Category: Landscaping

Rethinking Landscaping for Climate Changes

Climate change is starting to affect everything we do, both small and big, in ways that may not be immediately apparent. Other ways might be readily felt, and gardening is a very unique activity that climate change can impact during every process you do. However, there are several things you can do to rethink your landscaping to meet climate changes this season.

1. Improve Your Energy Efficiency

Try to use energy-efficient products whenever you can and reduce the amount of energy your household uses. This will reduce how much you contribute to carbon pollution. Try to replace your outdoor lights with efficient LED bulbs, purchase solar-powered lights to stick around your yard, or consider installing lights on timers that automatically go off at dawn.

2. Lower Your Use of Gasoline-Powered Landscaping Tools

Try to avoid using gasoline-powered landscaping tools like leaf blowers, chainsaws, or lawnmowers. You can use human-powered tools instead like hand clippers, manual pruners, push mowers, and rakes to help keep your lawn neat and tidy. Using a gasoline-powered mower for just over an hour can put 10 to 12 times the amount of pollution into the air.

3. Reduce Your Water Consumption

There are several ways you can reduce how much water you use in your garden or landscape, and this is very important due to the increased instances of droughts and heatwaves. You can install a rain barrel, apply a layer of mulch, use drip irrigation systems, or adjust your watering schedule. Mulching will also add nutrients to the soil around your plants, and this reduces how much fertilizer you need to use.

4. Plant Plenty of Trees

Trees can easily absorb and store a huge amount of carbon pollution from the atmosphere. If you and every other gardener in the United States made a point to plant one young shade tree in your community or backyard, the trees would absorb one to two million tons of carbon pollution every year. Also, planting shade trees near your home can reduce how much energy you use to cool the house in the summer.

5. Reduce Invasive Species Threats

Ideally; you’ll incorporate diverse native species into your garden and landscape instead of invasive ones. Removing the invasive plants can reduce the threat of them taking over and spreading, and native plants also help pollinators to ensure that they have viable food sources. An invasive plant can compete and overwhelm the native species to force them to die off. To stay ahead of this process, contact a local nursery and find out what native plants would look nice in your yard.

6. Compost Garden and Kitchen Waste

The final thing you can do is to compost kitchen and garden waste. Composting these items can reduce how much you contribute to carbon pollution, especially methane. This is a very strong greenhouse gas. Composting also gives your plants a great source of nutrients to encourage strong and healthy growth. In turn, this reduces the need for chemical fertilizers.

Contact Evergreen Landscaping

If you’d like to know more about how to landscape for climate changes, contact us. Our staff is on hand and ready to answer your questions and help you transform your landscape.

Halloween Lawn & Yard Decorations

With fall right around the corner, many people’s thoughts turn to Halloween. Halloween means putting up yard and lawn decorations, but how early should you put them up? Do you go with a specific smaller theme, or do you want more elaborate ideas and displays? If you have lights, what about your electricity consumption? We’ll answer all of these questions and more for you below.

How Early to Put up Halloween Decorations

Generally speaking, the most popular time to start putting up your decorations for Halloween is inside the first two weeks of October. However, it’s not uncommon for people to start putting their Halloween decorations up as early as the last two weeks of September. The scale of your decorations will help you decide your timeline.

How Long to Plan for Elaborate and Simple Halloween Decoration Ideas

Maybe you have elaborate plans, and you go all out for your Halloween decorations. If you’re planning on transforming your home into a full-fledged haunted house that spills out into lawn decorations, you’ll want to start decorating in late September to give yourself an ample amount of time to finish before the holiday comes around. The same goes for more intricate setups in your home or yard. If you’re just going to keep it simple, you can wait until early October to start decorating. This will give you plenty of time to finish before the 31st.

