Pre-Emergent, the Key to a Beautiful Lawn
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Clark Gullette shares several ways that you can always have a beautiful lawn
Like the Framework of a Beautiful Picture
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Randy Summers takes all of the guessing out of landscape designing and preparation for all of the Do-It-Yourselfers
Texas Luxefront Erin Hickman and Rachel Ellis of Tom Grisak Estate Home Realtors share some key points about how they can make the difference in your next luxury home purchase
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EXECUTIVE PUBLISHERS Jason & Heather Reynolds EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Heather Reynolds PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Jason Reynolds ARTISTIC DIRECTOR JD Lee CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Randy Summers Clark Gullette PHOTOGRAPHY CONTRIBUTORS Various PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS James Robinson Jonathan English PRODUCTION / DESIGN FIFTHKING MEDIA www.fifthking.com ADVERTISING / M ARKETING The Homefront Team www.txhomefront.com © 2012 TEXAS HOMEFRONT M AGAZINE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED WORLDWIDE The title and all material within are protected by international copyright laws and are reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the publisher’s permission. Although the greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this magazine at the time of going to press, neither Texas Homefront Magazine nor FIFTHKING MEDIA can be held liable for omissions, inexactness or errors.
FOR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES CONTACT: Texas Homefront Magazine PO Box 405 Prosper, Texas 75078
Ph: 469.481.2935 www.TXHomefront.com facebook.com/txhomefront heather@txhomefront.com
different meaning to my husband$as the cooler weather moves in and the leaves begin to change, that marks the beginning of hunting season!! Speaking of hunting, we are happy to share that Jase Robertson, the Duck Commander, will be the featured guest speaker at the WILDLIFE OUTDOOR EXPO on September 30. Please join us at Prosper High School for this amazing event. There is a wide variety of vendors, Fall is my favorite time of products and services, as well year, right behind the Holiday as a delicious Beast Feast Season. I love everything meal and raffle. See page 17 about the beginning of for more details and schedule. Fall$the bright sunny days, As we move closer to the the crisp cool nights, the start holiday season, we want to of a new school year, the bring great recognition to the colors, the fragrances$I wonderful organizations that embrace them all. After the exist in our area to help our sizzling heat of the summer neighbors in need. As you months, I can’t wait for that clean out your closets to first cold front to roll in. And make room for your new as soon as it does, I’m ready wardrobes, please consider to hit the nurseries and get donating those gently used back into my flower and items to The Attic. All of the planting beds! profits generated from The I have deliberated for the Attic on Main go to support last month on what my fall the efforts of Cornerstone, an landscape is going to entail. organization that provides Those 100+ degree days financial assistance to those when it was almost too hot to in need. even go outside at 10:00pm You can also donate were spent planning and food and personal hygiene designing$just waiting for the items to Bethlehem Place, the cooler temps and the autumn food pantry that serves those plantings to arrive. We get in Prosper and surrounding excited about Fall because towns. Please refer to page it marks the beginning of the 16 for more information on journey into all of the these wonderful ministries wonderful holidays, family and in the spirit of giving, gatherings and upcoming reach out with any help you events over the next few can provide. months. As much as fall ignites Welcome Home! my passion for gardening and Jason and Heather Reynolds landscaping, it has an entirely Executive Publishers
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Pre-emergent’s are critical to a beautiful lawn, but must be applied by a certain date to be effective. Without pre-emergent’s, your lawn would be riddled with weeds to the point of being impossible to control. What is a pre-emergent and when should it be applied? A preemergent is a class of herbicide designed to create a layer of protection just below the soil surface and remain in the soil to stop new weed seeds from germinating. Herbicides of this nature are designed to be applied in two different ways and some preemergent’s have other benefits as well, depending on the type as well as the brand. 6 | Texas Homefront Magazine
Granular and liquid are the two types used in lawn care at different times of the year, some containing post-emergent qualities while others are strictly pre-emergent only. Each has similar benefits when applied at the right time, giving a homeowner the best chance of stopping most weeds from germinating at different times of the year. Spring and fall are times when weeds germinate; some being "Summer Weeds" while others are labeled as "Winter Weeds”. Without pre-emergent, the lawn care industry would not be effective
enough to stay in business. Pre-emergent’s are crucial and remain the single most important part of lawn care. Without the allimportant spring and fall preemergent, weeds are left to grow unimpeded. Lawn care companies understand the vital importance of a pre-emergent applied at the right time, and cringe when a customer refuses or postpones a treatment containing one. They know from experience the allimportant catalyst to an ornamental yard starts with a correctly applied pre-emergent.
When applied at the right time and in the right manner, most weeds don’t stand a chance of germinating. Take the time to read up on the vital importance of pre-emergent qualities and benefits. Begin to understand the vital role pre-emergent plays in the ornamental state of your lawn, and realizing the benefits, a homeowner can come to the conclusion that pre-emergence is the answer to a weed free lawn. They are relatively easy to apply in granular form with a garden spreader, or a lawn care company
can be contracted to apply preemergent at the right time to be most effective. However, if you want to tackle the chore yourself the following info is vital: In the North Texas region the ideal target window for fall preemergent is before Sept 15th for a true pre-emergent with no residual post emergent activity. After Sept 15th you must apply a pre-emergent that contains post emergent activity because some weeds may have already germinated making a preemergent without post emergent qualities ineffective.
