Creating and maintaining a good-looking yard is one of the most daunting aspects of homeownership. And with the emphasis so many of us place on curb appeal these days, a knowledgeable landscaping professional is worth their weight in gold.
While you might never wrap your head around the mechanics of an irrigation system or the chemistry of pre-emergent herbicides, we should all understand a few landscaping basics. Whether you’re a befuddled homeowner or a burgeoning horticulturist, here are eight rules professional landscapers swear by to help you elevate your landscaping skills and keep your yard looking healthy and beautiful for years to come.
- Michael Arnold, Ph.D., Professor of Landscape Horticulture and Director of The Gardens at Texas A&M University.
- Campbell Vaughn, UGA Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agent.
Always Take A Soil Sample
Soil tests are an essential first step for long-term landscaping success. Experts recommend testing your soil before planting anything. This is the only way to make sure you’re fertilizing properly.
“If your soil is not right, your root systems will struggle to intake the nutrients they need to thrive. Good roots equal good plants,” explains Campbell Vaughn, a UGA Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agent. “The soil sample includes a pH reading, and if your pH is off, you are wasting money on expensive fertilizers because the plant doesn’t have the ability to intake the nutrients available.”
Weed, Weed, And Weed Some More
This might not come as a surprise, but weed control is “absolutely critical” to success, says Michael Arnold, Ph.D., Professor of Landscape Horticulture and Director of The Gardens at Texas A&M University.
To keep weeds from popping up, Vaughn says that “regular and timely” applications of properly labeled pre-emergent herbicides help keep weeds at bay.
Don’t Fight Mother Nature
“Never try to fight Mother Nature,” warns Arnold. This is especially true when it comes to water needs. Remember that native plants have adapted to thrive in the climate where you live.
Instead of forcing things, he says to plant well-adapted plants in a well-thought-out design. “Use the momentum of Mother Nature to augment your design and minimize the work,” Arnold adds. If you have your heart set on plants that require a lot of water and/or care, he suggests placing them close to heavily utilized areas of the yard, as you’re less likely to forget to water the plants you see every day.
Water Smart
Here’s the hard truth: A vast majority of people are watering their plants way too much. According to Vaughn, homeowners overwater 85 percent of the time and underwater 15 percent of the time. An irrigation system that’s working properly and adjusted to seasonal requirements can help to prevent overwatering—if you use it right. So, whatever you do, don’t “set it and forget it.”
Arnold says a professional landscaper would never “put a time clock on their irrigation system and run it all year at the same setting.” The pros rely on moisture meters and change their irrigation settings with the seasons to ensure they water plants based on what they actually need.
Remember November
In most parts of the South, it’s best to start installing trees and shrubs in early November and finish before temperatures are consistently in the 80s. “November is best, April is OK, summer is a no,” says Vaughn.
Remember that installing plants is stressful to their root systems. “If you get the plants installed when the soil and air are cool and moisture isn’t rapidly moving out of the ground, the new transplants will have time to recover, and the roots can start moving during the winter,” explains Vaughn. This way, the plants will be ready to go when spring arrives.
Dig Appropriately Sized Holes
Roots grow out, not down. Because of this, holes for new plants should be dug wide, not deep. Plants that are installed too deep will struggle, stunt, and eventually die.
To install a plant properly, Vaughn says to start by breaking up any pot-bound roots by massaging or cutting them. When putting the plant into the hole, the base of the plant should be one to two inches above the existing soil line. Pull the soil away from the trunk of the plant to cover any exposed roots. Pack the soil in the gaps to avoid air pockets. Water the plant to saturation after installing, and then check again for void pockets. Add soil to fill those gaps and then leave it alone for four to five days.
Think Seasonally
Professional landscapers know that they can do things in one season that will set them up for success in the next. For example, certain blooming plants, shrubs, and trees should be pruned before they start developing new buds, while others should be pruned after they bloom. Evergreens, however, are best pruned in the fall. Research your specific plants to figure out how to care for them in each season.
Mind Your Mulch
Mulch should be three to four inches deep around the plant, and four to six inches from the trunk. “If you pile mulch on the trunk, it will trap moisture and rot the bark at base of the plant leading to a slow decline,” says Vaughn.
