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What’s the Best Way To Clean a Backyard Pond?

Water elements are the jewels in your landscaping crown. People love backyard ponds for many reasons.

Some homeowners just enjoy the look of a pond, while others have always dreamed of a koi pond.

If you’ve designed your landscaping to create a relaxing atmosphere, a pond is the perfect place for enjoying nature.

Like all landscaping elements, ponds require cleaning and maintenance.

Before Installing a Pond

A pond comes with responsibility. Some things to think about when planning your pond are:
• Wildlife
• Mosquitoes
• Plant life
• Maintenance
• Location
• Filtration systems

Backyard ponds are great landscaping features and enjoyable for the whole family.

Just be prepared for frequent maintenance.

First Steps

The first thing to ask your landscaper is what part of your property is most suitable for a pond.

You should place your pond in an area of your property that’s level and shaded or partially shaded.

You should discuss mosquito management with your landscaper.

Dragonflies will find your pond and eat mosquitoes, as will frogs and bats, and wildlife will drink there, especially during periods of drought.

We strongly recommend against using insecticides that could harm beneficial wildlife.

Use pond-specific enzymes instead.

Insecticides may also harm natural aquatic plants and plants like water lilies that you add to your pond. Filtration systems make cleaning easier and discourage mosquito breeding.

Cleaning Your Backyard Pond

Decorative ponds without koi should be cleaned in the spring.

Don’t forget frogs and frog spawn.

Clean your pond before frog spawn appears.

Frogs are beneficial, insect-controlling backyard wildlife.

Experts advise letting your established pond go as long as five years between cleanings.

The key to a clean, healthy pond is to think of it as a small swimming pool and use small nets to remove anything that can rot and spoil the water.

Cool temps (under 70F) are best for pond cleaning day.

Fish are easier to move on a cool day rather than a warm day.

Your landscaper may also suggest removing floating decorative plants to avoid damage.

Never totally drain your pond.

Leave a few inches of water, and don’t forget that you’ll need to replace pond enzymes as well as water.

Cleaning a backyard pond is a task that takes up most of the day, but much of that time is gradually refilling the pond.

Check the water temperature before and after cleaning.

When the water is back to pre-cleaning temp, you can safely replace plants and koi.

Don’t discard all the “dirty” water because it contains good bacteria that your pond needs.

Are You Ready for Koi?

Koi are gorgeous creatures that require feeding and extra care.

Koi ponds are spectacular, but you don’t have to add fish to your backyard pond to make it attractive and interesting.

Things to Remember:
• Pond cleaning should be infrequent
• Clean decorative ponds in spring
• Ponds with fish should be cleaned on cool days

If you want a backyard pond for your yard contact us at (805) 773-5395.

Is Your Landscaping Ready for Spring?

Stormy winter winds off the ocean have done a number on your property. Your yard needs spring-cleaning. Where do you start? We’ll help you get your landscaping ready for spring with lists and tips prepared by pros.

Start Here

Walking your property is the first thing to do when preparing your landscaping for spring. Look for:

• Damaged trees
• Hardscape deterioration
• Lightning damage

Broken tree branches, damage to retaining walls and stone pathways and non-working lights are dangers to you and your family and should be addressed first. We recommend hiring a professional landscaper handle these problems. Landscapers have the equipment to deal with broken branches in the tallest trees. Broken or dead branches and trees must be removed before they fall and leave you with an expensive roof or car repair.

A retaining wall with a foundation crack is a disaster waiting to happen. Scheduling an immediate repair will prevent a huge cleanup and the time and expense of rebuilding a collapsed wall.

Outdoor lighting always needs maintenance after a harsh coastal winter. If you have extensive lighting, let someone else do the job of cleaning fixtures and repairing and replacing components.

Sprucing Up Your Landscaping

When you’re going over your property, keep an eye out for major eyesores and problems like:

• Ragged or overgrown shrubs
• Areas of dead grass
• Holes in the ground
• Damaged fencing

Pruning and shaping up shrubs is an early spring necessity. Getting your shrubbery back in shape will give your landscaping an immediate lift and make the plant grow fuller foliage and more flowers.

A landscaper can overseed thin grass or seed an area with no grass. Landscapers can also protect grass seed from birds, squirrels and other wildlife.

Speaking of wildlife, holes in the ground mean that something is tunneling. The tunnels could be moles or rats. They could also be snake holes. Note where they are and show them to your landscaper. In addition to possibly housing vermin, extensive tunnels can cause soil collapse and injuries.

A damaged fence reduces your home’s curb appeal and doesn’t do its job of keeping your kids and pets in your yard and other pets in their own yards. If your fence is painted or stained, it may need cosmetic attention after a winter of scouring winds.

