How To Take Care of Your Landscape Plants

Now that you have taken the first step to improve your lawn, proper Care and maintenance must be next on your list. Keep in mind that sun, rain, and vehicle smoke can damage your new Landscape so you should do the suitable routines as the homeowner. Your artificial grass and natural Plants still need your attention even though you have reliable products and services. Keeping the quality of your yard is simple if you know what to do. Watering, adding fertilizers, pruning, and applying mulch may depend on the size and requirements of your Plants. Fortunately, you can focus on growing and caring for your herbs and flowers because synthetic lawn requires little attention. Here are some tips on looking after your new Landscape. Water your Plants everyday Every plant needs water to grow and develop. Many homeowners make a mistake and prevent these activities because they under or over pour water on their Plants. Both can lead to withering so it is important to learn about the proper amount of water and way of watering they require. You may have to know the type of your soil and plant to get the suitable measurement. Consulting your Landscape provider can help because they give watering instructions for their products. You must also decide if you want to water them using a hose or a can. Roots absorb the water so pour it mainly on the soil, not on the leaves. Add fertilizers every season Most homeowners ask if a plant can sustain its life just by sun and water. This can be possible but with little nutrients from these elements, your plant may become weak when exposed to natural forces such as wind and pests. You can reduce these risks by giving them the proper nourishment through fertilizers. Landscape providers usually apply fertilizers at the time of planting. You may rely on this for the crucial first few weeks but your Plants need nutrients as they grow. Be Careful, however, because over stuffing fertilizers on the soil are also not suitable. Keep it in moderation and add after every season. Prune when necessary Over time, your Plants may develop weak parts such as damaged branches or withering trees. Prune and remove these elements to be sure of your plant's continuous growth. These can prevent maturity because they suck in the nutrients meant for the whole plant. Certain risks come in the pruning process. Be Careful because you may cut healthy parts along with the deceased or excess ones. You can avoid these situations by examining the Plants Carefully. Most Landscape providers offer pruning services so do not hesitate to call them again. Apply mulch Mulch can make a big difference to your plant's growth. It helps prevent the development of weeds and prevent soil erosion. You can also rely on these substances to regulate the soil temperature and keep the water on the ground longer. Making mulch is simple because artificial grass, stones, leaves, seaweed, and wood ashes usually serve. These are some tips on taking Care of your new Landscape Plants. Keep these in mind and visit websites like www.turfdirect.com.au to help for your lawn needs. Denise G Fullerton works in the Landscape industry and gives tips on maintaining the quality of lawns and Plants.

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Plant Use For Any Landscape

There are many uses for Plants that exist in the world today. Whether it is for food, oxygen, energy or for beautifying a Landscape, they serve a multitude of functions. Plants are broken down into two systems. The first is the root system, which is mainly underground. The main functions of the root system are to keep the Plant firmly in the ground by anchoring it to the soil, to absorb water and nutrients and for food storage. The other system is above the ground. This system is involved in keeping the Plant standing above the soil, and is used for both photosynthesis and for food and water dispersal. No matter what type of Landscape it is located on, the main functions of the Plant are the same. As a food, they serve both the human and animal population. Certain flowers and shrubs are edible to humans, and others allow animals to get the nutrients they need to survive. They also create oxygen through the process of photosynthesis. In this process, Plants take in energy, carbon dioxide and water and minerals, in order to give off water and oxygen. One of the most popular uses however, is for decoration. Whether it is for landscaping design or to add some color to a room, Plants are a unique way to make a home or office look different. In addition to their many different uses, there are also three types of Plants which are determined based on the its life cycle. The three types are annual, biennial and perennial. Annual Plants go through their entire life cycle in a single growing season. Biennial Plants need two years to go through their life cycle. Perennial Plants exist throughout growing seasons, typically with the portion of the Plant above the soil dying every winter and blooming again in the spring. The type of soil a Plant exists in is also important. There are many natural soil options such as loam, clay or silt soil, typically varying depending on their consistency and the ability. Another option for Plant soil is mulch. Mulch keeps Plants healthy by conserving moisture. Mulch also eliminates the need to Landscape around different Plants and shrubs. Despite how a Plant is used or what soil it lives in, Plants serve many different uses in society. Whether it is used for food, oxygen and energy, or decorating a Landscape, there are thousands of Plant types that exist that can be used for all of these functions.

