Landscapes that are carefully chosen, positioned, and maintained can provide great wind protection or windbreaks.

Let’s dig deeper by knowing the benefits of planting a windbreak on Maratha’s Vineyard.

Windbreaks are linear plantations of trees and shrubs designed in a way to enhance crop yield. They protect people and livestock and also benefit soil and water conservation.

The Need to Plant a Windbreak

Planting the windbreak can help you with the best opportunities for rural homeowners, row crop farmers, and also fruit growers.

Further, planting a windbreak provides sustainable benefits in the production of crops. Windbreaks prevent root breakage and make your field grow wide and thick with crops.

The enhanced water management helps in the most efficient water distribution and reduces evaporation. With proper design and planning, windbreaks also help in frost management.

In addition, it helps reduce wind erosion, reduces the damage to the crops by wind and windblown soil, and promotes yield. Many crops are categorized based on their tolerance to damage by wind. The Landscape designs are also based on this category.

The kind of crop and the level of risk by the wind decides the appropriate windbreak design. The use of windbreaks with the help of trees and shrubs to protect people and their property from climatic extremes has been recognized throughout the world.

Planting the windbreaks may provide improved living conditions for plants and help in controlling dust and snow. In winters, the weather in Martha’s Vineyard becomes extremely windy and snowy. This is where windbreaks play a great role. Windbreaks prevent wind damage by helping wildlife habitat and energy conservation.

Windbreaks help in water conservation practices that you can measure with the yield. The change in yield reflects the response of the parameters involved, such as increased water efficiency by storing snow and rainfall. It helps reduce evaporation from soil surfaces, and the plants hold the moisture in the soil.

Windbreaks can modify the crop environment because it improves plant survival and growth.

As Martha’s Vineyard lands are semi-arid, they are characterized by low and unreliable rainfall with a lack of soil moisture. Moreover, these often lead to soil erosion, salinity, nutrition deficiency, and so on. 

But planting the windbreaks prevents soil erosion, increases the nutrition in the soil, and helps in better yield.

Generally, you use trees and shrubs to plant a windbreak. And, you need improvements in survival, cold and drought, pest resistance, growth rate, and other traits.

Benefits of Planting a Windbreak 

There are several benefits of planting a windbreak. Let’s discuss them in detail.

Boost crop yield and quality

By microclimate modification, planting a windbreak can increase the yield of crops. 

Windbreak protection can be especially valuable in orchards with high-value horticulture crops.

Add specialty crops

Planting some special crops such as windbreak also benefits us with its products. Using shrubs and trees that make decorative products or specialty food. For example, you can have willow and chokecherry, which shall also provide some extra income.

Improve animal survival

Tree shelters and shrub shelters can provide some safe space to certain animal species and also helps them to protect against harsh weather conditions.

Control wind erosion

Planting windbreaks has proven its efficiency in wind erosion of light texture soil. It also helps in dispersing snow evenly across the field and provides more moisture available for crops.

Manage snow dispersal 

Properly planted windbreaks help in preventing snow build-up. It reduces the snow coverage and protects the land from snow coverage.

Wildlife habitat

Trees and shrubs planted as windbreaks provide needed food and habitat for some birds and other wildlife.

Small scrubs have been home to many small animal species and bird varieties to provide food and shelter.

Conserve our wildlife habitat to make the earth a wonderful place to live.

Now it’s time for you to start planting the windbreak to save the wildlife species, develop an extra income, and help in improving the yield of your field. For more information, contact Tea Lane Nursery today.

Winter is known for creating havoc on the landscape with its ravaging effects, leaving behind broken plants, wind-damaged plants and trees. Make a move now to ensure that your garden is in good shape. Follow these 7 tips and observe how your garden performs during the winter months.

Landscaping Tips and Tricks for the Winter Season

A proactive approach for your garden is the most effective strategy to stop the winter troubling your pretty trees. What you do and don’t do right now before winter arrives, is vital to keeping your plants healthy and well-nourished until spring arrives once more. Make sure your plants are able to withstand the frigid winter by following these 7 ways to help.  

#1 Only Your Zone Plants

This is a simple trick to follow. Stick to plants that thrive in the zone of your zones, regardless of how eager to go for that tempting Zone 7 beauty in your Zone 5 backyard. If you don’t have an ideal microclimate to a less sturdy import, stick with plants or trees which can stand up to whatever winter can throw at them.

