Archive for Xeriscape
Fall into These Horticulture Habits for Winter
Shuttering your garden for the fall is easier than you might think. You probably already know to clean up any debris and uproot weeds that love nothing more than to spread, but there are a few more horticulture steps that can really put you on the right path for a renewal in spring and bounteous summer harvest.
Get Your Garden Cleaned Up
It might be tempting to dust off your knees, climb out of your garden, and let nature take its chilly winter course. The thing to realize is that while that might be easier now, you could be setting yourself up for more work later. Prepping your soil – and perhaps planting a cover crop – and replenishing your mulch can make life so much easier in early spring next year.
You want to remove any weeds you find or decayed plants before your ground gets too cold. A professional landscaping company can help you remove weeds, prune perennials, and even turn your fall leaves into mulch and compost that nourishes your soil year round.
If you’re really strapped for time, though, and you don’t want weeds to grow then put plastic or cardboard over existing weeds and leave that cover on through the winter to keep weeds from spreading. Or call on DK Landscaping and get landscaping experts to clean up your garden in time for winter.
Making a light pass of your garden with a tiller can also clear your garden of insects that plan on overwintering (spending the winter) in your soil. Insects like grubs and beetles want to hunker down and spend the winter in your soil, but these same insects can ruin your plants and screw up your soil!
A Horticulture Essential: Prepping Your Soil for Winter
The plants in your garden are actually more complex than they might look at first glance. When your garden’s soil doesn’t have the nutrients that your plants need to grow to their full potential, they emit stress hormones that can make it easier for nearby insects or diseases to take hold of your garden. That’s obviously not what you want.
Late fall might actually be the best time of the year to call on a company like DK Landscaping to test your soil to make sure that it contains the right kind of nutrients to promote plant growth. DK’s horticulture experts will look to see how much organic matter is in your soil, gauge the level of mineral nutrients in your soil that your plant roots can absorb, and measure levels of potassium and phosphorous.
(Nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium are your soil’s three main macronutrients. Potassium helps for water retention in your garden and nitrogen and phosphorous ensure that you get early growth and healthy roots.)
That might sound really complicated, but a simple test can tell you a whole lot. Something as simple as adding lime to your soil can help bring your soil’s pH into balance too. Adding lime is also really good to do in late fall because it takes a while for the soil to absorb it. Time is your friend in the winter months when your garden is basically laying fallow.
Leaves are Solid Gold for Your Garden
Once you’ve tested your soil, you’re going to want to apply some kind of mulch (goes on top of soil) or compost (goes into soil). Chopped-up leaves sprinkled over your garden will enrich your soil, improve water retention, and stop weeds dead in their tracks.
DK Landscaping can handle more complex horticulture and help you with regular garden maintenance, irrigation, and general landscaping in fall and throughout the year.
Fertilizer & Xeriscape: Tips To Help Your Landscape Thrive
One of the bonuses of a water-saving (xeriscape) landscape is that it needs less fertilizer than its water-thirsty counterparts. However, soil health is essential to the healthy lifecycle of your garden’s flower plants, shrubs, and trees. When soil becomes depleted, plants begin to starve, so regular fertilizer applications prevent soil depletion altogether.
A depleted plant has a higher risk of succumbing to disease and is less able to combat common pests. By using suitable fertilizer, at the correct times, home and business owners ensure their living landscapes have what they need to thrive.
Xeriscape Fertilizing: Information & Tips
The more you learn about soil, plant needs, and the ins and outs of fertilizers, the better equipped you are to nourish your landscape as needed.
1. Fertilizing needs depend on soil quality
Plants, shrubs, and trees depend on about 16 mineral elements for their “nutrition.” They get most of the oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, and hydrogen they need from the air and water. However, plants depend on soil to deliver the rest. The most necessary of these elements are:
- Nitrogen
- Phosphorus (P)
- Potassium (K)
If you worked with a xeriscape landscape designer, you might remember they focused on soil analysis. Part of this analysis was to learn more about the mineral element balance in the existing soil. From these results, they used amendments to create a richer soil biome. Over time, plants consume essential minerals leaving soil depleted without additional fertilizer boosts.
