Top 5 Reasons to Buy a Real Tree vs Fake Tree This Christmas
Why the environment will thank you for buying a real Christmas tree this year! 1. Real trees keep giving, even after the holidays are over! When Christmas is over and it’s time to take down your real tree, seek out local options to dispose of your tree. You will commonly find that tree farms will take old trees and chop them up to be reused as mulch for the upcoming season’s crops Fake trees are usually disposed of by being thrown out once their families find they no longer useful. I’m sure you can imagine the surge of fake Christmas trees taking up valuable landfill space post-holiday season. 2. Fake Christmas trees are made of nonrenewable petroleum Real Christmas trees do not harm our environment or resources when properly disposed of — they are produced as an agricultural crop. Each year Christmas tree growers replace cut trees with a new crop of seedlings. 3. Tree farms contribute to an important part of our ecosystem Did you know it may take 8 to 12 years to grow a Christmas tree? During this time, the trees are taking in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen! With these large fields of trees cleaning the air, they can help to slow down climate change. Most tree farms are maintained on land that cannot grow other crops, allowing this space to still be used to benefit the environment with the extra benefit of spreading holiday cheer! Without the demand for real Christmas trees, farmers would no longer have a need to plant them. 4. Get your real Christmas tree 100% homegrown! Fake Christmas trees are usually manufactured outside of the United States, taking away job opportunities for farmers and those that sell real trees. Outsourcing these jobs to other countries does not benefit the United State’s economy, but just shows another harsh effect outsourcing has on our job market. 5. The smell of a fresh fir tree is relaxing during the hectic holiday season In between all of the cooking, shopping, gift-wrapping, and entertaining, you need some time to relax. Closing your eyes and taking in the beautiful smell of a fresh fir tree will help remind you of why the holidays are a cherished time spent with your friends and family. Looking to purchase a real Christmas tree this year? Stop by Sal’s Nursery to look at our beautiful selection of real Christmas trees and holiday decor. Happy Holidays!
Protecting Your Yard From Deer
There’s nothing more charming than a family of deer cautiously tiptoeing by. However, the moment becomes considerably less wonderful when a hungry mother deer decides to stop in and snack on your plants, or a buck realizes that your new tree is a perfect place to shed his antler velvet. Deer may also carry ticks and they cause thousands of vehicle accidents each year. These are several reasons why keeping deer away from your home is a good idea, but that can be easier said than done. Physical Barriers The most consistent, surefire way to keep deer away from your home is with physical barriers such as fences, hedges, and protective plant coverings. When considering fence height, keep in mind that deer are natural jumpers; your fencing should be around 8’ tall in order to effectively keep them out. If the visual impact of fencing is a concern, consider using black propylene deer fencing. It’s affordable and blends seamlessly with forest environments. In the case that fencing is not a possibility, you can protect trees and shrubs individually. Tree protectors can be purchased at a garden supply store or homemade using drainpipe. For shrubs and smaller plants, wire cages or sheets of burlap can help preserve them from hungry deer. Scent Deterrents There are several brandname anti-deer sprays available. Most contain ingredients like chili pepper, egg, and garlic that make eating your plants undesirable. Some brands will even include urine of a predator such as a coyote or fox. These scents are undetectable to humans, but a deal-breaker for deer. You can also try this home remedy that uses Zest soap. Put a half bar of soap in a net bag and hang it from a branch near your plants. The deer will smell the soap, think that there are humans nearby and stay clear of the area. The thing to remember about all types of scent deterrent is that rain, wind, and plant growth will wash away your solution over time. You’ll want to repeat these methods at least once per month for best results. Scare Tactics Deer are characteristically skittish and can be deterred by all sorts of sensory stimulants. One of the best assets for scaring deer is the family dog. Regardless of size or breed, having a dog around your yard will be extremely unappealing to deer. Noise can be a great tool for frightening deer as well. Try hanging wind chimes or installing a bamboo (deer chaser) fountain. Finally, motion activated lights can be an effective temporary solution, although deer will grow accustom to the light over time. Plant choice At the end of the day, the most affective way to prevent deer from eating your plants is to avoiding planting things that deers love to eat. Plants such as lettuces, peas, hostas, pansies, tulips, roses, and chrysanthemums are all favorites. Fruit trees can also attract deer to your yard. Similarly, planting things that deer do not like to eat around your property is a good way to discourage them from stopping by. Cleome, fuzzy lamb’s ear, and barberries are all good choices because of their rough texture. Try try again When all is said and done, the thing to understand when going up against deer is that they’re persistent, and that in time, they’ll get used to any deterrent. With that in mind, you’ll want to alternate your tactics as often as necessary in order to keep deer out of your yard and away from your plants.
