Caring for your New Landscape

Congratulations – your new landscape is installed and you’re all set to enjoy it the rest of the summer. But do you know how to care for it properly to ensure you’ll enjoy it for years to come?

Here are a few tips you can follow to help your new plants, trees and shrubs thrive.

Watering your Landscape the First Year (Light Soil)

In general, landscapes need about 1” of water per week (rainfall + irrigation). Watering can be more of an “art” than hard & fast rules… you’ll need to consider many variables, such as:

• Size of the root-ball – if it is larger, it will need more water

• Sun exposure – is it in full sun or shade?

• Wind – is it in an open area where winds may dry out the soil faster than a protected area?

Caring for New Sod

New sod needs regular watering until the root system is fully established – usually one full growing season, but maybe more in heavy soil.

Weeks 1 and 2: Soak it daily with ½” of water (about ½ hour)

Week 3: Soak it every other day with ½” of water (about ½ hour) – or if it is very dry, then every day to ½” (about ½ hour)

Week 4 and beyond: Soak with 1” of water (about 1 hour) once or twice a week as needed.

First mowing: When the sod is 4-5” high. Mow down to 3”.

Fertilizer: Wait 60 days after the sod is laid to apply fertilizer. Summer sod does well if it is fertilized in September. Sod laid in the fall should not be fertilized until the following May.

Care of Newly Planted Landscape Plants

There is always a period of adjustment when new plants are added to your landscape:

2 – 3 Weeks………………………………Flowering annuals and garden vegetables

1 – 2 Months…………………………….Perennials

1 – 2 Growing Seasons…………….Trees, shrubs

Water As Needed

New plantings need to develop more complete root systems. While they do that make sure they receive adequate watering. A general rule of thumb is to make sure the planting area is kept moist, but not consistently wet.

For more information, check the Aftercare tab on our website.