If it’s been a while since your soil was tested, or you aren’t sure where to start, it’s worth having your soil tested in different landscape areas. First, mark them well, so you know where they came from, and then have them tested at a local nursery or through a landscape professional that offers soil testing. This is the best way to learn precisely what your soil needs, after which you can select customized fertilizer treatments and amendments.
2. Select eco-friendly fertilizers
Xeriscapes inherently support their environments. They’re designed to honor the water available on-site and from the average area rainfall, with minimal input through irrigation. And because we use native plant species, waterwise landscaping is also designed to attract pollinators and other wildlife, creating an eco-friendly habitat. Therefore, the fertilizers you select can make or break the entire plan.
Always select organic or eco-friendly fertilizers that use minimal to no chemicals or synthetic ingredients. This minimizes the risk of nutrient runoff into rivers, lakes, and streams or toxic poisoning of crucial insects, pollinators, and soil microbes.
3. Understanding the numbers
Remember we said the three essential mineral elements for plants and trees are nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium? When you purchase fertilizer for your landscape, the container will have numbers representing each product’s ratio of Nitrogen: Phosphorous: Potassium. Some of these ratios are set for “general” fertilizer, while others are specific to flowering and fruiting plants, leafing plants, particular types of grass, etc.
You’ll also notice that some of the most commercially-known fertilizers have very high ratios (like 11:7:7 or 15:9:12). In contrast, organic or eco-friendly fertilizers have lower numbers (more like 6:3:2 or 3:2:3). That’s because most commercial fertilizers are artificially loaded with powerful chemicals to achieve immediate results. Organic/eco-friendly brands use animal and plant residues.
The less powerful, but better for the environment, alternatives are fine for a well-maintained xeriscape. With Xeriscape, less is more in every way. That includes less water and less need for fertilizers. The continuity of proper, organic fertilizer application yields consistent, long-term results with virtually zero harmful effects on beneficial organisms.
4. Fertilizer timing is important
In almost all cases, we recommend fertilizing plants, trees, and shrubs twice yearly: once in fall and once in spring. This achieves a balance where wintering roots have access to nutrients as they gear up for their re-emergence in spring. Then, once dormant winter plants come back to life, a spring dose of fertilizer gives them the extra nutrients they need to produce lush foliage and flowers through the summer.
Bring your plant list or xeriscape design map to a local nursery, and they’ll help you select specific fertilizers as necessary. However, you can also purchase a general, all-purpose organic fertilizer and apply it as directed if you prefer to keep things simple. If you contract with a local landscape maintenance company, speak to them about fertilizing. If they automatically fertilize as part of their services, you don’t want to apply extra as more is not better, and you can harm plants if they’re over-fertilized.
5. Don’t forget the power of mulch as fertilizer
In a Science Direct post about fertilizer, researchers state, “Organic fertilizers contain plant- or animal-based materials that are either a byproduct or end product of naturally occurring processes, such as animal manure and composted organic materials.” That is a good reminder that while commercial fertilizers are purchased from a nursery, fertilizer is always made when organic matter decomposes.
That includes organic mulch that decomposes and acts as fertilizer for your plants in addition to minimizing moisture loss and weed growth. Decomposing mulch materials like shredded hardwood bark, straw, coarse compost, or shredded native tree cuttings are fantastic year-round landscape enhancements. They both protect and nourish the landscape while also benefitting solid microbes. Applying and maintaining healthy layers of mulch further minimize fertilizer needs.
Connect With Xeriscape Maintenance Pros & Learn About Fertilizer
Not exactly sure what to use or how to fertilize your xeriscape? Contact us, and we’ll schedule a visit. We love educating clients on the best xeriscape maintenance practices and can help you select and apply fertilizers to help your landscape thrive.
