Finally, you have built your new home. You’ve spent days and night ensuring your new home’s design fills all of your expectations. From windows, to doors, to flooring, you were involved in the entire construction process.
Now that your dream house is complete, what about the landscape?
When landscaping a new home, it is like working on a blank canvass. The landscape is where you can put your personal touch. From green grass to stones, you have the freedom to decide which elements can satisfy your needs. The good thing about landscaping a new home is that you have the opportunity to seek fresh ideas according to your preference.
To love your landscape for years on end, consider the following tips.
When landscaping a new home, you will start with the basics. Meaning, you need to decide between sod and seed for your lawn.
In terms of sod, you’ll have instant turf and can control the erosion. During the growing season, you can plant anytime you want, but make sure to water regularly. When it comes to seed, you can take advantage of a vast variety of grass options, and it is considered to be an inexpensive choice.
You probably already have a design for the landscape in mind. Decisions regarding whether or not to install a pool, different types of irrigation systems, tree and shrub choices will all need to be made. If you decide to have a pool, choose materials for the retaining walls. Next, research professionals for landscape installation and help you improve your ideas to bring it to life.
Extra effort is required to prepare a rich and fertile soil in flower beds. It takes time for the grass clippings, weeds, and wood chips to blend to sustain these plants and trees. Also, consider different types of compost, such as manure or mushroom compost.
In landscaping a new home, is important to examine the different areas for growing factors such as sunlight, drainage, and aesthetics. Decide which areas are best suited for flower beds, trees, or vegetable gardens.
Now that you have evaluated the areas, its time to choose the specific flowers and shrubs you will plant. Make sure the options complement the design. Other decisions, such as what breeds of trees, and types of vegetables should also be considered. A professional can assist you in choosing the ideal greenery for your location, climate, and landscape design.
Now with these tips in mind, you can begin designing your landscape. Always make sure that the design can match all your requirements to ensure that you can enjoy the view of your landscape for years.
Weeds are a total eyesore. An infested lawn can ruin a beautiful day. Aside from changing your mood, they can bring down the aesthetic value of your turf.
Weeds not only grow in lawn, but they can also spread from your backyard to fruit and vegetable gardens around your house. You harvest them every time you cook your favorite dish. Unfortunately their number will decline when infested by weeds. These unnecessary grasses compete for water, light, and They can outgrow the crops within a short period, causing a significant loss in yield.
Tillage is designed to control the weeds. This usually incurs a high cost. Heavy infested areas, on the contrary, will be different. Not only does it require an extra budget for weeding control, but it also reduces the profit.
Pests can be a challenge for farmers and knowing the real cause makes it easy to address. Remove the weeds first before getting rid of insects. A weed-free backyard leads to quality crops and good profits.
Here are some informative articles on these specific weed types…
How to get rid of dandelion weeds
Some gardeners would think of herbicides for weed control, but there is a more natural, safer, and costlier alternative. A thick layer of mulch is a great way to go. After removing the weeds, apply mulch to the affected area to prevent them from recurring. There are options to choose from when looking for the best mulch. These include wood chips, hulls, shells, leaves, straw, grass clippings, and newspaper to name a few.
Another impressive solution is landscape Designed to sit under a layer of mulch, landscape fabric blocks roots from penetrating the soil. This makes hand weeding quick and simple. For garden pathways with shrubs, fruits, and perennial plants, this fabric is perfect.
Weeds grow and spread by out-competing desirable garden plants. For new gardeners, it can be tough to handle. The good news is that you can beat them by planting a ground cover. White clover is a great start. Not only can it reclaim an area, but it can also add nutrients to the soil. Other options include oats, rye, barley, wheat, and canola.
Homemade solutions are effective and affordable. A mixture of enough salt and vinegar can kill some weeds. Add some drops of dish soap for a maximum adhesion. Be aware that too much salt can pose a potential hazard to the soil. So, be mindful when using this solution.
A lawn with weeds is a big dilemma for gardeners. Following the natural ways can be an effective alternative to pesticides. You don’t need unnecessary costs when it comes to turf maintenance. Sometimes, the solutions can be available at home. Seek help from a specialist when weeds are too difficult to control.
Shrubs are the best compliment for flowers. Together, flowers and shrubs make a perfect match that creates dazzling gardens. Now, let’s suppose you wanna use shrubs to impress your friends with a new outstanding garden next year, but then you discover that some of your shrubs start turning brown, and suddenly they die when the weather turns really hot. You’ve invested a considerable amount of money and dedicated some time to make your garden look great.
