Many photographers are very active in the winter because the bare trees against the winter landscape are an extraordinary sight. Things like an old farm fence on a country road or a large rock outcropping creates a certain appeal against the cold, white and grey colours of winter.

Here’s what you can consider for your own winter landscaping.

Landscape Forms

Things like archways, fences, trees and hedges loose the colour and denseness as summer fades, but if they are placed right, it also helps protect the home from a build-up of snow. Large rocks are a great landscape feature as they become a thermal storage unit when the sun comes out. The heat keeps the snow away for hours which allows any coloring or form designs on the rocks are in view for most of the winter.

Lighting

The bare tree limbs of deciduous trees can be strung with mini-lights. Putting them up for Christmas does not mean taking them down in January. With the right colour of clear or colored lights (only one color) the trees take on a light of their own! You can apply this to any other structure in your landscaping – archways, hedges or fences. Rock formations an coniferous shrubs can be lit up with small or colored spotlights to create an enchanted scene in your backyard landscape. With the technology out there, you have the ability to program the lights change either by our or each every night!

Tree Forms

Outside of your common deciduous trees, there are vine-type trees that show off amazing shapes against the winter background that are hidden in the summer. Grape vines are also a great backdrop for lights!

Animals

Animals aren’t really part of your landscaping, but they do complete your winter theme! By using bird feeders and berry bushes you can attract snow birds, squirrels, and other beautiful animals.

Plan a Winter Landscaping Project

Winter is the best time to plan and design your winter landscape for next year. Check out this blog post for a list of things to consider.

The post How To Improve Your Winter Landscaping appeared first on Landscape Edging Blog.

1. MULCH

With the cold snow and ice, plants have a harder time avoiding the harsh elements. When this happens, they have a harder time recovering in the spring. To prevent this from happening, you should protect your plants and keep everything warm by adding mulch under and around the plants. This will help keep the root temperature stable. Mulch should be put down at the beginning on December as it will allow it to settle in and start protecting the plants before significant cold snaps happen.

2. COMPOST

Some people neglect their garden in the winter as they feel as the plants do not require any protection or care. This is the farthest from the truth. If you’re a serious gardener and want your plants to thrive, you should add compost. When adding this at the right time, it will supply nutrients to the soil and plants will grow faster! Ideally when adding compost, you should only put about three inches worth around the plants so it allows them to breathe and grow.

3. WATER

Before the freezing temperatures, you should water your plants… especially the annuals and potted plants. You should make sure to water their roots and above ground shoots. By doing this before a cold storm, you are able to protect your plants and ensure that they look good throughout the winter.

4. EXTRA PROTECTION

Container plants should be covered with a frost cloth or a protective blanket. To keep the potted plants warm, you can also set them near the foundation of the house as it is warmer than the rest of the yard. However, during severe storms, you should bring your plants inside the house or garage.

5. CONTINUE

Is the ground soft enough to dig a big hole? Then you should continue to plant. This will allow a person to continue to improve the yard and complete the job before spring! This is especially beneficial for climates where it does not get extremely cold. This might not work for gardeners in the northern states; however people living in the south or the west coast can continue to put new items into the garden most of the year.

6. ANIMALS

In some areas, animals will try to eat your plants as they have no other choice. This might not be problematic for a gardener living in an urban environment, but it will be for people who live in the country. To prevent this from happening and to protect the plants, you can place a barrier around the edge of the garden. Remember that in the colder months, animals will snap and eat plants.

7. LOCATION

When you plant your plants, you should try to place them facing north. When they’re exposed to the north, they will receive more sunlight and a greater temperature variation. For a new plant, this is crucial as it will prevent damage and allow it to thrive when it gets enough sunlight. This is one of the most important yet easiest winter gardening tip to follow.

8. CAREFUL

When you’re using salt or other substances on your driveway or street, a gardener should be very careful. Plants will suffer from a bad PH balance when salts from the road seep into the garden. To prevent this from happening, a homeowner should lay down salt slowly and methodically when around the garden or plants.

9. CHOOSE CAREFULLY

When you are planting in and right before the winter, you should be aware of which plants will thrive and which won’t. You should do research that includes looking into your specific region. If you follow this tip, you can have a successful winter landscaping setup.