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Landscape Design: Creating a Space for Winter Entertaining

Many people keep winter parties indoors, since their cold-weather gardens are less than attractive. However, with the right species, architecture and techniques, it's possible to entertain outdoors all year long, especially in temperate Pacific Northwest locales. The following are a few methods your Landscape Designer would recommend for Creating a gorgeous wintertime Landscape. Install a Rain Garden Not only are rain gardens an excellent method of protecting your property, they also attract wildlife and add peaceful beauty all year long. Basically, a rain garden is an area that is Designed to soak up extra rainwater. It usually includes a hollow or depression, in which bog plants thrive. Rain gardens also protect local watersheds by filtering more rainwater through the soil, rather than dumping it into the streets to pick up heavy metals and toxic engine fluids. Select Plants that will Shine in Winter Weather In snowy areas, a Landscape Designer could suggest adding pavers that will retain heat and quickly melt snow, thus Creating a stunning contrast during weaker storms. Around Portland, however, the near-constant rain has more sway over winter Landscape Design. Gardeners should begin to improve their winter Landscapes by choosing plants that provide winter interest, such as those listed below. 1. Bamboo. Bamboo will keep your garden green all winter long. However, because many varieties spread very quickly, Landscape Design service experts usually recommend installing barriers that bamboo's rhizomes cannot cross. (They should be about three feet deep.) If you don't want to worry about this sort of thing, choose less aggressive clumping bamboo, or plant bamboo in containers. 2. Red twig dogwood. The red twig dogwood features small white blossoms in the springtime, but this is one plant that shines in the winter, as well. Its eponymous red bark is a striking rosy shade throughout the year. (This is an excellent choice for your rain garden; red twig dogwoods are water hogs.) 3. Ornamental grasses. Ornamental grasses can add verticality and texture to an otherwise boring Design. Landscape gurus suggest experimenting with grasses that feature unusual striations. 4. Astilbes. These are the stars of the summer garden, with their feather-like flowers. However, too many gardeners decapitate these beauties too early. Instead, leave the dried flower stalks of these clay-loving plants in place all winter long. 5. Ferns. Ferns of the Pacific Northwest stay green throughout the winter months. A walk through lower-elevation woods in December or January reveals sword ferns still glowing green, for instance. When it comes to hope-inducing Landscape Design, experts recommend licorice ferns, which put out new growth around the first of the year. 6. Trees. Trees are any garden's "skeleton," especially in winter months when barren branches create webs against the sky. If you'd like to create a natural habitat and enjoy year-round greenery, plant a conifer. Otherwise, select tree species that feature unusual branching patterns. Add a Covered Patio Many a Landscape Design service recommends building patio covers over clients' decks. This creates a space to enjoy your garden even if it's raining. Install a patio heater to draw your guests outside. Finally, think like a Design/Landscape expert: Figure out where you and your guests will naturally want to walk through the garden. Install stones or pavers in those zones. This will show visitors where to walk so they'll be less likely to tromp on your tender beds

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Looking to Buy Landscape Design Software? Read This First!

