Labor Day this year is Monday, September 4th, and while summer might be coming to an end, you still have one last weekend to celebrate. Here are some great ways to spend your last weekend of the summer.1. Go on a last minute trip | Take a day off from lawn care, you deserve it!
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On Vacation? 9 Tips to Keep Your House Safe Every summer, millions of Americans decide to leave their home and travel, which makes summer the unofficial vacation season. Due to the increase in vacations, there is also an increase in home burglaries, since the empty houses are very enticing to the burglars. To prevent your house from falling victim to a burglary while you’re out having the time of your life on vacation, follow these helpful tips to keep your house as safe as possible.
1. Lock all doors and windows before leaving for vacation.This seems pretty obvious, but make sure nobody can get into the house without a key during your vacation, and that there are no openings in the windows.
2. Make sure anything valuable in your house cannot be seen from any windows.Robbers window shop too. Since a house with valuable items in the window probably has more valuable items inside, that house is more likely to be targeted. Try to hide everything that you don’t want to appeal to the robber that would make them want to break into your house. 3. Have your lawn mowed during your vacation. You can do this by scheduling in advance using the Plowz & Mowz app!If you’re gone a while, make sure your grass stays in tip top shape! (A mowed lawn also makes it look like someone’s home). You can schedule a mow in advance (or on the beach!) with the app. You will receive a free quote in under a minute, all you have to do is answer a couple of basic questions about your lawn. No contracts are required either!
4. Have some timers on lights and the television so it looks like you’re home.If a house is completely dark, this is an obvious sign that nobody is home which, as you can probably guess, is very appealing to the robbers. Trick the robbers who prey on houses when nobody is home into thinking your house is occupied by having a timer on your lights so that they will go on at a specific time every day while you’re on vacation. 5. Try not to post too much about your vacation on social media.This can give thieves a clue that you aren’t home. As sad as it might be, some of the people you’re “friends” with on social media might end up trying to take advantage of your empty house. Friends seeing you away on Facebook might become thieves knowing you’re away. Save the vacation pictures for when you return!
6. If you normally keep the blinds open, leave them open.Again, just like with the lights, act like people are home. It would be strange if you normally leave the blinds open to have them closed, and it would be another sign that the house is empty and you are on vacation. 7. While it might seem like a good idea, don’t leave a message on your answering machine stating you’re on vacation.Just like with the posting on social media, by announcing that you are not home on your answering machine gives the burglars a huge heads up that house is empty.
8. Remove any spare keys you have lying around outside.Since you went through all of the effort in locking the doors and windows to your house, why would you want to make it easy for the robbers to break in? Hence, make sure that the only people who can get into the house are the ones you gave the key to. 9. Hold your mail at the post office and stop the newspaper delivery during your vacation.Probably you aren’t home if there is a pile of either outside, consequently thieves will notice and target your home.
| Let us mow so you can spend time on the fun stuff, like enjoying your vacation!
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12 Interesting Beer FactsAugust 4th is International Beer, so to celebrate here are 12 fun facts about beer! And remember: don’t operate heavy machinery when drinking. If you need your lawn mowed, use the Plowz & Mowz app, and we’ll send someone to mow your lawn for you so you can enjoy all the beer in the world.
1. Beer is one of the oldest beverages in the worldArcheologists uncovered beer residue on ceramic vessels that date back to 3400 B.C.E. in the Middle East. This was also where barley based beer was first made. Most ancient beers were made with dates, olive oil and finally mandrake. Although popular now, brewers only started using hops in the Middle Ages. 2. There is a fear of an empty glassMany bar patrons experience cenosillicaphobia throughout the course of night out. If you have this fear, please see your local bartender for a refill!
