From the biggest patio to the smallest blade of grass, there isn’t much we don’t know about landscaping, lawn care, and irrigation systems. We’ve got lots of information to share in this blog, and we hope it proves helpful. Of course, if there’s a topic on which you’d like more information, feel free to contact us and let us know.
2021 Outdoor Lighting Trends
When you add outdoor lighting to your outdoors space, it instantly adds beauty and increases usability of your yard during the night. Subtle landscape lighting can make a huge impact for minimal cost. Install outdoor lights to … Read More …
Common Critters That Damage Your Lawn
Take care of your lawn all spring so large brown spots don’t appear in summer. When your lawn is thick and healthy, it can be one of the most appealing parts of your yard, but when it’s damaged by critters and insects, it quickly becomes unattractive. Even with proper Read More …
How to Read a Plant Tag
Don’t you just love stepping into a nursery and seeing all the plant options? It’s easy to quickly fill up your cart with plants of different colors and textures. Here’s a tip for when you get home — don’t throw away that little plant tag! Even if it’s a plant you’ve added to your garden before, new … Read More …
The Benefits of Topdressing and Mulching
Topdressing your lawn and adding mulch to your gardens are two important spring lawn care maintenance tasks. These tasks not only help your lawn and plants establish strong roots, but keeps weeds at bay. So, by paying attention to your … Read More …
Design Trends for Patio Pavers
As the desire for outdoor living spaces becomes more popular, the creative options for the foundation of the space, the pavers, has multiplied. Homeowners are saying goodbye to the concrete square patios and choosing beautifully designed pavers. Read More …
Is a Smart Sprinkler System Worth It?
The main advantage of a smart sprinkler system is the reduction in water usage which ultimately reflects on your monthly water bill. We have smart phones, smart watches, smart thermostats, not only for the convenience, but because these … Read More …
6 Landscape Design Projects You Can Start Planning for Right Now!
Ready, set … is it spring yet? Snow. Flurries. Screaming wind. Yup…it’s official. November has finally arrived. For those among us who live for soft, warm breezes, BBQs on the patio, and grass that tickles our toes, the countdown to spring has begun. And as long as we’re thinking about next April, … Read More …
Minnesota Shrubs for All Seasons
Spring blooms to autumn shades — choosing and caring for shrubs in your landscaping Shrubs and trees form the backbone of your landscape to accentuate your perennials and annuals. Shrubs fill the sunny, shady, dry, moist areas of your yard or create stunning transitions between different areas of … Read More …
Is There A Bad Time to Aerate Your Lawn?
Wondering when to aerate your lawn in Minnesota? The short answer — Fall, particularly after Labor Day and throughout September. Now for the long answer — Timing is one of the most important factors when it comes to lawn aeration. If … Read More …
How to Care for Your New Sod Installation
When you’ve had sod installation service done and have created a beautiful lush green lawn, you need to protect that investment and make sure it looks amazing for years to come. This newly installed sod requires special care for the … Read More …
Garden Plants That Help Pollinators Thrive
Did you know that one third of our plant-based food sources depend on insects for pollination? Pollinators are an integral part of our food supply chain and unfortunately, their populations are rapidly declining. This decline is mostly due to loss of habitats and limited plant diversity. This rapid … Read More …
How to Create a Butterfly Garden
Butterflies are important pollinators that also add color, life, and interest to your backyard. With fewer and fewer available habits because of urban sprawl, creating a butterfly garden in your yard can help increase their populations. A butterfly garden can be any size from carefully selected … Read More …
Making Your Yard a Joy, Not a Chore
What’s your biggest complaint about gardening and yard maintenance? Our guess is that you said, “weeding!” We’ve never met someone who actually enjoys weeding. The other common complaint is that it takes too much work and effort to make the yard look nice. However, it is possible to have an amazing … Read More …
Illuminate your Landscape Design
Once the sun goes down, your landscape changes as focal points shift, shadows lengthen, and your outdoor living spaces become cozier. With the right outdoor landscape lighting, you can set the ideal mood, accentuate plants, … Read More …
The Benefits of Fertigation Systems
Fertilization Made Easy! Have you ever walked down the fertilizer aisle at your local garden store? It can be overwhelming with so many choices — Do you buy liquid or granular fertilizer? What ratio of nutrients is best? Which fertilizer should be applied in the spring? Why do you need to … Read More …
Design Tips for Perfect Outdoor Kitchens
Are you looking forward to the days of having friends over and enjoying a meal together in your backyard? Or trying out some new recipes on your BBQ or in your pizza oven? With the summer coming, we’re going to be spending more time outside and less time isolated in the house. Is your yard and … Read More …
Our Commitment to Your Safety
