The Magic of Mulch

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Many homeowners put mulch around their vegetable and flower beds as well as around the base of trees with regularity, but many do it solely because it looks nice. Turns out, mulch is very important for the health of your landscaping. It helps retain the moisture in your soil, controls weed growth, prevents your soil from eroding in a heavy rain, and protects plant roots from extreme hot and cold temperatures.

 

Mulch is simply a layer of material used to cover exposed soil and many materials can be used for this purpose including wood chips, bark, leaves, straw, and grass clippings.

No matter which mulch you choose, you’ll reap some of these important benefits:

  • Keeps soil moist and reduces evaporation so you won’t have to water as much
  • Prevents soil from compacting, reducing your aeration needs. 
  • Keeps soil temperatures stable. This prevents your solid from repeatedly freezing and thawing in winter which pushes plants out of the ground and damages roots.
  • Lessens weed growth so trees, shrubs, and flowers don’t have to compete with unwanted plants for nutrients.
  • Adds visual appeal by giving your yard texture and a pop of color. 
  • Protects trees and shrubs from mowing damage, so roots and bark stay healthy and intact. 
  • Reduces soil erosion caused by wind and rain, keeping the soil surface permeable and protecting your soil from harmful runoff. 

Here’s the best way to spread mulch:

  1. Remove debris: Clear the bed of twigs, sticks, and rocks from where you plan to apply mulch. 
  2. Weed the area: This prevents weeds from becoming embedded in your mulch as they grow.
  3. Spread the mulch at a desired thickness of 1-3 inches. Mulch that is spread too deep can damage your plants and soil. And, mulch should not make contact with the trunk of your trees or shrubs. Keep back about 2 inches. Mulch spread right up against a tree trunk creates the perfect pathway for pests and can also promote rot.
  4. Water the area to set your mulch in place.

Tiered Walls and Garden BedsTiered Walls and Garden Beds with mulch

Incredible Edibles

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Sometimes, there’s no better grocery store than your own backyard. Whether you love to cook with fresh herbs, are a salad lover, or simply love to pop some sunshine fresh berries in your mouth, an edible garden is perfect for you.

Edible gardens are easy to have success with and so satisfying:

  • You don’t need a lot of space. A small slice of backyard is sufficient or you can even grow your garden in pots on a deck. And, vertical gardening works great too.
  • Herbs are perfect for beginners or those who have little time for gardening. They are hardy, many are perennials, and they even grow well in mediocre soil.
  • You’ll be eating healthier and saving money too.

strawberries

Choose What You Love to Use

What are the best edibles to plant? What do you love to cook with and eat? That’s where you should begin. Here are some of the most common edibles to choose from:

Perennials – These are plants that will return the next spring.

  • Sage
  • Parsley
  • Strawberries
  • Chives
  • Lavender
  • Mint
  • Oregano
  • Thyme

Tender Perennials – These are plants that can return in spring but often don’t because the winter is too harsh for them. This is especially true in our climate. Bringing these plants indoors for the winter is key, so you might think about planting these in pots so you don’t need to jeopardize them by digging them up.

  • Rosemary
  • Sweet Bay
  • Lemon Verbena

Annuals – These are plants that will need to be planted each year as they do not return.

  • Basil
  • Anise
  • Borage
  • Dill
  • Cilantro

The only thing edibles do not like is too much water either in the ground or on their leaves. Water edibles in the morning before the sun is strong. This gives the leaves time to dry off. And do not overwater.

Another thing to look out for is bolting. Herbs grow quickly and will shoot up quickly. Once this happens, leaves will be sparse and your herbs will flower. While the flowers are pretty, it doesn’t help their edible qualities. The answer to this is to snip or pinch your herb plants at the top. Herbs such as basil love this. Snip it at the very top and that branch will split in two making your plant more bushy.

And don’t forget that Augustine is here to answer your questions. Just give us a call. 

Smart Landscaping 101

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Planning the landscaping of your personal corner of the world not only increases your property’s value but increases the enjoyment and comfort of your own yard. In addition to thinking about how you and your family use your yard (backyard BBQs, swing set, pool, and ball field), consideration has to be given to the shape, size, and slope of your property.

