19 things your landscaper won’t tell you

Add as much as 15% to your home's value with these expert landscaping tips.
By Michelle Crouch

Most lawn fertilisers have about 30 percent nitrogen, which is way too much.

Most lawn fertilisers have about 30 percent nitrogen, which is way too much.
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Look for a fertiliser with time-releasing water-insoluble nitrogen and use it only twice a year on a steady schedule, like the beginning of autumn and spring. In general, well-irrigated and older lawns need less fertiliser.

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Watch out for a gorgeous plant called purple loose-strife, or Lythrum salicaria, which a lot of nurseries still sell.

Watch out for a gorgeous plant called purple loose-strife, or Lythrum salicaria, which a lot of nurseries still sell.
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Though it’s inexpensive and has a lovely flower, it’s an invasive species that will spread everywhere and choke out other plants.

Two centimetres of water once a week is ideal, maybe once every five days in extreme heat, depending on your soil.

Two centimetres of water once a week is ideal, maybe once every five days in extreme heat, depending on your soil.
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Infrequent watering encourages roots to grow deeper to find groundwater, creating a stronger plant.

Here’s how you can fix some common backyard problems.

Looking at a colour wheel is a great way to choose garden flowers.

Looking at a colour wheel is a great way to choose garden flowers.
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Colours that are opposite each other, like yellow and purple, look beautiful together.

If you don’t have a big budget, hire someone to do a landscape design and then install it yourself in stages.

If you don’t have a big budget, hire someone to do a landscape design and then install it yourself in stages.

That will keep you from making costly mistakes, like putting plants in the wrong spot.

However, here are some DIY home projects you should probably leave to the pros.

Bushes and trees planted at the end of your driveway may look nice...

Bushes and trees planted at the end of your driveway may look nice...
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…but they can block your view of oncoming traffic. Keep your line of sight clear.

Check out these creative driveway landscaping ideas. 

One thing I’ll never understand: people who spend thousands on their new landscapes

One thing I’ll never understand: people who spend thousands on their new landscapes
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…and then neglect to water them. It happens all the time.

It’s better to plant too high than too deep.

It’s better to plant too high than too deep.
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People have a tendency to over-dig, and the roots of the tree or plant can get buried, causing it to suffocate, or water accumulates at the root level and rots out the roots.

We know your kids want to help, but they’re just making our job take longer.

We know your kids want to help, but they’re just making our job take longer.
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And squirting us with a squirt gun? Now you’re really pushing it.

Please don’t stand there talking to me with a cold drink when it’s 30 degrees out.

Please don’t stand there talking to me with a cold drink when it’s 30 degrees out.
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Offer me one.

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Source: RD.com

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