated over the winter featuring all of our special product lines.
• New pricing will be available March of 2017.

Products that you may have missed in 2016, don't miss them in 2017.  Special order product lines could make your home or project stand out from the rest! 

• Patio Packs
• Natural Stone Circle Kits
• Natural Stone Wall Caps
• Ledger Panel Veneers
• Fireplaces and Fire Pits to be Customized
• Outdoor Kitchens to be Customized
• Boulders

Prepare Your Beds for Winter

Winter is Coming....

We are now entering the final month of the year and the beginning of three months of cold weather.  There are ways to protect your plants and give back to your soil for the upcoming spring season, that right now seems so far away.

1) Rake your leaves - the leaves that have fallen can cause your healthy plants to grow disease.
2) Dig up any dead plants & weeds.
3) After your perennials have gone dormant for the winter cut them down to about 6" above the ground.
4)  Great time to plant your bulbs, plant 3" below ground.
5)  Place leaf mold/compost/mulch or regular compost over the beds.  This will protect your plants and give needed nutrients to your soil.  **Note** Do not do this until it has gotten cold and stayed cold for a period of time.  Rodents will build a home in your garden bed and dine on your plants.
6)  New trees need their bark wrapped.  You can use tree wrap, burlap or left over weed barrier.
7)  Screen your evergreens with burlap or weed barrier.

Premium Compost Supplied by DHS

Leaf Mulch/Compost