3. Beer is the third most popular drink in the worldWater obviously ranks first, with tea coming in second. Beer is also the most popular alcoholic drink in the world. 4. The most expensive beer is “Vieille Bon Secours” which is from BelgiumVieille Bon Secours is brewed by Caulier and the 12-lire bottle costs over $1000. While even for just a pint you will have to pay around $50. People who have tasted this beer have described it as having some toffee, caramel, and citric flavors
5. The strongest beer in the world is “Snake Venom” made by BrewmeisterThis Scottish beer has 67.5% ABV. In contrast, a normal beer has about 5% ABV. It is made with champagne yeast, smoked peat malt, and finally ale yeast. Adventurous drinkers can taste this beer in the UK. At as much as $77 per 330 mL, it is definitely on the pricey side. 6. The largest beer festival in the world is OktoberfestOktoberfest is held every year in Munich, Germany, and runs for 16-18 days. More than six million people come from all over the world to drink large quantities of Oktoberfest beer and to eat traditional foods like Wurstl (sausages), Brezen (soft pretzels), and Reiberdatschi (potato pancakes).
7. Beer helps get rid of kidney stonesAccording to the American Journal of Epidemiology, a bottle of beer a day reduces the risk by about 40%. Beer forces the kidney to get rid of the stones, due to the amount of liquid in the body increasing, which is why beer is considered to be a diuretic (which means it increases the amount of urine produced). 8. The largest craft brewery in America is YuenglingYuengling is also considered to be the oldest brewing company in the United States. It has been immensely popular on the East Coast since 1829. German immigrant David Gottieb Jungling founded this brewery. The business has stayed in the family too, currently a fifth-generation family member operates the brewery.
9. The state that drinks the most beer is North DakotaEvery resident drinks around 43.6 gallons of beer a year. Utah ranks as the state that drinks the least amount of beer a year, as much as around 20.2 gallons per capita a year. This is probably due to the fact that there is a large population of Mormons in the sate. 10. There are around 400 types of beer in the worldThe country with the most individual beer brands is Belgium. Trappist monks are brewing the most popular beer there, Chimay, also brewed in Hainaut, Belgium.
11. Snow is the best selling beer in the worldIt is a Chinese brand and sells for 49¢ a bottle. China is also the world’s top producer of beer, which makes sense since they are home to 1.35 billion potential beer customers. Every year they make around 47 million kiloliters of beer which is more than double what the US makes. 12. Not only does beer help reduce kidney stones, it also helps strengthen bonesBeer is rich in silicon which helps increase minerals and calcium deposits for bone tissue. Surprisingly, moderate beer drinking can even help fight against osteoporosis, a disease that causes bones to become fine and brittle which can lead to painful breaks.
| Drink responsibly, let a Pro mow while you grab a beer!
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PLOWZ & MOWZ is already the easiest way to take control of your most burdensome outdoor home chores. Now, with the Alexa Echo device, it’s even easier! Order a local, professional landscaper to mow your lawn using only your voice!
Alexa is the name of Amazon’s voice activated artificial intelligence assistant. Using the Amazon Echo or the Echo Dot, you can control bluetooth enabled devices by asking Alexa to do certain things. This popular device has a growing number of apps, called “skills” added all the time, and now PLOWZ & MOWZ has their own!
The benefits of using Amazon Alexa are centered around ease of use. These devices are like little personal assistants living right in your home. Now you can control the parts of your smart home with only your voice. With the proper equipment, also control everything from your living room lights to your thermometer.
Imagine saying “Hi Alexa, turn on my living room light,” and watching the room light up without lifting a finger. It’s even easier than using a smart phone in some cases! Amazon’s Alexa provides a lot of entertainment, as well. You can ask Alexa any questions, and she’ll probably come up with the answer! Alexa plays DJ, and takes music requests. Furthermore, connect wirelessly to your bluetooth speakers, and Alexa will control the party for you. Catch up on news in the morning, and ask Alexa how the weather’s going to be when you’re getting ready. The possibilities are endless!
Amazon Alexa devices activate when you say Alexa. While Alexa devices are smart on their own, you will need to add “skills” for some of your favorite apps. When you set-up your Alexa device, you will also download the Amazon Alexa app on your phone. Then you’ll download new skills to your device, which will allow you to give Alexa new commands.
