The Basics about Watering Your Landscaping

It sounds like an easy question: how much should I water my yard? Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as you might think. Many factors go into the amount of moisture your landscaping requires, such as the type of grass, soil condition, irrigation system, and mowing height. C4 Landscape & Design is here to offer some instructions about keeping your landscaping at its healthiest and most beautiful through the use of water.
 Irrigation scheduleMother Nature plays a role in your irrigation schedule. You must consider the amount of rainfall and the temperature. When daytime temperatures are in the 70s and 80s, lawns do well with 1-1.5 inches of water per week. As temperatures reach 88-92, increase your watering to 1-1.5 inches every 4-5 days. When it’s over 93 degrees outside, your lawn needs water every 2-3 days.
 Length of wateringThere’s a simple trick to figuring out how long it takes for your lawn to receive an inch of water. Put an empty tuna can at the farthest point that your sprinkler spray reaches; when the can is full, you have provided one inch of water. It can take between 15-45 minutes depending upon your irrigation system.
 Time of dayThe best time of day to water your landscaping is early in the morning. There’s less breeze to evaporate the moisture, water pressure is at its best, and the lawn will be able to store water for the often warm Texas day to come. Schedule automatic sprinklers to run between 3-8 a.m. If you don’t have an irrigation system, start your sprinkler as soon as you get up in the morning. Avoid watering at night because it increases the risk of fungal diseases such as brownpatch.
 Type of grassDifferent grasses require varying levels of water. St. Augustine needs the most, Bermuda is next, and Zoysia requires significantly less than the others.
 Soil conditionYour landscaping is dependent upon the soil underneath it. Sandy or clay soils that aren’t enriched with organic matter dry out more quickly, so they need more water. In order to obtain rich organic soil, you’ll need to add soil activators or enriched topsoil every year.
 Mowing heightYou may be tempted to cut your grass short to avoid mowing more often, but don’t fall victim to that trap! Set your mower height setting to as tall as it allows. Higher grass allows the roots to deepen, which in turn draws from deeper moisture in your soil. Also, taller grass provides shade for the surface of the soil so that moisture dissipates less quickly.
 New lawnsIf your lawn is newly sodded, you need to water it every day especially during hot weather. The goal is to keep it wet near the root zone to help the roots establish fully. You don’t want to drown the grass, but make sure the soil is soft to promote good growth.

The Basics about Watering Your Landscaping

It sounds like an easy question: how much should I water my yard? Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as you might think. Many factors go into the amount of moisture your landscaping requires, such as the type of grass, soil condition, irrigation system, and mowing height. C4 Landscape & Design is here to offer some instructions about keeping your landscaping at its healthiest and most beautiful through the use of water.

Irrigation schedule

Mother Nature plays a role in your irrigation schedule. You must consider the amount of rainfall and the temperature. When daytime temperatures are in the 70s and 80s, lawns do well with 1-1.5 inches of water per week. As temperatures reach 88-92, increase your watering to 1-1.5 inches every 4-5 days. When it’s over 93 degrees outside, your lawn needs water every 2-3 days.

Length of watering

There’s a simple trick to figuring out how long it takes for your lawn to receive an inch of water. Put an empty tuna can at the farthest point that your sprinkler spray reaches; when the can is full, you have provided one inch of water. It can take between 15-45 minutes depending upon your irrigation system.

Time of day

The best time of day to water your landscaping is early in the morning. There’s less breeze to evaporate the moisture, water pressure is at its best, and the lawn will be able to store water for the often warm Texas day to come. Schedule automatic sprinklers to run between 3-8 a.m. If you don’t have an irrigation system, start your sprinkler as soon as you get up in the morning. Avoid watering at night because it increases the risk of fungal diseases such as brownpatch.

Type of grass

Different grasses require varying levels of water. St. Augustine needs the most, Bermuda is next, and Zoysia requires significantly less than the others.

Soil condition

Your landscaping is dependent upon the soil underneath it. Sandy or clay soils that aren’t enriched with organic matter dry out more quickly, so they need more water. In order to obtain rich organic soil, you’ll need to add soil activators or enriched topsoil every year. 

