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20 Jul 2022
2 Comments By angmoore Gardening

Plants for Retaining Walls

Plants for Retaining Walls

Retaining walls may not look stunning on their own, but they perform a very important function in helping control erosion. If you’re someone who has a retaining wall running through their property, you can easily dress it up by adding plants around it that camouflage the wall or that provide visual interest by cascading down the side. We’re going to outline several functional and pretty plants for your retaining wall below.

  1. Creeping Thyme
    This plant is very popular because it is a pretty cascading plant. It’s a low-growing perennial that creates a very dense mat of tiny leaves, and it’ll spread very rapidly over and down your retaining wall. It’ll thrive in a huge range of conditions, and it’s very easy to grow. There are also several types of creeping thyme available, and they offer different leaf textures and colors with hundreds of tiny flowers.
  1. Cascading Rock Cress
    This plant is also called Aubretia, and it’s a plant that virtually anyone can grow. You’ll get a herbaceous perennial that thrives in rugged environments. It likes to be in at least partial sun if you can’t put it in a full sun location with well-draining soil. When it grows, it hugs the surfaces of walls and rocks. Over the years, this low-maintenance plant will give you a huge mat of flowers and green foliage with a very pretty but light scent.
  1. Tumbling Losetto Tomato
    A tumbling tomato won’t give you coverage for your retaining wall all year-round, but they do produce delicious fruit in the summer months. To get the biggest visual impact, plant a row of cascading tomato plants along the top of your retaining wall. As they grow, they’ll spill over the wall with vibrant green leaves, cheerful yellow flowers, and then sweet and succulent red tomatoes.
  1. Wave Petunia
    If you’re trying to cover your retaining wall as quickly as possible, it’s hard to beat the petunia’s speed. These are low-maintenance and colorful annuals that will spread up to four feet at full maturity, and they give you a stunning splash of colors. Petunias love to be in well-draining soil in a sunny location so they can be happy at the top of your retaining wall. They’ll also flower again and again throughout the spring and summer months without any deadheading.
  1. Trailing Lobelia
    Most gardeners already know what lobelia is, and it’s a popular plant around the world. There are now over 400 lobelia types available, and it’s easy to find one to fit your growing zone. Trailing cultivars create a nice visual display with star-shaped, tiny flowers that cascade. They love warm locations, so you should put them in full sun for the best results. You can treat them as perennials in some zones, but they’re annuals in cooler zones.

Evergreen Landscaping Has Plants for Your Retaining Walls

Don’t leave your retaining wall bare and sticking out like a sore thumb in your yard or garden. Instead, contact the professionals at Evergreen Landscaping and allow us to help you choose the perfect plants to add visual interest and pops of color to your space all summer long.

06 Jul 2022
How to Protect Plants from Heat
0 Comments By angmoore Gardening

How to Protect Plants from Heat

Extreme temperature swings and unseasonably warm weather can cause a lot of potential damage and stress for your plants. Even plants that love warmer temperatures aren’t huge fans of sudden temperature changes. However, most plants are much more resilient than you know. If you put a few protective measures in place, you can quickly help your plants make it through a heat wave with almost no impact. We’ll outline several ways you can protect your plants below, and you can decide which one is going to work best for your situation.

  1. Add Mulch Around Your Plants
    Ideally, you’ll add a one to three-inch layer of mulch around all of your plants, and you want to leave a small gap right by the stems. Mulch is excellent for helping to insulate the root zone of your plants, and this can work to stop fluctuating temperatures. Mulch is also great for helping keep the soil and roots cooler as the temperature starts to climb. As a bonus, mulch is a great weed deterrent, so your plants won’t have to compete for water or nutrients.
  1. Put up Shade Cloths
    Shade cloths are exactly what they sound like, and you can typically buy them in rolls from your local garden center. You can drape them over your plants to help shield them from the sun during the hottest parts of the day in the afternoon hours. The plants will still get sun in the morning, but it’ll block the harshest rays from reaching your plants to help keep the area cooler. If you don’t want to drape it right on your plants, you can set up wire hoops over your plants as a support system for the cloth.
  1. Water Early in the Morning
    Instead of waiting until later in the day to water, you should plan on getting up early and watering before the sun starts heating up the area. It works to ensure that the plant roots are hydrated before the sun’s rays hit them. This is important because the heat can pull the water out of the soil and dehydrate any surface roots, negatively impacting the plant’s ability to absorb nutrients and water. Watering early is also a nice way to ward off heat stress; you can think of this as sunburn for your plants.
  1. Plant the Seeds Slightly Deeper
    If you haven’t planted your seeds yet, you can plan on putting them an inch or two deeper in the soil. This won’t negatively impact their growth, but it will help save them from the heat if the topsoil starts to dry out in the middle of the day. It also encourages your plants to have deeper roots, and these roots are less likely to get dehydrated from the sun later on. Look and see what the planting depth is on the seed packet and add an inch or so. This will be more than enough to help protect the roots and encourage strong growth.