Improving Your Landscaping

Common post-winter landscaping issues are:

• Dead plants
• Soil erosion
• Additions to landscaping

You can address soil erosion in a couple of ways. You can replace soil, plant shrubs that help prevent erosion or do both. Everyone loses a few plants over winter, so planting flowering shrubs or attractive grasses is a good idea.

Have you been thinking about additions to your landscaping or even “redecorating?” Now is a great time to start prepping flower and garden beds and adding new plants.

Things to Remember:
• Look for dangerous winter damage
• Up your property’s curb appeal
• Deal with soil erosion

Appointment slots are filling up fast. Call or email us to reserve your time.

How Landscaping Makes Commercial Properties More Appealing

Curb appeal is a term that most people associate with homeowners trying to make a house for sale more attractive to potential buyers. Using landscaping to improve the curb appeal of your business is a form of advertising that works. You can see this for yourself by checking out the parking lots of businesses with no landscaping and businesses with attractive landscaping.

The Importance of Landscaping for Your Business

Potential customers, clients and patients get their first impression of your business from the outside. A building with nothing but grass, asphalt and tinted windows seems severe and unappealing. A poorly maintained parking lot, unhealthy grass and untended flowers are customer turn-offs. Customers prefer an office or store with a neat, welcoming exterior.

A Landscaping Checklist for Your Business

Checking out other businesses will give you some ideas about what you need to improve at your business. Landscaping basics to consider are:

• Grass
• Drought tolerant plants
• Trees
• Hardscaping
• Flowers in window boxes or large planters
• Shrubs

You can choose a simple or exotic them for your landscaping. Read on for some easy ways to spruce up your business right away.

Plant Suggestions for Your Business

Artificial turf is an option for the grassy areas of your business’s lawn, especially if you haven’t been able to keep real grass alive. Your landscaper can also show you resilient grasses. If you choose real grass, you don’t have to worry about maintaining it. A landscaper will do everything from mowing grass to pruning trees.

Native grasses are a good choice for parking lot islands. Pampas Grass is a common landscaping plant, but it requires a lot of care to avoid a winter “ugly stage.” Deer Grass (Muhlenbergia rigens) is less dramatic but more interesting than Pampas Grass. It’s also low maintenance.

Crepe Myrtle is a perfect flowering tree for your business. When pruned correctly, it won’t grow too tall or look unkempt. The dramatic red or deep pink petals provide weeks of beauty in the spring. The tree produces no fruit, so there’s no mess. Customers love a parking lot with decorative trees just big enough to provide a little shade. If you have enough room for several Crepe Myrtles, consider planting them in a row before parking spaces.

Hardscaping includes features like rock gardens and retaining walls. Succulents and rock gardens go well together. Hens-And-Chicks, also called Biddies-And-Chicks, are succulents that reproduce and require so little water that they are referred to as “air plants.” They grow best on top of natural pebbles.

Flowering plants in containers outside your windows and flanking your door are an easy way to have year-round color. Your employees can water and deadhead flowers, and your landscaper can replace flowers on a seasonal basis.

Lavender provides beauty and smells fantastic. It’s most often used at parking lot entrances and exits, but it can go in your sunny flowerbed.

Things to Remember:
• Good landscaping makes customers stop at your business
• An attractive workplace improves employee morale
• Customers love shaded parking areas

Contact us today to arrange a makeover for your business. No business is too large or too small.

How to Maintain Artificial Lawns

An artificial lawn may be the best choice for your family’s needs. Today’s artificial lawns are incredibly lifelike but require maintenance to look their best.

How is Artificial Turf Made?

Artificial turf has been in use for 60 years. It was first used in football stadiums. Makers of artificial turf spent 30 years improving it based on feedback from sports teams. Today’s artificial turf looks and feels like real grass, and is available in a variety of grass “species.”

The backing used in the highest quality artificial turf is little different from the tires on your car. It’s tough and weather-resistant. It does deteriorate over time like a car tire, but it’s easy for a landscaper to replace sections as they age.

The blades of top quality artificial grass are made from nylon cut into the same shape, width and length as the grass of the ideal lawn. The middle layer between the grass and the base is designed to provide a cushioned surface for walking, sports and children at play. Every element down to the thread that pulls the elements of a section of artificial turf together is designed for strength, longevity and a natural appearance.

Why Choose an Artificial Lawn?

