Landscaping: Summer Checklist
Landscaping is an important part of summer. Landscaping during the summer can be quite a delicate task. The high temperatures and lack of water can make landscaping a bit tricky. There are a couple of areas which require special care that can help you to maintain your landscaping through the hot months of summer.

Watering
Watering is vital to summer landscaping. However, it has to be done just right. Too little and obviously you can kill your lawn, but too much and you can weaken your root system causing your plants to die.

If you have a sprinkler system, part of your summer landscaping is to maintain it. Look at your lawn. Are there brown spots or is the grass not growing right in front of the sprinkler head? If so, that can mean a blocked spray pattern, improper spacing or pressure, or sprinkler heads not at the right height. If you cannot correct the problems yourself, you can hire a sprinkler repair service to fix it for you.

When watering as a part of your summer landscaping, it is important to water just the right amount. Usually, a deep watering once a week is best for your lawn and plants. Several light waterings a week encourages shallow roots which makes it harder for your grass to be established and absorb the water that it needs. If your lawn and plants are less than three years old, two deep waterings a week should suffice.

Insects
Summer heat also brings summer bugs. Not only are bugs attacking your landscaping, but there are others waiting to attack you. Watch out for bees, wasps, fire ants, and mosquitoes. If you have too many bees, wasps, or fire ants, you may consider calling in an expert to either remove or kill them for you. With mosquitoes, there is not much you can do other than avoid the times they are most prevalent (evenings), wear bug spray, and be sure not to leave standing water in your landscaping. Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water.

Other bugs are not out to get you, but do want to attack your landscaping. If you do not want to use insecticides, another option is to let nature take its course. There are several insects that are predators that can kill the bad bugs for you. For example, spiders are predators and can keep the nuisance insect population in check for you. (You do want to beware of any poisonous spiders that may be in your region.) If you have aphids attacking your landscaping, you can go to your local nursery and purchase ladybugs. The ladybugs are natural predators of aphids and can help protect your landscaping.

Once you have a handle on the two biggest problems for summer landscaping, watering and insects, don’t neglect the maintenance tasks for your landscaping. Flower beds need weeding, grass needs to be mowed and raked, and trees need to be periodically trimmed. Be sure to avoid working on your landscaping during the hottest part of the day. However, if you work in the evening, don’t forget about the mosquitoes waiting to bite you. It can be hard in the summer to find the right time to work on your landscaping, but sticking to it can pay off with a beautiful yard.

Landscaping: Spring Checklist
Spring is a busy time for landscaping. The spring is an important, and fun, time for landscaping. After hiding from the cold all winter, you are eager to get out into your yard and enjoy the warmer weather. With a few tips, you can help your landscaping to get back into shape for the spring.

Repair
Cold weather can do a lot of damage to your landscaping but not just to the plants. With any winter snows gone, get out into your yard and assess the damage. Look carefully at any borders, walls, or walkways. If there are cracks or uneven spots, now is the time to repair them.

Also, you may notice damage to your landscaping from animals. Moles or gophers can dig tunnels under your lawn and cause it to be unleveled and unsightly. Raking, leveling, and seeding these spots should repair them.

Cut
If your landscaping includes perennials or ornamental grasses, now is the time to cut them. Cut perennials back to about ground level. Ornamental grasses need to be cut to six inches height. This stimulates the new spring growth.

Clean
Spring cleaning is not only good for inside your house, but your landscaping as well. Clean out the gutters thoroughly. With spring rains on the way, you don’t want your gutters clogged with fall and winter debris. Also, spring is a good time to clean your tools so that they are in tip-top shape for spring landscaping.

Landscape
There are many other tasks to be done for your landscaping. Spring also brings the weeds back, so now is the time to start weeding again. Also, your mulch probably faded or thinned out through the winter. Rake it and measure it. It needs to be between two and four inches so you may need to add more. As the leaves start to appear on the trees and shrubs, you may notice some deadwood that you did not notice when pruning in the fall. Go ahead and remove them now as a part of your spring landscaping.

One final note – just because the calendar says spring does not mean that the cold weather is over. There can still be cold temperatures as late as March or April, depending on where you live. Be sure that your landscaping does not include anything that cold weather can ruin.

Landscaping: Winter Checklist
Winter landscaping is still important despite the cold weather. Even though the cold winter weather may make landscaping the last thing on your mind, there are few landscaping things you should do for the winter months. A little landscaping maintenance can help your yard to be at its best in the spring. It is all about planning ahead.

1. Before the freeze hits, plant your spring bulbs. Map out where you want the blooms to be when warm weather returns. Bulbs are typically planted at a depth 3 to 4 times their height. This protects them from harsh winter weather.

