Houston Lawn Care Services

Do I really need professional services when my yard looks just fine?
It never helps to invest in making sure it stays that way. What appears to be fine on the surface may not be so fine underneath. You may be assuming that green grass means a healthy lawn, but you may not be able to see what is happening beneath the blades of grass. Insects and fungal growth may be eating away at the grass without themselves being visible. Later, when their effects can be seen, the cost of repairing the damage can be very high.

Should I get rid of my San Augustine grass if all my neighbors have it as well?
No. You just need Exterior Worlds to diversify your yard a bit. There are a number of grasses we can then install to make any Houston lawn look incredible when compared to neighboring yards. In most places throughout the city, San Augustine predominates. The thing about San Augustine that makes it so unique is that it grows just as well in the shade as it does in the sun. If we add Bermuda and Zoysia grass to sunny areas on a selective basis, we can still make any Houston yard look entirely unique in comparison to those around it.


What do exactly to you do to add more grass to a yard?
Exterior Worlds lawn specialists start by tilling the existing soil to help even out its consistency. They then add soil amendments and minor nutrients to help new grasses get started. In almost all instances, existing soil requires new sod laid out neatly in cut blocks, which are then pressed with rollers into existing soil. This creates a new, softer consistency for roots systems to form.

What are some hazards to my yard I should be aware of?
There are both natural hazards and the hazards of human error. Natural hazards include fungi and pests, over watering, under watering, and foot traffic. Many people also try to shave off costs by hiring a yard services company to install new grasses. These companies often prepare the soil incorrectly and fail to build adequate drainage systems into unevenly proportioned elevations.

On the other hand, Exterior Worlds often builds concealed drains into a lawn so as to provide immediate and effective water runoff. Without such drain systems, many yards would flood and grass and garden species would quickly die or fall prey to fungal infections. We also know how to protect a lawn against the many natural hazards that plague it, and we know how to avoid the mistakes made by yard service companies. Advanced botanical training, supervision, and experience all play a role in differentiating our services from those of our competitors who often only cut grass and trim hedges.

How much do your lawn care services cost?
Pay as you go rates will vary based upon the size of your property and the labor involved in the installation and maintenance of both new and existing grasses. The best way to obtain these services cost-effectively is to bundle them into a landscape maintenance contract. This can include such things as regular fertilizing, pest control, watering, mowing and trimming, and replanting. This ensures that your yard will continue to remain vibrant and attractive year round regardless of external climatic conditions.

Lawn And Garden Services

Exterior Worlds’ lawn and garden services begins with a garden’s infrastructure. The soil comes first. We have the botanical science training that allows us to mix soil with fertilizers to arrive at a compound suitable for our particular topography and climate. We often find with new clients that a brand-name fertilizer, something developed for popular plant species, was used. The lawn and gardens are under-performing because the fertilizer doesn’t provide the nutrition required by plants that must withstand our unique climate and soil.

The second step for a high-quality lawn and garden services program is installing an irrigation system. A premier irrigation system uses a combination of controller technology, heads and zones to create a site-specific system for your garden landscape.

The third step we recommend in the infrastructure stage: a drainage system. A well-designed storm drainage system employs proper grading and drainage solutions to pull water away from structures and surfaces.
As for Houston lawn service, the elements of our maintenance program include:

• Mowing and trimming. For March through October, we recommend weekly service and bi-weekly service November through February.
• Chemical treatments. Fertilizer types include fast-release, slow release, winterizer and organic. Fungicides and insecticides tackle insect and fungus infestations, enemies of healthy grass.
• Lawn aeration. Aeration improves compacted and heavily-used turf.
• • Over-seeding with winter grass, also called rye grass. This practice keeps grass green throughout the winter months.
• Dethatching. Thinning out thick grass to ensure vigorous growth.

The components of our garden services include:

• Paying attention to the intent of the original design. Most of our designs use a variety of plant species in order to create a singular garden based on your aesthetic. Styles include: modern landscape design, Japanese garden and English garden design.
• Clipping, pruning and trimming. With our understanding of form and use of best practices for maintaining your plants’ appearances, we think these necessary tasks ensure maximum vitality of your garden.
• Feeding. Flowers should be fertilized every six weeks.
• Weeding and mulching. Weeding is done as needed. Mulch helps the soil retain moisture.

