Must-Know Commercial Landscaping Maintenance

The appearance of your commercial property says a lot about you as a company. From playful palm trees and colorful blooms to established oak trees and classy vined trellises, the design of your landscaping can convey your priorities and imprint a mood on your visitors.

So, too, can the state in which you keep your landscaping. An unkempt lawn may make your business looked ragged or unprofessional, while a pristine property speaks to professionalism and attention to detail.

With so many nuances to a property’s landscaping and the care thereof, though, it can be easy to overlook certain maintenance practices. We’re here to bring those commonly ignored practices to light so that you don’t forget to include them in your maintenance plan!

All Things Tree

Of all the wonderful natural features Florida has to offer, the trees may be our favorite. Iconic palms, lush canopies, and awe-inspiring magnolias are just a few of the visual wonders of which we can’t get enough! Keeping trees and the area surrounding them healthy and aesthetically-pleasing is a lot of work, though, leading to some important maintenance practices to be neglected.

For example, adding a mulch bed around the base of a tree can not only look great but also protect the lower portions of the tree from damage. It can also reduce the number of weeds around the base of the tree and prevent runoff, among other benefits. Of course, you don’t want to over mulch, as this will give the tree an unsightly appearance. Worse, it can actually harm the tree if it is piled too high.

Another frequently made mistake is collecting the leaves that fall around the base of your trees. While this is a common practice for the perceived aesthetic benefits it provides, it actually robs your property of tremendous natural nutrients. Instead of bagging and discarding leaves, consider shredding them instead. This will enrichen the soil and save you money.

Finally, don’t forget to maintain your trees’ canopies. By safely and strategically removing low-hanging limbs, you’ll better the appearance of your property, eliminate potential hazards, avoid being at odds with local codes, and create natural areas for people to congregate and bask in the brief reprieve shade can offer from the Florida sun!

Equip to Excel

Whether it’s the expense, a lack of experience, or simply the impression that it doesn’t matter all that much, less-than-perfect equipment is often used when maintaining commercial landscapes. In reality, the equipment being used is one of the most essential factors in completing a job safely, efficiently, and with the best results.

Whether it’s swapping a string trimmer for an edger or actually reducing the size of the equipment being used to achieve a more precise finished product, attention to detail—including the type of landscaping equipment selected for a particular task—is one of the most overlooked elements to success!

Changing It Up

Falling into routines can have its benefits. You won’t ever obtain the power and grace of Arnold Schwarzenegger, for example, if you don’t establish a consistent routine of diet, exercise, and acting classes. Personal goals aside, though, being too ingrained in some routines can actually be a bad thing, especially aren’t good routines in the first place!

Consider mowing patterns. Just like walking the same path from your door to your car every day would wear an ugly, barren spot in your lawn, mowing the same pattern each and every time will deteriorate your landscape. By breaking that routine, you can ensure ruts and other unsightly features won’t form.

While mowing your property is a key to maintaining it, there are some widely accepted routines that actually have a negative impact on landscaping. Overfertilization and poor timing of mowing are prime examples of such routines. While both acts are beneficial when performed correctly, over fertilizer can damage or kill plant life. Similarly, mowing is key to a pristine lawn, but moving during the colder months can harm your landscape!Choosing a commercial landscape management company is a difficult decision. We hope that this list of common mistakes and commercial landscape maintenance practices you shouldn’t forget helps you as you determine what’s right for your property.

Landcrafters has over 20 years of experience in Florida, making us intimately familiar with mistakes and how to avoid them. If you want more landscaping tips and tricks, feel free to check out our free blog that is overflowing with Florida-based information. If you have specific questions or are looking for a professional, reliable landscaping company to work with, please reach out to us via our contact page or by phone at (727)-201-3947. We’d love to hear from you!