by Contributed | Apr 20, 2022 | Small Spaces |
It’s spring, and you might be thinking about planting a new tree in your garden. That’s an excellent idea, but first, make sure you know what tree you are planting, where to plant it, and how to look after it, especially in the early days when the young tree needs extra attention. Planting Locations Sometimes you have trees in your garden already that are well-established; other times, you want to bring in new additions to add color and character to your garden. If you intend to plant a new tree, you need to think about the tree’s location carefully. Allow the roots to grow freely. The trouble with some trees is they are too close to the house, and the tree roots move into the foundations causing cracks and expensive foundation issues. Other times the roots reach for the water and sewage pipes, causing issues in the winter. So think carefully before you plant. Adequate Watering If your tree is new or young, you need to water it frequently; however, it’s important you don’t overwater it either because this can lead to tree rot. After you plant your new tree, spray some water on it rather than watering the soil and mulch around the roots. Spray tree for 30 seconds. If you have recently planted the tree, you need to spray it for 30 seconds and avoid pouring water into the roots. Similarly, if the tree is less than 2 years old, you need to water it like this whenever it looks too dry. Young trees need enough water to strengthen their roots for growing. Adequate Mulching Mulch consists of old leaves, grasses, and twigs that you can place around the roots of your new tree. This is recommended because mulch is excellent at protecting the roots from extremely high and low temperatures. However, be careful when watering the tree roots. Although mulch protects the tree from extremes, it can also prevent evaporation, so if you put too much water on the roots along with mulch, you risk the tree roost rotting and the young tree dying. The mulch you put down should be around 3 inches thick and extends 3 feet from trunk. Prune the Trees If you want to keep your tree looking its best throughout the year, you need to prune it regularly. Pruning, or tree trimming, serves two purposes. Firstly, pruning makes the tree more attractive because all of the dead branches and leaves are taken away. Secondly, it helps the tree grow. When the tree no longer needs to feed the dead branches with nutrients, it can send its resources to other branches that are more alive and healthier. This boosts the health and wellbeing of your tree. If in doubt, contact professional tree trimming services for advice. If you have questions specific to pruning crape myrtle, this article can provide some guidance too. Protect From Pests Depending on your tree species, they may be more or less prone to pests at certain times of the year; it’s best to be aware of this and do research on your tree species. Some pests eat the leaves while others destroy the bark leading to unhealthy trees – but there are some...
by Contributed | Mar 8, 2022 | DIY Garden Projects |
No matter how much you enjoy gardening, there can often be times when caring for it gets to be too much. Whether the work is getting hard for you, you have a lot of work to do to bring your garden back to life after the winter, or you’ve had to neglect your garden for a while due to a busy period, it can feel hard to get back to feeling excited about your outdoor space again. Here are a few tips to help you. Tidy Up If your garden hasn’t been getting the love it deserves, you probably have some tidying up to do. Start by raking and sweeping up any dead leaves, twigs and other debris. Concentrate on patios and pathways. If your lawn is looking thin, you can add in some more grass seed or turf to fill in any bald patches. Lawn installation could also help if your lawn is looking sorry for itself after some periods of bad weather. Look for anything that has been damaged, such as loose fence panels, broken guttering, or damaged garden furniture, and get some repairs done. Broken things around the garden look untidy. Welcome Wildlife One of the most rewarding things about having a garden can be watching the wildlife that comes to visit it. If you need to fall in love with your garden again, then add some elements that will appeal to different wildlife to encourage the animals to come back. You could do things like install bird feeders and boxes, to attract different birds to come to feed and nest. Insects are important to a garden too, so you could also add some bug boxes or plant flowers that appeal to bees or butterflies. A hedgehog house could also be a nice addition. With these new touches in place, spend some time watching the wildlife you’ve managed to attract. This is peaceful and rewarding. Add Some Pots If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed at the idea of trying to get your flowerbeds back under control after they’ve been neglected for a while, then you can start small with something easier to maintain until you get your gardening groove back. Pots or hanging baskets can seem much less daunting to tackle and can be a great way to add some life and color back to your garden, without the huge task of reviving flowerbeds. Add some pots around the patio, and some hanging baskets by the door. With these adding some visual appeal, you might feel more tempted to go for the bigger task. If you’ve enjoyed assembling these pots and baskets, this can also help you to remember that you do enjoy gardening, and want to get the whole space looking good again. Add Some Lights There’s no point putting all that work in if you can’t enjoy your space. Add some lighting around the garden, so you can relax in it in the evenings and admire your handiwork from the...
by Contributed | Jan 20, 2022 | Small Spaces |
Sometimes, looking after your garden can feel like a huge chore, even if you love gardening. Sometimes you just need to do something different, take a little step back and give it some time away. We know that you might be worried about what is going to happen to your garden while you are doing this, but we have a couple of tips for you to keep it in the best possible condition. Keep reading down below if you would like to find out more. Do The Minimum For A While The first thing that you need to do is only take care of the minimum for a while. If you do this, your garden will remain neat and tidy, it just won’t have all of the usual flourish that it has. But, there is nothing wrong with this, so don’t worry and don’t take it so personally. Your garden is allowed to be a little bare for a while if you don’t have the energy to tend to endless amounts of plants and lawn at the moment. You can always pick back up where you left off, or even start again if you want to when you are feeling more up to it. Nobody said that you have to work on your garden all the time or never. Just do the minimum right now such as cutting the grass and things will be fine. Hire Some Help If you want to maintain the garden the way that it is right now but you don’t want to do it yourself, you can hire some help. There is no rule that says you have to tend your garden to yourself all the time, and if you need a break then there are people and companies who will happily come and take care of this for you. For example, Coconut Grove Landscape Design is a company that will be able to take good care of the garden, ensuring it looks the absolute best it can while you are taking your break. You never know, you might like their services so much that you decide to keep them on permanently. Self Sufficient Plants If you don’t want to hire help, you don’t have to. But, if this is the case, then we recommend that you look into things such as self-sufficient plants to make sure you don’t have too much to do. This is an option if you don’t want your garden to look plain or bare, but you also aren’t in the position to look after it the way you did before. We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the things that you can do when looking after your garden gets too much. Sometimes it can get a little overwhelming if you are the only one maintaining your garden as there is so much to do, especially if you have a larger area to sort. Take a step back, things aren’t going to fall apart overnight, we promise you...
