Common Questions
In the Atlanta area we are able to plant year-round with success. If you want to do a lot of transplanting or are planting large trees, we would encourage you to wait until after the hottest part of the year – late July through September.
Irrigation is the best protection for your landscape investment – helping ensure what was planted healthy will remain healthy after we leave. That’s why we can’t provide a warranty for plantings that are not properly irrigated.
Since established landscapes typically don’t need to be watered from late November to early April, you can keep your system winterized/off during those months. An exception would be if we are experiencing drought conditions.
Check out this video from King Landscaping: Ground Covers for Your Yard.
Every yard has dormant seeds. During an installation we will obviously till up the soil…bringing these seeds to the surface. This will expose them to air, water and sun – which will essentially “wake them up.” So unfortunately you will have to contend with weeds for the first season or two after your installation is complete.
Check out this video from King Landscaping: Edible Gardening.
Check out this video from King Landscaping: How and When to Plant Bulbs for Spring.
- Check out this video from King Landscaping: The What and Why Behind Natural Play Spaces.
- Read this blog post Holly did on Redeem Your Ground: Natural Play Spaces – Best for Your Kids’ Bodies & Minds
The quick & easy answer is “as needed”…because we’re dealing with so many variables. While our long-term goal should be to not water at all during a typical year, it takes a few years to get to that point. With that, here are some good rules of thumb:
- First Year:
- April-October: After your new landscape has been installed, water it daily for the first 2-to-3 weeks, depending on how hot & dry the weather is.
- Sod: After a couple of weeks, test the edges of your sod – pulling gently to see if it has started to root in. Once your sod is rooted you can water every other day until the end of the warm season.
- Plants: After your new plant material is established, it is better to water for longer periods, but less frequently. We generally recommend 2 times per week, unless you see that your plants need more or less water.
- November-March: New installations should be watered 2-to-3 times per week, depending on how much rain we are getting.
- April-October: After your new landscape has been installed, water it daily for the first 2-to-3 weeks, depending on how hot & dry the weather is.
- Second Year: Cut back to 1 time per week, but check regularly to watch for dry spots.
- Third Year: Water once every 2-to-3 weeks. Again, walk the yard regularly to check for dry spots.
- Fourth Year: Leave the water off until you see signs that your plants need water. Then run it for a few days and then turn it back off. We get almost 4 inches of rain a year in Atlanta. If we didn’t install plants that can survive with that amount of rain, then we didn’t do our job properly.
That’s a tough question to answer…because there are people who do great work, but nature is impossible to maintain. That’s why we prefer to use the word “management,” rather than “maintenance.” We strive to design landscapes that work with nature. And as a result, they should require fewer resources and less effort – like pruning, weeding, mulching, and watering. Nature is a moving target…it’s supposed to change. And your landscape needs to change with it and actually get better over time. So look for a landscape management partner who gets that. When you do you’ll have better success growing a beautiful yard!
Helpful Links
Emory Landscape Design Program:
Eric & Holly’s Landscape Design Course.
Neighbors Feed & Seed Supply Co.:
Feed & seed store focused on “local goodness & suburban sustainability.”
Stone Forrest | SiteOne Hardscapes Center: Provider of hardscape & bulk landscape material.
Redeem Your Ground:
Design & Marketing Partner.
RYGblog:
Family, Home & Garden Blog.
Children & Nature Network:
Non-profit focused on “helping children play, learn & grow with nature in their everyday lives.”
Monrovia Plant Catalog:
Helpful information on the plants in your yard.
Belgard Pavers & Hardscapes:
Stone, brick, concrete, and paver manufacturer.
Georgia Urban Ag Council:
Professional association and consumer resource for Georgia’s green industry.