Designing Your Landscape To Be Low Maintenance
“Low maintenance” doesn’t mean the same thing to every homeowner.
That’s why it’s best for you to think about what “low maintenance” means to you…before creating your landscaping plan. With a little forethought, you can create the perfect design for your home and outdoor needs.
Landscaping maintenance typically refers to the tasks you (or someone else) will have to perform regularly, such as:
– Removal of weeds and dead flowers
– Raking leaves
– Pruning trees
– Hedging shrubs
– Edging and weeding
– Fertilizing
– Irrigating (watering)
– Mulching and top dressing
– Spraying of pesticides and herbicides
Here are three suggestion for a “low maintenance” landscape.
Tip#1: Hardscaping for Less Maintenance
Adding hardscaping to your property is an excellent way to greatly reduce your landscaping labor because there’s no lawn mowing or irrigation required.
Tip #2: Factoring In Climate
By choosing plants best suited to your region’s climate, you’ll truly lower the amount of required work and maintenance. While beautiful and popular, tropical plants don’t tolerate cold weather very well. The result is a lot of pruning or replacing of dead plants that couldn’t withstand the winter. Similarly, poorly selecting plants for arid or desert climates also results in increased maintenance.
Tip #3 Carefully Choosing Trees
When considering trees, factor in amount of time required raking leaves for your choice of tree. For example, “deciduous” trees typically require only a one-time cleanup job as they tend to shed all their leaves once a year. On the other hand, “evergreen” trees shed their leaves year-round, requiring continual raking and clean up.
Hiring a professional landscaping company relieves you of the worry and responsibility of maintaining your landscape. However, if you want or choose to do the work yourself, be sure to consider the factors mentioned above.
Posted on behalf of Dusty Edinger, Tommy Gun Lawn Care
