Expert Yard Maintenance and Renovation: Transform Your Outdoor Space
Introduction
Arborist Now reminds you that no matter the time of year, first impressions last.
What is yard maintenance and renovation? Your home and its surrounding outdoor areas are special. Keeping these spaces visually appealing and well-maintained involves routine lawn care and adding attractive plant specimens to the landscape. A lush lawn and healthy plants promote curb appeal and create a lovely first impression. All of these tasks take time and effort. With your busy schedule, why not turn to the pros for help?
Yard Maintenance
A Beautifully Maintained Front Yard - Photo By Thirsty Turf Irrigation on Unsplash
The trees are planted and the carefully selected flowers are in full bloom—your ideal outdoor space has come together beautifully. Impeccably maintaining this space year-round requires a thoughtful, well-planned program in order to preserve its beauty and longevity. Outdoor space maintenance is one of the most basic yet important services offered by professional landscapers. They clean the property, mulch and fertilize beds, seasonally prune plants from perennials to trees, check the water supply, add or replace plants as needed, and more. A wide range of maintenance services is available for homeowners and property managers alike.
Landscaping companies provide the following services:
- Seasonal spring and fall cleanup
- Edging and bark mulch installation
- Selective ornamental pruning
- Thatching, core aeration, and lawn renovation
- Seasonal flower planting schedules
Yard Maintenance Service Details
A Landscaping Job in Progress
General Cleanup
To prevent problems next year, professional landscapers clean up garden debris that can be turned into next year’s compost. Leaves and organic debris can harbor fungi, bacteria, and overwintering insects that will return with a vengeance next spring. Tree leaves can become matted and moldy, smothering the ground and the plants beneath them. Fallen branches can create safety issues for unsuspecting feet. Yet when added to the compost pile, these ingredients are transformed into the world’s best plant nourishment.
Gardening tip—an alternate view: Garden debris offers shelter and insect food for winter birds. If you like the birds and do not have major problems with insects or diseases, leave some areas a little messy. Keep watch every year to make sure buildup is not creating problems.
Remove diseased material
If any plants or shrubs were diseased this year, landscapers should be sure to rake up and discard all the fallen leaves—they are contagious. Don’t compost them unless your compost pile can reach 160° F.
Cut back perennials
After your perennials are killed by frost (not before!), cut back the dead stems of any that look messy. If the dried stems have a nice shape or interesting seed pods, you can leave them for winter interest and cut them back in the spring. Trim back perennials after they’re killed back by frost.
Prune dead branches
The only pruning that should be done in the fall is the removal of dead or diseased branches. Inspect your trees, shrubs, and woody perennials, and trim away any dead wood. Remove and discard any branches infected by disease or cankers. Remove branches damaged by storms since broken branches are more susceptible to disease. Save other pruning jobs for early spring or right after the plant blooms.
Till vegetable garden
Many insects and larvae spend the winter underground. Tilling or plowing will expose them to the surface, where they will be eaten by birds or killed by freezing temperatures. Turning the soil also helps control harmful soil fungi and diseases. And just like turning a compost pile, tilling your garden soil will aerate and speed up the decomposition of organic matter, so incorporate shredded leaves, grass clippings, or manure into the soil for on-the-spot composting.
Add Soil Amendments
In a healthy yard or garden, many problems with diseases, insects, and weeds take care of themselves. A healthy garden starts with healthy soil, so take advantage of a nice sunny day to get your soil in shape for next year. We can perform a soil test to determine what amendments may be needed.
Apply Mulch
Apply mulch after the ground cools down for the season—the insulation helps plants through the winter while still allowing them to go dormant.
Fall Cleanup and Leaf Removal
A Rake Rests on a Thick Layer of Fallen Leaves
As late September approaches, the days and nights are cooler and leaves take on beautiful new colors that catch the eye before they cover your yard. Fall is the time of year for establishing and strengthening lawns as well as preparating for the harsh temperatures of winter. It is a well-known fact that the best way to ensure a thick, green, and healthy lawn in the spring is to give it some well-timed care in the fall, so it is important that leaves are not left to cover the grass for long periods of time. If not removed, leaves suffocate grass and plant beds and can clog storm drains. Fall cleanup and leaf removal services protect your property’s beauty while keeping driveways and walkways clear to prevent slips and falls.
Tree, Shrub, and Hedge Trimming
Professional landscapers provide a variety of tree and hedge pruning services to maintain beautiful, healthy trees and shrubs for their customers. Hedge and tree pruning is performed to prevent decay-inducing fungi from penetrating and infecting other areas of a plant. Expert tree pruning services should include removing broken, diseased, or dead branches and, in some cases, removing live branches to increase exposure to sunlight and promote air circulation within the canopy.
A Worker Prunes a Healthy Green Hedge
Spring Cleanup
Spring is the beginning of a new growing season. You are looking forward to getting back outside. A landscaping team can restore your property’s beauty after the long winter by removing debris and cleaning flower beds and bushes. They can prepare your lawn, trees, shrubbery, and plants for the coming warm weather and a summer of outdoor activity. Cleaning up your property for spring is a big job, and your time is valuable and limited. Let the pros take care of your spring cleanup so that you can enjoy a beautiful, season-ready property. Renovation and maintenance service experts provide programs that cater to both residential and commercial properties.