First of all, download the PLOWZ & MOWZ skill on your Amazon Alexa app. Next you’ll be asked to link your PLOWZ & MOWZ account to your Echo device. Then say, “Alexa, ask plowz and mowz to mow my lawn.” Alexa will guide you through your order, and then you can continue relaxing!
By asking Alexa to have PLOWZ & MOWZ mow your lawn, you’ll be getting a professional lawn mow as soon as the next day. All of this without lifting a finger. Compare this process to getting some gasoline, taking the lawn mower out of the shed, filling the tank, hoping it starts, pushing the mower back and forth for over 30 minutes in the hot sun, and finally trying to shove the mower back in your shed. With Amazon Alexa and the PLOWZ & MOWZ skill, all you have to do is open your mouth and ask! Whether you are busy with work or kids, or if you just want to relax or take a vacation, PLOWZ & MOWZ will take care of your lawn.
Home Selling: How to Keep Your Home Show-ReadyIt takes weeks, sometimes months, to prepare a home for sale. Once you have it perfectly clean, you know it is practically impossible to keep it that way. Fortunately, there are ways to make it easier to maintain a home’s organization, and quickly get it back into order before a home showing. Use this checklist to get ideas for what you need to do. 1. Curb Appeal CheckSince the property’s exterior is the first thing buyers see as they arrive, it should be the first aspect you confirm is in great condition. You have already painted and revised the landscaping, so all you should have to do now is keep it in good shape. Make sure that the lawn is trimmed properly and that the driveway and walkways are clear of cut grass and debris. A poorly maintained lawn can really turn away prospective buyers. Rake and remove leaves, if you are selling a home in fall. Hiring a weekly mowing service will help you to keep on top of this task, particularly if you have vacated the home while you sell it. 2. Systematic OrganizationThe trick to keeping your interior as spotlessly clean as it was the day you listed it is to avoid making messes as much as possible. When you complete your staging, take pictures on your phone so you know how it is supposed to look. Make checklists for every room so that each night, you can return the room to its original condition. Offer the kids incentives to clean up their toys or equipment as soon as they are done using them. This approach to systematic organization will stop clutter from creeping back into the space, and cut down on the panicked cleaning right before a showing. 3. Spot CleaningThere will be a few things that are unavoidable, that you will have to clean up right before each individual showing. There might not be enough time for a thorough cleaning of each room, but hopefully each space is already clean enough that you only need to do the last-minute touches each time. Create a cleaning caddy that is easy to carry to every room for cleaning. Be sure to wipe down counters, mirrors and windows, especially areas that get a lot of hand or foot traffic. If you have pets, toss in a lint roller to pull pet hair off couches and other sitting areas. Sweep and vacuum the floors, and then put all cleaning products away. 4. Odor InspectionOne of the worst things you could forget about is the scents coming from the home. It might not be the stench of old fish, but even just a stuffy room can turn buyers away. Ask a friend to come through your home and point out weird smells in any room. If a room is not ventilated as well as the rest of the home, consider opening a window for a short time to allow fresh air to come in. Avoid cooking foods with heavy odors that linger, or using harsh cleansers that give off a lot of fumes. You can add a scent diffuser to cover up some odors, but you should keep it mild. Strong scents, even the good ones, tell buyers that there is something you are trying to hide. No one wants to show a home that looked nothing like the listing pictures. If you want to impress buyers and demonstrate that you are true to your word, you will follow this checklist to keep your home ready for showings at any time. By preserving a generally clean home and doing a systematic inspection before each showing, you will present a tidier home. | The easiest way to keep your lawn show-ready? PLOWZ & MOWZ! With PLOWZ & MOWZ on-demand lawn mowing service, you can keep your lawn looking great right up until the sale! There are no contracts, so whether the selling process happens quickly or takes a few months, you can start and stop at anytime. Maybe you want to get fancy with garden sculptures, lawn ornaments and garden decor. While you add to your lawn decoration, let the Pros mow for you. It will save you a lot of time each week while you make sure your home is ready for sale!