The Principles of Xeriscaping on Your Property
Living in a hot and dry area or one that does not have much rainfall does not mean that you cannot have the exceptional landscapes typical in places with a lot of rain. Furthermore, you need not waste the average 90 gallons of water watering the plants for a thriving lawn or landscape. There is one option for having a flourishing lawn in an eco-friendly manner, even in dry regions. The solution lies in xeriscaping.
Xeriscaping denotes a landscaping design method based on water conservation. Though often meant for property owners in semi-arid and arid places, the design can also be used in areas with a lot of rain to conserve water. The concept in xeriscaping is conserving water through the correct landscaping principles.
Below are the guiding principles of xeriscaping.
Limited Turf Area and Use a Suitable Grass Variety
Grass is beneficial in landscaping because it controls erosion and water infiltration into the soil. However, a large turf section is one of the biggest causes of wasted water for landscaping. You should try to have grass only in the sections where kids and pets will need it or, in commercial spaces, only in regions that can accommodate many people.
It is best to limit the grass in your landscape to the flat and shaded areas of your property. This minimizes the risk of runoff and evaporation. You should also pick the grass varieties that have deeper roots, since they retain moisture better than those with shallow roots. Some of the best varieties for xeriscaping include Blue Grama, California Oatgrass, Blue Fescue, Bermuda, Buffalo, and St. Augustine.
Improved Soils
Consider using organic soil enhancements like manure, wood chips, peat moss, or grass clippings to improve your landscaping soil. These will support the growth of plants with broad root systems, allow natural aeration, and increase the soil’s water retention capacity.
There are also commercial inorganic soil amendments, but these are more expensive than their organic counterparts. However, they will still benefit your lawn if you, for whichever reason, cannot get organic enhancements. Before any soil improvements, the soil is tested to know its elements that need increasing and the best options for it.
Addition of a Water-retaining Mulch
Mulch will form a protective layer between the air and your plants’ roots, thus encouraging water retention. The best options for this are pine needles and shredded hardwood. Water retention not only improves plant health but will also minimize the evaporation rate and thus reduce the frequency of watering plants. In hot, dry climatic regions, steer clear of rocks and mulch types that radiate or retain heat. These only burn your plants.
Inclusion of a Rain Garden in Runoff Sections
Rain gardens are ideal options for cleaning and capturing groundwater in the low-lying sections of your property. Though dry in most instances, they will hold a generous amount of water after it rains. You can include perennials, flowers, and native shrubs around the rain garden to create a beautiful landscape bed. You can also settle for cisterns, porous paving, and rain barrels to capture runoff that can be recycled to water your landscape.
The Use of Drought-resistant and Native Plants
Drought-resistant and native plant species will often consume less water than exotic species. You can find a broad range of drought-resistant landscaping plants at your local nursery to match your envisioned design. To ensure you get the suitable plant varieties, research the distribution and amount of rainfall in your area beforehand.
Pick plants based on their expected sizes when mature rather than the size in which you buy them. Moreover, pick a few trees to maximize the shade in your landscape for the plants. This shade reduces evaporation, and the trees will act as windbreakers that protect your fragile plants.
An Effective Irrigation Method
Soaker hoses or drip irrigation is the ideal irrigation option in xeriscaping. This comprises a network of pipes with tiny holes that deliver water to the plants’ roots to minimize evaporation and water wastage. Overhead irrigation or using a watering cane leads to less water delivered to your plant roots and wastes a lot of water.
Furthermore, consider watering your plants in the morning because the water will evaporate slowly in cool conditions at this time. Watering plants in the morning also allows them to dry as the day progresses. This reduces the risk of your plants contracting fungal diseases that usually affect humid or constantly wet plants.
If you want to start conserving water in your landscaping design, do not assume that this is as easy as sticking to the xeriscaping principles above. There are different elements like making the right choice of mulch in relation to your soil, climate, and plants. To save time and guarantee the best results, hire skilled landscapers from DKlandscaping to handle your xeriscaping.
