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How to Plant a Tree

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planting a treeThere’s more to planting a tree than just digging a hole in your yard and putting the roots into the ground.  Not paying attention to method can result in damage – or even death.  Taking the time to do it right the first time will ensure a longer, healthier life for your tree and fewer headaches long-term for you.

Think it through

Before you even plant, think about the kind of height and shape you’re looking for and whether you want a deciduous or evergreen tree.  Also determine where you want to plant it and the conditions (e.g., light, soil type, moisture level etc.) that characterize that site.

Purchase carefully

Buy a tree that looks green and healthy.  Also be sure that it has a large root ball to help it get established and achieve healthy growth.

Make your calculations

Measure the width of the root ball with a tape measure and multiply that number by three to figure out how wide to make the hole.  Use the information to guide you as you dig.

Prepare the soil

Soften the ground using a pickaxe then dig the hole using the shovel.  Make sure that the hole is deep enough so that the top of the soil around the root ball will be 2 or 3 inches above the level of the ground where the tree is planted. Lay down fertilizer and soil conditioner inside the hole evenly.

Plant your tree

Place the tree in the center of the hole and loosen the root ball.  Shovel the dirt back into the hole around the tree and rake the soil smoothly around the tree.  Mulch with pine straw.

Clean it up

Remove any branches that need pruning to shape the tree. Then water the ground thoroughly around the tree.

At South Austin Irrigation, we’re here to help you with irrigation system inspection and repair.  Contact us today!

 

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Building a Raised Bed Garden

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raised bed gardenGet ready, Austinites – spring is almost here! If you’re looking for new landscaping ideas for the new season, consider adding a raised bed to your garden. Not only can it improve soil fertility and drainage. It can also help you grow larger, healthier plants.

Step 1: Find a level area in your garden
Once you’ve found a spot for your raised bed, carefully measure the area. Divide the total area into rows three to five feet wide. Adjust the width of your rows based on the mature size of the plants you intend to grow in each row. Mark the outer edges of each row using wooden stakes.

Step 2: Begin digging
Excavate the soil inside the area you marked off using your shovel to a depth of one foot. Pile the dirt nearby on the plastic sheet or tarp. If your soil has a heavy clay or sand content, mix it with compost to improve fertility and drainage.

Step 3: Multiply and mix
Multiply the length, width and height of your raised bed (above ground) to determine the volume of topsoil needed to add to your raised bed. Mix the topsoil into the dirt you removed from the bed. Use a shovel to loosen and aerate pit soil to a depth of one foot.

Step 4: Begin building
Begin placing masonry blocks around the pit perimeter to create a wall around the edge. Stack blocks in horizontal layers and stagger the blocks in each layer so that the ends of each block are above the middle of the blocks underneath them. When the wall reaches two feet in height, stop adding blocks.

Step 5: Fill in the bed
Shovel the new mixture of topsoil back into the area inside the wall. Apply the soil evenly over the excavated area, but avoid walking on or compacting it. Scan the soil for any large rocks or trash and remove them.

No matter the season, South Austin Irrigation is here to help you make the most of your outdoor environment.

Call us when you need help with your irrigation system!

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Xeriscaping in Texas

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Xeriscaping in TexasXeriscaping is an excellent alternative to a traditional lawn and garden, especially in water-scarce Austin.   This landscaping method uses drought-tolerant native and adaptive plants, which conserve water and reduce the need for fertilizers and pesticides.  While a xeriscape garden takes more planning and effort in the beginning, it requires less maintenance once it gets established.

Setting up

Make sure that the site you choose for xeriscaping is free of obstructions, such as trees with wide root systems and building foundations.

Preparing the ground

Till the soil to a depth of 6 inches, then spread a two-inch layer of organic matter such as shredded pine bark, rice hulls, compost or manure on the turned surface.  Re-till the soil and mixture then rake the area to a smooth bed.

Plants/planting

Use vegetation that’s native or adapted to Texas.  For example, if you decide on a lawn, use Buffalo and St. Augustine grasses.  Also be sure to plant your garden according to plant spacing requirements.  For example, autumn sage (a native Texas shrub) needs three to six feet of space.

Watering

Xeriscape plants require deep infrequent irrigation.  Wait until the soil surface dries and the plants begin to wilt to hydrate them during the garden’s first season.  During the fall and winter, water once a month, but only if those months are dry.  In the second season, water only in case of a drought: established native plants thrive on normal rainfall alone.  Use soaker hoses: these operate best two inches from the base of your plants.  If you’ve planted grass, use a sprinkler instead.

