Fall is the Time to Plant

Fall is a great time to plant new pretties. Even though a large majority of plants go dormant in the winter, we have an advantage in the San Antonio and Kerrville, Texas areas. Our winters are not as harsh as other parts of the country. The ground stays warmer allowing roots to continue growing. Fall is actually a great time for planting in Texas Hill Country.

Even if newly planted, the roots will grow and develop during the fall, winter and spring, making for an established root system in time for summer heat and drought. 

Roses are a great idea for container gardening. Growing in containers allows color to be moved throughout your yard and garden with the change of seasons. If you are considering planting roses yourself, planting in a decorative barrel or pot is easier than digging in our sometime "undiggable" dirt.

How did Your Landscape Hold up this Summer?

It is the beginning of a new season, the perfect time to go out to your yard, take a look around and see how it is all holding up after a hot, dry summer season. The weather has cooled off, so enjoy some time outdoors in Texas Hill Country. 

• Which plants did better during hot weather?
• Did your watering system work well? 
• Are you using irrigation or watering by hand? 
• Are plants arranged to make best of use of watering?

Cooler temperatures, yet still warm soil make fall the perfect time for new beginnings. This is an ideal time to plant a new tree. It is also a great time to plant perennials, biennials and annuals. The mixture gives a wider range of colors and blooming times. Planting now means less watering as there will be more rain, necessary for new life. The fall, winter and spring give new plants time to develop a strong root base before summer arrives, taking its toll in the dry heat. 

If deer munching your new pretties is a problem, planting santolina as a border may discourage them. Keep in mind that even deer-resistant plants may need protection when they are young and the leaves are still tender.

Existing trees and shrubs are elated at the milder temperatures and will come alive after the long hot summer with a new show of color and blooms for our autumn viewing pleasure.

Burroughs Landscaping has all answers including which plants, trees and landscaping needs for your particular area, whether in Bandera, Fredericksburg or Ingram.

Rock and Stone ~ Beautiful and Low Maintenance

Landscaping with rock and stone to accompany plants and trees, or to use as stand-alone elements can be a refreshing way to add texture, color, and interest to your lawn in Hill Country, Texas. With common drought conditions, this is a great low maintenance, permanent, attractive solution.

There is a difference between stone and rock. Technically a stone has been exposed to weather or water near the earth's surface for a long period of time, while rocks come freshly broken from a larger mass below ground, most typically by blasting them out at a quarry.

Stonescapes need not be enormous. Planters and large containers that combine attractive stones with succulents are always stunning. Use specimen stones to reflect light from solar lanterns on your deck or patio.

Stone can have a strong unifying influence on the landscape year-round, a powerful and practical element in any scene. Take time to envision what you want the area to look like in two to three years, mindful that the stone will become visually dominant in winter. Ideally, you want to create scenes in which you cannot tell which came first, the garden or the stone. It should look and feel as if the stone emerged from the ground, and all you did was collect the best pieces and put them in order, as humans have been doing for thousands of years. Landscaping with stone and rock can make your lawn or patio a beautiful creation. 

So if you are ready to dress up your lawn or patio, let Burroughs Landscaping help you make your visions and ideas come true.

By Peggy Cunningham

Beautiful Hill Country Landscape

Living in Hill Country Texas can be difficult in the summer. With the heat and lack of rain it can be hard to stay cool and keep your yard shaded and green. Trees play an important role in this. Planting trees that will stay green for as long as possible.

Evergreen plants and trees stay green all year long, hundreds of species thriving in climates around the world. Flowering evergreen plants, trees, shrubs, ground covers and vines bring color to gardens and landscapes. Evergreens attract birds and other wildlife to feed on nuts or seeds and take shelter under thick-growing foliage.

Trees define the landscape, creating the bones of your yard. Evergreens do not lose their leaves and remain green year round, creating wonderful shade for those hot summer days. Burroughs Landscaping has done all of the research for you, saving you both time and money later on down the road. In addition, Burroughs knows which plants and trees have a long blooming period, lasting from mid-summer to fall.

By Peggy Cunningham

Make those Plants Happy with Mulch

So you may think mulch is boring, think again! Summer is rapidly approaching and those new plants need some love under our hot, sometimes blazing, Texas sun. One way to help plants reach their beauty potential may come in the form of mulch. Mulch helps protect plants and flowers from the heat and sun, allowing the roots to stay cooler and retain water during sizzling summer months that living in Hill Country, Texas can bring.

There are assorted varieties of mulch to choose from. Organic mulches consist of plant parts, such as pine bark, hardwood and cedar mulches and leaves. Mineral mulches are limestone sand, pea gravel, decomposed granite or recycled glass. These allow moisture to drain away from the base of a plant. Using groundcover as living mulch is a natural choice to shade the soil from the scorching sun and push weeds out of a garden, as some native plants are dense and zealous enough to do. Groundcovers also reduce evaporation, regulate soil temperature fluctuations, minimize erosion and as an added bonus, are beautiful while accomplishing all of this. Using groundcover as mulch lessens maintenance time and cost, as well as making the space finished and enjoyable.

It is important to match the right type of mulch with the existing surroundings. Mineral mulch is better for native plants that require dryer conditions. If using organic mulch with plants that prefer dry conditions, pull the mulch back from the stem 2 to 3 inches during wet spells to avoid fungal problems. Another important fact to consider is the thickness of mulch. Being too thick may cause it to absorb the water, not allowing it to reach the plant. Drip irrigation or soaker hoses can correct this problem. Some mulch may form a hard crust, which sheds water altogether. If planting seeds, avoid any mulch, as it  prevents seeds from growing.

So, mulch is not boring after all, it is the finishing touch to any landscape, highlighting the bursts of color and highlighting unique features. The folks at Burroughs Landscaping can guide you in the best choice for your particular area.