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12 Mind-Blowing Lawn FactsYour lawn is amazing. We’re willing to bet you didn’t know a number of these facts about grass, lawn maintenance and your lawn! 1. There are three different types of grassThese three include Cyperaceae (Bullrushes, Sedges), Juncaceae (Rushes), and Poaceae (Grasses). While you’ll find all three types throughout the world, Poaceae is the grass typically found in yards in the United States. Remember this fact, and win your next grass themed trivia night! 2. Pink Flamingos are the most popular lawn decoration soldShops in the US sell around 250,000 of these pink lawn ornaments each year! Don Featherstone first designed these flamingos in 1957 and they rose to popularity in the 1980s. You can purchase a plastic pink flamingo for your lawn online, and they sell for around $15 a set. In addition to giving your lawn a little character, pink on green is a great color combo!
3. Grasslands make up over 20% of vegetation that covers EarthGrasslands dominate both tropical and temperate areas. Types grasslands include prairies, savannas, steppes, and pampas. Grasslands can also be found on every continent in the world. Compared to trees, grass might not be the most popular ecological cause, but many scientists still work to preserve these areas! 4. Grass can be found in bread, whiskey, and beerWe commonly think of grass as only what’s in our yard, but wheat grass and barley are also types of grass. Breweries and bakers alike use the grains from these types of grass to produce some of our favorite products. Think about that while standing on your freshly mowed lawn with a beer in hand!
5. Grass is one of the oldest living organisms that humans have discoveredWhat’s older than grass? Not much according to scientists that found one species of grass of sea grass that dates back to 200,000 years ago. Researches know this species from the Mediterranean Sea to be one of the oldest organisms in the world, at least of the ones discovered so far! 6. Grass is essential to many sports, like golf, tennis, and cricketTennis is home to the most expensive lawn in the world, and that’s the Centre Court at Wimbledon in England. Even though players only use this court during the two weeks in July when the championship is going on, the club spends a lot on lawn care. Compared to the All England Lawn Tennis Club, you don’t have to spend a fortune to have a well maintained lawn. Instead, just use PLOWZ & MOWZ!
7. The average lawn has millions of grass plantsA lawn fills around six grass plants per square inch. Since the average lawn size is about one-fifth of an acre, this means there is over 1.2 million square inches in a yard and over seven million grass plants in that yard. Imagine how many grass plants there are on a golf course, where there is an average of 74 acres! 8. By using a push-mower you can actually burn caloriesA 150-pound man can burn around 380 calories in 30 minutes! Since a Krispy Kreme donut is 350 calories, you can burn off breakfast with a quarter acre mow. If you’d rather take a trip to the gym to burn those calories off, let a professional landscaper take care of your lawn.
9. Water makes up 75-80% of the weight in grassAround 90% of the weight of grass comes from the roots. Also, the roots where most of the growth occurs. Due to this fact, grass continues to grow even after a cut. The roots are safe from a mow, so the grass keeps growing! The more you know, the more you grow! 10. In the summer about 238 gallons of water is used watering lawn per household.About 66% of all water use in each household comes from watering the lawn. Depending on the weather during the summer, this number can vary. With lots of cloudy days, the amount of water per yard will be very low (around 10 gallons per yard). However, very hot and dry summers can cause lawns to use close to 125 gallons!
11. Turfgrass can increase a home’s property value by around 15-20%Homeowners spend a lot of money to install turf. Despite the initial cost, turf has the ability to increase your property value. In addition to higher property values, turf also requires low lawn maintenance. If you want the turf to increase your house value, then make sure to install the turf alongside a well-designed landscape. 12. About 65,000 people are hospitalized per year with lawn-mowing related injuriesPeople will injure themselves in various ways, including, lacerations, fractures, and burns. Scary stuff. Rather than taking a trip to the hospital, let the Pros at PLOWZ & MOWZ mow for you!
| Treat lawn your lawn like the wonder it is, let PLOWZ & MOWZ help with your lawn care!