The final piece of lawn and garden services is the maintenance contract. A basic contact should cover lawn mowing, plus all the recommended lawn care as detailed above. Also, you will want your ground cover, shrubs and vines trimmed and trained to maintain an orderly appearance. Your trees require attention, too, items such as trimming small trees and inspecting for disease and insect infestations. Flower beds need regular care, plus any seasonal change-outs that you might want. Finally all surfaces—driveways, sidewalks, ponds, custom swimming pools, patios and outdoor water fountains—should be cleared of debris after each service call.

A beautiful landscape implies a commitment. It involves prep work that begins before a single plant gets put into the soil. It then requires diligence and careful attention to maintain it in such a way that it flourishes into the landscape you originally envisioned.

The complete lawn and garden services from Exterior Worlds can make it happen for you.

If you are interested in any high-quality landscape services, Exterior Worlds has been providing the high-end residential landscape services and garden design services discussed above for the Houston and the surrounding areas including The Memorial Villages, Tanglewood, River Oaks, West University and the greater Houston (Hou), area since 1987. Contact us at 713-827-2255

Houston Lawn Maintenance

What are the special considerations of Houston lawn maintenance?
Once you’ve finished the design and installation of your landscape, then comes the day-in, day-out care of it, its plant material and hardscapes. Because of our climate, Houston lawn maintenance requires year-round attention to maintain the intent of your original design, add any new elements, such as seasonal color, and perform the tasks peculiar to our climate and environment.

As a premier Houston lawn service company, Exterior Worlds recommends that ongoing maintenance begins with your turf—its health, care and looks. Houston yards demand mowing and trimming once a week in the spring and summer months. From November through February, you can do it every other week. Dethatching, the process of removing thatch or excessively thick grass, is an important part of turf maintenance and promotes healthy lawns. It is done by hand or machine.

A great way to keep your yard beautiful throughout the fall and winter months is by seeding the lawn with winter grass. Early to late October is normally the best time to spread it, as dictated by local temperature ranges. It should be noted, however, that rye grass does have some disadvantages. For example, rye grass can compete with the St. Augustine grass for nutrition and space, making it difficult on the St. Augustine when springtime arrives. In particular, this struggle occurs in shady areas where St. Augustine typically has difficulty establishing itself.

We also encourage lawn aeration, sometimes called core aeration. This lawn care practice is recommended for compacted, heavily-used turf and also to help control thatch build-up. Lawn aeration involves the use of a core aerator to remove small soil plugs or cores out of the lawn. A different type of aerator pushes solid spikes or tines into the soil without removing a plug, a procedure known as spiking. Because of Houston’s clay soil, spiking is not as effective as core aeration since spiking can actually contribute to compaction.

We are also big believers in the value of a sensible chemical program. Types of fertilizers we use include organic, semi-organic, slow release, fast release, winterizer, and low salt. Two other important treatments are insecticides and fungicides, which help control the ever-present danger in Houston lawn maintenance care of disease, fungus and insect infestations.

What can Exterior Worlds tell us about water management and irrigation systems?
For deeper water penetration, which gives your plant material stronger root systems and healthier plants, we recommend watering long and less often. It makes your lawn more drought-resistant, plus you save money because you water less.

Investing in an irrigation system can be a time-, money- and energy-saver for your Houston lawn maintenance program. We suggest quarterly inspection of your system since sprinkler systems, like all machines, break down from time to time and need repair. A regularly-scheduled survey prevents the loss of water from undetected leaks, something that is important for the environment and your bank account. Attention to this detail is extremely important on large residential properties and commercial lawn maintenance.

Can Exterior Worlds help us with ongoing maintenance?
Absolutely. Please follow this link which talks about our maintenance contracts.

Houston Yard Maintenance

Exterior Worlds provides high-quality yard maintenance for upscale residences in West University, Tanglewood, the Memorial Villages, Bellaire and River Oaks. We believe that yard maintenance is important in and of itself. Instead of being something to relegate to the lowest bidder, we think it is foundational to your landscape design.

A residential maintenance contract at Exterior Worlds includes yard maintenance items such as:
• Regular mowing and trimming. We recommend weekly mowing and trimming March through October and bi-weekly November through February.
• Chemical treatments. Fertilization, feeding, and chemical treatments make for hearty plants and prevent infestations and diseases common to Houston.
• Garden services, such as dead-heading flowers, expert pruning, rose maintenance and training vines.
• Professional mulch installation and regularly turning over the mulch.
• Inspection of your drainage system. Proper yard drainage is essential for Houston lawn care. It carries water off your property in a timely manner, thus promoting healthy grass. By draining excess water, it also allows your maintenance crew to perform its regular lawn care service duties.
• Inspection of your irrigation system. Since the system is both mechanical and electronic, a fully functioning irrigation system requires ongoing maintenance. We also monitor the best times and days to water, which change depending on the weather and the season.
• Lawn aeration. This practice is essential to proper lawn care and provides benefits, such as improving water infiltration which helps with drainage and reduces harmful fungi, increasing the activity of microorganisms that promote de-thatching, and increasing the earth worm population.

