Lessons on Landscape with Madrone

• May 11th, 2021
• Chad Kimball of Madrone Landscape Architecture
• chad.is.kimball@gmail.com

Soil

• Austin soli is generally high alkalinity (peat moss, sulphur)
• Lots of clay – Add Sulphur, granite sand, compost
• Add topsoil and compost to clay already in ground when planting trees or graden bed
• Top soil has less shrinkage. Compost is organic
• 2 parts top soil to 1 part compost
• Mushrooms, poultry, dairy
• Soil is alive – microrganisms, inspects, works. fertilize, compost, mulch

Favorites

• Fertilizer: Microlife (Acidifier and Bio-Matrix)
• Compost: Kinser Ranch in Tripping Springs. Mushroom compost
• Soil: Kinser Ranch lawn leveler 50/50 belnd of mushroom compost and granite sand

Watering

Austin has on average of 30 inches of rain per year with typically two rainy seasons.

How much: depents on speed of growth and type of plants

How often: When droopy. Focus on watering the roots. Large trees and shrubs a good soak once per week. Need a healthy layer of mulch on smaller plants. Re-mulch every 6 months or each year.

Too much: Turning yellow.

Planting

Keep it simple, evergreen, and drought-tolerant. Choose plants that are proven to thrive in this climate.

Planting tips

• Make holes much wider and deeper than need when planting new plants/trees.
• Plant high – lift 2-3 inches above the mulch
• Tickle the roots
• Water trees and plants in to remove excess oxygen from soil
• Add fertilizer
• Add root stimulator (root activator product – every three weeks)
• Mulch and water the mulch

Choosing plants

• You don’t need variaety for variety sake
• Group similar water/sun/soil need plants together
• Remember to think in layers. LArger trees and shrubs behind smaller ones.
• Trhink about growth, not just how a big a tree or plant is at the moment.

Recommended

The following recommended trees and shrubs may not be included on the Approved Plants List.

Questions & Answers

What do we do with our existing trees that have gone through cold spell and is showing only a few leaves the tree not very old probably planted about 2 yrs ago?

Need consistent hot weather for the plants to really show what’s dead and alive. Get microlife acidifier and root stimulator and use every few weeks until there are 80 degree nights. Dig away from truck so it can dry out.

Any ideas on how to keep Bermuda grass from creeping into mulch beds?

Bermuda is hard to kill. Spreads with roots. Get edging and need 8 inches down or more. Keep edging level with bed. Far down so roots don’t spread into mulch bed.

Control it with an edger. Might need to be custom. Most edging is 6 inches or less. Need a metal guy/girl.

What do you recommend for filling in the holes in my grass where the sod didn’t settle?

Lawn leveler soil is excellent for filling in holes. Grass will grow back in. Seeding it is good too.

Recommended Products

Fertilizers

Root Activator