The best way to get a sense of your property's landscape is to walk it yourself and take a good, hard look. Pretend you're a visitor. What do you see?
What should you see? Neat, well-groomed landscaping with a lush lawn, healthy plants and trees and no trouble spots that could endanger visitors or employees.
If only you had a checklist to note every detail, from checking the health of your plants to making sure your irrigation is in tip-top shape.
You’re in luck. Here’s your landscape maintenance checklist. Take this with you, stroll your property and take stock of what needs to be done.
Lawn Care Checklist
— Weekly Mowing
This is a commercial landscaping must. When customers see an overgrown, neglected lawn, they judge your business by that negative first impression. Impress them with an expanse of well-tended, lush green lawn.
— Blowing Loose Clippings And Debris
Loose grass clippings, fallen leaves, stray flower petals — they make your whole property look messy. Window wells and flower beds are easily clogged with leaves, grass clippings and other debris.
Professional-grade blowers keep everything clean and tidy.
— Edging Curbs And Beds
Edging make all the difference. When you look at a property and everything looks crisp and sharp, but you don’t quite know why — that’s edging.
It accentuates the lines of the lawn and planting beds and gives the whole scene a well-manicured look your customers will notice.
— Trash And Debris Pickup
Debris like fallen branches and ratty fast food wrappers mars even the nicest lawns and the prettiest flower beds. Weekly pickup means your commercial property looks well-tended and appealing.
— Fertilizing, Aeration And Seeding
Regular fertilizing, aeration and seeding will encourage healthy, green turf. The soil may also need lime depending on its pH, so check that at least annually.
Shrub And Tree Care Checklist
— Regular Pruning
Regular pruning keeps shrubs and trees healthy and at an ideal size.
But pruning isn’t just for looks. It keeps the people on your property safe. A dead branch can fall from a tree at any time, endangering nearby people, buildings and power lines. And overgrown shrubs are not only unsightly, but they also block views and can allow access for pests.
— Pest And Disease Inspection
In addition to pruning, trees and shrubs need to be checked for pests and diseases that could lead to damage or even death. Look for things like discolored leaves, bark scale and obvious signs of insects.
Seasonal Color Checklist
Nothing brightens up a property like bursts of beautiful, colorful flowers from early spring to late fall. But annual flowers are needy. Without weekly attention, those stunning beds can quickly turn into eyesores that actually detract from your property’s appearance.
— Deadheading
Regularly removing old, spent blooms encourages new blooming and keeps beds looking fresh and tidy.
— Weeding
Weeds are bad news. They look terrible, spread like crazy and crowd out the pretty plants that belong there.
— Watering
Be sure your soil and mulch feel damp — not dried out. Regular watering is crucial for healthy plants.
Water Management Checklist
— Irrigation Efficiency
Proper watering is a crucial part of your landscape’s health. So your irrigation system needs to be in top working order, week after week.
Are there leaks that are causing the irrigation system to lose efficiency and waste water?
Are the spray heads properly calibrated so they’re watering vegetation, not sidewalks and the side of your building?
An efficient, updated irrigation system can save you thousands of gallons of water each year. That translates into a much lower utility bill, which owners and tenants can appreciate.
— Winterization
Don't forget to have your irrigation system winterized before the first hard freeze. You don’t want to have frozen pipes once temperatures drop.
Safety And Liability Checklist
— Inspect Sidewalks For Cracks
Sidewalks and steps with cracks, loose chunks or crumbling mortar are hazardous, and even more dangerous when covered with a layer of ice. Don't neglect repairs.
— Clear Debris
Wet leaves on grass and concrete create a slippery surface for pedestrians. It’s crucial to keep debris off public walkways, as leaves and twigs are especially hazardous when covered with snow.
— Trim Tree Branches
Inspect older trees regularly for weak or dead branches that could fall and injure people or damage buildings. Trim all large overhead branches that could buckle under heavy snowfall and cause damage. Proper pruning can improve the structural integrity of trees in anticipation of heavy snow, ice or winds while keeping your trees looking their best year round.
— Check Your Water Drainage
Improper drainage often takes a back seat to other pressing property needs. But it can cause all sorts of safety issues.
Be sure you have proper grading and drainage so standing water doesn’t turn into a slick of ice. And nobody wants to step out of their car into three inches of water in your parking lot.
— Check Your Outdoor Lighting
Take a walk through your parking lot, paths and around your building as dusk settles in. Does your lighting do a good job of illuminating your property? Are there any dark spots you should address?
Trust Outback Landscape With Your Property Checklist
Feeling overwhelmed? There’s a lot to keep track of on your commercial property. The good news? This is what we do, every day.
Our experienced teams at Outback Landscape follow a detailed landscape maintenance checklist to ensure your property remains in perfect shape. Regular attention also allows us to catch any potential issues before they become big and costly problems.
We’d love to create a comprehensive management plan for your landscape.
We serve residential and commercial properties in Idaho Falls, Rexburg and Pocatello, Idaho, as well as Bonneville, Madison and Bannock counties.
Call us at 208-656-3220. Or fill out the contact form to schedule a no-obligation meeting with one of our team members.
We can’t wait to hear from you.