COVID-19: What we're doing and what you need to know. Dear Rock Solid Landscape & Irrigation Customers: Rock Solid remains operational and able to continue to service our customers. We are closely monitoring events and the government mandates as the health and safety of our employees, … Read More …
The Importance of Spring Lawn Care
It’s officially spring! In other words, it’s time to start thinking about getting your yard ready for the summer. Proper spring MN lawn care will establish a healthy, thick, beautiful lawn and garden throughout the whole summer. Vole … Read More …
Home and Garden Shows — The Cure for Cabin Fever
Update: The North Suburban Home Show on Saturday, March 14, 2020 has been canceled. Due to the recent COVID-19 outbreak, these events have been rescheduled in efforts to comply with the recommendations of the CDC and MDH. Of course, this new show dates can change as the health of the country … Read More …
Fall Yard Clean Up Tips — Step Up Your Lawn Care & Landscaping Game
Yard clean up and preparation NOW pays off next year! As we watch summer shrink away in the rear-view mirror, it’s tempting to think that lawn care and landscaping duties are done for the season. Well…not really. Not at all. Fall is a very productive, proactive time. What you do over the next six … Read More …
Why Choose Permeable Pavers for Your Hardscape Project
Benefits of Installing a Permeable Paver System If you’re planning a hardscape project — a patio, walkway, driveway — for your property, you’ll need to decide on the type of surface to install. Choose wisely because the health of the lakes and streams in your area may depend on it. What’s more, one … Read More …
Introduce perennial flowers to your landscape to support pollinators
Recognize national pollinator week The role of pollinators and perennial flowers is so integral to the health of the earth’s food production that since 2007, a week in June has been designated to celebrate their contributions. Read More …
Spring Lawn Care Tips for a Healthy Yard All Season Long
Help your lawn and yard spring to life and stay healthy Confused about what to do and when for springtime lawn and yard care? The team at Rock Solid has created a handy (and FREE!) Read More …
Smart Technology for Lawn and Garden Care
Sprinkler systems can run remotely with an app on the phone What once seemed so futuristic has become almost commonplace: the smart home. With a few swipes on your phone, you can turn on the porch lights and crank up the air conditioner before you even arrive, thanks to smart technology (can we … Read More …
4 Steps to Get Your Landscape Design Project off the Ground
Thinking ahead now saves time and money later Ever suffer from yard envy? That’s when you’re walking or driving around a neighborhood wishing your yard looked as great as that one. Maybe this is the year to get a landscape design … Read More …
A Survivor’s Guide to Irrigation
If you survived the Minnesota winter (which ended approximately five minutes ago), congratulations are in order. In all likelihood, you’re ready to kiss your grass, roll around in it for a while and then dance a jig across your lawn. Who cares what that nosey neighbor, Mrs. Slackjaw, thinks? It’s … Read More …
Six Landscaping Ideas & Trends to Try
Spruce up your space this spring Nobody expects your grounds to be the gardens at Versailles, but if your backyard consists of nothing but crabgrass, a decomposing picnic table, and a rusty swing set, you might want to consider updating your outdoor space. Why not try some new Read More …
Dog Days To-Dos — Lawn Care Tips
Keep your lawn from looking “RUFF” The signs are all there — Christmas decorations are out at Target, parents are counting down the days until school starts again, you’ve accepted that you’re probably not going to be beach-body-ready until next June. The dog days of summer are upon us. And probably … Read More …
Drought and Irrigation
How to win a turf war with Mother Nature We’ve been pretty lucky so far this season. It seems like we’ve had just about the right amount of rainfall. However, there is a LOT of summer left. Let a week or two or five of no rain come to pass and your lawn will suddenly start to look combustible. As … Read More …
Trends in Water Features
Come on in! The water’s fine! Thinking about adding a water feature to your outdoor living space this summer? Great! Water features add visual appeal, soothing sound, and a calming peace to any patio or garden area. … Read More …
Trends in Outdoor Lighting
See the light(s)! For those who are gone all day, but ready to play at night, outdoor lighting illuminates the way for after-hours living. Why stumble around in the dark when you can see the light with these latest … Read More …
How to Choose a Good MN Landscape Company
4 questions to ask before you say, “I do.” Choosing a MN Landscape Company can be a little like choosing a mate. It’s important to learn as much as possible ahead of time to ensure your ultimate satisfaction with the relationship. The following four questions should help you weed out … Read More …
From Lawn Care to Lawn Chairs
A checklist for your summertime backyard event It’s that time of year again…grads graduating, brides and grooms marrying, families reuniting and you…you’re freaking out. Your lawn is nowhere near ready for that party, reception, or gathering you’re planning you need help NOW! First, get a brown … Read More …
Lawn Irrigation Tips — how much water is just right?
