With shelter in place orders in effect for the indefinite future, Californian’s are becoming increasingly stir crazy as we head into the warmer months. Luckily, it’s also the perfect time to start implementing landscape maintenance into your Rancho Santa Fe property—and beyond, before it gets too hot to work outside. Here are some tips for successful Rancho Santa Fe landscape maintenance even during the shelter in place order.

Zeroscape your yard to cut down on your water bill

With California’s near-constant drought, Californian’s are encouraged to cut back on their water consumption as much as possible. Lush plants and greenery that require a lot of water are not only expensive, but they can eat away at resources that California needs as water becomes more scarce each year. Zeroscaping provides an opportunity to cut back on that water usage by limiting the amount of water you need to use to keep your yard looking nice.

Think about replacing aspects of your landscaping, like your lawn, with zeroscaping instead. Things like rock work and the use of pebbles instead of mulch in garden areas will cut back on water significantly, while you can opt for foliage and plants that need little water—like those of the cactus variety—instead of plants that need to be watered often in order to stay alive.

Trim the trees around your house

Did you know that overgrown trees are more than just unsightly? Overgrown trees that get in the way of power and electric lines can cause fires or power outages. While the problem can be both costly and time consuming to fix while also putting lives at risk, it can easily be avoided with some extra yard work. Plus, with more free time you have the opportunity to get these tasks done.

But we don’t recommend tackling potentially dangerous projects on your own. Hiring a professional to do your landscape maintenance for you can mean the difference between risking your life and doing the job safely. Feel free to tackle small tasks on your own, but call professionals like Natures Design Landscaping for anything that might require heavy machinery or trees that are growing too close to power lines already.

That being said, trees can add a whole new layer of privacy to your home that was not there before. If you live near a busy road and want to add more privacy to your living space or yard, consider adding things like trees or shrubs near the road to both block the noise and the views into your yard and home from the street. Professional services like Natures Design can recommend tree species that will do this effectively, while limiting your water intake during the warmer months.