Sunlight & Your Landscape

How a change in sunlight can affect your landscape. 

As seasons change along with our distance from the sun, so does the lighting on your landscape. Different positions of the sun changes the shade provided by trees, shrubs, buildings, and fencing. 

Some grasses might thrive in shady areas for a while, but often the grass becomes thinner leaving bald patches in your lawn. 

All plants require sunlight to grow, but the amount and intensity of light needed to prosper can be different. Plant labels identify the amount of sun a plant requires as full sun, part sun, part shade or full shade as defined:

  • Full sun – plants need at least 6 hours of direct sun daily
  • Part sun – plants thrive with between 3 and 6 hours of direct sun per day
  • Part shade – plants require between 3 and 6 hours of sun per day, but need protection from intense mid-day sun
  • Full shade – Plants require less than 3 hours of direct sun per day

With the hotter days we are experiencing, shade-loving plants could struggle if planted in the wrong place. Some plants thrive in the morning sun rather than the hot, afternoon sun from the west. 

Even flowering plants might stop blooming when shade starts covering areas that had received greater amounts of sunlight. Over-watering and/or over-fertilizing is often the method used to address the change in plants which aren't receiving the amount of sunshine needed to thrive. 

Over-watered plants could result in root rot, wilting, yellow falling leaves or brown leaves. Plants could die due to excess absorption of water by the plant roots.

Too much watering of the plants may result in root rot, wilting, yellow falling leaves or brown leaves. In some cases the plants may die due to excess absorption of water by plant roots.

Will watering your garden in the midday sunburn your plants?

Scientists recently confirmed that water droplets can burn certain plants when watered in the midday sun. What causes the sunburn? The droplets act as a magnifying glass which can cause plants with hairy leaves, that tend to hold water droplets, to be sunburned.  

How to Protect Plants from Sunburn 

Slower exposure to bright sun is vital to promoting sun resistant leaf development and preventing plant sunburn damage. You can protect your plants from sunburn. However, once leaves are damaged, all you can do is support the plant until it starts to grow new, stronger leaves. 

If your plants are suffering from too much sun, use a sunshade to restrict their exposure. Slowly give them more time each day with the sunshade removed until they get stronger. Usually this process takes about two weeks at which time your plant should be ready for the sun. While your plants with sun damage are struggling to recover, be sure to water and feed these plants.

Automatic Sprinkler Systems Save Time & Money

December 23, 2019
If you water your lawn by turning sprinklers on and off, moving them to different sections of your lawn, you might find that you have under or over-watered. The better option to easily maintain your landscape is to install an automatic sprinkler system. Consistent watering will improve your landscape and save you time and money. And an attractive lawn and well-maintained home will increase your home’s value. How to Save Time If you’re tired of dragging around hoses and watching how long your sprinkler has been watering, moving hoses and sprinklers to a new location, then it’s time to consider automating watering your lawn. No more hoses; no more tracking time; no worries about over or under-watering. Lawns are easily over-watered. However, an automatic sprinkler system will conserve water by directing water to specific areas. The correct amount of water at the right time of day or night will ensure that your grass and plants look greener and healthier. How You Can Save Money Using a Sprinkler System It starts with a good system installation and proper programming. Many people water at night because there will be less traffic on the lawn. Watering at night also allows grass to absorb more water which should reduce the amount of watering needed. This will save money and produce a greener-healthier looking lawn. If your watering system includes a rain sensor it will detect a certain amount of rain and will automatically turn off the system. When the sensor is dry, then the sprinkler system will continue running as scheduled. Rain sensors also detect freezing or below freezing weather and will automatically shut off the system. Actually, your sprinkler system should be winterized and turned off during the winter months. If you're ready to automate the watering of your lawn, contact us to get a FREE estimate.

Why You Should Winterize Your Sprinkler System

November 6, 2019
Here in Southern Maryland, many consider our winters mild. But there are days, if not weeks, that it freezes, and there's always a good chance of snow and ice. That's why it's important to winterize your sprinkler system. Winterizing includes blowing the water out of your sprinkler system. If water remains in the pipes, sprinkler heads, and manifold they could crack and/or burst. Repairing the damage can be costly. The Effect of Frozen Water in Your Lines At the end of the watering season, there is water inside of your pipes. If the pipes aren't blown out, the remaining water will freeze. Freezing water will expand causing the pipes to crack and burst in large sections. Repairing or replacing frozen pipes is difficult to repair and expensive. Freezing Water, Snow & Sprinkler Heads If water or snow trapped inside the sprinkler head and freezes it will expand. The pressure from expansion could cause your sprinkler heads to pop off and break. In addition to water expansion in pipes and heads, it can also freeze inside the sprinkler body resulting in cracking and bursting. Frozen water can also cause damage or breaking of the sprinkler head. A ruptured nozzle will cause an improper spraying field. There is a part inside sprinkler heads that controls when they pop and if damaged, the heads will remain stuck in the ground. If you're ready to winterize your sprinkler system, contact us today to book an appointment.

Automatic Sprinkler Systems Save Time & Money

December 23, 2019
If you water your lawn by turning sprinklers on and off, moving them to different sections of your lawn, you might find that you have under or over-watered. The better option to easily maintain your landscape is to install an automatic sprinkler system. Consistent watering will improve your landscape and save you time and money. And an attractive lawn and well-maintained home will increase your home’s value. How to Save Time If you’re tired of dragging around hoses and watching how long your sprinkler has been watering, moving hoses and sprinklers to a new location, then it’s time to consider automating watering your lawn. No more hoses; no more tracking time; no worries about over or under-watering. Lawns are easily over-watered. However, an automatic sprinkler system will conserve water by directing water to specific areas. The correct amount of water at the right time of day or night will ensure that your grass and plants look greener and healthier. How You Can Save Money Using a Sprinkler System It starts with a good system installation and proper programming. Many people water at night because there will be less traffic on the lawn. Watering at night also allows grass to absorb more water which should reduce the amount of watering needed. This will save money and produce a greener-healthier looking lawn. If your watering system includes a rain sensor it will detect a certain amount of rain and will automatically turn off the system. When the sensor is dry, then the sprinkler system will continue running as scheduled. Rain sensors also detect freezing or below freezing weather and will automatically shut off the system. Actually, your sprinkler system should be winterized and turned off during the winter months. If you're ready to automate the watering of your lawn, contact us to get a FREE estimate.

Why You Should Winterize Your Sprinkler System

November 6, 2019
Here in Southern Maryland, many consider our winters mild. But there are days, if not weeks, that it freezes, and there's always a good chance of snow and ice. That's why it's important to winterize your sprinkler system. Winterizing includes blowing the water out of your sprinkler system. If water remains in the pipes, sprinkler heads, and manifold they could crack and/or burst. Repairing the damage can be costly. The Effect of Frozen Water in Your Lines At the end of the watering season, there is water inside of your pipes. If the pipes aren't blown out, the remaining water will freeze. Freezing water will expand causing the pipes to crack and burst in large sections. Repairing or replacing frozen pipes is difficult to repair and expensive. Freezing Water, Snow & Sprinkler Heads If water or snow trapped inside the sprinkler head and freezes it will expand. The pressure from expansion could cause your sprinkler heads to pop off and break. In addition to water expansion in pipes and heads, it can also freeze inside the sprinkler body resulting in cracking and bursting. Frozen water can also cause damage or breaking of the sprinkler head. A ruptured nozzle will cause an improper spraying field. There is a part inside sprinkler heads that controls when they pop and if damaged, the heads will remain stuck in the ground. If you're ready to winterize your sprinkler system, contact us today to book an appointment.