3 Simple Flower Bed Ideas to Reduce Maintenance Costs
Adding a flower bed to your front or back yard is a smart and quick way to add color and liven things up. However, flower beds require a lot of maintenance and upkeep after the garden is installed. Here are a few tips to add some personality to your lawn and reduce the maintenance costs.
- Design the Perfect Shape for your Flower Bed
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Once you’ve decided on where to plant your new flower bed, the next step is to figure out what shape you’d like to have. There are tons of forms you can choose from. However, a bed with sharp angles can be challenging to cut and maintain because it’ll be hard to cut with a lawnmower. Granted, you can tackle those angles with a weed whacker, but that will be additional work on your end. Avoid extra work by designing and constructing flower bed ideas that have gradual and smooth curves.
- Install Weed Prevention Measures
The most common weed prevention method is landscape fabric. The fabric restricts weeds from growing through. However, weed roots can grow down through the material if the weed seeds germinate above the landscape fabric layer. Adding an extra layer of mulch will provide a strong defense against weeds and keep your flower beds healthy. A practical flower bed idea is laying down the fabric before planting and making X pattern slits where you want to plant your flowers. This simple method will keep the weeds at bay.
- Select the Overall Theme
There are two types of flower bed ideas, namely:
Formal flower beds – Here, the flowers are usually limited to a few different types. These beds typically have more geometric shapes and straight lines. They often include shrubs and yews that are planted in straight lines to form a border and create designs.
Informal flower beds – Here, you’ll find many different sizes, textures, and colors of flowers. These flower beds have some structure to the design, but the lines and borders are not as defined. The plants and flowers are left to grow as they wish with a little pruning here and there to promote new growth and maintain their size.
Flower beds are mostly used as beautiful masterpieces on the lawns of many homes. However, maintaining a flower bed can be time consuming and exhausting. Contact lawn and bed experts to receive a comprehensive range of lawn care and landscaping needs tailor-made for your flower bed ideas.
Xeriscape Landscaping Ideas
Xeriscape landscape design is a garden-style that is not only environmentally friendly but also attractive. Yards that can handle xeriscape landscaping ideas feature all types of plants and garden styles. Xeriscape principles make the most of natural-occurring water.
Top Xeriscape Design Ideas
There are a few reasons homeowners develop an interest in xeriscape designs. The most common include:
- It saves money on water
- It is more eco-friendly
- It requires little maintenance
These perspectives have an impact on the decisions made during the design process. For instance, if you are approaching xeriscaping from an environment-conscious angle, you want to select native plants. For a rental home, choose low-water plants. Here are things to consider in your xeriscape landscaping ideas.
Watch Out for Problem Areas
Survey your landscape and take note of areas that appear to be problematic in terms of difficulty to water and maintain. Pay attention, especially to steep slopes, narrow strips, and corners of your lawn, drought-prone, and rocky areas. For the stubborn areas, drip irrigation may be your best choice because it applies water slowly over more extended periods to minimize the possibility of a runoff.
Choose the Right Plants
A good design for xeriscape accommodates both drought-tolerant and native plants. These should be planted according to their watering needs. Grouping plants allows you to water what needs to be watered. Soaker hoses are an ideal watering choice because they allow water to soak into the ground instead of running off.
Transform your Landscape
Begin by improving the soil. Clay soil binds together after it rains because it has small particles. This enables the soil to form a tight bond to prevent moisture from absorbing into the ground. Ensure that your soil is rich in organic matter that acts as a sponge to hold water and release moisture.
The other idea would be to use mulch. A thick layer of mulch helps in maintaining a consistent amount of soil moisture. Pine needles, grass clippings, compost, and leaves, are some of the organic mulches to use. These minimize evaporation. Some gardeners also prefer stone and gravel, but these do not decompose and can make it challenging to move plants around.