Last Chance to Prepare your Garden for Winter
Ready or not, winter is right around the corner and with it cold weather, frost, and snow. If your yard is not prepared, the elements can wreak havoc on your plants. Just in case you’ve been putting off the lawn preparation all autumn, here are a few of our very best, last-minute tips to get your yard ready for the winter. Spring bulbs With Jack Frost right around the corner, it’s officially last call for spring bulbs! Generally, we try to plant bulbs like tulips, hyacinths, and crocuses six weeks before the ground freezes. For tulips, plant bulbs 6” deep, from the base of the bulb to the soil line, and 4” apart from each other. If you’re planting a medley of bulbs, consider the time of spring they will bloom. For instance, hyacinths are a good indicator that spring has arrived because they are early bloomers. Alliums, on the other hand, will be the last to bloom. For the perfect bulb fertilizer, create a mixture of sharp sand, Chesapeake Blue (ground-up Chesapeake Bay blue crab and composted wood chips), peat humus and Bulb Booster. To insure healthy bulbs in spring, position them in an area of your yard that gets full sunlight. If all else fails and you’ve waited too long, you can also buy spring bulbs in pots and transplant them in the spring! Raspberries & Black Berries If you’ve grown red raspberries or black berries this summer, now’s the time to prepare your garden for winter and set them up for success next spring. First, you’ll want to narrow the row of canes to 1.5’ – 2’. If you allow them to grow outwards, you’ll increase the risk of plant rot and make the berries more difficult to harvest. During this step, even if the canes look good, cut them back until your row of plants is 2’ wide or less. Once the row has been narrowed, you’ll want to thin the plants out so that there are 3-4 remaining canes per square foot. Try and remove canes that have fruited this year, and avoid younger ones with bulbs. Afterwards, your plants will look rather thin, but that’s a good thing! Each plant will get plenty of sunlight and the berries will be easily accessible for picking, which means that the next harvest will yield a better crop with less effort. Next, trim the ends of the canes back by 12-16”. If you’re using trellis wires, you’ll want to secure the remaining canes to the wires using a short biodegradable string or tomato plant clips. Finally, remember to clean up the ground surrounding your plants. This includes not only plant trimmings but any raspberry or black berry suckers that have sprouted near your plants. Removing scale insects Scales are small, immobile parasites that feed off the sap of your trees and shrubs, stunting plant growth. It’s important for the health of your plants this winter to treat any scales that may have built up on your trees or shrubs during the warm months. If you’re searching for an alternative to poisonous chemical pesticides to treat scales, try Sunspray Ultra-Fine Oil. It physically smothers scales and their eggs and the best part is that it works all winter! Have more tips? What are your best secrets for prepping your yard for winter? Leave your tips in the comments below or reach out on Facebook to spread the word!
No Documented Cases of Lanternflies On Pennsylvania-Grown Christmas Trees
How Pennsylvania is preparing for the lanternfly this Christmas season Should I Buy a Live Christmas Tree? With Pennsylvania’s spotted lanternfly alert this Christmas season, people are asking themselves if they should continue the age-old tradition of picking out a live Christmas tree, or make the switch to an artificial one? In the story, Could the spotted lanternfly be lurking in your Christmas tree this year?, Fox 29 tries to help you make this decision by exploring the odds of actually finding a lanternfly on your live Christmas tree, and what Pennsylvania is doing to help prevent these insects from spreading and entering your home this holiday season. Fox 29 speaks to experts who say the odds are very low that lanternflies will show up on your live Christmas tree this year, and Chris Nicholson, President of the NJ Christmas Tree Growers Association, states, “There is no documented case of a spotted lanternfly having been found on a Christmas tree that was grown in our state.” The article also revealed there has only been one case of eggs found in a Christmas tree from Pennsylvania. In an attempt to control the lanternfly population, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has quarantined areas across Southeast PA. These efforts will hopefully mitigate what is expected to be an already small risk of lanternflies showing up on local Christmas tree farms. What Should I Do If I See a Lanternfly? If you happen to spot a live spotted lanternfly or any egg masses in Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture says you should call their hotline number — 1-888-4BADFLY (1-888-422-3359). You also can report a sighting to the Penn State Extension on this web page: https://extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly.
