Creating a beautifully landscaped garden is one thing. Keeping it looking its best as time passes is another. A garden is a living entity and like all living things, it changes with time. These changes, if not controlled in time, could alter the look of the landscape and make the home a less pleasant place to live in.

4 things must be done every couple of years to keep your landscape looking its best.

• River Rock/Mulch Replacement: River rock is far more solid than mulch, but it will break down over time. When it starts to crumble and becomes dusty, it needs to be taken out and replaced with a new layer. Use a shovel to remove the old rock and a wheelbarrow to cart it away. Mulch needs more frequent replacement. Scraping off the top layer and topping it up with fresh mulch every year is usually all the maintenance that is required. However, it is important to remove all the old mulch every few years and replace it with a fresh layer. Use a rake to remove the old mulch. If it is seriously decomposed, use a shovel.

• Bed Edging Replacement: Edging is used to keep plants and mulch from spreading out from the beds and making the garden unruly. Plastic edging is strong, but over time it can crack. Check regularly for signs of damage and when any are found, cut out the damaged area and replace it with fresh strong plastic. Once in 4 years, remove all the old edging and replace it with plastic edging.

• Retrench the Edging: If plastic bed edging has not been used, edging will need to be cleaned up every couple of months. If this is not done neatly and carefully, the appearance of the beds will be affected. Ensure that the soil slopes away from the edge to protect the beds from flooding.

• Replace the Weed Barrier Fabric: Landscape fabric should not be repaired. Replace it every few years. When removing the old fabric, take care to ensure that the plants are not damaged.

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Also Read: Tips to Planning for a Great Landscape

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These are just a few of the often-overlooked maintenance projects that must be done. Take the time to look objectively at the landscape every day. When you notice something that requires attention, do the work ASAP. Any delay will only increase the size of the problem and the time and effort needed to resolve it. The best way to keep your landscape looking its best is to have the renovation and maintenance done by a professional landscaping company. You may enjoy caring for your landscape, but often the time and effort that have to be put in are just not available or some problems can be fixed only with the kind of technical expertise that only a professional will have. Residents of San Jose are very proud of their homes and their landscapes and if you live in this area, you need to ensure that the exterior of your home is as nice as the interior. When it comes to landscape maintenance in San Jose, Dooling Landscape Service’s experience, technical knowledge, customer focus and uncompromising attention to quality make it the number one choice.