Where to Get Halloween Decoration Inspiration

You don’t want to go with the same old design or idea this year. Instead, start looking for inspiration for your theme early. Go on the web and look for Halloween decorating ideas on Pinterest or do a simple Google search. Google will bring up thousands of ideas that range from simple and chic to full-on graveyards, zombies, or haunted houses. Most websites have step-by-step instructions available to make various decoration items too.

How Long to Keep Your Halloween Decorations Up

How long you’ll keep your decorations up is a personal choice. Some people are out taking them down the day after Halloween, and other people leave them up for up to two weeks after the holiday. You can always pull your Halloween-specific decorations and keep your fall decorations up until after Thanksgiving. Generally, keeping them up two weeks after Halloween is too long, especially if you have a huge setup on your house and yard that is very noticeable. If you have bare spots, you can fill them in with Thanksgiving-specific decorations or add more fall decorations until you swap out for Christmas.

Is Electricity Consumption with Halloween Decorations a Concern?

Whether or not you incorporate lights into your display will determine your electricity consumption. Again, more elaborate displays can incorporate a decent amount of lights. You can get Christmas-style lights in shades of orange and black. Depending on the lights you get, they can cost between $0.41 and $3.50 to run for several weeks per strand. If you get LED lights, this will lower your electricity consumption while keeping them shining brightly from the time you put them up until you take them back down for the season.

What Decorations to Avoid to Protect Your Lawn

As a rule of thumb, you should know that the heavier the decorations are, the more damage they can and will do to your lawn. Avoiding heavy decorations can protect your lawn from root tearing or mold. Your lawn can also sustain damage from excessive foot traffic or heat, so you want to have clearly marked pathways with lights on timers. This will minimize how much wear and tear your lawn has. If you have light decorations and you want to have them up for weeks, you may want to plan to move them at least once, so you don’t kill your grass.

Contact Evergreen Landscaping

If you’re looking for ways to protect your lawn and set up your Halloween decorations, our staff are ready and willing to help. You can contact us today with any questions or concerns you have regarding this project to ensure that you get the Halloween setup you want without sacrificing your lawn or yard.

Ornamental Grass Options to Add to Your Landscape

Ornamental grass gives you almost nonstop performance, visual impact, and strength. Unlike turfgrass or lawn varieties, ornamental grasses are meant to be grown instead of mowing or cutting them as part of your landscape. You’ll be amazed by how many varieties are available when you dive into these grasses, and they come in a range of shapes, sizes, and colors. We’ll outline a few popular varieties for you below.

1. Mexican Feather Grass

With this ornamental grass, the seeds are at the very tips of the feather-like blades, and they move in very gentle winds. It can spread and show up all over your yard, including in sidewalk cracks and in your neighbor’s yard. It does well in dry conditions and with being cut back, and it can be invasive. It grows best in zones 6 to 10 in full sun to part shade. The soil should be loamy, well-drained, and acidic for it to grow strong.

2. Zebra Grass

This grass is also called porcupine grass, and it has green and pale yellow strips on each blade. It’ll die back in the winter months before coming back in the spring, whether or not you trim it. It can get up to five feet tall and five feet wide, and it can lend a very tropical, exotic look to your space. It does well planted near-tropical, broad-leafed plants with colorful flowers like hibiscus, ginger, or canna. Plant it in zones five to nine in full sun. It does well in any soil type, from chalk or clay to loam or sand.

3. Purple Fountain Grass

This ornamental grass has a fountain-like, striking form with a reddish-purple color. It also produces feather-like flowers that allow you to view it from a distance, and you’ll grow it as an annual in cold-weather areas where it freezes. It’ll get between two and five feet tall and two to four feet wide at full maturity. It’s considered to be a low-maintenance addition, and all you have to do is cut it back to a foot high in the fall when it dries out. Plant it in zones 9 and 10 in full sun to partial shade. The soil should be well-drained and medium moisture.