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Zoysia Grass
What is Zoysia grass? Zoysia is a genus of “creeping” grasses. This type of grass grows in temperate climates throughout the world, especially in parts of Asia an Australia, but is also very popular for golf fairways and greens. Why are we talking about Zoysia grass? Zoysia is a popular choice for lawn grass in the United States, especially for temperate climates. Those are ones that don’t get too cold in the winter, like Florida. Since this type of grass is technically an invasive species, it will crowd your lawn to the point that little to no weeds will be able to survive. This will obviously save time and money on weed treatments, but be careful as this also means they might creep into your neighbor’s lawn! Zoysia Grass Care To plant Zoysia grass, you may use sod, grass sprigs or zoysia grass seeds, depending on what type you are using. Check with your local gardening store for which type will work best for you. With cooler temperatures, Zoysia grass can turn from green to brown quickly. If you can handle the color change, you’ll have a resilient lawn, as the perennial grass will grow back thick and strong once temperatures increase in the spring. Zoysia grass maintenance is easy, since it retains water well and doesn’t need to be watered too often. It can stay green even during short droughts, so you may save a lot on lawn care with this grass. While it grows best in the sunlight, Zoysia grass can tolerate low levels of shade, which adds to the resiliency of this type of lawn.
Zoysia Grass Maintenance Plant Zoysia grass in the spring, and over-seed if you can. One of the few maintenance tips for this relatively maintenance free lawn is to de-thatch often. Since the zoysia grass will grow very thick and dense, there can be a lot of organic build up that may damage the underlying soil. Aeration and de-thatching are two landscaping services that you should plan on using with this type of lawn. Also, because of the density of Zoysia grass, you can mow the lawn a little shorter. Your local landscaper will know best, but an average of 1.5 to 2.5 inches is typically recommended. Due to the invasive nature of Zoysia grass, your lawn will have to have deep edging done periodically. The grass will take over the neighborhood otherwise. As popular as this type of lawn might be, you might not be popular with your neighbors if it replaces their own well-maintained lawn. Lawn Care Tips While Zoysia grass can be easier to maintain and might not need to be mowed quite as often, there’s a few lawn care tips that transfer to this type of lawn. When mowing, don’t cut too much at one time. Try not to cut more than 1/3 of the current length at once. Especially with Zoysia grass that already may have thatch problems, cutting too much at once could lead to grass clippings. Normally a few clippings are healthy for a lawn. Too many clippings will choke out the healthy grass though. When it’s hot, you can leave the grass a little higher. This will help keep the lawn from stressing out too much and turning brown prematurely. You should check with a weed control expert for your specific needs, but since Zoysia grass naturally keeps weeds at bay, you may not need to apply weed treatment very often. In some cases, weed treatment may actually harm your Zoysia grass lawn. Fertilizer can also be applied moderately once the grass has grown to maturity. In most cases, the Zoysia grass will grow well on it’s own.
If you live in a transition climate or a warmer southern climate, Zoysia grass may be the lawn you are looking for.
| Need your Zoysia grass mowed by a Pro?
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MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU!
The best summer holiday is almost upon us, and in preparation for all the cookouts and parties, here are some great patriotic-themed fun lawn games that are perfect for all ages! Don’t let this anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence pass you by without playing at least one of these fun games with your friends and family. And if you’re the house stuck throwing the party and cookout this year, there’s no better way to entertain and impress by having a few creative game stations set up across the yard in this fourth of July US Independence day.
A twist on an instant classic! Each competitor receives either a red, blue, or white token. In order to win, a player needs to collect a token in each color and they do this by tagging the people who have the different colored tokens. It is also a great way to get out and exercise this 4th of July Independence Day!
What’s more patriotic than participating in America’s favorite pastime? I’ll tell you what… Nothing! Divide your guests up into two different teams and use outdoor pillows as the different bases. Don’t have a bat or ball? Kickball can also be an equally fun alternative that gets everyone up and moving!
No, Bingo is not just for elderly people in retirement homes. This is a perfect DIY game for this 4th of July! Just create your own America-themed board by using construction paper and stickers. Maybe even throw in some patriotic prizes up for grabs too!
