One key to having a landscape that thrives without
intensive inputs, such as fertilizers, pesticides and frequent
watering, is to choose plants that are best suited to your yard
conditions.
Many factors affect plant growth and maintenance including:
 Amount
of sun or shade
Soil
conditions including texture, acidity, fertility, drainage, and
moisture holding capacity
Exposure
to wind, salt, and traffic
Land
features such as steep slopes, irregular depressions, wet or dry
spots, and stones, boulders, and ledge Plants prefer or tolerate a certain set of conditions over others.
When plants are forced to grow in areas that are not as suitable,
they become stressed, fail to thrive and become more susceptible
to disease and pests. Lawn grass, for example, can require a lot
of inputs and maintenance compared to other plants such as certain
groundcovers, shrubs and trees.
If your lawn has trouble spots or areas that are hard to mow,
think about replacing them with other plants that are naturally
disease and pest resistant and that are well-suited to those conditions
that are problematic for a lawn. Always beware of introducing an
invasive species and consider native plants.
Think of your yard as a unique environment with the opportunity
to be creative. Where there are wet spots, a water garden may be
an alternative. Where there are natural woodlands on your property,
consider leaving them intact and incorporating wildflower gardens,
shade gardens, and creative edge landscaping between your yard and
the woodlands. Where there are steep slopes and/or surface stones
or ledge, groundcovers, low-growing shrubs and rock gardens may
be a nice solution.
Another important factor that adds to the success of your landscape
is proper planting and establishment of the plants. Proper site
preparation, handling and planting methods, fertilizing and watering
are important in getting the plants off to a good start. With
careful
planning and selection, well-established plants will eventually
require minimal maintenance and inputs in the way of fertilizers,
pesticides and watering. Think about renovating or planting new
areas in phases, to avoid having large areas that are in need of
special attention.
For more information on sustainable plants and landscaping:
URI CE GreenShare Sustainable Trees and Shrubs Manual
Drought-Tolerant Plants
Endophyte-Enhanced Grasses
A Guide to Successful Pruning: Pruning Basics and Tools
Perennials for Specific Sites
Planting for Sustainable Landscapes
Selection of Grasses
Shade Gardens
Woody Plants for Shady Places
or call our URI
Master Gardener Hotline: 1 (800)
448-1011
Monday through Thursday 9 AM to 2 PM
URI Plant
Protection Clinic (401) 874-2900
Assistance with identification of plant insects and disease
URI CE Home*A*Syst Program Factsheet
Shoreland
Buffers and Water Quality Protection
The Rhode Island Wild Plant Society (401)
783-5895
Information on native plants, native plant suppliers, and a
list of invasive species to avoid
URI
CE Home*A*Syst Program and the The Southern New England Forest
Consortium -- Today's
Forest Tomorrow's Legacy: A Guide for Small Acreage Woodland Owners
The
Center for Watershed Protection (410) 461-8323
Information on rain gardens and watershed protection
See our Healthy Landscapes page on
Rain Gardens
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