Many xeriscape landscaping ideas can be embraced without limiting you to specific types of plants. These types of gardens can be designed in many styles. You only need to select the style that suits your landscape. If you choose the right plants and exercise xeriscape principles, you will achieve a thriving and head-turning garden. We specialize in maintenance, repair, irrigation, and water-saving landscape designs. If you are looking for a professional landscaping company, please contact us today.
Xeriscaping in Santa Rosa
Xeriscaping is a form of landscaping that involves the judicious use of water and plants that adapt to changes in climate. This kind of landscaping needs meticulous monitoring because the weather may not be favorable for most plants. Xeriscaping is almost incomplete without exploring the best plants that can withstand harsh weather and little water supply.
There are seven ideologies of xeriscaping that gardeners and lawn experts have to key into before working on the project.
1) The planning and design which includes mapping out how the lawn will look.
2) Ideally designed irrigation system
3) Mulching
4) Preparation of the soil
5) Substitute for Turfs
6) The exploitation of water-saving foliage
7) Ideal garden maintenance
In Santa Rosa, landscaping companies have explored and discovered that several indigenous plants can be suitable for xeriscaping. Indigenous plants make the garden more appealing to the eyes and also creates a natural home for insects, birds, and other magnificent creatures. Santa Rosa water agency supplies water to the locals from a well-filtered river flowing from Russia. However, the supply capacity may not be adequate as the water agency delivers to over 53 thousand residents. Last year, state law enforced a constraint on the usage of water for commercial and household purposes. These encumbrances prompted the grave need for water conservation.
Xeriscaping is an ideal way of boycotting the search for water before lawn beautification. Some xeriscape-friendly plants naturally save water in their stems. A suitable sample is cactus plants. This plant can endure adverse weather for many years without water because it opens its stomata at night, unlike other plants. It utilizes the stomata to ingest carbon dioxide into its system in a bid to generate food the next day. It is known as transpiration. Cacti have spines on their body; hence, xeriscapers may have a second thought about whether to plant it or not. However, there are analogous families of plants in Santa Rosa that habituate to dry conditions such as Deer grass, Coast Rosemary, Bear’s Breech, Wisteria, etc.
Another benefit of this gardening culture is that you do not need to waste your hard-earned money on pest control systems or tools. You can also disregard the need for fertilizers because drought-resistant plants do not need it.
You will have to pay between $0.6 to $3 per square foot before you can give an exquisite touch to your garden. It solely depends on your projection and the technicality of the setup.
Villa and condo owners can reach out to us for more information on how to add value to properties by xeriscaping. We will work to ensure all needs are met and that projects are completed successfully.
Three Irrigation System Maintenance Tips To Grow Green Grass
It is always amazing to see your landscape thrive with green grass. However, the work that goes into ensuring that your landscape remains as healthy as you want it to be should never be ignored. Among the easily forgotten parts of landscaping is the maintenance of irrigation systems. Without enough care, a damaged irrigation system can result in your lawn getting excessively irrigated or failing to get enough water.
Here is how to maintain your irrigation system:
Perform Regular Checkups
You should inspect your irrigation system a couple of times each season. Ideally, the first check should be at the start of the season, with the next one somewhere in the middle. If possible, try checking the system each month. You should confirm that the controller is plugged in and functional, correct the date and time, ensure that the wires and connectors are still connected, and replace the backup batteries. Also, it might be ideal to turn on each individual green grass zone, checking for damage and leaks.
Flush The System Regularly
If left unattended, your irrigation system can become clogged. Clogging can arise from the accumulation of debris, as well as the use of contaminated water and regular wear and tear. Before the start of any season, flush your irrigation system to get rid of this accumulated debris.
This will allow water to flow smoothly through the pipes as well as the nozzles. Aside from flushing, take measures that increase the efficiency of the system’s filtration, install screens on every sprinkler head, and replace any clogged nozzles.
Take Care Of The Sprinkler Heads
Assuming that your irrigation system’s sprinkler heads are in splendid shape can be a mistake. Sprinkler heads go through wear and tear throughout their lifetime, which increases their chances of the sinking or the breaking of the heads.