10. FERTILIZE OFTEN

Plants will suffer from the cold during the winter, which is hard to prevent, but by fertilizing the plants regularly, it can give them a fighting chance. With the right fertilizer, a person can strengthen the plants. This is incredibly important as some shrubs won’t survive without adequate nutrients and care.

The post Top Ten Winter Gardening Tips appeared first on Landscape Edging Blog.

Plant seeds like poppies, cosmos and delphiniums in the fall. They will sprout and grow in the spring!

(Make sure the varieties you chose are suitable for fall sowing and can grow in your area).

Plant your flowering bulbs in the fall and you’ll thank yourself in the Spring!

Check your local nursery for the best options in your area.

You can continue growing veggies through the fall and winter, or get your garden beds ready now for spring planting. To enrich the soil, add compost or consider growing a cover crop.

Fall is the best time to plant garlic bulbs for a plentiful and delicious harvest in the new year!

Many plants can be divided and moved 4-6 weeks before the first frost.

Read more about dividing hostas here.

Be sure to dig up and store these bulbs properly for the winter so you can re-plant them next year!

Read more about storing tender bulbs here.

Prepare for winter by setting up your weather protection. Now is the time to get your cold frames and polytunnels ready.

Read more about winter protection for shurbs here.

Empty and drain your garden hoses and rain barrels before you store them for the winter. Remember to also shut off, drain and protect outdoor water faucets using an insulated frost cover.

You’ll need to find out what water plants need specific winter care. Whether you have plants or fish, you don’t want your pond to freeze solid.

Recirculating pumps can be set up to run at the bottom of the pond to prevent this from happening.

If your fall season is dry, give young trees and shrubs a deep watering with a tee soaker before the first frost.

This will hydrate them throughout the winter months.

Dispose of the diseased plants from your landscaping. Do not add them to your compost piles as it will further the spread of disease.

Find out the proper way to dispose of them in your area.

Now is the time to clean, oil, sharpen and repair your favourite garden tools.

This is a much more enjoyable chore to be done when the weather is mild, rather then early spring when there’s still snow and harsh winds.

It might not be fun, but organizing your shed will make room for your winter storage and allow you to have everything ready for spring.

Be sure to empty, wash and disinfect garden containers so they are ready to use in the spring.

Now the fun begins! Review your gardening year, noting your successes, your failures and your wishes for next year.

Here’s a throwback to a post we wrote in 2015 on planning for next year!

The post 14 Fall Tips For A Better Spring Garden appeared first on Landscape Edging Blog.

• Mulching is super important! Be sure to mulch new and existing trees and shrubs with two or more inches of top quality shredded pine mulch to help protect the roots from deep freezing.
• Pick plant materials that are winter-hardy and adapt to your climate zone.
• Protect your landscaping plants by adding a fence or a hedge of shrubs to offer protection from cold winds!
• Fall clean-up is not something you should forget about. Unraked leaves will prevent moisture from reaching roots and sunlight from reaching the glass blades.
• Water your plants and trees at the root level when the temperatures rise above freezing. Avoid getting the stems or leaves wet if at all possible.
• Protect new tree trunks by wrapping them with a commercial tree wrap.
• Shield plants from hungry rodents, rabbits or deer. Creatures like this can cause serious damage to your landscape.
• Refrain from knocking the snow off your shrubs or tree limbs. They will be frozen, fragile and can break easily. Snow acts as an insulating protection blanket for perennial gardens and leaves.

The post Protect Your Landscape Against Winter Weather appeared first on Landscape Edging Blog.

1. Get a snow removal estimate that matches your needs.

Each company offers a variety of prices and services. Make sure you do your research to make sure you find a company that is offering what you need for an affordable price. Do not forget to ask about special fees – especially those based on unique conditions such as deep snow, or additional services such as de-icing or detailing.

2. Ask for references and check for accreditation.

Make sure that the company you hire is reliable, insured, and has a reputation for offering excellent customer service. Even though large commercial companies may have great reputations, it is not a bad idea to check references to make sure that you receive the most exceptional services. You should also ensure that the company is committed to safe operating practices by checking their company safety record.

