Month: August 2013

Landscape Design in Gaithersburg, MD: Fall is a Great Time for Planting Trees and Shrubs

Fall is an ideal season for planting trees, shrubs and other assorted plants as a part of the landscape design for your Gaithersburg, MD home. Why?

The cooler, wetter weather is the perfect time for tree planting.  This is because the soil stays warm even after the air temperature cools, and that encourages root growth. During shoot dormancy, trees grow to establish roots in new locations before warm weather stimulates top growth.

Therefore, planting trees and shrubs in fall enables the root systems to grow before the hot summer returns. Trees planted in the fall are better equipped to deal with heat and drought in the following season. Your smaller plants will be established before winter sets in, and get a head start over shrubs in the spring. Larger plants will also get a head start since a general rule of thumb is one year per one inch of trunk diameter.

Another great reason to plant in the fall is because you can pick your trees and shrubs by the fall color they produce. Some tree species that are recommended for fall planting include the maple, buckeye, horse chestnut, alder, catalpa, hackberry, hawthorn, ash, honey locust, crabapple, spruce, pine, sycamore, linden and elm.

Planting can begin in September through November, but should not go too late into the fall, since the shrubs and trees won’t have as long to grow their root systems before the first hard freeze.

For more information on adding trees and shrubs to your landscape design in Gaithersburg, MD, please contact East Coast Landscape Design. A successful landscape installation begins with a solid design that includes a balanced choice of plants, shrubs, and trees for your Gaithersburg, MD property. Every East Coast installation is completed with the utmost care and attention that you expect from a professional landscape company like East Coast Landscape Design.

Posted on Author mdlandscaperCategories Gaithersburg MD, landscape design

Maryland Landscaping Water Features: Cleaning Water Fountains

Maryland water features, like water fountains, need to be cleaned to enhance the appearance of any fountain and keep fountain waters sparkling. Water fountains come in many different materials, which require different cleaning solutions. Here are some tips:

  • Ceramic fountains may be cleaned with warm soapy water and a cloth or sponge, and a thorough rinse. Slime or mineral deposits may require a light scrubbing with a non-abrasive pad.
  • Resin and fiberglass fountains require careful cleaning, because they scratch easily. Use a soft cloth and warm soapy water or with special fiberglass cleaning products.
  • Copper fountains have a protective powder coast or clear finish coat to retard tarnish/greening; others are natural copper. Clean copper fountains with Pledge or another good quality furniture cleaner and a soft cloth. Apply a light coat of car wax/turtle wax and buff every few months to maintain the gleam. Never use a strong commercial copper cleaner on natural or powder copper fountains. Copper cleaners actually damage copper finishes by removing the coating and natural patina.
  • Stainless steel fountains should be cleaned with a wet or dry cloth and stainless steel cleaner. Never use abrasive cleaners or pads that scratch the shiny surface. Avoid bleaches and chemicals that discolor or damage the finish.
  • Always follow explicit manufacturer’s recommendations on how to clean a fountain.

Installing a water feature, like a fountain, can add so much to a Maryland landscape. Adding a water feature to your Maryland yard, large or small, is easier than you think. For more information on Maryland water features, please contact East Coast Landscape Design. The East Coast Landscape Design team utilizes 3 decades of experience along with safety- tested protocols to create natural water features in various types of Maryland landscapes.

Posted on Author mdlandscaperCategories landscaping, Maryland, water features