Whats Growing: Landscape refresh – The Ledger

Your landscape will evolve over time. Plants have a lifespan. Some may live for a few years and others for decades. Over time the situation they were planted in can change and this will affect a plants longevity as well.

New homes do not tend to have any shade, for most housing developments are clear-cut, eliminating any tree canopy that was in place. Therefore, the plants selected for installation tend to be ones that tolerant full sun.

Over time, as trees in the landscape grow, they produce a shade canopy that may not be agreeable to the plants around them. The sod surrounding these trees must acclimate from a sunny to shady environment, if able to do so.

Sun-loving plants that are now in a shade situation can encounter more disease, weaker growth, and a slow steady state of decline. Age can be a factor as well, since most shrubbery peak at about 10 years and then slowly decline after that point.

When it comes to grass, some varieties are more shade tolerant than others. Most new homes will have full-sun tolerant sod installed because there is no shade. In time, this grass may thin out under tree canopy because of lack of sunlight.

Homeowners will redecorate and change up things inside the home, but forget to give the same degree of attention to the landscape. It is the landscape that makes the first impression to someone visiting your home, not the interior dcor.

Plants can also be trendy. I can look at some properties and tell you approximately how old the landscape is because of the mix of plants in it. Currently, tropical plants are in but once we have a hard winter and these die out a new trend will begin, and those landscapes will look dated.

It may be time for you to really look at your landscape and determine if it needs to be refreshed. Old and scruffy plants will most likely never look better than they do now. Just like an old sofa, it may be time for them to go.

Readers may e-mail questions or contact Keith at: keithfuller602@att.net.

Excerpt from:
Whats Growing: Landscape refresh - The Ledger