3. Limit the Grass
Keep your grass to roughly 50% of your yard’s square footage. Dedicate the other 50% to hardscaping or planting hedges and trees. The less grass you have means the less watering, raking and fertilizing you’ll do to keep it healthy.
Homeowners spend hundreds on lawn equipment such as mowers, rakes and edgers, and water bills pile on top of these expenses. Buy only the tools you need for a low-maintenance yard, and monitor your water bill monthly. Some utility companies offer tools for you to gauge your water use, which paints a clearer picture of how you can reduce waste.
Limit excessive fertilization and watering for your remaining grass by establishing a schedule. Install a timer so your lawn will receive water in the early morning hours when evaporation is less likely. Fertilize your lawn only once in the spring and autumn — any more than that will cause it to grow faster.
4. Expand Hardscapes
Increase the amount of hardscaping in your yard with patios and walkways. You can use materials such as brick, concrete or outdoor tile — the choices are vast. Packed gravel is an excellent DIY choice due to ease of installation and low cost.
Use landscape edging to keep grass from growing into the hardscape. A simple lawn divider or mowing strip will work, but you can opt for more unique styles if you prefer a specific look. Try wooden logs, stones or a gabion wall.
If you don’t mind a more expensive DIY project, you can buy forms to create concrete pathways of various designs. Spice up the colors by pouring dye into the water you use to mix the concrete.
Care for Your Lawn the Easy Way
Low-maintenance landscapes save homeowners time and money without sacrificing appeal. Learn how a little preparation can help you more effectively reduce your maintenance needs.
Holly Welles is a home improvement writer and blogger. More of her work can be found on her blog, The Estate Update.