Your landscape is made up of two elements:

Softscape is comprised of the living plant life in your yards such as lawn, trees, shrubs, and flowers.

Hardscape is made up of non-organic features like decks and patios, fences, paved pathways, and decorative stones.

Planning a successful landscape will take these two elements into account, building out a plan that balances personal preferences with the following landscaping principles:

  1. Balance – A sense of balance is an important element and can be developed based on whether you prefer symmetry or asymmetry. Symmetry is a more formal approach, while asymmetry appears more spontaneous.
  2. A Focal Point – Your yard can contain one major focal point or several small ones based on groupings of outdoor areas based on uses. Many front yards contain the focal point of one large tree, while backyards can contain one or more focal points in recreation areas. In other words, your patio can contain its own focal point, while the kids’ play area has another.
  3. Simplicity – The adage, “Too much is never enough.” does not apply here. Simplicity allows us to better relax in our outdoor spaces, so choosing one or two floral colors, or one type of pathway paver is a good way to avoid a cluttered and overly complex look.
  4. Proportion – Finding the right proportion of large, medium, and small plantings in proportion to your property size, house size, and each other will bring harmony to your landscape.
  5. Unity – The goal is to create a landscape in which all the separate shapes, colors, sizes, and textures work together to create a unified whole. This is most often accomplished through the repetition of colors, patterns, and materials throughout the yard.

Whether you’re thinking of a new landscape design or redoing an existing one, you can count on Augustine Nursery to help you whether you have just one question or want us to design the whole thing. Happy landscaping!

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.

 

How Too Much Rain Affects Your Landscaping

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Every year has its weather challenges. But in this region, we’re usually dealing with too much heat and drought. With all the rain we’ve been having, we thought we would speak to how our lawns, plantings, and patios are faring. As with many things in life, too much of a good thing is actually too much of a good thing. Too much rain can hurt your yard in these ways:

Fungus – Lots of rain and humidity are the perfect conditions for fungal issues to arise. 

Erosion – If your landscape is hilly, the rain’s run off can take the soil with it. In addition to causing rutting, rivers of water running through your property washes away good soil with important nutrients in it. 

Pooling – When too much rainwater has no place to go, pools can accumulate in low areas. Flooded grass has a hard time processing the water and nutrients it needs from the soil and can turn yellow and even brown. Pooled water can also result in an increase in water-loving insects like mosquitoes.

Waterlogged Roots – The space between soil particles contain much need oxygen that plants draw upon via their root systems. When too much rain compresses the soil, the air gets displaced and the plants become deprived of oxygen. 

Solutions

Take note of what problems you are seeing and where they are occurring. Give your yard time to dry out. It can sometimes take a while to both dry and to begin to see symptoms like yellowing leaves.

  • Try not to walk on your lawn or dig in your garden if it’s muddy.
  • Don’t mow a wet lawn.
  • Some fungal problems will go away on their own as the weather dries out. If this is not the case with your plantings, try an organic fungicide.
  • Aerate your soil once it is dry to replenish oxygen.
  • Create a dry bed with gravel for future rainwater to have a better path to run off.
  • Bury your downspouts to keep too much water from flowing onto the surface of your lawn and garden beds.
  • Build a rain garden so water collected in a chosen area and allowed to slowly soak into the ground.
  • Create better drainage for your beds by planting in berms or artificial mounds.
  • Use mulch. It helps control water absorption. 
  • Empty rainwater from your container plants.
  • Redirect water away from your patio by changing the direction of gutter downspouts, drilling drainage holes, or by replacing it using permeable materials.

Your lawn and landscape are a part of nature just like the rain is, but sometimes it just needs a bit of our help to keep it safe.

 

Don’t Let Invasive Plants Wreak Havoc on your Landscape

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This past June, New York hosted its New York Invasive Species Awareness Week. If you missed it, here is a better understanding of what invasive species are and why we need to become more aware of them.

Invasive plants are plants that are not native to our region. They’ve been introduced from other regions and are extremely successful at spreading at a rapid rate. Left alone to spread, they cause ecological harm to our region. 

