Monday, July 10, 2017

Four Season Landscaping in the Treasure Valley

The gardening books emphasize the need for planning and designing.  Landscaping involves the combination of small flowering plants, bushes, trees, and non-animate objects like ponds, fountains, rock paths and structures, wooden structures, and miscellaneous art objects placed strategically around the property.  Obviously it is possible to have too much or too little, therefore the necessity to plan and design the appearance of the property.

Generally the majority of the space will be in grass.  I need to deal with areas of full sun and almost full shade with moss. I have determined to aerate in early spring, change the watering pattern, and seed some areas with shade grass. 

Then it is necessary to plan the layout of the garden areas considering the location of vegetables, flower beds, shrubs, trees, and man-made structures like trellises, ponds, rock work, and paths.

Spring
·       If the mulch that you applied in fall consists of a coarse material, such as large, unshredded leaves, or if the mulch tends to mat down over time and form a barrier, then you should generally remove that layer of mulch in spring at a time when the threat of severe cold has passed (https://www.thespruce.com/spring-landscape-maintenance-tips-2130818)
·       Rake lawn, deeply, to remove thatch and snow mold
·       Get rid of moss.  The potential causes and solutions are:
o    Cause:  Low soil pH.  Solution:  Raise pH
o    Cause:  Lack of necessary nutrients in the soil.  Solution:  Addition of nutrients indicated by soil test
o    Cause:  Poor drainage.  Solution:  Change watering schedule
o    Cause:  Excessive shade.  Solution:  Plant shade grass.
o     
·       Aeration if soil is compacted
·       Decide on location and types of vegetables and fruits to be grown
·       The early spring flowers are very colorful but don’t last long:
o    Daffodils, iris, tulips, lilies, forsythia, lilacs
o    The bulb flowers can be interspersed with annuals like pansies
·       The heavily shaded areas are planted in hosta with some other shade perennials
·       Hanging baskets are planted with a variety of flowers and yams that will last through the fall
Summer
·       Summer Flowers
o    The beds are planted in perennials, i.e. catoneasters, with a great variety of colors
o    The box  (4’ x 4’) is planted with annuals and the choice changes each year
Fall
·       The summer flowers are those that continue blooming into the fall
·       Lawn:  fertilize in late fall (November)
·       Rake leaves (1/2” deep for dethatching)
·       Mulching for perennials.  Leaves and pine needles are left in the hostas.
Winter
·       Keep it clean and neat
·       Evergreens can provide some color other than brown and the fruit of some bushes, e.g. Oregon grape and holly can provide other color. 

·       http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/so-many-cabbages-so-little-time  this website describes how winter cabbage can be grown.  This would be an interesting addition to a winter garden.