Landscape Bloopers

I have a hot new tip about a product that is going to rejuvenate the plants in our yards! As many of you also probably have experienced, the grass and several trees in my yard have struggled with the increased heat of the last couple of weeks. So I sprayed my lawn, flowerbeds, and the bases of several trees with a brand-new water-conserving product, “Aqueduct - Professional water management”. Water that is treated with this additive penetrates deeply into the soil and keeps water at root level. This enables control of localized dry spots, and increases fertilizer retention. A small bottle of this liquid magic, attached directly to a watering hose, treats up to 5,000 square feet of landscape. If you have water issues or simply want to reduce water consumption I highly recommend a test drive with this nearly magical garden product.

Nothing builds that pride of home ownership better than successfully completing our first landscape project. However, in creating the yards and gardens we see in our minds’ eyes we experience triumphs and disappointments. If we’re smart we learn from each other’s successes and mistakes. Here are a few of the garden mistakes some of us have experienced; we’re glad to pass them along for you to avoid.

Subsoil on top. This is the number one problem of mountain landscapes and poses immense challenges. Builders carve off the topsoil from a site, leaving only the subsoil. It sometimes means people are trying to grow things where it’s almost impossible to do so. This is the reason so many soil amendments are needed in our local landscapes; we are trying to replace what the building contractor took away. Sometimes, despite soil additives, it’s hard to work around barren soil areas, thus the reason so many of us resort to raised beds.

Take care of the big issues first. Drainage problems kill more plants than anything else in mountain soils. We all know that if a plant sits in a monsoon pool it will develop root rot and die. So whether to contour the landscape, install French drains, or simply to abandon a problem site and go with raised beds should be decided up front. These are big decisions, which if made before you begin to plant will make your task easier and add to your landscaping success.

Too much of the same thing. If you want to camouflage the neighbor's chain link fence, there is a better way than planting an Arizona Cypress every 10 feet. Besides being monotonous, too many of the same type of plant sets up a monoculture, which is susceptible to an invasion of pests. How much more fun to have a selection of cedar, photinia, pine, silver berry, cotoneaster, and other flowering and fruiting shrubs. That ugly view will be hidden by growth that will provide multi-season interest and feed (or house) birds.

Out of proportion. We all know of at least one house that is all but obliterated from view by one or two gigantic Colorado spruces planted in front of the home. Years ago these might have started out as cute Christmas trees but many years and forty feet later they give only the slightest glimpse of the home they are hiding. Be aware of the expected mature size of a plant when you buy it and don't plant it in an area where it won’t have room to reach its potential.

Much busyness. When you're an enthusiastic gardener, it's fun to bring home one of each thing you see at your garden center. However, this “style” of planting results in a frenetic, unsettling atmosphere. If you can’t resist the one-of-everything approach, congregate your experiments into one area. It looks more natural to group plants in the landscape; grouping gives the eye larger targets to focus on, thereby reducing the busyness in the yard.

Planting too deeply. A tree needs to have a "basal flare," a widening of the trunk near soil level. If you have a tree that looks like a telephone pole coming out of the ground, it's planted too deeply. Plant all trees and shrubs at the same level as they grew in the nursery. If the top of the root ball at the nursery is exposed, it should be exposed when planted.

Grade changes. Grade changes around established trees can wreak havoc on a tree's health. Adding as little as six inches of soil on top of what's already there can reduce air circulation and restrict the movement of water and nutrients.

Ask for Ken’s, “Mountain Planting Guide” the next time you visit me at the garden center. This single-sheet instructional manual has all the 1-2-3’s and lists the soil amendments necessary for successful planting.

Today’s gardening class, “Mountain Gardening Made Easy”, is along the theme of this article. Join me for this free garden class that starts today at 9:30 promptly and goes for just over an hour. Actually, we’ve been know to hang out at the garden center a little longer if we have too many interesting questions!

Until next week, I’ll see you in the garden center.