Quality landscaping services around Baton Rouge, Louisiana
20 Feb 2021

How to Prepare Your Plants for Freezing Temperatures

Please take a moment to read this great advice from Dan Gill at the LSU AgCenter.

Unless you are keeping them inside for the rest of the winter, move container plants back to their spots outside. Plants do not mind being moved in and out as needed through the winter.

For plants that you covered, remove or vent clear plastic covers on plants to prevent excessive heat buildup if the next day is sunny and mild. You do not need to completely remove the cover if it will freeze again the next night. You may leave plants covered with blankets, sheets or black plastic for several days without harming them, but eventually the covers will need to be removed so they can get light.

Pruning

Do not prune anything for a week or more after a freeze. It often takes a week or so for all of the damage to become evident.

Damaged growth on herbaceous or non-woody tropical plants, such as cannas, elephant ears, birds-of-paradise, begonias, impatiens, philodendron and gingers, may be pruned away back to living tissue. This pruning is optional, and is done more to neaten things up than to benefit the plants. However, if the damaged tissue is oozy, mushy, slimy and foul smelling, it should be removed.

If you don’t prune before, be sure to cut back or prune these herbaceous tropicals in spring after danger of freezes is past and before they make substantial new growth.

You may remove the damaged foliage from banana trees but do not cut back the trunk unless you can tell for sure that it has been killed. It will look brown, feel mushy, feel loose in the soil and will bleed a lot if punctured. The exception would be any banana trees that produced a bunch of fruit last year. They will not send up any more new growth, and should be cut to the ground to make room for new shoots that will come up this summer.

Generally, it’s a good idea to delay hard pruning of woody tropical plants, such as hibiscus, tibouchina, angel trumpet, croton, ixora, schefflera, copper plant and rubber tree, until new growth begins in the spring and you can more accurately determine which parts are alive and what is dead. Dead leaves on woody tropical plants can be picked off to make things look neater. If you can clearly determine what branches are dead on a woody plant you can prune them back. Try scratching the bark with your thumbnail. If the tissue underneath is green, it’s still alive. If the tissue is tan or brown the branch is dead. Start at the top and work your way down to see how far back the plant was killed.

More Advice from Dan

20 Feb 2021

Outdoor lighting basics

What makes a lawn, patio or walkway stand out from the other areas? Yes, it is the beautiful dappled lighting that makes it stand out. There is no doubt that outdoor lighting is a crucial element of landscape design. Landscape lights are not only responsible for enhancing your home outdoors but also provide a sense of safety and security to your home.

Outdoor lighting adds the perfect beauty and style to the existing landscaping. From creating a phenomenal outdoor ambiance to highlighting some of your prime elements like ponds and flower beds, landscape lighting has magic to grab the attention and transform your ordinary yard into an absolute oasis.

In the present era, LED is one of the best options for landscape lighting, lights come in different colors allowing you to pick the right feel for your individual space. They are aesthetically appealing, affordable, and long-lasting. From hosting outdoor dinners to making your building look outstanding, we have a wide array of LED lighting options. Depending on the specific location, type of illumination, fixture type and where the lighting shines, we have a plethora of options. First and foremost, specifying path lights that shine downwards is recommended for walkways and boundaries as it avoids the unnecessary glare in the night while offering safer paths.

Wall washes are another great choice for the outdoors. They serve a wider area but are not necessarily brighter – hence a great alternative for walls, patios, and gazebos. Similarly, bullet lights are another eye-catchy lighting option that are often used for highlighting columns, trees, and canopies. Their characteristic identity makes the landscaping elements shine even brighter. Apart from these, there are other LED lighting options like recessed lights, pendant lights and bollard lights that further beautify the lawns and curbs. Hence, there are many different lighting options to choose from when designing a perfect landscaping lighting system that are discussed in your initial consultation with a certified lighting contractor.

No matter if you have a mature proven landscape or are just beginning to design a brand-new landscape, it’s always the right time to add landscape lighting. It can be easily integrated into your landscape as our crew of professionals install lighting that you barely notice until the sun goes down and your landscape comes to life beneath the glow of the added lighting.

Daniel King Landscaping offers a proven track record of quality landscape lighting that is customized to enhance your lawns, patios, and other outdoor settings. Quality outdoor landscaping is also a remarkable investment for your homes and businesses. Your lawn deserves the best! So, it is time to boost the curb appeal and enjoy more of your home outdoors by installing the best lighting options to improve aesthetics and home security. If you have any questions, our expert team is here to guide you throughout the process! We are here to make your dream lawn come true! So, contact any of us and we will help you find the best product for your lawn.