Frequently Asked Questions

Depending on how many are broken and sinking, the best option is to lift and relay or fix individual pieces/sections. There are a lot of variables; ie: amount of square footage, types of brick, age of brick, what the condition of the base is underneath, deterioration of polymeric sand, budget, what your end goal is.... the list goes on!



Please feel free to reach us at 905-643-1978 and we can discuss further or set up an appointment for us to provide you with a quote planning the best route that works for you.

We will always recommend a dormant planting. So when the tree is sleeping it offer the opportunity to minimize the stress the plant is going to endure. I prefer the spring simply because the extra moisture in the sound help the success of the transplant. So to summarize it all up, from the time the frost in the ground melts until mid April.



This all being said, as long as the plant receives some tender loving care it can be done throughout the growing season. If possible you should try to avoid the hot dry months like July and August.


Thank you for your question.

It sounds like you might have a nitrogen deficiency.



There is a couple of environmental things to consider.



Are you using fertilizer? If not start. There is a program outlined on our website you can follow. At the minimum please do at least 3 applications.



Are you in a new subdivision? If so, the soil used by most builders in this area does not have a lot of natural food for your grass. This being the case start a heavy fertilizer program with organic fertilizers. The organic part of the fertilizer will put in micro organisms that are lacking do to the inert soil used.



All of this advice above is under the assumption that you are watering at least three times a week and more in the dry months of the summer. Please water. Sometimes this procedure alone will help.

The Ontario Provincial Government has banned the used of pesticides for cosmetic purposes so that leaves us with the organic versions of these products. Some of these products have successfully killed weeds, the main issue I see is that they tend to be no selective in the plants they affect, meaning they can kill the grass you are trying to keep. I always recommend that you physically remove any unwanted plants and drop a little grass seed in the empty are to establish new grass before new weeds can get in. This practice along with a regimented water and fertilizer program and you will find it hard to find the weeds in not time at all.

The main difference is cracking, interlocking surfaces will not crack. A crack in concrete is caused by a failure in the base of the concrete surface. This failure is a movement of the base material creating a void under the surface concrete. This void then becomes a weak point, and when a force or weight of any kind hits the surface or area of the void, you get a crack. Interlock pavers are subject to the same failures but when the pavers move they already have cracks in them at the joints between the pavers. So these pavers fail at the joints as opposed to the concrete blocks themselves.



Repair of this kind of failure is simple and relatively inexpensive. The pavers are simply lifted out of the area, the base is levelled off and the pavers replaced with new jointing material (polymeric sands)



This type of repair and failure apply to; tire ruts, downspout sinkage, etc...

Polymeric sands have been used for the joints in your interlock surface. These sands have polymers in them that turn them to a concrete like substance. This makes the joint very resistant to weeds and ants, 2 of the biggest complaints of interlocking surfaces. This material goes hard like concrete so the ants can’t dig homes and the weeds can’t establish a root system. These polymeric sand are self healing, what that means is, if there is movement in the pavers and a crack opens from said movement, when the polymers get wet again they will soften and fill the crack created.

Your interlocking surface is cared for in all the same ways as a concrete surface, except one major difference.

You can power-wash your interlocking surface but you must make sure of a few things before you do.



1. The surface must have been dry for at least 72 hours ahead of any power-washing. Because the polymers will soften the sands, you need to be sure they are set before any type of high pressure spraying.



2. Please do not concentrate the pressure of the spray on a joint. The joints when set can take a great deal of pressure but will still come out of the joints with a direct blast to the sand.

If your surface gets a stain or oil on it, 2 things can be done to fix this issue



1. Try a cleaner or degreaser to remove stain.

2. Remove the stained paver and replace with a new one.

Outdoor Traditions does not recommend sealing of pavers. We say this because when the sealed paver with a glossy finish on it gets wet or snow on them, they become really slippery and with snow on them they act like ice. There are sealers out there with grit in them to prevent such conditions. So if you truly want them sealed please make sure you use one of these sealers.

First watering 1-2 hours in each spot the sprinkler sits, making sure to cover all of the garden areas. So if you have to move the sprinkler 3 times to cover the area you should be watering 3-6hours of total time

Maintenace watering should be done at least once a day, but twice is better. Same as above with reguards to method but time should be 30 – 60 minutes



For the first week you should do the “first watering” on the first day and then “maintenance watering” every day for the rest of the 7 day period.



For the second week you should do a “maintenance watering” every other day of the 7 day cycle.