Pay special attention to label instructions or ask a local lawn care professional for help. Good luck and may you always have a beautiful lawn. www.TXhomefront.com | 7
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VLife Church is a growing, vibrant, and contemporary body of Christian believers who have a passion for life, love, and divine purpose to reach the world with the love and transforming power of Jesus Christ. Recently, we have embarked on a mission to revive one of the oldest, and most notable church buildings in the City of McKinney. It is a place where people from all genres of life will be able to worship and enjoy the presence of God. It is also an endeavor that you can participate in by sharing a financial gift. Visit us online at: www.vlifechurch.com to learn about VLife Church. Thank you!
Ahhhhh, the beauty of landscaping. It may be underrated but it is so important to the overall exterior beauty of a home. 10 | Texas Homefront Magazine
About 38% of what you see as you stand in the street and look at the architectural design of a home is landscape. Now that being said(.LETS REWIND A BIT, and talk about how landscaping impacts the bigger picture and the overall community appearance and experience. When looking for a home, minutes before you even see the facade of the subject home or property you have already cast an impression based on the landscaping and hardscape of a community’s entry. In most cases, the feeling you get as you drive into the community will be the same feeling you get once you walk through the home. Be it good or bad. Because subconsciously, if you get the warm fuzzy feeling as you drive through the community, walking through the front door of that perfect home will only make it that much better! This could tip the scale and make your buying decision that much easier!! Pay close attention to the main community entry so you can critique the current condition of the community’s monument sign, brick wall, landscaped fence, flower beds, common areas, trees, seasonal decorations, feeling of safeness and of course the feeling of privacy.
Most developers spend thousands upon thousands of dollars in landscaping, hardscape, monument signs and walls in an effort to attain a certain community feel. They are hoping to captivate a pleasant feeling of peace and homecoming. That feeling will give you and your family the peace you deserve. And of course, peace in your community parlays into peace in your Homefront! Landscaping design sounds rather pretentious, only because one could spend years studying all the ideas in the field of gardening or in landscape designs. But what about the Do-ItYourselfers like me, who want to give their front yard a makeover or wish to change the design of a garden? Where do you start if you need to spruce up the landscape design of a home you’re selling, or wish to enhance the beauty of your backyard? Using some common sense, the answers are simple. Here are a few examples to get you started: • Plants grow in communities, therefore, plant in groups of 3 to 4 of similar size • Use plants and flowers that are appropriate for your climate • Allow space for plants to reach maturity • Plant shade loving plants under larger plants • Limit the different types of plants in your landscape to no more than 6 to 8 varieties • Place rocks and boulders to look as though they are a part of the landscape • Ensure that brooks, streams and mounds look natural and functional • And don’t over mulch! Last and the MOST important((..
Do not interrupt the drainage pattern of your land. Every lot is designed to drain a certain direction. More and more often in our region, new home lots are setup to drain in what is called “horseshoe drainage”. This means that each lot drains from the back of the property to the sides and then the sides towards the front of the property and city sidewalk. Obstructing the positive water drainage flow could lead to standing water around your foundation and could eventually lead to costly foundation issues down the road. Although I am not a land surveyor or a landscape design expert, I am an expert in kitchen designs, layouts and functionality. In next month’s Entertaining Edition, I will have information and ideas to enhance your current kitchen and ideas for what to look for in your new kitchen. I have a firm and sincere passion for real estate with emphasis on investing in new homes. As a service to you, I keep my iPad within arm’s reach to share photos, ideas, and systems to assist you in the process of buying or enhancing your existing home. If I can expand on any real estate topic please feel free to call me at 214-498-0083. I am not “Team Randy” or “The Randy Group”, it’s simply me. You’ll start the process with me and you’ll complete the process with me. Randy Summers, your Real “tor” Friend.
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SHOP FOR A CAUSE! The Attic is a 'resurrected retail' store stocked with new and gently used donations from the community, and staffed by volunteers. Its purpose is to spread the word about Cornerstone and fund the ministry. One hundred percent of The Attic on Main’s profits goes to Cornerstone NCT and the people it serves.
The Attic features: Name brand clothing (J. Crew, Ralph Lauren, Miss Me and more!), Furniture, Sporting Equipment, Décor, and everything in between! Shop our extra-big sale during the Cornerstone Garage Sale this October! Friday, October 12th from 8am-2pm and Saturday, October 13th from 8am-noon at 304 E. First Street in Prosper.
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For more information about The Attic, donating, and volunteering, visit our website, theatticonmain.com. Based in Prosper, Texas, Cornerstone Assistance Network of North Central Texas is a faith-based nonprofit that unites with others to demonstrate Christ’s compassion by serving our neighbors in need. This is accomplished by sharing the Gospel and helping family units escape the cycle of poverty for good by providing resources, tools, and education. For more information about Cornerstone, visit cornerstonenct.org. To pray for and/or financially support our neighbors, text 'CornerstoneNCT' to 90210.
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