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.

Don't Forget to Mulch!!

Walk outside along one of the bayous or parks in the Houston area, and look down. What do you see? In a healthy ecosystem, you won’t see bare ground. Nature covers its own soil with plant growth, decaying matter, or even inorganic matter. This is what you want to imitate in your own yard!

The best way to protect the ground in your garden and flower beds at home is by using mulch, which is material spread over and around the roots of your plants. Why should you use mulch?

• It preserves the moisture in your soil, which means you don’t have to water as much. In the hot Houston area, that’s a big advantage!! Mulching will save on your water bill, as well as protect your home from hard-to-remove stains that occur if you don’t have mulch in the flower beds next to your house.
• Mulch regulates the temperature of your soil. In the winter, a layer of mulch can prevent freezing. In the hot Texas summer, mulch can keep top soil from reaching temperatures that inhibit plant growth.
• Mulch protects your soil from erosion caused by wind and rain.
• Mulch significantly reduces weeds. That means prettier landscaping, and less work for you!!

When is the best time of year to apply mulch? It is ideal in this part of Texas to put mulch down in late Spring once the ground has started to warm up. So it’s time to start thinking about what type of mulch you will choose for your own yard! You want to protect and maintain healthy landscaped plants, shrubs, and flowers, not to mention adding to the value of your home by making your yard look beautiful and complete.

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

Protect Your Landscape

A well maintained landscape takes time, effort, and money so you surely want to protect your investment! If cared for properly, your landscaping will appreciate with each passing year. A shrub that you paid $100 to install a few years ago may be worth 10 times that amount today. Your investment is literally growing in your yard, so make sure that you take steps to protect and even enhance it.

It’s no secret that the Houston area endured a very serious drought over the past year. These conditions killed many plants and endangered lawns and trees. The stress of this severe weather means that you need to pay extra attention to your landscaping to help it regain its health.

First, the most obvious step is to water your landscaping properly. Set up a schedule of adequate, consistent watering. It is best to water your plants deeply and less often at a slow trickle, allowing the water to thoroughly soak into the ground. When you dump a large amount of water on hard, dry soil in a short amount of time, the water will run horizontally across the surface instead of penetrating the ground to get to the roots. However, when you water at a slow trickle (such as placing a hose at the base of a tree for an hour where the water is barely running out), the moisture is absorbed deeper. You should strive to give your plants this treatment weekly. If you have a sprinkler system, be careful not to overwater.

Next, manage infectious diseases and destructive insects that can attack your landscaping. By performing careful, regular observation of your plants and lawn, you can spot most problems. Scheduled treatments and preventative programs will also help avoid problems before they occur.

Another important step is to get rid of weeds, which not only look bad but they compete with your plants and decrease their health and value. Make sure you keep your flower beds mulched and your grass thick and not mowed too short. Also, using pre-emergent weed controls for your lawns and beds will keep seeds from germinating.

Finally, give your landscape a regular diet of balanced food. Fertilization timed for the most effective results is best, and will help keep your entire landscape lush and healthy.

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

Putting the Spotlight on Landscape Lighting

 A quality job of landscape lighting will turn an ordinary home and garden into the extraordinary. It allows you to showcase trees and other focal points, as well as to take the spotlight off of areas you’d rather people not see. Lighting also provides safety and security, and a good way to increase the value of your property. Whether you choose to go dramatic or subtle with your lighting effects, you can create a whole different level of beauty at your home.

There are a variety of options when it comes to landscape lighting.

• Up-lighting – To achieve dramatic effects, up-lights are a great way to illuminate small trees or ones with interesting trunks. Experts usually recommend using mercury vapor lights for up-lighting purposes.
• Down-lighting – The idea of down-lighting is to mimic the effects of a full moon shining down on a yard. When properly done, it creates unique shadows on the ground. Mercury vapor is also a good choice for down-lighting because it highlights the green colors in plants.
• Feature lighting – This can be compared to using a spotlight. Feature lighting is perfect for highlighting fountains, address signs, sculptures, and benches. Incandescent bulbs are recommended for this purpose because they bring out the colors in materials like stone, brick, and wood.
• Incandescent lighting – As stated, incandescent lights emphasize colors and features of your home and landscaping. A great benefit is that incandescent lights can be dimmed, which allows for added drama. They are well-suited for lighting arbors, columns, and other landscaping elements.
• Architectural illumination – This describes the use of various lighting techniques to focus on a home’s architecture.

In addition to selecting the type of landscape lighting that best suits your goals and your property, there are some other important things to consider. The voltage is one element to decide upon. High voltage lighting illuminates large area of lawn and big trees. An example is mercury vapor lights. Low voltage lighting usually requires 12 volts and are common for illuminating residential paths and small items like sculptures, outdoor fountains or fireplaces, and urns. Unlike high voltage lights that require conduit, low voltage is less expensive; however, the wiring may be damaged during yard work.

Another consideration is the type of controls for your lighting system. Mechanical time clocks avoid wasting electricity and going through lots of light bulbs, and are recommended for up-lighting, feature lighting, and architectural lighting. Such timers are also helpful because you don’t have to remember to turn the lights on and off. A different type of control is called a photocell, which monitors natural light. Photocell controls are commonly used with down-lighting.

One of the most important choices you’ll make about landscape lighting is who will design, plan, and install your system. Expertise is required to determine the ideal placement of lights so that you don’t see too many fixtures or end up with glares. The experts at C4 Landscape and Design are qualified to handle your lighting, whether it’s a big job or a small one.

Contact Us Today!