Summer Gardening in Vancouver

Summer has arrived and things are now starting to grow like crazy!  This is a great time of year to be out in the garden as the temperatures are coming up now and there is still lots of moisture in the soil which makes for ideal growing conditions.  It also makes for tons of work to keep up with everything! Here is a few tips to help you prioritize and if you need any help staying on top of it call us at West Coast Lawns and Gardens and we can set you up to relax in the nice weather.

1. Your lawn should be growing like crazy at this point. The best thing you can do for it is mow the heck out of it. Ideally once a week or more is best for the health of the turf and never remove more than one third of the grass blade.  Feed it nitrogen and water regularly and you should maintain a lush green turf to relax on.  Make sure you use a well serviced mower with a sharp blade.  Remember mowing is like exercise for a lawn, the more often you take out the gear and cut the grass down it will grow back thicker and healthier.
2. At this point in the year you will be needing to start deadheading flowers that have finished blooming for the year. Rhododendrons and azaleas can have their flower clusters removed but be careful not to damage the new growth shoots.  It is also a good time to shear back early bloomers like forsythia and trim camellias as their flowers have finished as well and trimming now will not sacrifice any of next years blooms.
3. Service your irrigation system. You will be depending on your automated sprinklers to keep everything hydrated in the heat of the next few months.  If you haven’t already best to make sure you have turned it on and it is functioning properly and efficiently BEFORE you need it.  It is never fun to watch things wilt while you are waiting for a service call from the sprinkler guy.
4. Get your summer annuals in, we are well past the last frost of the season and now is the time to get creative by adding shots of colour into the landscape that will last through the season. Remember to pick plants that are suited to shade, sun, or whatever mix of those you have and pick colours that go with each other and build off themes in your landscape.
5. Get cracking on any big projects you want to get done this year. Now is a great time for installations of all sorts.  We should be able to expect reliably good weather and uninterrupted work schedules for most of the coming weeks.  Whether it is building a wall, making a new garden or patio, building a deck, installing a pond, or anything you may think of, starting early in the summer lets you use it ASAP and wont create a likelihood of weather interrupting completion of a project.

Vancouver Landscaping Contractors – Call The Professionals!

There is much to do in the garden over the summer and it can get ahead of you quickly.  If you need any advice or assistance in keeping up with the onslaught of green growth call West Coast Lawns and Gardens.  Our experts can get your jungle tamed and set up so you can enjoy your summer outside rather than having to spend it toiling away on jobs that could be done quickly by professionals.