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Desert landscapes are indeed mostly low maintenance. However, low maintenance does not translate to no maintenance at all.
Desert landscapes need a certain amount of care to continue to look strapping. The good news is the maintenance activity is not as demanding as that for a lush garden or a lawn. You can even hire some of the best landscapers for your garden needs.
Just a little bit of trimming here and a little bit of weeding there goes a long way.
If you are looking for desert landscaping ideas to help your yard look fresh, tidy, and kempt, this article is just for you. Here are a few steps you can take to groom your desert landscape-
Weed It
Weeds are a common feature of both desert landscapes and greenery-filled gardens. Therefore, weeding is a necessity you cannot side-step. Weeds grow quite often and are likely to steal both space and nutrients from your plants.
To ensure that all the nutrients in soil reach the plants that you want to thrive, regular weeding is a must. Otherwise, your landscape runs a risk of being taken over by wild plants.
Mow It, But Not Too Much
Although desert landscapes typically do not star long stretches of lawns, small patches of grass are a popular inclusion into space. These patches require care, too. Mowing might seem simple, but most people do not realize that completely shortening the length of grass makes it dry much faster.
This, in turn, means more watering will have to be done to keep the grass from drying out. Therefore, it is advisable to keep the blades of grass slightly long instead of trimming them down fully.
Prune It, And Again, Not Too Much
Most desert landscapes do not require frequent pruning. Even so, parts of plants do die away, which affects the looks of the landscape. Therefore, pruning off those parts becomes crucial to maintaining the aesthetic appeal of the area.
However, one must be careful not to carry out pruning a lot. This is especially because frequent pruning causes plants to grow at a faster rate. This raises the water requirement of the plants, which defeats the core purpose of having a desert landscape.
Read Up About the Plant Types
Desert plants come in several varieties. Different types might have varied needs in terms of water requirements or even the extent of shade available. Therefore, maintaining a watering schedule and arranging the surrounding area as per the plant varieties becomes crucial to a healthy landscape.
It is advisable to plant trees or flowering plants that thrive in a desert environment. You may skip the grass and fill the space between plants with pebbles or sand instead. Trees such as the Mesquite can be planted so that plants get a good shade to grow in.
Water in Moderation
Most desert plants do not need a lot of water, but some need it more than usual. If you have included plants in your landscape that do not originally thrive in a desert-like environment, it is important to consider their water requirement while coming up with a watering schedule. Depending upon the types of plants you have, a drip irrigation system can also be installed. If you water the landscape manually, be careful not to overwater, for overwatering tends to weaken desert plants.
A well-maintained yard is one of the most satisfying things to look at. Thankfully, it is quite easy to maintain the aesthetic appeal and the health of a desert landscape. Watch out for the weeds, occasionally pay attention to the dying parts, if any, water moderately, and you are good to go.
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