7 Ways You Can Save on Landscaping

Summer in Minnesota is slipping away. Before the leaves turn is the ideal time to beautify your outdoor spaces. If you are thinking about selling your home in the future, having the work done before next Spring’s hot selling season will give you an advantage. While you dig into landscaping projects this month, here are a few budget saving tips to create a beautiful outdoor atmosphere.

1. Hire help. Get bids from different landscapers in writing. Not only will you meet your specific needs, getting bids from 3 or 4 vendors may save considerable money.
2. Choose areas to focus on. Prioritize the areas of highest impact and visibility, and focus money and effort on those.
3. Xeriscape! Organize your landscape and select plants that will minimize the use of supplemental water. Learn more about xeriscaping.
4. Choose native plants. Plants native to the Midwest will establish more easily and take less time and money to stay healthy.
5. Consider less expensive landscaping ideas. Large planters flanking an entrance to break up hardscaping may work as well as large bedding plants.
6. Irrigate right. Set an irrigation schedule to avoid watering lawns during daylight hours, and schedule adjustments throughout the year according to soil and precipitation.During periods of heavy rain, shut off irrigation and set a reminder of when to turn water back on. Check water lines regularly to avoid leaks, sending money down the drain.
7. Placement counts. Don’t place shrubs too close to walkways and driveways where they will need to be trimmed more often than if they are set back. Also, leave a lawnmower’s width of grass between walkways and shrubs so that it takes only one pass of the mower each week.

By planting smart, maintaining irrigation and being smart on maintenance, you could see significant landscaping savings this summer.