So I’m a first time homeowner and first time really managing a lawn/backyard. It’s been a couple months and I need to start making this yard presentable since I finally got lawn equipment.
These plants are overtaking the deck quite a bit but I also want to keep that jungle feel. What would be the best approach?
Also if you see anything there that should get removed please point it out. I am just learning about yards and plants.
by kupsquared
4 Comments
Machete and a safari outfit.
That thick wall of greenery is mostly Areca palms and they are notoriously aggressive growers that will swallow your deck whole if you let them. To keep the jungle vibe without losing your square footage you need to do what we call thinning cuts rather than heading cuts. Don’t just chop the tips of the leaves off because that turns brown and looks trashy. You need to get down on your hands and knees with a saw or loppers and cut entire stalks right at the soil line to reduce the bulk.
Focus on removing the canes closest to the wood first because you need at least a 12 to 18 inch gap between the foliage and your deck boards for airflow. Without that gap you are inviting rot and giving pests a bridge right into your outdoor living space. By thinning out the clump from the bottom you actually enhance that tropical look because it exposes the cool bamboo-like trunks while keeping the canopy high and lush. I help people with these kinds of dense tropical layouts all the time and airflow is the secret sauce to making it look managed rather than overgrown.
Those big leafy guys at the bottom look like Elephant Ears and they pair well with the palms but keep an eye on them since they spread fast in moist soil. The massive tree in the back with the Spanish moss is a Live Oak and it is a total treasure so don’t let anyone talk you into stripping that moss off since it doesn’t actually hurt the tree. Just keep the palms off the deck structure and you are golden.
Gloves, prunning shears, garbage bags, and if you have teenage kids, get them going.
Or hire a landscaper. Depending on how much you want it should be between $350 to $700.
Prune back what’s in the way