Landscaping efforts make your property appear more beautiful. Everyone can appreciate a neat and interesting yard, which is why it’s worth paying attention to it. When you’re unfamiliar with caring for the ground and for plants, though, you can stumble into some issues that prevent you from creating the ideal yard you envision. Therefore, you should learn about some common landscaping mistakes to avoid before you get started.
Placing Plants Too Deep in the Soil
For your plants to thrive, you need to dig sufficiently deep into the ground so that their roots have access to nutrients and water. However, plants can also die if you set them too deeply into the earth. An excessive depth encourages roots to start rotting—they need some exposure to air. This holds for trees and smaller plants alike.
To get the depth just right, take a look at your plants’ roots. You should place the section along the main stem where the roots begin to extend sideways just below the surface of the soil.
Neglecting To Routinely Maintain Shrubs
Mowing the lawn is a basic task when you’re taking care of your yard, but you may forget to scrutinize the condition of your shrubs. Just as grass needs cutting, you must also maintain your shrubs by pruning them. Your shrubs’ needs can vary depending on the species, so you’ll need to research specific care practices to follow. Generally speaking, however, after a shrub has grown used to its environment following a transplant, you should remove about one-third of its total branch volume. This will stimulate growth and help you shape your shrubs.
Attempting To Create Retaining Walls Alone
Retaining walls are great tools for making sloped yards more manageable. Instead of worrying about allowing your plants, soil, and decorations to slide downwards over time, you can create several flat surfaces on which they can stably sit. This design isn’t just practical; it can also be captivating in its own right because it creates a multilayered, step-like effect.
A common landscaping mistake to avoid, though, is attempting to create retaining walls alone. To achieve structural soundness, you need a professional landscaper in most cases. They’ll have knowledge on common retaining wall failures and how to prevent them. Their expertise will be invaluable to you.
