Po-tay-to vs. po-tah-to, lawn care & landscaping — they’re pretty much the same thing, right?
Well, while they do have overlap, these two specialties really are different.
To the uninitiated, lawn care and landscaping might seem like the same thing. However, these terms actually refer to two complementary but distinct services. Lawn care happens in a few minutes or hours and is performed to maintain a beautiful yard. Landscaping is the process of creating that beautiful yard and often requires days or weeks to complete.
How do you know which services you need when comparing lawn care vs. landscaping? What is the difference between lawn care and landscaping? Find out here!
What Is Lawn Care?
Taking good care of a lawn means far more than just mowing the grass. For a lawn to stay green and lush, it needs the proper nutrients, water, conditions, and lawn services. Additionally, a healthy lawn will require care on a regular schedule. Common lawn care tasks include:
- Lawn Mowing: cutting the grass to the optimal height for a healthy lawn
- Trimming: cutting the edge of the grass where the mower can’t cut properly
- Edging: cutting into the turf to create a clean line between the edge of the lawn and walkways
- Fertilizing: choosing the right fertilizer and nourishing the lawn with a proper mix of nutrients
- Weed control: treatment to cut down on weeds and prevent new ones
- Pest control: treatments to deter or kill bugs that would damage your lawn
- Dethatching: removing thatch in the lawn to limit the spread of fungus
- Fungicide application: preventative treatment to protect against lawn diseases
- Aeration: making small holes in the thatch to allow water and nutrients to get to the roots
- Lime application (if needed in your area): lime can balance the soil pH in overly acidic soils
- Seeding: adding new seed to areas that are thinning or patchy
- Clean up after maintenance services and as the seasons progress through the year
- For commercial properties, the above all applies but may be done on a larger scale
What Is Landscaping?
Landscaping is a completely different set of tasks. Instead of maintaining what is already there, the focus is on creating a pleasing space that complements your home and improves the property value. Landscaping tasks include:
- Design: planning a landscape design that is practical, easy to maintain, and beautiful
- Installation: examples include planting flowers and trees, applying sod, or laying mulch or gravel.
- Construction: Building retaining walls and shade structures, installing hardscape (non-living landscape elements) like walkways and patios, or establishing drainage, lighting, or irrigation systems
- Repairing hardscapes like driveways and landscape maintenance and repair
- Tree and shrub care: pruning, trimming, fertilization, shaping, application of treatments for disease, and removal if plant is dead or problematic
Why Is It Important to Make Sure You Have the Right Specialist?
You wouldn’t go to a residential housekeeping service for a master bath remodel, would you? The same applies when shopping around for a landscaping or lawn care company.
While many landscaping companies can do a great job caring for your lawn, the reverse is not always true. Lawn care service specialists do a great job keeping your lawn healthy and lush, but there are far more skills involved with a full landscaping project.
For example, a landscaping provider needs to have an artistic and practical understanding of plants, trees, lighting, hardscapes, and how these elements can work together just to create the initial design for the outdoor space. Then, essential skills for construction and installation are needed.
Turning on a sprinkler system is not the same thing as installing it and ensuring the drainage is handled correctly. This is the difference between a professionally installed, expert system and one thrown together that’s constantly in need of repair.
Why Should I Look for a Locally-Owned Lawn Care and Landscaping Service Provider Near Me?
America is a big country and climate, rainfall, average days of sunshine, and soil quality vary wildly across the 50 states. In rainy areas, you can plant lush gardens. However, in areas that see lots of droughts, you need to rely more on hardscapes and plants that can live on small amounts of water.
If you choose plants that don’t do well in your area, you’re creating extra work for yourself and your garden will never flourish. A local specialist will know what thrives in your area and how to incorporate these plants to achieve a look you’ll love.
Plus, as with all forms of art, landscaping trends come and go. A local specialist knows what’s “in” and will add value to your property.
Ready for an amazing yard? Reach out to us today to learn more about our landscaping services. We are your full service, local Georgia experts in everything lawn care and landscaping related!