Invasive plants spread quickly because the insects and diseases that plague them in their native lands are missing from our habitat, giving the invasive plant free rein wherever they take hold. Their spread crowds out their competitors, which are our native plants. 

The following invasive plants arrived in New York from all over the world. Some are beautiful, but all of them can cause serious problems for native plants and even animal species.  Here are ten of the invasive plants affecting our area:

Common Reed – It outcompetes and replaces native plants. It also produces mesoxalic acid, which is a toxin harmful to many plants.

Garlic Mustard – This invasive herb chokes out native plants by controlling light, water and nutrient resources needed by other plants.

Giant Hogweed – This gigantic member of the carrot family is one of the most dangerous invasive species in New York due to its ability to cause permanent scarring by painful burns caused by its sap. Because of this potential harm, always call the DEC instead of trying to take these plants out by yourself. It’s size blocks the sunlight smaller plants need to thrive.

Honeysuckle – There are both native and invasive species of honeysuckle present in our region. Invasive varieties can primarily be distinguished by their hollow stems. These plants’ dense growth suppress other native species. They are also less nutritious and can harm migrating animals that eat the berries.

Japanese Barberry – Because it is shade tolerant, Japanese barberry can threaten native species in a variety habitats ranging from closed canopy forests, to woodlands, wetlands, pastures, meadows and wasteland. It grows in dense stands that can inhibit forest regeneration.

Japanese Knotweed – A member of the buckwheat family, this plant can grow up to fifteen feet tall and looks like bamboo. Its swift spread crowds out other plants.

Japanese Stiltgrass – This invasive decreases biodiversity by out-competing native grasses, sedges, and herbs. Areas infested by this plant often have high occurrences of other invasive plants.

Purple Loosestrife – While pretty, purple loosestrife can rapidly out-compete and displace native species. It creates a canopy that suppresses growth and regeneration, and can pose a problem for nesting birds and waterfowl. Their dense root system can also raise the water table and reduce water flow.

Swallow-wort – The quick growth of this invasive prevents native species from growing. This loss of biodiversity can harm native animal species that feed on native plants. Native birds and monarch butterflies are specifically threatened.

Wild Parsnip – Like giant hogweed, wild parsnip sap contains chemicals that can cause a severe burn within 48 hours. It can cause skin discoloration that can lead to years of light sensitivity. Call the DEC if you discover this plant.

The Cornell Cooperative Extension is offering free invasive species identification services this year to help stop the spread of these plants. You can email a photo of a suspected plant to dm282@cornell.edu.

Image by Dieter Staab from Pixabay

Getting to the Root of your Plantings

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Because roots are the unseen parts of our plantings, they’re often overlooked by gardeners. But roots play a critical role in the life and well-being of your landscaping.

  • They anchor the plant so its stem, leaves, and flowers are properly supported.
  • They absorb water and nutrients from the ground and send them upward.
  • They store carbohydrates and other nutrients that will be needed as a source of energy in spring for shrubs, trees, perennials, and biennials to begin a new season of growth.

Types of Roots

Root systems can be sorted into two types: Tap-root systems and Fibrous-root systems

Tap-root systems have one main root with smaller roots branching off. They are deep roots and usually associated with young woody plants, nonwoody perennials, and root vegetables such as carrots and beets. Once these roots are established, they need more water, but less frequency. Plants with tap roots are also more difficult to transplant as the main tap root runs deep into the soil. For propagating, try using a cutting or the plants seeds instead of dividing.

Fibrous root systems of grasses, annuals, and some perennials look like a dense mat that reside in the first few inches of soil. Once established, these types of plants require less water but more frequent watering. Plants with fibrous roots can be divided as they are easily dug up with a small section of its roots, leaving the rest of the roots intact.  

