7 Affordable Landscaping Ideas for Under $1,000

Landscaping doesn't have to be an expensive investment. There are a lot of affordable projects that will make your garden look beautiful this spring. There are also many ways to make them last for years to come, so you don't need to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on maintenance costs. This year, take the initiative and make some affordable landscaping changes to your front and backyard to set yourself up for seasons to come.

#1 Choose perennial plants - $10 to $50

Perennials save you money because they come back every year, whereas annuals have to be replaced every year. Perennials can last for years and sometimes require less maintenance. They come in various colors, shapes, and sizes. You can invest in perennial flowers or shrubs, depending on what you need. Some perennials to choose from include:

Catmint

Saffron

Daisies

Sage

Poppy

Lavender

Agave

#2 Plant more native species - $10 to $100

To keep maintenance down, lean towards putting more native species in your landscape. Native plants have acclimated to the climate conditions, which means they need less care. This also means they don't attract pests or problems that exotic species do. To learn what plants are native to your area, check with a local nursery or a lawn care professional you trust. They will know what to recommend. Landscaping professionals, in particular, can look at your soil conditions and how the sun hits your lawn to determine which plants will thrive best.



#3 Install soaker hoses - $20 to $40

Instead of watering plants every morning or relying on sprinklers, think about investing in soaker hoses. Sprinkler water sometimes evaporates before it can fully cover your plants. Soaker hoses, on the other hand, release water near roots so plants get the nutrients they need. This will save you money otherwise spent on a sprinkler system or hand watering every day, which will cut down your water bill significantly.

#4 Invest in a young tree - $100 to $150

Trees are highly beneficial, not only to your yard but also your home. If you install a tree near your home, it can lower your air conditioning costs. Instead of buying and planting a grown tree, invest https://www.walmart.com/c/kp/lawn-sprinklers in a young tree. They're far less expensive and easier to handle -- and it's a long-term investment that pays back. If it has fruit or flowers, that will be an added benefit to your landscape. Just be sure to pick a species that won't grow too long and damage your home exterior. If you aren't sure about what kind to get, ask arborist questions so you know what maintenance and care goes into different species.

#5 Seed or sod a lawn - $200 to $400

Whether to seed or sod a lawn depends on your square footage and how much time you want to invest in maintenance. Seeding a lawn is far less expensive in terms of materials. Sod is more expensive to install, but you'll get a lawn faster. You do the same amount of preparation to get seed and sod established -- mulching, fertilizing, raking, etc. Sod takes more time and labor at first because you have to lay down each roll. Seed takes more time and maintenance in the long term for it to grow.

#6 Replace lawn with rocks/pebbles - $50 to $100

If you don't feel excited about a seed or sod lawn, you can go with rocks and pebbles instead . Adding stones or boulders to your landscape is simple and less expensive, depending on Sprinkler System Rockwall the square footage. You can then add some shrubs and plants to make it look more natural. You have your pick of rocks and pebbles from landscape materials suppliers, so you can find a type to match your home exterior. Whether you want real rocks or plastic/composite ones, the possibilities are just about endless. And the best part is, it's basically zero maintenance -- all you have to do is move them back into place should you see a hole form.

#7 Add stepping stones - $20 to $100

Stepping stones are a great addition to a stone or green lawn, especially if you need to connect two elements of your landscape with a pathway. You can do this in a wide variety of ways, whether it's digging holes and laying in a mixture of cement, buying stones and installing them in your yard and so forth. Because this c an be a labor-intensive task, you might need a stone professional's help. It just depends on the size of the stones and the look you're going for in the yard.



19 Inexpensive Ways To Fix Up Your Kitchen (PHOTOS)

19 Inexpensive Ways To Fix Up Your Kitchen (PHOTOS)

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Blog | Orlando Sprinklers and Irrigation

Welcome to the Hessenauer Sprinkler Repair and Irrigation blog and website. We like to offer our online readers some tips concerning sprinkler irrigation. Today we would like to give some advice about how to troubleshoot pipe leaks involved with your irrigation system by finding the leak and resolving the problem.

Pressure loss, geysers, dry spots and overly saturated areas are but a few of the problems associated with broken sprinkler lines. So cast off the yoke of overpriced landscapers, gather together courage and shovel, and fix it yourself. Your wallet will be glad you did.

If your sprinkler heads have stopped functioning and you notice new, soggy patches of grass or soil along your sprinkler lines, you most likely have a leak. Generally, we suggest calling a professional to handle these situations but sometimes, certain issues can be handled by the homeowner.

A broken sprinkler pipe can be a major headache, and many irrigation companies can't be bothered to service a system that they didn't install. The repair bill can run hundreds of dollars or more, and in the meantime, your irrigation system is offline and your lawn is turning brown. The truth is that fixing a sprinkler pipe is simple, once you've located the leak.

The first item of business is to figure out where your pipe is leaking. You might be able to tell simply by seeing where soggy patches have been appearing on your lawn. If some of your sprinkler heads seem to have low pressure but you can't tell where the problem is, place caps on all your heads to restrict water flow and turn on all sprinkler zones. Then, wait to see where water emerges through the soil.





It can take many hours to find a leak in your irrigation system, which is why repairs can be so expensive. If you know you have a leak, you should know which sprinkler zone is the problem. Turn that https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBmN2PTUB7w zone on manually https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBmN2PTUB7w at the control box. If you see a reduction in water pressure between two sprinkler heads in the leaky zone, the leak is somewhere between them. If some of the sprinkle r heads don't come on at all, note the sprinkler that is farthest from the valve box, and identify the sprinkler head closest to it that isn't coming on. The leak is between these two. Now leave the zone running. Over time, the ground over the broken pipe will start to seep water.

Once you find the location above the leak, dig down to the leak, being careful not to cause any more damage to the pipes. Before you dig, shut off the sprinkler controller so no water can flow through the pipe while you are working. If you are growing lawn over the area, cut large square patches with a shovel and remove them with several inches of dirt clinging to roots so you can replace the sod later. Dig carefully down around the sprinkler, using a trowel if necessary, to avoid breaking the line further. Clean off the pipe and use clean tools when repairing.

Once you find the site of the leak at the pipe, you can either cut the line or unscrew it. If it is http://www.vikinggroupinc.com/technical-data/viking-fire-sprinklers a shorter piece in the line, you can unscrew it and remove it from the line. If it is a longer length of pipe, which is more likely, you'll need to use a hacksaw to cut out the broken part. Remove the section of pipe around the site of the leak without allowing dirt or debris into the line to avoid clogging. Insert a new length of pipe into the break and attach them with PVC primer and pipe cement.

For the final step, fill the hole in and replace the sod. Take care to fill in the area underneath the repaired pipe before you shovel in the rest of the dirt. If you leave any gap underneath the pipe, over time the dirt on top bends or compresses the PVC, and you end up having to dig it all up again.

Remember, the safest option is always consulting with a professional over sprinkler irrigation issues. When there is an emergency, it may be necessary for the homeowner to take matters into their own hands. Contact us in the Central Florida and Orlando areas for sprinkler irrigation issues or projects we may be able to install. Contact us today at 407-302-2227 to schedule an appointment for an estimate.

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