Five Landscaping Needs You May Be Overpaying For
When it comes to your landscaping needs, you may be overwhelmed thinking about where to start. With so many upgrades and options available, it can be difficult to narrow down what you need – and what you don’t. Aside from being overwhelmed, you may be worried about overpaying for products and services that aren’t necessary for your home.
At Wildflower Desert Design, we want to bring your landscaping dreams to life while listening to your specific landscaping needs. Because we care about serving you, here are five things to evaluate if you are overpaying for as a homeowner in Phoenix or the West Valley area:
Before You Begin
Before evaluating your landscaping needs, check with the Maricopa County Registrar of Contractors for helpful information. Unlike BBB or Yelp, this resource provides information from the perspective of an entity that has jurisdiction in overseeing contractors, ensuring the information provided is both sound and helpful.
1. Watering Trees and Plants
You may be wondering if it is necessary to have multiple valves to water both your plants and trees. Because plants need to be watered more frequently for one hour at a time, and trees need to be watered less frequently for a couple of hours at a time, this is a valid question to have and an important one to consider.
Most homes in the Phoenix area are not large enough to need multiple valves. One valve can water up to 150 plants and should be sufficient for your home. As long as you have your trees and plants set on timers to ensure they are watered at the correct frequency and times, you can save money by having just one valve.
2. Granite
When you install granite in your yard, it may seem like contractors are trying to sell you more than you need. Because rock is mined over time, granite can begin to look spotty if you do not account for the general wear over time. Whenever you are adding mounding to your yard, you should add one ton of granite for every five tons of mounding soil.
3. Tree Installation
If you are installing trees in your yard, you are likely considering if you should purchase tree stakes. Tree stakes are only needed for single trunk trees, but not for multi-trunk trees. You can save money on your landscaping by only purchasing stakes for single trunk trees.
Tree stakes should be installed on no more than two-thirds up the trunk on opposite sides to ensure your tree is well-supported and will last for years to come.
4. LED Lights
If you have LED lights in your front yard and are wanting to add lights to the back, some contractors may tell you that you need to purchase another timer. This is not always true and may be a cause of overspending for your landscaping.
Usually, a 150-watt timer can handle 12-15 LED lights without an issue. If you are adding more than 15 LED lights to one timer with your backyard upgrade, you may want to consider purchasing another timer for the backyard.
You may have also considered replacing your LED lights with solar lighting. Even though this replacement can be more environmentally-friendly, solar panels cannot harness enough energy to power lights for very long. If you choose solar lighting, be sure to place the panels in a location that they will be exposed to the sun throughout the majority of the day to ensure you are getting the most out of your investment.
5. Plant Lifespan
When you look at plants to landscape your yard, you should consider the maturity at which purchase your plants. When making this decision, is important to account for the rate at which things grow. For example, cacti and citrus trees grow very slowly, so buying these plants when they are more mature can be beneficial. However, since Phoenix is usually sunny and has a long growing season, plants grow very quickly and can be bought at a less mature age.
Why Choose Wildflower Desert Design as Your Landscape Designer
We want to bring your landscaping dreams to life.
Here’s how it works:
1. You Dream – Think Big! Let us show you your dreams.
2. We Design – Our 3D rendering provides a true realm of reality.
3. They Build – We are here to fully assist you in choosing the right contractor for the job.
For more questions about your landscaping needs, contact us at Wildflower Desert Design. Call us today for a FREE consultation!