Caring for New Landscaping Shrubs during Cold Weather

If you recently bought some new landscaping shrubs for your Lancaster home, you may be wondering how to care for them as the weather turns colder. Some questions you may have are about how much water and sunlight they need and how you can protect them from Pennsylvania’s harsh winters. We can answer your questions personally when you visit our retail plant center to browse landscaping shrubs. However, we also want to offer some tips here that you can follow at home. Winter can be tough on new landscaping shrubs, but they can easily survive and thrive with proper care and planning on your part.

Although it may not seem like it, the winter sun can do almost as much damage to new landscaping shrubs as the spring and summer sun. You can prevent much of this damage by wrapping the shrubs’ trunks in some type of protective material, like burlap or corrugated paper that is light in color. This will keep the bark from experiencing extremes in temperature.

Another way to protect your landscaping shrubs as the weather gets colder is to make sure they get plenty of water in the late fall. Even when temperatures outside are quite cold, the leaves of the shrubs can get warm in the sun, resulting in transpiration. This can pull water away from landscaping shrubs, leaving them dry.

So how much water do your shrubs really need? This depends on the type of shrub, and if you visit our retail plant center, we can give you more specific information. In general, try to water them regularly in the fall. You can also water them on any warm days we might happen to get during the winter.

A serious threat to new landscaping shrubs is winter burn. To prevent this from happening, you can use evergreen branches to form a wind break over the shrubs. Another way to help protect your landscaping shrubs’ root systems is with mulch. The type and amount of mulch needed depends on the type of shrubs you buy, so we can offer advice on this as well.

With preparation and a few precautions on your part, your new landscaping shrubs will be all set for spring!

For more information on landscaping shrubs near Lancaster, call Root’s Nurseries at 717-898-0041, stop by our plant center in Manheim, or contact us for a Free Landscaping Estimate. 

Caring For Your Trees This Summer

Proper tree care is important, no matter what time of year it is. And even though fall will be here before you know it, caring for your trees is still a chore that should be done on a regular basis. Here is a brief overview of how to care for your trees this time of year. And, of course, if you have any further questions, you can always visit our garden center near Ephrata.

Take a walk around your property and look at each tree. Take note of any damage or other issues with your trees, like signs of disease or insect infestation. If you see any signs of these types of problems, visit our garden center to get advice on what to do to get rid of the problem. You should keep an eye out for any branches that are damaged and in need of pruning.

If you have the right tools and if you know how to do it properly, take some time to prune the trees that need it. Sometimes pruning is an art form, so it should only be done by those who know what they are doing. If you are unsure, hire a professional company to come out and take care of it for you. And if you want further advice on this, come to our garden center to talk to our experts.

Weak limbs need to be braced or cabled in order to help them grow. Sometimes it needs to be done after a storm has blown through your area. Cabling or bracing weak tree limbs is another task best left up to a professional. There should be some type of tree care service in your area that you can call for assistance. Or you can visit our garden center to learn more about cabling and bracing.

These are only a few suggestions on how to best care for all of the trees on your property. If you would like to learn even more, take a trip to our garden center. We have plenty of experts on staff who would be happy to answer your questions on how to best care for your trees and other aspects of your landscaping.

If you would like more information on our garden center near Ephrata, call us at Root’s Nurseries at 717-898-0041, or you can contact us for a Free Estimate. Our garden center is on Lancaster Road in Manheim.

How to Design a Balanced Landscape

Designing a landscape or garden can be somewhat confusing if you have never done it before. Fortunately, the professional landscape designers in Mt Joy at Root's Nurseries have a few suggestions on what to consider. And if you have any questions or need more guidance, give us a call!

You should not try to mimic the formal gardens that you find in fancy places like Buckingham Palace. Those types of gardens take around-the-clock care and maintenance to look good and, even then, you cannot account for slight differences in soil, nutrients and lighting. It is better to aim for a sense of balance. Your plants and flowers do not have to match exactly. 

For example, you should find plants and flowers that have a similar leaf shape or texture. Or you can find plants that are similar in color or in height or width. Our landscape designers can help you select flowers and plants that will look good together. Variety will also make your garden more interesting to look at.

When you plant, consider planting flowers in groups instead of in rows. Planting them in groups makes them more interesting to look at and easier to care for and maintain. 

Your garden should also have a focal point for every season of the year. That way, even when the weather is cold out, there is still something pretty to look at in your garden. And you can sit outside and enjoy your garden and landscaping on mild winter days when the temperatures are not too cold and the weather isn't too bad.

When planted correctly, flowers and plants can really enhance the look of your home and its curb appeal. You can soften sharp edges and make your home more interesting and beautiful to look at.

And if you want the assistance of our landscape designers in Mt Joy, call Root’s Nurseries at 717-898-0041, or you can contact us for a Free Estimate. Or you can visit our Retail Plant Center located on Lancaster Road in Manheim.