Preventing Winter Damage to Your Trees and Shrubs

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The trees and shrubs in your yard are similar to people. We both require a certain amount of water, nutrients, and rest to remain healthy and productive. While people require these elements on a daily basis, plants are more seasonal. For example, they sleep each winter instead of daily at night. This dormancy period is just as important to their health as a good night’s sleep is to ours.

Cold isn’t the worst challenge faced by our plants. Shrubs and trees hardy to our region can endure our normal winter temperatures with little trouble. Here is why they need winterizing to help them through their dormancy:

  • Cold spells that appear before trees and shrubs have had a chance to harden off for the winter can damage plant tissues.
  • Midwinter thaws can send the wrong message to plants, fooling them into coming out of their dormancy too soon only to be damaged when it turns cold again.
  • Bark that warms up during the bright sunlight of day can quickly freeze and crack when temperatures drop after dark.
  • Deer, mice, and other animals gnaw leaves, bark, and twig as their winter food becomes scarce.
  • Frozen soil makes it difficult for trees and shrubs to take up enough water.

Best Ways to Help Your Shrubs and Trees through Winter:

  • Don’t prune shrubs past mid-summer because it stimulates new growth which delays dormancy.
  • Water plants throughout the fall months (until the ground freezes) so they have adequate moisture to see them through the winter.
  • Protect the root system of any young or small plantings by spreading a layer of mulch, straw, or compost to insulate them.
  • Wrapping the trunks of young trees up to their first branches helps several challenges – It keeps the trunk warm during temperature fluctuations and keeps critters from chewing on them. Leave wraps on until the last frost has passed.
  • Wrap delicate shrubs such a rhododendron with burlap to protect them from wind.

Make this the year you properly and lovingly tuck your landscape into bed for a long winter’s sleep. They’ll be sure to show their gratitude when spring returns.

 

 

 

Five Reasons Fall is a Great Planting Season

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Fall is a great time to…

When fall rolls round most gardeners begin to wind down their gardening activities to start getting their landscape ready for winter. Time is spent mulching, raking leaves, and cleaning tools before setting them aside til spring. 

What is often overlooked is that fall is a great time to plant trees, shrubs, perennials, and bulbs! Here’s why.

Moderate Temperatures

Warm temperatures coupled with cool nights are the perfect conditions for both gardeners to work without the searing summer sun and for new plants to begin to establish themselves. Planting in fall will yield wonderful surprises in spring. 

Fewer Plant Pests

Pests like aphids, caterpillars, and beetles are nowhere to be found creating a healthier environment in which plants encounter fewer bug assaults. 

Roots Take Hold

Planting trees and shrubs in fall gives them a  month or so of growing time before turning dormant for the winter. But you might not be able to see that growth because its not the usual above ground growth. Roots can grow in soil as cool as 45 degrees so fall provides root systems to expand. Plant a tree in your yard in fall and they will be well-established by the time summer comes around.

More Spring Perennials

Divide your perennials in fall and make a  new garden bed. Perennials sometimes have a way of spreading out beyond the borders we’ve created for them. Dividing in fall will give you more time in spring to do other tasks. Cover with mulch to insulate your bulbs.

And, don’t forget to plant new bulbs that will brighten up early spring with color and beauty.Tulips, daffodils, and crocus should be planted before the ground freezes.

Competition-Free Seed Starting

While the soil is still warm and the ground has adequate water plant grass seeds. They will germinate quickly and have no competition from weeds.

Bringing Herbs in for the Winter

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Just because it’s getting cooler outside doesn’t mean gardening has to end, especially if you love to grow herbs. Bring your herbs indoors so you can continue to enjoy them through the winter months.

Rosemary, lemongrass, ginger and verbena are tender perennials, but need protection from freezing temperatures to survive. But hardier herbs like thyme, lavender, sage, and tarragon can be grown indoors, as well. It’s also an effective way to divide your herbs that grow in clumps.

It’s wonderful to be able to experience their fresh flavors and scents all winter long and potting them is so easy to do. Here’s how:

  1. Select containers that are wide and deep enough to accommodate each herb’s root ball plus a little extra for growth.
  2. Put a layer of potting soil into each pot.
  3. Place your herb on top of it.
  4. Fill in all around the herb with more potting mix.
  5. Press down the potting mix, leaving about an inch of space between the mix and the top rim of the pot.
  6. Water them thoroughly.