Contact Evergreen Landscaping for More Tips to Protect Your Plants

Summer is here, and it’s your job to protect your plants. The professionals at Evergreen Landscaping are here to help, and all you have to do is reach out and contact us today.

22 Jun 2022
0 Comments By angmoore Landscaping

What are Tapestry Lawns

What are Tapestry Lawns

A tapestry lawn is a relatively new landscaping idea that involves moving away from traditional turf. You replace grass with low-growing perennial flowering plants. The goal is to create an interlaced mat that has different layers, textures, and shades that you can safely walk on. They give pollinators a greater choice of food sources from spring to early fall, and tapestry lawns require less maintenance than a traditional lawn. We’ll go over how to create one below.

  1. Site Preparation
    You should consider the fact that most tapestry lawns won’t tolerate heavy foot traffic, so they’re not a good choice for kid or pet play areas. Clear out any existing weeds and grass by digging them out to stop them from competing with the new plants. You can also do sheet mulching by layering cardboard and newspaper with compost to boost the nutrients for the plants, and it takes six months.
  1. Use Quality Soil
    You want to prime the land to support your new tapestry lawn, so good soil is the foundation. You should lay down a minimum of eight inches of soil that is free-draining and course. It can also be slightly sandy to help improve the drainage. Depending on what you want to plant, you’ll need to add topsoil, grade the dirt, or use compost or organic matter in this step.
  1. Pick the Plants
    Your plant selection is critical to the success of your tapestry lawn, so you want to focus on plants with lower water requirements. Use climate-adapted or native, non-invasive plants, and take time to arrange them in groups of similar light and water requirements. This helps everything thrive while ensuring nothing takes over the space. Some plants that grow beautifully in large areas in the United States are Dutch white clover, creeping thyme, or Sedum. For shaded areas, Irish moss or baby tears are all nice choices.
  1. Consider Your Colors
    Low-grow Carex should serve as the backbone of your design, and it’s similar to how greens and hedges for the garden’s base. Once you lay these out, concentrate on which colors you want to see. If you want purple, you could use low Ajuga or a Liriope. Whichever plants you pick, they should all be resistant to deer and low or no-mow variety. You want to avoid meadow plants since some can be more aggressive.
  1. Install Drip Irrigation
    One of the biggest reasons people switch from traditional grass lawns is to help conserve water. A drip irrigation system is usually the best system in have for tapestry lawns. You should plan out when you want to place the plants and install your drip irrigation system. You should put your plants in the ground after you finish trenching the irrigation system.
  1. Set up a Maintenance Plan
    It can take up to a year for your tapestry lawn to establish itself. During this first year, you’ll want to set up a plan to fertilize, water, and weed the area so your seeds can grow. Once they germinate, you’ll have less maintenance. You should only need to mow three to four times a year at the height of 3.5 to 4 inches with sharp blades to keep the yard looking neat.

Contact Evergreen Landscaping

If you’d like to know more about tapestry lawns, contact us. We’re happy to walk you through the process and help you decide if this turf option is right for you.

08 Jun 2022
0 Comments By angmoore Drought Resistant Plants

How to Protect Your Trees from a Drought

How to Protect Your Trees from a Drought

We’re coming up on summer right now, and your trees will feel the heat very soon if they’re not doing so already. Some soil makes it hard for trees to access water without adding the stress of heat. Having your trees in compacted soil means there’s an increased chance of the water evaporating or running off than sinking deep into the soil where the roots need it. Drought can damage your trees, so we’re going to give you several tips to help them avoid this damage and keep your trees healthy.

