Gordon’s Tips For Planting

Preparing the Ground for Planting:

The first step would be to remove any existing sod or other unwanted plant materials from the area to be planted. Generally speaking, with the high clay content of our soils here in the South, you should mix in a three to four inch layer of well-rotted cow manure, or mushroom compost, as well as incorporating an adequate amount of peat moss, along with ten pounds of super phosphate per each hundred square feet of planting space to be prepared. Small gardens can be worked over and prepared by hand with a shovel or spade.

For best results, the soil should be worked and prepared to a depth of not less than twelve inches; you will find that plants will produce noticeably better if the soil can be worked to this depth.

What is the Best Time of Year for Planting?

Annual flowers can be planted in the spring, once the winter frost is out of the ground. In Texas, that typically occurs around late March to early April. They can continue to be planted throughout the summer and into late fall, even early winter, as long as the ground has not frozen up again.

When to Water:

Many homeowners wind up and store their hoses and watering equipment once the trees and shrubs have finished dropping their fall foliage. This is not in the best interests of your plants. Trees and shrubs will continue to take water from their roots right up until the time the ground freezes. As long as the temperature of the soil remains at 38 degrees Fahrenheit, or above, plants will continue to grow.

If not properly hydrated the extreme temperatures and humidity of the summers in Texas can have some disastrous effects on your outdoor beauties.

Water early in the day. Watering in the cool of morning (even before dawn) minimizes evaporation if you’re using a sprinkler. It also allows foliage to dry off quickly, preventing fungal diseases.

Avoid wetting the blooms. Some blooms close up if wet or fall off in a hard spray.

Water occasionally and deeply rather than often and lightly. You want water to soak in as deeply as possible, encouraging the plant to send down deep roots. The soil should be moist to the bottom of the plant’s roots when you insert your finger into the soil.

Additional Gardening Tips:

Early Spring:

Early Spring is a great time to cut back ornamental grasses. (small grasses may be cut back to a few inches above ground and larger grasses should be cut back to about 12 inches) Clean up winter-damaged foliage on perennials. Apply a slow-release fertilizer according to package directions.

Mid To Late Spring:

Mid to Late Spring is a perfect time to enjoy the blossoms of early perennials like Iris, Blue-Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium), Bleeding Heart (Dicentra), and Dianthus. Simply deadhead faded blossoms to keep plants looking neat.

Peonies are about to bloom, and may be staked with bamboo poles or grow-through grids to keep heavy blossoms upright.

Apply pre-emergent after planting landscape beds to prevent weeds throughout the growing season. Both standard and organic pre-emergent products are available in our nursery.

Refresh mulch to retain moisture and keep landscape beds looking tidy. Add only enough mulch to maintain a 2-3 inch depth, making sure to keep mulch away from stems and trunks of plants.

When to Prune:

The first rule of thumb to follow is that nothing should be pruned from the beginning of August until the beginning of December.

When to Prune Flowering Shrubs:

Some plants bloom on new growth while others bloom on the previous years growth. Pruning at the wrong time may prevent blooming during the upcoming season. Typically, shrubs that bloom in Spring or early Summer should be pruned right after they finish blooming. Shrubs that don’t bloom until late Summer or Fall should be pruned in early Spring.

When to Prune Trees:

The best time to prune trees is during the winter. When there are no leaves it is much easier to determine growth pattern so that you may predict future growth.

When to Prune Conifers:

The best time to prune False Cypress, Leyland Cypress, Juniper, Yew, and Arborvitae is right before a flush of new growth (usually early Spring).

What About Fertilizing?

As a general rule, a slow release fertilizer is best applied between November and early Spring. Liquid, organic, and plant-specific fertilizers vary in application rates, times, and methods. When using any type of fertilizer, always follow instructions on product packaging to protect your plants, yourself, and the environment.

How About Mulching?

Mulching is an excellent way to add nutrients to the soil and also help plants retain moisture. New landscaping benefits from a 2-3 inch layer of mulch. As mulch decomposes, more mulch can be added to maintain a depth of 2-3 inches. The very most important rule to remember is to always keep mulch away from the trunks of trees, shrubs and other plants. Excessive organic material will cause them to rot. Though it is very common to “over-mulch”, it is actually extremely harmful, often deadly to plants.

Planting Tips:

One of the leading factors to unsuccessful planting and transplanting is the tendency to plant the root ball too low. Keep approximately 1/8 inch of the root ball above the soil level to prevent drainage problems and encourage healthy growth.
We hope these tips have been helpful and will provide with a beautiful landscape season after season.

We do landscaping in Lawton, but also in Duncan, Elgin, Apache, Medicine Park, Marlow, Fletcher, Altus, Cache, or anywhere else where people want beauty. Give us a call today.

 If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to please do not hesitate to contact GORDON’S LANDSCAPES LLC.