Conservation in Landscaping: Does it Matter? 

Over the last few decades, there has been an increasing emphasis on adopting more sustainable landscaping practices. We’ve seen individuals, companies, and communities become good stewards of the planet and use healthier alternatives to achieve beautified landscapes. And more importantly – consumers are being more selective about the landscaping professionals they hire. Here are a few ways you can conserve resources, protect the environment, and save time and money in the process – all while keeping your customers happy. Plant Selection & Placement One way you can reduce the use of pesticides and fertilizers is to consider the plants you choose based on environmental conditions of the landscapes you work with. Plants native to the area have evolved to thrive in that landscape, particularly its climate. This can also help conserve water, improve air pollution, and support wildlife. Some landscapers also use a technique called Hydrozoning – or grouping plants with the same water, soil, and sun requirements together. For example, if you know that native plants will naturally thrive in that landscape, you don’t need to invest in as much irrigation for that area. Each plant will have different requirements. For example: • How much sunlight does each area get? • How much shade does the landscape have? • Are any areas prone to rain damage from runoff or accumulation? • Are any areas more likely to dry out (hills or slopes)?

The goal is to avoid under-watering plants that need it or overwatering the plants that don’t. To achieve this, you can split the landscape into multiple zones based on their needs.

Sustainable Landscaping 

In addition to arranging a landscape properly, here are some practices you can implement or share with your customers to promote sustainable and climate-friendly areas:

• Improve the texture of soil with organic matter or organic-based products to promote the growth and longevity of plants
• Create small habitats within the landscape where wildlife can thrive
• Follow recovery programs to help the landscape “heal” from things like drought and heat

As you can see, there are several different steps you can take to conserve resources as a landscaping professional and promote healthy landscapes. So, keep educating yourself about what you can do to make our world a safer place one day at a time. We can all play an active role in preventing pollution, managing resources more efficiently, and reducing waste. The best part? Changing your approach doesn’t have to have a financial impact on our business – your customers will actually like you more for it.