Landscape Design Software programs are used to plot the layout of softscape (plants, shrubs, vines, and trees) and hardscape (walls, fences, and pergolas) features to create a Landscape. They simplify the task of landscaping and allow you to turn your outdoor area into a piece of art. Why Do You Need One? Landscaping is an integral part of home improvement. It is, however, by no means an easy task. You need to consider a number of factors like the size of your outdoor area, the angles and corners present, the elevation or slope of the lawn, weather, and many more. You need to come up with creative ideas to seamlessly integrate the natural (plants, trees, and bodies of water) and manmade (fences, walls, gazebos, and pergolas) elements and make your outdoor area more beautiful and functional. The process, as you can imagine, requires a lot of creativity, observation skills, and Design skills. Unless you are a highly experienced Landscaper, you may find it extremely difficult to do it. This is why using a Landscape Design Software program is considered a good idea by many. The Advantages of Landscaping Software * It makes the task of landscaping a lot easier. Without a Software program, you have to do everything - right from drawing a plot plan of the area to Designing the Landscape - manually. While doing so, you are bound to forget some small but important details. With a Software program, there are no such problems as you can organize your thoughts, remember all the pertinent details, and plan everything perfectly. * It helps you finish the task quickly. For example, it may take you one or two minutes to draw a plant or write down a landscaping idea with pencil and paper. With a Software program, it will only take you a few seconds. * It helps you visualize the whole process. Without a Software program, you have to assume or imagine how your outdoor area will look once you are finished with it. With a Software program, you know how it will look once you are done. Choosing a Landscape Design Software Program Virtual Planning Feature Look for programs that allow you to scan a photo of your outdoor area and superimpose softscape and hardscape features on it. You can also look for programs that allow you to create an electronic base map, choose your favorite softscape and hardscape features, move them around, and make as many changes as you want. Growth Prediction Feature Look for programs that predict the growth of plants and trees in your outdoor area and show you what they are likely to look like when they grow. Plan your Landscape in such a way that your pools, decks, and fences remain undisturbed even as the plants and trees in the area grow and mature. Cost Estimation Feature Look for programs that help you keep track of the cost at every stage of the process. It is particularly important if you are on a small budget and cannot afford to spend a lot of money on home improvement. Plant Encyclopedia Feature Look for programs that allow you to search and identify plants, shrubs, and trees that are ideal for your region's climate and soil quality. Ease of Use Look for programs that are easy to use. The user interface should be simple and intuitive. You should be able to figure out things on your own even if you are a first-timer. A good Software program can make the task of landscaping simple, interesting, and enjoyable. It gives shape your home improvement ideas and helps you create an aesthetically appealing and functional Landscape. So, get one today and get started with your landscaping project.

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Landscaping - Plant and Shrub Protection

There's nothing worse than spending hundreds maybe thousands of dollars on new Plants and shrubs for your landscape only to have them damaged by Mother Nature. Plant and shrub Protection is very important especially in a young landscape.

Spring Protection involves shielding tender Plants and blooms from a late frost that can wipe out an entire investment. What is used to protect Plants depends on what is being covered; a whole bed of petunias or a prized tomato Plant.

Coverings vary from bed sheets, to sticks and plastic, to pre-designed reusable structures. When covering tender Plants take caution that the coverings do not lie on the Plants or touch the leaves.
Winter Protection for your landscape involves preventative care for your tender perennials and young or delicate shrubs. Winter damage can occur from diverse sources.

Evergreen shrubs need to be protected from the drying winds of winter. Moisture evaporates faster than the frozen roots can replenish leaving the needles brown on the tips or even worse. Bushes need to be shielded from the wind and also a strong sunny southern exposure. For large evergreens, burlap wraps are available otherwise building a windscreen is sufficient.

Young shrubs, evergreen or deciduous, and perennials need to be protected from more than just the wind. Plant damage can occur from hungry rabbits and deer, bark or root damage from extreme temperature changes, and structural damage from heavy snowfall especially when Planted near sidewalks and driveways.

Perennial Protection can be as simple as a good mulch cover, but shrub Protection usually requires more creativity and some construction. It can involve tepees made of evergreen branches, chicken wire filled with leaves, or complex frames to protect shrubs from the snow. Pre-made devices are available on the market and can be convenient depending on simplicity of installation and storage, for instance The Garden Dome made by Riverbirch.

The time, money and effort spent on protecting your new landscape are an investment with a profitable return in years of enjoyment and loads of compliments on your beautiful landscape.

