Spring is breaking here in Atlanta, and we like to take full advantage of our cooler weather this season to enhance the landscape with trees, shrubs, flowers, mulch, and necessities like irrigation tune-ups. Now is the time to plant before the stressful summer heat—which is really tough on young plants. Preparing now for summer ensures that plants will be more well-established and resilient, and the landscape will be in full bloom during the time of year when everyone’s enjoying the outdoors.
Now that we are on the heels of spring cleanup take the time to walk your property with a landscape professional and identify landscape beds that could use a pop of color—or sparsely planted spaces that need a boost with additional shrubs or perennials. Examine edging and take stock of issues on your property that need attention. We’re talking about dealing with potential drainage issues before the rainy season and putting mulch down so soil and plants can maximize their benefits.
Now that we’ve got your gears turning about “what’s next” for your Atlanta landscape let’s run through this ticker list of things to do now to prepare your commercial property for summer.
Plant Trees & Shrubs
Now that soil temperatures are steady, and we’re nearing the end of frosty mornings, plan for installing trees and shrubs on your commercial property. With cooler temperatures, the ground is holding more moisture.
Once summer heats up, diligent watering is essential for young plants, and establishing new trees and shrubs requires more resources and comes with more risk. Get plants into the ground now, so they have an opportunity to get rooted. That way, they’ll be more resilient to drought, pests, and disease once summer is in full swing.
Put Flowers in Landscape Beds
After winter, we’re all craving color, and landscape beds are just the place to usher in the warm season. Spruce up tired beds with annuals that will immediately improve curb appeal and last through summer. Or, install perennials now and gain the benefit of blooms that persist and return year after year. If you’re watching your landscape budget, perennials are a wise investment because they do not need to be replaced each season. Talk to your landscape professional about the latest annuals and perennials on the market. With the Pantone 2017 Color of the Year announced as Greenery, you can expect to see interpretations of this yellow-green tone in the landscape.
Get an Irrigation Audit
Often, we don’t realize there are issues with the irrigation system until the water bill arrives. Leaks and breaks can occur underground and cause bills to spike. Also, spray heads can get damaged from pedestrian traffic or even during maintenance. (Golf carts, mowers, and vehicles have been known to jar those older fixed spray heads.)
Also, as our landscapes evolve, so do their irrigation needs. If your irrigation system is still timed to water a mature landscape bed, do plants have the same (if any) water needs? An irrigation audit can answer all of these questions while providing the necessary information for repairs and plans for upgrades.
Do you have an irrigation map of your property? If not, now’s a good time to consider getting one. Irrigation maps are valuable for property owners (they actually boost value at the time of sale) and assist irrigation technicians during audit and repair processes.
Repair Drainage Issues
Do you notice puddling on areas of your property, or are there are notable areas where erosion has occurred because of water run-off? Addressing drainage issues now is important—before hard, summer rains can result in property damage. A stormwater management plan goes a long way toward protecting your property, landscape, and the surrounding environment. Not to mention, the work you do on-site to prevent debris from entering stormwater systems is important for preserving our aging infrastructure.
Whether you’re dealing with an area of land that collects water—and therefore cannot support healthy turf or plants—or you’re working toward improved stormwater management, now is the time to devise a plan so you can work these projects in stages and complete them before drainage becomes a costly problem.
Summer Is Near—Is Your Atlanta Property Ready?
The official first day of spring is upon us, so it might seem premature to talk about summer landscape plans—but not in this field! Taking action on those landscape plans now will prepare your grounds for a healthy summer, and the people who live, work and play on your Atlanta property will fully enjoy the investment. So don’t wait.
Let’s talk now about what you can do today to get your Atlanta commercial property ready for summer. Call us any time at 678.298.0550, or fill out this simple contact form, and we’ll get in touch with you.
Last modified: March 23, 2021