Landscaping Ideas: How to Embrace Your Lawn and Garden

You've planted the flower beds and weeded around the trees in your space, but what are you doing about ground erosion, poor plant growth, and that dying section of your lawn in the back? Oftentimes, people get so focused on the decorative aspects of landscaping that they forget to tackle some of the more important items on their nature to-do list. Here are three landscape maintenance tasks you may be overlooking and why they matter in the long run. 

1.    Cleaning Irrigation Filters When you rely on secondary irrigation, you never know what you are spraying onto your lawn. While many secondary water supplies offer an ample amount of low-cost water, other areas offer irrigation water that is filled with sediment, small twigs, and other organic material that can clog secondary water line filters and sprinkler head filters fast. 

If these filters remain clogged, it could impact how much water is dispersed onto your lawn or create problems with pests since small microorganisms can live in secondary water supplies—especially since they are typically untreated. 

To prevent problems with your yard, focus on cleaning your irrigation filters meticulously, especially if you live in an area where you are using a secondary irrigation system. If you notice dry spots in your yard, check the sprinkler head filters in that zone to rule out problems with clogging. 

2.    Fertilizing Lawn and Plants Sometimes, all your lawn and flower gardens need is a little extra nutrition, but it isn't always easy to know what to apply and when to apply it. Fortunately, professional nurseries typically offer soil testing services, which allow you to take in a core sample of your soil, have it tested, and get great recommendations regarding the proper variety of fertilizer for your yard. 

Soil test reports give great guides regarding the type and quantity of fertilizer you should be applying based on your existing soil condition, making it a breeze to spruce up your yard. 

3.    Controlling Ground Cover That ground cover may have seemed like a great idea when you initially installed it, but how is it looking these days? Oftentimes, homeowners plant slightly invasive plants hoping they will grow quickly—and they do. Unfortunately, without careful oversight, it is possible for these plants to produce more than they should, interrupting the aesthetics of your outdoor space. 

Check the ground cover you have planted in your yard and trim it back when it starts to travel into unwelcome areas. 

If you are struggling with landscaping and you aren't sure where you went wrong, don't hesitate to reach out to professionals. Talk with them about your goals for your yard, and ask them to explain their processes and an estimated timetable for correcting the existing issues. By being proactive, your yard could look more lush and beautiful in no time.  

For more information on landscape maintenance, contact a landscaper.