Some of the key reasons behind wear and tear include damage from lawnmowers, improper installation, shifting of the soil, and regular wear and tear. For you to maintain them optimally, you should replace the missing or damaged heads before proceeding to water your lawn. It is better to install your irrigation system on swing pipes as there is a reduced chance of damage since they ‘float’ within the soil.
A damaged irrigation system might be the reason behind your grass having brown spots, or failing to grow healthily from being overwatered. Other than ensuring that you can enjoy green grass, maintaining your irrigation system also helps preserve water. For a better experience watering your lawn, consider purchasing smart irrigation systems. Contact us for more information.
A Xeriscape Guide to Cold-Winter Gardening
Xeric plants thrive on any climate and can flourish on extreme temperatures, extra water, dry conditions, low light, or lots of light. Xeriscaping is one of the best ways of planning an economically and ecologically sound garden. Xeriscape winter gardening can be rock-filled, lush, and can also feature different types of fauna.
The Winter Gardening Challenges
Winter temperatures can cause stress to plants. During winter, there are less angled rays and diminished sun exposure. Rainfall is also limited, meaning that regular irrigation may be needed. The soil type, wind exposure, and the slope must be considered before selecting winter gardening plants. Winter is open to elements such as extreme cold and dryness.
The temperatures may also get to the freezing level. Tender plants need to be located to sheltered locations to keep them from the winds and dryness. Be careful to watch out on slopes. These are of particular concern given that they face moisture runs and winds, which could then create dry conditions. The arrival of winter does not mean that your xeriscape garden cannot thrive.
Go Native
Native plants are adapted to the local weather conditions and soil. They do not require much water and can survive in harsh conditions. These plants support bees, birds, and other wildlife by offering shelter and food. Native flora also protects your yard from wildfires.
Hydrozone
Select water-wise plants during winter, and group them wisely. The same way you would cater to beds based on the plants’ particular needs for sunlight should be the same logic used for water usage.
Plants that need lots of water need to be grouped together. The same applies to native perennials. When selecting your plants, look for those that can keep moisture trapped inside for longer. These are plants with thick leaves and fine hairs.
Maintain Proper Drainage
Xeric plants thrive most in rocky environments, meaning they don’t tolerate too much rain. These plants should be planted in soils with organic matter and little clay. They should also be planted on raised mounds for better water drainage. Instead of raking leaves, use them to mulch the ground. This is an organic layer that encourages nutrients to penetrate the ground leading to a lusher yard.
Xeriscaping is an excellent winter gardening that eliminates the need for supplemental water. It varies from natural landscaping due to the emphasis on the selection of plants that conserve water. For all your xeriscape landscape maintenance needs, call us today or contact us online.
Strategies for Getting Your Lawn Ready for Cooler Weather Ahead
Although the month of August is in what people call the dog days of summer, you have to realize that the first frost is right around the corner. The season’s first frost might well come at the end of August or early September.
When the first frost of the season hits, most of your annual plants will wilt and perennials will be sent into their dormant phase for the hardier winter months ahead.
While these effects can’t be avoided, there are a lot of steps that you can take to fortify your lawn for winter.
Keep Up Irrigation
Your lawn has a kind of wisdom all its own. In the fall, the grass will stop putting so much energy into growing new blades and put those resources into creating a resilient root system to survive the coolet months ahead.
The thing to realize is that you have the chance to significantly strengthen your grass’s root system by watering your lawn right now. Xeriscape is a landscaping and irrigation company that can give your yard the nourishment that it needs.
Your lawn will naturally grow less bounteously in the late summer and early fall. That said, your lawn will still benefit from giving it the three main ingredients that it needs to grow – nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous. Xeriscape can help here as well.
Repair and Weed
There’s an expression that when you fail to prepare you actually prepare to fail. That might sound harsh but what’s undoubtedly true is that homeowners who have an eye towards the future usually have the best yards.
