Company adds tick and mosquito control to landscaping options
By Nancy Brumback, Contributing Writer
West Boylston—McCarthy’s Landscaping has kept lawns green and built outdoor living spaces for over 20 years. The company is now offering a service to reduce the tick and mosquito populations in yards.
“The tick population is growing, especially after a winter that was not very cold,” noted Roger McCarthy, who owns the company with his wife, Sue. “This product does help to cut down the number of ticks and mosquitos in the yard.”
The all-organic product is applied monthly with a mister to the grass, shrubbery and the edge of any wooded area, and it is safe for children and pets, he said. “We come by on a monthly schedule, and the cost varies according to the size of the property.”
Application of the product should start by early May as the temperatures begin to rise, Roger said, with Sue adding they plan to use it at their own home after she contacted Lyme disease from a tick.
McCarthy’s provides a complete design and build service for outdoor living spaces such as patios, pool decks and play areas.
At their office in West Boylston, they have completed an outdoor installation of about 30 different types of pavers plus stone wall materials, so customers can visit by appointment to see how the stones look outside in sun and shadow and when wet.
“We want you to see the colors and textures. We encourage you to see how it feels when you walk on it barefoot,” said Sue.
Roger noted that pavers are a much better choice for a pool deck than concrete. If a pipe to the pool needs replacing, the pavers over it can be lifted and easily reinstalled after the pipe is fixed.
Last season, new patios and fire pits were popular additions, along with upgraded front stairs, entryways and walks to increase a home’s curb appeal. Koi ponds, small waterfalls and other water features also enhance a yard. For families with children, the firm can install playground areas with rubber mulch or certified playground mulch—wood chips with no dyes or chemicals.
“Fire pits will continue to be popular. Teenage kids enjoy them and tend to stay around the house,” he noted. McCarthy’s installs permanent round or square fire pits, which can include a seating wall, on patios or free-standing in the yard. Fire pits can be added to existing patios.
McCarthy’s can also install low-voltage landscape lighting “to accent your home, trees and shrubs, and to provide light for security.” That lighting now uses long-lasting LED bulbs that are less expensive to run.
To freshen up a home’s look, the McCarthys suggest some new plantings around the house.
“We can install shrubs that have more color and a variety of foliage textures, and in better proportion to the house,” Sue said.
“If your shrubs have been there 25 or 30 years, they may be overgrown and look dated. Shrubs that block the windows can be a security risk and cut down on the light entering the house,” Roger added. He can suggest varieties that will work best in specific locations.
McCarthy’s irrigation service installs systems and maintains them. “When we turn on the systems in the spring, we check everything for leaks and breaks and adjust the sprayers to be sure the water is going in the right place,” Sue said.
The company also has a complete lawn maintenance division offering spring cleanups, fertilizing and mowing, and sells mulch on both a pickup and delivery basis. “We are a full-service company,” Roger pointed out.
McCarthy’s operates primarily in Worcester County. The company will take project installation jobs farther from its headquarters, with lawn maintenance limited to closer towns.
McCarthy’s is located at 133 Hartwell St. in West Boylston. Additional information is available on the website, www.mccarthyslandscaping.com, or call 508-842-7110.