Who says Halloween is the only holiday you can dress up for? Challenge all your guests to come in their best patriotic costumes and give prizes to those who are the most accurate and creative. You’ll be surprised by what people come up with!
Just like the popular game, capture the flag, but one flag is blue and the other is red giving a patriotic element to the game. You can also push the patriotic theme even further by separating teams by red, white or blue T-shirts.
Again, another variation on a classic game, but instead of pinning the tail on the donkey, guests pin the hat on Uncle Sam. Blindfold your guest, spin each player around 3 times, make sure there is no peaking, and let the game begin! Your guests will commend you on your creativity and have a blast with this bigger target.
Scavenger hunts aren’t just for Easter eggs. Give guests creative clues to find all the mini versions of liberty bells, soldiers, flags, declaration of independence’s, and other patriotic items you hid before their arrival. Reward the player who finds the most with a patriotic prize!
Perfect for the history buffs out there (yes, there is always a few in every group)! Set up a creative game that quizzes people to see who actually knows American history. You may be embarrassed by the answer!
The game taking the nation by storm now comes in American themed varieties. Many people even build their own! Corn hole is a 4-player bean bag toss game that is sure to entertain everyone at your cookout for hours.
And if you’re traveling this holiday, don’t let your grass take over! Plowz & Mowz will take care of it while you’re gone. Let’s Celebrate the American Independence Day with full enthusiasim and make this fourth of July a memorable one.
While you’re planning and playing, let us mow for you!
Mow my lawn
Gifts to Give Dad on Father’s DayFather’s Day is Sunday, June 18th this year, so for those still looking for a gift here are some great suggestions! A new grill and utensils to help kick off grilling season.Hopefully these gifts will make your dad as happy as this guy:
Via GIPHY Power banksThese small, portable chargers would be great for the on-the-go dads. A hammock, perfect for relaxing days outside.Hammocks are great for those nice summer days, and are excellent for the dads who just want to enjoy the outdoors.
Noise-cancelling headphonesThese are ideal for a busy dad who might need a little time to himself. A Fitbit or something similar that tracks fitnessA fitness tracker would be a flawless gift to give your dad if he is a big fitness buff, or just wants to be healthy.
Via GIPHY A break from mowing the lawn by ordering from PLOWZ & MOWZSave dad the hassle of doing this household chore and order a lawn mow for him by using this app. You can get a free quote in under a minute, all you have to do is answer a couple easy questions about your lawn. You will be able to schedule your lawn mow for as soon as the next day! No contracts are required either! You can also give your dad the gift of never mowing during the summer by scheduling recurring services. Leave a comment below telling us what you are getting your dad this year for Father’s Day!
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If you’re in Chicago, check out Wannemaker’s Home and Garden store in Downer’s Grove for grills and more!
In Atlanta, Austin, Dallas or Denver? Have Propane Taxi deliver the propane to your dad’s house!
READ MORE >> 4 Lawn Care Tips for Extreme Heat
Let PLOWZ & MOWZ take care of the lawn mowing while you spend time with your family this Father’s Day!
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| Tips for Managing Your Lawn When it Rains Most of the country has been dealing with a significant amount of rain this spring. Here at PLOWZ & MOWZ, we have had to reschedule a record number of lawn mows due to the weather. Here are some tips to keep your lawn as healthy as possible for a rainier than normal season!
More rain means that grass is growing at an increasing speed, which then requires it to be mowed more often.
Fertilizer is only effective when it is brought into the root area of the grass. Rain can help do this, which is why it is prime time to fertilize lawns right before it rains.
Grass can be easily damaged when it is walked on, because the blades from the roots can be easily teared which would create a rumpled look. Try to only walk on lawns when it is dry.
It is best for lawns to be mowed when dry since it is easier to get the correct height on the grass.
| Enjoy every dry, sunny day you can! Schedule a MOWZ service today and we’ll take care of the rest!
It’s rained 41 of the past 67 days in CNY, home of PLOWZ & MOWZ!
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