Top 10 Spring Landscaping Tips for Arkansas…plus a few more!
Photo by Sara Reeves
1. Spring is a great time to plant all the things! Trees, shrubs, sod, perennials, veggies, herbs and annuals…all of it! The soil temperatures are warm, which encourages root development.
2. Look at the area before planting to learn how many hours of sun the area gets and whether it is afternoon or morning sun. This determines whether to shop for sun or shade plants.
3. Think about your goals; are you looking for evergreen plants… or ones that bloom… or ideally both? This will help us guide you to the right plants for your landscape!
4. Bring pictures of your landscape in to The Good Earth so we can best evaluate your space and provide accurate advice and recommendations.
5. A few landscape design tips would be…
- a. Create focal points near your front entrance.
- b. For visual interest, vary the colors and textures of landscape plants.
- c. Have pockets of annual and perennial color. A few large areas of color stand out better than many small areas.
- d. Plant in odd numbered groups like 3, 5, 7, etc.
- e. Avoid the runway effect created by putting plants in straight rows (unless you have a formal landscape).
6. Soil preparation is the most overlooked part of landscaping. Arkansas soils are not great; mixing in compost can make all the difference. In annual and perennial areas, add a good potting soil blend to lighten the soil. The Good Earth brand potting soil is a great choice; it contains pH balancers, Actino Root protection, perlite and even a light fertilizer charge.
7. Plant with Good Earth brand Jump Start for best root development. This contains mycorrhizea with can increase the amount of water and nutrients the plants can uptake by up to 1000 times! Here is a link to a blog post with more in depth information about how Jump Start works!
8. For best blooming on annuals, apply a water soluble fertilizer such as BR-61. Seriously, it’s like a steroid for your plants!
9. Apply pre-emerge such as in your landscape beds before mulching. This will keep weed seeds from germinating and really cut down on summer work. Hi Yield Turf and Ornamental Weed and Grass Stopper is a great pre-emerge for landscape beds.
10. Apply mulch; it helps the soil retain moisture and reduces the occurrence of weeds. Be sure that the mulch is at least three inches deep.
11. Have a watering plan in place. If you have a sprinkler system, run through the zones and make sure all the heads are working and reach your plant materials. If you are going to be hand watering, make sure you have a good water hose and some Dramm watering tools (we use and love them!)
12. Ok, you have all the information you need to get going on your landscape project! Except one more thing; The Good Earth is ALL stocked up with plants right now and not only is it a great time to plant, it’s a great time to shop our wonderful selection of healthy trees, shrubs, and perennials. As of right now, mid-March 2023, annuals are rolling in slowly as temperatures warm up. A great way to stay in the know about what we have in stock is to follow us on social media!
13. No, really, this is the last thing… if you haven’t ever planted a plant or haven’t had the best success, knowing HOW to plant a plant is crucial to success. Here is a blog post with a video tutorial, featuring a step by step demonstration.