3. Ensure clear communication and clear contracts.

Whenever you hire a contractor or sign a written agreement, you will want to carefully review all contracts to make sure all the services you have discussed are included and priced appropriately. Look to see how the company will document work in progress and what contingency plans they have in place for if problems were to arise. You should feel comfortable with the company you have hired and should know the best way to contact them.

4. Hire a Risk Manager, not just a snow plow company.

Consider the level of service that you need and make sure that the company can provide those services. Does the company you are considering include a zero tolerance ice management if that’s one of your goals? Do they treat sidewalks and parking lots before it snows to stay ahead of the storm? You want to ensure that the company you hire has a plan and is prepared for every possible winter condition.

5. Make sure that the snow removal company is insured.

A low cost snow plow option might be tempting, but companies that have adequate insurance can cost more than those without. Just as you make sure your business has proper insurance coverage, make sure your commercial snow removal company does as well. The risks associated with snow and ice are very high and not worth taking the added risk of a lower cost contractor.

6. Know your snow and ice contactor’s emergency snow removal plan.

The best snow and ice contractors have a detailed plan set in place for an assortment of snow and ice events. They have specific steps planned for a light snow fall, a blizzard, ice storms or any other snow happenings that might cause power outages or reduced resources and man power. Regardless of what the storm might look like, a company with a plan will have the equipment ready to go, routes scheduled and a plan in place to keep their customers informed and their sites clean.

Is there any other factors that you would recommend be considered before hiring a commercial snow removal company? Share them in the comments below!

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Here are some tips and to dos to take care of your landscapes and gardens.

1. Browse through the many different seed catalogues, compare varieties and try not to get carried away.
2. Figure out what your family eats the most from the store, make lists of your most purchased produce and use this to help figure out what to grow.
3. Plan and design your garden. Make sure that your crops are adequately rotated from the previous growing season.
4. Start your onions, celery, celeriac, leeks and slow-growing herbs like rosemary and sage at the end of the month.
5. Start a frozen compost pile. For tips on how to do this, see our article: Five Tips for Winter Composting. http://www.yardproduct.com/blog/5-tips-for-winter-composting/

1. Be careful when spreading salt to melt the ice on walks and driveways to avoid damaging nearby shrubs. Consider using sand or sawdust instead.

2. Brush the snow from evergreens as soon as you can after a storm. When using a broom, brush in an upward sweeping motion. Serious damage may be caused by heavy snow or ice accumulating on the branches.

3. When pruning large limbs, always undercut first. To do this, cut from the bottom up, one-third of the way through the limb, then finish by cutting from the top. The undercut keeps the limb from splitting and breaking off, which could damage the trunk and become an entryway for insects and diseases. Make sure to not cut flush to the trunk, the collar or the enlarged base of a branch as it produces hormones that help heal wounds.

4. To create easier lawn maintenance, eliminate the hard to mow spaces. To do this, you need to eliminate acute angles in beads and borders. Combine single trees or shrubs into a large group that is connected with ground cover. Put the bird bath in your flowerbed or surround it with ground cover.

1. Check your indoor plants closely for insect infestations. If you receive any plants as gifts, quarantine them until you are positive they are not harboring any pests.
2. Your house plants and holiday plants should not be placed on top of your television (especially if you have a flat screen)! This location is too warm and in most houses, it is too far away from your windows to provide adequate light.
3. During the winter, most houses are too dry for house plants. You can increase your humidity by placing plants on trays that are lined with pebbles and filled with water. If you heat your house with wood, keep a pot of water on the stove. The added moisture will make your home healthier for both you and your plants!
4. If you have some extra down time this winter, paint the handles of your garden tools red or orange. This will help preserve the wood and make the tools easier to locate next summer when you lay them down in the garden or on the lawn.

The post January’s To-Do’s and Tips appeared first on Landscape Edging Blog.

Winter sun and cold temperatures can make evergreen foliage turn brown and die back. There are a couple of things you can do to prevent this. First consider planting evergreens in places where they are not exposed to a lot of high winds and winter sun. After Christmas, place your old (natural) Christmas tree or evergreen branches around the shrub, this will act as a wind break.

