Now is a great time to start planning your outdoor landscape projects to enjoy this year-especially if you are  thinking about updating your plant beds and perhaps minimizing your lawn area. Also pools that were installed last fall or this spring can now have recreational areas planned and budgeted (patios, walkways, playscapes, and privacy areas for  hot tubs and outdoor showers).  We can go out and estimate your landscape project so you can get a jump start on budgeting and start enjoying your investment that much sooner!  Even when we are flat out, we return all our customers'  phone calls within 24 hours and let them know how important customer relations are to  our business.  Even during the winter there is always someone available to answer any questions you may have...so call us today with your inquiries!

Spring is an important time to evaluate your existing landscape. Were there things that you didn't like about your plantings last year that you want to concentrate on fixing this season? Maybe your shrubs are becoming too large for the area you or the previous homeowner originally had them planted in years ago. Are your andromedas and rhodedendrons becoming very branchy, having less blooms each spring, and then they end up blocking your view out the window the rest of the year? There are newer varieties of these plants available that stay much smaller and have many more blooms when pruned yearly. Are your plants slowly merging into one big mass of green bushes and you can't tell where one stops and the other begins? Have deer or other wildlife or insects damaged your shrubs or trees and left bare patches in your landscape? These are just some of the many questions homeowners face each spring. Just remember that you are not alone and that a simple solution may be right around the corner...call us today for a free initial estimate and consultation!

Weeds:       
Make sure to keep your garden beds weeded; weeds will drink up the water and nutrients in the soil that should be going towards your shrubs and plants. Pull weeds up by hand or use Roundup to spot treat areas. To prevent new weeds from sprouting, you can use Preen (a pre-emergent weed killer) that can be put down around perennials, annuals, vegetables, groundcovers, and established planting beds. Do not use if you are planting seeds because Preen cannot distinguish weed seeds from other seeds you have planted. Both these products can be found at your local garden center. Be sure to carefully read directions for application and any warnings on the containers.     

                                             

Container Plantings  

Pots and containers in every shape and size can now be filled with colorful annuals. Dead-head regularly to prolong the display and always keep well watered. If you don't have the time or oftentime go away during the summer, invest in a self-watering system. Some containers have reservoirs to hold runoff from overwatering or rain so that the plants have the water when they need it most-plus you don't have to bother your neighbor to do it.
Also try planting grasses and ivy along with your annuals-many will provide year round interest, color, texture, and height variations for the center of the container.

Shrubs: With the weather warming up, plants will be starting to grow again by either producing new shoots or leaves on existing branches. For most woody plants, late winter-early spring is the ideal time to prune. “Dormant pruning” should be done now before trees and shrubs leaf out. Bare branches are easier to thin and shape than they will be later in spring. Also the plant is not under stress, and insect and disease organisms are still dormant. Take the time to look around your yard and prune shrubs and plants that have severe brown branches due to winter burn from ice and snow this winter. This will help your plants to concentrate on healthy branches and become fuller with time. Also early spring is a good time to work some fertilizer around the base of shrubs to give them a jumpstart. We usually recommend Holly tone for acid loving plants or something similar that can be found at your local garden center.  Make sure to read the instructions for the recommended plants and do not over fertilize!


Bulbs/Perennials: Make sure to remove dead leaves from areas where bulbs and perennials are planted or they will become stunted. Also remove any dead leaves or debris from fall/winter, which may contain disease or insect eggs. Then when the bulb shoots are several inches tall you can spread the mulch closer to preserve moisture during the warmer months.

Roses: early spring is a good time to cut dead and diseased branches or canes so that new growth can occur and more abundant blooms. Always remember to cut back to “live” wood. Make sure to wear protective gloves and use sharp prunners or loppers, it’s important to have a clean cut.

Ornamental Grasses: Now that the winter is over, you can cut these grasses back to a few inches to make room for new growth. New shoots will start to appear in the spring and will continue until next winter comes.  If it’s a dry spring, the more water these get the faster and fuller they will come in.

Butterfly Bushes:             Most butterfly bushes flower from new growth so make sure to cut back these shrubs in late winter so that the new shoots can come up from the bottom of the plant.

Weeds:        Make sure to keep your garden beds weeded; weeds will drink up the water and nutrients in the soil that should be going towards your shrubs and plants. Pull weeds up by hand or use Roundup to spot treat areas. To prevent new weeds from sprouting, you can use Preen (a pre-emergent weed killer) that can be put down around perennials, annuals, vegetables, groundcovers, and established planting beds. Do not use if you are planting seeds because Preen cannot distinguish weed seeds from other seeds you have planted. Both these products can be found at your local garden center. Be sure to carefully read directions for application and any warnings on the containers.     

Remember, ongoing maintenance is necessary in order to protect your investment. You can do it yourself or you can ask us to do the work. Make sure to research the maintenance needs of the plants in your landscape Please call us today if you have any questions or if we can be of service.

You can also go to our Maintenance Services and find out more info on Plant Bed Care or visit one of the websites below for more info:
www.Aboutgardenplants.com
www.helpfulgardener.com
www.landscaping.about.com
www.gardening.about.com

             

                                                      Watering Guidelines

Proper watering and pruning is needed to establish good root development and promote healthier plant foliage and flowering.

A lack of water during warm dry periods can be stressful to lawns and landscapes. Pay close attention to your plants, especially newly planted ones. If you notice browning or wilting make sure to water. Here are some watering guidelines and tips for our customers who have either new plantings or lawns (from last summer/fall or this spring) or established landscapes and lawns.

Add fresh mulch to planting beds to reduce evaporation from soil and to moderate the soil temperature thus reducing stress on plant’s root systems.

Raise the cutting height of your lawn (3-4” height is usually recommended). This promotes deeper rooting and maintains turf quality longer. Cutting it too short will also cause the lawn to burn out in hot/dry weather.

Soaker hoses are good for plantings, allowing the ground time to get watered slowly and efficiently. Using a watering wand attachment at the end of the hose is the best way of watering your plantings. It is gentle to foliage and flowering plants, while still providing lots of focused water to the base.

Long, deep watering for plants is also much better than frequent, shallow watering.

Also, for our customers who have had ornamental grasses incorporated into their plantings, we recommend that they be cut back in the springtime to only about 3 to 4 inches high and then watered daily (soaked) until new growth (little green shoots) start to sprout at the base. Once these shoots are a few inches tall, regular watering or normal rainfall will be sufficient.

Additional information on pruning other ornamental plants and shrubs can be provided upon request. If you would like, yearly pruning and mulching services can be taken care of for you by our crews at Picture Perfect Landscape. Please call us for pricing and scheduling.