However, in some weeks when summer starts and the temperatures are going higher and higher each time, your garden starts losing vitality instead of becoming more colorful. In that very moment, you’re disappointed and don’t wanna continue. Now, thank God we’re just guessing or assuming. You don’t have to go through such a discouraging moment. That’s why here I present with you five heat-tolerant shrubs.
This shrub, also known as Yankee Point, has an interesting particularity: it flowers all the time. Its beautiful purple flowers captivate the eyes of your garden visitors and can easily be combined with other flowers of different colors.
An interesting fact is that it can grow from fifty centimeters up to five meters in height. Furthermore, although it’s a sun shrub (heat tolerant), it can also withstand a very cold weather. Finally, if you want to enjoy its great colors, you’ll need to wait for the months of March to June, when it gives an amazing spectacle in purple and green tones.
These beautiful bell-shaped flowers come in different colors and provide sustenance for many pollinators. This is a kind of shrub originally from China that can grow up from 1 to 3 meters.
A very important fact is that it produces so many flowers that its branches are bent by the weight of the many flowers that adorn and beautify every part of the entire shrub. In addition, although the shrub resists high temperatures, it’s necessary to water it during the summer, as dryness must be avoided so that it does not lose its color and vitality.
If you love yellow, then you’ll be really amazed to see the forsythia flower in your garden and brighten it up. This amazing shrub is very resilient as it endures different temperatures. For example, it can perfectly develop under strong heat or under a cruel cold weather; also, it can resist some time with no water at all. However, if you don’t wanna take any risks, you should water it abundantly during summer when temperatures are really high and the soil is dry.
If you love butterflies, then the Buddleja Davidii is perfect for your garden because it’s known in some countries as the shrub of butterflies. Therefore, this is one of the best shrubs you could have in your garden because, in addition to beautifying it, you’ll have the opportunity to create a habitat that the most beautiful butterflies in your area will love. As an additional fact, it is also important to mention that this shrub has been the subject of many medical studies due to its healing properties.
As I have demonstrated, shrubs are a great compliment for the flowers in your garden, and I think you are now persuaded to get some of them. Which is better, you may be sure that these shrubs mentioned here are heat resistant, which means that you’ll not have to be disappointed when heat comes because your shrubs will always keep alive.
SUMMARY
Do you want a perfect combination for your flowers in your garden? Plant shrubs. Fear that your garden will lose vitality when heat comes? Use these five heat-tolerant shrubs.
Watering New Sod After Install
One of the most important steps after installing your new sod is watering. This process is not always as simple as one may think. These new sod watering tips will ensure proper root development and a healthy new lawn…
Use a sprinkler
Setting a sprinkler ensures that watering is done evenly in the entire lawn. The sprinklers are relatively low costly coupled with the fact that it enhances effective watering of the new sod. One of the sprinklers that is recommended in this case is an impact style sprinkler. This is premised on the fact that it covers a vast area compared to other styles.
Overlap
In other instances where the area that is sodded is larger than what the sprinkler can cover, then it is important to move the sprinkler to other areas. Implicit to this, is the need to have an overlap between these areas.
Do not hand water
Do not use your hand in watering new sod but instead use a sprinkler. This is because you cannot effectively water the whole area you have sodded while standing. Alternatively soaking an entire area will make water percolate the new sod compared what it can use. Of central importance is that the sod can only take ¾’’ of the root system and the soil.
Water deeply
To promote the deep growth of the roots it is advisable to water the sod deeply. This implies that watering which takes place for about 10-30 minutes is not enough. This promotes the shallow growth of the roots. Deep root will be pivotal during drought as it allows the grass plant access to more water stored in the ground.
Water in the morning
Watering in the morning is beneficial in avoiding issues with fungus which bred favorable in the humid conditions especially in the evening during summer. This practice is good in having the blades of the grass dry in the evening. Early morning lawn watering is always best.
Applying an inch of water
It is advisable to apply at least an inch of water to ensure that you are watering deeply. This means that you will be watering daily for the very first two weeks. One of the best ways of maintaining an inch of the water is placing a container that is empty, for example a coffee can, in the area that is being watered and see how long it takes to put an inch of water in the container. That’s how long you should set your sprinklers for.
