Our best landscape related tips for February
Keep mosquitos away by tending your garden
You may have noticed an increase in mosquitos after the recent rains. While pesticides are available, the easiest and most natural way to get rid of mosquitos is to prevent them from breeding and living around your home by removing standing water where they lay their eggs.
Common areas to check are rain gutters, buckets, or containers such as flower pots. It doesn’t take much water, so be sure to check for water pooled in outdoor furniture, toys, decorations, etc.
You can also make your property less habitable by trimming back landscaping and reducing cool areas for mosquitos to rest during the day.
Mosquitos spend most of the day in the shade and out of the breeze, so pruning trees to create more air flow, trimming hedges tighter, and cutting back overhanging vines and branches will all help reduce the ability for mosquitos to live near your home.
Mosquitos are not only a pest but carry dangerous diseases such as Zika and West Nile
Permeable Pavers
In California, it only rains part of the year, but when it does it can really rain hard with most of it running off into gutters and creeks leading to flooding, erosion, and pollution to our waterways. A trend in recent years is permeable pavers that capture the run off and let it soak into the soil on site.
This has many benefits, including reducing creek flooding and erosion and more water reaching the water table. And because soil is a great natural filter, most pollution is captured before it can reach the ground water, keeping well water clean and the streams pristine. Permeable pavers average between $20-$25 per sqft, and come in many colors and patterns.
Let All Seasons help you do your part in keeping our creeks clean when you’re ready to add beautiful pavers to your landscape!
Belgard Aqualine permeable pavers (pictured) are just one of many options available.
Planting
Winter / Fall Annuals - Fill in bare spots with calendula, cineraria, Iceland poppy, nemesia, pansy, primrose, snapdragon, stock, sweet pea, and viola.
Cool Season Vegetables - plant seeds of beets, carrots, chives, endive, kale, lettuce, fennel, mustard, leeks, green onion, radishes, parsley, peas, Swiss chard and spinach. Also set out seedlings of broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.
Bare-Roots - Still enough time to get some of your bare-roots in: roses, fruit trees, grapes, berries, etc.
