Our Blog
Use our blog as a resource of information pertaining to lawn and landscape maintenance information and services for your properties.
Use our blog as a resource of information pertaining to lawn and landscape maintenance information and services for your properties.
In the midwest, there's not much for us to do in the garden at this time of year. If you’re itching to do something to keep yourself busy, we made a list!
Start Seeds Indoors
You may have started some of your seeds late last month, but most cool-seasoned vegetables, herbs and annuals can be started in February-March. Some examples are, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, kale, lettuce and parsley.
Order Spring-Planted Bulbs
You may not plant these bulbs until March or April, it is a good month to start shopping! Many of these plants (ranunculus, gladiolus, lilis, canna, calla lilies, and dahlias) will flower late-spring or summer.
Prune Woody Plants
Woody plants are still dormant, this is the best time to remove stems or branches. With deciduous trees and shrubs it’s also easier to see the structure of the plants as you prune.
Do a Houseplant Checkup
Warm, dry, indoor air from heaters and fireplaces can dry out plants, adding a humidifier to your indoor garden can help you achieve favorable conditions your indoor plants are looking for. Indoor plants are also not receiving as much sunlight in winter as they do in spring and summer, but temporarily moving them into a brighter area in your house for the winter months or even implementing grow lights in your space can help!
Check on your Stored Plants
If you dug anything up from...
Crabapple Trees and Fruit Persistence
Ornamental crabapple trees are widely popular in landscapes for their spring flowering beauty, interesting shape and colorful fall fruit. The variety of color the blossoms can add to your landscape make it a great addition to any color scheme, ranging from intense shades of pink to gentle white.
Fruit
The flowers aren’t the only vibrant elements on these trees- the fruits also put on a beautiful display that ranges from pale lime, gold, and reds with highlights of crimson, purple, orange and pink! If you’re looking for something that has winter interest, crabapples are on the list of options as persistent fruiting varieties are available that not only have visual appeal, but tend to hang on to the branches and don’t litter the ground. The sizes of fruits vary from small to large and the smaller sizes cling to the branches better because of their lighter weight.
Wildlife Benefits
Due to the fruit persistence on certain varieties, be aware that the crabapples may become a sought after food source for the creatures in your area during the winter months when food may be scarce. Birds, deer, squirrels, mice, foxes and insects may pay your yard a visit to get a taste of what your tree has to offer. If you enjoy providing an ecological benefit to the wildlife community in your area, choose a crabapple variety with a persistent fruiting habit!
Ice Storms
Every year, ice storms roll through the state that have the potential to cause considerable damage to urban and natural areas. Glazed roads, power outages, and fallen trees may cause injury to people, property, and your pocketbook.
Characteristics of Trees That Increase Damage Susceptibility
Heavy snow and ice on branches can lead to breakage at seemingly random points due to a variety of factors including decay, diseased areas, dead branches, and severed roots or at points of attachment (included bark, long or heavy branches, weak branch unions). Tree species with broad crowns (decurrent branching), shallow roots, and stem inflexibility have a greater chance of damage inflicted during an ice or heavy snow storm. Examples of trees with such characteristics include Siberian and American elm, hackberry, green ash, birch, and honey locust.
Characteristics of Trees That Increase Damage Resistance
Trees that exhibit conical (excurrent) branching patterns, strong branch attachments, flexible stems, and low surface area of lateral branches are considered to be somewhat resistant to heavy snow and ice storms. The age of the tree also factors in as younger trees generally have greater flexibility than mature ones do. Tapered tree trunks that are wider towards the bottom than they are on top have a stronger foundation to withstand high winds and heavy snowfall. Examples of trees with such characteristics include Kentucky coffee tree, black...
Plants for Winter Interest
Plants in your garden can provide a beautiful outdoor space for the spring and summer months, but what happens in your garden when the cool fall breeze sets in and things begin to go dormant for winter? With the right plants and design, your winter garden can still function as a sanctuary from the world that is both engaging and beautiful, regardless of the time of year.
Shrubs and grasses can bring depth and movement to still or bland scenery, some are noted for their berries, such as Winterberry or Viburnum, while others like Dog Woods, are used to highlight usual bark or branch structure, The blooms of a Panicle Hydrangea remain sturdy through the harsh weather, and another way to liven up your landscape is to include perennials that attract birds such as Black-eyed Susans, Coneflowers, and Sedum. Leaving the dried seed heads up through the season will provide food for wildlife.
Whether you believe it or not, fall is a great time to start planting perennials! The conditions are perfect for the roots to establish themselves! This is all going to be based in our zone which happens to be Zone 5b. You will want to plant early, roughly about 6 weeks before the first fall frost.
Plants are pretty cheap in the stores around this time. Usually stores have discounts on the plants that have been picked over. These plants are usually a little wilty, have some yellowing and/or brown leaves, and the soil is dry. The first thing you're going to want to do when you bring the plant home is cut the yellowing or brown leaves off and thoroughly water them, set the plant in a tray or saucer so they will be able to soak up the water that drains through their soil. After that, treat the plant like every other plant. Water less when it's cold, water more when it’s warm and watch your radars for rain so you don't overwater!
Frost. Some might think frost is a bigger challenge than it actually is, but in reality it's not! Frost might kill the tops of your plants, but it will not affect the root growth. Roots will continue to grow until the soil freezes, which happens within weeks, maybe even months after the first frost in fall.