Tips for Keeping Your Roots Happy

  • Using mulch helps to regulate the temperature of your soil, keeping roots cooler in summer and warmer in winter. Mulch also conserves moisture, helping more of your watering get to roots instead of evaporating.
  • Breaking up your soil when planting makes it easier for roots to penetrate and grow, speeding establishment. This is why when planting a tree the hole should be dug two to three times as wide as the root ball. 
  • Roots need oxygen for their health. Oxygen is acquired from air pockets in the soil. Having a well-drained area around your plantings allows air to remain in these pockets. Soil that’s too wet compresses the soil, eliminating these air pockets.
  • Plants need extra care and attention when they are first establishing their root systems. Flowers and vegetables take about two to four weeks to establish. Shrubs take about one year, and trees can take about two years. 

Remember the saying, If Momma is happy, everyone is happy? Well the same goes for roots, If the roots are happy, the plant will be happy.

 

Outdoor Living Room Ideas

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For lots of folks, the inside of one’s home is where most of the care and emphasis takes place. But, if you
think of your yard as several additional rooms to your home, would you want to spend time there? If yes
doesn’t immediately come to mind, here are some things to think about.What would you like to do in these new outdoor rooms?

The Reading Room – If reading is your passion, perhaps a hammock or chaise under a big,
beautiful shady tree is your answer.

The Outdoor Kitchen – If your BBQ is calling you, you might want to think about expanding to
accommodate friends and family to a new or upgraded patio complete with beautiful stones and
plantings.

The Meditation Room – If solitude and peace is what you crave, you might think about planting a
privacy hedge that blocks out neighbors and their noise. Perhaps the sound of a water feature
would soothe your soul. And, you’ll want a lovely windy pathway to get you there.

The Morning Coffee Spot – Nothing starts the day off right like a hot cup of coffee on the front
porch surrounded by beautiful flowering foundation shrubs.

The Kids Playground – Think about leveling off an area for swings or ball playing with a cushion
of mulch for soft landings.

The Evening Gathering Place – An evening fire surrounded by Adirondack chairs and potted
grasses is the perfect location for family and friends to gather for s’mores, scary bedtime stories,
and a glass of wine.

No matter what kind of room is pulling on your heartstrings, you can count on Augustine to help you
plan it right. Did you know that a patio on the west side of the house will get too much afternoon sun for
a comfortable place for dinner in summer. And, a gathering place on the windy side of the house will
quickly extinguish that fire pit. We can steer you to the best location, plantings, and materials to make
your outdoor rooms a delight to spend time in.

relaxing with a glass of wicelebrating picnic table

Picking Up After Old Man Winter 

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As the snow recedes and the days get longer, our yards might be as ready for renewal as we are.

The beginning of spring provides the perfect opportunity to take stock of everything that needs hauling, repairing, fertilizing, aerating, trimming, pruning, and mowing. This clean up is not just important for aesthetic reasons, but for the health of our largest asset – our home. And, if you’re a garden lover, you know how important it is to prepare the yard for the coming growing season.

The first step is assessment of not only the shrubs and trees, but of your outdoor living spaces. Winter can be especially hard on patios, decks, walkways, and driveways. Aside from adding new stones where walls have come undone or pebbles to garden paths, your plantings are depending on your care and attention to give them the best possible restart.

Perennial Beds

Begin by removing any dead leaves and stalks from perennials and ornamental grasses. Scissors are a great tool for this.

Lawns

A good deep raking will not only remove whatever leaves accumulated after your fall raking, but will help control the thatch build up that will smother new lawn growth. Wait until the ground is dry but the grass is still brown. Removing thatch will promote air flow, prevent mold and other disease, and will help new grass germinate.

Trees

Early spring is a great time to install new trees. Planting a larger tree means you don’t have to wait a decade for shade or for the tree to grow into the landscape.

Shrubs

Cut off any broken or dead branches caused by winter’s snow and ice. It’s also time to prune any shrub that is not a spring bloomer. Prune summer flowering shrubs in early spring before any new spring growth begins.

Should you have questions on what to trim, plant, feed, or fertilize, don’t hesitate to give us a call. We’re always happy to help. And stop by to take a walk around the nursery for inspiration.

 

February’s Landscaping Replacement: Landscape Art

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The weather is frighteningly frigid and getting back to working the greenery in our yards feels such a long way away. While fewer of us are venturing out of our homes, much less getting to dig in the earth, there’s still a way of maintaining the peace that nature offers us – landscape art.

