As you drive around your neighborhood you’ll undoubtedly see numerous yards that make you go “wow” (some of which were probably created after people reviewed their land care equipment on Lawn Mower Guru) and you’ll probably start thinking about making adjustments to your own yard. Creating the perfect landscape should be easy enough, right? Unfortunately it’s not; without the skills, experience and right equipment your chances of creating a landscape that you, and the rest of your neighborhood, are proud of, are minimal. That’s the reason why so many homeowners and businesses have depended on our landscape equipment reviews for years, as we deliver the information they are looking for time and time again. We’ve seen our fair share of DIY landscaping projects that have fallen flat and today I’m going to outline some of the biggest (and simplest) landscaping mistakes that you can make in your yard.
Basic Landscaping Errors that You Should Avoid at All Costs
Whether you’re intent on carrying out a full blown landscaping project on your own or you like to do some yard work now and again to keep your outdoor space looking neat and tidy, if you avoid committing the following “errors” that I am going to point out, you will be in a much better position to succeed.
Don’t Plant New Flowers or Shrubs On Top of Each other
By “on top of each other” I mean don’t plant them too close to each other. At the moment you introduce new plants into your yard they have not yet reached their maximum size and sufficient space needs to be left between plants to account for future growth and increase in size. If you don’t do this, the health of these plants will likely suffer as they compete for the same sunlight and nutrients, and your yard will start to look untidy. Any professional specializing in yard care knows this and takes this into consideration when initially designing your new landscape.
Not Picking Plants that are Suited to Local Conditions
When you see landscapes that make you envious, they are always full of life; birds are happily singing, the lawn is a lush green and flowers and plants are in full bloom. To achieve the same look you must select the plants wisely, as if you don’t, your yard could end up looking more than a little morbid come the summer time. When selecting plants, as well as weather conditions, think about whether your choices are suited to the type of soil found in your yard and whether the area where you intend to plant them receives a lot of direct sunlight or not.
Not Applying Fertilizer Correctly
There are a number of different factors that come into play when applying fertilizer to your yard and neglecting to consider each one of them carefully before taking action can have serious consequences. You need to be sure that you are applying the right kind of fertilizer in the right quantities at the right times. If you need some advice relating to this topic, we would be more than happy to help you out if you contact our team.
Not Cutting Your Lawn Properly
As Lawn Mower Guru specialists we can honestly say we’ve seen the appearance of dozens of yards ruined simply because the homeowner wasn’t aware of how to cut the grass in the correct manner in order to ensure continued good health. DO NOT cut the grass as short as you possibly can, this will only serve to leave it more vulnerable to lawn diseases, and your lawn will most likely turn yellow as a consequence. Never cut more than 25 percent off the total length of the grass as a general rule and if your situation permits, use a cylinder types mower as the cutting technique these mowers use is far better for your lawn’s health.
Failing to Adequately Light Your Outdoor Area
Do you want to enjoy your yard during the evening? Unless you want to rely solely on candlelight you will need to make sure you incorporate sufficient lighting outside. The right type of lighting doesn’t just make it possible to see in the dark; it has the ability to create a charming ambience that you can enjoy night after night with friends, family and loved ones. Outdoor lighting has one of the best cost to benefit ratios around; a relatively small investment can have a BIG impact on both the visual and practical aspects of your yard. For more information about landscape lighting click here.
Choosing Form Over Function
The ideal yard design will offer a blend of practicality and aesthetic appeal, but many DIY projects seem to focus almost exclusively on aesthetic appeal. That’s ok if you simply want to stand and look at your yard, but what happens when you actually want to use it? You also need to think about the people that will be using your yard. If you are expecting a lot of young children to make use of this space, its design will have to be different to how it would be if it was going to be used exclusively by mature adults, with safety being a primary concern.
These errors are by no means irreversible, nor can they be considered the “end of the world,” but if you can manage to avoid them your yard will be better for it.
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