Softscape — A Landscape Specialty

When you are looking for a landscaping service you would like to differentiate which landscaping service do you need from the variety of services your landscaper is offering you.

There are different kinds of landscape specialties among which are hardscape and softscape.

Hardscape refers to the constructed portion of the landscape. It includes pergolas, patios, supporting walls, and pools.

The other landscape specialty is softscape which covers all the plant aspects which includes spring clean-up, mulch installation, fertilizing the soil, core aerating, lawn rolling, sod installation, garden-style and installation, dethatching, overseeding, yard and garden bed maintenance, shrub pruning, fall clean up, and more.

Some other landscape specialties include interior landscaping, exterior landscaping or residential and business landscaping.

In this article, we’ll go through the different steps involved in creating and maintaining your softscape.

Spring clean-up

It is important to remove loose debris following winter because the debris could soak deep in your lawn or field and develop diseases if it is not taken care of. Spring cleanup naturally brings a nice feeling as your garden smells freshness again after a hard winter. If you are looking for a professional team of landscapers who possess a wide range of skills to handle every aspect of your landscaping project, you can contact Anthony Montani Landscaping Inc. for a free estimate and consultation.

Mulch installation

Mulch can consist of organic materials like grass clippings, sawdust, woodchips, animal manure that are arranged over the soil as a covering. Mulch will increase your property’s charm and it will also protect your plants and shrubs during dry weather conditions. It retains wetness of the soil, prevents weeds from growing up anywhere and keep the soil cool while rendering the garden a lot more enticing.

Fertilizing
Once winter is over and your tract has begun to green-up, it’s time to use fertilizer. Fertilizing is vital as it provides the nutrients to the grass to help it grow healthily. Once the spring bulbs start emerging from the soil, fertilizing them can guarantee long-lasting blooms. Fertilizers additionally feed the bulb for next year’s growth. However, fertilizers will harm your plot of land if they are not applied properly. An inappropriate mixture of fertilizer may also burn the roots of all your plants.

Core aerating
Lawn aeration involves removing chunks of grass to allow air, water, and nutrients to get into the bottom and reach the roots of plants. Professionals use special aerator tools to perforate the green tract to pull up plugs of turf. When they decompose, these pulled-out plugs become useful nutrients to your lawn and contribute to beautifying your turf.

Lawn rolling
Lawn rolling is a method to flatten undesirable chatter bumps when mowing the garden tract. Lawn rolling knocks down mole tunnels, fix minor tire ruts and smooth the texture of the areas that have risen during winter. This exercise compacts the soil and it is advisable to perform a core aeration right when the field has been rolled.

Sod installation
If your lawn has been pretty much damaged, the sod will offer your property a much-needed facelift. A sod installation will produce a beautiful lawn instantly and is often used in construction projects or if you’re beginning to construct your garden.

Garden style & installation

Here, garden designers will design exclusive garden models with a combination of shrubs, trees, and flowers in your yard. A landscape gardener will do the handy jobs to put in the bushes, flowers, trees and every style of verdure. In this context, garden-style and installation imply knowing exactly how to decorate the place; every aspect is meticulously chosen to beautify the area. It is not by guessing but experienced gardeners will know exactly where your bushes or flowers should be placed.

Shrub Pruning
Shrub pruning is usually performed following spring season after the abundant growth of plants. This involves hand pruning and cutting wherever necessary as it encourages inner growth.

Dethatching
Thatch is the build-up of organic matter like dead grass leaves, stems, overcrowded grassroots, and sidelong weed growth. Thatch keeps water and nutrients from seeping down to grassroots, hence preventing the expansion and good health of your turf. Dethatching is mechanical removal from the lawn of the layer of dead turfgrass tissue and it helps the grass by encouraging it to thicken up and be less prone to diseases. Reducing the thatch levels will increase the degree of air, water, and nutrients that may get through the foundation zone of the grass.

All in all, softscape is a convenient method to keep your lawn neat, tidy and beautiful. By now, you will be able to identify the different needs that you should contemplate before hiring a landscape contractor as each landscaping task requires specific skills. And, if things are not clear, do not hesitate to ask questions to your contractor.