After three wonderfully wet winters in a row, Northern California is bursting with vibrant greens spanning from the foothills to front lawns. And for newconstruction home buyers, this abundance of rain also helped prepare each new property for thriving gardens earlier than buyers might have expected to have them.
While you’ve been busy ogling the contemporary countertops, flooring, paint colors, trim and light fixtures your builder offers, the rain was working its magic outdoors. All that moisture helped aerate the soil and flush out excess minerals, improving its structure and preparing it for planting.
Thanks to the rain, there’s a good chance microbial activity has been taking place deep in the soil where no one can see it, creating a healthy foundation for root systems to take hold. Think of it this way: Just as concrete is the foundation for a well-built home, healthy soil sets the stage for strong, lasting plant growth.
Whether you’re a weekend gardener, a green-thumbed daily DIY-er or a shameless brown-thumber, the softened soil will be easier to work with as you mix in nutrient-rich topsoil and organic mulch. But before you dig in, it’s important to know what landscaping is included with your home.
Most new-home communities provide front-yard landscaping that’s designed to boost curb appeal while conserving water. That might include droughttolerant plants, mulch or decorative rock, young trees, turf or sod and an automated irrigation system. All these are typically installed just before move-in.
If you’re hoping to personalize your outdoor space, now’s the time to ask the builder some questions.
For instance, does the included irrigation system accommodate your plans? If you envision native gardens or expanded hardscaping, you might want more drip irrigation manifolds and fewer sprinkler heads.
Once you’ve mapped out possibilities for patios, outdoor kitchens or other shade structures that may be part of your outdoor space sooner or later, use a thoughtful approach to layering in greenery. Instead of installing a full lawn, for instance, consider gravel or stone paths edged with native plants, herbs or raised garden beds.
Speaking of going native, visit the California Native Plant Society’s Calscape site and enter your new home’s address (or a nearby one if your home’s address doesn’t populate). In seconds, you’ll receive a tailored list of plants by category that is most likely to thrive in your area.
Take advantage of the ground that’s already been primed by the winter rains work. You can further enrich it by mixing in compost and nutrient-rich soil.
Next, look into applying a few inches of organic mulch in late spring or early summer. This layer will help retain moisture through the hotter months and help suppress weeds.
Even if you won’t have the chance to put many new plants in the ground this year, go ahead and take advantage of the soil’s readiness. By adding fresh soil and mulches, the ground will be primed for planting spring bulbs this fall or new greenery next year.
You may even be planning to install raised flower beds or border beds around a large patio at some point.
In the meantime, you can use sheet mulching techniques keep soil fertile and weed-free before you decide which areas will be hardscape and which will have new life. Layered cardboard (topped with soil) or decorative features like gravel, lava rock or crushed stone are good sheet-mulching placeholders until you’re ready for more planting.
Finally, don’t worry if you can’t finish landscaping every inch of the yard right away.
Go ahead and pace yourself and incorporate some freedom to focus on unpacking and turning every part of your house and property into a home.
Tour the neighborhood for ideas, letting creativity and nature guide the process.
You might even meet some new neighbors in the process. Most of all, have fun creating outdoor spaces that will be full of life and grow with you.