Grounds care is arguably the most talked about subject in every community, and rightfully so. Grounds care can have a significant impact on the value of a home in an association. In fact, studies have shown that well-maintained landscaping and outdoor spaces can increase the value of a property by up to 20%.
A well-maintained landscape with healthy plants, trimmed trees, and vibrant flowers can create a welcoming atmosphere and make the community a desirable place to live. So how do you hold your professional grounds care service provider accountable for creating the inviting and visually appealing community that you hired them to do?
What’s the Plan: Being proactive with communication is vital to the success of your grounds care. Prior to the beginning of the season, you need to inspect the grounds with your service provider. Review the plan for the year and make modifications based on the needs NOW, because changing a plan mid-season is reactive which leads to slow improvements. Please share the yearly plan on your association’s portal/website so all owners can be kept in the loop about this important element of your association.
Pre-emergent treatments: If you want to prevent weed growth in your community's flower beds and turf, make sure you include pre-emergent treatments. This proactive treatment is essential for keeping your community's flower beds looking their best. A question we get often is should an association forgo pre-emergent treatments in order to have spring seeding done to bare spots. We say NO. A lawn without weeds is much more desirable than one with a few bare spots. Add these locations to your fall service list and consider an over seeding in the fall if your turn needs a boost.
Perennials: Perennials are starting to grow now. Take a good look at them and make the necessary changes now. This will give you a full season with them looking their best. Perennials are great for adding color at a low cost.
New shrubs: Always remove dead shrubs and take an inventory. The curb appeal is much greater without a shrub than with a dead one. Monitor this regularly and inventory so you can have a fall installation. This batching of services will also help save money.
Trees: Schedule inspections now for May to identify any potential issues with your community's trees. Early detection can prevent costly damage and keep your trees healthy and beautiful. This early timing is important for getting on the arborists service list before the rush of client calls bombard them. When meeting with the, see if there is a way they can prune trees to keep them away from buildings and walkways for a 2-3 year period. This helps save money since they only need to do work every three years instead of annually.
Irrigation: As the planting season approaches (usually in May), it's important to get your irrigation system ready to ensure that your annuals are properly watered. Your landscaping contractor can help you prepare your irrigation system for the upcoming planting season. When the system is operating properly, the visible results are great and you save money by not wasting water.
Following and communicating the annual plan will build trust with the owners and will provide visible results.
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