Monthly Archives: April 2021

Dead or Dormant: What’s the Difference?

Uncategorized 0 Comments

Dormancy is a way for your landscape to stay thriving during cold weather conditions, although it may not appear like it on the surface. 

What is Dormancy?

All living things have some form of circadian rhythm or biological clock.  Plants prepare to undergo dormancy with the means of protecting their soft tissues from freezing temperatures, dry weather, or water and nutrient shortages. Instead of exerting their energy in an attempt to grow under harsh conditions, they rest until more favorable temperatures arise (i.e., Spring). This period of arrested growth allows roots to continue developing. 

When is it Time for Dormancy? 

Plants are primarily affected by temperature and sunlight. Prolonged periods of darkness and chilly temperatures signal your plants that it is time to become dormant. 

If plants were to bypass the dormancy phase in the winter, the water stored in stems, leaves, and trunks would freeze, thus causing harm to the plant. This damage can be seen on trees when an early freeze comes before they have time to prepare. The bark is prone to disfigurement because the water in the outer layers freezes and expands, thus damaging the tree’s trunk. 

Testing for Dormancy 

Fortunately, there are a couple of ways to determine whether your plant is dormant or simply dead. Trees and shrubs are subject to the snap-scratch test. Try snapping the branch of a tree or shrub. If it snaps easily and looks grey and brown throughout the inside, then the plant is dead. But if the branch is flexible, does not snap easily, or exhibits fleshy green or white insides, then the plant is still alive. 

If the branch doesn’t break at all, then you can scratch a small part of its bark with a pocket knife or fingernail to look for that fleshy green and/or white inside. 

Some Perennials and shrubs may need a more extensive examination to determine their status. The best way to check these plants is to dig them up and examine the roots. If plant roots are fleshy and healthy-looking, then replant and allow it some time to come out of dormancy. If the roots are dry and brittle, then discard the plant as it is dead.

If you still aren’t sure whether your plants are dormant or dead, give us a call, and we would be more than happy to take a look for you!

images

When and How Do You Aerate Your Lawn?

Uncategorized 0 Comments

Just like you, your lawn and your soil need to breathe. But sometimes, a little assistance is required on your part. How is that done exactly? And when is this done?

The Why, the When, and the How

Dealing with lawn-thatch and compacted soil is something that lawn aeration entails. Lawn thatch is the layer of organic matter that accumulates around the base of the grass plants. It is a combination of living and dead plant matter. The more and more build-up there is, the more detrimental it can be to the health of your lawn.

The Why

The basic idea behind lawn aeration is that, like you, your lawn and the soil under it need to breathe. But how do you accomplish this? 

Aeration involves perforating the soil with small holes to allow air, water, and nutrients to penetrate the grassroots. This helps the roots grow deeply and produce a stronger, more vigorous lawn.

The main reason for aerating is to alleviate soil compaction. Compacted soils have too many solid particles in a certain volume or space, preventing proper circulation of air, water, and nutrients within the soil. Excess lawn thatch or heavy organic debris buried under the grass surface can also starve the roots from these essential elements.

Aeration creates holes down into the soil to alleviate compaction so air, water, and nutrients can reach grassroots. Deprived of their basic needs by compacted soil, lawn grasses struggle in stressful situations, such as heat and low rainfall, and lose their healthy, rich color.

Deprived of their basic needs by compacted soil, lawn grasses struggle in stressful situations, such as heat and low rainfall, and lose their healthy, rich color. Grasses gradually thin and eventually die out completely, for lack of the oxygen, water, and nutrients available just inches away. Even a single aeration session can open the avenue for these essentials to reach their mark and put your lawn back on an upward trend.

The How

Core aeration is a subset of lawn aeration, which uses a machine (lawn aerator) with hollow tines to mechanically remove plugs or cores of soil and thatch from a lawn. As a result, it reduces soil compaction, thus creating a channel through which oxygen, water, and nutrients can flow.

Through the process, lawn aeration breaks up compacted soil, which, in turn, allows water and fertilizer to permeate deeply into the root area. Grassy areas that frequent heavy foot traffic needs lawn aeration more than areas that do not. That is because constant foot-stepping compacts the soil underneath more.