5 Reasons You Need to Hire a Professional Landscaping Company
Landscaping Professionals vs the Other Guys: What Are the Benefits? 1. We understand your goals When you call us, we don’t just want to know your project’s goals — we want to know your long-term goals for your whole outdoor landscape. We have the ability to do your project in phases. As professionals, we have over 50 years of experience with a portfolio spanning thousands of projects, allowing our designers to create the ideal project not just for now, but your future. Check out our gallery for some inspiration today! 2. We know pricing matters We understand a huge aspect of your project is finding someone who will do it for “the right price.” Unfortunately, when price shopping you find that the “other guys” may present a price below that of a professional landscaping company like us. What they don’t tell you is the lack of quality in the products they may use, corners that will be cut in the process, AND/OR TOWNSHIP REQUIREMENTS (SUCH AS PERMITS, ENGINEERING, VARIANCES, ETC). While you should always be straightforward in how much you are willing to pay for the project altogether, you should also expect the same honesty from your landscapers. Contact trusted professionals to learn more about honest pricing for your next dream project. 3. We can make your home more energy efficient Our skilled designers are capable of creating a project utilizing resources and design techniques to help you make your home more energy efficient without the high-cost of solar products. With the proper strategy, your new landscaping project can shade your home’s walls and windows, helping to reduce your need for air conditioning, while also creating a barrier between outside sounds to reduce the need for soundproof walls. 4. We think of every detail The team at Sal’s Nursery is there from start to finish to ensure that your custom project is within compliance of your local regulations. We take the critical steps necessary to ensure the job is done right the first time, saving you money from easy mistakes made by the “other guys.” Our landscaping services also include critical tasks such as obtaining permits to contacting underground utility services. At Sal’s Nursery, we take pride in saving you the headache you’d get with less detail-oriented landscapers. 5. Professional landscaping can give you the best return on investment to increase your property’s value According to The National Association of Landscape Professional’s 2018 Remodeling Impact Report: Outdoor Features, the following factors were the most impactful when considering the return on investment when conducting professional landscaping services: Landscape maintenance and tree care recover 100 percent of the costs at the time of sale. A new wood deck, water feature, statement landscape, and new patio all received Joy Scores of 9.7 or higher. The projects that gave consumers the greatest desire to be at home include a new pool (92 percent), statement landscape (87 percent), landscape upgrade (85 percent), and a new patio (84 percent). Inspired to talk to your trusted neighborhood landscaping professionals? Get in touch with landscaping experts you can trust by calling 215-699-9080. If you’d prefer to send us an email, just visit our contact page. Check out our project gallery today for inspiration!
Featured Project: Masonry Retaining Walls With Deck & Patio
Each house that we get the privilege of working on is unique which allows us to come up with designs that really play off that specific house’s layout and figure out the best way to make that outdoor living space work for that home. Every house is different and every house will have different characteristics for us to play off of. For this particular property we really wanted to ensure that the whole layout of the outdoor space felt cohesive and strived to create a layout that would bring the elevated deck and the living space out in the yard together. Each aspect of the design considers form, function, and aesthetics with a variety of materials allowing for the perfect outdoor living & entertaining space. Take a look below at the various features and be sure to check even more images in our galleries or contact us with other questions you may have! The main entry point to this living space is from the back of the house, so we’ve added a large spacious deck that helps to extend the living space of the house to the outdoors and integrated a dark wood with light railing for a visual contrast. We were also able to customize the deck to fit their existing hot tub in the corner and really customize the space for them: As we move from the deck into the yard living space, we have the stair case leading from the deck into a gorgeous landing with retaining walls including custom masonry and landscaping, with a staircase that leads guest right into the second outdoor living space. This landing offers a nice transition from the elevated deck to the ground level space as an alternative to just a straight-forward set of stairs offering – creating an elegant and functional characteristic to the area. These stairs lead right into the second outdoor living space with matching masonry work on the patio: As a final finishing touch to the design, a built in fire pit has been included within this space that ties in the masonry work done throughout the rest of the built and provide a nice space for gathering with friends and family. Don’t forget to check out the rest of our builds in our gallery page and contact us to see how we can transform your outdoor space to fit your lifestyle! Also be sure to follow us on Facebook to make sure you stay up to date on all of our featured projects!
Featured Project: Covered Deck Structure
There are countless ways to transform your outdoor living space, and in the northeast where we experience a variety of seasonal weather it could be helpful to integrate an outdoor structure that make your space transitional throughout the year. In this week’s featured project, we wanted highlight this beautiful covered deck that we completed that includes living space both under cover and open. Having the option of both a covered area, as well as an open air section gives you and your guests the opportunity to enjoy your outdoor space whether it’s sunny, cloud, a little breezy out or even rainy. Check out the featured images of the build below and the various highlights of the project! In this build we highlighted the gorgeous roofline of the addition by including a high ceiling with detailed work in the trusses: A raised deck to align with the house floor plan: An outdoor ceiling fan for air flow: Bold contrast between the deck and wood with the iron railing: Ample living space both covered and uncovered for entertaining guests and family: And finished it off with a hand build stone fire pit for those chilly evenings: There’s countless ways to ensure you can enjoy your outdoor space as much as possible throughout the year, so be sure to contact us today for your consultation on customizing your space! Also, don’t forget to check out other projects highlighted in gallery to get even more ideas for your space!
