When it comes to growing plants, trees and shrubs in the midwest, they have to be able to withstand extremely cold temperatures, along with warmer temperatures in the summertime. Some plants thrive better in colder temperatures, whereas other plants do well in warmer climates, but for planting in the midwest, the greenery must be able to endure both. In addition, many areas of the midwest are flat areas, with little or no wild growth, so landscaping your property could take a goodly amount of materials and plant starts. If your yard is fairly barren, you’ll probably want to plant trees, shrubs and flowers in various areas of the property.
When starting with saplings, plant and cover them well, then tie them into the ground with stakes. Tie string or rope on various spots of the tree to keep it upright until it can take root. Attach the strings to stakes, then drive them into the ground. After a few weeks, the strings and stakes can be removed. When deciding on trees for your yard, select ones that will give you shade where you need it, or beauty if that’s what you’re wanting. Don’t choose trees that will grow extremely tall if you have a small house, since this will only make your home look tinier. When planting trees, plant smaller ones close to the house, larger ones farther away from structures. Since cold weather starts fairly early in the midwest, check with your home and garden store or another professional to see what types of trees will take root the quickest, but still give you the shade or beauty you desire.
In the midwest, there can be week after week of rain, or months without. Because of this, it’s important to choose plants which can cope with lots of water or with little. For long periods of no rain, water your new trees, bushes or flowers at least every two days. If you choose trees which lose their foliage and stay bare throughout the winter, this might give an even more barren look to your property. Some trees like this are okay, but it’s a better look for your landscaping to also have some trees which don’t go bare in the winter, such as pines and magnolias.
To fill in a barren yard, choose a landscaping design which will shade and enhance your front yard. You can also plant some flowers along the front perimeter line of your home, outlining the garden with landscaping timbers or edging. In the back yard, consider some fruit trees which do well in the midwest, but remember to treat them for pests or they’ll bear little edible fruit. A small section can be allowed for planting a flower and rock garden, complete with birdbath and bench.
In the winter months, try not to let salt, used for melting snow from steps and walkways, get on your perennials. This can cause damage to them come spring. Many flowers must be covered before the first frost of the year, and this is often done with a plastic bag and something to weight it. Find out when purchasing foliage what months are best for planting, and if anything needs to be done to treat the plant during the winter months. These facts can be learned by checking out books from your local library, talking to professionals in that field, or going online to find out what plants work best in your area and how to care for them.
