After a new home or property is constructed, it must prepare for a new landscape. Unfortunately, the soil is likely full of construction debris and lacks the ingredients necessary for healthy grass and other plants. When this happens, you must fix the soil before you plant your new landscaping. To do this, follow these steps.

1. Sketch Your Landscape Plan

The best way to start is to draw your property. Sit down with a pencil and paper, and sketch out the boundaries of your land and house. Just draw what you see. Rough is good. Simple sketches will do.

Draw a yard map to show where the sun comes from and where it goes at different times. Take a series of pictures every hour to see how the sun moves throughout the day. Include in your drawing any features such as hills, walls, or the neighbor’s trees if they affect the placement of your landscaping.

Think about the landscape issues, then sit down and refine your rough sketch. Landscaping design software and professional landscapers can help you further refine your ideas.

2. Consider Soil Quality

The loose soil around a new or newly renovated house often looks ready for planting, but it’s probably not. That dirt has been compacted from truck traffic and is probably full of construction debris. You need to refresh the soil in two ways. First, it must be both aerated and fed. There are two main methods for doing this.

The first is tilling the soil. Discs and blades can be attached to a lawn mower to break up the soil and aerate it. More than one pass will leave too much soil broken up, making it difficult to get grass or plants to grow.

Alternatively, a shovel and pick can be used to do the job
The second is by using a rake or aerator. A nitrogen mixture can be applied to the dirt to feed it. The combination of tilling and feeding should be done in spring, before the first planting season.

3. Fix Your Slope

One of the responsibilities of owning a home with a lawn is keeping it well-watered. Runoff water could cause your house to rot, so your lawn needs to have a gentle slope away from the house.

Professional contractors use brushes attached to levelers to calculate a grade. An individual homeowner can use a laser level to ballpark a slope. If you never wanted to get into landscaping, the laser level might be all you need.

4. Choose the Right Grass

If the contractor slapped down sod or seeding, and the plants aren’t thriving as they should, it could be that it isn’t the correct type of grass. A county extension office can help you identify which grass varieties grow well in your area.

If the problem areas are small, you can repair them with new sod or grass seed. However, if it looks like you need an entirely new lawn, it’s time to consider hiring a lawn company for the job.

Conclusion

The hard work you put into maintaining your home’s landscaping will pay off in the form of a beautiful yard. Of course, the work will depend on your current landscaping and how you want it to look. If you’re unhappy with your home’s current yard, it’s worth the time and effort to make it the best you can.

Clear Cut Group offers landscape maintenance services for residential and commercial properties at a fair and reasonable price. With years of experience, our team recognizes the value of creating and sustaining long-term clients. We’ll provide you with a fast, free, no-obligation quote and answer any questions you may have. We’ve got you covered if you need sodding services in the Greater Toronto Area! So get in touch with us today and let us know how we can help!