While JC’s Landscaping LLC is always prepared to help you with all your lawn care needs, we are well aware that every diligent home owner is interested in ways to save money on their landscaping. When it comes to DIY projects that don’t strictly require a professional, you always want to make sure you’re making the most of your time, money, and resources.
If you need expert help with your lawn care project, click here for a free online estimate. Meanwhile, let’s discuss some basic DIY lawn care routines that can save you money while ensuring the health and beauty of your landscape.
Maintaining Your Equipment
Maintaining your equipment is an effective preventative measure you can take to save on unnecessary lawn care costs. Just like with your vehicle, it is far less expensive to keep your smaller machines in good condition than it is to replace them.
Consult a professional on how to keep your blades sharper and more effective. This will cut down on fuel and parts replacement. Additionally, find out how to handle basic engine maintenance on your mower. If you aren’t sure where to start, [link].
Composting
Composting is a great way to save money on commercial fertilizer. A compost pile can be easily constructed in a corner of your yard, by simply making planting a square of wooden stakes for the composting material to sit within. Dry leaves, old food, and bagged lawn clippings are all great candidates for composting.
Three things you want to avoid in your compost heap are meat, dairy, and diseased plants. You may also want to invest in some top-dressing to help it decompose. Here is more info on the basics of composting in your backyard.
Mulching
Mulching, just like composting, is a great way to take advantage of the organic fertilizers your landscape offers naturally. If you don’t bag your lawn clippings when you mow, the cut blades will nourish the soil as they begin to decompose. In the fall and early winter, this is also true for leaves- just mow right over them and let them feed your yard. But, only if the leaves are sparse. You don’t want too many leaves piled up in your yard, or you’ll risk fungal diseases.
If you’re composting, you may want to bag your clippings to add to the pile. The only other time bagging is necessary is if you suspect you’re dealing with lawn disease you don’t want to spread. If that’s the case, the bagged clippings need to go in the trash bin!
We’ve been asked about rubber mulch mats. Although we don’t deal with those, you can read review guides online.
Effective Watering
Effective watering can save time, money, and resources. With only a few exceptions, most grasses only need about an inch of water per week, even in the summertime. If you’re curious about the specific needs of your turf, Texas Turfgrasses, offers some useful details.
The trick is to water early, before it has a chance to evaporate. And if you’re facing local water restrictions or a hefty water bill, remember it’s okay to let your lawn yellow a bit if needed. If you’re prioritizing resources, you can skimp on irrigation for a few weeks, and an otherwise healthy lawn will bounce back in no time.
Low Maintenance Grass
Low-maintenance grass is also an option, for those who are just starting out in a new home, and have yet to decide which sod to lay in their yard. Or, for established homeowners, you may already have a ground cover that’s easy to care for.
Zoysia grass, buffalo grass, and tall fescue are all easy to take care of in the North Texas area. Check out Basic Lawn Care for North Texas Grass for additional info on common grasses in our region, to compare and contrast their various needs.
Final Thoughts
- Maintaining your equipment will save you money in the long run, as you’ll optimize the life of your tools.
- Composting requires some setup and ongoing work, but you’ll spend significantly less on commercial fertilizers.
- Mulching can be paired with composting, or it can be as simple as leaving grass and leaf clippings on the ground after mowing, to nourish your soil.
- Effective watering can cut back on both wasted resources (the water itself!) and on wasted money.
- Low maintenance grass will automatically reduce your costs with both irrigation and fertilizer. Learn more about how JC’s Landscaping can help with sod grass installation.
With just a few easy adjustments in your lawn care routine, you can save time, money, and resources by working with what’s readily available to you. Find out how JC’s Landscaping can help with your lawn maintenance needs.