Improper irrigation can be a real horror story!First it’s too much rain, then there’s not enough. There’s either a flood or a drought, feast or famine, too hot or too cold. As a homeowner you start to feel a little like Goldilocks. All you want is a good-looking, healthy lawn. So how much water … Read More …
Oh, deer!
4 essential items for deer-resistant gardeningIf deer were actually like Disney characters, prancing through the forest and making mischief with rabbits, we’d all get along. Unfortunately, deer have a tendency to go off script, wreaking havoc with your hostas, gobbling up your garden, and just … Read More …
What’s growing this season?
Big news from your favorite MN landscape company!For us, there’s more to this season than binging on cookies and cocoa! In fact, we’re expanding something more than just our waistlines — we’re growing your favorite MN Landscape Company! That’s … Read More …
Fall Yard Clean Up. Do We Gotta?
More than one good reason for fall lawn care The signs are all there — Christmas decorations are out at Target, parents are counting down the days until school starts again, you’ve accepted that you’re probably not going to be beach-body-ready until next June. The dog days of summer are upon us. … Read More …
Sprinkler Irrigation Systems
5 Sprinkler Myths Busted! As you survey the grass in your yard that is starting to look more like the Serengeti than a Minnesota lawn, you’re probably regretting putting off putting in that smart sprinkler system. Still you had your reasons, right? Well, today is the day we bust the myths about Read More …
Summertime Patio Ideas
It’s time to really enjoy outdoor living When we say “outdoor living” we’re talking about something more than pitching a pup tent in your yard. This summer, why not really rev things up in your outdoor living space? We’ve got summertime patio ideas for you that are going to make you want to move … Read More …
Outdoor lighting trends — this isn’t your mother’s porch light
There’s more to outdoor lighting than screwing a 100-watt bulb into the socket on the porch. These days, outdoor lighting adds ambience, appeal, and warmth. It offers you safety, security and extends the use of your outdoor … Read More …
Four outdoor living trends you’re going to love
There’s more to outdoor living than sleeping in a tent! Minnesota residents know three things: (1) Where “up north” is located; (2) That it’s called “pop” not “soda”; (3) And that the golden days of summer last about as long as $50 at Target so you better make the best of them. How to do that? … Read More …
The best time to install irrigation systems
The secret to a green lawn Remember that first hot day of summer when you turned on your AC, only to discover it had died a tragic death over the winter? And remember how when you called the repair person they told you they’d be happy to come out and fix it…in July when things slowed down a little? … Read More …
Springtime Lawn Care 101
Your refresher on MN lawn care It’s widely known that Minnesotans enter into a kind of conscious amnesia every winter. We choose to forget about spring and summer, playing ball on the lawn, barbecueing on the patio, watching the flowers grow. It’s a coping mechanism to get through the snowdrifts, … Read More …
What does your lawn say about you?
Smart irrigation sprinkler systems + smart homeowner = gorgeous green lawn Ever take those quizzes on Facebook? You know the ones…what does your name mean? What kind of dog are you? Well, we’ve got one. What does your lawn say about you? Is it thick? Dazzling green? Evenly lush across your entire … Read More …
The Dirty Dozen — Top 12 Spring Gardening & Landscaping Tips
Don’t be fooled by the recent smattering of days with temps in the 60s. Only transplants from warmer climates let themselves get excited about spring arriving in March. After all…this IS Minne-snowta! So, while we’re cautiously optimistic enough to put away our boots and mittens, we’re not … Read More …
That’s a wrap! But before we say goodbye…
Did you hear that? It was the sound of the year whooshing by us at about a million mph. It seems like it was just a minute ago we were slathering on SPF 50 and planting our veggie garden in the broiling sun. Now it’s winter coat time and heaven help us…the stores are putting up their holiday … Read More …
Fall gardening tips — what to do before the snow flies
If you’re a soil junkie you know your days in the garden are numbered. Make the most of this beautiful autumn weather by slapping on the garden gloves and heaving the hoe one last time. Here’s a handy list to help you: Fall vegetable garden
- Remove … Read More …
Top Six Tasks for Fall Landscaping Cleanup
Let’s face it…now that the kids are back at school, you’ve got all kinds of spare time. Instead of refereeing who gets the last popsicle or mopping up the remnants of a Kool-Aid experiment gone horribly wrong, you can finally attend to the fall … Read More …
Sprinkler madness — lawn irrigation systems offer hope!