  1. Water the Trees
    You should make a point to water your younger trees three times a week during any drought conditions. Putting a hose by your tree at a slow dribble for 30 to 40 minutes is a great start. Moving the hose three times during each watering session to soak all sides of the root zone and keep it between 12 and 18-inches from the tree trunk. Running a soaker hose for the same amount of time will take away the need to move the hose around. You should avoid spraying the foliage with water during the day because this can contribute to the leaves looking shriveled and drying out.
  1. Mulch
    It’s a good idea to add a layer of mulch around your tree, and this mulch layer should go beyond the tree’s drip line. The drip line is the direct circumference under the outer branches of the tree. The tree canopy will divert rainwater to the feeder roots right at the drip line. In this area, roots are responsible for the biggest portion of the water uptake from your tree. Your mulch layer should go out to this point, and it should be two to three inches deep. This will keep the soil cool and help retain water to stave off drought.
  1. Prune the Canopy
    This sounds counterproductive, but you want to prune the canopy of your tree to reduce weak branches, excess foliage, and any diseased plant parts. Dying and dead limbs are something you should remove at this point. The limbs can harbor canker disease fungi and insect borers that can lead to more decline or dieback. If the crown is very dense, thinning the tree lightly will reduce how many nutrients and water it needs. Don’t prune the live branches so much because this can lead to more stress and drought damage.
  1. Water Accordingly
    The amount of water you have to give your tree to help it survive a drought depends on its drought tolerance. For smaller trees or shrubs with a trunk diameter of four inches or smaller, you may need to give them one-half to an inch of water every week. Bigger trees may need hundreds of gallons of water a week, and this is difficult to do with a drip irrigation system because this low-flow system can’t keep up with demand. For newly planted shrubs and trees, you should water them frequently until they establish the root system.

Evergreen Landscaping Can Help Avoid Drought

If you’re not sure about how much water your trees should get or what you can do to stave off drought, contact us. Our staff is happy to set up a watering system to meet your needs and keep your trees thriving and healthy all summer long.

11 May 2022
0 Comments By angmoore Gardening

Smart Watering Tips for Your Garden

Smart Watering Tips for Your Garden

Learning how to water the plants in your garden can help you conserve water, and it’s better for the plants as a whole because some require less water than others to thrive. You can do several things to water your garden in a smart way, and we’ll outline several great tips below.

  1. Water at the Correct Time
    Did you know that there’s a correct time to water each day? When you choose to water will make a big difference in how much water your plants can absorb. Watering your garden very early in the morning will allow them to absorb the water before the heat of the day causes it to evaporate. Also, any water that gets on the plant’s foliage will dry before nightfall, and this reduces the risk of fungal infections and slugs.
  1. Aim the Water Carefully
    If you’re watering your garden by hand; you want to aim your water stream right at your plant’s base where they need it most. This helps to keep your foliage dry, and it can prevent it from scorching in the sun. Also, giving your plants a very good soaking every now and then is much better than watering them often but lightly. Soaking them encourages an extensive and strong root system.
  1. Mulch Regularly
    Many people like how mulch looks in the flower or garden bed, but mulch also serves a very functional purpose. Adding a one to three-inch layer of mulch around your plants keeps the soil and root system cooler. It also slows how quickly the water evaporates, and this can reduce how much you have to water in the hotter summer weather. The best mulch is a well-rotted organic matter with grass clippings, and compost will nourish your plants too.
  1. Collect Rainwater
    If you have a large garden, you can easily spend a decent amount of money each year to keep it well-watered. To offset this, get rain barrels and collect rainwater to use in your garden. You can collect rainwater from your greenhouse, house, or garden shed. You do want to make sure that you put the barrels close to wherever you’re going to need it, so you don’t have to haul water long distances.
  1. Practice Selectively Watering
    You should only water when your plants really need it. Since it can be difficult to judge by looking at the soil, you can get a smaller trowel and dig a small hole by your plants. If the soil is dry a few inches down, this is a good indicator that it’s time to water. Also, try to group plants with the same water needs together, so you only have to water parts of your garden periodically.
  1. Remove the Weeds
    Weeds present stiff competition for your plants for resources, including water. To prevent this, you should make a point to go out a few times a week and remove any weeds you see. Your plants will get more water and nutrients to grow, and you won’t have to worry about feeding and watering the unwanted weeds.

Contact Evergreen Landscaping

Do you want more watering tips? Maybe you want to install an irrigation system to make the watering process easier. Contact us, and we’ll work with you to ensure that your garden thrives while you save water.

 

27 Apr 2022
0 Comments By angmoore Gardening

What is Soil Blocking?

What is Soil Blocking

For nearly a century, the Dutch have been developing and refining soil blocking. In Central America, planting a variety of seeds in soil blocks dates back nearly 2,000 years. But, what is soil blocking, and how does it help your plants?

Defining Soil Blocking

Soil blocking is exactly what it sounds like. When you use this planting method, you use the potting mix as both the growing medium and container for your seeds. You use blocking tools to create compact soil blocks to add your seedlings in. Since most plant roots evolve to grow in the soil where it’s dark, they will air-prune the roots and grow back into the soil block instead of sticking out into the air. In turn, this maximizes the soil volume and stops your seedlings from becoming stunted and root-bound.