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Growing Bamboo As a Landscape Plant

Bamboo is one of the most versatile Plants in the world. The wood from bamboo is extremely light, strong, and durable, yet it grows far faster than even much softer woods. For all of its marvelous strength as a building material, it can also be processed to create some of the softest fabric available today. All of this is in a Plant that is also very disease-resistant, easy to grow, and quite beautiful. For these reasons and more, it is quickly becoming a popular choice as a Landscape Plant. Big bamboo is especially popular as a privacy Plant for it's extraordinarily quick growth. With a little care, it can be an excellent addition to your garden or Landscape.
Choosing the Right Bamboo Plant for You

The main considerations when choosing your bamboo should be hardiness. This is a pretty simple thing to factor in, as any reputable nursery or Plant source will be able to tell you the hardiness by zone of any bamboo they sell. When choosing your bamboo, keep in mind the eventual height and potential for invasiveness. Many types of bamboo spread rapidly, and this can become a problem in coming years. To reduce this, either choose a bamboo that is of a non-running or clumping type or install a spread barrier. A spread barrier can be just a sheet of thick plastic (about 40 mil) creating an underground border defining the edge of the area in which you want your bamboo to be spread. Bury your plastic from the surface to around three feet deep to block the rhizomes from spreading the Plant underground. The height to which some big bamboo varieties grow can also surprise many new growers. Most common varieties can be trimmed fairly easily to a wide range of heights, but trimming the top ten feet off of a thirty-five foot tall Plant can be somewhat difficult. Thus, it is sometimes best to keep upward growth limitations in mind when choosing your bamboo if you won't be willing or able to trim it down.

Planting Bamboo

Choose a spot for your bamboo that gets a fair amount of sun; either full sun for part of the day or filtered sun all day. Most bamboo types do well near water, but don't thrive with wet roots, especially when young. For most bamboos, Plant in a moderately acidic, loamy soil. In very heavy soil, digging organic material into the dirt where you are Planting can make a big difference, as can heavy mulching (which will attract earthworms, who will loosen the soil for you). Depth and hole size will vary depending on the type of bamboo you're Planting, so following the instructions of your Plant source is best. Generally, though, you'll dig a hole to about the same depth as the root ball and break up the soil around it to allow the roots room to grow out. Water thoroughly once you've filled in around the root ball, and keep the Plant watered for the first several weeks, taking care not to overwater (the ground should be moist but not wet a few minutes after watering). Too little water is better than too much water for newly transPlanted bamboo, but keep in mind that new bamboo in hot or windy weather will need more water. The best time to Plant bamboo varies by area, but spring is usually best, as it will give the bamboo Plant lots of time to establish itself before winter comes. However, in mild climates most of the year works well, and even in cooler climates nearly any warm part of the year will work, so long as there is time for your bamboo to get established for winter.

Bamboo Plant Care

Bamboo is a pretty versatile, adapting Plant, and if you've chosen the right type for your area and Planted it in a good spot, it should do well with very little care once established. However, if you want to maximize growth, there are three important parts of bamboo care to keep in mind: mulching, fertilizing, and watering. A thick mulch can do a great deal to protect the roots of your bamboo, especially if you are growing bamboo that is only borderline hardy to your area or if Planting later in the year, and it can also provide nutrients and help the soil to stay moist. Just about any organic mulch will work. The leaves that fall from your bamboo throughout the year, and especially in spring, are best left on the ground where they can act as part of the mulch and recycle nutrients back into the soil. Grass is the best mulch for bamboo, but hay and wood chippings are also great choices. For quickest growth, fertilize in the Spring after the Plant is well established. A general chemical fertilizer is OK, but a light layer of cow manure (or any other cool manure) will work better (as well as being cheaper and better for the environment). Bamboo does pretty well without too much water, but if you want your Plants to thrive throughout the dry seasons, you'll need to water them regularly, letting the ground dry out between waterings.

Bamboo is an extremely tough Plant, capable of surviving many types of mistreatment. It is also a beautiful Plant with unique characteristics that make it a perfect Plant for privacy, sound dampening, or just as an accent for almost any property or garden.

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