Troubleshooting reference
Start with symptoms, rule out homeowner-safe basics, and escalate conservatively when safety, structure, utility service, or water damage is involved.
Call soon
New plants wilt or die within weeks
Likely causes
- Poor watering establishment
- Wrong plant for sun/soil
- Root ball planted too deep
Homeowner-safe check
Check soil moisture at root depth and water deeply, not just at the surface.
When to call
Call soon if many plants fail, drainage is poor, or warranty deadlines are near.
Call soon
Yard floods or drains toward the house
Likely causes
- Improper grading
- Downspout discharge
- Compacted soil or blocked swale
Homeowner-safe check
Extend downspouts temporarily and avoid adding soil against siding.
When to call
Call soon for grading/drainage plan before foundation or landscape damage grows.
Emergency
Retaining wall bulges, leans, or drains poorly
Likely causes
- No drainage aggregate/pipe
- Wall overloaded
- Poor base or geogrid
Homeowner-safe check
Keep people away from a leaning wall and do not add surcharge above it.
When to call
Call immediately if wall supports a driveway, slope, patio, or structure.
Routine
Mulch touches siding or tree trunks
Likely causes
- Over-mulching
- Termite/moisture bridge
- Volcano mulching around trees
Homeowner-safe check
Pull mulch back from siding and expose tree root flares.
When to call
Call routinely if grading changes or plant health issues are involved.
Routine
Irrigation zones do not run or overspray
Likely causes
- Broken head
- Valve or controller fault
- Pressure/regulator problem
Homeowner-safe check
Run a manual test and flag broken heads; avoid watering pavement or siding.
When to call
Call before plants decline or water bills spike.
Call soon
Hardscape settles or edges spread
Likely causes
- Insufficient compacted base
- Missing edge restraint
- Drainage washout
Homeowner-safe check
Photograph and avoid filling low spots with loose sand as a permanent fix.
When to call
Call soon if trip hazards, drainage, or retaining edges are affected.
Routine
Lawn/bed weeds return after treatment
Likely causes
- Wrong timing
- Seed bank pressure
- Applicator/category mismatch
Homeowner-safe check
Confirm whether product was pre-emergent or post-emergent and follow watering rules.
When to call
Call licensed applicator if pesticides are used or warranty retreatment is disputed.
Routine
Tree/shrub pruning leaves stubs or topped cuts
Likely causes
- Improper pruning technique
- Wrong season
- No plant-specific plan
Homeowner-safe check
Stop further pruning and photograph cuts before regrowth hides them.
When to call
Call an arborist/landscaper for corrective pruning plan.
Call soon
Landscape lighting or water feature trips GFCI
Likely causes
- Water intrusion
- Damaged low-voltage cable
- Pump/transformer fault
Homeowner-safe check
Unplug/turn off equipment and do not reset repeatedly around wet areas.
When to call
Call landscaper/electrician depending on voltage and equipment.
Routine
Contractor will not specify plant sizes, soil prep, or warranty watering duties
Likely causes
- Bid not comparable
- Warranty conflict ahead
- Substitution risk
Homeowner-safe check
Ask for botanical/common names, container/caliper size, amendments, and watering responsibility.
When to call
Call another landscaper if they refuse written specs and warranty conditions.
Maintenance schedule
Seasonal tasks
Spring
- In spring, inspect new plant crowns, mulch depth, irrigation heads, and low areas where winter settlement changed drainage.
Summer
- During summer heat, water new trees deeply, adjust spray patterns, and flag plants wilting despite moist soil.
Fall
- In fall, pull mulch away from trunks, clear swales, and remove leaves that mat over groundcovers or drains.
Winter
- In winter, avoid piling deicing salt near beds and note snowplow damage to edging, shrubs, or irrigation boxes.
Interval tasks
Monthly
- Monthly, walk beds for clogged emitters, root flare burial, leaning stakes, washouts, and pest pressure on stressed plants.
Annual
- Yearly, compare plant performance against sun, soil, and water assumptions before replacing dead material with the same species.
Every few years
- Every few years, reassess grading, mature plant spacing, retaining-edge movement, irrigation controller zones, and drainage outlet condition.
Cost components
Labor
Site preparation, soil correction, plant handling, drainage shaping, irrigation adjustments, and hardscape interfaces decide crew hours; the base scope includes design, demolition, soil prep, grading, planting, irrigation, hardscape base work, hauling, and crew time for finish/detail work.
Materials
Material risk sits in plants, soil amendments, mulch, edging, drainage pipe, irrigation heads, controllers, stone, and landscape fabric; ordinary allowances cover plants, soil/amendments, mulch, stone, pavers, edging, drainage pipe, irrigation parts, lighting, fabric, and disposal.
Permits and inspections
Inspection cost belongs in the quote when retaining walls, drainage outlets, irrigation backflow, tree work, and grading near property lines may. Ask who files and who meets the inspector.
Broad range discipline
Seasonal planting, drainage correction, irrigation work, and hardscape construction set the practical budget ladder. Planting and cleanup are modest to mid-range; drainage, irrigation, retaining walls, patios, and full redesigns carry larger material and equipment exposure.
What moves price
Pushes price up
- Drainage/grading corrections; added cost is usually tied to site preparation
- Large specimen plants; added cost is usually tied to soil correction
- Retaining walls/hardscape; added cost is usually tied to plant handling
- Poor access or heavy haul-off; added cost is usually tied to drainage shaping
Can reduce price
- Clear design and selections; lower pricing is likelier when plants is clearly defined
- Good access; lower pricing is likelier when soil amendments is clearly defined
- Smaller phased scope; lower pricing is likelier when mulch is clearly defined
- Homeowner watering commitment; lower pricing is likelier when edging is clearly defined
Hiring red flags
- A quote that shrugs off plant substitutions made without mature size or exposure notes is not a trade-ready scope.
- Verification of grading and drainage before installing beds or sod is missing from the bidder's process.
- The low number removes irrigation coverage and controller programming along with useful proof photos.
- Callback terms never address plant survival terms, watering duties, and deer or salt exclusions in practical detail.
- No plant list, sizes, soil prep, or watering warranty terms.
- Builds retaining wall without drainage or engineering discussion.
- Ignores downspouts and grading while selling plants.
- Pesticide/fertilizer work without applicator credentials where required.
Contract checklist
- Plant schedule with species, cultivar, size, quantity, exposure, and substitution approval with brands, sizes, locations, and exclusions.
- Soil amendments, grading elevations, drainage outlets, mulch type, edging, and bed preparation before work starts, including who schedules inspections.
- Irrigation zones, head or drip layout, controller settings, backflow needs, and winterization plan for access, protection, cleanup, and disposal.
- Watering responsibilities, establishment visits, pruning limits, fertilization, and pest or deer protection as unit pricing or written allowances.
- Cleanup, haul-off, access route, protection of existing trees, and plant warranty replacement rules; final paperwork should include photos, manuals, registration proof, and waivers.
- Design plan, plant names/sizes, hardscape materials, soil prep, and drainage assumptions.
- Watering responsibility, plant warranty, replacement process, and exclusions.
- Permits/HOA/backflow/electrical responsibilities.
- Access, staging, haul-off, lawn repair, and irrigation/lighting protection.
- Maintenance schedule after installation and seasonal service options.
Warranty norms
Landscape warranties usually cover plant establishment for a defined window only when watering, exposure, and care instructions are followed. Hardscape, drainage, irrigation, deer browse, freeze injury, salt burn, and owner neglect need separate terms.