Mulching

Apply a three-inch layer of mulch to the uncultivated areas of your xeriscape garden.  Use pine bark, wood chips or compost to reduce water evaporation and suppress weeds.  Cover the soaker hose with the mulch material and replenish the layer as organic matter decomposes.

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About Bermuda Grass

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Mowed Bermuda Grass or Cynodon dactylon; unsharpened fileBermuda grass is popular in Austin because it’s low maintenance. It’s also easy to care for and looks good even during the summer and times of drought.

Types

Bermuda grass is usually divided into two categories: common and hybrid.  The common variety is grown from seed and used for erosion control, agriculture and some residential lawns. Hybrid Bermuda grass, on the other hand, is planted as sod rather than seed.  The major difference between these two types includes leaf width, color and susceptibility to disease and weeds.

Characteristics

Both common and hybrid Bermuda grass varieties grow best in full sun.  During the cooler weather seasons, they turn brown and go dormant. All Bermuda grasses have textures that range from medium to fine, are very hardy, salt tolerant and drought resistant.

Planting

The prime time for planting new Bermuda grass is late spring or early summer.  Although fall is only a month away, it’s wise not to plant during this time.  That’s because Bermuda grass needs stable nightly temperatures between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit in tandem with the extreme heat of Texas summers to grow and get successfully established.

Watering

The beauty of mature Bermuda grass is that it can live on as little as half an inch of water a week.  Austin water restrictions allow for watering once a week: on the day you are allowed to water, remember to do it at dawn or dusk.  If you water in the heat of the day, the water will evaporate before it can replenish the Bermuda grass.

Mowing

Because it grows so quickly in the heat, Bermuda grass should be mowed once a week during the summer.  Always use a sharp mowing blade and set your mower cutter at a moderate level, as you do not want to cut it too short. Clippings left on the lawn can help the grass to retain more moisture and require less watering.  Never mow Bermuda grass when it is wet.

South Austin Irrigation specializes in irrigation system inspection, repair and replacement.  For the service and advice more Austinites trust, contact us!

 

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Winter Landscaping with Potted Plants

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south austin sedum spurium plantUsing potted plants as part of your landscaping scheme can add beauty to your outdoor environment even in the dead of winter.  And the good news is container gardening does not differ significantly from gardening in general.

To get started, you’ll need to buy pots that have good drainage and are also frost-proof. Containers made of fiberglass, metal or stone resist low temperatures especially well.

The soil should also have good drainage.  If you decide to put two or more different plants in a single container, make sure they have similar growing requirements.  Be aware that you’ll need to repot your plants every two to three years to ensure they don’t get root-bound.

Some good choices for container plants include:

Sedium spurium

Decorative in appearance, sedium spurium produces scallope-edged reddish-bronze foliage all year long and blooms in the summer.  It grows to approximately half a foot in height and thrives in full sun.  However, it can also tolerate partial shade.

Variegated redtwig dogwood

This deciduous plant produces dark red branches and variegated leaves with white margins and gray-green centers.  To keep it looking beautiful, be sure to remove old branches after winter has passed.

Heucheras

Heucheras are colorful, low-growing plants that produce white, pink and red flowers.  Its foliage is shot through with silver veins that run through green or purple leaves.  This plant can tolerate full sunlight to full shade.

Golden sword yucca

The foliage on this variety of yucca is shaped like a 2-inch wide sword that is dark green with a golden center.  The margins of its leaves produce curly fibers.  It can grow to between 2 and 3 feet tall and produces a 3 to 6 foot flowering stalk in summer.  The golden sword yucca prefers full sunlight but can tolerate some shade.

Winter landscaping doesn’t have to be dull.

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Our sprinkler repair service areas include:

  • Austin, TX
  • Lakeway, TX
  • Spicewood, TX
  • Horseshoe Bay, TX
  • Dripping Springs, TX
  • Wimberly, TX

Give us a call for sprinkler repair and service in your area: (512) 534-7449

We Service Many Irrigation Brands:

  • Toro
  • Nelson Turf
  • KRain
  • HydroRain
  • Berkeley
  • Irritrol
  • Rain Bird
  • Rachio
  • Hunter

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