One of the most important things to landscaping is how you prepare the soil. When planting or installing a new yard its important that the soil is prepared. I have seen countless yards that were in dire need of a soil overhaul. It is not uncommon for a builder to simply build the flower beds along with the house and throw mulch over the top of the clay. This will result in plant life struggling because water cannot reach the root systems through clay. That is why new compost or sandy loam top soil is so important. Not only does it provide the proper nutrients when installing new plants but it also helps with drainage of the soil. Also some of the older constructed homes in Dallas will have soil in the beds that has been washed out over the years resulting in exposed roots and foundations. Its important that the beds have adequate soil to cover the roots sytems of the plants.
So whether your house is new or old just remember that the first order of business in your new landscape installation is new soil. Now if you are installing new sod you will not want to use compost or bedding mix in the preparation stages. It is important that you only use sandy loam top soil. The reason is that compost and other bedding mix have small pieces of tree bark or mulch and this can result in a fungus or brown ring after a few years of installation. Once the sandy loam top soil is installed and properly graded you then can install the new sod of your choice.
Now if you are simply doing a spring or flower bed clean-up and want fresh mulch and weeding also consider getting a few yards of compost installed. The nutrients from compost can do wonders for perennials, evergreen shrubs and trees. Things like Azaleas and Hydrangeas will need a specific soil that has the right PH balance to help produce the most beautiful blooms and healthy foilage. In my opinion new compost should be installed every 3 to 4 years to ensure a healthy landscape.
Bottom line make sure that soil preparation is not an after thought in your new landscape installation. Here at Clients First Landscape Solutions we always install new compost mix in every landscape install and we will not warranty the plants if the customers opts out of new soil to save some money. Also when recieiving bids from other contractors for new sod installation ask what type of preparation is involved with their estimate. 9/10 times the contractor will tear out the old grass and install new grass over the existing dirt. We always install new sandy loam which results in a lush green lawn. Please if you have any questions feel free to reach out to our team by email or phone.
Clients First Landscape Solutions provides landscape and hardscape services. We have the experience and knowledge to design and install new landscapes and outdoor living spaces. We have extensive knowledge of masonry and landscape systems. We work in Plano, Frisco, Mckinney, Prosper, Lucas, Parker, Allen, Dallas, Park Cities, Carrolton, Farmers Branch, Richardson, Garland, Rowlett, Flower Mound, Lewisville, Argyle, Southlake, Colleyville, Grapevine, Westlake, Keller, Fort Worth, Mansfield, Arlington, Rockwall, and some parts of Aledo.