Remembering Salvatore Antonucci
It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the loss of our beloved mentor and founder, Salvatore Antonucci, who passed away on May 18, 2016. He started Sal’s Nursery in 1956. Salvatore F. Antonucci, 89, of North Wales, PA, formerly of Ambler, PA died on May 18, 2016 at Abington Hospice at Warminster. He was the beloved husband of Mary (DeMario) Antonucci. Salvatore was born in Abington, PA on October 26, 1926 to the late Frank and Marion (Pellegrino) Antonucci. He was a stone mason for many years, and founder of Sal’s Nursery in North Wales. Salvatore graduated St. Joseph Elementary School, Forest Avenue Elementary School and attended Ambler High School. He was a US Navy veteran of WWII obtaining the rank of Storekeeper 3rd class. He was a member of Mary, Mother of the Redeemer Church, Montgomery Twp. Republican Party, and Montgomery Twp. Parks and Recreation Board. He was Constable in Montgomery Twp. for 27 years; he served as President for 2 years for Montgomery County Constable Association, and was named as Honorary Montgomery Twp. Supervisor. Along with his wife Mary, he is survived by his children Cathy Shultz and Bill of Doylestown, PA, Diane Adams and Craig of Chalfont, John Antonucci and Judy of Doylestown, 5 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren, 1 sister, and many nieces and nephews. He was pre-deceased by 3 brothers and 5 sisters. Relatives and friends are invited to his Funeral Mass on Saturday, May 21, 2016 at 11AM at Mary, Mother of the Redeemer Church, 1325 Upper State Rd., North Wales, PA 19454. The Viewing will be from 9-11AM at Church. Interment will be in St. John Neumann Cemetery. Condolences may be made at www.ciavarellifuneralhomes.com.
Featured Project: Outdoor Living Space
How do you transform your backyard into the ultimate outdoor living space? How about a swimming pool and covered deck, complete with grilling station and fireplace? In this case, that’s exactly what our clients had in mind! This project demanded that we incorporate lots of different elements including a swimming pool, masonry, landscaping, electric, plumbing, carpentry and more. Sal’s delivered a stunning space that’s as beautiful as it is functional! Future site of a new swimming pool and spa. Before any ground is moved, our expert designers create custom plans to meet the client’s needs and exceed their expectations. Ground is leveled in preparation for the paver patio and covered deck. The swimming pool’s footprint is excavated and it’s shape is defined with rebar. Once the plumbing is in place, concrete is used to seal and shape the pool. Patio and landscaped areas are defined. The ground is compressed in preparation for stone pavers. This subtle geometric pattern contrasts the organic curves of the pool deck to create an interesting balance. The pool and spa are taking shape! Tile is used to line the pool coping while stonework accents the hot tub. The foundation is laid for the outdoor living area, along with the concealed plumbing. Matching stonework is used for the grilling station and fireplace. The outdoor space is taking shape as a concrete base is poured for the patio area. Pavers are added to the patio as the grilling station begins to take shape. Stone pillars support the wooden beams that are used to frame the roof. The roof is sealed up tight and lighting is installed. This covered area will become a oasis to escape from the summer heat after a dip in the pool! Roofing is installed to match the home as the final details are added to the outdoor living space. The ground is prepared for landscaping. Once again geometric patterns blend delicately with the organic lines of the patio. We’re so pleased with how this outdoor living space came together! What’s your favorite part of this dream project? Let us know on Facebook or Houzz! If you’d like to discuss your dream project, feel free to fill out our contact form or give Sal’s Nursery & Landscaping a call at (215) 699-9080.
Featured Project: Modern Pool Deck
For this build, our clients wanted to transform their existing deck and backyard into a modern entertaining space complete with a pool, spa, bar, and outdoor media area! What they got is a one-of-a-kind pool deck that combines clean geometric lines with natural stonework for the perfect blend of beauty and function. This was the original deck and covered patio. The view of the old backyard from the deck. Our team starts by excavating the area that will become the pool and spa. The perimeters are framed out and the initial plumbing is laid down. A pool built on a slope comes with its own set of challenges, but with careful planning, our team is well equipped for the job. Concrete is poured for the pools and the masonry pool deck is measured out. The area is leveled in preparation for the stone work and the deck gets a fresh coat of paint! The pool deck is defined into two separate levels, connected by a curved stairway. The pavers are laid down in the main patio area. On the left, we see the new bar area, which matches the spa. The natural slope of the yard lends itself perfectly to the stylistic shift from geometric to organic curves. Natural stone is brought in to create a beautiful cascading staircase as well as retaining walls. The 2nd level outdoor seating area has been framed in. We constructed a modern wooden wall to enclose the sides of the deck and create a private space under the staircase. The multi-level spa & pool. We love it when a plan comes together, and with a project as involved as this one, our multi-faceted team was crucial to getting the job done! If you’d like to discuss your dream project, feel free to fill out our contact form or give Sal’s Nursery & Landscaping a call at (215) 699-9080.