The When

It may not seem your lawn could get compacted, but it happens easier than you may think. Vehicles or small equipment is driven on lawns are more obvious offenders, but even outdoor entertaining or yard play by kids and pets can leave all or part of your lawn compacted. If you live where heavy clay soil is the norm, annual aeration is probably needed to keep your lawn from becoming thin and weak.

Dethatching and aerating are two different tasks, but they often go hand in hand. Thatch is the layer of decomposing organic matter that forms right at the lawn surface, between soil and grass. When thatch gets more than 1/2 inch thick, it works like compaction to prevent the flow of air, water, and nutrients grasses need. Aggressive spreading grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass in northern lawns and Bermudagrass down south, form more thatch than many other grass types. Aeration helps penetrate and reduce thatch buildup or prep it for removal through dethatching.

 

 

 

 

Got Bark Mulch?

Uncategorized 0 Comments

Mulch is the umbrella term for any organic material used to dress the top of your garden beds. This dressing can consist of compost mulch, bark mulch, sawdust, shredded leaves, pine needles, grass clippings, and straw hay.

What is Bark Mulch?

Bark mulch is made from tree bark. It is the waste material that comes from sawmills and furniture manufacturers that cut and shape wood products. Instead of discarding the leftover wood matter, many companies will sell it to landscaping companies and homeowners at a relatively low cost. Some bark mulch is made specifically for landscaping and can be more expensive. These are made from carefully selected wood types.

Why Bark Mulch?

Landscape professionals use mulches, but specifically, bark mulch, for the many benefits it provides: 

  • During the growing season, mulch discourages weeds from growing, conserves moisture in the soil, and aids in maintaining soil temperatures. 
  • During the winter, bark mulch protects perennials and other sensitive plant material. 
  • Bark mulch isn’t only practical, but it aesthetically enhances garden beds with texture and color to complement the plant material. 

How Long does Bark Mulch Last?

Since bark mulch is made from organic plant matter, it is biodegradable. Eventually, this mulch will break down, and a new application will be required. Bark mulch should be replaced every two to three years, depending on the condition.

It should have constant contact with the soil underneath and be watered regularly as the soil would. This will keep the bark mulch relatively healthy, allowing it to slow down the degradation. The durability of bark mulch makes it an attractive choice for property managers, building owners, or homeowners, so most don’t hesitate to pay a slightly higher up-front price for this mulch. 

Without mulch, your soil will lose moisture quickly, the roots are more susceptible to extreme temperature changes, and ground aeration will have to be done more often. If keeping your garden healthy and beautiful important to you, then you should consider investing in mulch. It will protect your soil, keep weeds at bay, and ensure your plants thrive. 

 

Stand Out with Annual Color

Uncategorized 0 Comments

Annual color planting makes a strong impression all year round. But first, let’s define what an annual is. An annual is any plant that completes its life cycle in a single growing season. Planting seasonal and annual colors displays a positive impression and keeps your property looking fresh all year round.

In the winter, imagine winding beds of Iceland poppies, scarlet and pink Snapdragons, and gold and orange Calendulas, accented with snow-white Dusty Millers. When annuals are strategically arranged as borders along walkways, in planters near sitting areas, or to frame a commercial or retail building entrance, they will not go unnoticed.

Even in this temperate California climate, annual color doesn’t last all year round. We replace plant material with selections that thrive depending on the time of year. It is also important to choose plants based on other factors, including soil type and sunlight and shade conditions that change season to season. This is done to ensure the longest lifespan possible from the annuals.

Our professionals at The Growing Company handle every detail, including designing the landscape, removing old plant material, ground preparation, fertilizing, and installing new plants and flowers. But creating a striking color scheme is not all we do.

We make expert seasonal flower recommendations. Summer/Spring calls for Begonias, Impatiens, Marigolds, Salvias, Dahlias, Alyssums, Vincas, or Dianthus. The Fall/Winter will consist of Poppies, Paludosums, Pansies, Dusty Millers, Violas, and Primulas, and Cyclamens. Our recommendations will give your outdoor areas texture, height, and variety, while at the same time doing our best to cater to your preferences.

In California, it’s feasible to maintain a landscape of vivid color throughout the year. Seasonal color provides an ever-changing, eye-catching landscape that positively impacts customers, potential tenants, and the public. If you want your property to stand out, add some color.