Your home’s landscaping can make the exterior look pristine. However, if you have drainage issues in the yard, many of those plants may struggle to grow properly. Worse, it can make your landscaping look poorly maintained. While there are many factors that contribute to drainage issues in your yard, the right landscape maintenance routine will help keep them at bay. Here’s what you need to know.

What Causes Drainage Issues

Puddles collecting on the lawn can be a source of panic for homeowners, but the cause of the puddles is not always obvious. The first conclusion homeowners make is that something is wrong with their gutters or drainage system. Though this could be the case, most drainage issues are caused by the lawn itself. As you mow, some of the trimmings collect in between the growing blades of grass. This forms a layer of thatch that is beneficial to the yard and landscape.

However, if the thatch gets too thick, the lawn may struggle to properly absorb water, leading to puddles and poor drainage. For plants to thrive, their roots need to receive the proper amount of moisture at all times. Too little water and the plants won’t be able to grow. If the roots get too much water, they can mold and rot, causing the plant to die.

What to Do About Drainage Problems

The easiest way to avoid drainage issues is to stay up-to-date with your landscape maintenance. Aerate the lawn in the fall to help the soil decompress and give water and run-off a place to soak in properly. If the aeration doesn’t solve the problem, dethatch the lawn with a rake and bag up and dispose of the grass clippings. Your lawn care provider will be able to do this for you.

As a general precaution, have the gutters thoroughly cleaned and inspected to ensure that the drainage system is working properly. Even if it’s not the primary cause of lawn drainage issues, it can still create unwanted puddles around the house and garden. If you have French drains around the yard, let your landscape maintenance expert inspect them for clogs and proper placement. This will help keep puddles from forming in the first place.

Landscape maintenance and lawn care can be tough to manage on your own. Let the experts at Pasadena Gardening & Tree Service serving Pasadena, CA and the surrounding area, keep your yard looking great. They understand how to prepare and maintain proper drainage so each plant can thrive for years to come. Whether you need assistance with mowing or want an experienced pro to handle tree trimming before winter rolls around, they’re ready to help. See what others are saying about their services online and call (626) 449-4340 to schedule an appointment.