For the third week you should do a “maintenance watering” every third day of the 7 day cycle



After the third week ground should be hard and you should maintain a good watering practice of 2 to 3 waterings a week depending on the season.



Another method if the sprinkler method does not work for you is the time per plant method. First watering 30 seconds per shrub or bush and 15 seconds for perennials, broken up into at least to visits per plant to avoid runoff. Maintenance here is a 10 second count and a 5 second count at least once a day twice is better.

Your new Garden or Plants need your help. We have done our part to get them started; fresh compost soil, loose dirt to live in and start new roots, special fertilizer to encourage new roots, and mulch topping to keep moisture in and weeds out.

Your Garden is new and needs a bit of time to establish. Some plants are going to die no matter how much care and love you give them. They sometimes do not take well to a new environment. Unless you have been given instructions about a certain plant this information sheet should cover all the plants in your garden.

Watering is the single most important thing to do for your garden or plants.

When we work up the garden and dug holes for plants this creates a lot of air into the soil. This air needs to be removed. This is achieved by watering. A lot of water displaces the air and lubricates the soil and when the water moves through the soil it takes the air along with it. Also a bonus to watering is it keeps your new plants alive. The plants need the water as well and getting the air out helps you to water a little less each time. Your plants have most likely been confined to a pot all or most of their lives. They now have room to grow and establish and achieve the ability to sustain themselves with minimal water but they are nowhere near that yet. They will need your help for at least a couple of seasons and all of this season for sure.

We recommend as much water as possible without runoff. This means the first time you water the garden it should almost be soup. You need to have the water penetrate 6 inches into the ground. This allows the soil to start its compaction process, and allow the plants them self to soak up the water to become wet and healthy again. The sooner this first watering is done the better it is for the plants.
After the first watering it only needs to be maintained or kept wet.

Mulch is there to help prevent weeds and when it decomposes it adds needed nutrients to the soil. We always recommend soft wood or natural mulch one that is free from hard wood and skids. The die in these mulches is there for aesthetics and should not harm the plants. You will need to top up your mulch on a yearly basis; you can go to a local supplier and get bags, have it delivered in bulk or call us to do it for you.

Trees do not need much maintenance at all for the first 5 years. They do require trimming or pruning once they reach the size you want them to be. At that time they need to be trimmed or pruned to maintain that size. If you are uncomfortable with this you can call us or any professional of your choice

Shrubs and evergreens need at least one trim a year. This is done typically after the plant flowers to maximize blooms the following season. In the case of an evergreen that does not flower whenever it is convenient for you works for this type of plant. Again if you are uncomfortable with this type of thing for fear of damage please call us and we will be happy to quote you on such a job.

Perennials need very little care at all. Each year at the end of the season or before they start growing in the spring they need all of the seasons growth removed or trimmed right to the ground. This makes maximum room for the new growth to pop up in the spring. When a particular perennial gets too large for the spot it is growing in, it needs to be reduced. This is done by digging the entire root system out of the ground, cutting off most of the roots and returning a smaller portion of the plant back to its original spot (a root chunk roughly 6”x6”).

Weeds are going to invade your garden. It is going to happen. Our best suggestion is to pull out 5 weeds a week. You will have difficulty finding 5 weeds a week to start, but if you keep at it you should always have a hard time finding 5 weeds. If you let this go or do nothing they will come and bring all their friends. The Mulch is there to help simplify and reduce the weeds it does not stop them.

Product; Screemin’ Green 16-2-3 a truly amazing fertilizer It is 40% organic matter with 5 sources of nitrogen for optimal slow release trough a 6 week time frame. This product adds all kinds of micro nutrients and organisms to the soil that grass just loves. It is our most popular product and is used multiple times throughout the season because of its versatility.

Product: Big “K” Matters 7-2-12 Great to give the roots of your lawn a boost going into summer Stress. Again with 40% organic matter has all kinds of love for the lawn.

Product: Screemin’ Green 16-2-3 A truly amazing fertilizer we are going to use it again here. This time it will give you a boost in colour going into the summer and still providing its 40% organic matter with 5 sources of nitrogen for optimal slow release trough a 6 week time frame.

Late Summer Application Applied in the middle of August
Product; The Whole Shebang 6-2-4 This one is more mild to the turf but still giving it all the food it needs to sustain it through the rest of the summer. With 50% organic matter it provides overall health and greens through its organic matter.

Product; Screemin’ Green 16-2-3 A truly amazing fertilizer we are going to use it again here. This time to green up after all the summer heat. This will help the recovery of your lawn from the summer stress.