How to Prepare Your Garden for Xeriscape Landscaping

If you’re like most people, you don’t enjoy cleaning up after your garden as much as you enjoy planting it. If that’s the case, you might be considering converting to xeriscape landscaping. But what does that mean?

Well, when you choose to landscape your home with xeriscape landscaping services, you’re choosing to use less water than normal and to plant greener, more resilient plants that don’t need as much attention or care as normal gardens do. But how should you do that? Here are some tips on how to prepare your garden for xeriscape landscaping.

Create a Gardening Plan

When it comes to xeriscape landscaping, the best way to prepare your garden is by creating a plan. By taking the time to map out your garden, you’ll be able to better visualize what plants will work best in which areas. Plus, a plan will help you stay organized and on track as you work to create your xeriscape landscape.

Add Mulch

Mulch is an important part of xeriscape landscaping. It helps the soil retain moisture, keeps weeds down, and provides a finished look to your garden. You can find mulch at most garden centers or home improvement stores.

When applying mulch, be sure to spread it evenly around your plants and keep it away from the base of trees and shrubs. A layer of mulch should be about 2-3 inches deep.

Determine the Type of Plants and Trees

When it comes to xeriscape landscaping, one of the most important things to consider is the type of plants and trees you’ll be using. You’ll want to choose drought-tolerant species that can survive in your climate. Native plants are always a good choice. Once you’ve determined what types of plants you’ll be using, you can move on to the next step.

Consider More Efficient Irrigation

If you live in an area with limited water resources, you may want to consider xeriscape landscaping. This type of landscaping focuses on using native plants that require little to no irrigation.

However, it is essential for all plants to be irrigated during their first one to two years of life. So, before you start, you’ll need to assess your irrigation system. Make sure it is efficient and doesn’t waste water.

Improve the soil

The next step to take when preparing your garden for xeriscape landscaping is to improve the soil. This can be done by adding organic matter, such as compost, to the soil. You can also use a soil test kit to determine what other amendments, such as fertilizer, your soil may need.

Once you have improved the soil, you will need to make sure it is well-drained. This can be accomplished by adding gravel or sand to clay soils or by increasing the slope of your garden bed.

Limit Lawns

To prepare your garden for xeriscape landscaping is to limit lawns. Lawns require a lot of water and maintenance, and they’re not very drought-tolerant. If you have a large lawn, consider converting part of it to xeriscape. You can also use groundcover plants or mulch to reduce the amount of lawn you have.

Conclusion

The tips above can help you get a head start on your xeriscaping landscaping. However, it’s always better to hire xeriscaping landscaping services as they will take care of all the things mentioned above and can help you design and lay out your xeriscape garden, identify plants that make sense for your climate, and help you save money in the long run as well.