Hawaii has one of the warmest climates in the United States with an average annual temperature in the upper 70s. The warm climate can pose some challenges to the landscaper who wants a beautiful yard while limiting time spent on yard maintenance. Various landscaping strategies can be used to reduce maintenance time and costs so you can spend more time enjoying your yard rather than maintaining it.
Hawaii's unique climate creates unfavorable growing environments for many popular flowers and shrubs seen commonly throughout the mainland. Instead of tediously watering and fertilizing these plants grow local native Hawaiian plants instead that are low maintenance and are well adapted to Hawaii's geography and climate. Once established, these "local" plants become drought-resistant and require little maintenance.
Mulch is an excellent item to incorporate in the the landscape of your yard. Mulch helps to keep moisture in the soil and requires just about no maintenance effectively reducing the cost of watering your yard as well as time spent maintaining your yard. Mulch also helps to condition your soil and can be used as a decorative feature along pathways and serving as a border to building walls. Some of the common mulching materials used in Hawaii include lava rocks, coconut husks and wood chips. These mulching items can be piled 2 to 4 inches high around borders and pathways for sufficient moisture protection as well as to block the growth of weeds.
Groundcovers are an excellent landscaping option that will help to cut back time spent on yard maintenance, since groundcovers traditionally require less watering and their height does not exceed 3 feet which will result in no time spent having to mow or trim. Like mulch, groundcovers also help to keep moisture in the soil all while conditioning the soil. Groundcovers are usually chosen for how well they spread as well as texture. There are a wide selection of groundcovers that thrive in Hawaii's environment and climate including Hearts and Flowers, Dwarf Oyster Plant, Ilima Papa, Hottentot Fig, Daylily and Honeysuckle.
Choosing the right grass makes all the difference in Hawaii when it comes to low maintenance in your yard. Many of the popular grasses in the mainland such as Ryegrass will require constant watering and trimming. Landscapers in Hawaii should pick drought-resistant grasses that thrive in a year-round warm weather climate such as Bermuda grass, Zoysia grass or Centipede grass. Selecting a low maintenance grass which takes up the bulk of your yard will cut down immensely on the time you spend maintaining your yard.
Maintaining your yard in Hawaii can require little maintenance if you follow the tips above. Incorporate mulch and groundcovers into your landscape which will help to lower watering as well as help to choke out weeds all while conditioning your soil. Picking the right type of grass is probably the biggest key factor in keeping maintenance time down and you can spend more time in your yard enjoying the wonderful Hawaii weather.
Hawaii's unique climate creates unfavorable growing environments for many popular flowers and shrubs seen commonly throughout the mainland. Instead of tediously watering and fertilizing these plants grow local native Hawaiian plants instead that are low maintenance and are well adapted to Hawaii's geography and climate. Once established, these "local" plants become drought-resistant and require little maintenance.
Mulch is an excellent item to incorporate in the the landscape of your yard. Mulch helps to keep moisture in the soil and requires just about no maintenance effectively reducing the cost of watering your yard as well as time spent maintaining your yard. Mulch also helps to condition your soil and can be used as a decorative feature along pathways and serving as a border to building walls. Some of the common mulching materials used in Hawaii include lava rocks, coconut husks and wood chips. These mulching items can be piled 2 to 4 inches high around borders and pathways for sufficient moisture protection as well as to block the growth of weeds.
Groundcovers are an excellent landscaping option that will help to cut back time spent on yard maintenance, since groundcovers traditionally require less watering and their height does not exceed 3 feet which will result in no time spent having to mow or trim. Like mulch, groundcovers also help to keep moisture in the soil all while conditioning the soil. Groundcovers are usually chosen for how well they spread as well as texture. There are a wide selection of groundcovers that thrive in Hawaii's environment and climate including Hearts and Flowers, Dwarf Oyster Plant, Ilima Papa, Hottentot Fig, Daylily and Honeysuckle.
Choosing the right grass makes all the difference in Hawaii when it comes to low maintenance in your yard. Many of the popular grasses in the mainland such as Ryegrass will require constant watering and trimming. Landscapers in Hawaii should pick drought-resistant grasses that thrive in a year-round warm weather climate such as Bermuda grass, Zoysia grass or Centipede grass. Selecting a low maintenance grass which takes up the bulk of your yard will cut down immensely on the time you spend maintaining your yard.
Maintaining your yard in Hawaii can require little maintenance if you follow the tips above. Incorporate mulch and groundcovers into your landscape which will help to lower watering as well as help to choke out weeds all while conditioning your soil. Picking the right type of grass is probably the biggest key factor in keeping maintenance time down and you can spend more time in your yard enjoying the wonderful Hawaii weather.
About the Author:
Hawaii landscape specialist Shaun Sedeno designs and installs low maintenance landscapes that are specifically created for Hawaii homes and yards. To learn more about Shaun's landscaping and design services visit his website www.LawntasticHawaii.com
0 comments:
Post a Comment