New Year’s is the time for us to make resolutions to better ourselves. It is also a good time to make resolutions to better our home and its Tulsa landscaping. Rolling up our sleeves and doing some work now means that we will have magnificent gardens and greenery to enjoy once the warm weather comes.
So put aside your cup of festive eggnog, place your hand over your heart and make these nine landscaping New Year’s resolutions:
1. Begin Composting
Want a good supply of nutrient-rich soil to use in your gardens or vegetable plot? Then start composting. Starting a compost pile or installing a compost bin in your backyard is easy to do. It will help minimize the amount of waste you send to landfills and reduce the need for fertilizer in gardens, also saving water.
2. Prune Trees and Shrubs
When deciduous shrubs and trees are dormant in the winter, it is the best time to prune them. (Evergreens are best done in the growing season.) Don’t forget to use proper tools and safety gear.
3. Plant Seeds Indoors
Instead of buying flowers from a nursery, you can save lots of money by growing annuals from seed inside your house during the winter or early spring. You should plant slow-growing annuals under grow lights six to eight weeks before transplanting them into your garden. You should plan to do the transplanting after the danger of frost has passed.
4. Plan a Vegetable Garden
If you don’t have your own vegetable garden, then start planning your plot in winter. In a time when local, fresh, organic produce is valued, you don’t get anything more fresh and local than vegetables you grow yourself. It’s also a good way to teach your kids about where food comes from and growing processes.
5. Conserve More Water
With record droughts afflicting the country, it’s good to start thinking about ways to save the valuable resource of water. You might consider, for example, removing your conventional lawn and replacing it with native plants, artificial turf, a vegetable garden or a larger patio. Not only will you save water, but you will also cut back on the burdensome lawn care you need to do. Lower water bills provide another good incentive.
6. Improve Yard Drainage
When the ground isn’t frozen, winter or early spring is a good time to install French drains. When wet weather comes, the improved yard drainage will promote a healthier lawn and reduce the chance of basement flooding. A French drain consists of a gravel-filled trench with a hole-perforated pipe that redirects surface runoff and groundwater away from your home.
7. Make Your Green Thumb Greener
To be good, environmental citizens of the planet, we should think of further ways to reduce our energy consumption and lower our carbon footprints. For example, you can retire your fossil-fuel-guzzling lawnmower with a push mower. You can opt for solar-powered lights for walkways, solar panels to provide energy inside the home and grow your own food to reduce the carbon emissions involved in transporting food from the farm.
8. Get Organized
Your outdoor living spaces are made more comfortable and livable if they are organized and decluttered – just like inside your home. Put away gardening supplies, yard maintenance tools, and pool equipment. If you don’t have another place for them, perhaps it’s time to invest in a shed. Organize and straighten your patio and lawn furniture. The better organized you are, the more likely you are to want to spend time outside and entertain friends.
9. Test Your Soil
If your garden and lawn underperformed last year, it might be because the soil is low in nitrogen or high in phosphorus. If you invest in soil testing, you will know what kind fertilizer you need to purchase in the spring to ensure strong growth of grass, flower and vegetable garden. You should test five to seven places throughout your yard/garden, depending on how big it is.
To get a jump on your New Year landscaping, contact Proactive Landscaping. We provide a full range landscaping maintenance services for homeowners across the Broken Arrow area. We offer professional and creative landscaping solutions that are customized for each home. We only use top-quality plants that are suited to the Tulsa growing area.