Growing healthy roots: When the soil is cold, the newly planted perennial roots grow slowly. In the fall when the soil is warmer...
There are a number of shrubs or perennials that simply don't leaf out as early as everything else in your yard. Many plants stay in dormancy a little longer when spring arrives, some of these perennials and shrubs include:
SHRUBS:
-Hibiscus - Rose of Sharon
-Hydrangea Paniculata - Hydrangea
-Hydrangea macrophylla - Hydrangea
-Buddleia - Butterfly Bush
-Logerstroemia - Carpemyrtle
-Cephalanthus - Buttonbush
-Weigela
PERENNIALS:
-Baptisia - False Indigo
-Perennial Grasses
-Kniphofia - Red Hot Poker
-Perovskia - Russian Sage
Give these plants several additional weeks to start pushing out new growth. Butterfly bush and Russian sage, in particular, may not show signs of life until early June in cold climates, so they need an extra-long grace period. The false indigo, perennial hibiscus, red hot poker, and ornamental grasses are best cut back in early spring, before the new growth begins. As for the other plants on this list, resist the urge to cut them back too soon. Wait until you see little green buds developing on their stems or coming from the ground to prune them or cut them back at all – those green buds will tell you exactly where you may need to prune off any winter damage that may have occurred.
Just because these plants take a while to look alive doesn’t mean they’ll spend the summer stunted –...
If you're looking for new ways to lessen the stress of rising grocery costs, Foodscaping could be the answer. While gardening has always been a wise choice for combating expensive trips to the store, the hobby has definitely been a rising trend in the past few years. Foodscaping is a modern term for mixing ornamental plants with food-yielding plants. Also known as edible landscaping, this ideology aims to prove that fruits and veggies can also provide aesthetic value in the garden! A typical design can include all kinds of vegetables, fruit trees, berry bushes, herbs and edible flowers alongside ornamental plant species. As a more sustainable approach to traditional landscaping, foodscaping is a great way to incorporate more color into your outdoor spaces, and better utilize your yard!
For inspiration and more information on getting the most from your yard, visit the links below!
Foodscaping: A "New" Way To Create A Garden
Photos: Foodscaping adds beauty, value to landscape
We spend significant time and money landscaping our yards, planting gardens, and building beautiful outdoor spaces, yet are left with very little time to sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labor. As soon as the sun sets, we head back inside. What if we told you there was a way to spend more time in your yard? The solution is simple: adding landscape lighting to your yard gives you more hours of the day (and night) to enjoy the beauty of your outdoor space!
1.Extending your Living Space Outside
An outdoor lighting system can extend your living space by making your outdoor spaces usable long after dark, giving you more time to enjoy them. Well-designed landscape lighting can turn your ordinary backyard into an oasis
2.Highlight Landscaping and Yard Decor
Transform your dark exterior into a bold, illuminated showcase, highlighting special features like fountains, ponds, flower gardens, patios, pergolas – even your favorite trees! Whatever is special to you about your home or yard, make it stand out with landscape lighting.
3.Increase Property Value
Regardless of the size or style of your home, landscape lighting can highlight its best attributes, adding dimension, space, and dynamic form. It can make the most bland, boring exterior shine. When it comes time to sell, this will be especially important – a well-lit home is more attractive to potential buyers.
4.Enhance Curb Appeal
If your ...
Summer is an important time of year for both your lawn and landscape, so make sure you do not neglect them during this season. At Beautiful Blooms, LLC, we tend to yards across Wauwatosa, Brookfield, Elm Grove, Pewaukee, and more throughout Wisconsin.
Learn more about four of the must-have services for your lawn and landscape this summer.
Your grass needs to be mowed consistently throughout the entire growing season. Without a proper mowing schedule, it may grow to be too tall and you could end up cutting off more of it than is recommended. Especially during the warm summer months, you should keep the lawn at a height of about 3.5-4 inches so that the grass can protect the soil and its roots from the heat of the summer sun. This is vital, otherwise the soil and roots can end up getting scorched.
Many appreciate mulch for its aesthetic appeal in a landscape bed, but it also has many other benefits. If you did not get mulch installed in the spring, then you need to have it put in during the summer for a few reasons:
At Beautiful Blooms, LLC, we offer...
When winter weather rolls around, it can get bitterly cold in Brookfield, Elm Grove, WI, and the surrounding areas. Plants native to our area are usually able to go dormant during the winter months, but sometimes they need extra protection to endure the freezing weather.
Here are some ways we recommend protecting your landscape plants, trees, and shrubs from the cold weather and why you need to protect them in the areas of Brookfield, Elm Grove, Wauwatosa, Pewaukee, and surrounding Wisconsin cities.
It’s not easy for anything living to survive in the bitter cold. Animals huddle together for warmth and plants may also need a bit of a boost to make it through the long winter months. Additionally, animals may be seeking out food sources and when deer or rabbits come into your yard to eat your plants, this can kill them. At Beautiful Blooms, LLC, we have devised several ways to help your plants make it through the winter.
One method to protect plants from winter weather is called wilt pruf. This is an anti-desiccant that we apply to select types of evergreen plants. Wilt pruf is made from pine sap and helps to prevent winter windburn of your trees and plants.
Our professional crews may also choose to use burlap wrapping, especially if you have plants that are close to the street or other areas where winter wind or salt spray can be thrown ...
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