Additionally, we work with the hardscapes of your landscape, the elements that bring true distinction to your landscape architecture.
• Landscape lighting—design, install, repair and maintenance.
• Tree protection and tree preservation. During any construction project, this service is critical and continues to be important on an ongoing basis.
• Custom swimming pools—design, installation and maintenance. Pools are an expected amenity for the high-end home these days. They provide hours of pleasure when designed specifically for you and when maintained with accurate care by professionals.
• Outdoor rooms, pavilions and outdoor kitchens—design, build and maintain. These outdoor areas expand your living space and allow you to fully enjoy our temperate winter months.
• Garden structures—garden arches, garden arbors, garden gazebos and trellises.
• Outdoor water fountains—installation, repair and maintenance.
• Hardscapes—maintain and repair elements in your landscape design, such as driveways and courtyards, patios, outdoor fireplaces, retaining walls and pathways.
• Fencing and gates—installation, repair and maintenance, including painting fences and gates. Also the repair of automatic gates.

Our clients are homeowners who understand that money invested in landscaping—both plant materials and hardscapes—improves the value of their home, usually the single largest financial asset of the individual. They find merit in hiring professional landscapers such as Exterior Worlds because we provide all the fundamental landscaping services, like yard maintenance, plus pay fastidious attention to the finer details. When it comes time for our clients to sell their home, they bring an impressive property to the market. In the meantime, they’ve enjoyed lush, luxurious gardens and yard.

Garden Care

Garden care looks simple, but it involves a great deal more than you might think. Quality garden care should always be done by a trained professional, because it involves so much more than weeding and watering plants. It is a sophisticated science of cultivation—many aspects of which must be attended to prior to planting of the garden itself.

One of these aspects is developing effective drain systems in and around the garden. Drains are much more difficult to install than you might think. It is one thing to create a method of water removal, but it is quite another to build it effectively without letting it be seen. Professionals have to do this so that pipes, gratings, and any holes in the ground are concealed. Our planning and development team puts a great deal of care and effort into building drainage systems in this manner, and they also work very hard to periodically maintain them to keep them clean and functional.

The engineering of an irrigation system is yet another crucial component of garden care. Houston often will see several months with no rainfall during the hottest time of the year. The majority of exotic and tropical species that we cultivate cannot survive these months without some type of irrigation. We strongly advise all of our clients to avoid using garden hoses to water these plants. This is because plan leaves, when wet, become vulnerable to fungal growth. Plants remain much healthier and look much more attractive when they are irrigated beneath the leaves close to the ground and the root system.

Still another important part of garden care that must be done in the very beginning is soil preparation. Many of our first time clients have already planted some type of garden that has since become unhealthy or unsatisfactory in appearance. When we go out to visit them, we often discover that the problem began in the beginning with improper soil preparation. Store-bought fertilizer is often the root cause. Not every type of fertilizer will work with every type of plant, and many people fail to read the labels on the bag that tell them just what types of plants the fertilizer is intended to nourish. Most are manufactured for popular species of flowers and plants and may not work very well at all with more exotic or tropical species that people may decide to add to the garden later. It takes knowledge of botany and what nutrients each type of plant specifically needs to create just the right soil mixture required for a diversity of plantings that may otherwise not be able to grow together at all.

The aesthetic aspects of garden care are also important. The basics of clipping, weeding, and trimming even the simplest of flower beds have to be done no matter how large or small the garden is, and no matter how simple or complex it is. Again, we recommend that people not try to do this themselves. Some plants are very sensitive and require very special trimming methods. Furthermore, specific garden designs like parterre garden, the knot garden, the English garden, the Italian garden, and the Japanese garden have to be trimmed by people who know these forms—preferably by the people that planted them.

For these reasons, and many more, we always recommend that garden care be managed as a line item on a landscaping maintenance agreement with Exterior Worlds. This allows the team who designed the garden to consistently and cost effectively maintain its vitality and health.

Residential Landscape Maintenance

Why should I hire a professional landscape company to maintain my yard?
First and foremost, proper landscape maintenance is the best way to protect your outdoor investment. After investing a lot of money on your landscape installation, it only makes sense to protect it and make sure it develops as intended. And that’s where a landscape maintenance program comes in.