by Contributed | Jan 18, 2022 | Small Spaces |
Like interior styles, garden design has always been susceptible to changes in season and popularity. In the wake of a year that’s seen far more of us spending significant time in our backyards, design focuses here have especially narrowed down on what makes a garden great in the current climate. Those lessons have led to the emergence of some pretty strong outdoor design focuses that don’t look set to go anytime soon. In the new dawn of 2022, everything we’ve learned about our outdoor spaces over the past two years has especially culminated in design trends that are set to withstand even the darkest of times. But, what exactly are these trends, and how can you incorporate them into your outdoors at last? Trend 1: The backyard as a social space Lockdowns that meant we could only host friends in our backyards have highlighted something that keen garden enthusiasts have known for years – incorporating social spaces outdoors is always a good move. From patio areas to complete decking installations, clever seating, sociable eating, and even a projector screen if you’re so inclined, can all make for some amazing nights. Even outside of a specific social setting, setups like these are especially great for encouraging the family outside, either to spend some quality time or just to enjoy breakfast with a view. Trend 2: A much-needed pop of color Our outdoor spaces have always been capable of brightening our days, but even the non-green fingered among us have seen first-hand the value of natural color in the space this past year. Certainly, individuals with largely monotone or paved outdoor areas have craved a hint of natural beauty to see them through. This is a priority that’s withstanding even as public gardens etc. reopen, and it’s leading many of us to either embrace the beauty of container gardening or get stuck in with planting full-on flower beds ready for summer. Even simple steps like seeking a lawn care provider to eliminate tired and yellowed grass in place of vibrant greens is making a difference for many. Regardless of how far you choose to go with this, however, the motto very much seems to be that the more color, the better. Trend 3: The best backyard offices Our backyards were once reserved for playing with the kids or hosting the odd barbecue, but recent times have seen more of us than ever seeking viable work from home setups that garden enhancements are increasingly making that possible. Yet, as is always the case when a space changes usage, making the best possible backyard office for your needs requires some redesigning. Specifically, current trends highlight a leaning towards not just great garden offices but also increased privacy from neighbors, general layout improvements (e.g. clear paths, structured views, etc.), and shade with the help of well-placed bushes, plants, or trellises to ensure glare doesn’t get you down during those working afternoons. To say that garden trends have changed would be an understatement. Are you up to the challenge of keeping your backyard in style...
by Contributed | Jan 3, 2022 | DIY Garden Projects |
Gardening is a relaxing hobby that many people enjoy. It can also be therapeutic for those who are stressed or suffer from mental health problems. But, if your garden isn’t looking like you want it to, don’t worry! You can do lots of things to transform it into something beautiful and unique. This blog post will go over some steps that will help you achieve this goal in no time at all! #1 Getting Started The first thing you should do is assess the state of your garden. What are its good qualities? What could be improved upon or removed completely? This will help you determine what steps to take next and how long it might take for those changes to become visible. For example, if there’s a tree that has been slowly dying over time and needs to come down before it falls on one of your family members, then getting rid of this would be an obvious first step. Of course, you can always plant a new tree after removing the old one! But if your only problem was wanting a fish pond but not having enough space in your yard, maybe adding planters filled with flowers around the base of your house would be just fine too! #2 Designing Your Garden The next step is to start designing your garden. This can be done by drawing out a plan on paper or using online tools that are specifically designed for garden planning. Take into account the size of your yard, as well as any obstacles (such as a large tree in the middle of your yard) that might get in the way. When it comes to plants, don’t be afraid to mix and match! There’s no need to stick with traditional flower bed designs. Instead, try planting things in odd clusters or staggered rows for a more creative look. And if you really want to add some intrigue, try using different types of plants that have contrasting colors or textures. #3 Plants and Flowers for Your Garden Once you’ve got your design in place, it’s time to start picking out plants! This can be a daunting task, but don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. If you want a low-maintenance garden and are easy to care for, perennials are the way to go. These plants come back year after year, so you only have to plant them once, and they will take care of themselves. Another option is annuals, which need to be replanted every year but offer a wider range of colors and textures. #4 Garden Accessories Accessories are a great way to add some personality to your garden. From garden gnomes to dedication garden rocks, the options are endless! Just be sure that whatever you choose is in keeping with the overall design of your garden. When choosing accessories, one thing to keep in mind is how they will weather over time. Metal decorations, for example, might rust if they’re not made from a rust-resistant material. So if you live in a humid climate or have frequent rainfall, it might be best to go with something made from plastic or wood instead. That’s it – now you know how to transform your garden into something truly special! Follow these simple steps, and you’ll be able to create a backyard oasis that will be the envy of all your...
