Plants need to be exposed to the right amount of sunlight, water, and nutrients to grow properly. Unfortunately, Mother Nature doesn’t always provide these factors on time in Denver. Our semi-arid climate means homeowners need to be diligent about sustainable landscaping practices like reduced water usage and picking low-maintenance plants for their landscaping. Let’s look at some of the ways you can incorporate sustainable landscaping practices in your yard.

Core Principles of Sustainable Landscaping

Sustainable landscaping involves thoughtfully designing your landscape with your local climate and soil conditions in mind. Here, in the Denver area, we recommend Xeriscaping, a landscaping practice that focuses on planting drought-tolerant and native plants that will help you conserve water and reduce the need for mowing the lawn. The seven principles of Xeriscaping are:

1. Plan and design your landscaping
2. Prepare and amend the soil
3. Select drought-tolerant and/or  native plants
4. Reduce the amount of grass
5. Water efficiently
6. Mulch 
7. Perform maintenance when needed

By creating a Xeriscape, you can design a space that’s attractive, low-maintenance, and eco-friendly.

Xeriscaping also helps to conserve water usage, which is especially important in Colorado. Homeowners can add additional water conservation techniques and practices to cut down on costs by using:

• • Rain barrels
• • Cisterns
• • Efficient irrigation systems

It’s also wise to think about when you water your plants each day and how often. Early evening or morning is best so that water has a chance to soak into the soil before it evaporates in the sun.

Plant Selection for Denver

Native plants are always the best choice for your landscape, no matter where you live. These plants have adapted to our climate and soil conditions, making it easier to keep them happy in your yard, and they’ll attract pollinators nearby. If you want more information about native plants, check out the Denver Botanic Gardens Plant Select® program.

Drought-tolerant plants do best in our semi-arid climate. Examples of drought-tolerant plants that are perfect for your Denver landscape include:

• • Angelina Stonecrop
• • Apache Sunset Hyssop
• • Blue Avena Grass
• • Big Bluestem Grass
• • Chocolate Flower
• • Deep Red Oriental Poppy
• • Fringed Sage
• • Rocky Mountain Penstemon
• • Santa Fe Aster
• • Yellow Columbine

Another trick to keeping water usage at a minimum is to group plants together that have similar watering needs. That way, you can soak the plants that need it most more often, while allowing others to rest in between waterings.

Additional Sustainable Practices

Mulch serves many purposes in home landscaping. It’s aesthetically pleasing, but it’s also incredibly beneficial for your plants. Mulch adds a protective layer near a plant’s vulnerable roots, keeping temperatures even during hot summer days and chilly spring nights. It also helps to retain moisture so that roots have a chance to soak up rainwater before it’s gone. Over time, mulch breaks down, allowing nutrients to leech into the soil and feed the plants.

Organic mulches like wood chips, bark, pine needles, shredded bar, and even lawn clippings can protect your plants and provide the nutrients they need to grow healthy and strong.

Ready to Create a Sustainable Landscape? Call American Arbor Care Today

Sustainable landscaping looks great, protects the environment, and is relatively easier to maintain than other landscaping practices. By selecting native plants that are drought-tolerant to create a Xeriscaping solution, it’s much easier to help them thrive. Experienced arborists and landscapers have the knowledge and tools to help you plan a landscape that’s set up for success. If you’re ready to create a sustainable landscape, reach out to your local arborists at American Arbor Care. We’ll help you design the perfect Xeriscape for your yard that adds curb appeal and is easy to maintain. Contact us today to get started!

A lush, green lawn is every homeowner’s dream, but if you aren’t careful, you can do more harm than good. Before you purchase a lawn fertilizer, make sure you know how it impacts the trees and shrubs in your yard, so you can take measures to keep your plants safe. Let’s take a closer look at lawn fertilizers, and what you need to know before purchasing one for your yard.

Understanding Lawn Fertilizers

There are several different types of lawn fertilizers, and not all of them are safe for trees. Some are synthetic fertilizers, while others are made from natural products. Weed and feed, a common type of lawn fertilizer, is composed of a fertilizer, which “feeds” your lawn and contains a weed killer that eliminates weeds, and can choke out your grass. Although it’s extremely efficient at nourishing grass and killing weeds, the weed killer in these products can’t differentiate between the types of plants you intend to kill and the ones you want to keep. Unfortunately, tree roots can mimic the qualities of some weeds.

To keep your trees and shrubs safe, purchase a lawn fertilizer that’s natural, and apply it carefully without getting too close to your trees and shrubs. Pay close attention to your trees and shrubs to make sure they’re not being negatively affected by the fertilizer you’ve applied to your lawn.

The Relationship Between Trees, Shrubs, and Lawn Fertilizers

A lawn fertilizer is designed to nourish the grass, so it grows lush and green. It’s formulated specifically for your lawn, and it’s not designed to nourish other plants like shrubs and trees. Many lawn fertilizers won’t affect your trees and shrubs at all, but fertilizers that contain a synthetic weed killer can damage their roots. That’s because trees and shrubs have similar features to broadleaf weeds, and a weed killer doesn’t know the difference. 

To fertilize your trees and shrubs, it’s best to start with a soil test. That way you can tell what nutrients they’re lacking and which ones need to be replaced. Most often, Denver trees and shrubs are nitrogen deficient, and they’ll thrive with a fertilizer that has a 2-1-1 or a 3-1-1 ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

Factors Influencing the Impact of Lawn Fertilizers

Different types of trees and shrubs will react differently to lawn fertilizers. That’s because some may be more susceptible to being injured by weed killers and other synthetic chemicals. Other species of trees and shrubs may be more tolerant and adaptable when exposed to lawn fertilizers, and they won’t be affected at all.

When it comes to lawn fertilizers, it’s always best to be safe. That means purchasing fertilizer that’s natural and keeping it away from your tree and shrub roots. When in doubt, it’s also a good idea to ask the experts.

Best Practices For Applying Fertilizers Near Trees and Shrubs

When you decide to fertilize your lawn, it’s best to apply the fertilizer during the fall, early in the morning, while the grass is still wet with dew. Using a spreader, begin by fertilizing the perimeter of your yard, and then move inward, avoiding the bases of trees and shrubs. If you are worried that your lawn fertilizer is damaging your trees and shrubs, you can thoroughly soak the lawn, which will dilute the fertilizer and wash it away.

Fertilize Your Lawn Safely With American Arbor Care

At American Arbor Care, we’re committed to keeping lawns in the Denver area healthy and looking their best. We’re happy to answer questions and provide services to ensure that your landscape looks fantastic. Contact us today to get started.