Landscaping Basics for New Homeowners
Good landscaping starts with water and soil, not with plants. Here is the sequence that produces a yard you can keep up with.
A yard has two jobs: move water away from the house, and look cared for with a maintenance load you can actually sustain. Everything else is preference.
Water first
- Confirm soil slopes away from the foundation about six inches over the first ten feet
- Extend downspouts at least four to six feet from the house
- Identify where water pools after rain and why
- Keep mulch and soil at least six inches below siding
- Consider a dry creek bed or French drain for persistent wet areas rather than regrading repeatedly
Then soil
A soil test through your local cooperative extension costs very little and tells you pH and nutrient levels. Most struggling lawns and beds are struggling because of compaction and pH, not because of what was planted. Amending with compost improves nearly every soil type.
Plant for your zone and your light
Check your USDA hardiness zone, then observe how sun actually moves across your yard across a full day. Native and regionally adapted plants need less water, less fertilizer, and less intervention once established. Group plants by water need so irrigation is not wasted on the wrong bed.
Mulch correctly
Two to three inches of mulch conserves moisture, suppresses weeds, and moderates soil temperature. Keep it pulled back from trunks and stems — mulch mounded against bark, sometimes called a mulch volcano, traps moisture and kills trees slowly.
Lawn care that works
- Mow high — three to four inches for most cool-season grasses — to shade roots and crowd out weeds
- Keep the blade sharp; torn grass browns at the tips
- Water deeply and infrequently, about an inch a week including rainfall
- Aerate compacted lawns annually and overseed in the appropriate season for your grass type
- Fertilize based on the soil test, not a schedule on a bag
Design for less work
Fewer, larger beds are easier to maintain than many small ones. Define bed edges cleanly. Use groundcover instead of turf in awkward strips. Choose perennials over annuals for structure and add annuals only where you want seasonal color. Every foot of edging is a foot you will trim for as long as you live there.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to plant trees and shrubs?
Fall in most regions, when soil is warm and air is cool, giving roots time to establish before summer stress. Early spring is the second-best window.
How much mulch do I need?
One cubic yard covers roughly 100 square feet at three inches deep. Refresh annually rather than adding full depth each year.
Should I use landscape fabric under mulch?
Generally no in planting beds. It degrades, blocks organic matter from reaching the soil, and weeds eventually root in the mulch on top of it. It works better under gravel or stone.
