Having a big yard is indeed a bonus for your home. It’s an ideal place where children and pets can play, where you can entertain your guests, and even provides you a serene place when you want to be alone. But, having a big backyard also means it requires a lot of maintenance. This could be a burden on your end, especially when you have a lot of things on your plate.
Following a systematic approach will make a huge difference. Finding low-maintenance choices will also greatly help in keeping your backyard clean and maintained. Here are some awesome ideas that you might want to keep in mind:
1. Come Up With a Plan
The first thing you have to do is to make a plan. If you have worked with professionals before, you would have noticed that they survey your area first, go to the drawing board, and make a comprehensive plan. You can actually do this by yourself but having the help of some family members will make it a lot easier and more precise.
Draw a map of your area with estimated measurements. You can use the map to determine how you’re going to use each area. For example, you dedicate an area for your vegetable garden, another area for bonding and entertaining relatives and friends, and a play area for your children and pets.
When planning, it’s essential that you think long term. For instance, make sure that you won’t place your swing set where it becomes muddy during the wet season. Also, determine areas where there is enough light and shade. Plants have different requirements so this will help you in planting later on.
2. Create a Schedule
Create a schedule for maintenance and make sure to stick to it. Having a strict schedule will help you plan ahead in case something comes up, such as family vacations, business trips, and other engagements.
Watering your plants and flowers and cutting the grass follows a regular maintenance, so this should not be hard to comply. However, for other components in your yard, like pruning shrubs and attending to seasonal flowers, you should plan ahead so you can determine what you need to do.
3. Search for Hardscape Choices
Hardscaping is an excellent way to cut back the required maintenance and costs of your lawn. Some excellent hardscape choices include gravel, spaced pavers, loose stones, and permeable pavement. Hardscapes should not be an eyesore to your lawn as long as you know how to design them. Great examples are plants and flowers inside baskets. You can also use ornamental trees with mulch-covered or ground-covered surface to allow roots to stay healthy even with less grass maintenance.
Also, having edged beds or walled terraces are more cost-effective and can prevent erosion. Moreover, it can make your plants more visually pleasing compared to putting random plants on large grasses.
4. Choose Native Plants
Growing native plants is a very cost-effective way to make your backyard beautiful. Native plants grow well with the conditions of your area, like the soil material, amount of sunlight, etc. This means that they will require maintenance and care without affecting their health and growth.
Check with your local agency or with your gardener to see which plants thrive well in your area. An important note to remember when shopping for plants is to make sure that they are healthy. You can also search about how healthy plants look like. If you bring sick plants that carry pathogens, they will come in contact with your other plants and will become sick as well.
5. Make Backyard Maintenance Fun
Taking care of a huge backyard is surely hard work. It requires a lot of time, and overtime, it will become a burden. An effective way to make backyard maintenance less tiring is to make it a family time. Teach your children how to care for your yard and let them participate during maintenance. After a day’s hard work, make sure to reward them with their favorite food or drink. This will motivate them to help again next time.
6. Invest in Useful Garden Tools
Another way to take care of your backyard effectively is by investing in landscape power tools. They will make the work easier, faster, and more precise. Here are some of the excellent garden tools and equipment that will keep your backyard clean, beautiful, and safe:
● Electric Edger
An electric edger will ensure that your garden stays seamlessly beautiful. It controls aggressive grasses and makes sure they have clear and crisp lines.
● Stump Grinder Machine
A stump grinder machine will completely remove unnecessary tree stumps in your big backyard. Tree stumps are trip and health hazards. If you have tree stumps laying everywhere without serving any purpose, it’s best to remove them right away.
● Power Washer
A power washer lets you clean hard-to-remove dirt, debris, and scum in your backyard more effectively. This greatly reduces your time spent cleaning and will even make sure that all debris and dirt are completely removed.
- Electric Chainsaw
An electric chainsaw is essential for tree maintenance. It allows you to remove thick branches and limbs that you cannot effectively due with a manual garden tool. It is light and easy to work with so you don’t need to worry about burdening your arms.