2. Aerate, seed, and fertilize your lawn before the freeze, too. This is a very important part of landscaping that should not be neglected. Aerating is needed to loosen the soil so the seeds can get in deep to grow. The fertilizer prepares the grass for spring growth.

3. Drain and store your water hoses and blow out the irrigation systems. Leftover water can freeze and cause damage, which can be expensive to a sprinkler system.

4. Bring in container plants that accented your landscaping. They cannot take the cold nights of winter.

5. Pull up any dead annuals. If you have a compost pile, add them to it so the dead plants can be used to fertilize the new growth in the spring.

6. Weed the vegetable garden and flower beds one last time for the season.

7. Clean up any debris in your yard that can be hidden by the snow and cause damage or disease.

8. Protect any sensitive plants in your landscaping by mulching or using a screen. Several inches of mulch or soil gathered around most plants should do the trick, but for the very delicate it helps to cover with a screen.

Winter landscaping is a lot like helping your plants and flowers to hibernate for the cold weather. You are settling them in and helping them to stay warm for the winter months so that there will be a burst of bloom in the spring to greet you.

Landscaping: Fall checklist
Fall landscaping is important for the upkeep of your home. Fall is the perfect time for landscaping. It is also perhaps the most important time. As the summer heat breaks and the plants prepare for winter, you can prepare your landscaping so that it’s ready for the spring.

Flowers
Fall is the time to plant. If your landscaping includes spring bulbs, you need to plant them in the fall. Have a vision for what you want in the spring. Map out where you want the flowers to bloom once winter is over, and plant your spring bulbs there.

Another part of your fall landscaping should be to take care of any rose bushes. Stop fertilizing them in the fall, but do spray them with fungicide when their leaves drop. Also, cover your rose bushes with at least eight inches of loose soil or mulch and prune them back to 36 inches. A little landscaping help with them now helps them to bloom in the spring.

Trees and shrubs
Pruning the trees and shrubs is a part of fall landscaping. Now is the time to cut back dead or diseased branches. Also, your trees and shrubs should be heavily watered before the cold weather hits.

Lawns
Fall is also a busy time for lawn landscaping. This is the time for the lawn to be aerated to loosen compacted soil. The next step is to seed and fertilize. Doing this landscaping maintenance in the fall prepares your lawn for the spring.

Potted plants
Your landscaping probably includes several potted plants, but these cannot stay outside once the nights get colder. Bring in the houseplants once the nighttime temperature starts reaching 50 degrees. Also, if you have a Christmas cactus, it requires a bit of work now. Three months before you want it to bloom, stop feeding it and reduce its water. Make sure that it has complete darkness from sundown to sunrise and sunlight all day. When buds start to appear, you can start feeding and watering it again.

Miscellaneous
Don’t forget the non-living aspects to your landscaping. Water hoses need to be drained and stored. Any debris cluttering the lawn or flower beds needs to be removed to prevent damage or disease.

Fall landscaping is almost as if you are tucking your plants and flowers into bed. You are getting them all settled for the winter so that they can wake up in the spring when you can enjoy your landscaping to the fullest.

Fall garden tips
Try the following tips for your fall garden. Fall is a time of transition in your garden. As your summer plants die off, you can add some cold weather crops to get the most out of your garden. Don’t think that just because the air is colder and the days are shorter that your garden maintenance is over. Following these tips can help you make the most of your fall garden.

Here are some key points to remember for a fall garden.

• Plant seeds for fall crops while the ground is still warm.

• Your garden needs at least 6 hours of sunlight a day. Check the shadows to be sure it is getting enough sunlight for plant growth.

• Keep a lookout for pests. There can still be warm days in the fall, and that can encourage the pests to head to your garden.

The number of vegetables that can withstand the colder temperatures in a fall garden may surprise you. You have plenty of choices.

• Beets

• Broccoli

• Cabbage

• Carrots

• Collards

• English peas

• Kale

• Kohlrabi

• Leaf lettuce

• Mustard

• Radish

• Spinach

• Swiss chard

• Turnips

Most of these are the same vegetables that you planted in your early spring garden. They are more suited for the colder temperatures of early spring and fall.

As winter sets in and the plants in your vegetable garden begin to die, think of your spring crops. Pull the dead plants and add them to your compost pile. That way they can be used as fertilizer for your spring garden.

Summer garden tips
Try the following tips to help your summer garden grow. Summer is the time to really enjoy your garden. With some careful work, it can also be a time that you’re really popular with your neighbors and friends thanks to an abundance of fruits and vegetable to share with those close to you. The following tips can help you to make the most of your garden.

• Summer is the time to plant the following warm weather crops in your garden: beans, squash, melons, cucumbers, and corn.

