Pugh’s Earthworks Blog
Pugh’s Earthworks was originally started by Mark Pugh. Our firm has been in business since 1992. Over the past 25 years, we have grown rapidly. In all that time and throughout all that growth, we have remained true to our motto, Big Company Strength, Small Company Values! Regardless of the size of the client we are working for, our staff will deliver the best possible service, while treating each client with the utmost of respect. In a word, “We Love Our Customers” and “We Appreciate The Opportunity to Serve.”
Some companies talk about providing quality service but that can be just lip service. Pugh’s Earthworks offers an excellent quality assurance program. We are licensed and insured and stand behind all of the work that we perform with our quality assurance guarantee.
QUALITY POLICY
It is the goal of Pugh’s Earthworks to provide our customers, both internal and external, with services, which meet or exceed their expectations. We recognize that one of the most important assets we possess, enabling us to achieve this goal, is our professional staff. We strongly encourage all of our people to take the pride of ownership in all the work they do. To this end we commit ourselves to strive in all we do for total customer satisfaction.
TOTAL CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
Management guarantees that ongoing support of these goals is our highest priority. We must never lose sight that customer satisfaction is a direct measure of our performance. Working together as a team, making use of all our talents and expertise, we will accomplish our objective.








“We Love Our Customers” and Appreciate The Opportunity to Serve.”
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Lawns Need to Be Watered Regularly in the Summer
As the temperatures continue to soar, it's important to have a regular summer watering schedule for your lawn to ensure it can thrive and grow throughout the year. Here are some tips on how to water your lawn during the summer season: You don't need to water your lawn every day in the summer despite thinking it will help in the hot weather. What happens is that the lawn gets over-watered and starts to die. Get to know the soil properties of the area you live in. This tells you a lot about how to water your lawn in the summer and throughout the year. This is because water tends to penetrate soils differently. For example, it is more likely to penetrate sandy or loose soil than clay-based soil. The water should penetrate six to eight inches below the ground surface. Check your overall irrigation system for your lawn to identify any places where water is not regularly reaching that portion of your lawn. Any dry spots will tell you where you need to make changes to your irrigation. Think about what type of grass you have in your lawn as this will also tell you more about how to water it. For example, Tall Fescue has a deep root system. This means it has the highest drought tolerance of all cool-season turf types. Then, Kentucky Bluegrass goes dormant during a drought. Warm-season grasses, which include Zoysia, St. Augustine, Bermuda, and Centipede, tend to thrive in warm conditions. They have a deep root system and require approximately 20% less water than cool-season lawn grasses. The age of your lawn is also an important consideration for determining irrigation frequency. While all lawns need consistent moisture, you need to proceed with caution on newly-planted lawns. Don't rely on rainfall. Instead, you'll need to provide supplemental irrigation during the first year of growth to ensure it develops that deep root system. Focus your watering times on early morning or late afternoon/evening when the sun is not scorching the grass or adding to the water evaporation. As a commercial landscape and maintenance company that is focused on helping local businesses enjoy healthy, beautiful outdoor spaces, we are here to help with your lawn care needs. Contact us today and we'll keep your lawn looking lush and green throughout all seasons.
Our Expert Staff Can Re-Design Your Entire Landscape
Whether it's an office building, hotel, or retail location, it's important to consider how the outside of your company can reflect the inside. Plus, in doing your part for the local community, you want to ensure that you are being water-wise and offering a pleasant aesthetic to enhance how your city looks to residents and visitors. Our commercial landscaping services can help develop or re-design your entire landscape area whether it is expansive or just minimal in an urban setting. We create some of the most incredible outdoor environments you have ever seen. Hardscapes We offer a wide range of hardscape services for our commercial landscape design. These include: Walkways and sidewalks, using concrete, stone, pavers, and brick features Driveways Seating areas Retaining walls Fencing Water features Planters Bike racks Lighting Lighting is a key feature that many companies forget about it. This feature adds interest and keeps the property well-lit for security and advertising purposes during the evening and overnight hours. Also, lighting can help guide visitors in the evening hours to your front door. We offer LED bulbs, which are an efficient lighting solution for commercial properties. Also, low-voltage lighting solutions are an economical lighting solution. All types of fixture options are available to fit your architecture and landscape design. Sod, Plant, and Flower Installation From fresh grass and artificial turf to plants, flowers, and bedding, we offer a full range of commercial landscape installation services. Our commercial landscape designers create and oversee the installation and replacement of flowers, shrubs, and trees. Adding bright colors, shade, and natural ambiance provide a way to have a stunning look for your business. Drought-Tolerant, Water-Conscious Landscape Design With a greater focus on sustainability and environmental practices, it's important to consider this within your commercial landscape design. That's why we are able to come and provide recommendations on how to reduce water consumption through the use of artificial turf as well as drought-tolerant plants and landscape features, including crushed granite and other types of rock and gravel designs. Other Services Also, we offer commercial landscape maintenance services for mowing, trimming, fertilizing, and irrigating your landscape. Additionally, we have a pest control service to ensure no pests ruin that beautiful commercial landscape design. Contact us today to find out what we can do for your commercial landscape!