#2 Put Down Mulch

The application of mulch is among the most effective defenses against cold temperatures, as it blocks the frequent freezing and thawing that causes plants to overheat. Apply 3 to 4 inches of mulch once the ground has begun to freeze. Avoid placing mulch in close proximity to the trunks or the stems of plants. Shredded bark, finely chopped leaves or straw make great mulches.

#3 Dig Delicate Plants

Some plants are not hard enough to last through winter, even in colder climates. Elephant ears, cannas as well as dahlias need to be dug out and kept for winter months in case you wish to reuse them in the next year. Dig up the cannas as well as elephant ears following the first hard frost. Does it before the ground freezes? For dahlias, keep track of the dates of your first freeze and then remove the tubers two weeks later.

#4 Keep Watering

The winter months can really affect the evergreen plants. If they’re not watered properly to the maximum extent possible, their water reserves could be depleted, which makes them more vulnerable to winter burns and even death after the ground freezes. Also, their roots cannot absorb water anymore. The fluctuating temperatures at the time of winter’s end and when icy stretches are punctuated by mild, spring-like days are especially difficult for evergreens that did not receive enough water before the ground began to freeze.

#5 Wrap Them Up

Trees that are just being planted require a bit of winter TLC, if not until they’re big enough to stand by themselves. The trees with thin bark like ash, linden, and maple are vulnerable to sunscald and cracking frost when left unprotected. All young trees will be in the dining room of rodents that eat the soft bark under the snow covering. Make use of a corrugated tube, to wrap your tree from top to bottom with thick paper burlap or tree wrap. Remove it as soon as the tree starts to grow in the late winter or early spring.

#6 Wrap the Grafted Roses

The majority of the roses you will find in your garden at home are grafted. This means that the rootstock beneath the ground isn’t identical to the one growing above the surface. For instance, the roots of the renowned Knockout range of roses aren’t tough enough to endure a harsh climate. So, gardeners graft the Knockout onto a stronger rootstock. Create a six- to-eight inch cone-shaped mound to keep the graft just below the soil line. Take it down when the graft begins to grow in spring.

#7 Do Not Use Salt De-Icers

It is inevitable to experience ice in the winter months, but using a salt-based remedy to deal with it is a guaranteed way to kill lawn and landscape plants. Leaves and roots absorb the salt. It removes moisture from plants’ cells and causes the tissues to become dry. Try to use sand. However, even when that does not work, select a de-icer such as potassium or calcium and use it only sparingly.

Takeaway

Searching for the best landscaping friend who can assist you in creating the perfect landscape that complements your home’s design and budget? Contact Tea Lane Nursery today to learn more!

Being a diehard gardener, you must be trying all possible ways to make your garden a beautiful one. Let us look at some of the most enchanting secrets by Martha’s Vineyard Landscape Company to help you create your dream garden.

Pick a theme:

Getting a theme for your garden will always be the best idea to make your area look beautiful. Pause for a moment and observe the hues in your landscape right now.  Can you rearrange them for a more dramatic look? Yes? Then go for it. 

Group species with the same leaf or blossom shade would look mesmerizing. You can also select a usual flower bed concept. For example, you can put both tall and short flower plants of the same shade in one place. Lastly, add some border plants at the edge of the garden to make the place extra stylish. 

Make sure the utility area is well maintained:

When it comes to creating a lovely landscape, the most important thing to remember is to plan the location and territory properly. You have to put a tiny shed, so think of that. Also, remember to keep tools, firewood, and agricultural equipment a bit far from your yard. 

Apply some paint:

To help revitalize any of your old fences, sheds, etc., paint them. Choose tints that are lush in earthly tones, like mahogany or cedarwood, for a classic feel. Consider subdued, natural colors to complement the beauty of the rest of the house, such as a gentle grey or subtle olive. This will accentuate the lighting in your yard if you’re searching for on-trend shades.

Utilize multi-purpose edible plants:

Herbs provide fresh food supplies, edible blossoms, gorgeous borders, and enticing scents. With marigolds, daisies, etc. Combine herbs such as clumps of chives, heaps of lemongrass, and tiny Greek mint. They will add color diversity with beauty, flavor, and structure.

