How To Take Care Of Your Landscaping

When you take care of your landscaping, your plants and other vegetation will flourish. Your healthy flowers, hedges and grasses enhance your property value and provide a space you can enjoy all summer. Here are some tips on spring and summer landscape maintenance.

When Should Landscaping Be Done?

Start your landscaping in the spring, after the threat of frost has passed. Planting trees and shrubs at this time of year gives them time to establish a robust root system so they’re ready to withstand hot and dry summer days. Plant in the morning with a minimum temperature of 7 C. Spring is the best time to split perennials and plant them in new locations.

Fall is a great time to get trees and shrubs planted. When planting in fall, water thoroughly so the plants are prepared to survive the winter. Cover the area around your plants with a layer of mulch to insulate the roots. Fall landscaping ensures your plants will be ready to burst into life after the snow melts.

Both spring and fall are also good times to fertilize your trees.

Yard Maintenance Checklist

The work doesn’t end once you’ve finished your planting. To thrive, your plants require care all summer long. Here’s a checklist to keep your landscape maintenance on track.

• Prune shrubs. Pruning trees and shrubs encourages fuller growth and more flowers and fruit. Prune in the spring before the leaves start to bud. However, don’t touch shrubs that bloom in spring, such as lilacs and forsythias, because you’ll cut off the flower buds. Contact an arborist if you’re unsure about when to prune your shrubs.
• Shape hedges. Shaping your hedges offers many of the same advantages as pruning. They’ll grow fuller, and you can maintain their height and shape. When left to grow naturally, they grow wider at the top and narrower at the bottom. As you shape your hedges, trim them wider at the bottom and thinner at the top.
• Weed prevention and removal. Weeds and pests will inevitably appear in any landscaping. Although weeding by hand is the most effective and environmentally friendly way to remove weeds, not everyone has the time or energy. Choose organic, biodegradable and eco-friendly pesticides and herbicides if you must control weeds and pests chemically. The best method to prevent weeds is to encourage healthy plants and a robust lawn. Aerate your lawn in spring and fall to promote root growth. Keep your grass trimmed no shorter than six or eight centimeters and mulch your clippings. When it comes to plants and flowers, plant densely to crowd out weeds.
• Irrigate. Watering your plants is vital during the hot and sunny days of summer. Watering early in the morning will minimize evaporation and ensure the water sinks into the plant’s roots. Invest in a timed sprinkler or slow-drip irrigation system to do the work for you. Place mulch around your trees to hold moisture in the soil. Finally, use drought-tolerant, native plants that don’t require watering.
• Care for your flowers. Removing dead buds, or “dead-heading” your flowers, allows for more blooms all summer long. This technique works well with perennials, annuals and flowering shrubs.
• Enrich the soil. Keeping your plants healthy begins with healthy soil. Enriching the soil with compost adds vital nutrients and organic compounds that plants love. Purchase a backyard composter or build one to turn your kitchen scraps into rich soil for garden maintenance.
• Maintain your hardscaping. Hardscaping includes paving stones, sidewalks, steps or stone walls. Remove weeds from cracks by hand or use a steam cleaner as a chemical-free weed killer. Pressure-wash your hardscaping to keep them looking new and prevent mould and mildew from forming.

Low Maintenance Front Yard Landscaping

Don’t give up if you don’t have the time or energy to maintain your landscaping. Choosing native, drought-tolerant plants reduces the need for maintenance. A certified arborist can help you select the plants best suited to your climate and require little to no care.

You can always enlist the services of a landscape professional to handle the maintenance for you. ArborCare® provides comprehensive landscape maintenance services for your trees and plants.

Landscaping and Wildlife

Your landscaping can attract animals like deer and raccoons. They may be cute, but some creatures can severely damage your landscaping. Check out the Alberta Ministry of Environment and Parks for tips on managing the wildlife trespassing on your property.

Landscape Maintenance in Calgary

At ArborCare®, we’ll take care of your landscaping, so you don’t have to. We provide spring and summer landscape maintenance services to keep your property looking its best. Besides pruning and shaping your trees and hedges, we also offer lawn care services. Contact us today in Calgary to request a quote on our landscape maintenance services.