First Impressions Count: Add Attractive Landscaping to the Front of Your Business
An unattractive entrance to your business is not inviting to potential new clients. It may send the message that your business is not concerned with the details, which prospects may think will then apply to them. Instead, they would rather work with a company that takes pride in itself. That first impression counts. Here are the basics of what defines good commercial landscape design: Gain Customer’s Interest Your commercial landscape should add interest and encourage them to stay awhile. For example, consider adding things like benches, picnic tables, and water features. Direct Traffic Flow You don't want your customers or prospects to be confused about where to enter your business. You can use landscaping to direct traffic flow right to your front door. Use decorative concrete lined by plants or flowers to lead the way. Accent Architecture Make sure the landscape fits your building's style. This will highlight architectural features and blend the natural with the structure in an aesthetic way. Convey the Right Message Your business and your building have a brand so your landscape should reflect that. Is that message about sustainability, fun, professionalism, or forward thinking? This may mean dancing water features for fun or native grasses and wildflowers for sustainability-focused buildings. Conserve Water and Energy Now, more than ever, conservation is a critical part of commercial landscape design. You also want to present yourself as a socially conscious, environmentally friendly business. The landscape can provide shade to the building. If possible, you can also consider adding a "green" roof or roof-top garden, which can lower heating and cooling costs. Think About the Future When thinking about commercial landscape design, consider how it might landscape as it matures. This is important when deciding where to place trees and shrubs, which will change scale over time. Also, think about the type of maintenance that your commercial landscape design will require, weighing the cost and time needed to keep it looking beautiful. Work with a Professional Commercial Landscape Company Chose Pugh's Earthworks to carefully sculpt your landscape. They can select the best plants and have expert designers that make good use of space, accommodating the look of your company's building and surrounding area. Contact us today!
Do’s and Don’ts of Summer Landscaping
When it comes to each season of the year, there are things you want to do and avoid with landscaping. In following these rules of landscaping, you'll find that certain actions promote the beauty and growth of a lawn, greenery, and flowers while others don't. To help your own landscape this summer, here are some do's and don'ts, starting with your summer lawn. DO think ahead when it comes to fertilizing your lawn. Planning a specific time for it will make sure you feed it appropriately and maintain its lush look the whole year round. DO use organic lawn food that offers the best nutrients for your lawn. Read all the directions before putting it on your lawn. DON'T burn your lawn by putting down fertilizer when it is hot and dry. Be sure to add plenty of water to keep the grass moist when fertilizing. If too hot outside, it's better to wait on fertilizing your lawn. DON'T let your lawn go dormant by letting the grass die down. It takes a lot to make it come back. Or, it may not come back at all. That will mean more money and time you don't want to spend. Now, let's look at your entire summer landscape for some other tips: DO have a plan for what to plant and where. Think about what gets sun and shade as well as where water can automatically reach your plants and flowers. Then, plant accordingly. This plan will save you money and increase the chances of a beautiful look. DON'T overdo what you are planting. Keep it natural with the flowers, trees, and plants as well as accessories like pathways and fountains rather than put too much. DO try something new like a different type of flower or shrub to add new interest to your overall aesthetic. DO use drought-tolerant plants and look to add as much as possible that doesn't require as much water. DO bring in a specialist or professional for your commercial landscape so you can enjoy the look without having to do all the work. Contact us today to learn more!
