Figure 1: A gardener mowing grass at home in California
Source: iStock
Introduction
The care of the grounds is an important aspect of property management. Well-kept grounds improve property's appearance and image, help increase or, at least maintain its value and create a sense of pride among residents and tenants. Maintenance of the grounds can either be carried out by hiring the services of a contractor or through the use of in-house staff to carry out the work. Sometimes a combination of the two is used. The method adopted is dependent on the size of the property, budgetary considerations and the availability, capability and cost of in-house personnel and equipment as opposed to a contractor's performance. The experience of many property owners is that it is less expensive and less troublesome to rely on a contractor for this service. However, public institutions such as public universities and colleges, among others use direct labor, while international agencies such as embassies and United Nations agencies use contract labor. Given the importance of grounds maintenance to real property, it is important to develop a checklist to ensure that all work is performed properly. A comprehensive grounds maintenance management plan, which indicates all tasks necessary for comprehensive grounds care is essential. Such a plan should specify who is responsible for which task, the frequency thereof, and any other such pertinent information as may be required. Grounds maintenance includes several activities but these can be grouped under the two categories of lawn care and ornamented plant care.
Lawn Care
Mowing and Trimming
Lawn care includes tasks such as lawn mowing and trimming, leaf collection, soil analysis and fertilization, and the application of herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides, among others. Regarding mowing and trimming, mowing can be defined as the cutting of turf grass on lawns to retain them at a specific height above ground and keep them looking tidy. Trimming on the other hand refers to any other cutting of grass done between the mowing periods and this is done, especially in cases where there has been some unexpected rainfall, which causes rapid growth of the grass. These two activities can either be done by contract or through an in-house arrangement, but regardless of which method is selected, the main concern is always the determination of the frequency of carrying out the mowing and trimming activities. Mowing should be undertaken when the grass is between 45-50 mm while trimming is done when the grass has grown too fast and the next mowing session is still a few days away. The mowing of the lawns should be done once a month using lawn mowers and the frequency of trimming is subject to the amount of precipitation received and it is done using slashers. Costing and apportionment of funds are based on what the contractors quote, while in the case of in-house maintenance, no specific amount is set aside for this activity.
Edging
Edging refers to a re-definition of the edges of lawns by making clear-cut boundary destinations on the grounds that indicate the extent of the lawns. Edging can be done mechanically or manually with a mechanical edging machine thereby giving better results. Edging should be carried out on all accessible sidewalks, curbs, and patios and an arrangement should be made for removal of debris. Edging should be done at least once a month or even more frequently, especially during the rainy seasons. In the former case, edging was done in-house while in the latter case, it was done by a contractor. In both cases, however, the people carrying out the edging ensured that the debris was removed.
Leaf Collection and Removal
Leaf collection is an activity that involves the removal of fallen leaves, flowers, or any other part of the plants to keep the area neat. In the case of lawns, the frequency of leaf collection is dependent on a variety of factors including the climate of an area, the type of grass, and the "look" that the owner wants to achieve during different seasons. Regardless of whether the maintenance work is contracted or in-house, the average frequency should be once every month using manual equipment such as rakes, debris pans, and pavement brooms. A more frequent collection would be necessary depending on the season and accumulation of leaves.
Soil Analysis and Fertilization
Soil analysis is a process carried out to identify any deficiencies of nutrients, air, or any other component of the soil to come up with a suitable solution to alleviate the situation and this could range from fertilizer application to increased water supply. This will help to ensure that the soil can support proper plant growth. It is therefore important that appropriate advice is obtained regularly from agronomists. Fertilization is the process of supplying any nutrients to the soil which are either totally absent or are in insufficient quantities. Proper fertilization is especially essential to the health of turf grass and it is important to know that what is termed, as 'proper fertilization' in one area may not be proper for the same plants in another area. The amount of fertilizer to be applied is dependent on factors such as soil type, moisture availability, type of plant, length of growing season, and type of fertilizer being used, among other factors. It is therefore necessary to regularly consult specialists to advise on the need for soil fertilization.