Pick a feature:

Using highlight planters, you can call attention to a particular plant or region. Do you have a specific pot that you use to take a stance? You can give the pot you wish to showcase as the main feature prominence by opposing the sizes of the plants or vases around it. Yet, ensure the ones you use to surround it aren’t as big as the focus pot. As the attention settles on the feature pot and then around the remainder of the neighboring garden, this works to develop harmony.

Eliminate all Clutter:

Martha’s Vineyard Landscape Company stresses this point a lot. Try not to overcrowd your garden as it may look messy and dirty. Well, you can shift some plants indoors too. Try to maintain the existing plants while removing the unnecessary weeds.

Plant flowers that bloom at various periods throughout the year:

Isn’t it a delight to stroll around the lovely floral garden? That is why it is beneficial to have a range of herbs that flower at varying periods. Bushes, annuals, and bulbous species can all be used. Thus, your garden will continue to blossom for several months.

Design some lighting:

You must properly illuminate the yard regions where you spend your evenings. The garden does not require bright illumination. A few lighting placed along the walkway will suffice to guide you through the garden. For an eco-friendly option, choose solar-powered lights. Your garden will surely get the “WOW” factor with it. 

Include some garden artwork:

Adding ornamental items to your yard expresses your personality and gives your little space the much-needed flair. You can go for hanging bamboo blinds or any lightweight wood frame to increase the garden’s beauty.

Try not to mess up:

If you want to create a pattern in the garden, place the same basic but vivid plants and flowers in various areas. This will help to unite different areas of your landscape visually. Furthermore, ground cover plants such as cloves or rosemary could be used to blend these characteristics. They eventually blanket the surface and form a lovely “natural carpet” as they bloom.

The last secret Martha’s Vineyard Landscape Company would reveal for your beautiful garden is to take care and water the plants regularly. As you will show your love, they will give the same to your garden. Want to know more of such tips? Get in touch with us today.

Organic landscaping is creating and maintaining beautiful garden spaces using naturally available materials free of harmful lawn chemicals. For example, sunflowers, some culinary herbs, lavender, and garlic are plants that keep pests at bay by themselves.

This concept is based on the principle of chemical- and synthetic-material-free plant management systems. The underlying emphasis is on using nature to enhance nature. The focus here is on aesthetic plant appeal and the creation of artistic spaces.

Preparing to Create An Organic Landscape

The preparation of a beautiful organic landscape on Martha’s Vineyard primarily involves two components – lawn maintenance, and plant care. No landscape is complete without a deep green, velvety-in-texture lawn surrounded by colorful flowering plants. The latter complements other garden surfaces apart from the lawn, like paved pathways, stone walls, etc. These are called hardscapes. Both lawn and the plants need specialized attention and care.

 In organic landscaping, you try to maintain the lawn using resources naturally available. Anything which is artificial or contains harmful chemical products is shunned. Plant waste compost and animal manure like composted cow dung can improve soil quality, leading to greener and healthier grass. 

Some other healthy-lawn techniques are the following:

Core aeration

This is helping the base of the grass in the lawn breathe by exposing the soil to air and removing soil plugs or cores.  By inducing aerobic activity of soil organisms, it encourages the channeling of water and other nutrients back into the soil. That way, the grassroots can easily absorb these nutrients. This process is important for the grass above the surface of the soil to flourish.

Mowing Height

It is another important factor for a robust lawn. Based on practice, only the top third of grass must be mown in one particular session.  Cutting the grass too low might lead to it browning.

Top dressing with compost

A good organic landscaper will also spread a thin sheet of compost over the lawn surface during or after mowing.  Natural elements like wind and rain eventually send these down below into the soil.  Ultimately, this adds to lawn health and longevity by ensuring better nutrition.

Picking the Right Plants

Now talk about the prominent role of the right kind of plants and their care in order to create an organic landscape. 

First things first.

When finalizing the purchase of plants, it is important to select those with good, strong roots. This will ensure they grow well later on. The absence of healthy roots does not augur well for the plants’ long life.

Next is the importance of de-weeding.  Weeds crowd the plants and thereby take away precious nutrients, sunlight, water, and soil from them. With time, they weaken the plants, too, as their roots start penetrating deeper. It is necessary to de-weed the landscape regularly for the above not to happen. This way, the plants flourish without a hindrance.

