Blog/News

Back Yard and Patio Landscaping

Monsma Landscape and Maintenance can create a relaxing and welcoming environment in your back yard. Our job is to let you Live Better Outdoors and we can design your back yard or patio space to fit your life style. It is important to make sure that plantings are correctly placed based on light, environment and soil. No matter how large or small your landscape project, we have the heavy equipment to perform your landscaping project efficiently and safely with the best possible results.

We are committed to using the proper fertilizers and herbicides for the health and vigor of your plants, flowers, shrubs and trees. MLM applicators are certified and licensed by the State of Michigan; keeping your health and safety top priority. As your landscape and lawn care professionals, we care about our work and treat your property with the utmost care and respect.

We offer weeding and yard maintenance services in the Grand Rapids area to keep your new landscaping looking as beautiful as it did on the day of installation.

Monsma Landscape & Maintenance is properly insured for the safety and protection of you and your property.

Back Yard and Patio Landscaping Grand Rapids, MI

Low Maintenance Landscaping West Michigan

As everyone leads very busy lives these days and we are finding that customers are looking for ways to save time and or money on their landscaping. Low maintenance landscaping is a great way to go. This involves making sure you are using the correct, plantings as well as material to help prevent weed growth. We recently worked redid the landscaping around the sign of the Huntington Bank branch Portland, MI. This landscaping job involved us removing overgrown plants. We also installed some low maintenance plants and stone. Now they don’t need bark mulch by the sign every year!

For more information of low maintenance landscaping call us TODAY 616-868-5767

Arbor Day in Grand Rapids MI

Arbor Day – April 25, 2014

Monsma Landscape and Maintenance is proud to have been a part of Arbor Day in Grand Rapids MI and the planting we did at Martin Luther King Park in GR on Friday April 25, 2014.

Here is an interesting article about Arbor Day provided by Friends of Grand Rapids Parks, April 2014.

“Arbor Day is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on all the great things that trees do for us. From clean air and stormwater interception, to beauty and shade, trees provide a myriad of benefits to our City. Today, April 25th is Arbor Day.

As we celebrate this day of trees, it’s important we keep in mind how critical trees are to making our City vibrant, livable, and enjoyable. Arbor Day is an opportunity that we can all take to reflect on the goals that we have for our City’s Urban Forest.

In 2011, our City officially adopted a 40% tree canopy goal. Since then, both the Friends of Grand Rapids Parks and the City of Grand Rapids have significantly increased their planting efforts. Last year alone, FGRP planted 479 trees; the most for us in one year.

But expanding tree canopy is more than planting; it is also preserving and enhancing. Our large, mature trees contribute far more to our tree canopy than small, new trees will for several decades. As you think about the character of trees throughout our community, consider what you can do to help care for, tend to, or otherwise promote the health of one of our aging trees.

Today and tomorrow, Friends of Grand Rapids Parks will be out in the community helping to celebrate trees. Today, FGRP will be working with local volunteers to provide in-school tree programming, and the Association of Grand Rapids Landscape Professionals will be planting 10 trees with FGRP in MLK Park. Tomorrow, FGRP is working with community volunteers to plant trees in Roosevelt Park.”

Article by Friends of Grand Rapids Parks, April 2014

Landscaping services Grand Rapids

Did You Know

…that trees are natural air filters? Just one tree removes 26 pounds of carbon dioxide from the air each year and can produce enough oxygen for a family of four?

…that proper placement and selection of trees, shrubs, and perennials can lower heating and cooling costs by 20% and reduce noise pollution by 50% ?

…that your healthy lawn is not only your family’s playground, but it also provides for air, water, and soil conservation?

source: plantmichigangreen.com

Landscaping services Grand Rapids

Need Snow Plowing Grand Rapids, MI

THOSE SNOWFLAKES ARE SO PRETTY… until they all gang up on us!!

This winter has been a challenge for everyone, with snow to plow at least once a week since early December, sometimes four times a week. And we have at least one more month of winter to go! So how has your snowplow service been treating you?

Do they clear the end of your driveway after the city plows it full of snow?
Do they clear the snow away from your mailbox on the street if you ask?
Are they answering their phone and returning your calls?
Is your driveway or parking lot still getting plowed?

If the answer to any of these questions is no, you will probably want to think twice before hiring them next year.

