How Do I Develop a Landscape Maintenance Program?
For a truly unique landscape, you need the best landscape maintenance program possible. As an overview, you will want to become familiar with the local terrain and weather, use the best techniques and practices, and attend your program with discipline and regularity.
Expert maintenance services are especially important for a luxury landscape, such as tropical landscaping or a Zen garden. And not just in the early phases when enthusiasm is high, but throughout the lifespan of the landscape and throughout all seasons.
What are some of the checklist items you should expect to find on a highly-regarded landscape maintenance program?
- Care for annual flowers. Routinely prune annual flowers to maximize the bloom cycle. Feed them on a regular schedule. In the cold season, cover them in advance of freeze warnings.
- Mulching. Mulching helps immensely with moisture retention, but proper mulching is even more necessary. For example, avoid putting too much mulch on the base of plants. It’s an easy and careless oversight done by many homeowners that instead of helping plants causes them to struggle to survive.
- Regular mowing and edging of grass. Local experts recommend mowing and edging once a week during the warm and hot months and going to every other week during the cooler months. Feeding, fertilization and chemical treatments are important practices in lawn care as they provide a boost to vigorous turf and prevent infestations and diseases common to the Houston area.
- Sprinkler systems. These vital systems work best with regularly-scheduled inspections and repair. Since it is a time-consuming job and requires a specific expertise, you might consider hiring professionals to routinely walk in the yard and gardens, and take care of problems immediately.
- Landscape drainage systems. Because of Houston’s low elevation, drainage systems are an important infrastructure of most yards. It also requires a specific education, including an understanding of engineering and local ordinances, so it is recommended to turn to professionals for design, installation and maintenance services.
- Fencing and gates. Since your fence and gates are integral to your landscape, be sure they stay in good repair. It will extend the life of your fence and additionally provide extra peace of mind since they represent the first line of defense in your security system.
One additional thought: In these times of growing ecological awareness, it is important to discuss xeriscaping and the positive benefits it could provide you. Xeriscape (pronounced “ZEER-a-scape”) is a type of gardening that minimizes the use of fertilizers and watering via sprinkler systems. The purpose of this gardening philosophy is to use native plants that take naturally to the local soil and climate—and will still look beautiful. If you have a new garden, you can start out with these plants or you can artfully weave them into an existing garden bed. Any style of garden can benefit this technique.
