Editorial team
The LandscapeLookup editorial team writes guides to help US homeowners plan yard projects and hire the right pro. Each guide is based on university extension services, government sources such as EPA WaterSense and USDA, manufacturer instructions and published cost guides, and links to them so you can check the details.
Plant in fall after leaf drop or in early spring before bud break. Dig a hole 2 to 3 times wider than the root ball but no deeper, set the root flare at or just above grade, backfill with the soil you dug out, water well and mulch 2 to 3 inches deep without touching the trunk.
October 30, 2026
Lawn grasses are cool-season (Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, fine fescue) for the North or warm-season (Bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine, centipede, bahia, buffalograss) for the South. Pick by region first, then by sun, traffic and water.
October 28, 2026
An ISA Certified Arborist has at least 3 years of tree care experience, passed a 200-question exam and keeps up with continuing education. Hire one for large-tree pruning, risk checks, removal decisions and sick trees.
October 26, 2026
Professional artificial turf installation runs about $5 to $20 per sq ft, with recent cost guide averages running about $13 to $20. A typical 500 sq ft yard costs roughly $2,700 to $10,000, depending on turf quality, prep work and where you live.
October 15, 2026
Apply crabgrass pre-emergent in spring, a week or two before the soil holds about 55°F for several days in a row, then water it in. That ranges from mid-February in the Florida Panhandle to mid-April through early May in places like Nebraska.
October 14, 2026
Pick a spot at least 10 feet from the house where runoff flows but water doesn't already pond, dig a level basin 3 to 8 inches deep (usually 100 to 300 sq ft), berm the low side and plant natives that handle wet and dry.
October 13, 2026
Mix 10 or more small soil cores from your lawn, send about 2 cups to your state's extension lab, and add lime only if the report says your pH is too low, in spring or fall, at no more than 50 lb per 1,000 sq ft at a time.
October 12, 2026
Common landscape rock like pea gravel, crushed stone, river rock and lava rock runs about $10 to $220 per ton in 2026 cost guides. It works best on paths, dry creek beds and in desert or wildfire-prone yards, and less well in most planting beds.
October 11, 2026
Topdressing means spreading a thin layer of compost, topsoil or sand, no more than 1/2 inch at a time, over a growing lawn to improve the soil or fill shallow low spots. Match the material to your soil and keep the grass blades showing.
October 10, 2026
The best backyard ideas start with how you'll use the space: a patio sized for your furniture, shade over part of it, privacy along the edges, layered planting beds and only as much lawn as you play on. Here are ideas by job, plus typical costs.
October 9, 2026
Aerate cool-season grass (bluegrass, fescue, ryegrass) in early fall or spring, and warm-season grass (Bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine) from late spring through midsummer, while it's actively growing and has at least 4 weeks to recover.
October 8, 2026
Xeriscaping is landscaping built to need little water beyond rainfall, using seven principles: planning, soil prep, practical turf, adapted plants, efficient irrigation, mulch and maintenance. It doesn't have to mean gravel and cactus.
October 7, 2026