Landscaping Tips

Lighting- tired of the short days?

Coming home to a dark house at night?  A great way to bring your landscape alive at night and provide security for your home is to install low voltage landscape lighting.  Lighting beautifies your landscaping at night and can be installed with minimal disruption to your lawn and gardens.  Landscape lighting is safe and very energy efficient.  There are new LED products on the market now that even more efficient.

Are Your Perennials Now Looking a Little Ragged

How’s your garden looking this fall? Chances are those perennials that delighted you with their glorious color and blooms months earlier are now looking a little ragged. If you cut back dead stems and leaves on perennials in the fall you can alleviate concerns for the spring by encouraging your perennials to either bloom a second time or to grow into fuller plants. The specifics for when to cut back differ between each variety of plant, but there are some basic techniques to keep in mind regardless of variety.

 Step 1: Cut off the top 2/3 of each plant in fall once they die back naturally, usually after the first frost. Use clean, sharp shears and dispose of all removed plant matter to prevent the spread of disease.

 Step 2: Cut back plants that provide winter interest in late winter or early spring before they begin developing new flower buds. For example, the dead seed heads of coneflower provide winter interest and attract birds so are best left in place until just prior to spring bud setting.

 Step 3: Pinch off the growing tips of some perennials, such as Russian sage, once they are actively growing to encourage fuller, bushy plants. Pinch off the top 1/2 inch of each branch.

 Step 4: Cut back continual flowering perennials, including geraniums and other varieties that bloom throughout summer, if they become overgrown or begin to flower less in midsummer. Cut off 1/3 to 2/3 of their existing height. Most plants will re-grow and be blooming again within two to three weeks after a midsummer trim.

Plant Spring Flowers in Early Fall

Do you like tulips, daffodils, or other types of flowers in the spring?  Fall is the time to plant your bulbs to have beautiful springs flower year after year.   

REMINDER: if you have an underground sprinkler system, please remember to perform or schedule your winterization before the weather gets too cold.

Plan your new landscape now!

Early fall is the best time to take a visual inventory of you gardens.  Perennials and grasses should be full grown and starting to shut down.  How do your plantings look?  If your beds are overcrowded, dividing perennials and grasses will assure a rejuvenated look next year.  Structural pruning is easiest to do when you can see the branch structure after the leaves drop in the fall.  Do you have dead plants?  If so, why?  Was the wrong plant installed in that area?  Take notice of sun exposure and drainage when choosing a replacement plant.  Remember, a successful landscape is well thought out and starts with a good design!

Landscaping and Perennials

Dividing your perennials has many benefits. It helps rejuvenate the plant and stimulate new growth, control the size of the plant, and increase the number of plants. A general rule to follow is to divide spring and summer blooming perennials in the fall and fall blooming perennials in the spring. Dividing when the plant is not flowering allows all of its energy to focus on regenerating root and leaf tissue. To divide perennials, dig up the parent plant using a spade or fork. Gently lift the plant out of the ground and remove any loose dirt around the roots. Separate the plant into smaller divisions by teasing the roots apart or cutting them with a sharp knife or spade. Plants may also be separated by placing two forks in the center of the clump back to back and pulling them apart. Each division should have 3 to 5 vigorous shoots and a healthy supply of roots. Keep these divisions shaded and moist until they are replanted.

Lawn Aeration is Key

Aeration- late summer/early fall is the best time to aerate and seed your lawn.  Aeration removes small plugs of soil and thatch to allow for deep penetration of nutrients, air and water.  Aeration helps relieve compaction to promote a deeper, healthier root system.  Aeration is by far one of the best practices for a healthy lawn.

Keeping Weeds Off Your Paver Patio is Easy

Is your paver patio or walkway in need of a rehab?  Is it filled with weeds?  Joint stabilizing sand is the answer.  In older paver applications, this material was not available.  Joint stabilizing sand, when installed and wetted down, sets up like mortar and will not allow weeds to grow.  Remove old sand with a pressure washer and install joint stabilizing sand and tamp….your paver woes are gone!

Wishing you had more color in your garden?

It’s not too late to plant heat loving, summer blooming bulbs. By planting bulbs such as Canna, Calla Lily, Dahlia and Gladiolus, you can enjoy the exotic flowers and foliage of the tropics without leaving your own backyard. Most summer-blooming bulbs are tender bulbs, which means in areas with sustained frost, they require lifting from the ground and storage indoors for the winter.

Winter Storage of Tender Bulbs

Tender bulbs are perennials in warm winter areas, but will not survive winters in the North. You can overwinter tender bulbs and enjoy them next year, if proper storage conditions are available and provided. To store summer-flowering bulbs, dig the bulbs when the foliage has withered or turned brown after a light frost. Dry the bulbs for two to three days in an airy, shady place before storing or they will rot. Brush soil from the bulbs and cut off the foliage 1 to 2 inches above the tops of the bulbs. Store bulbs in a dry, cool (50-55º F), well-ventilated area to prevent mold or mildew. Do not store in an air-tight container. Place bulbs in dry peat moss or wood shavings in a brown paper bag, open crate, netted bag or even old pantyhose. Label the bulbs as you store them.

Is your sprinkler system keeping up?

Is your sprinkler system keeping up in this weather? If you have not adjusted your sprinkler timer for this dry spell you may not be providing your lawn and gardens with enough water. If your lawn has started to brown up or your shrubs are wilting, you will know to increase the run time for the zone covering those areas. It is better to water less frequently, but for a longer duration. This will allow the water to soak deeper into the soil. We recommend watering your lawn 3-4 times per week and plantings 2-3 times per week.