• Squash and melons require special care. Create mounds for them in your garden that are 3 feet apart. Plant 5 to 7 seeds for each mound. After the seedlings have appeared for a week, pull up all but the two that look the strongest.

• You probably planted tomatoes in late spring. Be sure to stake them. This keeps the fruit from dragging on the ground, which can encourage pests. It also saves space in your garden.

• Okra is another garden crop that requires some special care. The seeds are covered in a tough coat. To combat this, soak them in water 6 to 24 hours before planting. Next, plant them 2 inches apart and as they pop up, thin them to 6 inches apart. Also, be sure to cut okra pods often or else they can get oversized and tough.

• The more you pick your crop in your garden, the more vegetables you’ll. If you leave mature vegetables sitting on the plant, the plant will focus on nurturing that instead of producing new vegetables. Harvest consistently so that your garden plants continue to produce.

• Don’t forget to weed your garden and treat for any pests.

Summer is the perfect time to enjoy working in the garden, and to enjoy your homegrown fruits and vegetables!

Spring garden tips
Try the following tips for your spring garden. Spring is an active time in your garden. As the plants and ground wake up from their winter nap, it is time to get serious about your gardening to make sure that your crops are ready for the spring, summer, and fall.

Early spring
Early spring can still harbor some danger for your garden. The nights can reach freezing temperatures, thus destroying your hard work. Therefore, it is important to approach gardening in the early spring with cold temperatures in mind.

First start by preparing the ground in your garden. Early in the season, apply a 4-inch layer of ground up leaves or rotted manure. Turn it under to a depth of between 8-12-inches. Rake the garden until it is level so that spring rains do not leave pools of standing water. If moisture is a problem, you can always raise your garden bed to a height of 3 or 4 inches by mounding the soil.

Certain crops are a better choice for your garden in the early spring. For example, spinach, rutabagas, radishes, English peas, pod peas, leeks, collards, kale, and carrots can all handle a drop in temperature. Spring weather can take a surprisingly chilly turn, so plant accordingly.

Late spring
As the months progress and the temperatures warm up, you can add more crops to your garden. Now is the time to plant chard, mustard, lettuce, beets, Chinese cabbage, onions, seed potatoes, and transplants of broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower.

Your garden vegetables need lots of maintenance to ensure you have a continuous supply of crops. Fertilize with a layer of compost or one cup of granular fertilizer. Thin the lettuce so that it is 4 to 8 inches apart. Pick the outermost leaves of spinach, mustard, turnips, Swiss chard, collards, and kale. When these plants get long, they also get bitter. It’ then time to add them to the compost pile to make room for summer crops.

Just before summer
When the danger of cold weather is gone, it is time to plant your garden crops for the summer. Now is the time to plant tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants.

Two more points for your garden care: stay diligent about pulling weeds. Also, harvesting your vegetables encourages the plant to continue to produce more vegetables. The more you pick the vegetables in your garden, the more you’ll have to enjoy.

Winter garden tips
Try the following garden tips to help your garden through the winter. Even though nothing is growing, the winter is a good time to keep your garden in shape. Check out the following winter garden tips to make sure your garden is ready to grow in the spring.

• Clean up your garden before the snow comes. Pull up any dead plants that are left and put them in your compost pile. That way they can become fertilizer for your spring garden. Also, be sure your garden is free of weeds and debris.

• Clean and store your garden tools. It is easiest to clean your garden tools before you store them. That way you’ll avoid that arduous task in the spring. When winter is over, you will be excited to get started on your garden and won’t want to have to clean your tools first.

• When the snow does come, try not to shovel salted snow onto your garden. It can damage your soil.

• If you need to order any seeds, be sure to do it by January. That way you’re sure to have them in time for your spring garden.

• Think about your past year with your garden. What worked and what didn’t work? Did certain crops or flowers go to waste while there were others which you never could get enough? The winter is a good time to plan your garden for the next year. Make a list of which crops and flowers you want for each season. Sketch the layout of your garden for the spring. You get to start fresh when winter is over so you have no limits in planning your garden.

• Build a bench where you can sit and take a break while tending your garden. You can complete projects such as this in your garage or shop and have them ready to bring outside when winter is over.

Obviously, your garden is not as much hard work in the winter. But, by maintaining and planning, you can prepare your garden and enjoy the fruits of your labor come spring.

Easy garden makeovers to help you sell
Curb appeal counts. Here’s how to get the biggest bang for your buck when you’re trying to sell your home. Before that “For Sale” sign is hammered into your front lawn, stand back and take a good look at what you see. Many potential buyers are going to get their first -- and perhaps their only -- impression of your home from their car window. So don’t underestimate the importance of your yard when you put your home on the market.

This doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune on landscaping. These seven simple tricks can make a dramatic difference:

• 1. Tidying
  It’s just as important to de-clutter the outside of your home as it is the inside. Stow any outdoor tools, toys, sports equipment or trash cans out of sight. Nowhere to put it all? Consider investing in a neutral-colored plastic storage shed for the corner of your yard. You can always take it with you.

• 2. Mowing
  Be sure to keep your lawn neatly mowed while your home is for sale. A shaggy, unkempt lawn gives the impression that the inside of your house may also be uncared for. Buyers pay more for a carefully maintained home.

• 3. Trimming
  Is overgrown shrubbery obscuring your house? Dense bushes can make your home appear smaller than it actually is. Trim shrubs back to provide a clear view of your house. And clear greenery away from windows to let in plenty of light. Rooms flooded with sunshine are warm and appealing.

• 4. Edging
  One of the quickest and easiest garden makeovers you can do is to simply take a spade and create deeply defined edges around all your trees and flower beds. It’s one of the tricks professional gardeners use. To keep yourself digging in a straight line, use a string tied between two stakes. Or create gentle undulating curves that follow the natural line of your garden.

• 5. Weeding
  No need to spend hours pulling weeds in your garden to make a great impression. A quick turning of the soil in flowerbeds and around shrubs should bury small offenders and loosen major weeds for easy removal. Try digging and turning the soil as much as possible with the spade as you edge.

• 6. Mulching
  Spreading a layer of mulch around your plantings is a quick way to both hide and prevent weeds. It can also tidy the appearance of areas, such as around the base of evergreens, where you may be having trouble growing grass. Choose a natural product such as wood chips (available by the bag from most garden supply stores) for a clean, environmentally friendly look.

• 7. Planting
  Give your home warm, welcoming appeal with some cheerful flowers. Plant a few clumps of annuals or buy ready-made containers to set on either side of your front door. Choose all white to create a harmonious look that never fails.

Get Your Garden Ready for Winter
You've toiled all spring and summer weeding and pruning, watering and fertilizing so your garden would bloom. Now that the cooler weather is coming, your garden is going to sleep and you can relax -- almost. Before you go into gardening hibernation, there are a few things you can do to protect your garden and make things easier on yourself in spring.

Before the frost

• Plant new trees and spring bulbs like tulips and daffodils. Depending on your climate, you can do this anywhere from September to December. A good rule of thumb is that if the soil can be worked, things can be planted.

• Buy polyspun garden fabric to protect annuals and summer vegetables if the forecast calls for frost.

• Take seeds or cuttings of plants you want to grow indoors or plant for next year.

• Water trees, which can dry out from wind and sun, particularly if it has been a dry summer. Fertilize trees that have been transplanted within the last year.

• Weed. This is not essential, but it will save you time in the spring. Plus you don’t want ugly weeds to seed and then bloom along with your tulips.
  Rake. Remove leaves while the grass underneath is still green, so it can absorb as much light as possible before the snow. Raking beds will also keep living plants from suffocating. But don’t throw the leaves away; cut them up and put them aside for mulch or compost.

• Dig up sensitive bulbs like gladioli and dahlias, if you live in a particularly cold region. Store them in vermiculite in a paper bag in a cool and dry spot.

• Give your roses some TLC. Ask your garden center or consult a gardening guide about what’s necessary for your type.

After frost

• Clean out annual and vegetable beds. Throw out any plants you suspect to be diseased or infested with bugs. The rest you can put in the composter.

• Cut perennials back almost to the ground -- unless they add color to your garden in winter -- then apply a layer of mulch. If you don’t think you will have time to mulch, don’t cut back the old plants, as the stalks and leaves will give some protection to the roots.

• Apply a two- to four-inch layer of mulch on top of perennial, shrub and bulb beds. It will protect the beds from weeds and the elements and trap moisture. You can use chopped-up leaves from your lawn or other loose materials like pine needles, wood chips, chunk bark or coarse gravel for the perennials and shrubs. Don’t put down un-shredded leaves or other matter that compact easily because it will suffocate the plants. Cover bulb beds with evergreen boughs. Trees need a thicker layer of mulch than flower and shrub beds, up to six inches thick.

• Wrap trees, especially recently planted trees or sensitive varieties like honey locust or Japanese maple. Wrap in burlap from the base of the trunk to the second or third branch, allowing some overlap to allow water to escape, then secure at the crown. If your evergreens brown over the winter, it’s because the wind has sucked out their moisture. You have two options to protect your trees: a chemical anti-desiccant spray or windshields. Anti-desiccants are not universally accepted, but you may still find them effective. Windshields are easy to erect: simply place wooden stakes in the ground and wrap burlap around them.

• Clean and store tools, ceramic pots and birdbaths. Putting them away before the harsh weather starts will prolong the life of these garden essentials.