With the right attitude and healthy dose of humor, small landscaping blunders can easily be transformed into opportunities for gaining experience and expanding your knowledge base. There are a few landscaping mistakes, however, that can be costly and time-consuming to correct. When left unattended, some errors can even cause serious damage to your property in Clearwater, FL. Avoiding the most common landscaping mistakes saves you time and money on upkeep while helping your garden look beautiful in every season.

Improper Planting

Every plant has its own specific requirements for sun, soil, nutrients and water. No matter how much loving care you give a sun-loving flowering shrub, it will never thrive in a shady spot. It’s important to consider future maintenance chores as well. Plant a privet hedge too near to a fence, for example, and there may not be room to give it the pruning it needs to stay tidy and neat. Other common planting mistakes include:

• Poor Soil Preparation. Plants get most of their nutrients from the soil, so you’ll want to ensure that the soil is enriched with the proper type of fertilizer. The roots need air to access water and nutrients too, making it important to till the soil to the correct depth to provide proper aeration.
• Planting Too Deep. Planting too deeply is an invitation for root rot. Whether planting a tree, a rose bush or a perennial, keep the spot where the base of the plant meets the soil the same as it was in the container.
• Incorrect Watering. Roots are most vulnerable after planting. They need both air and water to thrive. Give a plant a good soaking after planting and don’t allow the soil to completely dry out until the plant is well-established in its new location.

Choosing the Wrong Tree

One of the most common landscaping questions that homeowners in Clearwater, FL, ask our experts is how to select the right tree. The answer primarily depends on where you want to plant the tree. If you want to provide shade for a pool area, for example, it’s critical to choose a tree with a non-invasive root system to avoid damaging your swimming pool. You’ll also want a tree that won’t drop leaves, seeds or flowers into the water. The most important thing that you can do when selecting a tree is to research its growth habits. You not only need to determine the tree’s rate of growth but the overall shape of its canopy and its pruning requirements as well.

If you don’t have the time or inclination to conduct the necessary research, our arborists can help you with your selection. If there’s an ungainly tree on your property that’s planted too close to your home, pool or sidewalk, use our tree removal services to get rid of it before it causes damage. We’ll remove it safely and efficiently, and we’ll cart away all the debris for you too.

While all plants require regular maintenance to flourish, hedges and trees need a bit of extra care to thrive. It takes experience and skill to prune and trim them to prove the precise amount of sunlight and air that they need to maintain their shape and beauty. At Warner Tree Service, we offer professional hedge trimming and tree pruning services that you can count on to keep your landscape looking its best the year round. For more landscaping tips or to schedule services, contact the experts at Warner Tree Service today.