In addition to the curb appeal of having a beautiful blooming shrub in our front yard or a giant oak or maple in our backyard is that “Human beings are naturally drawn to vastness in scenery,” explains David Chang, Chair of the Department of Art and Art History at Florida International University. He is right. There are very few people who can look upon any one of Monet’s garden series without feeling the beauty of nature he captured.

Our advice to beat the February – no gardening for me blues – is to look at art for arts sake of for your spring gardening inspiration.

Here are a few landscape artists worth looking up:

 

Claude Monet
French painter and founder of abstract expressionism, Claude Monet is known for his paintings of water lilies and his own garden. He loved to paint the same scene many times, looking to capture the changing light and seasons.

Garden in Giverny

Monet: The Artist’s Garden in Giverny (1900) by Claude Monet. Original from the Yale University Art Gallery. Digitally enhanced by rawpixel;

Thomas Cole

As a member of the Hudson River School, Thomas Cole created romantic portrayals of the vastness of nature, creating a sense of awe in its beauty.

Cole Thomas The Course of Empire The Arcadian or Pastoral State 1836

The Course of Empire The Arcadian or Pastoral State 1836 Thomas Cole (WikiCommons)

Camille Pissarro
Another French Impressionist, Pissarro was devoted to capturing a moment in nature instead of simply depicting it. Unlike many landscape artists, Pissarro’s work often included local peasants working within the landscape.

A View of L’Hermitage, near Pontoise 1874 by Camille Pissasro

Camille PissaroA View of L’Hermitage, near Pontoise 1874 (WikiCommons)

Georgia O’Keefe

Georgia O’Keefe was one of the most important artists of the 20th She’s best known for her paintings of large flowers and the New Mexico landscape that became her home after she left new York City.

Mesa Painting by Georgie O'Keeffe

Black Mesa Landscape, New Mexico / Out Back of Marie’s II, 1930
Oil on canvas, 24 1/4 x 36 1/4 inches
Georgia O’Keeffe Museum
Gift of The Burnett Foundation
1997.6.15
Artist: Georgia O’Keeffe

Anselm Adams
Photographer Anselm Adams was a visionary in his patient approach to preserving the country’s beauty. Drawn to the beauty of nature’s monuments, he was a devoted environmentalist who establish photography as art in the early part of the 20th

Ansel Adams

By Ansel Adams – This media is available in the holdings of the National Archives and Records Administration, cataloged under the National Archives Identifier (NAID) 519986., Public Domain, WikiMedia)

photographer Ansel Adams has been a visionary in his efforts to preserve this country’s wild and scenic areas, both on film and on Earth. Drawn to the beauty of nature’s monuments, he is regarded by environmentalists as a monument himself, and by photographers as a national institution. It is through his foresight and fortitude that so much of America has been saved for future Americans.”

 

Winter: The Best Time to Plan your Landscape

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We know it’s cold outside. The ground is frozen and our trees and shrubs have entered a dormant period. While we hibernate in the warmth of our homes is the best time to plan for the landscape we want to create and enjoy in the coming warmth of spring.

Think of your yard as the biggest room of your house, albeit an outdoor room. And, it’s a room that is on public display too. So take a seat by the fireplace and get your creative juices flowing:

Practical Considerations

  • Does your yard have good drainage?
  • Is there a slope that makes part of your yard unusable?
  • Do you have the privacy you want?
  • Are patios and walkways in need of upgrade?
  • Do you have adequate night lighting?

By asking yourself these types of important questions, you can establish important projects that require your attention.

Wish List

Taking care of the most dire practical considerations makes way for the fun part. Invite your family to participate. Would your kids spend more time at home playing in the yard if that fixed slope gave them the space to play? Would an enlarged deck or patio make family BBQs more enjoyable?

The choices of what to plant and where to plant are both aesthetic and practical choices. If you are a gardener, a walk around your property can inform you of where you’d like a privacy hedge or what shade tree would really add to your curb appeal.

If you’re not a gardener, use catalogs, Pinterest, and our website and Instagram account for inspiration. Then give us a call in March to let us help you make that big outside room one you and your family will love to spend the summer in.