Care Guides to Help You with Yard Care
Natural Environmental Landscaping of Fargo has put together some helpful tips to assist you in caring for your yard, shrubs, plants and gardens. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us online or call 701-237-6994.
How to Care for New Plants in your yard or landscape
Watering new plants
Watering your plant material is very important. However there are a few factors that will determine how much water is needed and how frequently you should be watering. The two primary factors are: weather conditions and soil conditions.
- Check soil conditions before watering. Always check the soil to determine if water is needed. If the soil is dry at 4 to 7 inches deep, you should apply water. Generally, sandy soils will need moisture more often than any other type of soil, but always check before watering.
- Water thoroughly so moisture penetrates the soil. Plant roots will seek out moisture below the surface. Deeper roots enable plants to absorb moisture from further below the surface, even when top soil dries out. With deeper root systems you get stronger, healthier plants.
- Avoid frequent, light watering. Roots go where the water is. Frequent, light watering keeps the moisture near the surface and causes shallow root systems that are more vulnerable to weather conditions, especially heat and heavy rain.
Fall Landscape Care and Maintenance
- Keep watering your lawn and shrubs throughout the fall months or until the first hard freeze.The plant material needs the moisture to help them survive the dry fall season.
- Use high nitrogen fertilizer in late fall when the weather is cool.This will help ensure a lush green lawn in the spring.
- Rake and mow any leaves that fall on the ground.Large amounts of leaves left on your lawn and gardens will create mildew in the spring (and a soggy mess).
- Cover tea and hybrid roseswith mulch or straw to protect them from winter freeze and winds.
- Mow lawn to 2 inches to prevent snow mold.
Winter Landscape Care and Maintenance
- Oaks, Honeylocusts, Crabapples, Pears, Mountain Ash, and Hawthorn are best pruned now.
- Keep evergreens and shrubs free of heavy snow.
Spring Landscape Care and Maintenance
- De-weed mulch beds and perennial gardens.
- Cut back perennials to new growth or mulch line.
- Apply preen to all mulch beds once de-weeding is complete.
- Top-dress beds with new mulch to give fresh look appearance.
- Fertilize trees.