Category Archives: Spring

Does Your Flower Garden Need More Color?

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Things are slowly starting to turn green here in Minnesota, and if you’re lucky, you may have even seen a few bright crocuses welcoming the warmer weather. Those first flowers of spring get many of us craving more color and dreaming about flower gardens bursting with a rainbow of blossoms.
Adding colorful flowers and plants is a great way to bring interest and personality to a yard or garden. With an almost limitless number of flowers to choose from, it is easy to get overwhelmed while flipping through a seed catalog or wandering in a nursery. Fortunately, the team at Great Goats Landscaping has years of experience designing and planting flower beds that are eye-catching and appealing. They can help you decide what sort of garden bed would work best with your taste and the conditions around your home.

flower garden

Perennial flowers

Perennial plants are those that come back year after year. Native flowers, like coneflower, butterfly weed, or black-eyed susans, are often a good choice for difficult areas. Many non-native flowers will flourish in Minnesota too.
Perennial plants are often seen as lower maintenance. They still require some care and attention, but they don’t need to be replanted annually.

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Annual flowers

Annual plants are those that need to be replanted every year. Annuals that are quick and easy to grow are popular choices and can be used to fill in a garden bed while perennials are getting established. They are also often less expensive than perennials and allow you to plant a new combination of plants every year.

Your flower garden design

Of course, Mike and his crew at Great Goats Landscaping will be more than happy to help you design your flower, but it can be helpful to know a few basic garden design principles to get you started.
Mix colors and shapes in your garden to keep thing interesting. Complementary colors, those from opposite ends of the color wheel, will pop when planted next to one another. Grouping similar plants will help give your garden structure and keep it from looking too haphazard.
Just like in a photo, tall should go in back and shorter plants in the front. There’s nothing worse than having a beautiful plant blocked by a taller plant placed in front of it.

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Planning your flower garden

May is the time to design and plant a beautiful flower garden to add color and interest to your yard. Contact Mike at Great Goats Landscaping today to get started.

Bushes and Shrubs Looking a Bit Over Grown? Give Us a Call

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Regularly pruning and caring for your bushes and shrubs will keep them looking healthy for years. Bushes and shrubs are common additions to landscaping designs. They incorporate visual interest and texture to borders and hedges while also adding shade and habitat for animals.

Bushes and Shrubs

While bushes and shrubs are relatively easy to care for, they do require regular maintenance and pruning to keep them looking healthy and attractive. Many problems that appear in bushes, shrubs, and trees can be avoided with regular pruning during the plants early years.

Benefits of pruning bushes and shrubs

There are several benefits to pruning bushes and shrubs regularly. An ongoing maintenance plan can:

  • Promote plant health by removing damaged or dying branches
  • Maintain a plant’s desired shape
  • Encourage new growth
  • Improve plant appearance
  • Protect people and property

 

Bushes and shrubs that aren’t pruned regularly can quickly become overgrown and susceptible to disease and damage. It’s much better for the health of the plant to receive care on a regular basis.

Best time to prune

A plant’s dormant season is the best time for most pruning. Late winter or early spring pruning, before new growth begins, leaves fresh pruning wounds opening for only a short amount of time before new growth appears and seals the opening. Another advantage to pruning in late winter or early spring is that there are few leaves obscuring your view of branches, making it easier to make pruning decisions.

Mike and the team at Great Goats Landscaping have years of experience pruning and caring for bushes, trees, and shrubs. They know the how to encourage new growth and shape bushes and shrubs into desired shapes. They also take care of all the clean up after they’ve finished pruning, leaving your yard looking tidy and ready for the summer.

There’s still time to get your shrubs pruned this spring. Give Great Goats Landscaping a call today to schedule a consultation.

Got Drainage Problems?

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Unexpected and uncontrolled water can be a homeowner’s worst enemy. No one wants to find water in their basement as the snow is melting or have a pond appear in their backyard after a heavy rain. Water can slowly erode parts of your home and landscape to create problems that take a lot of time and resources to repair.

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Drainage problems can develop in areas where the land is flat, there is a high water table or the soil is very dense. In these areas, having a well-designed drainage system is a priority that can help prevent and mitigate problems down the road.

Without an effective drainage solution, water can collect and pool to undermine structures, drown plants, and create perpetually wet areas in your yard. The potential for damage can be very high and is best to address before problems arise.

Do you have a drainage problem?

drainage problems

There are three factors that have the most impact on the drainage of a yard: the grade, the groundwater levels, and rainfall.

