Landscaping and gardening not only improve the appearance of your yard, they also add to the value of the property. Two things to keep in mind when landscaping are: first, to have a master plan and keep it in mind when making any changes, plantings, etc. and second, to use the best landscaping materials available. You will be living with the landscaping supply that you use all around your house. That’s why you want the mulch to be fresh and the soil, rock and dirt to be clean.
Adding value through landscaping
Your goal in starting a new landscaping or gardening project might just be to improve the appearance of your yard, but it will also have a positive impact on your home values. As well as adding to its curb appeal, landscaping can increase the value of a home by as much as 14%. In fact, when you spend 5% of the value of your home on landscaping, you get an ROI of 150%.
Whatever your landscaping needs for crushed shell, river rock, lava rock, cedar bark stone, straw bales, granite, limestone, and mulch, you can find it at your local landscape supply store. It’s always a good idea to pick the best landscape supply you can find, because you will have large quantities of these materials spread around outside your house. That why you want dirt that’s clean and free of fillers and mulch and straw that are fresh.
The many uses of mulch
Mulch can be organic or inorganic. Stones , rocks, cedar bark, or straw can all be used as mulch, which is simply material used to cover the ground. Mulch serves many purposes and can be used to prevent weeds, retain moisture and keep the roots watered, and to keep the soil cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. For instance, for weed control, a one inch layer of small rocks is an effective choice.
A circle of mulch about three or four feet in diameter will protect the roots of young, newly planted trees. Mulch is also used to change and improve the look of garden beds and make them look more attractive. When organic mulch like compost or grass cuttings is used, it can also provide nourishment for the plants, as it decomposes.
Dirt is just dirt, right?
Any gardener can tell you that actually, soil differs from place to place, and can be described by its texture and fertility. In general, healthy soil should be made up of 45% minerals and 25% each of water and air. About 5% of soil should actually be organic matter.
The pH value of soil is important for gardeners. The pH value measures the acidity or alkalinity of soils on a scale from 1 to 14. A pH value of 7.0 means that the soil is neutral. Most plants and grass prefer slightly acidic soil, with pH values from 6.2 to 6.8. Some ornamental plants and shrubs like blueberries prefer highly acidic soil. Depending on the plants the pH value of soil for gardening can be changed by adding lime from a landscape supply store.
Whether you’re looking for crushed shell for your driveway or fill dirt for a project, your local landscape supply will deliver. They will also throw in some advice for free, and that’s priceless.