Top landscaping mistakes

Landscaping is the epitome of a well-looked-after home. It is essential in providing an aesthetic exterior and never fails to increase the value of your property. However, landscaping is never easy and a hassle to almost every homeowner.

Landscaping is a long process and people are prone to making silly mistakes. If you are considering commencing a new landscaping project, below are some of the mistakes you should avoid at any cost. Not only will avoiding the following mistakes save your time but your money as well.

Keep moving forward to know the mistakes that even green thumbs make:

Placing plants improperly

All plants, be it a berry tree or spinach shrub, have particular elements that they need to grow and thrive. Out of them, water and sunlight exposure are the two most important elements. Whenever we buy plants from a nursery, the retailer gives us a few tips to take care of the plant, if not any tag outlining the basic requirements of the plant.

Yes, plants and flower pots look great on your porch or deck front but most patios, decks, and porches are shaded. Moreover, they don’t get much exposure to sunlight. If you want your plants to thrive and grow out of their pots, ensure to keep them where they can get adequate sunlight and sufficient water. Improper placement rots your plants.

Don’t dig too deep for the plants

If you are an amateur gardener, one piece of advice is to pay heed to the roots of every plant. Certain plants, like the tomato shrub, have to grow in shallow soil for good progress. Not providing these plants with shallow soil might ruin the pattern and growth of their roots.

 It is better to dig as much deeply as the pot in which the plant came. Otherwise, you’d be compromising the growth factor.

Cutting the grass improperly

Mowing is a hassle and many homeowners cut the grass too low to avoid it. However, it is one of the biggest mistakes of landscaping as short grass is a haven to weed. Only cut the grass when it is too high or out of shape.

Mowing the grass appropriately for the season helps in healthy growth and avoids the production of weed.

No fertilization

One secret to a healthy-looking lawn is fertilizing your grass consistently. The majority of homeowners don’t have sufficient knowledge about the types and quality of fertilizers in the market. It is best to have a one-on-one with a grass expert and know the best type of fertilizer for your grass.

The healthy and lush grass only appears with the use of fertilizer twice per year.

Not buying the appropriate plants for your lawn

Not every plant can survive in all seasons or places. You have to be careful about the selection of plants if you plan to decorate a particular area of your lawn, backyard, or garden. This point too takes us back to the plants needing an optimal place to get sufficient water and adequate sunlight.

If you are renovating a non-shaded area on your lawn, pick sun-friendly plants. And, pick shade-friendly plants if the sun exposure is not direct.

Not building a haven for pests and insects

According to Pestcheck, a West Vancouver pest control company , if you live in a wildlife area, your new landscape might attract a lot of pests and insects. While insects are adorable and responsible for most of the food we get, they can destroy your plant. Moreover, pests accelerate the rotting in plants. Choose plants that don’t attract pests, flies, and bees. Otherwise, these lovely imposters might end up destroying and eating your plants and for no good.

No future planning for your landscape

Plants have different growth rates. While some blossom in a month, others take years before they look beautiful on your lawn. If you have not planned for the future, some of the plants might grow too big and consume a lot of space there.

It is best to inquire everything about the full growth of the plants before starting your landscaping. Talking to a landscaping expert will give you an idea about the space that each plant will take in the future.

Amateur pruning

Pruning is an essential step to keep your plants healthy and lush-looking. However, poor or unprofessional pruning might also mean death for your plants.

It is better to do pruning at the most optimal season of the year. If you don’t have prior experience in quality pruning, you can call an expert and learn more about the process as he prunes your grass for the first time.

Not watering the plants properly

One of the common mistakes by a homeowner is to sprinkle lots of water for the plants on the lawn. Regardless of the size of your lawn and the number of plants there, you must not sprinkle more than an inch of water weekly. Otherwise, overwatering compromises the health of the plant and also makes unnecessary puddles in your lawn.

Non-functional landscaping project for your lawn

Your garden or lawn will be one of the many places of the home where your friends and family can gather and have quality time. Therefore, you need a functional lawn, which most homeowners forget about.

But functionality does not come cheap. You have to plan everything ahead and plan out the future changes accordingly.

No big changes around the lawn

We lose the essence of uniqueness when we start repeating or buying the same plants for the lawn every time we invest in an exterior makeover. Repeating the plants over and over again look ruin your garden’s appearance. You would end up changing nothing about your landscape.

Find a variety of plants with different textures and colors to see a difference in your landscape.

Not paying attention to maintenance

Maintenance that comes with a landscape is quite frustrated for some homeowners. Every landscape or garden requires maintenance to retain its appearance. Mowing the grass, watering the plants, plucking out the weed, and taking care of the plants will keep your lawn healthy and new forever.

Avoiding season changes

All four seasons bring about drastic, and sometimes devastating changes to your lawn. Ignoring the seasonal changes with regard to the plants will ruin your landscape’s appearance in no time.

Your plants need proper care in the winter and summer seasons. The majority of plants can’t survive the heat as well as the cold weather. Therefore, you must choose plants that stay green and lush all year round. For example, a coconut tree.

Not installing exterior lighting

Exterior lighting makes any landscape exquisite and lovely to watch at all times. Moreover, the functionality of lighting serves well too. Solar lamps are quite popular in the market and within budget for most people.

Forgetting about your front lawn

It is senseless to pay attention to the backyard and not care about the front lawn. It faces the street and might ruin the first impression from the passers-by and guests.

Many homeowners allocate no budget to improve the curb appeal of the house. As a consequence, they keep decreasing the overall property value.

Bottom line

Landscaping is a fulfilling yet hectic task that brings good changes to your home’s exterior. The reward of maintaining your landscape all year round might bring many benefits to you, such as increased house value.

The post Top 15 Landscaping Mistakes & How to Avoid Them appeared first on Tommy Le Lawn.