A winter garden can provide food and shelter for birds and other wildlife in the cold months. A good-looking, inviting winter yard could include Cypress trees, Maiden Grass, and Boxwoods. All varieties offer a lovely shot of green or burgundy in the dreary winter months. Winterberry offers a vibrant red proving you can have a beautiful and colorful yard in winter too!
Fall Landscaping Tips
Summer waves farewell with a last, few warm days as it fades to memory, and now we greet autumn as it arrives. Here are some fall landscaping tips for your home from the experts at Integrity Landscaping:
- Shrub & Tree Planting – Fall is the perfect time to plant and encourage good root development. Fall planting helps the plants establish themselves before spring.
- Trim those yew bushes. Now is the perfect time to shape and trim those yew bushes that grew wild during July and August.
- Lawn Problems? Now is a right time to sod or spot-seed barren or damaged areas.
- Lawn maintenance is vital in September. It is the correct time for aeration and fertilization.
- Grub problems? Fall is the right time to take control of the situation long term.
- Weed until a freeze. Failing to continue weeding will cause your weeds to spread and could make next season even worse.
- No pruning for spring shrubs. Azaleas, Rhododendrons, and other flowering, spring shrubs have already set their buds for the following year; pruning them now will sacrifice next year’s spring flowers.
- If you want to add a lovely autumn look to your exterior, plant your hardy mums now.
Remember, Integrity Landscape stands ready to transform you home to a wonderful, year-round paradise. We can then even maintain your look seasonally, if you wish. Call today for a free consultation.
August Landscaping Tips
Amazing that a couple of drier weeks and your lawn, garden, and landscaped areas are sere. Water and weed your garden and lawn in August. Pull weeds immediately after a good, soaking rain. Did you notice the new weeds sprouting up the past week or so? Some varieties wait until August to return. There will be weeds after the rain.
Three Tips:
- Water thoroughly and deeply when you water.
- Water in the morning or early afternoon to allow the soil to warm up before evening.
- Improve the look and health of your garden by removing spent flowers and any dry, crinkly leaves from your perennials and annuals.
By removing spent flowers, the plants will not go into the seed-producing stage and may flower longer. Removing bad foliage can stop the spread of fungus and insects.
Spring-blooming perennials can be divided and transplanted this month and next. Keep fertilizing the annuals in your pots and hanging baskets. Frequent watering leaches the nutrients from the soil, so keep an eye out for insects or disease damage and control if necessary.
For a more formal, manicured look, summer-blooming shrubs can be given a light shearing after they finish flowering. Cut out dead, broken, and rubbing branches from your shrubs and small trees whenever you have your pruners out.
This is the month to improve your lawn. Never spray weed killer on a drought-stressed lawn. It only takes a couple dry weeks for your lawn to become stressed. It is best to kill weeds before they go to seed and become a problem for years to come. Later this month you can fertilize the lawn again and over-seed the thin spots. Do not fertilize a lawn that is drought-stressed or when temperatures exceed 90-degrees. Luckily, our mild summer temperatures make it ideal to fertilize this year. If you over-seed an area, make sure to consider the amount of sunlight, traffic, and salt the area will be exposed to. Choose the seed blend best suited to your conditions. Continue watering: grass needs 1″ of water every week. If the temperature stays warm keep your mower set at 3″ or higher.
Change the water in your bird bath regularly and keep it filled. Stagnant water may become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Remember mosquitoes, they could make a comeback after the recent rains. The best defense against flying insects on the deck and patio, is a strategically placed fan. For your ponds or water features, make sure they always have adequate water levels. They lose more moisture to evaporation and splashing than you might believe.
Enjoy the rest of the summer; spend some time enjoying your garden!
Time for Summer Flowers
What is more beautiful than your lovely landscaped home with all the flowers, shrubs, and trees in glorious bloom? This is the season to enjoy the fruits of those labors; the creative team at Integrity can custom design a remarkable visual awakening of your property so next summer produces a yard design that’s the envy of the neighborhood.
Integrity Landscape stands ready to work with you to dramatically improve your outdoor look and feel. Call today for a free consultation.
Summer Heat Invites a Space to Chill
Summer heat has arrived. This warm weather makes the perfect time to enjoy your patio and spend pleasurable days and nights with family and friends. Thousands of your neighbors in Southeastern Wisconsin have turned to Integrity Landscape to transform an average yard into a magical sanctuary. Here are a few of their thoughts on the upgrade:
“Happy with the new deck/patio and lights. Our party was a good time and it was great that Integrity completed the job before the party. New patio by the lake looks good and numerous kids have been playing on the beach.” — Ron S., Muskego, WI
“My goal was to turn my small back yard into a beautifully landscaped sanctuary that I can also share with my family and friends. I now have exactly that. I love it! Everyone who has seen it loves it! My experience with Integrity from start to finish is one of the best I have ever had with a contractor. I would highly recommend them to others and would use them again.” — Randy H., Milwaukee, WI