The main reason to choose an artificial lawn is to avoid mowing grass. Other reasons to go with artificial turf are:

• Consistent color and texture
• No watering needed
• It’s great for high traffic areas
• No bare or thin spots
• It looks natural edged with live plants

Artificial lawns bear up well under the natural activities of families with children and pets. Your children can play in the same area every day without killing grass and leaving you with an unattractive area of dirt, and synthetic turf will never yellow after the family dog visits it.

Maintaining Your Artificial Lawn

All landscaping, including hardscapes, rock gardens and artificial laws require maintenance to keep them looking their best. Artificial turf in particular requires care to preserve its realistic and clean appearance.

Artificial lawns are built on top of existing lawns made up of dirt and all the fauna and flora that live in dirt. Your landscaper will level and smooth your yard before installing artificial turf. Depending on UV light damage, physical wear and tear and weather, your artificial lawn will require replacement to preserve its beauty.

How can you extend the life of your artificial lawn? You can maintain your lawn by:

• Weekly cleaning with water
• Monthly raking
• Immediately picking up after pets
• Contacting your landscaper for unusual cleanups
• Contacting your landscaper for weed/mold/mildew issues

Rinsing down your lawn is like sweeping your floors. Raking is like vacuuming. Cleaning up after each pet visit to the lawn is just common sense.

The landscaper who installed the turf should handle oil spills and other chemical spills.

Weeds and fungi growths are signs that your synthetic turf is deteriorating.

Things to Remember:
• Artificial lawns are low maintenance, not no maintenance
• Today’s artificial turf feels and looks like real grass
• You can incorporate live plants into an artificial lawn

The best time to install your artificial lawn is early spring, so contact us today.

California Drought Status 2018

Wouldn’t it be great to know California’s projected 2018 drought status when you start planning your landscaping and garden?

That information is already becoming available through forecasts based on 2017 drought conditions.

This blog will help you understand projected weather forecasts for the state of California, focusing on the Pismo Beach area.

Knowing now what your drought status may be in July allows you to make the best landscaping decisions.

Drought Probable for Areas of California in 2018

U.S. government scientists and meteorologists are predicting a high probability of drought for Southern California this year.

Northern California will likely not be affected by significant drought. Southern California has received almost no rain since last October.

Lack of significant rainfall is expected to continue through early spring. Central California will also be affected by drought in 2018.

Planning for a Beautiful Yard Despite Drought

Your landscaper can provide you with a wide variety of drought tolerant plants, including:

• Flowering plants
• Shrubs
• Native grasses
• Succulents

A pro can flesh out your landscaping with features like hardscapes. Hardscapes can be both functional and decorative.

Pathways, retaining walls and patios are hardscapes.

If you live in the southernmost part of California, combining a rock garden with drought resistant plants is an excellent choice for your 2018 decorative garden.

Things to Do Today

Now is the best time to set up an appointment with your landscaper so that you can get a jump on preparing your lawn for drought conditions throughout the spring and summer. The first things your landscaper will do are:

• Irrigation system maintenance and repair
• Water element inspection and repair
• Safety checks on retaining walls
• A health survey of trees on your property

Repair and maintenance of sprinkler systems and waterfalls is essential to keeping your water usage at acceptable levels during the 2018 drought.

Landscapers will be booked up soon due to the continuing drought, so make an early appointment.

Effects of the Forecasted Drought on California Gardeners

Farmers and home gardeners always struggle during severe droughts and early freezes.

Fruit trees are the first food-producing plants people think of during Southern California droughts.

Make sure that your trees are healthy now so you’ll have homegrown citrus fruits this summer.

Don’t give up on your kitchen garden plans.

There are many low water vegetable varieties that you can grow.

Some popular low water vegetables are:

• Mini sweet/bell peppers
• Eggplant
• Greens
• Swiss chard

If you plan to grow tomatoes this year, we recommend container gardening.

Cherry, grape, plum and Roma tomatoes are great choices for large planters.

Some herbs, like basil, flourish in full sun and don’t require much water.

Other drought tolerant herbs are rosemary, sage and savory.

Herbs that need extra care should do well in pots at the edge of a shaded patio.

We suggest clay pots for any potted plant to reduce both excess heat and root or bulb rot.

Things to Remember:
• Start landscaping planning now to beat the heat
• Maintain irrigation systems for responsible water usage
• Choose low water decorative plants and vegetables

We are booking appointments for 2018 spring and summer landscaping. Contact us today for your consultation.

Plants That Don’t Play Well With Others

Some plants are companions. They share nutrients through their roots and have a symbiotic relationship. Other plants vie for nutrients, light and space. We’re sharing information about plants that don’t play well with others with you to help you plan your landscaping.

