How Landscaping Can Save You Money
Mar 07th 2019
With a little planning and strategizing, the beautiful landscape you look at each day can actually keep your pockets lined with money. The team with Evergreen Lawn Care provides six tips for money saving landscaping in Gainesville.
1. Use Trees To Cool & Warm The Building
Trees provide an aesthetic layer to any landscape, but these gentle giants can also help reduce utility bills year-round. Native deciduous trees, such as magnolia, live oak, and red maple, planted south and west of the building provide shade during the hottest part of the day. But trees allowed to establish on the northside create a windbreak during winter months, also aiding in lower utility bills.
2. Know Your Climate & Soil
Tourists flock to Florida all year, but the climate here isn’t always welcoming to every type of grass seed and lawn turf. Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of a lawn before seeding or sodding is the best way to save time, money, and headaches. Good grasses to plant in Gainesville lawns include:
- St. Augustine
- Bermuda
- Bahiagrass
- Buffalo
- Centipede
- Zoysia
3. Lay Down Mulch
If you’ve wondered why some lawns make using mulch look like an art form, don’t worry — it’s a technique anyone can learn and reap the benefits. Using mulch around plants and trees helps the root systems retain moisture while keeping weeds at bay.
Contact your local municipality to see if they give away fallen trees that have been turned into mulch after collection. If you have trees which lose their leaves during the fall and winter, rake them into thin rows then mulch with a lawnmower. It’s a two-for-one way to clean up fallen leaves while benefiting the rest of your Gainesville landscaping.
4. Save Flower Seeds For Planting
For some people, going to a local garden center or nursery every spring to pick out new flower seeds is exciting. For others, the myriad of choices can be overwhelming. If you like what you have, start saving flower seeds from your current landscaping which eliminates indecisiveness while saving money. Seeds should be removed when the flowers begin to wilt or fade, usually when the seeds take on a brown hue. Cut the seeds from the flower with sharp garden scissors and store in labeled paper bags.
5. Compost It
Why take the trash out twice a week when food scraps and paper goods can work together to give you a lush, luxurious lawn? Starting a compost pile helps reduce the amount of waste entering dumpsters and landfills while saving you money on fertilizer for plants and shrubs. Starting a compost pile doesn’t take up much space — most people use a container two-feet to three-feet in diameter. Then, begin adding equal parts green waste — fruits and vegetables — and brown waste — newspaper, leaves, and wood shavings. Make sure the pile has plenty of air circulation and add water as necessary, whether with a garden hose or rainfall. The waste will slowly change to fresh and nutrient-rich soil over the coming weeks.
6. Grow Your Next Veggie Tray
Save time and gas, and go to your backyard instead of the grocery store the next time a gathering needs a veggie tray. Vegetable gardens can be as small — container gardens are popular for small spaces — or as large and elaborate as you want. Plus, an active compost pile will provide a source of fertilizer for your garden and landscaping in Gainesville, FL, all year long!
If you’re looking for ways to save money for your home or business, let the landscapers in Gainesville with Evergreen Lawn Care help! Our team can assess the landscape and provide guidance on how to improve areas for efficiency and savings. To schedule lawn care services, contact Evergreen Lawn Care today.
