Not every region in the country gets freezing temperatures and snow during winter, but even if your facility is located up north, it’s never too early to start thinking about landscaping.
Whether it be planted trees or shrubs, or colorful flower beds, adding professional landscaping around a property or building is going to make a big difference when it comes to overall curb appeal. However, there are various aspects of maintaining a landscape to consider when it comes to sustainability.
Depending on where your building is located geographically, the climate, soil health, and desired level of maintenance will help determine which plants, flowers, and trees will last the longest and look best. With that in mind, consider these tips before deciding on landscape design and purchasing materials.
Consider the Climate
The first thing to think about is the weather in your local area. How often do you get rainfall and how much? Is your weather usually dry and hot? How intense are your seasons?
The answers to these questions will help when determining what kinds of plants to add to the landscaping around buildings in your local area. Considering rainfall, overall temperatures, and the amount of sun and shade surrounding the property will be key factors for choosing plants that will last the longest in your region and be the most sustainable.
Healthy Soil Matters
The soil surrounding your building is going to help sustain the trees, plants, and flowers. With the high amounts of foot traffic, the health of your soil can deteriorate quickly, causing your plants or grass to die or need more frequent maintenance.
To ensure your buildings have healthy soil, contact a professional to measure nutrients and composition to give you a better idea of how to move forward and what to plant. Another way to maintain healthy soil is to aerate it or use mulch, as it reduces evaporation and prevents plants from weeds and erosion and helps to retain water longer (meaning less watering maintenance for your overall landscape care).
Maintenance Means Everything
To maintain sustainable landscaping, you must properly take care of it. As buildings are often expected to be clean properties in the community, it is crucial to ensure you have the proper means to maintain the area surrounding those buildings.
Try to water the landscape only when needed, as some properties (climate depending) will need more irrigation than others. Some dry regions with hotter temperatures will need the use of water systems more frequently; however, practices for smart watering will keep the grass healthy and eliminate overuse in droughts.
Trim the weeds. This is a simple yet effective way to maintain a sustainable landscape. The more you can replace mulch or refresh overgrown plants, the longer they will last. Plants, grass, and trees are like us— they need a little TLC from time to time.
Other maintenance tips for sustainable landscaping around buildings include frequent mowing of the grass with the correct blade length. Yes, this matters as it helps with root growth, prevents weeds, and reduces evaporation. In addition, minimize the use of fertilizer because it requires more water. Alternatives include minimal use of fertilizer, finding a product that is naturally organic if it is necessary for your plants to grow, or using grass clippings from mowing as they’re sustainable for the soil.
Sustainability also means affordability. Buying high-quality products up front is always better because, over time, they will last longer while still looking nice and professional. One of the best ways to do that is to buy plants in bulk. This way you have everything you will need up front and won’t have to risk going back to find out that what you need is now out of stock.
Tammy Sons is the owner and operator of TN Nursery, a third-generation mail-order plant nursery that has been in business for 68 years. Tammy strives to guarantee a pleasant experience with quality plants.