Vegetables That Don’t Grow in Harmony

Did your vegetable garden disappoint you last summer? Maybe the problem was your garden layout. Some vegetables and herbs don’t flourish when planted together. Common problem plants in the garden are:

• Broccoli
• Squash/Pumpkins
• Potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Beans/Peas

These veggies are some of the most popular garden plants. Why don’t they get along, and how can you plan your garden around their needs?

One theory about vegetables that can’t be planted side-by-side is that summer and fall or winter vegetables have different needs and will not reach their full potential growing together. Another theory is that some vegetables (and herbs) fight for the same nutrients.

Let’s divide vegetables into hot and cool. Separate spicy, hot or pungent veggies like Peppers, Onions and Garlic from mild vegetables like Broccoli, Beans and Peas. Tomatoes need their own space. Root vegetables like Potatoes and Carrots should be separated from warm weather and warm-tasting summer vegetables. Potatoes need a garden plot all to themselves.

An easy way to decide what to plant where is to keep in mind the concept of seasonal eating. If you wouldn’t harvest vegetables at the same time, don’t plant them in close quarters.

Difficult Herbs

Herbs are just as persnickety as some vegetables. Some problematic herbs are:

• Basil
• Dill
• Cilantro
• Lavender
• Rosemary
• Thyme

Basil is best grown on its own in pots or in pots with Tomatoes. It clashes with root vegetables like Potatoes.

Dill growing close to Carrots can stunt the growth of both plants. Cilantro and Tomatoes are poor companions.

Lavender grows quite large in sandy, well-drained soil and can suck up all the nutrients in the surrounding area. Don’t put it in your kitchen garden. Keep Rosemary and Thyme away from veggies like Cukes. Again, some herbs are best grown in pots, preferably large clay planters.

Marigolds are popular as herbs and garden flowers. Their bright yellow petals attract pollinators and repel mosquitoes. Plant Marigolds on the opposite side of the garden from Beans and Peas. Sunflowers are a garden classic, but due to their height, you should plant them a couple of feet from your herbs and vegetables, preferably by a fence that can support their stems when they reach their full height.

Planning Your Garden

Your local Pismo Beach landscapers know how to bring out the best in your garden. They can help you with plants and placement. Your landscaper will also make sure that your garden has proper irrigation.

Things to Remember:
• Eating in season helps you keep competitive plants apart in the garden
• Grow herbs in pots for best results
• Hot and spicy plants and mild flavored plants shouldn’t be planted close together

It’s time to plan your summer vegetable garden, so contact us today for plants, irrigation and advice.

Farm to Table: The First Steps [Infographic]

What’s Farm to Table?

It’s growing and eating your own produce.

Let’s start with the first steps.

You’ll know where your food (or at least some if it) comes from, and it gets you and your family outside working together.

Here’s how to start Farm to Table

• Work with a landscaper
• Have a soil sample taken and tested
• Consider renting a tiller to save cash
• Learn about tools

Working with a landscaper saves you from errors that may make you decide to throw in the towel.

Your landscaper can help you select the best area for your garden.

They’ll take a soil sample and tell you if your soil needs nutrients.

Researching tools before buying saves you money.

If you know what you actually need before you go to the store, you won’t overspend.

Tools meant for little hands let young children help.

Plants

Choose plants that grow well in your area and your space.

Some choices you’ll need to make are:

• Which vegetables your family likes
• What’s missing from your regular diet
• Which vegetables and herbs will grow all year
• The easiest veggies to grow

A garden is a great way to encourage your kids to eat a variety of vegetables.

You can plant their favorites and introduce them to new things.

The best gardens produce all season.

Some plants have a specific growing season.

Others produce all year.

Some will be ready to harvest in a couple of months.

Others won’t be ready to harvest until fall.

Good vegetables to start with are tomatoes, bell peppers, hot peppers, beans and peas.

Don’t forget herbs such as basil.

In Part 2, we’ll discuss late-season crops and seedlings or planting from seed.

If you’re ready to get started with your own Farm to Table, contact Evergreen Landscaping to help get you off on the right foot.

Winter Wonderland Landscaping Ideas

How can you transform your Pismo Beach property into a winter wonderland for the New Year? It’s easy when you combine tasteful holiday decor with your existing landscaping.

Elements of Winter

What makes you think of winter, no matter your climate? The basics of a winter theme include:

• Snow
• Winter plants
• Color combinations
• Lighting
• Inside decor

Instead of filling your yard with out-of-date, oversized decorations, weave elegant decor elements through your landscaping and onto your porch and patio for a look that will enchant your family and friends.

Creating Winter in Your California Yard

You may already have some white flowering plants that bloom in winter. If not, your landscaper can either add some to your yard or provide you with potted plants. Potted flowers are a good choice for holiday decorating because you can place them anywhere you like.

