Changing Seasons: Preparing Your Landscape and Garden for Seasonal Changes.
It might be helpful to know that not all plants can survive all four seasons. Some can tolerate more heat and water compared to others while some can stay relatively fresh and growing even in the cold winter months. You need to prepare your landscape and garden to keep it looking good all-year round. Here are some tips that can aid you on how to change with the seasons.
Extending the Season
Most plants can naturally survive and stay healthy during spring and summer. Landscacping and garden maintenance requirements start to set in once the colder months start, so you need to learn season extension. The term refers to gardening practices which will help plants live and function longer than the usual conducive seasons. Take note that season extension can work very well together with nature as long as you follow natural features and invest in materials that will guarantee growth.
First, observe your landscape and use it to properly position your flowers and other plants. Slopes can have varying temperatures within the soil depending on the depth. The coldest part is usually at the bottom of the slope but the top slope also faces challenges with heavy winds and drafts. By positioning your plants on the shoulder of the slope, which is the part that leads to the top, you gain advantage and keep everything from freezing up. Experts say that a south-facing slopes tend to warm up quicker compared to others facing different directions.
Make use of windbreaks, which are items or structures that can block wind and prevent drafts. These can be anything, from trees and bigger plants to rocks, walls or buildings. Place boards or place a row of tall shrubs next to plants you want to protect. Dark-colored soil is ideal for maintaining heat. You can add compost or mulch to darken soil and help it hold more water.
A greenhouse is one of the best ways to keep your plants in healthy condition year in and year out. This can also cost you a lot so you may want to build a smaller version instead or assign a spare room inside your house to serve as an indoor garden during the cold season. Outdoors, you can include floating row coves and cold frames in your landscaping and garden design to maintain a heated environment. Installing outdoor floodlights or placing bulbs directly over plants that thrive in hot climates can also be indispensable in preserving delicate plants.
The Frost Blanket and Cold Frame
A frost blanket or floating row cover is a lightweight fabric that is placed over plants or beds in order to maintain heat inside the soil and prevent wind and drafts from directly blowing on the plants. A frost blanket usually measures anywhere between 6 to 8 feet. You simply unroll the fabric over plant beds until everything is properly covered then secure the ends and edges with rocks or soil. The fabric is also thin enough to allow enough sunlight and water through to ensure your landscape’s survival. There are different thicknesses to help with your garden design and landscaping ideas, depending on your needs.
A cold frame is a homemade box wherein the sides are made of wood, glass or any material that can keep wind and draft out. The top is made of glass or plastic panes wherein you can allow sunlight and water through as needed. The panes are movable so that light and water is controlled at certain times of the day. The cold frame measures anywhere from a few inches up to several feet depending on the size of plants contained inside. You might also find commercial versions at very affordable rates.
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