Top 5 Mistakes To Avoid In Your Landscape

Have you ever thought that you had it all figured out and everything was just working perfectly, only to take a closer look and realize that everything is indeed not perfect? We all have! This is especially true when talking about your landscape. Sure, there are a lot of things you can plant and just forget about, right? Wrong! Even the lowest maintenance items such as cacti and agave need some form of care in an urban environment. We’re going to lay out the top 5 mistakes to avoid in your landscape so you can keep your landscape looking great!

#1 Not Planting Shade Trees In The Right Location

Shade trees are great for many reasons, but one of the biggest benefits of planting a shade tree is the cooling effect they will have in your landscape. Shade trees also help to lower utility bills when planted in the proper location.  Planting shade trees on west or south facing walls and windows can greatly decrease the amount of heat the comes into your home, thus lowering the cost for cooling down your home. Properly placed shade trees have the ability to lower the surrounding air temperature by as much as 6 degrees (energy.gov)!

#2 Not Planting Enough Trees And Plants

Let’s face it, not everyone knows exactly what they need to make their landscape perfect for them. That is where the experts from Moon Valley Nurseries come in. Our trained nursery pros know how to get the job done right, the first time. By planting everything you need at once, you won’t wish you had done something different later, because your landscape will be complete and perfect. By having everything completed the first time, you’ll eliminate the need to redo things or make other additions you may not have planned for.

#3 Not Fertilizing Your Trees, Plants, And Grass

You wouldn’t let your dog go 2 months between feedings, would you? So why do that to your trees and plants.  All trees, plants, palms or any other living thing needs to be on a regular feeding schedule All trees, palms, and plants in your landscape should be fed on a regular basis. This keeps your landscape strong and helps it fight off disease, insects as well as battle the elements such as heat and cold stress. We recommend fertilizing March through October with our specialty line of fertilizers created specifically for our growing conditions.  Throughout the year, we also recommend regular applications of Super Charged Moon Juice. This is a root enhancer that keeps the roots of your trees and plants healthy and growing while increase fertilizer and water efficiency.

#4 Not Adjusting Your Watering System As Your Landscape Grows

With every changing season, you should be adjusting your watering schedule according to the outside temperatures. It is recommended that you water all of your shrubs to a depth of about 2 feet, that is where the roots are, so it will keep your plants healthy especially during period of high heat. This also will help you conserve water, as you will not be losing most of it to evaporation, which is what will happen if you only shallow water your plants. Trees and palms as well as other larger items should be watered to a minimum depth of 3 feet. Not only does this create a reservoir for your trees to pull from during the heat of the day, but also encourages strong, deep root systems. With each changing season it is imperative to check your watering system to ensure everything is getting adequate water.

#5 Not Having A Plan When You Start

This should be number one, but we thought we would save the best for last. Having a plan is the single best thing you can do to make sure you create the perfect landscape. Not being prepared can cause a lot of grief and headaches, so if you are not sure where to start, no problem, we got you covered! Moon Valley Nurseries’ trained nursery pros and designers are here for you, and we make it simple as 1-2-3. First, take pictures of the area you are wanting to landscape, take multiples from different angles so our nursery pros can see exactly what you are trying to accomplish. Call or come into your nearest Moon Valley Nursery and speak with one of our pros, we will work with you to put together the perfect plan to create the most amazing landscape in the neighborhood.

Once we have your landscape flagged out at your home, you will then be able to hand select the exact trees and plants for your home. Our nursery pros will walk you around the nursery showing our premium quality trees and plants and help you to hand select the perfect trees to accomplish all your goals. We tag your trees with your name and reserve them for your planting date. Finally, come planting day all you need to do is sit back and watch our planting professionals do all the work, then enjoy your new perfectly landscaped back yard!