Think of late summer and early fall as your opportunity to create a lush landscape for spring next year. Xeriscape can help you fill in bald patches, or you could look into a grass repair kit that includes seed, fertilizer, and mulch.
After you’ve done the real heavy lifting by repairing bald spots, you might want to look into uprooting weeds so that everything can grow to its full potential.
The thing to bear in mind is that weeds can fortify themselves and regrow with renewed vigor in early spring next year if they’re not dealt with soon.
Rake Up Leaves
A lot of people are loathe to rake up their leaves because they have such a beautiful appearance in your yard.
That’s true – a defoliating maple tree, for instance, can be breathtaking….and, at the same time, be ruining your yard and actually jeopardizing your health!
Lawns have to breathe in the sense that leaves that are allowed to linger on your lawn will prevent sunlight and air from getting to your lawn, which will cause your grass to be less healthy than it otherwise would be had you raked right away.
Leaves also decompose very slowly so that, if you don’t rake leaves in the fall, you’ll have a layer of basically intact leaves over your yard all winter. Snow mold and brown patch are both serious possibilities if leaves are allowed to linger all winter.
Fungal infections and health problems could also crop up if you don’t rake away leaves. Xeriscape can help with all kinds of landscaping, including getting leaves off the property. Leaves that get matted now could prevent fresh grass from growing in the spring.
Use Leaves to Compost
All of those leaves that you’ll eventually rake up can be put towards composting in the spring. You might want to consider putting fallen leaves in a compost bin and allowing decomposition throughout the winter. Turn the compost over regularly to have consistent temperatures, or simply rely on Xeriscape for your lawn care needs! Contact us for more information.
How and When to use Fertilizer in Your Lawn and Garden
Time for our annual reminder that fall is one of the best times to apply fertilizer to your lawn. Why? Because a proper application of fertilizer before the first frost will help it survive a harsh winter. Certain plants such as pansies, Iceland poppies, and calendula, usually need to be fertilized now, too, because most soil doesn’t provide the essential nutrients they need for optimum growth.
Guide to Healthy Lawns
Sonoma County is home to more than a dozen grass species. These cool-season grasses actively grow in the spring and fall. That’s why it’s important to fertilizer during those times of years. Experts recommend that at least one fertilizer treatment be a “complete” one that includes all three primary nutrients a healthy lawn needs: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Otherwise, most established lawns need only a nitrogen rich treatment on a regular basis.
Some signs that your lawn needs fertilization include:
- Discoloration
- Slow growth
- Weed or other pest invasion
The key to a health lawn is making sure just the right amount of fertilizer is applied over the course of a year. Too little and you have the problems listed above; too much and root growth slows down, leaving your lawn vulnerable to problems like insect infestation.
Fertilizer as Part of Regular Landscape Maintenance
A lush, green lawn depends on more than watering and mowing. It’s the result of regular, strategic maintenance throughout the year. DK Landscaping’s innovative lawn maintenance plan helps your yard stand out in the neighborhood.
From streetscapes and business complexes to condos and single-family homes, DK Landscaping delivers consistent, reliable landscape maintenance services to local properties. Any business or homeowner who wants to protect their investment should consider using a service like ours that gets a landscape on a regular maintenance schedule.
Helping our commercial and residential customers enhance their landscape is a vital part of what we do. We know the best time to fertilize, what spot treatments are needed, and when it’s the best time to uproot weeds, aerate, mow, and mulch. We want to help you get and keep a healthy and beautiful lawn!
As professional landscapers we also provide monthly irrigation inspections to help you manage your water use and save money while doing it. Other maintenance services include:
- pH test to check for proper nourishment
- Tree care including trimming, planting, moving, disease control, and removal
- Seasonal color plantings
- Garden bed care including pruning, weeding, fertilizing, and mulching
Learn More
Want to learn more about keeping your lawn in prime condition through the use of fertilizer? Contact us today. We look forward to discussing with you all the benefits of getting on a regular landscape maintenance schedule!
