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Efficiency is the golden word in managing large-scale landscaping projects — and even your own backyard projects depend on it. Various considerations and operational methods can enhance your project’s success. When you plan the project, you may wish to purchase or rent an appropriate low-impact vehicle to help you manage a large-scale garden or yard, while choosing the best tools for the job can further save time and money.
Maximize your landscaping efforts’ efficiency with these ideas.
A clear understanding of your project’s scope, scale and specifics can help you make informed decisions. Large-scale landscaping activities involve a dynamic mix of tasks, including transporting new and waste materials and equipment to and from different parts of the site.
Consider the requirements to complete your ideas successfully. When you know what you need to do, you can plan how to do it and determine what you need to accomplish it. This also allows you to budget and plan accordingly so your vision doesn’t run out of funds before it’s complete.
Different vehicles suit large-scale landscaping projects, depending on their load capacity, engine type, surface impact, additional features and cost. A reinforced load bed enables you to move larger volumes of soil to and from your site. However, remember that the moisture content of soil affects the weight, so don’t exceed the recommended weight for your vehicle.
While you wouldn’t necessarily want to travel to a distant supplier for a load of turf or compost for the lawn in a low-speed vehicle (LSV), they can be very useful for transporting what you need. In most states, LSVs are permitted on roads with a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or less, and they must have an odometer, seatbelts and speedometer.
If you run a small landscaping business, you can consider a vehicle with a tow hitch, which lets you haul a trailer to park a ride-on mower. Fit grass tires to drive across the lawn without disrupting growth, allowing you to reach all parts of a large site. Make the most of customizable features like dump beds and ramps to offload fertilizer and soil dressings. Tool racks are another add-on that helps to keep all your equipment neatly organized.
An additional benefit of an electric LSV is that you can charge your electrical garden equipment from the vehicle battery, making it a great way to load a secondary battery pack for tools and enjoy continuous use. Some LSVs also have charging stations to enable fast tool charging — an ideal feature for landscaping businesses.
Soil sample testing can help determine whether the substrate is nutrient-rich enough to nourish your plants. Incorrect soil types can lead to burning plants, waterlogging with the first rain or poor growth. Collect samples by hand from 10 random sections at a depth of 4 inches.
Save time and increase your efficiency by sending the soil samples to a local agricultural lab for analysis, or purchase a home soil testing kit to get a basic indication of the soil pH, elements it contains and deficiencies. Fertilize the soil in preparation for planting. Remember that soil acidity is a deciding factor in whether specific plants thrive.
When you include a water tank with an electric pump in the load bay, you can attach sprayers to your LSV for easy fertilization and weed control. This allows you to effortlessly spray liquid fertilizer across large lawn stretches, while a wand extension lets you spray shrubs and raised beds by hand without carrying a backpack sprayer.
If you have a hydraulic load bed, you can distribute top dressings or compost across the lawn more evenly than when carrying bags — simply drive slowly with the ramp raised to scatter the load. Mount a rake attachment, scraping the area to level out the clumps and heaps for an even spread.
Large landscaping areas contain a lot of vegetation, which can also mean a significant water requirement. Unless the area receives abundant rainfall, it’s much more efficient to select low-water plants like succulents and native grasses and shrubs that will thrive with drip irrigation systems.
Alternatively, select gravel, woodchips and pavers to cover large areas and eliminate the need for watering. Create soil profiles based on the plant selection. Help thirsty plants survive by adding water-absorbing materials like organic matter to the soil to prevent the plants from drying out. Mulching beds also retain moisture.
Weeds are every gardener’s enemy. Most weeds are fast-growing, so they can outcompete grass and other plants unless removed. Worse still, weeds scatter seeds prolifically, and these seeds may remain viable for years.
An effective strategy is to outplant weed seeds by overseeding your lawn with resilient species like zoysia grass or buffalo grass. Most farmers use this method to ensure weed-free crops, and they plant a denser spread of grass seeds than what is normally recommended, leaving little space for weeds to grow. However, you may need to initially treat the area with a layer of straw as weeds will sprout first after winter. With strategic planting, you can let nature help your large-scale landscaping project succeed.
Equipment makes life easier when mowing a large lawn, edging rows or cutting back tall trees. However, when your equipment fails or doesn’t perform optimally because of poor maintenance, it reduces your efficiency. Maintain a service book for all equipment, noting when you perform oil changes and inspections.
Be sure to use the correct fuel mix for different machines according to the manufacturer’s requirements. Use inspection time to sharpen blades for better efficiency. A dull lawnmower blade is dangerous and will produce a much less satisfactory result in a lush lawn.
Whether you garden for fun or run a maintenance service, your landscaping efficiency depends on having the right equipment, a suitable vehicle for loading and transportation and thoughtful planning to ensure the best strategy and approach. With preparation, your large-scale landscape project has every chance of success and can exceed all your expectations.
Jack Shaw is a freelance writer specializing in home improvement, gardening, and caring for the outdoors. He’s the senior writer of Modded and has contributed his advice through sites like Green Living Journal, House 2 Home Organizing, Log Cabin Hub, and more. You can reach him via LinkedIn.
