COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. — Clark's Landscaping is a beauty business specializing in lush landscapes and sturdy structures.
Dave Clark, owner of the 68-year family business in Comstock Park, says they start to feel the pressure about this time of year.
Eventually this heat will give way to cooler weather but before that happens and fall settles in, people across West Michigan will be in a rush to finish any outdoor projects.
The pros say this can be the best time to plant.
"The trees goes dormant, the shrubs goes dormant, but all it's doing is building a root all winter," Clark explained the advantages of planting at the end of the season.
In the rush to plant or build though, there's a costly danger lurking beneath the surface of your yard to look out for.
"Those are some of the key times when people are willing to take unnecessary risk," said Scotty Kehoe, DTE's director of Gas Operations Greater Michigan.
Before work on a pond, a shrub, or a retaining wall begins, Kehoe says it's imperative to know what lies beneath and where.
"That will save you a whole lot of headaches down the road. It's fast, it's free, and it's the law."
He's talking about MISS DIG. State law requires calling 811 at least three business days before breaking ground. Utility companies will come out for free and mark where its lines are.
Click here for more information from DTE.
According to DTE, MISS DIG 811 is a Michigan nonprofit corporation that operates as the Underground Utility Safety Notification System for the entire state.
Kehoe emphasized the importance of calling 811 to avoid utility strikes.
He said, "A utility strike can be both dangerous and it can be very costly, particularly in the natural gas world."
Calling MISS DIG is part of the natural process for Clark's Landscaping.
"About two weeks before we end up starting a project, that's what we tend to call MISS DIG," Clark added.
Hitting a utility line can cost a lot of money to repair and potentially ruin the plans you had.
"Even with a shovel, you can cut through [cable and water lines]," Clark said. "Gas lines [are] a little tougher, but it has happened in the past."
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