Blog

At Park West, we’re landscapers by trade but teachers at heart. That’s why we had an amazing time teaching kids and their families how to grow tomato plants at...

By Jessica Weber, Business Developer, Certified Arborist (WE-11779A), Park West Tree Care More than 325 million people live in the U.S. today, and it’s no surprise that according to...

When it comes to planting, most of us automatically think of spring, since this season is most associated with planting seeds, seedlings, and other plants that will benefit from...

Children at the Hoag Hospital Child Care Center were recently treated to the sight of skilled Park West tree workers as they went about their usual trimming duties.  According...

It doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned “green thumb” gardener or a novice just starting out, if you want to catch the latest wave of composting, there are a...

Adding mulch to your shrubs and other plants pays important dividends over time that other forms of gardening just can’t match. The major benefit in mulching is that it...

Pretend City Children’s Museum in Irvine, CA, presents “the world in a nut shell.” It’s a wonderful place designed to teach children how communities work in a child-size, interconnected...

In an effort to educate its staff and remain current in landscaping and plant maintenance, Park West Companies has created the Park West Learning Academy to provide a range...

Sometimes when plants, turf, and trees look sick or appear to be under attack by insects, the symptoms are actually a sign that the plant is being stressed by...

Most homeowners, and many gardeners, are unfamiliar with the vital role bees and other pollinators play in a healthy and productive garden. Simply put, pollinators, and especially bees touch...

Nothing ruins a patio party faster than mosquitoes (except maybe fire ants…or biting flies). Mosquitoes, flies, beetles and other pesky party spoilers are uber-annoying when you’re trying to enjoy...

With their beautiful, fragrant blossoms, it makes sense to want as many rose bushes as possible in your garden. Learning to propagate roses from cuttings will give you a...

Succulents are the hot new botanical trend, and while gardeners in most parts of the country have to satisfy themselves with puny indoor succulents, landscapers in Southern California have...

Looking for a way to rid yourself of little pests that can cause big damage in your garden? These aphid control techniques will help you save your plants. Diagnosing...

Daffodils, ranunculus bulbs, anemones bulbs other bulb flowers are beautiful signs that spring has officially sprung. However, once the blooms fade and your spring flowers have done their job...

You may be aware that lawnmowers allow the user to adjust cutting distance, but do you know why this is? If not, you may be doing damage to your...

When executed properly, fertilization can add beauty and value to your lawn. However, there’s a right and wrong way to go about it. Learn more with these tips. 1)...

Get your garden ready for summer’s glorious return with this simple spring maintenance plan. From planting to fighting weeds before they have a chance to take hold, you can...

How can you improve the soil in your planting containers, lawn or garden? While different planting conditions require different types of dirt, there are some basic elements that...

Torrential rains have brought drought relief to California, and while this is good news throughout the state, it is perhaps most welcome here in SoCal, where the drought did...

Nothing symbolizes love quite like a beautiful bouquet of flowers, but there’s more to that bouquet than its external beauty. If you want to send a special message to...

To prune or not to prune? It’s a valid question to ponder in the winter months, especially in a unique place like Southern California. Though winters here don’t typically...

The prospect of a La Niña winter brought a twinge of nervousness to climate scientists, farmers and property owners alike. La Niña on the West Coast typically brings dry...

A new year signals a fresh start, and this change inspires many people to set ambitious goals and resolutions. New year’s resolutions can be hard to keep, but you...

Gardeners know that every plant has its strengths and its weaknesses. Some plants are better suited to winter chill than others. In fact, if you live in a part...

Winter often recalls images of bare tree branches and naked flower bushes, but that’s not a complete picture. With the right plants, your winter garden can be just as...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and you want your cut Christmas tree to stay fragrant and beautiful until the very end. There are some practical steps...

Living in California has it perks, but keeping a healthy looking grass year round is not one of them. People take pride in their lawns because it is a...

A sunny gerbera daisy or friendly pine tree doesn’t typically strike fear into the hearts of men, but that doesn’t meant that plants can’t get spooky. Think of the...

Almost every type of tree experiences a dormancy period. Even evergreens take breaks during the colder months, although their rest period is less dramatically obvious than their deciduous cousins’...

You probably get the most enjoyment out of your lawn during spring and summer, but those seasons aren’t the only times of the year it needs maintenance. Prep your...

One of the most basic things about leaves of all kinds, whether they’re on trees or plants, is that they make their own life-sustaining energy through the process of...

With the drought taking hold on Southern California our trees have not only suffered due to lack of water and poor soil conditions, but due to pests as well....

Fall means enjoying a harvest of winter squash and raking up leaves, but that’s not all you need to do to get ready for the autumnal season. Just...

As reliable bloomers and prolific multipliers, daylilies are a favorite for home gardens in many different climates and regions. While these hardy plants can thrive on their own, they...

An iconic autumn with brisk winds and heaps of technicolor leaves isn’t much of a reality in Southern California. That’s because most trees well-known for their spectacular fall displays...

Undernourished Lawns: When Do You Need Fertilizer? Think about the most appealing grass you’ve ever seen. It was probably a rich green color, with robust blades and no evident...

Mosquitoes: More Than Just a Nuisance  With the rise of blood-borne illnesses such as Zika and West Nile, homeowners are increasingly eager to keep mosquitoes from setting up shop...

Pre-emergent chemicals are tools used by both homeowner and commercial landscaper alike. Pre-emergent herbicides kill the weed seeds as they are trying to germinate in the soil.  Just as...

Gardening in Southern California presents the dual challenge of managing temperatures and moisture levels. This region, which is generally classified as zones 8–10 on the USDA hardiness scale (with...

Water conservation advice usually focuses on those somewhat unpleasant tasks many of us would rather not do, especially when it comes to bathroom habits. But you don’t have to...

As of 2016, California is in its fifth year of drought. Though there were a few good periods of rainfall during the El Niño winter of 2015, it was...

There are lots of ways to inject your SoCal garden with patriotic symbolism, from planting native species to choosing plants with symbolic significance, like George Washington’s cherry tree. But...

June bugs are often a nuisance during the late spring and summer months, particularly at night when they become the most active and are drawn toward light sources in...

Weeds are an unsightly problem that nearly all gardeners must contend with at one point or another. Not only do they ruin the aesthetic of a well-cared-for yard, but...

Experienced gardeners will tell you that timing is everything when it comes to planting, especially for those species that need time to develop their root systems and acclimate to...

Lawn Lowdown: Types of Turf for SoCal Yards Almost nothing beats the satisfaction of cultivating a verdant lawn and relaxing atop it once it’s thriving. Fortunately, there are many...

Lawn Diagnosis: Grub Attack There are random, irregularly shaped dead patches in your lawn, and you aren’t quite sure why. You may also notice an influx of digging...

How to Identify and Control Thatch Thatch is mostly invisible to the naked eye, especially if you’re looking at your lawn from standing height. It grows right next to...