Common Landscaping Mistakes to Avoid in Sonoma County
Sonoma County is world renowned for its beautiful landscapes. Nevertheless, there are landscaping mistakes that we see regularly when providing landscape maintenance services in Sonoma County. Here are three common mistakes and our top tips to help you avoid these issues in your own landscape.
Not completing an irrigation system start up check in the spring.
In Sonoma County, we generally need to irrigate April-October when we are experiencing our dry season, but this means irrigation systems are off for 5 months of the year, and a lot can happen during that time which could lead to issues in your valves, sprinklers, or tubing. Sometimes late season irrigation issues don’t get noticed as they aren’t running as frequently.
Before starting up your irrigation system in the spring it is critical to thoroughly inspect it from top to bottom by turning on all stations from the controller, visually inspecting all drip lines and sprinkler heads, and making any repairs that are necessary. There is nothing worse than turning your system on and realizing it needs a ton of repairs to function properly! Don’t let your plants suffer, let our team of landscape irrigation specialists in Sonoma County help you get it done by giving us a call in February or March!
Not completing winter pruning tasks before plants exit their dormant periods.
Just as irrigation systems lay dormant in the winter, so do many plants. This includes roses, fruit trees, flowering perennials, ornamental grasses, and many shrubs. If we experience a heat wave in late February or March it’s often too late to take advantage of the dormant seasons for pruning as plants push out buds and new flowers. At this point you can cause quite a bit of stress to them by pruning, so it’s important to complete winter pruning no later than January.
Flower and fruit production is greatly impacted by when and how trees and plants are pruned so hiring a landscaper near you with the horticultural expertise to manage pruning work at the proper time of year will ensure you get the most from your landscape.
Not considering how the sun affects each area of your landscape.
How the sun moves across your landscape greatly determines what plants will do well, and which areas you will want to spend time in. Shady areas under established trees are incredibly valuable on a hot day, so when working with a landscape designer in Sonoma County you’ll want to identify natural structural advantages of your landscape before planning which changes you’ll make. You might regret removing a large tree if you lose all your shade, however, sometimes removing a tree allows vital light to enter the landscape as well. This is why carefully planning with a professional is important before making hasty decisions!
Understanding which areas get the best sunlight will help you make decisions about where you might put vegetable planters, or a pollinator garden, as these areas will need ample sunlight to succeed. We often see folks put vegetable planters in very small areas between a house and a tall fence and unfortunately, their crops underperform as a result. Consulting with a professional landscape designer will ensure you take full advantage of the sun conditions in your landscape.
Planning and designing a landscape isn’t rocket science, but there are some key things to keep in mind. Some are one-time planning decisions, some are things to keep in mind every single year. At Inspired Landscapes it is our passion to help property owners navigate these challenges, so give us a call today at (707) 395-7474 so that you can avoid making these common mistakes in your own landscape!
