Basic Landscaping Tips on Properties with Urban Soil Profiles
26 May 2021One aspect of landscaping that can truly affect its quality is the soil profile. All soil profiles have mineral particles, organic matter, water, and air. Typically, the percentage of these elements on a specific soil profile can determine its overall texture, structure, porosity, chemistry, colour, and other characteristics.
A healthy soil profile, for instance, has a lot of air spaces. The existence of a huge percentage of air on this type of soil profile can prevent stagnation of roots and waterlogging. It can also be perfect for landscaping since softscape elements can easily grow and develop.
Urban soil profiles, unfortunately, are typically marred with a lot of contaminants. Over time, urban soils can acquire historic automotive emissions, stack emissions, house paint residues, pesticide residue, and other similar elements. But by following proper landscaping tips, properties that are situated in urban areas can still boast the benefits and advantages that are associated with a landscaping feature.
Manage the Soil Effectively
Before incorporating some landscaping features and elements into the backyard, property owners should manage their soil profile first. Even with contaminants, property owners can still improve the condition of their soil by raising its pH level. Doing this can help slow down the plants from absorbing contaminants. The addition of organic matter like compost to the soil can likewise lock up the contaminants, preventing them from ruining the softscape elements.
Choose the Plants Wisely
Softscape refers to the living elements of a landscape. These elements often include plants, shrubs, trees, flowers, and others. Given that the urban soil profiles have certain contaminants, the type of plants that must be included on the landscape must be selected wisely. Fruit crops and tree crops can be planted on this specific soil profile since they cannot be contaminated easily. Crops where edible portions will be in direct contact with the soil, alternatively, must be avoided if possible.
Consider Alternative Options
Instead of planting crops on areas where contaminants mostly exist, property owners may want to consider planting ornamentals instead. Ornamental plants are typically maximised in landscaping as they can provide a boost in terms of their overall appearance. Even with this type of soil profile, ornamentals can still bring appealing looks to the backyard. Another alternative option when landscaping with an urban soil profile is to incorporate raised beds with imported soil.
Position the Plants Properly
Having a professional assess the condition of the soil profile can help property owners determine which part of their backyard is contaminated heavily. So, when planning for the perfect landscaping in urban soil, one can keep the edibles like fruits and vegetables far from the part where the level of contaminants is high. Aside from keeping the edibles away from bad soil, plants and other softscape elements must be planted far from roads or nearby buildings to prevent them from obtaining pollutants.
Even with an urban soil profile, landscaping can still be conducted to make a property more appealing, more comfortable, and more valuable. If you want some help in landscaping, feel free to reach us at Mark Browning Landscape Design.
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