You can also make arrangements that place several herbs in one pot. 

Newly transplanted herbs will need a bit of time to acclimate and may even drop some leaves. While they are in this state, keep them in indirect light. Once they pick up, you can increase in increments, the amount and time of bright sunlight they get. Herbs like a lot of light so southern-facing windows are best. If you don’t have enough sunlight, you can buy a grow light.

To maintain herbs indoors, turn them periodically so all sides get to face the light. Then you can snip spring whenever you cook your favorite recipes. If you want, you can bring them back outside once spring arrives.

Fall Tree Maintenance

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Now that summer is officially over, landscaping tasks become more about cleanup, winter maintenance, and prepping for next spring. The trees are starting to display the change in seasons with foliage that ranges from bright oranges and reds to warm golds and rusts.

While many take this as a time to rest from landscaping til next spring, it is actually a great time to plant a new tree and to prep the trees you already have for winter. Your trees will be grateful for the fall TLC and will show their appreciation when spring rolls round once more.

In a forest, the soil remains quite rich in nutrients from all the organic matter present on the forest floor. These nutrients nourish the trees year round. In our yards, we have to supplement our soil to make it more like a forest floor for our trees.

Fall Fertilizing

To make sure our trees are well-fed through the winter, apply a slow-release fertilizer this fall. Slow release fertilizers best mimic the forest by providing nutrients in a slow and steady rate throughout the year. It’s the consistent access to the nutrients they need that helps trees maintain their health – growing healthy leaves, roots, and wood.

Mulch

Mulch not only makes your landscape look great but also helps your trees thrive. Mulch helps conserve moisture around trees, maintain soil temperature, and keeps the soil from eroding away. Mulch can be store bought, but it can also be made up of the ground-up leaves from your fall lawn clean-up. Just be sure not to over mulch; one to two inches of mulch is ideal. And, it’s best to keep the mulch an inch or so away from the trunk.

Water

As trees prepare to drop their leaves they need less water. This is because as temperatures cool, the trees enter a dormant phase and need less water. In addition, the soil naturally stays more moist in cooler temperatures. Continuing to water trees can result in root disease.

Trimming

Now is the time to prune dead, diseased, and unsafe branches from trees. This not only promotes better growth in healthy areas of the tree but can protect you, your home, and your car from falling branches.

Plant More

Fall is the best time of year to plant new trees. In fall, newly planted trees get a jumpstart on establishing healthy roots over the dormant season so they can then concentrate on their above ground growth in spring. Augustine has had its own tree farm for 25 years and can help you choose the right type of tree for your landscape. We carry trees of all sizes and specialize in large trees that don’t make you wait ten years before showing their full majesty. We can even deliver and plant it for you!

Calling All Lilac Lovers

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Is there anyone out there who doesn’t love lilacs? With beautiful blooms and amazing fragrance, lilacs are a perennial favorite. 

Fall is the perfect time to plant lilacs, so if your landscape is lacking this hardy and fragrant spring favorite we’ll tell you all you need to know to plant and care for your lilacs.

About Lilacs

Lilacs come in a wide range of varieties – trees and bushes, dwarf and standard sizes. Their flowers can be white, violet, blue, lilac, pink, magenta, or purple and they can bloom, giving off their incredible fragrance from April through June. 

Lilacs can take one to two years after planting to begin blooming, but once established they live for a long time. In your landscape, you can plant lilacs as hedges, foundation plants, in large borders, in groups, or as a stand alone.

One interesting and positive fact about lilacs is that they provide a great habitat for small birds and pollinators.

Planting

The best time to plant lilacs is in the fall after the leaves have dropped, but before the ground freezes. By planting in fall their roots get a head start growing before leaves start sprouting in spring.

Lilacs like areas with lots of afternoon sun and well drained soil. Planting them in a slightly elevated area is recommended as water will drain away provided the perfect amount of natural watering. 

Dig a hole large enough to place the roots in without bending them. Add a bit of peat moss, a great material for holding nutrients the lilacs can absorb over time. After planting, water well and add a layer of mulch to prevent weeks and maintain moisture.

If planting more than one lilac in the same area, space them at least five feet apart to prevent crowding, as they will bush out.

