Landscape Contractor Serving Commercial and Residential

Free Seasonal Decorations

Apparently Christmas is upon us . . . at least that is what the Mall was telling me! It used to be that Christmas music didn't make a comeback until after Thanksgiving. Now you can expect it to start piping while the employees are removing the Halloween goods from the shelves. Crazy!

But jumping the seasonal gun aside, now is the time to take a look at what you have in the yard that can assist you in reducing your holiday expenses and bring the beauty of outside inside. A few things to keep in mind when you are collecting your natural decorations:

  • Trim judiciously and only what you need. Try to be even in your pruning. You don't want to harm your shrubs/trees nor leave them looking like frankenshrubs!
  • On the flip side, do not fear cutting them!
  • The aridity in a winter house can cause rapid deterioration of the cuttings. Try to cut them as close to the time to your events to have them at their best. Sometimes misting them can keep them from drying out.
  • Protect your surfaces: if you are setting the cuttings on a table or mantlepiece, make sure that you put something down to keep your cuttings from damaging the surface with moisture or sap.
  • Be creative! Make wreaths, centerpieces, and mantle arrangements from your generous plants

Some great things to look for:

  • boxwood
  • spruce
  • pine  (beware of sap)
  • holly
  • magnolia grandiflora
  • Harry Lauder Walking Stick & Corkscrew Willow for branches
  • pine cones
  • dry seed heads of interest

While you are hunting for decorations on your property, don't forget to slow down and appreciate everything around you.

Happy Fall!

 

Late Spring Frost

This spring has definitely been different, so it should be no surprise that we would have a late Spring frost. Some hardy plants can handle light frosts, others can handle the dips below freezing. Few, however, can remain intact when the temps drop much below 32 degrees.

I recommend covering young plants as best you can, and if you have potted plants, bring them inside, or even under a covered patio or garage.

Here are some materials you could use to cover:

  • Old sheets, drop cloths, tarps, burlap, or newspapers.
  • Cardboard boxes, open them on one end, turn them upside down and place them over your flowers. Tape any cracks to keep out the cold air.
  • Empty pots, buckets, milk jugs with the top cut off, or other containers made of wood, plastic or clay to cover your plants (just be sure they’re tall enough to fit over plants without crushing them.
  • Pre-made row covers (from a gardening store)

Remember:

  • Place covers over your plants before the temperatures hit freezing. If you’re using plastic covers, wait until twilight to avoid the sun cooking your plants through the plastic.
  • If your cover is lightweight enough to blow away in the wind, weigh it down with rocks or bricks.
  • Remove cardboard or fabric covers as soon as the weather warms up.
  • Remove plastic covers as soon as the sun rises.