Mowing height

You may be tempted to cut your grass short to avoid mowing more often, but don’t fall victim to that trap! Set your mower height setting to as tall as it allows. Higher grass allows the roots to deepen, which in turn draws from deeper moisture in your soil. Also, taller grass provides shade for the surface of the soil so that moisture dissipates less quickly.

New lawns

If your lawn is newly sodded, you need to water it every day especially during hot weather. The goal is to keep it wet near the root zone to help the roots establish fully. You don’t want to drown the grass, but make sure the soil is soft to promote good growth.

If you have irrigation questions about irrigation please feel free to reach out to us. We server Katy, Conroe, The Woodlands and the Texas Hill Country. Contact us today.

Professional Help with your Landscaping

A surefire way to increase the value of your residential or commercial property is through landscaping, and the best way to achieve the greatest results is to hire the services of a professional landscaping company.

The first thing that a professional brings to the table is the ability to create a striking and practical landscaping design. The designer will work with you throughout the process by listening to your goals and concerns, and helping you achieve the desired results. The entire process will likely include the initial consultation, evaluation of your property, permits, construction, and complete implementation of the plan.

Once your landscaping is installed, the professional’s job does not end there. The landscaper will either be responsible for continued maintenance, or for teaching you how to maintain the property yourself. This involves caring for the lawn, flower beds, shrubs, vines, and more. Regular tree trimming will also be addressed, as well as mulching to ensure the most appealing look and healthiest vegetation. A landscape expert can be hired to regularly service your property so that all of the landscaping is healthy, vibrant, and adheres to the intended design.

Don’t forget that irrigation is part of your professional landscaping plan. This means making sure that the appropriate amount of water is available to the correct areas of your landscaping. An expert will consider the drainage system so that it is planned correctly, installed well, and properly maintained for the ideal results.

Another area that professionals can help is with landscape lighting, which can create a dramatic night time look for your property. Both residential and commercial areas can greatly benefit from well-planned lighting. A professional will advise about the types of lighting, locations, and maintenance to give you the most favorable effects.

Hiring a professional for your landscaping needs will pay off in the end by providing you with the curb appeal that makes you appreciate their expertise.

Contact C4 Landscape & Design today for all your landscaping needs in Katy, Conroe, The Woodlands and now the Hill Country.

Summer Landscaping Tips

As temperatures rise with the summer months, especially in the sometimes sweltering Texas heat, the challenges of maintaining a healthy and thriving landscape can be daunting. Soil dries out, plants start to wither, and water restrictions may be imposed. That’s why it’s important to take preventative measures and water wisely so that your lawn, beds, trees, and gardens don’t suffer irreparable damage during the summer season.

Risky plants

Some plants are at higher risk than others during the hot, dry weather. Newly planted perennials, newly plants shrubs and trees, or flower beds must be maintained carefully to ensure their survival. Ask the experts at C4 Landscape & Design for advice on the best ways to help your specific at-risk plants get through the season.

Signs of dehydration

Watching for early signs of dehydration is one key to summer landscaping. Keep a close eye on your lawn and plants, and immediately attend to their watering needs if you notice potential problems. The most obvious sign to watch for is wilting, but here are some other tell-tale indicators of dehydration:

• Leaf yellowing
• Shriveled leaf areas
• Browning leaf edges
• Translucent leaves
• Bluish-green foliage color
• Early blossom dropping
• Stems bending over
• Grass and leaves curling upward
• Slow growth

Watering advice

The best way to save your plants and lawn is to water them. At the earliest signs that your landscaping needs water, act fast instead of risking severe damage. To get the most out of your watering, here is some advice to keep in mind:

• Water early for the highest efficiency. You’ll lose the least amount of water to evaporation when you water early in the morning. Evaporation is a big issue especially when you’re using sprinklers, as some of the moisture evaporates before it even hits the ground. This can be a real problem when you water during the hottest times of the summer day. You may choose to water in the evening, but that can bring an increased risk for diseases like moss.
• Water evenly. Don’t ignore areas because they might be harder to reach.
• Water deeper and longer instead of more in frequent, shorter time periods. Roots tend to follow water, so if the water only reaches the top, roots can collect near the soil’s surface. This increases their vulnerability to hot temperatures. To combat this, water less often but for longer amounts so that deep root growth is encouraged.
• Avoid wasting your water with runoff. Make sure your sprinklers are aimed correctly and check on your landscaping now and then during watering. If you notice runoff occurring before you’ve reached a deep watering, turn the sprinklers off a while so the plants and lawn can absorb the water and then restart as needed.
• Know the rules. Some communities in the Houston area and the Hill Country have water restrictions in place. Learn the specifics about any restrictions in your neighborhood, such as how often you can water or what time of day or for how long, and follow them. Even though this can be hard on your landscaping, it’s better to be a good citizen as well as avoid any fines or tickets.