4. Japanese Blood Grass

This ornamental grass grows in upright clumps that spread underground using runners. It does best if you plant it in rich, damp soil, and it likes more moisture during the hotter parts of the day. If the soil gets too dry, the plant will wilt and eventually die. It’s also considered to be invasive in some areas due to the rapid growth habit. You’ll get the best results if you plant it in zones five to nine in full sun to partial shade. The soil should be moist but drain very well after you water it.

Contact Us

If you want to know more about ornamental grasses for your yard, contact us. Our staff is ready to help discuss your options, pick out a few types of grass, and ensure they do well in your yard.

Six Low Maintenance Hardscape Options

If you don’t have time to take care of a traditional garden, you can hardscape a large portion of your yard. Hardscaping is a low-maintenance option for busy homeowners who want a neat and tidy yard without a lot of upkeep. If you’re wondering what a few of these hardscape options are, read on to find out.

1. Bricks

Instead of having a patio on the grass, brick it in. Brick is popular for patios, paths, and walkways. It prevents grass and weed growth, and you don’t have to do much to keep it looking nice. Yes, you may have to spray or sweep it off a few times over the summer, but this should only take a few minutes. You’ll free up time you would normally spend looking after these spaces.

2. Paving Stones

Paving stones are one hardscape idea that can look sleek and stylish or dramatic and bold. They’re an excellent choice for your patio, driveway, or any walkways you have winding through your yard. Most importantly, paving stones will work with virtually any design or style you have in your home to create gorgeous continuity.

3. Concrete

Concrete has come a long way from traditional drab colors. Instead of getting a boring slab installed, consider a stamped one. This will make a beautiful patio, veranda, walkway, or driveway. You can even tint it to different colors and create eye-catching patterns that require no additional work for you to keep looking as nice as the day they installed it.

4. Artificial Grass

There is some work that goes into upkeeping your artificial grass. However, it’s nowhere near as much effort as keeping real grass alive and thriving. You’ll never have to cut it, fertilize it, or worry that it’ll all come in lush and thick. You also won’t have to water it, which can help cut down on your water consumption and energy bills.

5. Mulch

You love your flower beds. They provide pops of color and texture around your landscape. However, you don’t love the weeds or the seemingly constant watering that you have to do. Mulch is a hardscape option that can help with both of these issues. Laying down a thick layer of mulch can help inhibit weed growth. It also helps retain more moisture closer to the soil, so you water less. As a bonus, mulch comes in a range of colors.

6. Deck

If you want a place to go and sit out in your yard that will require minimal maintenance on your part, install a deck. If it’s a wooden deck, you may have to apply a new stain or paint every two years or so to keep it looking nice. However, you can also choose a composite that doesn’t require regular maintenance. You can add fire pits, chairs, entertainment areas, and more.

Contact Evergreen Landscaping

Are you ready to incorporate some hardscapes into your landscape design? Maybe you’re not sure where to start. Whatever the case may be, you can contact us at Evergreen Landscaping. We’re hardscape experts, and we’re ready to help you design a beautiful but low-maintenance area where you can relax.

5 Tips for Choosing the Perfect Patio Stones

Professionally installed patio stones can make a huge difference in how your property looks and feels. No matter if you want a classy walkway or a luxurious area to sit, the following tips can help you pick out the perfect patio stones:

1. Decide on a material like concrete, natural stone, pea gravel, rubber tiles, slate, flagstone, marble, or brick.

2. Consider where you want them used and how much they’ll get used. Some patio rock can get slick in the rain, so you’d avoid it for heavy traffic areas.

3. Set a budget before you start shopping because this will give you a realistic starting point to pick out your stones.

4. If you don’t want to settle on one type of patio stone, consider mixing and matching contrasting stones to create an eye-catching look, or you can get something that looks totally custom that no one else has.

5. Consider whether or not you have neighborhood regulations in place that you have to follow, like a local HOA. Some places permit you from using specific patio stones, while others want you to create cohesive looks with your home and other yard decor.

If you need assistance creating the perfect patio landscape, contact us today.

