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Summer in the San Luis Valley brings plenty of sunshine, but it can also bring higher water bills, hotter homes, and the stress of feeling like you need to spend more on keeping everything green and growing. The good news? A few smart choices can help you save money, conserve water, and keep your property looking beautiful all season long.
If there's one landscaping investment that continues to pay dividends year after year, it's planting trees.
Trees provide shade that cools your yard, your home, and even the surrounding air. In fact, strategically placed shade trees can reduce the temperature around your home by up to 10 degrees during the hottest parts of summer.
That means:
Unlike many home improvements, trees become more valuable every year as they grow.
When water becomes a concern, some homeowners consider replacing their entire landscape with rock. While xeriscaping has its place, an all-rock landscape can actually create new challenges.
Rock absorbs and radiates heat, often making yards feel hotter during summer afternoons. A healthy lawn, on the other hand, helps cool the surrounding environment and provides a comfortable space for family activities.
The key is watering smarter, not necessarily watering more.
One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is watering lightly every day.
Instead, encourage deeper root growth by watering thoroughly and less frequently. For many lawns, watering deeply every three days is far more effective than shallow daily watering.
Benefits include:
Deep watering trains plants to seek moisture farther below the surface, making them more resilient during hot weather.
Beautiful summer color doesn't have to come with a hefty price tag.
Geraniums are one of the easiest annual flowers to overwinter indoors. Rather than replacing them every spring, you can bring them inside before frost and enjoy them for multiple growing seasons.
A little care during the winter can save you money while giving you larger, more established plants the following year.
Many common houseplants thrive outdoors during the warm summer months.
Moving houseplants to a shaded patio or porch allows them to benefit from natural humidity, fresh air, and indirect sunlight. They often return indoors healthier and larger than when they left.
Plus, you're decorating outdoor spaces with plants you already own.
Professional arrangements are beautiful, but creating your own containers can be a great way to save money while adding a personal touch to your landscape.
During NRG's Dog Days of Summer Sale, take advantage of Buy One, Get One Free 4-packs and 6-packs of annuals to create custom combinations for pots, baskets, and flower beds.
You'll get:
Sometimes the most beautiful arrangements are the ones you design yourself.
One of the easiest ways to reduce watering needs is improving the soil itself.
Humic acid helps increase the soil's ability to hold moisture and nutrients, making water more available to plant roots for longer periods of time.
Humic acid can be beneficial in:
Healthier soil means less frequent watering and stronger plants throughout the growing season.
Saving water and reducing summer expenses doesn't require giving up a beautiful landscape. Planting trees, watering deeply, improving soil health, and finding creative ways to stretch your gardening budget can make a noticeable difference.
At North River Greenhouse & Landscaping, we're always happy to help you find practical solutions that fit both your landscape goals and your budget.
Stop by the Garden Center to explore trees, annuals, humic acid, and other products that can help you stay cool, save water, and enjoy your yard all summer long.