Lawn tips

Your lawn may be the most noticeable thing about your home’s curb appeal at first glance. Here are some hints about keeping it looking its best:

• Walk on your grass and if you leave footprints, your lawn could use water.
• Squeeze your soil into a ball and if it keeps its shape, the soil has enough water. If you squeeze any water out of the soil, hold off on watering because it is overwatered.
• Aerate your lawn yearly to minimize runoff and allow your soil to accept hydration better.
• Lightly spray plants with water during the day to prevent spider mites, which are encouraged by heat and drought.
• To prevent weeds and promote nutrient retention, add mulch around your plants. If weeds develop, remove them so they won’t suck up the water or nutrients that are intended for your plants.

The hot summer months don’t mean that your landscaping has to suffer. Be smart about maintaining your plants and lawn, and seek the help of C4 Landscape & Design if you have questions or concerns.

Too Much Rain Can Impact Your Landscaping

Most of us think that rain is a good thing when it comes to maintaining landscaping and enjoying a beautiful lawn. During this time of year, Spring Showers are usually a welcome sight. The rainfall this spring, however, in the Houston area and the Hill Country has been excessive in many locations. Precipitation records have been surpassed, and the end result can be stress on your landscaping.

What’s the problem with too much rain?

Even though you may not notice it by looking, soil contains spaces between its particles. The spaces hold water and air, both of which are vital to healthy plant roots. When the soil is watered, the spaces fill with liquid and the air is displaced. In ideal water levels, gravity pulls the liquid down and air moves back into the spaces. However, too much rain fills up the spaces with water and there is no oxygen available to nourish the plants. If rain continues, eventually the roots can’t function well and can die. This is what happens when you see wilting plants even though the soil is wet. These conditions can also lead to root rot, which allows fungal organisms to thrive in the soil and badly damage plant roots.

How can you prevent problems?

The best way to avoid waterlogged landscaping is to make sure you have good drainage. A great solution for that is planting shrubs, perennials, bedding plants and ground cover in raised beds. Beds that are 6 to 12 inches higher than the soil around them will drain more quickly and dry out faster than beds planted at ground level. To create a raised bed, the soil should be turned and several inches of organic matter should be added. This will elevate the bed roughly 6 inches, and extra soil brought in can raise it even more. There’s not much you can do about Mother Nature bringing an over-abundance of rain, but planting in raised beds gives your landscape plants an advantage.

Does the season of the year make a difference?

Yes, the time of year makes a difference in the ability of your landscaping to withstand extra moisture. Heavy spring and summer rains can have destructive effects on plants that are in active growth during this time of year. Warmer temperatures also promote the growth of fungal organisms that cause root rot.

What can I do about drainage?

The ideal time to think about the health of your landscaping in the event of too much rain is when the beds are designed and built, and the plants are chosen. It’s more difficult to remedy the problems once the planting is complete. If you don’t install a raised bed in a low area without good drainage, make sure you select plants that thrive in very wet soil. Another option is having a landscape architect inspect your lawn and beds to evaluate how the water flows across your property, and then help design and install drainage as needed. Keep in mind that even with good drainage, it’s important to choose plants that are adapted to heavier rainfall amounts.

C4 Landscaping is knowledgeable and experienced in the best ways to promote a healthy landscape in spite of too much water. We are happy to come out and evaluate your landscaping and drainage situation, and then provide better solutions to maintaining a healthy and beautiful yard. 

Contact us today for your free estimate.

Getting Your Landscaping Ready for Spring

Your grass is greening up, flowers are beginning to bloom, and birds are chirping away. That means it’s time for you to do some important things to get your landscaping in good shape for Spring! Here are some tasks to help you achieve the best looking yard around.

