Spring is a wonderful time in the garden, but it can bring some problems. Here are some of the problems we at Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping see the most and how to solve them.
Weed Infestation
Weeds start to grow in the spring just when the plants you want need the most nutrients. In addition, weeds compete for sunlight and room to spread out. Using three inches of mulch around your plants causes weed seeds to starve before they grow tall enough to get sunlight. Applying a pre-emergent on top of the mulch will prevent seeds from germinating. The few weeds that survive this double threat can be easily removed by hand.
Pest Infestation
Insects and other pests wake up about the time your plants have lots of tender new growth on them. This new growth is like a salad bar for bugs. Cleaning out any leaves or other debris early in the spring will remove a lot of these pests because that is where they overwinter. Planting plants that flower from early spring will help attract pest predators to eat the bad bugs. Spot treat any bad pest problems as soon as they become apparent to prevent their spread. Don’t routinely spray your plants unless you recognize a problem, as over-spraying insecticides can kill pollinators.
Disease Outbreaks
The spring rains and long nights are perfect conditions for fungal and bacterial diseases to thrive on your plants. The longer the leaves of a plant are wet, especially at night, the more likely the plant is to get diseases. One of the things you can do to limit moisture on the leaves of your plant is to use drip irrigation. In addition to saving tons of water, drip irrigation keeps the leaves dryer. Plant your plants far enough apart to allow air to circulate between the plants to help dry wet leaves quickly. Water in the morning before 10 a.m. to allow the plants to dry all day if some water splashes on them. Finally, if your plants get a disease, treat it promptly. Remove dead diseased plants and discard them in the trash, not the compost pile.
Overwatering or Underwatering
Spring either comes with lots of rain or not enough. It can be hard to know whether to water your plants when rainfall comes unpredictably. If you water and it rains, the plants get too much water. If you don’t water, you risk the plants getting dehydrated or dying. The best way to deal with this is to vary your watering schedule by rainfall. Install a rain sensor on your irrigation system so you don’t water in the rain. If it has been raining for a few days, pause your irrigation until it dries out some. Use mulch to retain water and allow the water into the soil slowly instead of all at once.
Soil Compaction
Wet weather increases the danger of soil compaction. Roots cannot grow well in compacted soil and water tends to run off instead of soaking in. To avoid compaction, avoid working in your garden when the soil is very wet. Raised beds help drainage so the soil doesn’t stay excessively wet for long periods of time. Mixing compost into the soil helps aerate it and helps avoid compaction.
Poor Plant Growth
Some plants may be slow to begin growing or show symptoms of nutrient deficiencies. Fertilizing in the fall before the temperature drops helps give plants enough nutrients to get through winter and begin to green up in spring. Doing a soil test once a year in the winter or early spring will tell you what nutrients to add in the spring to make sure your plants have everything they need to grow and flourish. You can get soil test instructions from your county extension agent.
Temperature Fluctuations
Spring temperatures can fluctuate wildly between beautiful days and freezing days. This is hard on plants. Mulch helps stabilize the soil temperature so it doesn’t change as much, but doesn’t do anything about air temperature changes. Be ready to use frost blankets or to bring potted plants inside when it gets cold. If you start seeds inside, be sure to gradually acclimate the seedlings to the outdoors before planting them or they will not survive. In our climate, we usually use Mother’s Day as a marker to know the threat of freeze is over for the season.
Garden Care Program Can Help
Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping has a garden care program that will do everything necessary to start your plants off well in the spring. We will remove any winter leaves and debris from the beds. In addition to topping off the mulch in your landscape beds, we will apply pre-emergent and fertilize your plants. Our care extends throughout the year to keep your plants and beds looking their best all year round. Call the office to sign up. If you have projects, schedule a consult to discuss them with our experts. Don’t wait, as our schedule fills up quickly.
Watching birds is a nice way to spend some time in the winter when it is too cold outside for people to be comfortable. Feeding birds makes sure you have some birds to watch. Here are some winter bird feeding tips to help you attract the birds you want to your yard.
Food Determines Bird Species
Cheap bird seed mixes have a lot of fillers that birds, like choosy teenagers, will pick through and waste. The best general food for birds is black-oil sunflower seed. The thin shells are easy to get into for most birds and the high fat helps the birds stay warm. Suet placed in a suet holder is another source of calories birds appreciate in the winter.
Feeders Can Be Simple
You can buy very fancy feeders, but for beginners, a hopper-style feeder is easiest. Suet goes in a suet holder. Be sure to wire the suet holder closed, or an enterprising raccoon will take the suet cake out of it and leave with it.
Choose a feeder with a roof to protect the seed from getting wet and moldy. Make sure the feeder has drainage holes so any water that does get in has a place to go. Use several feeders of different styles to attract more birds.