Backyard Privacy Options

Warm temperatures and sunshine create an inviting environment for you and your family. They encourage you to spend time outdoors, and it’s important that you can relax and enjoy yourself without worrying about too much sun exposure or a curious passerby. This is where backyard privacy options come in, and we’ll outline a few you can implement now.

1. Put up a Classic Wooden Fence
   Wooden fences are a staple in yards across the United States. You can choose from a variety of wood species, ranging from dark to light. It can boost your backyard design and privacy levels, and it’s a relatively inexpensive option when you compare it to other materials. If you have basic woodworking knowledge, constructing a wooden privacy fence is a viable option.

2. Plant Bamboo
   You can easily turn your backyard into a tropical retreat by creating a natural privacy fence using bamboo. Bamboo is a plant that will grow tall enough to shield your backyard from anyone that passes by. You can plant it on its own and allow it to fill in spaces, or you can use it to fill in any gaps around fences or pergolas. Bamboo is invasive, though, so you should only plant it in containers with strong barriers or in beds to control the spread.

3. Grow a Living Fence
   For centuries; people have grown hedges as a privacy landscaping hallmark. They work very well along your property lines. Additionally, one large benefit is that your hedges can reach almost any height, depending on the plant material you pick out. It does take a lot of time and attention to establish a high, long hedgerow. Hedges also require a fair amount of maintenance in the form of trimming to keep them looking nice.

4. Add a Pergola
   If you want a little more privacy without worrying about blocking the sunlight, add a pergola. This structure will stand without walls. However, it has wooden columns and beams that offer some obstruction from the view. You can also add cloth sides. It works well placed on an elevated deck. Additionally, you could plant vines to cascade down the sides to block the view more.

5. Create a Vertical Garden
   Building a custom-made vertical garden is a great living fence idea. You can fill it with herbs and vegetables or flowering plants. You can make it as tall or long as you like. This acts as a nice screen for your yard from the outside world. Additionally, it allows you to free up space in your yard for grilling, lounging, or entertainment where you’d normally have a garden.

6. Build a Trellis
   Whether they’re elaborate or simple, custom-built or store-bought, a trellis gives you a direct solution for your backyard privacy issues. It will block sightlines without completely blocking the sunlight or breezes. It can support a large number of flowering vines or climbing plants, and you can use it to create a focal point in your yard.

Contact Evergreen Landscaping for Backyard Privacy Options

If you’re looking for ways to boost the privacy level in your backyard, contact us. Our staff is ready to help suggest the perfect privacy options for your yard that look nice all year-round.

Five Winter Landscaping Tips

Winter is approaching, and you want to keep your landscaping as neat and healthy as you can all year. To do this, there are several steps you can take in preparation for the cooler weather. Following our top five winter landscaping tips will ensure that you get a landscape that you can be proud of any time of the year.

Tip One – Know Your Hardiness Zone

Although this sounds like something you should automatically do, you’d be surprised at how many people skip knowing their hardiness zone. You want to find out what it is and pick out plants that thrive in that specific zone. Don’t be tempted to keep a zone five plant in your zone seven backyard. Unless you have a microclimate that will allow less hardy plants to thrive, you want to stick to shrubs, trees, and plants especially suited for your zone. This is especially important if you live in a climate with a harsh winter.

Tip Two – Wrap Newly Planted and Young Plants

During the winter, any newly planted and young trees need a little more protection to survive. If you leave thin-barked trees like maple, linden, and ash unprotected, they can end up with sunscald and frost cracking. Additionally, younger trees make the perfect meal for rodents, weakening, or killing the tree. Wrap the tree from the bottom up with burlap or thick paper tree wrap. You can also use a corrugated tube. When the tree begins to show growth signs, remove these protective measures. These protective measures can prevent frost cracking and rodent damage.