Even slight changes in the level of your yard can cause water to collect and pool. A skilled landscape designer will be able to analyze the nature of your yard and determine if you have a drainage problem caused by sloping or grade.

Groundwater is another factor that can affect the drainage of a yard. In some areas in the southern parts of the United State, for example, the water table is just inches below the surface. If the water table is high in an area, it can prevent water from draining quickly during spring melts or heavy rain events.

Sudden and heavy rainfall is often the test of the drainage in a yard. In areas that have heavy downpours on a regular basis, yards can become flooded for short periods of time even with drainage systems in place.

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Fixing drainage problems

While some drainage problems can be fixed with a quick project, many drainage issues require a skilled landscaper to evaluate the problem and develop an effective plan.

Great Goats Landscaping has been working with homeowners for years to address drainage and water issues in yards. They can talk to you about the options that would work best in your yard and create a design that is both beautiful and functional.

Get Your Dream Yard this Summer

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There might still be a little bit of snow on the ground but that doesn’t mean it’s too early to start planning for the warmer weather that is on its way and thinking about your dream yard. March is the perfect time to start imagining about landscaping projects that you would like to do this year and dreaming about a summer spent in a yard you love.

dream yard

March is the Month for Planning

Every project, interior or exterior, begins with a dream and a plan. There’s nothing worse than getting halfway through a project and realizing that you didn’t account a major component of the end design.

Summer months are meant for enjoying your yard and landscaping. Your future self will thank you for spending a little time now planning. It might be tempting to put off thinking about your landscape projects, but the sooner you get started, the sooner you’ll be able to enjoy the finished product.

A great place to start is by writing a list of things you love about your landscape and things you would like to see improved. Maybe you’d like to add a firepit, deck or patio, or finally take care of a buckthorn problem. Whether you realistically can achieve everything on your list this summer or not, getting things written down is a great way to organize and prioritize your ideas.

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Working With Great Goats Landscaping to get your dream yard

The end of winter is a good time to start planning for the summer ahead, especially if you’re going to be working with a professional landscaping team.

Mike and his team at Great Goats Landscaping love helping clients create the perfect design for their space. During a free consultation meeting, Mike will sit down to talk to you about what your vision is for your space and any problems areas that need to be addressed. 

Great Goats Landscaping’s summer schedule is filling up fast. Call today to talk with Mike about how this summer you can finally have the yard you’ve been dreaming of.

It’s Spring Cleanup Time and Great Goats Landscaping Can Help!

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The snow is melting and everyone, including the team at Great Goats Landscaping, is itching to be back outside again.

It’s that time of year when everyone is ready for warmer weather. As the temperatures rise, people start thinking about doing some deep cleaning, but spring cleaning isn’t just for your house. After months of being buried under the snow, lawns and garden beds need a little TLC to get them looking their best again. Cleaning your yard and doing some maintenance early in the season can ensure that your lawn looks its best for the rest of the summer months.

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Spring Clean-Up Tasks

After the winter we’ve had, most people’s yards aren’t in the best shape. With the snow and heavy winds, trees, bushes, garden beds and lawns have seen a bit of wear. Depending on the condition of your yard, a spring cleanup might mean the removal of trees or tree limbs, reseeding of grass seed, raking or aeration of lawns, removal of perennial debris as well as leaves, garbage, and animal waste.

It is best if this work is completed before any lawn care products are applied and before the growing season starts. That way, any fertilizer or weed control products will be able to easily reach the grass and won’t be hindered by unwanted debris.

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Great Goats Landscaping can help

Cleaning up your yard after the long months of winter can be a big job. Talk to the experts at Great Goats Landscaping about how they can help you get a fresh start in your yard and garden this spring. We offer free consultations, and customized plans for improving and maintaining your yard and lawn.

Great Goats Landscaping offers a variety of landscaping services that can keep your yard looking it’s best throughout the year. From spring clean up, summer patios installation, and fall mulching and pruning, we are here to help make your yard a place that you can enjoy and be proud of.

Our team is family owned and has over 15 years of experience in the Twin Cities metro area. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment with Mike and his crew to see how Great Goats Landscaping can help get your yard ready for the summer.

 

Outdoor Trends that Boost the Value of Your Home

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July is almost here, and summer is full swing! Now is a great time to get outside to plant a few more annuals, fire up the grill and host a party in your backyard. There are many outdoor trends that add value to your home and make your yard easier to use on a daily basis. If your outdoor space isn’t quite the way you’d like it to be, now is the perfect time to get it in shape.

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Outdoor trends that add value

Here are a few trends we’ve been seeing that will give you a yard you love and boost the value of your home at the same time.