Aerate

The healthiest grass out there is that which is allowed to grow high, enabling its root system to thrive and deepen. A strong root system breaks up the soil and promotes drainage, in turn creating healthier grass. Since most of us keep our grass mowed to a shorter height, the roots are not able to do as good of a job as needed for ideal grass. That means we have to help our grass achieve its best condition, and aeration is often a great solution. Aerating your grass promotes air circulation, improves distribution of nutrients and moisture, loosens compacted soil so that roots can better grow, breaks down thatch buildup, and aids oxygen in reaching the roots. How do you know if your yard will benefit from aeration?

• Your lawn is getting too thin and there aren't any obvious causes like watering changes or too much shade.
• You see more water runoff than normal, and it’s not due to too much rain or over-watering. Soil that is too compact doesn't absorb water well.
• Fertilizer doesn't noticeably help your lawn. This likely means that the fertilizer’s nutrients can’t reach the roots of your grass. If you aerate your soil, wait about two weeks and then apply fertilizer for the best results.

Fertilize

Mid-spring is the ideal time to apply weed and feed fertilizer to your lawn. If you fertilize too early in the season, you may get rid of a few weeds but you won’t achieve greener grass. You might even promote lawn diseases like Brown Patch if you don’t fertilize at the right time of the year.

Trim

Spring is a great time to trim some of your trees and shrubs. Crape myrtles, ornamental grasses, and roses will especially benefit from trimming this time of year.

• Crape myrtles are very popular in southern landscapes. They should be pruned in the late winter or early Spring to eliminate dead or weak branches and sucker growth.
• Roses should be trimmed regularly to reduce disease or pest damage, and to promote new growth. Spring is a great time to focus on your roses.
• Ornamental grasses should be trimmed to allow new growth to emerge from damaged foliage. This will give you a nice batch of new growth in the Spring.

Mulch

One of the greatest things you can do to improve the appearance of your landscaping is to add a new layer of mulch in your beds and around your trees. It protects plant roots from extreme temperatures (which will be hitting this area before we know it!), discourages weed growth, and conserves moisture in the soil. You can choose the type of mulch you like best for your landscaping, as there are several types and colors available.

Contact C4 Landscaping for help in sprucing up your lawn this Spring. Time is of the essence in getting your landscaping looking beautiful for the rest of the year!

Types of Mulch

It’s time to start thinking about mulching your yard here in the Houston area. Mulch is a great way to protect the soil in your flower beds and garden, and no Katy yard should be without it. You have a choice about the type, color, and texture of your mulch. Here is a description of the most common kinds of mulches to help you decide which one is right for your home or business.

Hardwood bark

One of the most prevalent mulches in this area, hardwood bark mulch is made from oak, hickory, and other hardwoods. It is dark brown in color, and shredded to be used as a top dressing or along paths or surrounding trees. It is easy to work with and breaks down to enhance the nutrients in the soil.

Pine bark

Another popular mulch used in the Katy area is pine bark, which provides the benefits of an appealing scent and a contributor of organic content through decomposition. Pine bark mulch ranges in color from red to dark brown, and should be in shredded form as opposed to large chunks to avoid washing away.

Pine needles

Also having the pleasant pine smell, pine needle mulch is attractive and lightweight. It allows water and air to easily penetrate the soil, and is especially beneficial when placed around flowering plants like azaleas and hydrangeas.

Shredded native

Native mulch is created from recycled materials from tree trimmers and landscapers, making it a very environmentally friendly choice. This dark brown mulch is available in either finely or coarsely textured forms, and resembles hardwood mulch.

Cedar

Generated from trees that have been cleared for ranching or development, reddish-brown cedar mulch has a nice odor and is available in shredded or ground textures. It provides long-lasting results as a top dressing in your landscaping, and some people even claim that cedar mulch repels insects.

Compost

Another excellent top layer that is especially helpful to your soil is compost. Dark brown and crumbly, compost may either be purchased or generated yourself at home.

Shredded rubber

A more unique option, shredded rubber is often used in areas like playground surfaces. Made from inorganic materials such as recycled tires, this mulch lasts the longest of any type of mulch. It doesn’t decompose or blow away, and is promoted as being a nontoxic way to suppress weeds. The downside is that shredded rubber mulch doesn’t look natural, and even comes in colors like red, blue, and brown.

Contact C4 Landscape & Design today for all your landscaping needs.