Landscape Maintenance Ensuring Long-Term Landscape Success

Question: In landscape maintenance of our newly installed home landscape what is the most important thing we need to do to keep it looking good, is it fertilizer, irrigation or mowing? Rhoda, Virginia Beach, VA

Answer: Yep! Once the trees and shrubs have been planted, grass down and the irrigation checked out and tuned the key to long-term success in the landscape comes down to sound landscape maintenance. But it is an area often overlooked!

A good landscape design, properly executed plan, quality plant materials and a correctly installed irrigation system all play a part in getting a landscape off on the right foot. However, in the long term the true success rests on regular landscape maintenance. Think of yourself as a property manager. Your job is to make sure the landscape is pruned, fertilized, mowed, irrigated and managed correctly.

Here are a few tips to help guide you! Let’s begin with irrigation:

Develop an Irrigation Maintenance Checklist
It’s important maintain a proper functioning irrigation system and one way to do that is with a periodic review of your irrigation systems. This will help insure the system is working efficiently and not wasting resources but also help promote plant survival. Establish a regular irrigation maintenance schedule for the following:

• Make sure the backflow prevention device is working properly
• Check for correct operating levels of water supply and working pressure
• Examine and clean filters
• Check and verify the timers, sensors and controls operate properly
• Make any needed adjustments to valves to ensure proper operation
• Check and adjust sprinkler heads for throw and direction as needed.
• Fix, repair or replace and broken hardware or pipes

Pruning Trees, Plants and Shrubs

In general, less is more! The less pruning the better. When the right plants are planted with the proper spacing and growing properly – little pruning should be required. That is not to say trees and shrubs will not need pruning. Periodic pruning may be necessary to maintain shape. Trees may require pruning to develop a stronger tree or minimize stress that the tree may go experience during storms like hurricanes. Pruning may also be required on some plants to promote flowering or remove unwanted or undesirable foliage.

Mulch

It many not seem to be a major item but mulch should be a regular part of every landscape maintenance program. Mulch helps in many areas like reducing the need to pull weeds or use herbicides for weed control, plus it helps reduce irrigation needs. The most common organic mulches are pine bark, wood chips, cypress and pine needles but grass clippings and other yard debris can be used effectively.

Mulch breaks down over time and needs to be reapplied. The time period between reapplying mulch depends on the mulch used. Another “mulch” to consider is landscape rocks or stones. Small landscape rock can offer a clean long lasting mulch that does not decompose like other mulches.

Managing Pest In the Landscape

The best method is to keep an open eye for any pest problems. Keep and eye out for ants – they are great farmers of pests! Look under the undersides of leaves and stems for any outbreaks.

To treat any pests you need to properly identify the pest in question. Remember natural pest solutions are available. Some pest control may best handled with pruning or taking care of the problem manually.

If chemical treatment is required the right pesticide, using the right amount, applying at the right time with the right method is necessary for best control.

Don’t forget an established landscape including the lawn will require regular fertilizer. It may sound like a lot of work but what is required is steady watchful eye and action. The end result is a wonderful, enjoyable landscape for you and the family.

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