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How to Space Plants in your Landscape

How to Space Plants in your Landscape

by | Apr 27, 2015

UF/IFAS Photo: Tyler Jones.

UF/IFAS Photo: Tyler Jones.

Most people know that an attractive landscape adds to the value of a home.  For most of us, the landscape also represents a hefty investment of money, time and work so it’s important to know enough about landscape design to do the job right.

An important step in developing an attractive landscape is spacing plant materials correctly.  Plants should be placed in the landscape in relation to each other, and with some understanding of their ultimate height, spread, and growth rate.  However, the endless variety of plant sizes and shapes can easily complicate this matter for the home gardener.

How the plant is used in the landscape will determine its shape to a large extent.  For example, if a plant is part of a hedge row, it should be placed close to the other plants so that in a few years, all of them grow together.  If you want to retain the individual shape of each plant space the plants further apart.

Spacing trees correctly is very important as trees are the largest and most permanent of all landscape materials.  Here are a few examples of some ways to use trees effectively around the home:

  • Pine trees look very good as a tall background screen in the landscape.  To have the trees work as a screen, plant them eight to twelve feet apart measuring from the center of one tree to the center of the next.
  • Mass planting of dogwood, redbud and crape myrtle make brilliant assets to your landscape.  If these trees are spaced about 12 to 15 feet apart, the top foliage should meet in a few years.  When these trees are in bloom, the mass plantings will enhance their show of flowers.
  • An oak tree planted on the west side of your lot will provide shade for your home, the tree should be planted about thirty feet from side of the house, to prevent tree limbs from eventually crowding the house.

As you can see, it’s important to learn as much as possible about trees you select for your landscape.  In spite of the few examples given you, there is no single standard recommendation on spacing trees in the home landscape. This is because most of the popular landscape trees can range from 10 to 100 feet in height, and vary as much in spread.  Specialists recommend that the minimum spacing for landscape trees should be one half of the spread of the tree’s mature canopy from other trees, from walls and other existing structures.  But even this minimum spacing may vary among different varieties of the same species.  For specific spacing requirements for the tree you are interested in check with your local County Extension Office.

 

To review briefly, correct spacing of plant materials is an important step in developing an attractive landscape.  Whenever you plant a tree or a shrub in your landscape, you should do so with careful consideration of the plant’s ultimate height, spread and rate of growth.

 

Palm Care Tips

by | Mar 13, 2013

Many landscape managers and home owners, especially on the gulf coast, wants to add the tropical feel to their landscape.  The chief way to achieve this is by incorporating Palms and other tropical plants to their surroundings.  Like with any other plant one would like to care for it properly.  The improper care of Palms, I would like to blame on simple lack of “know how” and nothing else.  Some palm care practices are a real problem in Northwest Florida; whether it is pruning, installing, or fertilizing.  University of Florida has some great resources available on Palm care and maintenance.  Let’s hit some highlights and use these tips to improve Palm care in northwest Florida.

First, installation is very important with Palms, as it is with all plants.  One practice that ultimately results in death to a Palm is planting too deeply.  Some have done this in the past to help secure the Palm from falling over.  This may seem like a good idea but will harm the plant in many ways.  Look at these two palms that were planted at the same time, see the difference?

Make sure when your planting to dig the hole twice as wide as the rootball and only as deep as the rootball is tall.  Then for support build a supporting structure, but do not nail directly into the trunk (this will allow an entry point for disease).  Once planted, water the palm in thoroughly, allowing for all the air pockets to be compromised   If the fronds are tied up, untie them as soon as your palm is planted.

The next issue that faces palm lovers is pruning palms.  Many prune a palm too much for a variety of reasons.  Take a look at this palm for an example of a palm that has been pruned too much.

 

Follow the 9 to 3 clock rule, only pruning above the horizontal line of the crown of the palm.  If you follow this rule you will generally be pruning correctly.

Read more about pruning, installing and general palm information for northwest Florida.

Photo Credits, University of Florida.