You have dreamed about summer for months and it's finally here. It's time to sit in the backyard in the evenings and enjoy this all too brief season. Unfortunately, bugs and mosquitos are already threatening to send you back in the house. Before you let them take over your yard, consider growing some or all of the eight plants described below to repel them. According to the website Real Simple, growing these plants in your garden or a pot in the backyard will keep the pests at bay.

Plants That Do More Than Look Pretty
All plants make your yard more attractive, but these pull double duty by repelling bugs and mosquitos. They include:
 

• Basil: Common flies and mosquitos dislike the taste of this plant. To keep them away, make sure your basil plant gets plenty of sun and moisture and clip its leaves regularly. This ensures the taste is unpleasant enough for the insects to leave you alone.
• Citronella Grass: This potted grass has a strong odor that repels unwanted insects. Consider buying a small pot of citronella grass and placing it on a table when you want to eat outside.
• Lavender: Insects also dislike the smell of lavender. You can keep them from annoying you by planting them in your garden in summer or rubbing lavender oil on your skin.
• Lemongrass: Since this plant can grow up to five feet tall, you need a large pot for it if you don't plant it in your garden. The smell is what repels bugs and mosquitos since lemongrass is an edible plant.
• Mint: This is a natural insect repellant, but can be difficult to remove from the garden if you ever want to. For best results, plant mint in a pot and remove dead leaves frequently.
• Nasturtium: Not only does this plant repel many different types of insects, it also protects the other plants in your garden with an airborne chemical it releases. Nasturtium needs to be planted in the early spring and receive regular watering.
• Petunias: The petunia plant keeps insects from bothering you in addition to keeping critters such as asparagus beetles and tomato hornworm from destroying your other plants. Transplanted petunias tend to be the most effective.
• Rosemary: Rosemary grows well in the summer heat and release a fragrance that repels mosquitos and other annoying insects. It also makes an attractive centerpiece for your backyard landscaping.

Trimming your shrubs and hedges is essential if you want them to remain healthy and look their best. This process involves removing dead and decaying leaves and branches so they don't affect the growth of other limbs. We recommend trimming the shrubs when they start to look overgrown. They may appear too tall, too wide, or both. Your shrubs also need trimming when they are blocking sunlight from reaching other plants, the center of the bush is starting to lose leaves, or it has a general sickly appearance.

How to Prune Your Shrubs
To start the pruning process, trim branches that have overgrown on the outside. It’s best to start at the top of the shrub and cut it to the desired height. Remove dead branches and yellowed leaves as well as anything that appears to have fungus on it. Be sure to make clean cuts towards the center of the shrub to prevent any infections from spreading. Raking up everything you cut from the bush will prevent infection from spreading as well.

At The Lawnsmith, we use hedge trimmers, loppers, and shears to give your shrubs a clean, professional look. You can save time and have the best looking shrubs on the block when you schedule shrub and hedge trimming with us.

Repair Problem Areas on Your Lawn with New Sod Installation
Bald spots, brown spots, fungus, and other common problems can leave your lawn looking less than desirable. The answer to this dilemma is to replace the problem areas with new turf grass. This is an involved process that many homeowners don't have the time or the skill to do on their own.

At The Lawnsmith, we take care of everything for you. From the initial measuring of the area receiving sod to ordering the materials to laying it down, you can depend on our experienced crew to make your lawn come back to life. We also offer guidance on how to care for the new sod so it remains healthy and attractive. When you're ready to
install new sod, just call us to schedule service.

The Lawnsmith wishes you and your family a healthy and happy summer of 2016.