Summer is the time of year when people most enjoy the beautiful outdoors! And when your landscaping is beautiful, you will enjoy your time outdoors even more. However, a beautiful landscape does not happen without some planning and work. Our professional Cincinnati tree care and landscaping team has identified four summer landscaping tips for you and your yard based on our professional experience.
Watering
Watering your yard, plants and trees is important because all plant life including trees requires water not only for survival but also to thrive. In order for plants to be their most beautiful, they need to be in good health, and in order to be in good health, they need to be properly hydrated. The key to effective watering is watering less frequently, but watering more deeply. The soil will nourish the roots better if the soil stays wet. Just watering the surface of a yard or garden will not maintain the landscaping, and it certainly won’t help your trees, which have deeper root structures.
Emitter hoses laid in the flower beds are ideal for a thorough, gradual watering of plants. A great yard care tip is an automated sprinkler system, which is great for watering grass. A timer can be attached to the hose bib, controlling the amount of watering, which relieves the homeowner of the responsibility of watching the watering time. Timers can also be set to water on specific days, which makes it easier to care for your lawn and trees, even when you’re travelling.
Fertilization and Weed Killing
Fertilization is the key to achieving vibrant, beautiful flowers and lush grass. Keep in mind that every grass type has unique fertilizer requirements, and lawn fertilization is needed throughout the season. Flowers and shrubs also have unique requirements. A special fertilizer is available for increasing flower blooms, and this can make flower beds look very attractive relatively quickly. Most fertilizers work best when watered in immediately after they are applied. Don’t forget about fertilizing your trees because they need nutrients to develop good growth and beautiful leaves. Proper watering and fertilization of your trees can even increase the intensity of color in your fall foliage.
It is important to apply a pre-emergence weed killer in the spring to prevent weeds and particularly crabgrass from taking over the yard as the growing season begins. A number of handheld weed spraying products are available to use if weeds do start to grow. These products are best suited for spot treatment.
Mowing
Setting the mower blade to cut the grass at the proper height can help to keep your lawn lush and green throughout the summer months. It’s tempting to cut your grass really short to reduce the frequency that you have to get out into the heat with the mower, but your grass will be damaged if it is cut too short, and it will also be mostly brown or yellow in color. Mow the grass in the coolest part of the day, if you can, to keep from shocking the short grass with the sudden exposure to heat and intense sunlight. Grass should be edged without scalping it to prevent weeds from growing in exposed soil.
Check Your Lawn, Trees and Plants for Insect Infestation
Lawns can be attacked by grubs and other insects, and they can destroy your yard. There are visible signs of this problem. Look for dark patches of grass or brown circles in the grass. Dig a few inches into any area that may be attacked and see if grubs or insects are visible. If you find some, then take them to a landscaping professional for examination and for getting the right products to eliminate them. Scheduling an annual tree trim and inspection can help head off any problems that are brewing in your trees, as well.
Following these summer landscaping tips provided by our Cincinnati landscape professionals at Tree Images will help you achieve the yard and landscape that will be the envy of the neighborhood this summer! If you need further assistance making your yard and landscaping beautiful, contact us for a free estimate.