Location, Location, Location
Feeders need to be five or six feet off the ground and around ten feet from cover such as trees, bushes, and wood piles. Cats and other predators can hide in cover and ambush birds, but birds need someplace to hide if necessary, so some cover if needed. If you are worried about birds hitting your windows, then either place the feeders so close to the window the birds can see it (within three feet) or place the feeders so far away they have no reason to fly near the window (at least thirty feet away.)
Be Consistent
It may take a few weeks for birds to find your first feeder. Once they do, be consistent and fill it regularly. The birds will come to rely on the food, and it can even cause problems if you feed for a while and then abruptly stop.
Cleanliness For Health
Remove wet and moldy seeds promptly. They can make the birds sick. Wash the bird feeders in a solution of ten percent bleach and ninety percent water to kill diseases and remove droppings. Rinse with fresh water and dry before filling the feeders with seeds.
Provide a Source of Water
Birds need water even in the winter. If you can provide a source of water with a fountain heater in it, the birds will be able to drink even in the cold. Fountain heaters float on the surface of the water and have a heating element down below that keeps the water from freezing. You can get them at feed stores or plant nurseries.
Plant Things with Winter Berries or Seeds
Plant shrubs and trees that have berries or seeds that last all winter. Not only will the berries bring color to your landscape, these natural sources of food will also draw birds to your yard, too.
Sign Up Now
Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping is keeping busy, even in the winter. We are signing people up for our garden care program now. We are also doing design work with people so we can start installing landscapes when it warms up. Call the office at (816) 825-2524 or schedule a consult.
Over the years, Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping has heard a lot of myths about caring for your lawn and garden. Here are our top myths and what plants really need to survive the winter and early spring.
Myth: Plants don’t need water in winter.
While plants are dormant in the winter, that doesn’t mean they don’t need water. Water allows plants to regulate their temperature as well as transport nutrients. Dormancy slows down a plant’s metabolism, but they can’t go without a drink all winter any more than we can. For more information, check out our article on winter watering.
Myth: Plants don’t need food in the winter.
By the same token, being dormant means you do not fertilize in the winter. However, a fall fertilization provides your plants with food through the winter and into early spring. Without that food, plants have a hard time coming out of dormancy and greening up in the spring. We fertilize in the fall for our garden care clients when we clean out and refresh their landscape beds.
Myth: Winter sun is not harmful to plants.
Sunscald can happen in the winter to young trees or older trees with thin bark. Most of these do not have leaves in the winter to protect the bark. Wrap young trees with tree wrap from the bottom of the trunk to the first branches to protect them from the sun.
Myth: Pruning should wait until spring.
Pruning to remove growth should be done in late winter or early spring. However, pruning to remove dead or diseased branches should be done when they are found. Avoid pruning away freeze damage until spring because another freeze can cause more damage to the newly pruned branch.
Myth: Mulching is only for summer.
We recommend a three-inch layer of mulch in the spring, with another inch put down in the fall. The mulch protects plant roots from temperature fluctuations and helps prevent the soil from heaving or drying out.
Myth: Plants don’t need protection from winter winds.
Winter winds can whip across evergreen needles and dry them out, leading to winter burn. Treating evergreens with Wilt-Pruf in the fall can protect them from losing the moisture they need to avoid winter burn.
In addition, young plants can be damaged by harsh winds. Windbreaks that allow the sun in but not the wind can protect them from having branches broken off.
Myth: All pests are dormant in winter.
Pests frequently overwinter in dead plants or under the bark of trees. Cleaning landscape beds of plant debris can destroy these pests, so they do not attack your plants in the spring. Other debris, such as dead branches, cardboard, or lumber, can also shield pests, so keep your landscape neat.
Sign up For Garden Care Program
Now is a good time to sign up for Royal Creation Architectural Landscaping’s Garden Care Program. We will come out in the spring, clean the beds, and cut back perennials and prune out dead wood. The blue crew will also fertilize, apply pre-emergent, and apply a layer of dark mulch to make your property pop and help get the plants started off right for the growing season. If you are interested in signing up, please call our office at 816-825-2524 or schedule a consultation.
Trees and shrubs are valuable members of your outdoor living space. Protect your investment by winterizing trees and shrubs to avoid winter damage.
Mulching
Mulch is always helpful, but it is especially helpful in the winter. A three-inch-deep layer of mulch helps keep the soil moist and helps stabilize the soil temperature. Don’t let the mulch touch the bark of the tree or it will cause rot issues. Leave a three-inch margin around the trunk of the tree and spread the mulch over the area under the tree’s drip line.
Watering
Trees and shrubs need water even in winter. Water them well before the first freeze and once every month or so during the winter. Proper winter watering helps trees resist winter damage.
Windbreaks
If you have trees and shrubs that are a little more fragile, consider installing a winter windbreak around them. A snow fence or burlap windbreak can reduce drying out and other winter wind-related injuries.
