before you prune, make sure it’s the right time of year and the right plant to prune. Many homeowners go nuts in the fall cutting shrubs and perennials down, thinking they are through for the year, which they are in a sense, but still because they need their dormancy it is no license to butchery in the landscape.
Now that autumn is here and we are planting beds with mums, cabbages, kales and other seasonal color plants, we often get asked “what can we use for winter color”?
Autumn may not seem like an ideal time to think about lawn care, considering that your grass will go dormant for the winter in a month or two. However, autumn is the opportune time to groom your lawn for beautiful growth next spring. Fall’s cool and moist weather helps grass roots develop much better than in summer, and taking advantage of this growing period will pay lush dividends.
Well September is upon us and once again its time to think “autumn lawn maintenance. Fall is the ideal time for lawn maintenance, aeration, overseeding and lawn prep for the coming year. The soil is at the optimum temperature during the day and overnight for healthy and sustained growth before the grass and/or lawn enters dormancy. By utilizing a proper fall lawn maintenance program you can put your lawn to bed for the winter on a “full” stomach and it will sleep well.
Having the perfect lawn is something we all want, whether we’re creating a beautiful show garden or a back garden volleyball court. and a place for the family to gather and romp and play. So however you want to use your outdoors, create a lush lawn to do it with. A soft, green lawn is a wonderful thing, and it doesn’t have to be out of reach.
Earth Day helps remind us that we need to stay in that green state of mind, and each year on April 22nd countries around the world celebrate this anniversary. While we celebrate these principles worldwide on this day, during the weeks thereafter those very principles and tenets are all to often forgotten again until next year. Celebrate Earth Day not only April 22nd, but every day of the year. There are a multitude of ways to do so around the home that make a difference year round. Here’s half a dozen good ones to help you get started.
Seasonal landscaping clean-ups are an essential component of your landscape maintenance plan. almost PERFECT Landscaping can help with this time-consuming but very important task. Spring is a time for renewal and the perfect time for preparing your landscape for the warm summer months.
Early spring flowers are the surest sign that warmer weather is coming. Come springtime when you are out and about have you ever wondered “just what are those beautiful flowers in that landscape?” I admit, as much as I know my plants and flowers, I often find myself going “Whoa, what is that? It’s beautiful.” I love it when I’m stumped. Chances are it may be one of the plants below which all burst forth in spring with dazzling displays of color and hues. Sure there are pansies in this list, but what is Spring without Pansys?
Answering the question, “when will my spring bulbs bloom?” may take a little explaining. Spring bulbs grow and bloom when warmer temperatures arrive. They only form flowers if they have undergone the proper chilling period to break dormancy. This allows the bulb a chilling period of 12 to 15 weeks, which is necessary for spring bulbs to sprout.
Sure we’re in the winter season now and the landscapes outside the window at times look barren, cold and wind blown. But don’t let that get you down. Beat the winter blues with houseplants. As shown above, houseplants are great for indoor décor. This relic of bygone days, an old Remington Typewriter in its carrying case is surrounded by a plethora of complimenting houseplants of various growth habits.
Once the holidays are here and gone, go for a walk through any neighborhood and you’ll see Christmas tree after Christmas tree, with strands of tinsel blowing in the wind, dumped by the road awaiting garbage collection. This strikes me as somewhat befuddling when we can take a custom that symbolized life and the promise of rebirth in the spring and turn it into another aspect of our “throw-away society”