I love my new Landscape… Now what?
The secret to keeping every landscape looking sharp is seeing that it is properly maintained. You may be one of those rare “Green Thumb” warriors that takes pride in maintaining your Landscape, and your yard always looks picture perfect.
If you have the time and are one of these proud warriors, then take the task head-on, but be sure to ask the Landscape Contractor that installed it, if there are any plants or items that may require special attention, especially for that first growing season.
What if I don’t have time?
If you’re not one of these individuals or would like to be but just don’t have the time, you should ask the Contractor that installed your new landscape if they would be interested in the weekly and regular maintenance of your property.
This is worth considering because most likely the work is under warranty and your new landscape deserves the proper attention and care to protect that warranty.
We would recommend contracting with the company that installed everything for at least the first year, because the lawn and many of the new plantings will require greater attention during the first year. Some contractors may even extend the warranty period for another year if they are taking care of the property.
Is there more involved than just mowing?
It is understood that the array of products available to the contractor is vastly different than what the homeowner must rely on, but more importantly, the full-service lawn care contractor will have a whole range of beneficial services you can choose from.
• Mowing & trimming
• Spring & Fall Clean-ups & top-dressing mulch beds
• Fertilizer and weed control for lawns and plant beds
• Aerating & Slit-seeding
• Edging of plant beds, walks, drives, and curbs
• Tree & shrub pruning
• Disease and pest control for lawns and plants
• Irrigation service and repair
These are just some of the services a full-service lawn care contractor can provide and remember there is by law, a great deal of training and licensing required to perform many of these. (Any chemical application besides fertilizer requires a license issued by the State.)
Not only is it important to offer these services, but also knowing when it is appropriate to apply many of the products. Remember we are dealing with chemical applications, and conditions such as wind, moisture, and temperature may dictate when it is safe to apply many of these.
Is paying to have it done worth the cost?
This contractor may cost more than the local neighborhood mowing guy, but they understand what is at stake and will be more apt to notice or recognize when a lawn or plant is needing special attention and can recommend a course of action to protect your investment in the landscape.
This is a definite advantage over the guy that shows up once a week, mows for 10 minutes and disappears… Never picking up on potential problems or even being a contributor to them.
You may need to ask yourself what it would cost to replace expensive plants or repair areas of the lawn if these things aren’t properly maintained. Most warranties exclude replacing plants that are neglected or poorly maintained, so the cost of seasonal care may be the more effective way to keep costs under control.
In Summary…
We mentioned early on that you could be one of those rare warriors who enjoy the effort to maintain the landscape and have the resources and “Time” to see it through. If not, then consider working again with your Landscaper.
You’ve already had experience with the contractor that installed your new landscape and have asked all the right questions about experience and licensing, so this should be a rather easy decision to make.
Your contractor is there to help you enjoy your landscape and your hard-earned time off from work, by taking some of the burden from your plate.
Action…
Whether your landscape is new or old, it needs special attention to keep it healthy and looking sharp! Hiring a qualified Lawn Care Contractor can partner with you and do all the “heavy lifting” and leave you with nothing but time to enjoy your landscape!