Caring for Your Lilacs

For those who are not experienced gardeners or those short of gardening time, lilacs are wonderful because they need minimum care. Fertilizing with a bit of bone meal in early spring can give blooms a boost if your soil lacks nitrogen. Otherwise all they need is a pruning after the blooms are spent. Simple cut back the tops of overgrown stems with clippers. If the bush has become dense, trimming some of the inner branches will improve air circulation.

Propagating Lilac Bushes 

Want more lilacs? Lilacs produce shoots from the base of its trunk. These shoots can be used for propagating more lilac bushes. Just dig down to expose some of the roots from the main clump and cut the shoot away from the main plant, including the roots. Then plant the shoot in a new suitable location and water it regularly until it takes hold.

Top 10 Fall Flowers for Your Garden

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Many mark Labor Day weekend as an end to summer but warm sunny weather can continue on way past September. There are many perennials to keep the color going in your backyard right up until the first frost. Many of these flowers have long, hardy stems and work great for bouquets too.  And while the birds, bees, and butterflies will thank you, many of these plants are deer resistant.

Platycodon grandiflorus Balloon Flowers

Balloon Flower

Balloon Flowers are profuse lavender/blue bloomers that are virtually maintenance-free. The buds will actually puff up like balloons until they pop open, revealing the beautiful bell-shaped flowers. Balloon flowers are deer resistant.

bugbane flowers

Bugbane

Bugbane can grow to about 6 feet tall with wispy white flower spikes that can smell a lot like honey.

Helenium

Helenium

Helenium is part of the sunflower family and produces masses of pretty, daisy-like flowers in shades of vivid yellow, orange, red, and bi-color.  Sometimes called Sneezeweed because at one time it was used as snuff. It looks similar to cone flowers. It is deer resistant.

Japanese Anemones

Japanese Anemones

Japanese Anemones start blooming in late summer and lasts until the frost. These delicate paper-like white blooms are maintenance-free and will self-sow. Japanese anemone spreads by underground runners, so keep an eye on your plants to be sure they aren’t crowding nearby perennials. They are also deer resistant.

Pineapple Sage

Pineapple Sage

Pineapple Sage is a hummingbird magnet. It’s bright red blooms need full sun and moist soil.

Purple Asters

Purple Asters

Purple Asters with their dainty lilac petals and yellow button centers grow to about 2-3 feet tall and are draught tolerant. These daisy-like flowers grow in sun or partial shade.

Russian Sage

Russian Sage

Russian sage starts off as a barely perceptible hint of blue before erupting into a hazy cloud of purple-blue that lasts for weeks. Not at all a sage, it is actually a member of the mint family and is deer resistant.

Sedum

Sedum

Sedum is a succulent that comes in a variety of colors that sit on top of a 2-foot tall stalk. Loved by butterflies, it requires little watering.  Best of all, these flowers dry in early winter. When the plants becomes too large, they are easy to divide.

Sunflower

Sunflowers

Sunflowers are most often thought of as the tall bright yellow giants of summer. But there are perennial sunflowers that bloom towards the end of summer, giving your yard smaller but plentiful bright yellow, daisy-like flowers.

Sweet Alyssum

Sweet Alyssum

Sweet Alyssum is a wonderfully fragrant plant. Unlike many tall fall flowers, sweet alyssum forms a low to the ground, lush carpet of white, pink, or purple.

Landscaping Problems That Hurt Home Value

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Aside from unkempt and overgrown yards, there are a few other landscaping situations that are a turn-off to potential buyers. So, if you’re considering putting your home on the market, even it that could be a few years down the line, to consider some of the following:

A sloping backyard

From the front, a house on a hill can be quite inviting. But, a house with a sloping backyard is not a benefit to most home buyers, especially those with children. Families tend to. Look for a level yard that can accommodate a play set, barbecue, and more. And savvy buyers might even consider the erosion and potential drainage issues if the slope pitches toward the house. If your backyard has a steep slope, you may want to consider creating tiers or terraces.

A Rotting Deck or Patio

While a nice deck or patio can raise the value of your home, one that is in disrepair is unattractive and unsafe. Whether rotting wood, or cracked concrete, plan to update this feature before putting your home on the market.

A Plain Yard

A landscape that is too spare is simply uninviting. Granted, not everyone has a green thumb, but if selling your home is in your future, it pays to put in foundation plantings, shrubs, and perhaps a tree or two to make your home complete both inside and out.

Seasonal Plantings

If you have a yard that is beautifully in bloom in spring and summer, but sparse in fall and winter, try diversifying your plantings so it will look good even if people are coming to see your home during colder temperatures. Evergreens and other shrubs are perfect solutions.

