For many homeowners, landscaping matters. It is the first impression visitors to your home have of it. In some areas, it’s what keeps your neighbors green with envy. No matter what investment you’ve made in your landscaping to this point, there are steps you can take to protect it and maintain it.
Start with a Comprehensive, Yearly Exam
During the early spring or even late winter months, meet with a trusted landscaper to create a plan for the year ahead. During this time, you’ll want to look at key factors that impact the condition and value of your landscaping:
- Is it time to replace sod with a drought-effective solution?
- Does the natural slope of your property need to be changed?
- If you are installing new plants or features, where should they be located?
- If you are maintaining a lawn, what is the condition of the soil?
- What steps can you take to improve overall water management on your property?
By taking the time to discuss the current condition of your landscape and the steps that you want to take to upgrade or improve it with your landscaper, you create a plan of action that guides all other decisions throughout the year.
Key Yearlong Landscaping Maintenance Tips
With a landscaping plan in place, you can begin working on areas where you need to make decisions and improvements. Now, consider these landscaping maintenance tips to use throughout the year to maintain your investment.
- Weekly, at least, walk through your landscaping looking for signs of animal infestations, damage to hardscaping, or areas of plant concerns.
- Have a landscaper help you to trim and tame bushes, trees, and other growth throughout your space. It is essential that you maintain these according to the individual plant’s needs. This will differ from one plant to the next.
- Replace lawns and grass with more hardscaped features whenever appropriate, especially considering the water shortages.
- If you have grass, ensure it is properly watered and trimmed on a weekly basis. However, most lawns need just an inch of water each week. Avoid overwatering.
- Consider additions to your landscape that add additional value. For example, you may wish to add a vegetable garden, flower garden, rain barrels, or a Xeriscape. If you plan to sell your home later, these features can make it more attractive to buyers.
Learn Why Hardscape Maintenance is Important After a Complete Backyard Remodel
In addition to these steps, work with your landscaper to take individual needs on your property. For example, your soil may need amendments on a regular basis to ensure it is nutrient-rich enough for the plants to grow properly. You may wish to invest in a composting system for this, use environmentally-friendly products, or use fertilizers to accomplish this. Your landscaper can help you to ensure you are adding the right type and amount of nutrients.
Perhaps one of the most important steps to landscaping maintenance is to hire a professional to guide your lawn and plant care. Consider that an upgraded landscaping can add as much as 100% of its value to your home’s value. In some cases, this can amount to $20,000 or more. Working with a professional will help you protect your investment on a customized, individual basis.
