Lawns, Gardens & Landscapes

You hear these terms – “the dead of winter” and “dead to the world”, but what do they really mean?  In most cases, they’re exaggerations or synonyms for other situations; in this case, really cold weather with no end in sight and really, really tired. In the plant world, the question of “is this plant dead?” comes up quite frequently, especially in winter, and especially with broadleaf evergreens such as arborvitae, yews, holly, boxwood and Oregon hollygrape.

As snow and ice are cleared from the driveway and sidewalk, there may be more than frozen water in the shovel.

When planning gardens, people may think about pollinators and select plants to benefit them. Another trend is using rain gardens to catch and hold rainwater. Water and pollinator conservation are two goals achieved with rain gardens. Rain gardens reduce irrigation needs and can decrease the amount of rainwater running off of a property and carrying pollutants to surface water. Rainwater is a valuable resource. Consider collecting some of it with a rain garden that is filled with plants to benefit pollinators.

Soils with good structure and those that not compacted help expand root systems. Roots hold soil in place to reduce erosion, a leading cause of water pollution. Soils that are not compacted allow for increased infiltration of rain and irrigation water. Soil management is important to healthy plants and healthy ecosystems. Following are a few tips for improving residential landscape and garden soils and why it is important for root systems and plant health.

Spring is a great time of year. We typically see much more enjoyable weather and we can get outdoors more. Spring is also when we usually see more rain, as they say ‘April showers bring May flowers’. Those April showers can also lead to fungal diseases in our landscapes. This year, we haven’t seen much rain, but we will still see fungal diseases in our lawns. Disease cycle

Using just the right amount of water is important no matter what the situation whether it’s watering a football field or providing for your patio planters and container gardens. The keys to success are 2 fold: 1. Watering to the bottom of the roots 2. Keep the roots moist, not soggy or dry.

Photo above of Oscillating sprinklers, they are one of the least efficient ways to water a landscape, due to the amount of water lost to evaporation. Smart Techniques Conserve Water in Your Yard

In summer, it’s easy to forget about the needs of patio planters and houseplants moved outside for the summer.  There are 5 areas to focus on to keep them thriving, beginning with watering. 

 A recent brief rain burst, depositing just .2 of an inch in my rain gauge, put 12 gallons of water in my rain barrel. That’s the beauty of collecting rainwater from a roof—a small amount adds up quickly.