Nutritioning the Plants

There is also the question of plant nutrition. In the organic setting, plant compost and animal (horse, cows etc.) manure are the best sources of soil additives that will provide the much-needed and desired nutrients for plants to thrive.

Watering the Plants

Lastly, watering the plants regularly. It goes without saying that water is to plants what food and fuel are to humans and motor vehicles, respectively. Of note, water should reach the deep roots below the soil surface; merely watering plants often are not very effective.

Health, Ecology, Care

So, the 3 underlying principles in organic landscaping are health, ecology, and care. Plant health, as an example, needs to be studied to identify plants that thrive in the same type of soil. Ecology analyzes the effect of plants on each other and the soil when planted close in the same environment. It studies plant symbiosis with respect to other environmental elements like water, soil, etc.

Create An Organic Landscape Takeaway

Hence, to conclude, the modern concept of organic landscaping involves many processes and is a multifactorial subject. It is chiefly concerned with enabling botany (flowering plants and soft, rich lawns) to thrive alongside manmade structures like walls, waterfalls, and paved walks (hardscapes).

While doing so, ensuring no synthetics or chemicals detrimental to our environment are used. The creation of hardscapes is an inclusive aspect here, too. If you wish to know more about it and how you can have one for your house, visit Teal Lane Nursery.

The answer is very simple and straight – Yes. Yet, there are a few points you need to keep in mind to have a great lawn without chemicals. The popular belief is that you require many fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides for an attractive lawn. Even if you’re not concerned about their cost, these are very harmful in the long run, not only to humans, animals, and plants but also to the environment.

Below given are some easy and organic practices for an amazing lawn but without any sort of chemicals. Let’s see:

Organic Manures

So, what should you do if you want your grass to be a bit greener and add some sort of nutrients? You don’t have to use large amounts of chemicals for this. Instead, use liquid compost tea (homemade manure) on your lawn. Using all organic ingredients will make your average-looking lawn look great and increase your lawn’s roots, health, and life.

Say No To Bag Grass Clippings

You take your lawn’s life away in the form of bag clippings. There is nitrogen and other useful minerals in grass clippings. These clippings can be used to increase the fertility of the soil. In fact, it is the easiest and most organic method to fertilize any type or size of the lawn.

Proper Watering

You don’t need to water your lawn every day unless it’s a bright sunny day. Shallow watering gives you weak roots. The most effective practice is to water your lawn deeply and less often. This will help your lawn roots to go deep and gain the strength and minerals to fight hot weather conditions.

Keep Proper Height of Your Mower

Raise your mower’s blades. This is the most important point to keep in mind for a chemical-free lawn. You’ll face a lot of problems if you mow your lawn too low. Weed seeds find an easy path to get down to the soil, and the soil dries quickly on a bright sunny day. 

3.5 to 4” is an appropriate height. With this height, the grass can hold moisture and prevent the grass from turning brown.

Take Off Maximum ¼ of Grass At Once

Always remember to take off only ¼ grass in one go. When you remove too much grass at a time, the lawn suffers from a lot of pressure. This pressure harms the lawn in the long run. It leaves huge clusters of grass afterward. These clusters stick to the healthy and living grass from below and kill it. Mowing it a few times may be time-consuming, but it’s more beneficial for your lawn.

Sharpen Your Blades

Dull blades just tear the grass and do not cut it. This will only result in brown tips of your grass. Most people assume their lawn is dry and it needs more water. However, the reality is the tip of each and every grass blade is damaged because of the dull blades. Due to this, the tip of every grass blade is turned brown. Whereas sharp blades give you a clean cut and minimize pressure on your mower.

Don’t Mow a Wet Lawn

Mowing wet grass isn’t advisable for your lawn, blades, and also the mower. Wet grass, from the morning dew or the rain, quickly dulls your mower’s blades. In addition, the mower’s work becomes two times more difficult because the grass gets choked from below. Just like in the case of dull blades, wet grass also causes brown tip problems. This, in turn, makes your lawn look untidy and dry.

Takeaway

Following these simple and easy points will help you build a great lawn without chemicals. You do not need any chemicals to have the most stunning-looking grass. Once your lawn is well-established, it would not need much attention. However, keep checking on the soil texture, pH, and root growth to have a lush carpet. If you wish to have an expert’s advice, contact Tea Lane Nursery today.