Many people dedicate a lot of time, money and care to their gardens. A garden is often seen as an empty canvas you fill with your favorite plants, trees, rocks, flowers, a patio or a deck or even a pool. While there is nothing wrong about picturing your perfect garden, keep in mind that landscaping is more than just that.

With landscaping, a lot is about the general layout and little details. These things can make or break your garden so it is important to pay attention to them. There are so many little things that seem insignificant at first but can cause numerous problems in your garden, particularly when it comes to maintenance.

Low maintenance of your garden is important thing to take into account. This will make your job so much easier and you will save a lot of money. However, to have a low maintenance garden there are certain things you need to do.

Some of the most troubling issues you can have in your garden are drainage and irrigation problems. Bad drainage can lead to numerous issues, such as excessive moisture, which in turn can endanger your plants. Irrigation problems can lead to various problems in your garden, such as over-watering of some areas and drying of others, poor plant health, excessive moisture and other issues.

Here are some important tips you need to know about correcting drainage and irrigation problems in your garden. These things will help you avoid common maintenance problems and make landscaping easier in your garden.

Problems with Drainage

Even the most beautiful garden can be filled with drainage problems. If drainage is an issue, this will probably cause numerous maintenance problems. This is one of the main issues that can ruin the health of your garden plants and cause additional problems.

One common result of poor drainage is endangered health of your plants. Erosion and runoff problems are another issue. If drainage is truly bad in your garden, it can even pose a problem for installing simple structures such as a birdbath.

For example, paved areas in the garden can easily push the flow of water to other areas. In turn, these areas will experience excessive moisture. This can cause a lot of issues for the plants. Excessive moisture can affect plant health because it will make plant roots sit in water. This can lead to root rot, which can eventually kill the plant. Excessive moisture may even make mowing difficult or impossible.

This is why it's so important to address drainage issues even before you start setting up your garden. If it's too late, it is still useful to consult a specialist. This will help preventing future problems.

Commercial landscapes often use retention ponds to address drainage issues, as well as excessive runoff. These may be a good choice for certain gardens, but keep in mind that these ponds can also cause maintenance issues if they are not holding water.

Slopes are another thing that can cause drainage problems. Slopes are good for directing the flow of water but they should not be too steep. If they are steep, they may make mowing dangerous. It can also cause additional drainage problems. Soil erosion is another problem with slopes that are too steep. They may also make mulching more difficult.

You can solve some of these issues if you plant ornamental grasses or shrubs on the slopes. This will make slopes more attractive and easier for maintenance.

Irrigation Issues

Another thing you need to keep in mind is irrigation. This is another thing that can cause numerous problems if not done correctly. For example, a poor sprinkler irrigation system design can cause numerous issues in the garden.

Some of the main irrigation mistakes you need to avoid are:

• Over-spraying: It wastes water so make sure to use adequate amount of water.
• Poor spacing of sprinkler heads: This can create dry spots. Make sure to space sprinkler heads evenly to avoid this problem.
• Inadequate water pressure: This problem can make the sprinkler heads apply less water than desirable. Make sure that your sprinkler has adequate water pressure.
• Improper water zones: These put too much water in one area of the garden and not enough in the others. To avoid this issue, make sure to put beds of seasonal color on separate zones so the sprinkler system can reach them all evenly.
• Incorrect head selection: It can cause any combination of problems, from inadequate amount of water to dry and wet spots. Make sure to always select the right type of sprinkler heads you need for your garden.

Photo credit: Sharon Dowdy