10 Ways to Prepare for Spring

Along with increasing daylight and warmer temperatures comes the itch - the itch to buy flowers, dig in the dirt, mow the lawn, sink your feet in new grass and all the other joys that spring brings. But before any of that happens, a little preparation goes a long way. Here are 10 ways to get a jumpstart on spring gardening.

Get a soil test. 
Contact your local extension office for testing directions or visit the link below.

Find out your planting zone.
Georgia is divided into four zones, so you’ll need to know which plants grow best in your zone.

Tune up the lawn mower.
Basically you’ll need to clean the deck, sharpen the blade, install a new spark plug and change the oil.

Prune trees, bushes and flowers.
If you’re not sure how to prune, your local extension office can help.

Till planting areas.

Buy seeds and start them indoor.

Add new mulch to existing bushes.

Sharpen gardening tools and replace as needed.

Aerate lawn and apply fertilizer.
This is where the soil test also comes in handy – the results tell you the kind and amount of fertilizer needed.

Make a list of any new plants needed and where they’ll go.

Resources
Soil testing directions: http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/C896.htm
Georgia planting zones by zip code: http://www.garden.org/zipzone 

Allgood’s Quality Pro Designation – Our Commitment to Excellence

At Allgood, we do more than just provide pest control. We believe our customers deserve the best, whether that’s customer service or the latest technology. Just two years ago, in recognition of our commitment to excellence, we were awarded the Quality Pro designation by the National Pest Management Association.

Less than two percent of all pest control companies in the United States have achieved this status, and we’re proud to join their ranks.

The Quality Pro status means that not only do we meet state and federal requirements, but we also voluntarily go above and beyond those requirements. We’re committed to a stringent set of qualifications that include:

1. Criminal background checks and driving record reports
2. Maintaining a drug-free workplace
3. Higher insurance requirements
4. Clean, identifiable vehicles with proper security for the storage of pesticides
5. Higher training and testing requirements
6. Practice proper IPM techniques
7. Clear, easy-to-understand contracts and agreements

As a Quality Pro company, Allgood is dedicated to getting the job done right. We’re proud to be a pest solutions brand you can trust. 

Reconnect by Disconnecting

Ever feel like your family spends more time watching TV or surfing the Internet than they do with each other? Then maybe it’s time to unplug and reconnect. If you’re at a loss for what to do with your newfound family-bonding time though, check out these ideas:

Put Your Game Face On
Get the whole family involved with a fun game. Try letting each child pick out their own game and have the entire family play them together. Even preschoolers can enjoy the fun with games like Hi-Ho Cherry-O or Candy Land; for more advanced, creative play try Cranium or a fun card game like Pit. 

Build Family Bonds
Tackling a project together does more than just bring the family together. It also helps kids learn problem-solving skills as well as other important traits. Whether it’s a doll house, model airplane, race car or even a simple birdhouse, a building project combines fun, learning and togetherness. 

Take a Hike
With Georgia’s abundance of community, local and state parks, there’s no excuse not to make a family day a park day. Bring the bikes, the dog and even the fishing poles and a picnic lunch for a fun time in the great outdoors. 

Backyard Fun
Turn your backyard into a different kind of PlayStation with badminton, volleyball or even croquet. Be careful though, a little friendly family competition can be addicting! Try adding in some classic games like hide and seek (even more fun at night with flashlights!), red rover and Frisbee.