How to Use Soil Blockers

You’ll need the soil blockers themselves with a set of two inserts. You can get mini inserts or larger ones for this project. You’ll also need potting soil, and the best type to have is soil that is a mix of half soil and half peat moss or coconut coir. Get a tub and fill it with the soil, and have tap water on hand to rinse the blockers between each set. Finally, bottom trays are a must to hold your seed blocks, and you’ll also need your seeds.

  1. Get the Potting Mix Ready
    Pour your potting mix into your shallow tub and add enough water to make it moist. If you squeeze the soil, it shouldn’t drip, but it should feel wet.
  1. Fill Your Soil Blockers
    Once the soil is ready, fill the soil blockers. You want to dig them down into your potting mix and really pack it in. Gently shifting the blockers from side to side will help compact the soil more. You can also manually fill each block. Once you’re sure the blocks are nicely compacted, scrape any excess off the bottom.
  1. Release the Blocks
    Place your blocker on your seed tray or flat sheet and release your potting blocks. The goal is to get tightly compacted soil blocks that stick together and don’t crumble or slump over when you release them. Rinse the blockers between each set to get more consistent results.
  1. Add Your Seeds
    Now that you have your blocks of soil, it’s time to add one to two seeds per block. You should sow them two times their depth. Any plants that like extra heat to grow will love this method, including peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, and ground cherry tomatoes. You’ll want to water your seed blocks from the bottom, so place them in shallow trays that make it easy to pour water in. Allow the top millimeter of each block to dry before you water it again to prevent mildew.

Contact Evergreen Landscaping

Do you want to know more about soil blocking? Maybe you have questions about the process, or you’re unsure if this method will work well for your needs. Whatever the reason, we encourage you to reach out and contact our professional staff for assistance. We’re happy to start your garden off on a strong note.

30 Mar 2022
0 Comments By angmoore Gardening

Can Plants Help Indoor Air Quality?

Can Plants Help Indoor Air Quality

Houseplants can brighten up a room and make it much more inviting. However, can they clean the air and make it healthier for you to breathe? If so, are some houseplants more beneficial than others? We’ll break it all down for you below.

Why Do People Believe Houseplants Clean the Air?

In the late 1980s, NASA published a study by their scientists that claimed some houseplants were effective at removing small amounts of volatile organic compounds or VOCs from the air. This caught on because it’s common for household items like nail polish, drywall, shampoo, and virtually anything with a scent to release small amounts of VOCs. The harmful effects of these compounds range from mild respiratory inflammation to developing nasopharyngeal cancer.

Naturally, people took this study and ran with it. Today, it is still widely believed that houseplants can help clean the air a small amount. However, they’re not going to be able to handle huge amounts of VOCs or other pollutants. Also, some plants are more effective than others at removing air contaminants. So, if you want to improve your indoor air quality slightly, you can start keeping a few indoor plants. As a bonus, they can boost your mood.

Plants That Work Well to Purify the Indoor Air

Since there are thousands of plants you can choose from to have in your home, you want to concentrate on the ones that help with your indoor air quality the best. These plants include but are not limited to:

1. English Ivy (Hedera helix)
English Ivy is beautiful as a houseplant and a groundcover, and it offers an elegantly classic look while removing harmful chemicals from your air. You can grow it in full sun or full shade and train it to grow in different shapes. It can easily survive for years with the proper care, and it’s an excellent beginner plant.

2. Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema modestum)
Chinese evergreen is a very low-maintenance plant that grows best in medium or low lighting conditions. It will get between one and two feet high at full maturity, and it offers larger leaves that droop down. It comes with speckled leaves that are deep green with pink or yellow splotches. However, the leaves contain an irritant if you touch them with your bare hands, and they can be toxic to pets.

3. Dragon Tree (Dracaena marginata)
The leaf color on this pretty houseplant ranges from purple to green, and they grow in longer and thinner spikes on top of a woody stem. They make a gorgeous outdoors or indoors, and it works wonderfully in an office setting under harsh fluorescent lighting because it tolerates low light well. It needs well-draining but rich soil to be happy and healthy.

4. Mother-in-Law’s Tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Laurentii’)
Finally, this is another indoor plant that is excellent for beginner gardeners because it’s very hardy. It’s a succulent that can tolerate neglect and drought very well. It also isn’t picky about temperature or light, so that you can place it just about anywhere in your home. You want to be careful not to overwater it or keep the roots soggy.

Contact Evergreen Landscaping

If you’re not sure which plants will help purify the indoor air or how to care for them, contact us. We’re happy to help you pick out the perfect cheerful plants to add a splash of green to your home and help purify the air.