Tip Three – Avoid Using Salt-Based De-Icing Products

During the winter, you’ll eventually get ice. However, using a salt-based de-icing product is one easy way to kill your landscaping plants and your grass. Your plants can absorb the salt through the roots or leaves, and this salt absorption will make the tissue dry out by pulling moisture from the plant. Instead, try to use sand instead of salt-based products. If that doesn’t work, you can try a deicer that is potassium or calcium-based and see how it works for you. It may take a little longer, but it’s better for your yard.

Tip Four – Mulch

Many people mulch in the spring months to help your plants retain moisture, but mulch is also essential in the fall and winter months. Mulch can help insulate the ground and protect your plant’s roots from bitterly cold weather or frost. It stops the soil from going through a cycle of repeatedly freezing and thawing, and this is better for the plants. Put down three or four inches of mulch after the first freeze. Don’t get too close to the trunks or stems of your plants.

Tip Five – Water

A lot of gardeners stop watering in the winter, and this can hurt any evergreen plants you have. If you don’t water them enough, the evergreens will quickly deplete their water stores. When this happens, they become more prone to death and winter burn. Water them deeply several times a week before the ground freezes. Once it freezes, you can cut back on your watering.

Contact Evergreen Landscaping

If you’d like to know more about winter landscaping tips, contact us. Our friendly and professional staff are standing by and ready to help in any way they can.

How Can I Fix A Brown Lawn?

Everyone wants a lush and green lawn. Few things are more frustrating than having dead, brown patches dotting an otherwise flawless landscaping design. Luckily, there are things you can do to get rid of these unsightly brown spots on your lawn, and we’ve picked out several excellent things you can try.

Pay Attention to Your Watering Schedule

If you notice your brown grass gets worse when the temperatures rise, you could have a drought problem. During limited rainfall, grass can go dormant and turn brown to conserve water. Once the weather cools, and the water levels increase, your brown grass should turn green. If you want to push it along, give your lawn an inch or so of water every week. You want to water early in the day to avoid scorching the grass, and remember to use an irrigation system that reaches every area of your space.

Reduce Your Fertilizer Use

Fertilizer has a lot of excess salt that can build up, and this can scorch the grass and cause brown patches. If the brown patches appear a day or two after you apply the fertilizer, you have fertilizer burn. To fix it, water the area thoroughly to flush out the salt and excess fertilizer. Water your lawn an inch a day for the next week to get rid of the fertilizer and protect the lawn’s roots. In the future, pick out slow-release fertilizers and apply them following the instructions on the bag for your lawn type and size.

Balance the pH Levels

When your pH levels in the soil are too acidic, your lawn will develop yellow or brown patches. Get a pH testing kit and check your soil levels. If the pH reads higher than 7.2, you want to apply sulfur to lower it. The more clay-based your soil is, the more sulfur it’ll need to balance the pH. Sandy soil that has a pH reading of 7.5 should only need 10 to 15-pounds of sulfur for every 1,000-square feet. For every 1,000-square feet of loamy soil, you’d need 20 to 25-pounds of sulfur.

Have a Potty Area for Your Pets

Yes, it’s easy to open the door and let your pets go to the bathroom wherever. However, this can cause brown spots on your lawn due to salt in your pet’s urine. You’ll have to cover these areas with ground limestone at a rate of two to five pounds for every 100-square feet. Let it sit for a week to restore your lawn’s pH levels before covering it with topsoil and planting new grass seeds. Set up a mulched potty area for your pets going forward.

Get Rid of Weeds

Did you know that weeds and tree roots will pull a host of vital nutrients from your grass like water and fertilizer? In turn, you get a brown, dry lawn. Spray your lawn with a selective herbicide or dig up problem weeds as you see them. Once you remove them, spray a pre-emergent herbicide over your lawn to stop new weeds from growing again.

Contact Evergreen Landscaping

Do you have brown patches in your lawn that won’t go away? Maybe you need professional help to get a lush and green lawn. If so, contact us. Our friendly and professional staff are ready and willing to help you in any way they can.