Investing in home landscaping is a great way to improve how your property looks. It can also increase resale value when you decide to sell in the future.
But more often than not, several homeowners make costly mistakes when they’re working on their yard or garden. Ensure that you avoid committing them.
Planting in a suboptimal zone
Before you start planting, be aware of your home’s geographic location. While it may be tempting to purchase right away the attractive plants you see in a shop or catalog, make sure first that they can flourish in your specific hardiness zone.
The US Department of Agriculture has a Plant Hardiness Zone Map that gardeners and growers can easily reference. If you don’t base your planting decisions on critical data, you might end up with plants that can die out too soon.
Not minding the space between plants
While it may create a symmetrical or uniformed look, clumping plants too close with each other can leave them with little space to thrive. As they grow, you may start noticing that your plants look cramped and suffocated.
Make sure to allow for some space between those perennials and trees. And speaking of trees, remember to avoid planting large ones close to the house. Their large branches could overextend and damage your roof and windows.
If you’re not sure if how much space a particular tree needs, you can contact tree care specialists who can properly advise you on the best solution.
Limiting yourself to just one type of plant
When you have your own yard space, it’s easy to get carried away with planting your favorite flowers or the best trees. But this can make your yard look monotonous. And you have to remember that not all plants will look great across all four seasons.
If you want your yard to look stunning and sharp, no matter what the season, you need to be strategic with what you decide to plant. So make sure you leave enough space for a good variety of perennials and shrubs.
For instance, come springtime, when you plant Daffodils and Azaleas, plan out in advance where you can put those Yarrows, Coneflowers, and other summer-blooming plants.
Being lax with weeds
Maintaining a yard is hard work, and you may not always be on point. But if you become too lax about it, weeds can quickly spread throughout the area.
Don’t wait for weeds to become visible and start ruining the overall look of the yard. Unseen by the naked eye, weeds will steal nutrients and minerals from your plants — no matter how small or few they are.
Take out pesky weeds before they start spreading their seeds in the yard. And if you don’t have time to deal with them, you can always hire professionals to maintain your landscaping regularly.
Making it easy for pest and other critters to invade the yard
Weeds are one thing to worry about. Animals and pests can further add to your headaches. If you have plant varieties that are appealing for certain types of critters like rabbits and deer, don’t be surprised to see bare trees and shrubs.
Depending on where your home is located, you may need to avoid certain types of plants. You can also spray your plants with animal repellent products. Additionally, if there are several animals in your area, find a list of trees or plants that they won’t nibble on.
Keeping these ideas in mind can help you avoid committing errors that can ruin your garden landscape. You won’t have to worry about unnecessary additional expenses if you stay away from these mistakes.