Monthly Service Programs
At Pugh's Earthworks, we offer a number of monthly service programs that are designed to keep your commercial property looking beautiful. Here are the options: Commercial Landscaping Monthly Services Since 1992, we have offered landscape and lawn maintenance for commercial customers in Memphis as well as in Nashville, TN; Southaven, MS; Jackson, TN; and Little Rock, AK. Commercial lawn and landscaping services are offered for apartments, condominiums, shopping centers, office buildings and complexes, cemeteries, hospitals, hotels, and motels, etc. The monthly commercial landscaping service includes bed and lawn maintenance, weed control, irrigation, and pest control. It can also include landscape design when there is a need to develop a new area of commercial property or redo what was already there. Monthly Lawn Maintenance Services Sometimes, you may only need to have a lawn cared for, so we also offer a monthly service program that does just that. It includes mowing, pruning, trimming, lawn feeding, and leaf blowing. This ensures a beautiful green and lush lawn the whole year round to keep your commercial property looking its best. Monthly Pest Control Services We have expanded our monthly service offerings to include pest control for commercial and residential properties. We have the necessary certifications in compliance with state regulations to prevent, eliminate, and exclude pests from commercial properties, inside and out. These common pests include mosquitos, flies, bedbugs, rodents, roaches, spiders and ants. The pests are treated with EPA approved, environmentally-friendly products to keep individuals and animals safe during all pest control services. Snow and Ice Treatment Servies While you don't need this services the whole year round, it's good to have it during those harsh winter months. We can customize a snow and ice program that fits your commercial property needs. The multi-phase approach includes salt application before the storm hits. Once the snow and ice are on the ground, we have special trucks that are equipped with snow plows to help move the snow out of the way, including clearing parking lots around your facility. You can add this affordable snow and ice treatment service to your existing monthly program for added value and convenience. Contact us today to learn more about all of our monthly service programs.
Avoid Planting Trees and Shrubs in the Heat of Summer
Although you may want to plant the whole year round to keep your landscape looking beautiful, the weather is always a factor to consider that may stop you from doing so. That's because temperature extremes like severely cold or extremely hot are difficult for a new planting to handle. After all, they are just trying to take root and may be in shock with their new surroundings. Yes, plants, trees, and shrubs can undergo stress when placed in extreme conditions like excessive heat that occurs in the middle of summer. The heat can interfere with proper root development, causing the trees and shrubs to die. While you should avoid it, there are some ways to still do some planting in the middle of summer. First, do your planting in the evening and then water new plants after planting. You can also opt to do the planting on cloudy days. Then, use water bags and irrigation systems to ensure they have enough water so their roots can thrive even in the heat. The better times to plant trees and shrubs are early fall, late spring, and early summer. So, the next time to consider is early fall for your planting goals. It's a good idea to plant trees when they are dormant. Also, soak the shrub or tree in its pot before removing it to plant as this helps reduce the risk of damaging its tender roots. Provide good soil by adding a compost mixture and mulch after planting the tree or shrub. It can be challenging to plant trees and shrubs in a way that gives them a chance to grow and thrive. That's why we are here to help. Contact us today to learn more about our planting, landscaping, and garden maintenance services.
Promoting Deep Root growth to Protect Grass From Dying in the Summer Months
Having a lawn with deep roots helps protect it when it gets so hot during those summer months. It's those deep roots that hold the water and keep the grass cooler so that it won't die out from the excessive heat. Here are some lawn maintenance tips to promote those deep roots for your lawn. Soil Start with cultivating the topsoil. Sandy loam or well-drained loam gives roots the ability to stretch out and grow. If you have sandy soil, know that it doesn’t retain water very well. That's when you will need to add organic matter, which delivers the necessary nutrients and increases water retention. Water Keep this soil moist. Grass needs at least an inch of water weekly. However, you don't need to water every day. It's actually infrequent watering that encourages deep root growth. Water must get below the root zone to help nourish the roots so they can become deeper. An automatic sprinkler system helps ensure that your lawn receives the right amount of water at the right time. Mowing Mow frequently and keep grass at the right height for the type of grass you have. For example, grass with large crowns or clumps, which is typically Kentucky bluegrass or tall fescue, should be mowed at a much taller height. In contrast, zoysia grass should have a shorter mowing. Whatever kind of grass you have, be sure to mow no more than one-third of the blade lengths at a time. This stimulates growth and protects the roots. Fertilizer Fertilize at the end of the growing season to achieve strong root growth. Slow-release fertilizers are often touted as the best for promoting the growth of the grass roots. AgriGro biostimulants have also been proven to increase root growth. This is because these substances help plants endure environmental stress better than those that were not treated. Other Maintenance You can also encourage strong roots by giving them plenty of room to grow. This means pulling any weeds, which have root systems that like to choke the roots of the grass. Plus, it involves periodic aeration, which allows air and water to reach the roots. Use a core aerator, which will reduce soil compaction. That way, the water can penetrate all the way down to the roots Be sure to also remove what is known as thatch by using a rake to clear this dead organic material and grass clippings from the soil. From following these tips, you'll most likely improve the chances of enjoying a lush green lawn throughout the summer.
