Common Iowa Landscaping Mistakes to Avoid

Over the years, we have seen the same landscaping mistakes repeated on properties all across Cedar Falls and the Cedar Valley. These are not subtle errors that only a trained eye would notice. They are obvious problems that cause real damage, killing plants, wasting money, and creating more work for homeowners year after year. The good news is that every single one of them is avoidable. You just have to know what to look for and what to do differently. Here are the most common mistakes we see and how to steer clear of them.

Planting too deep is the number one killer of trees and shrubs in Iowa. It happens all the time. Someone digs a hole, drops the plant in, and buries the trunk up to where the branches start. That buries the root flare, which is the spot where the trunk widens at the base. The root flare needs to be at or slightly above ground level. When it is buried, the bark stays wet, insects and diseases move in, and the roots suffocate because they cannot get enough oxygen. The tree might look fine for a season or two, then it starts declining. By the time the homeowner notices, it is too late. Find the root flare, keep it exposed, and your tree has a fighting chance.

Overmulching is almost as common. We see it on properties where homeowners pile mulch 6 to 8 inches deep around trees and shrubs. They think more is better. It is not. A layer of mulch thicker than 3 inches suffocates the roots, holds too much moisture against the stem, and creates a perfect habitat for voles, mice, and insects. We call it a mulch volcano when it is piled up against the trunk, and it is one of the worst things you can do to a tree. Keep your mulch 2 to 3 inches deep and pull it back a few inches from the stem of every plant. The mulch should look like a donut, not a volcano.

Ignoring drainage before planting is another mistake that costs homeowners time and money. You can spend thousands on beautiful plants, but if the soil stays soggy because of poor grading, those plants will rot and die. Or if the soil is too dry because water runs off instead of soaking in, they will struggle and need constant watering. Fix the drainage first. Grade the soil so water moves where it should. Install French drains or catch basins if needed. Then plant. A dry plant is fixable with a hose. A plant drowning in saturated soil is not. The order matters: drainage first, plants second.

Choosing plants without considering their mature size creates headaches for years. That cute little shrub in the one-gallon pot might grow to 8 feet wide at maturity. If you plant it 2 feet from your house, you will be pruning it constantly to keep it from covering the windows and scraping the siding. Before long, you will either be paying someone to remove it or living with a shrub that has outgrown its space. Read the tag. Look at the mature height and spread. Give it room to grow. If the tag says it gets 6 feet wide, plant it at least 3 feet from the house and from neighboring plants. Trust the label, not the cute pot.

Do not underestimate the value of proper soil preparation. A lot of homeowners dig a hole, drop the plant in, and call it done. In our clay soils, that creates a bathtub effect where water collects in the planting hole and drowns the roots. Loosen the soil in a wide area around the planting hole, at least 2 to 3 times the width of the root ball. Mix in some compost if the soil is heavy clay. Break up any compacted layers. The roots need to be able to spread out into the surrounding soil, not just sit in a hole of loose amended dirt surrounded by solid clay. Good prep costs nothing extra and makes everything you plant perform better.