Another option is to wrap the shrub in burlap or create a burlap barrier. Finally, make sure to water the shrub during the growing season, a well-hydrated shrub is less susceptible to drying out in the winter. Add a temporary layer of 6″ mulch (leaves, straw or wood chips) around the base, this keeps moisture in and prevents frost damage to the roots.

The weight of snow and ice can break branches or bend them away from the trunk. This can be prevented by wrapping the shrub with string or twine so that the branches are held in place even through heavy snowfall or ice storms. Remove the string promptly in the spring to allow the shrub to grow normally. Salt that is used to maintain roads in winter will damage the foliage or seep into the soil, damaging roots. If possible do not plant shrubs near the edge of the road or where salty water will drain. Existing shrubs can be protected with a burlap screen. Fortunately there are many trees, shrubs and plants that are resistant to salt and these would be a good choice for a roadside area.

There are several wild animals that are active in the winter months and when food is scare they will eat foliage, branches, twigs and bark that they ignore at other times of the year. It is important to protect the trunk from the ground up as well as higher branches/twigs that deer can reach. Mice and rabbits will gnaw the bark off the trunk and this can kill the shrub. To prevent this, wrap the trunk in chicken wire or metal mash fabric. Deer will eat small branches and twigs. If it is a low-growing shrub or tree seedling, they will eat it to the ground and kill it. To stop deer damage, either protect the shrub with a physical barrier such as a fence or burlap screen or use a chemical deer deterrent. Chemical deterrents need to be re-applied throughout the season after precipitation. Some people have had success using anti-bacterial soap hung from branches (inexpensive and lasts longer). Another thing to consider is choosing deer-resistant shrubs that deer avoid eating.

It is possible to prevent damage to shrubs and small trees during the winter. Plan for prevention by planting the right shrub in the right place and have your equipment and materials ready to use. Each winter, you will learn a little more about the unique requirements of your garden or yard. These preventative steps will ensure your shrubs are off to a good start the following spring.

The post Winter Protection for Shrubs appeared first on Landscape Edging Blog.

There’s no reason to leave your garden drab and bare during the winter, though! With a variety of cold-hardy plants that grow lovely flowers, you can add vibrant color to that winter garden in no time.

Here are some of the best plants to consider growing during the winter. Just grow them in containers that can be put on your patio, balcony or porch and moved inside if there’s an extreme freeze coming.

Calendula (Calendula officinalis)

Calendula is a lovely flower that resembles a daisy. It comes in shades of deep yellow, cream or apricot with a match center. The plants grow anywhere from one to two feet tall and equally as wide, making wonderful container plantings or for growing in a flower garden. These flowers will require full sun and well-draining soil. Be sure to water enough to keep the soil moist, too. When you see dead or dying blooms, clip those off to encourage new, lively flowers.

Candytuft (Iberis)

Candytuft gets its name from the sweet scented white flower clusters that grow on its long stems. These babies can reach eight feet in height and just as wide. The leaves, which remain year-round, are a lovely shade of shiny dark green and quite narrow. Not so much of a sun lover, you’ll want to put this plant in a shady–or at least partly shady–place and be sure to consistently water it every few days. Like calendula, it will need well-draining soil and you’ll want to clip off the dead blooms to encourage new flowers to grow.

Cineraria (Senecio x hybridus)

Another shade-loving plant, cineraria blooms with intense colors of purplish blue, purplish red, white and pink. Typically growing to about two feet tall and wide, the daisies bloom in broad clusters that are between three and five inches in diameter. These bright, colorful flowers prefer rich, loose soil and will require consistent watering.

Cyclamen (Primulaceae)

Cyclamen provides a wonderful break from the bleak grays of wintertime with its soft whites, pinks, roses and reds. These two-inch-wide flowers are full of air-filling fragrance as well. Its lush green leaves are heart-shaped and have long six inch stems to hold up the flowers. This flower requires rich soil that is porous and drains very well. Be sure to add lots of humus for this one and put it in a place that is mostly sunny with some shade during the day.

English daisy (Bellis perennis)

Ah, the English daisy. Its bright, beautiful blooms are reminiscent of the English countryside. They come in a variety of colors ranging from rose to red or pink and white. These large, eight inch wide flowers grow on fairly short stems and are surrounded by full, bright green leaves. These daisies prefer sun with just partial shade and also need to have well-draining soil and consistent watering. You’ll want to deadhead the plants often to encourage new blooms to keep that color vibrant.

