Professional and DIY Landscaping Tips for Overland Park

Overland Park is known for having the best landscapes in the Midwest. But neighborhoods don’t naturally look that good overnight! It takes a lot to build the best neighborhoods in the KC area. When you’re ready for a yard that makes homeowners nationwide green with envy, just follow these landscaping tips for Overland Park.

DIY Landscaping Tips

At GD Services, we’ve fixed many DIY projects that are DOA. We don’t recommend doing everything yourself, but we understand if you like to get your hands dirty too! Before you head to your local home improvement store, follow these easy landscaping tips for Overland Park DIYers.

Do Your Maintenance First

The easiest way to get a lush landscape is by working with what you already have. The biggest problems our pros find in most homes we look at is that easy maintenance is done improperly or sometimes not at all! Make sure you’re cutting your lawn to the right height, trimming your trees and shrubs regularly, and watering the right amount for each season. Get your maintenance on track first, and if things still don’t look the way you want, hit the books.

Do Your Homework Second

It’s easy to jump into a project, and even easier to get in over your head. Most big-box home improvement stores have excellent consumer-quality products. However, they typically don’t have people to help you when your yard is a mess on Sunday night after 10 hours of that “easy-peasy project” you found on Instagram. 

That scenario may sound really specific, but it’s one we see all too often. Before you dive into a project, one of our best landscape tips for Overland Park is to plan accordingly. Give yourself some time to work, plan the stages of your project, and complete each stage with a clear end goal in mind. Plan for labor (and breaks), materials you need, and tools you need to rent or buy. 

How to Find the Right Plants

We love rare and exotic plants as much as the next person—just not when it comes to your landscaping. Your local big box home improvement store will have garden centers with a variety of plants available and ready to go. But how many of them are right for your lawn? We suggest selecting the closest native plants to your area as possible.

Start by designing your landscape to put your desired plants where they can get the optimal amount of sunlight. You’ll also want to keep water and drainage in mind. Where you buy your plants from is also just as important! We recommend supporting locally owned nurseries because they typically stock plants that do well in our environment, plus your money goes right back into your community! 

Have the Right Tools

Most homeowners don’t have experience with the professional tools their projects require. But if you do, we’re hiring! Your dad was right when he said you need the right tools to get the job done right. So, if your arsenal is currently made up of gloves, a shovel, and a mower, stick to the basic projects and work your way up. 

You can still do a lot with basic tools. Clearing debris, leveling land, and light plantings can all be done with a free afternoon and some elbow grease. However, if you’re looking to dethatch and aerate your lawn or till up a new flower bed, you’ll want to get the right tools from your trusty hardware store.

Planning for Additions

As we give landscaping tips for Overland Park homeowners, we always recommend ways to professionally improve the form and function. For many projects, this means adding a retaining wall, patio, or even a fire pit. 

While these may seem like easy projects, professional service and quality is always worth the investment. Instead of spending your entire budget on one stage of your project, we recommend saving for professional additions to make an even bigger impact on your overall landscaping transformation.

The Hidden Costs of DIY

We feel it is important to mention the hidden costs you may not think about while browsing Pinterest for ideas. There are many DIYers, but there are few dedicated landscaping professionals. Don’t be fooled: This is hard work. Unless your idea of fun is dirty work in triple-digit temperatures, landscaping may not be the most enticing task on your honey-do list. 

Before we introduce our landscaping tips for Overland Park professionals, make sure you know what you’re getting when you aim for professional grade.

Time

The common theme in all of our previous landscaping tips for Overland Park DIYers is preparation. At GD Services, just as much time goes into planning and preparation as planting a professional landscape. What’s more, our team combines over 45 years of experience on every project we touch. When it comes down to it, you really only have two choices when it comes to your landscaping project. Going it alone, or getting things done right with our trusted pros.

Materials

The next time you find yourself in that big-box hardware store, take a good look at the materials they offer. Can you tell where they were sourced? Are they unique for every project? Are they the highest quality? If any of those questions are hard to answer, you’ll likely be compromising on your project.

Our team conducts quality assurance on every plant, paver, and part of your project. The best landscapes in Overland Park don’t compromise on anything. So why should yours? Your home deserves professional-quality materials and service in every project. 

Professional Landscaping Tips

Whether you’re reading this as a seasoned landscaper, or you’re aspiring for professional-grade results, get ready to put your thinking cap on. These are our top landscaping tips for Overland Park professionals that ask us for help.

Look at the Soil

Overland Park soil is dense with clay. This not only makes planting an interesting task, it means that there are many cases where nutrients can be hard to find. The hallmark of professional-quality landscaping is quality soil and plant life. Here are three keys to keeping a lush, healthy lawn:

• A properly fertilized landscape will actually use less water because the plants use water more efficiently in top condition.

• As you plan irrigation, you should position the sprinkler heads far enough apart to get even, head to head water coverage. 

• As you seed and feed with a broadcast spreader, the product being spread should be thrown back to the inside track of the last pass to avoid over/under applications. Inefficient spreading could lead to toxicity for too much product, resistance for too little, and runoff if there is too much nitrogen.

The Only 3 Guarantees Are Death, Taxes, and Weeds

Ben Franklin had it right when he said, “In this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.” But he wasn’t a landscaper. Weeds are a fact of life; there is no miracle cure-all for them. However, there are a few chemicals we trust to keep them in their place.

2-4-D is one of the most widely used broadleaf herbicides. But do you know how it works? It kills plants by causing the cells to divide faster than it can provide resources, growing itself to death. However, when improperly cleaned from a spread, it can actually act as a fertilizer. Make sure that you correctly plan to mix the right amount of spray unless you really like dandelions!

The Right Vendors Lower Costs

The right tools and all the expertise mean nothing if you can’t afford the materials you need. So, our final landscaping tip for Overland Park professionals is to find the right vendor for your operation. Typically, the right plants and products are right around the corner. Keeping your business local also saves shipping costs!

Experience in Excellence

You may be wondering how we know these landscaping tips for Overland Park. Well, we’re here because practice makes perfect. George Dille, the founder of GD Services, devotes his life to providing professional service while promoting the natural beauty of every environment. 

“My knowledge grows daily by being exposed to work from others locally and across the globe.”

George Dille– Team Lead, CEO

By learning from other professionals and combining nearly 50 years of experience in this field, GD Services is proud to be one of the premier landscaping authorities in Overland Park. From backyard renovations to commercial hardscaping, we approach every project with uncompromising courtesy and quality.

Love Your Landscape

Whether you’re going it alone or you’ve decided to call in the professionals, we’re here for you. Get your project started by scheduling your consultation, or contact our crew! For even more tips on landscaping, hardscaping, and other projects, sign up for our monthly newsletter!