No Trees

As a rule, homebuyers do not like yards with only small plants and no trees. Consider planting at least one large tree to add interest and value to your home. When you buy a large tree from an experienced nursery like Augustine, we can deliver and plant it for you.

Ponds

While many love water features, some people view them as too costly and high maintenance. Even simple ponds can signify lots of work to some. If you have a pond on your property, do get a fountain for it. Circulation is key to keeping ugly algae away.

 

For Evergreen

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August and September are the perfect months to plant some evergreens. Just think, when the beautiful colors of the fall leaves are gone, evergreens can see you through the winter. They contribute not only their beauty, but practical benefits to our yards.

Add green to your winter months. Evergreens certainly take a back seat to deciduous trees in both summer and fall. But as winter progresses, snow-covered evergreens are one of the greatest mood boosters in our barren winter landscape. Add the red of a beautiful cardinal to complete the scene. And, the smell of pine and fir refreshes our senses on a cold winter day.

Evergreens provide year-round privacy. They are the perfect choice for sectioning off your yard from a neighbor, the road, or even storage or working areas. Whether relaxing on your deck or patio or just looking out your window, evergreens allow you to control what you see and what others see.

Evergreens shelter our homes from wind, snow, heat, and cold. The cold and wind of winter steals heat from our homes just as it does from our bodies when we’re outside. Strategically planted evergreens help us save on both heating and cooling bills in winter and summer.

Create a better wildlife environment. Evergreens provide an effective wildlife habitat for our favorite creatures all year round. They provide an abundance of food such as fruit, berries, insects and nectar. And they provide needed shelter from the cold for birds and squirrels.

We maintain a wide selection of trees, shrubs, and broadleaf evergreens to suit personal taste, yard size, and need. Plant it yourself or ask us to do it for you.

 

Ron’s Best Landscaping Lessons for Vacation Homes & Rental Properties

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So many people choose the Hudson Valley for their vacation home because of the beauty, recreation, and great food the region offers. And, it is because of this popularity that many are also able to earn income from renting their properties to weekenders. All of these homeowners have a common interest – keeping up their landscaping when they are not on premise to watch over their property. 

Taking care of any landscape during times when no one is home for long periods of time or when those staying in the home have no stake in its equity can be demanding. The key to success begins with the choice of plantings. Here are some suggestions that are not only easy to maintain, but beautiful too:

Choose Native Plantings

Plants that are native to our region will require less water, fewer soil additives, and less maintenance to keep them looking their best. They also adapt better to the change in seasons. 

  1. Fill in with Groundcover

    There are many low-maintenance ground covers that never need mowing to look their best. In addition, ground covers retain moisture better and reduce weed growth. Many flower, as well.

  2. Choose Grasses & Perennials Instead of Annuals

    Perennials and grasses can withstand summer heat and drought better than annuals. And, they come back year-after-year so you don’t have to spend time planning your beds and planting each year.

  3. Build low maintenance patios and walkways

    A patio is a great solution for taking up a section of higher maintenance lawn while also giving your family or tenants an outdoor space to congregate, BBQ, and enjoy the outdoors. For a rental spaces or AirBnB, a patio will enhance the desirability of your property.  Flagstone and pavers require less maintenance and will last longer than a material such as concrete that tends to crack over time.

     

  4. Use Barrier Cloth for Weed Control

Laying down a barrier of fabric or biodegradable material will help keep weeds at bay. Cover it with a layer of mulch that will enhance the weed control and keep moisture in the soil.

Have questions? Call on Augustine to help you make the best decisions regarding your landscaping. We are here for you whether you just have a few questions or need us to plan and implement a low-maintenance landscape for you.

Mum’s The Word

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Fall is coming quickly. The leaves are turning but they are not the only plants that like to show off their bold colors in fall. Chrysanthemums, better known as mums are as popular a fall fixture as pumpkins.

Long after many flowers have lost their will to bloom, mums will keep their beauty going until the first frost. There are two types of mums – hardy mums and florist mums. Did you you know that hardy mums are perennials?

Many people just buy a potted mum in the fall and toss it away when its blooms are done. With a little care and know-how, you can overwinter mums and even propagate them, so that the mum you bought in the fall can keep brightening your garden year after year.