Landscape maintenance begins with the proper lawn maintenance. In Houston, lawns typically need mowing weekly through the summer and bi-weekly in the winter months. In addition, most Houston lawns need aeration twice per year, but since you really can’t aerate enough, the more often the better.

Over seeding with rye seed is a great addition to a landscape maintenance plan by keeping your lawn gorgeous throughout the winter. The local temperature range normally dictates that winter rye seed can be spread in early to late October. It is imperative to know, however, that rye grass has some real disadvantages. For example, the rye grass can compete with the St. Augustine grass (typically planted in Houston) for space and nutrition, which makes it very hard on the St. Augustine in the spring. This struggle is particularly apparent in shaded area where grass already has a difficult time growing.

Other Elements Landscape Maintenance Programs Typically Include:

• Shrubs, Ground Cover and Vines. As part of a meticulous landscape maintenance program, hedges as well as other shrubs and bushes should be trimmed frequently to maintain the desired contours. Ground cover and vines should be edged to maintain a orderly appearance. This regularly-scheduled attention will make certain that all elements conform to the overall plan of the landscape design.
• Tree Maintenance. All small trees should be pruned as necessary. It is also a good practice in your landscape maintenance scheduling to do a deep root fertilization of these trees annually.
• Flower Bed Maintenance. Flower beds need to be weeded frequently. It is also a good idea to turn the mulch every two weeks so that you keep the exchange of air and water flowing into and out of the soil.

Fertilization and chemical treatments are the next important step in a landscape maintenance program as they provide a boost to healthy plants and prevent diseases and infestations common to the Houston area.
Optimally, lawns need to be fertilized four times per year. All shrubs, ground covers and vines should be on a similar schedule. Azaleas and gardenias need to be fertilized in April and May, and acidified in February. Roses require fertilization in the spring, which needs to be continued every four to six weeks during the growing season.

Even in Houston, Texas, it can get cold enough to require covering your outdoor plants. Jeff Halper with Exterior World encourages his clients to be proactive when the thermometer starts dropping. “When the temperatures get below 32 degrees for an extended period of time, you need to cover your delicate plants and tropicals,” he says. “Remember not to use plastic. Instead use proper freeze cloth, which allows light, oxygen and water to pass through so that you can leave the plants covered for a few days without suffocating them.”

They will also be mindful of surface maintenance: walkways, driveways, patios and outdoor kitchens should be blown or raked free of debris during the landscape maintenance service. Swimming pools, ponds or outdoor water fountains that accumulate debris during trimming of shrubs or lawn should be cleaned as well.

Exterior Worlds is located in the memorial area. They have been serving the Houston area including River Oaks, West University, Bellaire, Memorial, Tanglewood since 1987. Call Exterior Worlds at 713-827-2255 to discuss a custom maintenance program.

Lawn Aeration

Why should I aerate my lawn?

There are many other benefits from aeration; increases the activity of microorganisms that promote detaching, increases water infiltration improving drainage and reducing harmful fungi, increase the earth worm population all of these things work together in a synergic relationship to give you a better lawn. Core aeration also reduces fertilizer and pesticide run off which helps the environment and ensures your are getting the most from you applications.

Compacted soil can be even worse in areas that have standing water from existing drainage problems. Compaction greatly reduces the pore space within the soil that would normally hold air. The roots of any grass require oxygen to grow and absorb nutrients and water from the soil. If your soil is compacted the pore spaces are reduced and the amount of air, water and nutrients is reduced. This reduction can greatly impact the quality of turf by impacting the nutrient uptake rate and water infiltration rate.

How do I aerate my lawn?
Core lawn aeration involves the removal of small soil plugs or cores out of the lawn. You can do this manually or by hand, but it is normally accomplished by a machine that has hollow tines or spoons mounted on a disk or drum. This is where the “core” aspect comes in: it extracts 1/2 to 3/4 inch diameter cores of soil and deposits them on the lawn. The holes are typically 1-3 inches deep and 2-6 inches apart. Spike type machines pushes solid spikes or tines into the soil without removing a plug. This process is not as effective because it can contribute to compaction. The coring process is the best way to reduce compaction of heavily used turf and to control thatch buildup.

In Houston, the best time to aerate St. Augustine is early spring and late summer. Bermuda grasses and Zoysia grass are best aerated during June and July. During these periods is when the lawn is in a period of vigorous growth and will recover quickly from aeration. If you are planning to over seed your lawn be sure to aerate at least 6 weeks before seeding. If not, your irrigation system or rain water could potentially wash a higher concentration of seeds into the cored holes and creating a spotted lawn.