What time of year do you typically refresh your landscape? Most homeowners in Dallas use the spring and summer months to plant new flowers, shrubberies, trees and any additional landscape renovation. If this is a yearly routine for you as well, you just might be doing it wrong. It’s actually a common misconception that the spring and summer months are the proper time for planting new plant life, and there are some compelling reasons as to why this is untrue.
Sweet Summertime – To Plant or Not to Plant?
The idea to plant and landscape during the spring and summer months is an idea that is essentially ‘planted’ into our heads. There are many outside influencers that have forced us to think this way. For example, nurseries and garden centers have an abundance of plant life during these months and over the years, marketing of the nursery trade has had a great impact on this idea of planting during spring/summer.
The spring and summer months are a time when the plants are expected to grow and flourish, which is also hard to accomplish when trying to settle in a new environment and foundation. Marc Funderburk, President of Dallas-based LandPatterns, explains how “plants require nurturing and constant care in the early stages, especially when moved from a nursery setting into the ground. This transition during the spring/summer might be a great shock and even harmful to a young plant.”
Luckily, North Texas climate provides us with prime weather to grow strong, sustainable plant life, if utilized properly. The fall season is meant to allow plants to settle into their new surroundings and create stronger foundations for growth.
Fantastic Fall – Primetime Planting Season
Having a strong foundation can make all the difference as the plant grows. Marc compares the delicate growth of a plant to that of a child, because “as a child sleeps, the body is preparing itself for growth and the brain is regenerating at a pace that allows the child to function better during the day. Like a child going to bed at night, plants undergo this same process, but instead of day and night this process occurs across seasons.”
Fall allows the plants to sleep during this dormant time of year and strengthen their roots in the process. As the plants go into the ground, they spend their time fortifying the root system as opposed to also growing the upper part of the plant. By strengthening an adequate root system, the plants become more conducive to growth during the spring and summer months.
In addition, fall is a great time of year to prepare the microbes and soil for the next planting season. Being cognizant of the health of your soil is extremely important to ensure there is a nutritious environment where your plants will be able to grow and flourish for years to come.
Good to Grow
Taking the time to lay the foundation and understand the process a plant goes through in order to survive and thrive can have a major impact on the health of your garden. Marc explains the importance of recognizing “the 3 seasons of a plant: sleep, creep and leap. Depriving a plant of this natural seasonal flow will only disrupt the growth process and limit the longevity of the plant.”
At LandPatterns, we take great pride in taking the time to do it right and to address yourindividual landscaping needs. We understand this can be a major investment and we work hard to assure you are receiving the best possible plan for your project.
Are you good to grow? Fall is upon us, so contact us today and let us give you a landscape that will be ready for the spring in Dallas!