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| Image by Camden Addison |
Property Manager Insider's 'Six Property Management Tips for Creating a Long-Term Landscaping Plan' has some great pointers for making smart choices."Those small trees that uniformly frame the clubhouse or the lush grass under a newly planted young Live Oak may look great now, but changes in available light, water supply, and nutrients over the course of several growing seasons could drastically alter the appearance and force you to replace them at additional cost and headache.
That’s why apartment property owners should consider a long-term landscape plan that will not only minimize expenses but ensure that the community always looks its best several years down the road:
Look at your horizon on the property and set a goal. Is the goal to create as much shade and greenery for the property as possible, or is it maintaining a clean-cut, colorful landscape that needs plenty of sun?
2. Consider Landscape Maturity
Plants and trees compete for water, sunlight, and nutrients and sometimes only the strongest survive. A blooming plant that appears to grow in harmony next to a young tree will struggle as the tree matures and its canopy spreads to 50 feet across, creating more shade than sunlight. Property owners should incorporate into their master plan what the next step will be if a big tree dies or what will happen to blooming material as the tree gets older.
Weather and changing conditions are big factors to consider when developing a long-term plan. Extreme conditions may tempt property owners to abandon the plan and move in a new direction. But conditions that are here today won’t necessarily be around for long. For example, during the recent drought in the southern U.S., water supplies were depleted for several months, damaging many landscapes that were designed with plant life that requires ample water.
Whatever the landscape components, maintenance is fundamental in order to stick to the plan. Skipping routine tree trimming, for example, will extend the tree’s canopy and affect the growth of other nearby plant life. Grass and other shrubs may die and require replanting at an additional expense.
Nobody can predict the future, but it’s fairly certain that world water supply will continue to be an issue as the population grows so managing what is becoming a finite water supply is important. You also need to keep in mind that areas will experience once-in-a-century floods and drought, along with colder and warmer than normal temperatures. Plant life will be affected. A long-term plan should consider this important factor and include introducing material best suited for what lies ahead."
Whether we are working on a new, complex installation, renovation, or a simple site improvement, our professional crews at Pacific Vista Landscape Services have years of experience using the industry established "best practices" to install both hard-scape and soft-scapes. Pacific Vista delivers the best in workmanship and finest of materials to ensure landscapes retain a lasting beauty. Our team of seasoned pros pay attention to every detail to make certain your vision comes to life!
Plants will grow to maturity under normal growing conditions. When planning a landscape, property owners should envision what the property will look like as plant life matures and be prepared to make changes as necessary.
Avoid focusing on what a plant or tree looks like when it’s young: installing a young bush or tree that will be much larger at maturity in a small area could lead to larger issues as it grows. Even if trimmed and not allowed to reach its full growth potential, the plant can break down and be susceptible to disease because of the smaller space.
Avoid focusing on what a plant or tree looks like when it’s young: installing a young bush or tree that will be much larger at maturity in a small area could lead to larger issues as it grows. Even if trimmed and not allowed to reach its full growth potential, the plant can break down and be susceptible to disease because of the smaller space.
3. Manage Impact of Sun and Shade
Plants and trees compete for water, sunlight, and nutrients and sometimes only the strongest survive. A blooming plant that appears to grow in harmony next to a young tree will struggle as the tree matures and its canopy spreads to 50 feet across, creating more shade than sunlight. Property owners should incorporate into their master plan what the next step will be if a big tree dies or what will happen to blooming material as the tree gets older.
4. Prepare for Changing Conditions
Weather and changing conditions are big factors to consider when developing a long-term plan. Extreme conditions may tempt property owners to abandon the plan and move in a new direction. But conditions that are here today won’t necessarily be around for long. For example, during the recent drought in the southern U.S., water supplies were depleted for several months, damaging many landscapes that were designed with plant life that requires ample water.
5. Commit to Tree Trimming and Maintenance
Whatever the landscape components, maintenance is fundamental in order to stick to the plan. Skipping routine tree trimming, for example, will extend the tree’s canopy and affect the growth of other nearby plant life. Grass and other shrubs may die and require replanting at an additional expense.
6. Look into the Future
Nobody can predict the future, but it’s fairly certain that world water supply will continue to be an issue as the population grows so managing what is becoming a finite water supply is important. You also need to keep in mind that areas will experience once-in-a-century floods and drought, along with colder and warmer than normal temperatures. Plant life will be affected. A long-term plan should consider this important factor and include introducing material best suited for what lies ahead."
Whether we are working on a new, complex installation, renovation, or a simple site improvement, our professional crews at Pacific Vista Landscape Services have years of experience using the industry established "best practices" to install both hard-scape and soft-scapes. Pacific Vista delivers the best in workmanship and finest of materials to ensure landscapes retain a lasting beauty. Our team of seasoned pros pay attention to every detail to make certain your vision comes to life!
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Established in 1988, Pacific Vista Landscape, Inc. has managed every aspect of landscape care for commercial complexes, homeowners associations, resorts, industrial complexes, schools, and retail centers.
Our team of certified landscape technicians, irrigation management specialists, and certified arborist provide innovative solutions to improve the landscape and achieve water conservation goals.
Our local expertise allows us to deliver high quality services, resulting in well maintained landscapes that attract people and add value.