Landscaping is a technique that not everyone masters. It has its own ins and outs. So, if you too are interested in knowing the key aspects, you should consider while planting a plant, here we tell you all the secrets. Read on and create a garden that you like!
Key Aspects to Consider in Landscaping
Temperature
Few plants look good, are actively growing, and bloom in abundance during the spring season. Some plants tolerate cold better, others heat. Seasonal temperature variations limit the usefulness of each plant as well as where it is located in the garden. Flowers of the cool season such as snapdragons, dianthus, pansies, primrose, and Mertensia virginica prefer fall and spring season or a place where they are protected from direct exposure to the sun from noon to 5 p.m. To extend the blooming period of each plant, it is advisable to place them in protected places.
Heat-tolerant plants like portulaca, buttercup, sedum, yarrow, and verbena do best in hot, dry conditions. Tolerance to heat is a very important characteristic to consider when choosing plants for gardens in the Midwest.
Light
Temperature and light are the factors closely related. Generally, plants that require little light stand more sun if temperatures are lower and if humidity is not scarce. When evaluating sun exposure, look at how much light the place receives and how bright it is. Five hours of full sun in the morning is cooler than five hours of full sun in the afternoon. The amount of sun that hits a certain plant in a shady location can vary.
In general, if a place receives unfiltered midday sun for more than three hours a day, it is best to consider it a place with full sun and choose plants with that characteristic in mind.
Places that receive unfiltered sun in the morning and shade in the afternoon or “splashed” shade during the day are considered part sun sites. Very shady areas receive very little midday sun and about 60% of the sun’s intensity for the rest of the day.
If the actual light conditions of a particular location do not match the light preferences of each plant, the result will be reduced flowering, uneven growth, stunted plants or foliar blanching.
Water
Both the areas that stay flooded and humid and those that are usually very dry can suffer water stress, even in the same ground and, generally, close to each other. Soil preparation is indispensable to avoid overwatering or extreme drought.
In most cases, some watering is required at some point during the growing season. If the soil is dry or where watering is very low, select plants that can tolerate drought conditions. Mind that even drought-tolerant plants need an establishment period with enough water to take root and then be able to tolerate drier conditions. To avoid excess humidity, it is advisable to prepare the soil properly and place drainage pipes or raised beds.
The choice of plants can be based on their ability to tolerate wet soils and flooding.
Most problems that arise from overwatering, assuming the soil is well prepared, occur primarily from too frequent watering and not so much from too much water at one time.
Plants find it difficult to grow in dry, shady soils. It is imperative to understand that dry shade, such as under the leafy canopy of a tree, poses several difficulties that only a select group of plants can cope with. The right choice of plants is crucial when you work with these conditions. Remember that plants suitable for dry shade will develop as long as the right conditions are ensured for them to establish themselves.
Soil Characteristics
Soil is another key aspect to consider in landscaping. In fact, the soil is the ultimate support of a plant that provides them with all the moisture and nutrients. Frequent watering or heavy rains in combination with poorly drained soil reduces plant performance and increases the risk of losses due to root diseases. On the other hand, soil that has excellent drainage may have poor water holding capacity and therefore may require frequent watering to maintain plants.
To make gardening something pleasant in this type of soil, it is recommended to improve the water retention capacity and plant specimens that tolerate droughts. To improve the critical balance between water and air in the soil and its structure, it is recommended to add soil enrichments such as compost. Both air and water are essential elements for the development of the root that results in the growth of the plant.
Nothing is more crucial in abbreviating plant stress than proper soil preparation before planting.
Plant Selection
When you look for the right plants for the specific conditions of a particular location, you will be presented with many options. To expand the range of plants beyond the joys of home and petunias, you will find that some of the options will be unfamiliar to you, but these can make a big difference in your landscaping. The guide that we present in our next post will include the tips for choosing the right plants for your landscaping.
So, stay tuned in and know the plants to plant in your garden for avid landscaping.
In case you need some help, you can always contact Done Right – your companion for all your landscaping needs!