Add a dining area

Adding a deck or patio area is a great way to increase the living space of your home. Indoor/outdoor living is a huge trend right now and is all about extending the inside comforts of home outdoors. Your backyard, deck or patio can be a part of your home that you use every day and with the right design and furniture can be just as comfortable. A comfortable outdoor dining area can be the perfect space for drinking your morning coffee or entertaining family and friends.

Install a fire pit

There is nothing that says summer like spending time around a fire pit with friends and family, roasting hotdogs and marshmallows. Fire pits are a safe way to have a bonfire in your backyard. A metal fire ring and flagstone ensures no stray sparks or embers will catch on nearby vegetation.

outdoor trends

Fire pits with a low wall add visual interest and seating for family and friends.

Low-maintenance plantings

Planting low-maintenance gardens and drought-tolerant plants are a good choice for enjoying your yard while improving its curb appeal. Select perennials that will thrive in your planting zone. If you’re not sure what will fit well in your space, many greenhouse employees can offer advice.

A ground-level deck with integrated plantings.

A ground-level deck with integrated plantings.

Edible gardens

Another trend right now is planting gardens that are as productive as they are beautiful. Whether you have space for a full garden or just a container garden, consider planting plants like cherry tomatoes, basil, rosemary, mint, sage, tarragon, oregano, and other herbs. There is nothing better than putting together a recipe or salad with fresh herbs from your own garden.

Your June Yard and Garden Checklist

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Yard and Garden Checklist

By the end of June, it is safe to say that summer is officially here! Everything is green and the growing season is in full swing. If your yard is like mine, everything has been planted and is ready for a bit of maintenance.

After the exciting planting season of May, it’s tempting to sit back and enjoy your garden, but now is the time to do the real work of gardening – tending to your plants and harvesting the fruits of your labor.

Yard and Garden Checklist

Restart your gardening engines and tick off a few tasks from June’s yard and garden checklist.

Everyone

  • Water new and fragile plants as needed, especially during hot stretches
  • Refill any bare spots of mulch before weeds move in
  • Side dress soil with compost or fertilizer
  • Watch for signs of nutrient deficiency in leaves
  • Move houseplants outdoors and give them a bit of fresh air
  • Keep water in birdbaths fresh and clean for our feathered friends

Ornamentals

  • Deadhead frequently to encourage plants to continue blooming for a long season
  • Pinch back flowers like asters, monarda, and helianthus to make them stockier and full of flower buds
  • Vegetables
  • Stop harvesting asparagus and rhubarb so they can build up reserves for next year
  • Replace leafy greens like spinach that have bolted from the heat
  • Plant any remaining warm season veggies like tomatoes, peppers and eggplant
  • Continue blanching tender greens, celery and cauliflower
  • Plant new batches of bush beans every couple of weeks to have a continuous harvest
  • Stake tomato plants as they grow and pinch off any suckers if needed
  • Use a couple drops of mineral oil on corn silks within a week after they appear to deter corn earworms

Trees and Shrubs

  • Prune or shape evergreens as soon as new growth starts to turn a darker green
  • Do maintenance pruning of wisteria once it finishes blooming to keep it in check

Pests

  • Be vigilant for summer insects! Check leaves for eggs and nymphs regularly
  • Watch for four-lined plant bug damage, especially with plants in the mint family
  • Japanese beetles will be back in the summer months

7 Benefits of Perennials

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It’s spring, and that means gardeners are starting to dream about their gardens and flowerbeds. The whole growing season is ahead, and everyone has visions of lush, blooming flowers or gardens full of produce. There are many benefits of perennials and they are often a favorite for growers because they are low maintenance and return year after year.

benefits of perennials

Benefits of Perennials

Choosing the right plants for your space can be as fun as it is challenging. There are so many factors to consider, but the first decision to make is whether perennials are the right choice for you.

Primary types of plants

There are two primary types of garden and flowerbed plants: annuals and perennials (though gardening aficionados will be quick to point out there are some plants, called biennials, that are exceptions and last two years).

Annuals complete their entire life cycle in a single year. Perennials, on the other hand, live for several years. After flowering and dying back, the roots remain and produce a new crop the following year.

Annual plants have benefits of course, but can also cause problems, especially in large-scale agriculture operations, for example.

Less annual maintenance

One of the biggest advantages of perennial plants is that they don’t need to be replanted every year. Gardeners can save time and energy by not clearing flowerbeds of last years plants, sowing seeds, and composting and mulching an area every year. Plus, once perennials are established, they generally need less care as their root systems are able to give them the nutrients they need.