Jade Plant is a succulent with masses of little white flowers resembling snowflakes. Jade Plant starts blooming in December.

Cyclamen is best known for its pink to lavender palette, but it’s also available in white and looks great in large planters.

White, silver and blue convey a cool impression. Use white and blue strings of lights around your door. You can also light up large shrubs or small trees. Remember with lights, less is more. Your guests will appreciate a pleasant touch of cool color more than a blaze of lighting outlining your house.

Instead of lighting up the house, light up the garden. Glowing globes hanging from your trees will create a fantasy atmosphere.

Silver and blue wreaths can be traditional or modern. Whatever style you prefer, the colors will add to your wintry atmosphere.

Decor

Holiday yard decor detracts from your landscaping and lighting. Consider taking your lawn colors into the house with decorations that enhance your winter theme.

Spiral tree decorations in clear plastic or crystal resemble icicles. Snowflake decorations are a must. Silver, blue and white glass balls continue the dreamy winter vibe. If you’ve taken down your tree or didn’t put up a tree, you can hang decorations from your mantel or even from potted trees. Green garland wrapped around your stair banisters adds an authentic winter element and keeps your whites and blues from becoming overwhelming. Garland is also a great way to display ornaments.

Traditional or Modern Decor?

If your home is traditional, we recommend plants like Poinsettias. Poinsettias come in red and ivory. A basket looks great in a traditional setting. A white ceramic pot is perfect for a modern setting. White Orchids are perfect for a modern home.

Small potted Evergreens are classic holiday decorations and, depending on the type of tree, bring the fragrance of the forest into your home. You can plant them in your yard after the holidays. Your landscaper can help you select the perfect Evergreen.

Things to Remember:
• Cool colors evoke the spirit of winter
• Modern, understated lighting is flattering
• Potted winter plants inside and out complete the winter atmosphere

Ring in the New Year in a beautiful winter wonderland. Call us today for plants and landscaping planning.

How to Create a Holiday Garden Landscape

Your garden can be a part of your holiday decor. Some of your flowers will carry over into fall and winter. You can still order bedding and container plants. Don’t just settle for evergreens when you can have colorful autumn and winter flowers.

Planning Your Holiday Landscaping

Some of your summer flowers will bloom well into November and December. You can plant other flowers that will come into bloom in winter. You can also order flats of some flowers for the holidays. Some landscaping flowers to consider are:

• Marigolds are yellow to deep orange annuals that will re-seed themselves as summer comes to an end and the seed heads dry up and turn brown. Don’t deadhead your Marigolds if you want a second blooming starting in fall. Marigolds can withstand some freezing or just below freezing nights and are good bedding plants. The central plant is a viney growth with spreading flowers six to eight inches tall.
• Daphne bholua is a wonderful evergreen shrub that grows to about eight feet tall and flowers in midwinter. Each stem has many blooms ranging from white to deep mauve.
• Pansies provide brilliant color in low-growing bedding plants. Scarlet Pansies with almost black centers are an excellent choice for December. Landscapers have flats ready for pre-holiday planting.
• Snapdragons may not seem like a winter flower, but at up to three feet tall, they can be your colorful winter standout. Plant them in early autumn for maximum height and blossoms in December. You can also order them from your landscaper.
• Iceland Poppies are all colorful drama on a tall stem bare of leaves. The blooms are a spiral of orange, red and neon pink. Plant full-grown Iceland Poppies in full sun in late autumn and early winter.

Outdoor Container Plants for Late Fall and Winter

Container plants look great flanking your front doors and steps. They also dress up your deck. Fall and winter container plants accentuate decorative greenery and are especially beautiful when placed next to areas with holiday lights. Some container plants for holiday decor are:

• Cyclamen’s white petals also feature the pale and deep reds you associate with Christmas flowers. Keep them on your porch in partial shade. Water Cyclamen frequently.
• The yellow blooms of English Primrose are a welcome sight in winter. The color and trailing flowers are a perfect complement to Thanksgiving decor.

Winter Berries

Nandina, also called Heavenly Bamboo, reaches heights over eight feet. In spring, bumblebees love to forage in its tiny, pale yellow flowers that grow on its slender stems. Nandina’s red berries feed colorful songbirds in winter. The leaves change from deep green to gold to red. You can order juvenile Nandinas with colorful leaves now.

Things to remember:

• Use a combination of landscaping and container plants
• Plant and seed in early fall for winter color
• Add permanent beauty to your landscaping with shrubs

Is your landscaping losing its color? It’s not too late to call us for natural holiday beauty. Contact us today.