Having kids is a blessing, and watching them play can be so exciting. However, it will be necessary to have something very important for them to do like providing them with fun activities to make sure that they are active and are not getting bored whenever they are at home.
Whenever holidays are on the horizon you should consider coming up with unique ideas that can help you keep your kids active. Playground ideas are easy to come up with and you can use them to make a fun place where your kids can play for hours and hours.
The following are some of the homemade playground ideas we’ve come up with:
Kids love toys, but it would be so exciting to them if you can make them an outside version of the toys. You can design a track and customize it with different vehicles, dolls, animals, and buildings to add up a lot of fun.
This is one of the greatest ideas that you can create for your children and make it part of the playground it will help your kids become so creative. Kids find it so exciting when they draw using the chalk, and you don’t have to supervise them, just let them have the freedom of drawing whatever they want as they play. Here is a fun way to make a giant chalkboard at home Giant Chalkboard
Some of the ideas for kids’ playground can be so easy since you can even use items that are already there in a different new way. An outdoor lounge for snacks is a perfect example of that great idea.
You can use pillows and blankets which you can put in an empty kiddie pool which brings the notion of the high life for your kids, and that can be super exciting.
This can make your kids feel very special especially on a summer evening, they will be looking up the sky and admiring how great it is. They might never want you to put the tent away.
There is no better way to spend a summer day than just to play in the water. The sprinkler and the kiddie pool can lose their thrill and you might want to experience something new like the massive water pillow, and your kids will spend a lot of time playing on this massive water pillow. Here is an example
Some plants are easier to grow than others. Easy growing vegetables are abundant in Texas, but one in particular is easy to grow and a common item in our diets. Onions are an easy to grow cold season crop because of their hardiness. Start planting onions early in the spring and harvest in the fall after their tops begin to turn yellow and fall over.
Onions roots grow shallow and not efficient at soaking up moisture, therefore they need regular watering to grow efficiently. Onions can recover from drought and start growing again when watered. Maintain soil’s moisture consistency and water when needed.
Onions grow best in full sunlight and well-drained soils. Work the garden soil only when it is dry enough to work the soil 8 to 10 inches deep.Remove all debris from the soil; then break up the remaining clods and rake the soil smooth.
Planting – Onions are a cool season crop and withstand temperatures well below freezing. They may be planted from seeds, or from small bulbs called sets.
When seeding onions for bulbs, plant them a quarter inch deep into soil during the late fall. Place the seeds 1 inch apart. When the plants are about 6 inches high, thin them to one plant every 2 to 3 inches. Eat the extra plants as green onions.
Care during the season
Weeds are easy to pull or cut when they are 3 to 4 inches tall. Do not let weeds or grasses grow large because they compete with onions for nutrients.
If you use a hoe to remove weeds and grass, do not chop too deeply. You may be cutting the onion roots. Pull all weeds by hand when possible.
When the onion plants have 5 to 6 leaves, apply fertilizer again to help grow larger plants and bigger bulbs. Each leaf forms a ring in the onion bulb. More leaves means more rings and larger bulbs.
Before using a pesticide. Always read the product label warnings and follow directions.
Leave them lying in the garden for 1 to 2 days to dry. Then remove the tops and roots and let them keep drying in baskets or boxes.Store onions in a refrigerator crisper or in a dry, airy place such as in a wire net in the garage would be ideal.
A home or perhaps commercial establishment must have attractive surroundings. Therefore, many people choose to plant trees, grass, flowers, together with other types of foliage. Outside potted plants are perfect to start with because they do not require one to have a lot of knowledge. Put simply, much deeper grasp of gardening and landscaping cannot really prevent your plan to nurture potted plants.
Potted plants may be used as an addition to your garden in the soil or landscape. They are often placed at different levels and also give more interest to an outdoor space. At times, he might not exactly have enough room for a garden. Potted plants can be the ideal option for a terrace, patio and also apartment landing.
Not surprisingly, you need to uncover the different types of vegetation that can survive in your environment. A number of flora species really cannot survive in dry water conditions while others are drought resistant. In much greener terms, what you should do first is to find numerous types usually accessible on the Internet. Would you like having potted plants, flowers or bushes? You should be in the position to choose exactly what you really want to see all day growing in your compound.
An additional decision you have to make is the size you would probably want for the pots. Should your preferred outside potted plants be big, then the pots for hosting the soil and the foliage will also be big. Hence, you cannot expect to move these things around owing to their heavy weight. To get started, you have to know a few examples of vegetation that can grow outside your house too.