Soil Structure

Because perennials remain in the soil for multiple years, the root systems help improve the soil structure. As they grow and spread their roots, the soil is aerated and channels are created for water to travel through the soil. This helps both the perennial plants and other plants in the area get the oxygen and water they need.

Nutrients

Perennials have a deeper root system than annual plants and are able to reach nutrients that are further down in the soil. They bring those nutrients to the surface where other plants are able to access them. Nitrogen, for example, is a particularly useful element for plant growth that perennials help draw upwards.

Water

Just like nutrients, the root systems of perennials also draw up water from lower in the soil profile. Again, this moisture becomes available to other plants with shallower root systems. It also helps prevent the soil from drying out and becoming susceptible to erosion.

Cover

When perennials die back, many of them retain their foliage. This creates a soil cover, similar to a cover crop, that protects the moisture in the soil from evaporation by the sun. It also helps maintain a strong soil structure and prevents erosion by wind and rainfall.

Propagation

Perennials may last a long time, but sadly, they don’t last forever. Fortunately, many perennials are easy to propagate by dividing the plant’s root system. Sections of the root clump are carefully divided and then replanted to produce new plants.

Variety

With a little bit of planning, it is possible to stagger the blooming of your garden. Annuals tend to all bloom in the same period, but with perennials, you can get blooming flowers from early spring up to the first frost.

Your Dream Patio Project…Done Beautifully!

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patio project

Patios are a great place for friends and family to gather and spend time outside.

The thing about living in Minnesota is that after spending the cold winter months stuck in a house, warmer weather makes us want to live outside. There’s no better outdoor living than enjoying long summer evenings on the patio. Maybe you don’t love your patio or maybe you don’t have one, that’s where the team at Great Goats can help.

Great Goats Landscaping exists to help you turn your landscaping dreams into reality. We want to design a patio area that you love and that fits your style.

We all love a beautiful patio

We hear from a lot of folks who are interested in adding a patio or updating their existing patio. In the summer, patios become an extension of your home and a great place to spend time with family and friends. Your ideal design might include a grill or firepit and have designated seating areas with chairs and tables. Add a couple potted plants and soon you’ll have a space that is beautiful and functional.

How it works

We work with homeowners to design landscaping projects. We love sitting down across the table to discuss how we can make landscaping dreams into a reality.

Here’s what you can expect when you work with us on your next project. Fill out our contact form or give us a call at 612-483-GOAT and our owner Mike Olson will get back to you right away. Tell us about the patio you want to build. After we’ve talked about what you have in mind, we’ll work up a a plan for the project and put together an estimate.

Enjoy your dream patio

Don’t let the snowy late-winter box you in, It’s never too early to start dreaming about summer.  Just think what a beautiful outdoor living space could do for your home. Contact us today and let us know how you envision kicking back with family and friends this summer.

Get Early Spring Flowers By Planting Perennials in the Fall

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Planting-Perennials-in-the-Fall

Winter means colder weather and a break from weeding and caring for your garden. After a summer spent encouraging. prodding and cajoling vegetables and flowers to grow, putting the garden to rest for the winter can be a nice break.

But experienced gardeners know that there is nothing better than starting the spring months with early blooming flowers that were planted the fall before. If you’re looking for an easy way to add a little color to your spring, here are some ideas for planting perennials in the fall so you can start your spring with some color in your garden.

Early perennial bloomers

There are long lists of perennials that are easy to plant in the fall that will reward you with early blooms in the spring. Some of our favorites are violets, lily-of-the-valley, sweet kate, wisteria and trumpet honeysuckle.

Planting Perennials in the Fall

Planting fall perennials isn’t hard, but there are a couple steps you can take to make sure your first season will be a success.

  1. Start by preparing your soil with a fair amount of compost or organic matter. Most perennials have roots that grow deep and fast, and soil should be dug and loosened at least a shovel’s depth.
  2. Because your plants will soon have to face the cold, it’s better to get large potted plants that are mature enough to flower. Smaller plants are cheaper, but they may not give you the satisfaction of blooming quickly.
  3. Lastly, it is very important to water the plant before transplanting it from the pot and to gently loosen the roots before putting them in the soil so they can spread out and get better established quickly.
  4. Once your perennial is in the ground, cover the planting areas with a natural mulch of bark or straw to keep the soil moist and protect the plant from freezing.

When spring comes, you’ll be able to fill out your garden with quick growing annuals and have a beautiful garden that is bright and colorful during the first days of spring.