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The first day of summer is just 5 days away! With the warm weather comes the time to button up final preparations for those outdoor summer projects. Here are a few top considerations to keep your landscape looking fresh in the fast-approaching heat.
Water Systems
The most important feature of your summer landscaping should be your water system. Reap what you sow and make a plan to keep plants and trees well-watered and thriving. Moving hoses and sprinklers by hand takes work, and you can make better use of your time (and water) by installing an automatic watering system. This way, even when you’re relaxing by the lake on vacation, you have peace of mind knowing your garden back home is getting the moisture it needs.
If installing an automatic system sounds daunting, you can learn from professionals or explore YouTube to see others’ DIY experiences - like this series on How to Install an Irrigation System. Plus, checkout how easy it is to trench on your own - Lawn Sprinkler Irrigation System Installation: Trenching Machine Makes Life Easier. Rental stores nationwide carry the equipment you need for applications like this. We love our Barreto 912HM Mini Trencher for most standard sprinkler installations, and the Barreto 712MT Micro Trencher or the Barreto 1324STK Track Trencher are excellent also.
Design
Landscape design and plant selection factor heavily into what your water needs will be for the summer. Keep your landscape blooming all summer long by selecting varieties of plants whose growing cycles complement the style of your landscape. Your local nursery is a wonderful resource to help you plan the space. Oftentimes, they can send a consultant to your house for an evaluation, and they can recommend which plants to purchase while helping you style within your budget. Then, organize the drip or sprinkler system to eliminate water waste and allow vegetation to enjoy the best use of water available.
Drought Resistant Plants
Are you planting in a dry climate or looking to conserve water? Depending on where you live, drought-resistant plants will be able to endure the heat and use less water during the heat of the summer months. A little water goes a long way - drought resistant plants like lavender, coneflower, california poppy are common additions to landscapes that have few requirements in order to thrive all summer long.
Weeds
No doubt weeds have already sprung up. Getting a handle on them early will make summer maintenance that much easier. Here’s a handy resource outlining 9 Strategies for Reducing Weeds. The simplest way to eliminate weeds is to remove them by hand when you see them, add lots of mulch as ground cover, and don’t let weeds go to seed. Planting cover crops and eliminating open dirt also helps, as it keeps the weeds from having ground to take up.
Landscaping fabric can help for certain applications as well, but beware of utilizing trenching or stump grinding equipment around it. The fabric can get caught in the machine and cause damage.
Combine irrigation needs with some practical planting resources, and with planning and preparation your landscaping can look beautiful all summer long.