Landscaping success is all about managing the land that you have to work with and making gradual improvements based on how things are going. It’s easy to forget how important the tiniest details can be, and that is particularly true when it comes to the soil on your landscape. The soil in your landscaping is one of the most important elements to manage. The plants on your property each need specific levels of nutrients in the soil so that they are able to grow to their full potential. Beginner landscapers oftentimes don’t understand just how important the quality and consistency of the soil they are working with is. They have to learn the hard way that grass, flowers, trees, and shrubs all need high-quality soil to grow.

If you have dealt with landscaping issues before, the chances are good that you had problems related to the soil. It is very easy for the soil to get compacted over time and prevent your plants from reaching their growth potential. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to improve the quality of your soil and avoid soil compaction. We’ve put together a quick list of tips for avoiding soil compaction below so that you have the information you need to achieve amazing landscaping results. Remember that if you are interested in improving your soil, you should connect with the team at Cal Blend Soils. Our landscaping supplies can dramatically improve the quality and consistency of your soil and help you create the landscape of your dreams.

Tip #1 – Limit Foot Traffic

It doesn’t matter if you are trying to avoid compacted soil on your lawn, backyard, garden, or anywhere else on your property. If there is heavy foot traffic, the soil will absolutely get compacted over time. When people walk over certain areas of your landscape, their weight pushes the soil down continuously and leads to compaction. This is an inevitability for landscapers who host visitors, which is why one of the most practical tips for avoiding compacted soil is to limit foot traffic on the areas you are concerned about.

You don’t necessarily have to prevent people from walking on your landscape entirely. One idea might be to create certain pathways and areas that are ok for people to walk on. Steering guests away from the areas you want to prevent soil compaction is probably the best approach. However, limiting the number of visitors entirely is always an effective choice as well.

Tip #2 – Make Sure Your Property Has Good Irrigation

One of the big reasons why soil ends up getting compacted has to do with the drainage on your property. That’s why if you want to avoid soil compaction and its negative impacts on your landscaping, make sure your property has good irrigation and drainage. There are a few ways you can approach this. First, you might want to check on the drainage paths on your property and see how they are managing during heavy rainfall.

Another strategy is to hire an expert to come out and provide insight into stormwater management on your property. It can be difficult to assess drainage without prior experience, so keep that in mind if you are trying to solve irrigation issues all on your own.

Tip #3 – Aerate Regularly

If you are trying to keep the soil from getting too compacted, there’s actually one activity you can do that should help out. Aerating your soil involves adding small holes into the soil that provide more airflow and allows more water to get deeper into the ground. The best time to aerate your soil is during the springtime. However, if you have warm-season grass, you can aerate in the fall for better results.

Aeration is best handled with special tools like a spike aerator or a plug aerator. Before you begin with aerating your soil, you should dethatch your lawn with a rake to help make the task easier for yourself and to get better results.

Tip #4 – Avoid Mowing Wet Grass

Sometimes, landscaping success is about knowing what not to do. That’s the case with this tip for avoiding soil compaction. If you are someone that heads outside to mow your grass, keep in mind that mowing when the grass is wet can cause the soil to get compacted. The heavy lawnmower that you are riding on might make things easier for you while you are mowing, but it will also cause added weight to compact your soil down after heavy rainfall.

It’s best to avoid mowing your lawn when it is wet if you are trying to prevent the soil from getting too compacted. Instead, wait a day or two for the soil to dry out a little bit before heading outdoors for a mow.

Tip #5 – Use Landscaping Supplies from Cal Blend Soils

Perhaps the best way to prevent your soil from getting too compacted is to get it tested so that you know exactly what it is made up of. That way, you can explore using landscaping supplies to amend the soil and improve its consistency. There are tons of great landscaping supplies from Cal Blend Soils that can improve your soil consistency. All it takes is an inquiry to one of our team members and we can set you up with exactly what you need to avoid letting your soil get too compacted.

Some of the best products for improving the quality of your soil include soil amendments, topsoil, and mulch. Every landscaping supply has its own unique set of advantages, so make sure you are exploring all of the options that are available to you. Connect with Cal Blend Soils today to learn more about our great landscaping supplies and how they can help you achieve your landscaping goals. We even offer discounts on bulk purchases and can deliver our great products to the location of your choice.