It’s the time of year when the air conditioning is cranked up and working outside is the last thing you want to do. Our region has experienced a mild and wet spring but summer is officially here and you can bet heat waves are in our future. While you can hide out in your AC, your landscape is stranded out there in the heat. How can you keep your landscape happy on the hottest of summer days? Follow these simple summer landscaping tips to help your plants survive the season.

Keep Your Landscape Hydrated

Landscapes, especially newly installed landscapes, can be vulnerable during dry, summer months, so maintaining a watering schedule based on the types of plants within your garden is essential. Look at the list below to see how often and for how long you should water your landscape.

No matter the plant, be sure that the water penetrates the roots. Lawn sprinklers are designed for grass, and are not the best choice for shrubs and flowers. This is because the water may stay on leaves and be evaporated before having the chance to reach the plant’s roots, or linger, inviting fungi to take residence on the plant.

In addition, help your landscape retain moisture by adding mulch around newly planted shrubs and trees.

Fertilization

Most homeowners only think about fertilization during planting season, but certain varieties of plants can benefit from continual feeding throughout the hot season. The type of fertilizer you want is dependent upon the type of plant and your desired results. Plant food and fertilizers typically have three numbers listed on the label. These three numbers represent the percentage of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium respectively.  As a general rule, fruiting plants – fruits and vegetables – will prosper better with a higher ratio of phosphorous and potassium, while foliage plants, like shrubs, will benefit from higher ratios of nitrogen within their fertilizers.

Summer Landscaping Tips by Plant

Perennials

Water perennials, such as irises, hydrangeas, peonies and roses, for ten seconds twice a week during the summer. Use a nitrogen-rich fertilizer for flowering plants. Roses, azaleas and hydrangeas prefer acidic fertilizers.

Annuals

If the summer has been particularly dry, your annuals may need daily watering. Water for ten seconds, again, ensuring that the water penetrates the roots of the plant.

Shrubs

Water shrubs and bushes for thirty seconds each, twice a week. Holly bushes prefer acidic fertilizers, while leafy shrubs used for privacy will benefit from nitrogen-rich plant food.

Trees

Newly planted trees require much more water than smaller plants. Water your trees for three to five minutes twice a week during the summer. Evergreens and dogwoods benefit best from acidic fertilizers.

Summer Landscaping Tips for Your Lawn

Change the Height of Your Mower Blade

By allowing your grass to grow a bit longer, you are helping it survive the heat. When grass has been cut too short, it prevents the plants’ ability to photosynthesize or create their own food. If your grass has been growing for some time, and is considerably high, only cut one-third of its height. Wait a week, and continue to cut only one-third. Repeat until you have the desired length.

Sharpen Your Mower Blade

A dull blade won’t only mutilate your lawn, but can increase the damage to your grass caused by heat. A sharper blade helps your grass heal more quickly after being cut.

Leave Your Clippings Be

Unless your grass clippings are in danger of being blown into the street, storm drains or bodies of water, allow them to lie where they lay. The clippings will help to fertilize the remaining grass.

Resist the Urge to Fertilize, Aerate or Dethatch

Mixing high temperatures with fertilizer can harm your lawn and cause it to burn. Lawn aeration and dethatching should be avoided because it adds to the stress of the plants.

Don’t Flood Your Lawn

Water your lawn regularly, but not every day. Constant watering can weaken the grass and turn your yard into mud.

Check One More Thing Off Your List

Does the pressure of maintaining your lawn seem too much? Would you rather have professional, certified landscapers take care of everything than try to remember these summer landscaping tips? Contact Hively for a free consultation today!

Spring has arrived and with it will come all the joys of being outside enjoying your landscape…and weeds. Crabgrass, thistle, nutsedge and all of our other favorite perennial weeds will thrive this spring, especially because the of the mild winter that was not cold enough to permanently damage existing dormant seeds. Great! So, now what?

One of the most cost efficient and effective weed control methods is with the use of a pre-emergent herbicide. This is just what it sounds like; pre-emergent herbicides prevent weeds from emerging from seeds by interrupting the germination process as seeds move from dormancy to growth mode. It’s like putting down a barrier across the treated area that weeds can’t penetrate.

Most pre-emergent herbicides are granular or powder based and activated by water. Some pre-emergents are applied on their own and some are applied with other materials, like fertilizers.  This gives pre-emergents the advantage of efficiency combined with a longer effective treatment period to help with extended weed control. Many pre-emergents have a 90 day efficacy if applied in ideal conditions. Since ideal conditions are pretty rare in real life, we suggest a 45 day inspection cycle which allows us the flexibility to re-apply material before weed pressure begins to increase.

In new or existing planting beds, pre-emergents are spread prior to new mulch.  It is important to note that some pre-emergent herbicides can damage certain flowering perennials, annuals and bulbs that have not yet broken bud. It is very important to have an qualified and experienced applicator performing the applications to avoid any issues. The applicator must be able to read and follow the application instructions AND be able to positively identify plant material to ensure success.

Of course, any individual or company that applies herbicides and fertilizers for monetary compensation must be registered with the PA State Department of Agriculture. Registered individuals carry an ID card and registered companies are required to display their BU number on all vehicles that transport controlled chemicals and in all promotional materials. Hively’s BU number is 0299.

If you have a weed problem, or want to avoid having to deal with weed control, please contact our office for assistance.  We love landscapes but we don’t like weeds!