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These dog days of summer sure seem to be barking rather loudly lately – It is hot!!! Thank goodness you’ve done all the hard work to get your yard in great shape. Here are some easy things to do to help maintain all the effort you’ve already put in so you can keep enjoying your summer garden. |
Add Easy Pops of Color
Your landscape is your art form and you can design it however you’d like. This is a great time of year to add some easy color to your garden. The addition of colorful flowers always adds a fun pop to the landscape. We have perennials that are in bloom right now in the heart of summer and it’s also a great time to refresh your annuals. Flowers aren’t the only plant that can add color though. In shady spots you can add plants with beautiful foliage colors as well as grasses for different hues and movement. Yard art is a wonderful and fun way to add color as well. We have all sorts of cool metal art like cacti, flamingos, and peacocks. We also have sculptures and are expecting more this week! If you are looking for something in particular, give us a call – we have a lot of stuff and are always bringing in more.
Journaling
This is a good way to spend a hot day as it doesn’t require any manual labor. Go outside and enjoy the all work you’ve already put into your summer garden. Sit in the yard and make notes in a journal as to what is working and what is not working. For example, in your vegetable garden, perhaps you notice that one type of tomato is thriving and another is not. Maybe you note that around the beginning of July, your squash plant developed a powdery mildew. Taking these notes will help you be better prepared for next year.
A journal is also a great way to remember and plan ahead for plants you want to try out next year. Maybe you saw flowers in a neighbor’s yard or a beautiful plant in the park. Write those down and come next spring you can either start them from seed or find them at your local garden center.
Reassess Watering
We know we’ve touched on this a lot this summer but it is the hottest part of summer and it’s crucial that your plants are getting enough water. At the same time, our state is experiencing an extreme drought so it’s just as crucial that we aware of our water use. Take this time to reassess your watering. Inspect your sprinkler lines and drip irrigation systems to be sure they are running efficiently. Kids, pets, and pests can sometimes unknowingly mess with the lines causing small breakages you may have not noticed.
If you aren’t sure how to inspect your watering system a QWEL certified landscaper can come to your property to do a water audit for you.
Add Mulch and Water Retention Products
Mulch is super important during the hottest time of year for retaining water in your summer garden. Mulching can retain up to 80 percent of added moisture in your soil. On top of that, mulch can also add some color to your garden (see tip #1). We also recommend Using products like Revive, Ground Breaker, Hydretain, or Turf Max to help your lawns and gardens. They all help to add nutrients and retain moisture where it is needed – the roots.
Take Advantage of Delivery and Installation Services
Even in the hottest part of the summer you can still plant trees and shrubs. If you find your backyard is hot and you want to plant a tree, or two (or five) give us a call. We can help you choose the right trees for your yard and we also offer delivery and installation services. Our crew are experts and will plant trees correctly, which is important for the longevity of the trees’ life. Adding shade trees now is beneficial for multiple reasons: not only will you have a shady place to sit and enjoy the outdoors but also, it helps reduce temperatures in your home AND, if you position them correctly, it can provide shade over the AC Unit which helps reduce the cost of running it as less energy is required to keep the unit cool while it works to cool your home. Plus, trees and shrubs provide habitats for birds which means more songs to listen to while you enjoy their shade. I think that is a win-win-win-win…maybe even one more win?
Make sure to join our Facebook group for more ideas and tips like this during our Facebook Live ‘Ask Erica’ segment every Thursday at 11am MT.
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