Landscaping Tips to Make Maintaining Your Rental Property Easier

 

How can I make my rental yard look better? 

This is a question we get a lot, and we know that landscaping can be a challenge for landlords, especially in Texas, where we tend to have extreme weather from time to time. 

The ideal rental property lawn is attractive and low-maintenance. 

Tenants will look for a clean, mowed lawn and bushes that are trimmed and healthy. But, they won’t want to spend their weekends keeping up with ornate garden features, leaf blowing, and flower bed weeding. 

Consider the climate in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. It’s hot here, especially in the summer months. You’ll want to be sure your landscaping can survive in the intense sun and the occasional winter freezes. 

Here are a few landscaping tips that will make maintaining your rental property easier. 

How Do I Make My Yard Low Maintenance? 

A low-maintenance lawn for your rental property starts with the right grass. 

In our region of Texas, the best choices for grass are St. Augustine grass or Buffalo grass. These grasses are durable; they can take high heat as well as high traffic. They are often compared to turf grasses, and they’re easily resistant to heat and even to drought, so you won’t be left with a dead, brown landscape in August. One thing to know is that these grasses also grow fast, so prepare to have your lawn mowed regularly, especially during the summer months.  

When it comes to plants and trees, always choose native Texas varieties when you can. These are more adaptable to our unique climate and soil. There’s less weeding, watering, and fertilizing required as well. 

These local and sustainable grasses and plants don’t require much maintenance, and they’ll make your property look pretty throughout the year. 

Water and Mulch

You need a well-watered outdoor space in order to keep it looking fresh and healthy. A welcoming and inviting lawn is green. However, preserving water and soil moisture can seem challenging. You’ll want irrigation that’s almost intuitive. 

You can set your sprinklers and irrigation to automatic waterings, and the best time to water in Florida is early mornings.

Another way to preserve water is by topping off your gardens and plant areas with a thick layer of mulch. The mulch will also lead to fewer weeds. 

What is the best mulch for rental property? We’re glad you asked. Wood chips are the easiest to set up and maintain. While they aren’t great at keeping the weeds out, they look good and they’re expensive. If your rental property has a serious weed issue, consider investing in cedar chips or cypress when you’re mulching. 

Professional Landscaping for Rental Homes

Consider hiring a landscaping service. Not only will this relieve your tenants of the responsibility that comes with keeping your lawn looking great, it will also ensure that the lawn is maintained to your standards. You can roll the cost of the service into the rental payment. 

These are general landscaping suggestions, and we’d be happy to give you some specific advice based on your property’s outdoor space. Please contact us at Trend Property & Management. We’re here to help with all your Fort Worth property management needs. We also serve Keller, Saginaw, Hurst, and the surrounding areas.