Scotch heather (Calluna vulgaris)

The needle-like leaves of this low-growing, colorful shrub produces small, bell-shaped flowers in cream, orange, pink or yellow. You’ll want to grow them in an area that receives at least half a day of sun and be sure to use a soil that is sandy and has lots of organic matter added to it. Don’t let the soil dry out with this one either. You’ll want to water it consistently.

Indeed, there’s no reason to drive yourself crazy with desire for color in the winter. With flowers like these in containers for easy transporting, you can keep your yard bright and beautiful all the way to spring.

About the Author

     Jonathan Leger is a gardening enthusiast. He runs a small site dedicated to the education, history and care of a

variety of roses at CabbageRoses.net.

The post The Best Plants For Great Winter Color appeared first on Landscape Edging Blog.

The ‘first frost date’ is the average date when frost is likely to occur in a region. To find the date for your area, do an online search. So what is the significance of the first frost date for gardeners and landscapers? There are several jobs around the garden that should be completed before the first frost date.

Tender house plants should be brought inside the house where they are protected from low temperatures. Also, tender bulbs should be dug up and stored inside.

Any summer vegetables (tomatoes, summer squash) should be harvested. Alternatively, they may survive the first frost if they are covered with a protective material such as garden fleece fabric.

Dig up and dispose of any diseased plants and weeds to prevent recurrence the following year.

Add compost to the soil followed by a layer of mulch. The compost makes the soil more fertile and the mulch prevents roots from being lifted by the ‘freeze/thaw’ process during the spring.

Now is the time to create new planting beds by removing any grass and covering the area with a layer of compost and leaves. In the spring the beds will be ready.

Plant spring flowering bulbs – daffodils, snowdrops, tulips and hyacinths. Add a sprinkle of bulb food to the planting hole to give the bulbs a good start.

Sow seeds for cold weather vegetables and make a note of where existing crops are planted so crops can be rotated next year.

Rodents and rabbits sometimes gnaw the bark of trees and shrubs during the winter, so it may be a good idea to encircle the trunks with a fine-mesh wire fence.

It’s a busy time – there’s plenty to do before the first frost to prepare a healthy, productive garden for the following year.

The post First Frost Date and Related Garden Tasks appeared first on Landscape Edging Blog.

Keep it warm and insulated.

You can purchase insulated tumblers for winter composting that will help keep the cold air out so the bacteria can stay active. If you don’t want to spend money for a tumbler, there are still ways to achieve this. If you have a bin that can be moved, move it just inside a garbage can to help shield it from the brisk air. If you cannot move it, think of ways that you can protect it. This is a very important factor to consider when starting your compost. If you have a compost pile that that is not contained in a bin or structure, consider covering it with a tarp, or building a structure to protect it. You can make a simple structure out of scrap wood, bricks or anything that will keep the cool wind out. Worried about snow? Don’t be! Snow can actually help insulate from the dip in temperatures.

Keep it active.

Be sure to keep the bacteria growing by continuously adding to your compost. This does not have to be only organic material. In the fall, rake up some leaves to add over the duration of the winter. Adding a little bit every time you turn your compost and aerate it can help keep things active. You will also need to be sure you are balancing out what bacteria it needs to thrive on a good mix of brown and green material. Brown material is anything that produces carbon (ie. leaves). Green material is anything that produces nitrogen (i.e. kitchen scraps).

Small is better.

When adding new compost material, be sure to keep the material small. The cold weather will slow down your composting, so crunch the leaves you add to make smaller particles, and when your adding new kitchen scraps be sure to chop them finer as well.

Less is more.

Don’t turn over your pile as frequently; tumbling your bin can actually add cold air into your compost that will damage the frail system inside. When the weather is warm you can go back to turning the material with every addition.

Keep it Moist.

Be sure to keep your compost moist, but do not overwater. The dry winter air can leave your compost struggling to hold moisture, but only add the water in small quantities and do not do it when the weather is extremely frigid. It can cause the moisture inside to freeze and put an end to your composting process.

Do you have any other tips for winter composting? Be sure to share them in the comments below!

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