Anti-Desiccant Sprays
Evergreen trees continue to lose water through their needles even in the winter. They can be injured by losing too much moisture. When cold wind blows strongly, it can create a freeze-dry effect. One solution is to spray them with Wilt-Pruf, an anti-desiccant spray we use on our trees. You can read more about preventing evergreen winter burn in this article.
Wrapping
Young trees can get sunscald even in the winter. To protect their thin bark, wrap the trunk with tree wrap. The white wrap is available from nurseries and big box stores and it helps reflect the harsh light and protect the tree.
Snow Removal
Heavy loads of snow can break the branches of your trees and shrubs. After a storm, use a broom to gently shake the branches and knock the snow off of them. Be gentle, or you can break the branches. In light snows, a blower will work well for this too.
Pruning
In the fall before the first storms, prune any diseased or broken branches. This will help prevent them from falling on your house or yard. It will also help prevent the branches from causing further injury to the tree when they tear away. Not to mention your shrubs will look way better with all the dead wood gone.
Rodent Protection
In the winter, food is scarce. Rodents, including porcupines, will chew the bark for food. You can prevent this by wrapping the trunk and branches in hardware cloth. The rodent’s teeth can’t penetrate the hardware cloth to reach the bark. Rodents also hate steel wool. It hurts their teeth and prevents them from chewing.
Avoid Deicing Salts
Be careful when using deicing salts. Don’t use them where the runoff when the ice melts will carry them around your trees and shrubs. The salt will poison the trees. If you see a rim of salt on the soil, flush it away with lots of water to protect your trees and lawn. Salt dries out the plant’s root zone, and lots of water will help dilute the effects.
During the winter, the weather often prevents us from gardening outdoors. However, there are a number of ways to garden indoors that can keep us occupied. Here is a selection of indoor gardening projects to keep you gardening until it gets warm again.
Herb Garden
Having fresh herbs to cook with makes all your dishes taste better. You can place pots of herbs on a south-facing windowsill and have them all year. Herbs like rosemary, sage, oregano, thyme, basil, and parsley grow well indoors. Use gallon pots of potting mix and water regularly and you can have herbs any time you wish.
Indoor Vegetable Garden
You can grow many vegetables indoors in the winter. Cherry tomatoes are a popular choice and grow well on a windowsill. Greens like lettuce and spinach grow well, as do peas. For tomatoes and peas, use a small trellis inserted into the potting mix for the plants to climb on. Pick pots that are at least twelve inches deep so the roots will have plenty of room.
Succulent Collection
Succulents are a low-maintenance plant group that grows well indoors. Many of them will do well with artificial light and some will even grow in ambient room light. Succulents come in a variety of sizes and colors so a succulent garden can be as colorful as a rainbow. Use a potting mix specifically for succulents and let the soil dry out well between waterings so the roots do not rot.
Terrariums
Terrariums are closed plant communities under glass. A well-designed terrarium rarely needs watering or attention. Choose plants that will not grow too big for the space. Place potting mix and mulch in a glass container like an aquarium or lidded glass box. Put your plants in, water well, and cover. The water evaporates and keeps the humidity high. The water will condense and water the plants for a long time without any action on your part. Terrariums do require light, so use an artificial light as part of the lid or place them in the sunlight.
Orchid Care
If you like flowers, orchids come in an amazing array of shapes and sizes. While some require hot houses, many orchids will grow well inside a typical home. The American Orchid Society has a website with lots of care tips and other information. The Orchid Society of Greater Kansas City has regular meetings where you can learn about growing orchids.
African Violets
African violets are another flowering plant that does well indoors. They are much easier to grow than their reputation suggests and come in colors from almost white to very dark purple. The African Violet Society of America has good information on growing violets on their website.
Indoor Citrus Trees
Dwarf citrus trees are another indoor possibility. Many dwarf trees do very well indoors even without a conservatory. Most don’t produce fruit, but the fragrance the blooms produce can make your house smell wonderful.
Vertical Gardens
If you want to grow many of your own vegetables, you can use a vertical garden system to do so. These are hydroponic towers that you plant vegetables or other plants in. Many come complete with artificial lights and instructions on how to grow your favorite vegetables. Just add water and fertilizer and you can eat salads with fresh greens, tomatoes, and cucumbers all year.
The garden tower pictured above is a complete system that works well for indoor gardening. Water gives plant roots all the nutrients they require. Grow lights provide light so the plants can thrive. You can grow most plants in the garden tower, including vegetables.
Bonsai Trees
Bonsai trees are a challenging hobby for people who like to garden. They take patience and some specialized knowledge but can produce wonderful trees and country scenes. The trees can live hundreds of years if cared for properly. The American Bonsai Society has a very informative website and local clubs where you can learn more.
Schedule Spring Projects Now
Being cooped indoors isn’t as much fun as being able to use your outdoor living space, but a few indoor gardening projects can help you spend the time. While you are inside, remember that Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping is doing hardscapes all winter as well as designing outdoor projects for spring. If you have a project you want us to help you with, schedule a consultation before our schedule fills up.