How to Care for Mums

Mums are bred to survive outdoors and can thrive in either pots or beds. They produce horizontal runners beneath the soil which helps to produce new plants

Mums like sunlight and require six or more hours per day. They also require rich, well-drained soil. If your soil is dense or contains clay, just add a good amount of compost and work it well into the soil. They also like plenty of water but soaking them can cause disease. To help them winter over, plant them before the first frost and cover them with plenty of mulch after the blooms are gone. Mums like plenty of space, so in the spring once you are certain all frosts have passed, dig up the entire plant and divide it. Pinching off the growth at the top of the stems, even when new growth is coming will bring stronger stems and thicker flowers.

How to Pick Mums that Last

Human nature drives us to pick the plants that are already bursting with color. However, if you pick ones that are full of lush green foliage and lots of buds, they will last much longer.

(Photo by Alex Martin from Pexels)

End of Summer Lawn Care

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Because COVID-19 has reintroduced the joys of staying home this summer, your lawn has probably endured more activity than usual. It’s common for homeowners to think that because your grass is growing more slowly in fall that it needs less care, but the opposite is true. Your lawn is invisibly busy fortifying itself for winter. A little late summer-early fall TLC will help keep your lawn lush and give it a healthy head start for next spring.

Here are a few things your lawn will thank you for:

  • Aerate the soil. Summer sun and increased activity compacts the soil in your yard making it more difficult for the grass to obtain water, air, and nutrients. Aerating the soil is the best way to loosen things up. This process is also a good first step to fertilizing as aerating will also allow the fertilizer to reach the grass’ roots better. If you have a small yard of an acre or less, you can rent a self-propelled walk-behind aerator, but if you have acreage, consider hiring a landscaper.
  • Spot Seed bald spots. Most lawns will develop bald spots or thinned areas over the course of the summer. Late August through September is a perfect time to spot-seed these areas. Fall is an ideal time for seeding as the grass will have less competition from weeds, allowing for better grass coverage. Once you seed, don’t forget to keep these areas well-watered.
  • Rid the lawn of weeds. Just like the grass, weeds are also in nutrient-absorbing mode, drinking in all the water they can. The good news is that this includes week killers. Applying herbicides now will diminish spring weeds significantly.
  • Fertilize in fall. In the fall, grass leaves grow slowly but that is not the case for their roots and rhizomes. Fertilizing in the fall enables these roots and rhizomes to grow deep and hold onto nutrients throughout the winter. 

Grow Vertical: Trellises & Pergolas & Arbors

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pergola with yellow leaves and flowersThere’s a period of time toward the end of summer when avid gardeners and homeowners who love their yards begin to mourn prematurely the end of their favorite season – summer. For those of you in this group, here’s a perfect way to continue working in the yard while setting up a thing of beauty for next spring.

Trellises, arbors, and pergolas add both function and elegance to any garden or backyard. Whether used in your vegetable garden, to hide unsightly air conditioning units, or as a romantic seating area, these structures can be as simple or elaborate as desired. And, while roses are one classic choice, there are many other plants that add beauty, shade, and privacy.

Whether made by you out of branches found around your landscape, purchased as a kit, or delivered to your yard fully constructed, what starts out as a functional support for plants becomes a beautiful focal point and destination. Constructed now, with plantings going in once the dog days of August are over, watching these plants begin to twine in spring is exhilarating.

Here are some vining plants we recommend for your arbor, trellis, or pergola:

Honeysuckle – This hardy plant, left unpruned quickly begins to vine. They produce orange-red, trumpet shaped flowers that are beloved by humming birds and butterflies.

Clematis – While clematis may take a few years before beginning to flower, once it does it will reward you with a multitude of blooms. Born to climb, they come in a wide variety of colors.

Climbing Roses – In addition to their beauty, climbing roses have an intoxicating scent. They grow best on a trellis up against your house. Patience is key as it sometimes takes three to five years for prolific flowering.

Trumpet Creeper – this plant is native to our region and is drought resistant. It is a fast grower and can quickly reach 40 feet with tubular flowers that will bloom throughout the summer months.

Wisteria – The scent of wisteria in unforgettable. Producing white or purple flowers in spring, this woody vine will drape flowers over your arbor or pergola like grapes.

Climbing Hydrangea – This vine grows well in both full sun or partial shade. The vines are so it needs substantial support. You can leave drying flowers on the vine as they keep their shape even after their foliage begins to fall.