|
Gardening Texoma: Planning the best back yard
Gardening tips:
Planning for Success
I. Your Vision
What vision (future dream) have you in mind? (Ask the following questions of yourself)
A. How long are you planning to live in your present location?
B. Do you want low maintenance because you are rarely home and when home, you want to play, not pull weeds.
C. Do you want to entertain X amount of people on
regular basis.
D. A cottage garden with malleable soil; where you can
get your hands dirty.
II. Walk and Learn the Property
A) How does it lay?
1) How much exposure to wind will there be? Wind
can dry out plants and summer breezes can cool them.
2) What is the sun exposure at various places?
Morning sun is always better w/ afternoon shade when possible. Grass requires a minimum of 4 hrs. of sun.
3) Do you need more shade for entertaining or for
kids playing?
B) Will it drain properly?
Poor drainage and overwatering are the number one problems with most landscapes in the Texoma area.
D) Do a soil and water test.
(This will say you a lot of other steps.)
Let's face it. We have waxy, clayish soil.
a) Amending soil is a must.
(We will cover this later)
b) Capturing rain water is also recommended.
II. Set Goals
A) What are the high and low ends of your budget?
If this is a new home one will tend to spend less.
A simple guide is to spend approximately 10% to
25% of home value on L/S. This percentage increased 2 years ago from 5% to 10%.
B) What look are you going for?
1) This is very important. Some options are: native, colorful, low maintenance, xeriscape (low water needs), shaped and formed, free flowing, etc.
2) Look around for examples of your preferences, i.e., a photo from a magazine, yards in the neighborhood, a close friend’s home or a public place that gives you inspiration
3) Keep in mind changes that might need to be made in the areas of plumbing, drainage, electrical needs, etc.
C) What time line are you allowing for your goals.
1) The bigger the project, the more time is necessary.
2) Projects in steps is the best way. Allow your funds to keep up w/ work being done. A 3 year plan is not uncommon. And if changes need to be made along the way, you will have the time.
III. Prioritize your goals.
A) What will you do first, second, etc.? What do you consider a “must” and what can be done later as resources permit?
B) The back yard tends to be more private. This tends to be a higher priority.
C) If drainage or lighting or irrigation or weed control is priority, STATE IT, WRITE IT DOWN!
D) Consult w/ a professional. They know the steps that are missing or are unknown. These steps are critical to saving money and time on your landscape project.
|