Grow each plant separately or grow several in a large container. The best plants for places in full sun are:
Pansies can provide color to your garden when other plants aren’t flowering. Pansies are simple to grow and make a good choice for pots and containers.
You can select pansies based on the flower color, as well as the flower size. The smallest pansies tend to have flowers with a radius’ about an inch across; the largest grow flowers up to 3 inches across.
In case you have space for a more substantial planter, try out the canna lily. Opt for a pot with good drainage that is certainly no less than 2 feet wide and 2 feet deep. Use the typical commercial potting soil to grow the rhizomes (bulbs) 4 inches deep and 15 inches deep. You can plant three per pot in a triangular gaping. It will give some spectacular flowers and foliage from mid-summer.
Canna lilies really like the sun as often as they make water. Make sure to water them generously, practically to the point of sopping.
You can grow any size or variety of roses in a pot. However, miniature roses are particularly nice because size allows you to place them wherever they can get at least 6 hours of full sun a day. Choose a 1 gallon container, but make sure it is noticeably heavy or ballasted, so the winds will not be able to hit it about.
If you are still putting in the green thumb and forget to water your plants, use a 2-gallon container. This will allow you to water your pink pot a little less often.
Some varieties of miniature sun roses are: Baby Austin, Cinderella, Amber Glow, Lavender Delight or Stolen Moment.
The Shasta daisy can be considered the all-American flower. It is simple, but seems to go well in everything outside. The heliophilic daisy can grow to 3 feet tall. Use them in potted, intermingled or as backdrop brighter annual potted.
Shasta is a perennial plant and should normally come back every year, when they are planted in the soil.
Rillettes are flowers normally considered as annuals, but with care the flowers can come back.
After flowering, and before the first frost, move the pots into a shed or garage garden. They need to be out of the frost and wet during the dormant period. If all conditions are met, the daisy plant can be returned outdoors in the spring to grow and flower again.
To avoid striping or burning, set your spreader settings according to the fertilizer manufacturer recommended settings. Often fertilizer has the specific settings for different spreaders right on the bag. If it’s not there, contact the manufacturer of your spreader for help on how to properly apply lawn fertilizer.
Look at where the fertilizer drops and when you start your next pass, look back after starting the pass to make sure you’re doing the next stripe in the right place and adjust if necessary. Always follow a consistent pattern when doing lawn fertilization.
You can use two types of spreaders to apply fertilizer:
The grass will stay greener on your side of the fence with a little TLC and following a good lawn care maintenance schedule, including fertilizing at least twice a year.
When your lawn snaps out of it dormancy, it will be quick to start growing and will need of some tender loving care. If you fertilized your lawn properly in the fall, then it will start growing as soon as the temperature hits around 65 degrees in the spring. Aside from getting a good soaking from spring rains, you lawn needs a little more fertilizers and a good first spring lawn mowing.
Lawn mowing is not exactly a science and it is not exactly an art form. So what is it? Mowing the lawn in spring isn’t just about waiting until a specific length or time frame. It does requires monitoring the length of grass and waiting for it to reach the right height. To avoid injuring grass by cutting when it’s too short, which can lead to lawn disease. Following these steps can help you mow your grass at the appropriate time.
What time of the year to start mowing?
Starting in spring around March to start your lawn mowing with a high cut on preferably dry grass if possible.
When to Mow your Lawn?
When your grass blades reaches a height of 3 to 3.5 inches.
How Often?
As temperature and growth increases frequency will increase with 2 weeks then 10 days then perhaps down to weekly mowing.
To maintain a lush, green and healthy lawn takes a little bit of work. Keeping your lawn irrigated and fed is always a priority, but some times you have to sew in additional seed and remove weeds. Following up with a fertilization schedule will keep you lawn thriving in extreme heat and severe cold. Hopefully this tips will help you with your lawns green growth.
Winter is typically drab compared to the other 3 seasons, but a well planned landscape keeps the color in your landscape. Adding just a little bit of color changes the balance of your yard. The color of these plants and the blanket of snow enhances your picturesque winter landscape. Easy Winter Landscaping ideas will add some color to your landscape.
You might need to plan a couple of yeas ahead for winter landscaping plants to reach their ideal heights. Winter tends to be dull and less colorful season, but following with these landscaping ideas should keep winter visually appealing.