What does spring cleanup involve?
- Clearing away leaves, branches, and clutter
- Hauling away and composting debris
- Mowing the grass
- Re-edging and cleaning garden and flower beds
- Redefining the borders of the lawn
- Reseeding damaged areas of the lawn
- Pruning and trimming trees and shrubs
- Aeration
What does a maintenance checklist look like?
Homeowners and property managers should be assured that their property will be well maintained year-round. Here are six key areas of focus for landscapers:
An Example of a Landscaping Checklist
Trees and Shrubs
Professionals create a pruning schedule to keep your trees and shrubs from looking untidy and overgrown. They can provide structural training for your plants to eliminate future growth problems. Skilled staff members also check for signs of pests, decay, and poor health.
Lawn Care
Landscaping teams devise a plan for various mowing heights designed to minimize watering, stress, and expenses. Mulching decks recycle lawn clippings, saving on labor costs while replenishing the landscape with vital nutrients.
Core Aeration
When your soil is compacted, oxygen, water, and key nutrients cannot pass through to the roots of your trees, shrubs, and other plants. Aerating the soil reduces soil compaction and promotes root growth, which helps your plants stay healthy and vibrant.
Seasonal Cleanup
Well-maintained flower beds add a splash of color to your property, but they can quickly eat up your landscape maintenance expenses. To minimize costs for your site, carefully plant only the best annuals for your specific location.
Fertilization Programs
The key to a perfect outdoor property is fertilization. A combination of slow-release and fast-release fertilizers guarantees maximum results at a minimum expense. Your trees, shrubs, and other outdoor plants always look healthy and cared for when you work with professionals.
Free Estimates for Year-Round Maintenance
For pricing on year-round lawn maintenance programs in San Francisco and surrounding areas, simply contact your local landscapers to schedule an appointment. Their representatives can meet with you to inspect your property and identify your individual needs in order to provide you with an estimate on your monthly costs. Most companies offer flexible options for maintenance, including biweekly, monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly services.
A Green Lawn Bordered by Mulched Flower Beds
Yard Renovation
Is your landscaping looking distressed or dated?
From a complete landscape design, to stunning garden displays, to simple but exciting updates to existing gardens and landscapes, professional landscaping teams have the experience and skill to beautifully transform your property! You should expect a personal, friendly approach and the experience to make your yard and garden design dreams come true. Transform your lackluster, unmanageable, or unsightly surroundings into a stunning setting with landscape services. Most companies provide all services including basic yard care, extensive tree work, or a total yard transformation—your satisfaction should be guaranteed!
Some landscapers also build decks and wooden garden furniture, install flagstone, wood chips, and rocks, and plant trees, vines, fruiting plants, aromatic plants, shrubs, and flowers. All of these elements can be combined for a unique design for your landscape.
A landscaping company should consult with you on the plan, design, and support services based on the existing landscape, your specific needs, and the overall environmental conditions—and be mindful of your budget.
Meet the challenges presented by your distressed or dated outdoor space. The results can be a transformation of these assets through:
- Careful evaluation of land and yard
- Examination of existing conditions and vegetation
- Restoration of overgrown and matured plantings
- Noting sun and shadow conditions
- Establishment of slopes and drainage
- Soil assessments
- Planting plans specifically suited to the site condition
- Removal of invasive plant species
A Lush, Colorful Bed of Flowers
Professional landscapers work with you through these easy steps to transform your yard and outdoor space.
- Schedule an appointment or consultation.
- Assessment of situation should be performed, and an optimized, cost-effective maintenance plan should be delivered.
- Once assessment is approved, job should be put on ongoing schedule.
- Customer should receive a reminder no less than 24 hours prior to start of service.
- Upon arrival, the surrounding area of service to be performed should be secured, taking all necessary safety and protection precautions.
- Service should be performed in a safe and timely manner.
- The team should haul away and dispose of waste, cleaning any debris from area.
Taking Pride in Landscaping Work
When you choose a professional landscaping company to renovate and maintain your outdoor environment, you are opting for more than a lawn care service. You should choose a company with the highest level of professionalism, quality, and attention to detail. The yard renovation and maintenance services offered by landscapers can keep your outdoor property looking its finest in every season, even during a drought.
Landscaping experts should have experience with a wide variety of properties, including but not limited to:
- Residential property
- Commercial centers
- Industrial complexes
- Apartment buildings
- Public and municipal spaces
Renovating and
maintaining your property can be a daunting task. The good news is that renovation
and maintenance services are abundantly available in most areas. For superior
renovation or maintenance of your yard or outdoor spaces, get in touch with your local landscaping professionals.
Need a tree expert? Arborist Now is the best and smartest choice for tree planting, tree pruning and maintenance, and tree removal in San Francisco. Contact us today for a consultation!
Originally published on August 15, 2017.
