Remember, your landscape is a living investment that requires proper care. By following the guidelines below, your investment will grow both in beauty and value in the coming years.

Keep Plantings Healthy with Adequate Watering

Watering should be done at the time of planting to settle the soil and to assure adequate soil moisture. Following the first watering, adequate water should be provided when there have not been sufficient rains to keep the soil moist. Check the soil in various areas of the landscape to determine its moisture content. Soil which crumbles when rubbed between the fingers needs watering, however, soil with adequate moisture will stick together. In general the landscape should be checked on a weekly basis, but some areas may require more frequent watering. Obviously the hotter and dryer the weather, the more frequent the watering will be. The critical months for watering are May through September. However all plants, especially evergreens require watering through the fall months well into November to help them survive the winter.

Following planting, it is necessary to use supplemental water for two or three years to provide adequate soil moisture while root systems are becoming established. This is especially true during drought conditions (2 to 3 weeks with no appreciable rainfall).

Adding large quantities of water too frequently to heavy clay soils is detrimental and results in the death of the plant. Conversely, too little watering will cause plants to wilt and may cause a great deal of damage, even death. Another watering practice that should be avoided is the frequent shallow sprinkling of plants. This results in a very shallow root system that cannot withstand droughts in subsequent years. Remember to water deep and thorough, but then to let the soil dry out slightly before the next watering. Over-watering can kill plants just as quickly as under-watering! When in doubt, check the soil first (peel back mulch to do this).

Mulching Helps Maintain Proper Soil Moisture and Temperature

All shrubs, evergreens and trees should be mulched. The best material is un-dyed and organic. Shredded hardwood bark, wood chips or even mushroom compost are good choices. A 2-3 inch deep layer over the entire root area (or bed) will conserve moisture by reducing surface evaporation and will improve infiltration by preventing crusting of the soil. It also maintains a uniform and favorable soil temperature, and encourages fibrous root development. In the fall the mulch will maintain a more favorable temperature for root growth. In the spring there is a trade off of a delay in soil warming by at least two weeks. Evergreens, especially the broadleaf types, grow better in a cool soil during the hot summer months. Mulching helps maintain this condition. Conversely, too much mulch will have the opposite effect by suffocating the root systems of plants and rotting trunks of trees. To repeat: maintaining mulch levels at 2-3 inches (but not right up against tree trunks) is sufficient for your plants' health. Use caution when obtaining free wood chips as they may contain diseased wood, and may reduce the Nitrogen the plant needs.

Fertilizing Your New Plantings

Addition of a transplant fertilizer (e.g. Ortho Upstart, Quik start or Vitamin B-1, available at any garden center or hardware store) at this time is beneficial to help aid in root growth and reduce transplant shock. A top dressing of fertilizer broadcast over the root area is beneficial when applied during March or April the second year of planting. The fertilization program should not be started until the plant has gone through one growing season, and only according to directions on the label. Lawn fertilizers that contain weed killers should not be used in the vicinity of trees, shrubs, evergreens or flowerbeds.

Newly Installed Landscapes Require Frequent Weeding

Newly installed landscapes should be weeded on a weekly basis. Fresh topsoil contains many weed seeds and if left unchecked, will quickly overgrow the new plantings. A product containing Trifluralin (sold as Preen) can be used to prevent many of the seeds from germinating. Not all types of weed seeds are affected so these must be hand weeded. This application is highly recommended on new landscape beds to avoid the countless hours of hand weeding generally encountered. However, please read label directions carefully as certain plants, especially some groundcovers, should be avoided.

We are always happy to answer any questions in regard to your landscape concerns. Whether you are an existing customer or just browsing for information, please always feel free to call or email Stonewood Design Group and we will do our best to help you.