Everybody wants no maintenance, but in reality low maintenance is the best that can be expected. Maintenance consist of seasonal tasks such as mulching, pruning, and raking. Updating
flower beds could also be included in this category. These task can be related by having a mulch pile and perhaps even a brush pile, which could provide a
habitat to attract wildlife to the yard.
Mulching
The purpose of mulch is to keep down weeds and hold moisture around roots especially for newly planted saplings and shrubs. A common mistake is to pile mulch up against the plant, because this allows potential diseases or pest both a sanctuary and a direct route to the plant. Another mistake is excessive mulch, which is most noticeable if the roots start growing up into the mulch because more moisture is held there than is allowed through to the soil. One of the best low maintenance solutions is to have mulch rather than a lawn and in this case when compared to frequent mowing for a lawn the low maintenance consist of replacing the mulch as it decays, which is about an inch per year.
Pruning
Depending on the species, pruning should be done either in
the winter while dormant or just after flowers have bloomed. An exception is trees such as maple and birch that bleed sap if
pruned in the winter. Good reasons for pruning include removing crossed
limbs, a co-dominate leader, and other weak branches as well as dead
limbs, which are potential widowmakers. Keeping a plant a certain size is not really a good reason to prune because this means that the plant was either the wrong size to begin with or planted to close to something and very often it is both reasons. An exception is shrubs than retain the same form even if effectively cut to the ground where this is simulated by periodically removing a portion of the oldest stems.
Raking
The alternative to raking is having all mulch rather than a lawn, because not removing the covering of leaves can kill the grass that may already stressed due to the shade of the tree. Raking can also exploit a natural source of mulch especially when combined with a mulch pile or a mulched yard rather than a lawn where the leaves would come from those who don't want them although they will need to be shredded so the mulch stays in place rather than potentially blowing where not wanted..
Along with raking I'll also pick up pecans either as payment or on the halves although the timing and frequency of this service depends on size, quantity, location, and timing of drop. At best there may be a route or at worst wait until January for a one time pickup after most pecans have dropped..
I'll be happy to help with such task so they either do not interfere with your routine or if they have grown to be more than you can manage in the time you have available. Another popular maintenance task is removal of invasive exotic species such as Japanese honeysuckle and Chinese privet, which falls under the
habitat restoration category.