Need Snow Plowing Grand Rapids, MI

Preparing Landscape for Winter in Grand Rapids Michigan Area

Living in the Grand Rapids area, it is important to prepare your landscape for Winter

Trees / Shrubs – Late fall feeding for trees and shrubs is recommended where a visible deficiency or stunting has occurred. Trees severely defoliated by Gypsy Moth may also benefit from feeding at this time.

Lawn – The November lawn feeding has been touted as the single most important time to fertilize. Roots of turf are still active and will utilize nutrients to rebuild themselves for the coming season. A fall application of fertilizer will also give a quick green up in Spring.

Pruning – Head back herbaceous perennial stems after the tops die.

Watering – Irrigate newly planted ornamentals any time there is less than 1 inch of weekly rainfall and plants are actively growing. Apply water at the rate of 1 quart per square foot of planting area on poorly drained soils. On well-drained soils, use a half-gallon of water per square foot. Be sure to maintain adequate soil moisture this month to aid good root growth prior to winter dormancy.

Plant Protection – For newly planted ornamentals, spread a 2- to 3- inch layer of mulch over the soil in the bed or around trees. Rodent tree trunk guards, mulch, rose cones and fabric wind screens around evergreens should be put in place before average temperatures are below freeezing.

Source: Rebecca Finneran – MSU Extension & Bulletin E-1947

Treat your lawn to a fall weed and feed service, Grand Rapids MI

NOW IS THE BEST TIME of year for treating your lawn to a fall weed and feed service in the Grand Rapids Mi area (to create green envy in your neighborhood)

A Fall Fertilizer application will send the nutrients to the roots and remember turf healthy roots that can out compete weeds produce the best lawns. West Michigan has cold and harsh winters and takes its toll on your lawn. Feeding the roots now helps the turf during winter and gives your lawn a great head start for spring.

Fall Weed Control is important too! NOW IS THE BEST TIME of the year to kill weeds that are getting ready to go dormant. Spraying herbicide on weeds now, while they are storing nutrients for the winter is a great plan.

We provide lawn fertilization service in the following areas – Ada, Cascade,East Grand Rapids, Forest Hills,Grand Rapids,Rockford, Lowell and Grandville.

Call Monsma Landscape TODAY (616) 868-5767 to schedule a a fall weed and feed application!

Winter snowplowing Grand Rapids, MI

I know it is still early to think about snow coming to West Michigan and Grand Rapids and we are more concerned with mowing our lawn. However, Monsma Landscape & Maintenance want to offer you an early bird special.

At this time we are offering a 10% discount to new customers in the Grand Rapids area who prepay their seasonal snow plowing before September 15th, 2013. If you need a quote on snowplowing or snow removal services, please contact us 616-868-5767 or simply fill in the form to the right as soon as possible for a no obligation quote.

We offer a full range of snow management services including snow removal, plowing and shoveling in the Ada, Lowell, Cascade, Grand Rapids, Comstock Park and Rockford area. We have a hard working crew who will clear your driveway, walkway before you leave your home for the day to ensure your safety and peace of mind.

Ugly brown lawns Grand Rapids?

Grand Rapids and West Michigan homeowners do about their ugly brown lawn?

Everyone of our customers in the Grand Rapids area wants a lush, dense, green turf even during these dog days of summer. Fact of the matter is that we have a very hot spell of weather coming to West Michigan and no rain in sight. So what do we do about our ugly brown lawn?

With the heat lately you may need to actually double your sprinkling times to keep things looking good.

Stay on top of watering your lawn Grand Rapids

Remember that a slow deep soaking is more beneficial that a quick blast that will probably flow away from the plant. Some plants like Coreopsis are prone to mildew if they stay wet too long, so don’t water them late in the day. The same goes for turf. Early morning watering is best. You may want to hit it again 12 hours later making sure it can dry before dark. One drawback to watering in the heat is water loss through evaporation. Timing is everything… when you water will effect the amount you water.

Another option would be to keep sprinkling at the same time but double the duration.

Attention…property owners in Grand Rapids, due to this long hot spell without rain, make sure to raise your blade when lawn mowing to avoid your grass from scorching or burning in the hot sun.

Keeping it green,
Dan

Garden maintenance tips in Grand Rapids

How Does Your Garden Grow Grand Rapids?

Its great to have a garden and see tidy rows of sprouting veggies. You have this high level of satisfaction until the weeds rear their ugly heads. What can you do?
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