The Benefits of Installing a Lawn Sprinkler System
When you have a lawn, one of the regular tasks is to ensure that it is watered properly. With a hectic life, you may not always remember what day or when you should water. That's why a lawn sprinkler system was invented. If you are debating whether a lawn sprinkler system would work for you and your lawn maintenance needs, consider these benefits: First, it automates lawn care for you. This makes it convenient because all you need to do is set the programmable timer and let the sprinkler system go to work caring for your lawn. This is especially ideal when you may be out of town for a week or longer. Also, it is consistent whereas you might miss spots when you manually water the lawn. Second, you'll actually use less water this way. For example, the sprinkler system can water your lawn at night thanks to the timer settings when it's coolest. This means the water won't evaporate like it would if you water in the heat of the day. That way, water is used effectively. Plus, doing it by the time means you won't go over the limit. Third, a sprinkler system is customized to your lawn needs. You can set it based on the size, type, and shape of your lawn. Also, you can use a variety of sprinkler types, including revolving, stationary, and oscillating. You can also adjust the sprinkler system so that it reaches other items in your garden or yard like plants, trees, hedges, and flowers. Fourth, a lawn sprinkler system just looks better and is safer than dragging a garden hose across the lawn. The sprinkler heads are low to the ground and do not take away from the aesthetics of your yard. Finally, a sprinkler system can add value to your home. Future homebuyers will appreciate that this convenient, efficient lawn care system has already been installed for them. If you need assistance with installing a sprinkler system for your lawn so you can take advantage of these benefits, contact us today!
Lawns Need to Be Watered Regularly in the Summer
In the heat of summer, your lawn is a lot like you. There is dehydration if not provided with enough water to stay cool and hydrated. In fact, a lack of water can be detrimental to all living things. The answer is to water frequently but don't overdo it. Here are our top lawn maintenance tips for watering your summer lawn: You don't have to water your lawn every day in the summer. I know it seems like you should but don't be tempted. It can lead to overwatering. Know your soil properties because water reacts differently to sandy soil versus to clay-based soil. Once you know what soil you are using, you can create a lawn watering system that addresses that type of soil in an effective way. Check how the water is penetrating your soil in different places because it will not be uniform throughout your lawn. After watering, dig holes to see how far down the water is gone. The ideal penetration is six to eight inches beneath the surface of the soil. Keep an eye on your sprinkler system to make sure everything is working and reaching across your entire lawn. You may need to adjust or repair the sprinklers throughout the summer season. Typically, a lawn needs at least one inch of water each week but more in the summer when the heat really impacts it. Try watering the day before you know you are going to mow the lawn. This will help prevent the tips of the grass turning brown because it will have the water to recover more quickly from being cut. Additionally, if you stick to the plan of watering deeply and less frequently, your lawn will develop drought-tolerant roots that help it survive and thrive even in hot weather. By watering earlier in the day before 10 a.m., you can also reduce the chance of the water evaporating before it really penetrates the soil. Plus, doing so reduces the risk of fungal growth. We're here to help, too. If you seek professional lawn care services, we can deliver consistent, knowledgeable lawn care maintenance for your property. Contact us today!
Change the Fertilizer Mix During the Heat of Summer
The summer heat brings a lot of stress to a lawn. The lawn can become parched and damaged from the summer sun and the extreme heat. Although it's easy to understand when a lawn loses its luster in winter months, most of us don't want the sun to shine down on a brown lawn in the summer months. That's when it's time to think about fertilizing as part of our summer lawn maintenance. Don’t Over Fertilize You need to be careful about fertilizing in the summer. Applying too much during the heat of summer can actually harm your lawn. You will end up burning your existing lawn. Plus, If your lawn is looking straggly in midsummer, resist the urge to fertilize. And, it can lead to a significant amount of tender growth that will struggle in the heat and actually not make it. Why Fertilize in the Summer? When you fertilize conservatively in the summer, you'll be able to achieve some benefits for your lawn. For example, the right amount of fertilizer protects and strengthens a lawn against insects, heat stress, drought, and foot traffic. Use Organic Fertilizer When using fertilizer during hot summer months, opt for organic fertilizers. They are naturally slow-release. This means that they are less likely to burn your lawn compared to chemical fertilizers. Weed and Feed Fertilizer Since weeds are harder to kill in the summer because of their strong root system you can still cautiously apply a weed and feed fertilizer throughout the summer months of June, July, and August. Look for those that contain nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium because this helps to promote a healthy lawn. Recycling Grass and Fertilizing Another option is to recycle your grass clippings as you mow your lawn. you can leave the grass clippings on the lawn to decompose. These clippings will recycle nutrients that will then serve as fertilizer during the summer months. This can actually reduce your use of chemicals on your lawn, which then reduces the risk of overfertilizing while providing a green lawn even during those heat waves. Contact Us Contact us today to find out how we can help with your summer lawn to keep it green and healthy even during the heat of summer.