Every season, right about now, we see a fair number of homeowners suffering from sprinkler irrigation madness. Find out if you’re at risk by asking yourself the following:
- Do you feel like you might lose it if you have to move your sprinkler one more time?
- Did you have to sell … Read More …
Landscape Companies MN — How to choose the best one
Travel down Highway 10 on any given day and you’ll see there’s no shortage of trucks with logos advertising landscape companies in MN. However, a truck, a shovel, and a power mower does not a landscape company make. Choosing from the countless landscape companies in Minnesota to find the right one … Read More …
This summer’s #1 vacation destination? Your backyard with its new landscape design!
Traditionally, summertime means vacation time. That’s right. It’s now officially the season to load up your SUV, crawl through bumper-to-bumper traffic while listening to your children whine in the back seat—all to arrive at an overpriced, overcrowded resort where you will spend your savings on … Read More …
How intelligent is your sprinkler irrigation system?
Let’s do a little time travel this month, shall we? Flash forward to July. It’s hot and hazy and you’re surveying your crunchy brown lawn. You’re wondering, “What went wrong?” Now, we don’t like to say “We told you so” (well, actually we do) but, if you’d had us install that Read More …
MN Lawn Care — It’s about time!
Between the polar vortex and record snowfalls, I don’t know how much more of this winter we could stand. No doubt about it, we’re hardy in Minnesota and we persevere (and I must say, we do it with style) because we know the payoff is coming…spring! Glorious spring—grass growing, birds chirping, … Read More …
“Winter! What have you done to my lawn?” — and other lawn and landscape questions
We can only pretend that the view out the window is an endless expanse of white sand beach for so long. With less than three weeks to go until the first day of spring, we’re asking what’s with all that white stuff still on the ground? Of course, we realize it will go away…eventually! In the … Read More …
Procrastinators Guide To Getting Lawn Care Done
If you’ve been a Minnesota resident for more than a year, you know that come November, we’re living on borrowed time. It could snow at any moment — before Old Man Winter moves in you’ve got to stop procrastinating and start in on those last few Read More …
The Top 3 Can’t-Put-Off-A-Minute-Longer Fall Cleanup Must-Dos
In Minnesota, we love our four seasons, even though some of them last longer than others. Take autumn for example. The days are filled with sunshine, the nights are cool, the leaves turn the colors of a sunset—gold, red and orange. And all this loveliness lasts for about two weeks. Then BAM! … Read More …
The Facts About Free Time, Fall, and Fun Lawn Chores
Let’s start with the facts—the kids are back in school, all your vacation days are used up for the year and just looking at the list of chores you need to complete in your free time exhausts you. Welcome to fall. Actually, autumn is a lovely time to get your yard prepped for next summer. Sure, it … Read More …
What’s the Poop on Fertilizer?
Just because the State Fair is around the corner and the school supplies are out at Target, doesn’t mean the MN lawn care season is over. In fact, there’s still plenty you can do to keep your lawn … Read More …
Dorothy Was Right! There’s No Place Like Home!
It’s the weekend! Time to gas up your car (at $4+/gallon), pack up your family (yes, even the kicking, screaming 2-year old), and ramp onto the interstate, where you’ll travel at a blistering 10 mph while watching the clock tick away the hours and accept the fact that you could have crawled up north … Read More …
How to Get Rid of Crabgrass
Crabgrass is a stubborn rooting grass with the ability to aggressively grow, spread, colonize, and overwhelm native grasses. Forming “mats” close to the soil, crabgrass will put out extensive roots within one season. Left unchecked, they choke out surrounding grass and form depressions in a lawn … Read More …