Application of Herbicides, Fungicides, and Insecticides
Every living thing has its own enemies, which interfere with its survival. Plants such as grasses are no exception and can suffer from the detrimental effects of weeds, fungi, or insects. To reduce their effects, frequent application of herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides, respectively can help to alleviate the situation. All these chemicals can be applied on a preventive or curative basis, either to deter any possible attack or they can be applied to get rid of unwanted substances when an attack has already occurred. It is recommended that herbicides and pesticides are sprayed onto the lawns once every three months and that the property owners regularly consult specialists for advice.
Aeration
This is a process of increasing the amount of air in the soil. This activity is dependent on the particular type of grass or plant being handled. Aeration is done using various specialized equipment such as rollers, drums, and/or piston-type aeration. Specification of when aeration should be done especially in heavy traffic areas is essential. Due to its specialist nature of activity, aeration should best be left in the hands of contractors and specialists to determine the needs.
Dethatching
Dethatching is the removal of excessive plant build-up to ensure that each plant has sufficient exposure to sunlight and nutrients from the soil for it to grow properly. Dethatching should be limited to the seasons in which grass is growing rapidly and it should be performed in such a manner that the grass will recover in two weeks. Dethatching should be done once every 6 weeks during the rainy season and once every 12 weeks in the drier seasons and it is carried out together with weed removal as deemed necessary.
Overseeding
This is an activity carried out in management-designated areas where blends of mixtures are used to achieve the desired quality of grass. It is recommended that this process is preceded by dethatching when the thatch build-up exceeds 12 mm thickness.
Ornamental Plant Care
In ornamental plant care, the activities are similar to lawn care but are here applied to the care of ornamental trees, shrubs, and flowerbeds. If not handled with care, it is an area in which property owners can make significant investments. It is, therefore, important to ensure that the owners deal only with a firm that has successful experience in handling this type of work. As in the case of lawn care the following activities are essential to ornamental plant care. First, the application of herbicides to all ornamental trees, shrubs, and flowerbeds is essential. Secondly, the application of fertilizer is necessary. Thirdly, a soil analysis to determine the need to use any special fertilizers required to correct nutrient deficiencies is essential.
Additionally, edging of all ornamental trees, shrubs, and flower beds for a clear definition of boundaries, weeding of all beds, turning of existing mulch, and application of new mulch so that all beds are neat and attractive and contain no more than 75 mm of total mulch is necessary. Edging should be done at least once every two months and be accompanied by the application of mulch as deemed necessary. It is also essential to ensure that water basins around plants are large enough to accommodate the amount of water required to establish moisture through the major root zones. Pruning of all shrubs and ornamental trees in order to maintain a neat appearance as well as ensuring that only the strong branches of plants are left to promote general stability of the plant should be undertaken regularly. Particular care should be taken with shrub pruning to ensure that shrubs are not clipped into balled or boxed forms unless such is required by the design. Pruning cuts should therefore be made to lateral branches or buds or flush with the trunk. The seals should be used appropriately. A preventive insect and disease control plan should be carried out for all ornamental trees, shrubs, and flowers. This plan involves the identification of the insects and diseases to which these plants are susceptible, materials required to help prevent insect and disease problems, the amount and costs of such materials, and their application. Watering of the lawns and ornamental plant beds is done, in most of the institutions surveyed, at least every morning between 7.30 a.m. and 9.00 a.m. depending on the amount of precipitation received. For instance, no watering is done when there are heavy rains while watering may be done twice a day during a very hot season.
Conclusion
Based on the discussion, it is clear that taking care of the lawns and ornamental plants in your property is essential in improving the appearance of the property and increasing its likeability to prospective tenants. Excellent lawn care can be achieved through mowing and trimming, edging fertilization, and application of herbicides, among other activities. Ornamental plant care involves all the activities done in the lawn care category. The article has clearly provided some secrets of grounds maintenance that you can apply to your property and improve its image.
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