Plant Care Guides for Newly Installed Landscaping in Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana
You invested in new landscaping. Now, how do you make sure it thrives?
One of the most important parts of any landscape installation happens after the plants are in the ground.
Newly planted trees, shrubs, perennials, ornamental grasses, evergreens, and groundcovers need proper watering and care while they establish their root systems. And if you've ever searched online for answers, you've probably discovered just how confusing plant-care advice can become.
How often should I water newly planted shrubs?
How much water does a new tree need?
Should I water my landscaping every day?
Why does my newly planted perennial look wilted?
When can I cut back ornamental grasses?
How do I prepare newly installed plants for their first winter?
That's exactly why Precision Property Pros created our Plant Care & Landscaping Resource Center: to give homeowners one convenient place to find practical care information for their newly installed landscaping.
Whether Precision Property Pros recently completed your landscape installation or you're simply looking for help caring for your property, our Resource Center is designed to help you understand what your plants need after installation.
New Landscaping Needs More Than Installation
Professional landscape installation is only the beginning.
When a tree, shrub, perennial, grass, or other plant is transplanted into your property, it needs time to establish itself in its new environment.
During this establishment period, proper care can make a major difference.
New plants may need particular attention to:
Watering frequency
Watering depth
Soil moisture
Mulching
Seasonal conditions
Heat and drought
Pruning
Fertilization
Winter preparation
Long-term maintenance
Unfortunately, there's no universal watering schedule that works for every plant and every property.
A newly installed tree doesn't necessarily need the same care as a perennial.
An evergreen may have different needs than an ornamental grass.
And a plant installed during a cool, rainy week may need a completely different watering schedule than the same plant installed during a stretch of 90-degree Chicagoland weather.
That's why understanding what was planted in your landscape is so important.
Introducing the Precision Property Pros Plant Care & Landscaping Resource Center
We wanted our relationship with customers to extend beyond the day we finish their landscape installation.
So, we created an online Plant Care & Landscaping Resource Center filled with information homeowners can reference after their project is complete.
Instead of trying to remember everything discussed during your landscape installation—or sorting through conflicting advice online—you can return to the Resource Center whenever you need help.
Our goal is simple:
Give you the information you need to help protect your landscaping investment and encourage healthy plant establishment.
Explore the Precision Property Pros Plant Care & Landscaping Resource Center
Plant Care Guides for Your New Landscaping
Different types of plants have different care requirements.
That's why our Resource Center is designed to help homeowners find guidance relevant to the plants installed throughout their property.
Depending on your landscape, that can include care information for:
Newly Planted Trees
Trees are a long-term investment in your property.
Proper watering during establishment is especially important as newly installed trees develop roots beyond their original root ball.
Our plant-care resources can help homeowners better understand newly planted tree watering, establishment, seasonal care, and long-term maintenance.
Newly Planted Shrubs
From foundation landscaping to privacy plantings and ornamental landscape beds, shrubs are an important part of many of the landscapes we install.
New shrubs require consistent attention during establishment, particularly when it comes to soil moisture.
If you're wondering how often to water newly planted shrubs, your plants shouldn't simply be placed on a permanent "water every X days" schedule without considering weather and soil conditions.
The goal is to provide adequate moisture while avoiding chronically saturated soil.
Evergreen Care
Evergreens provide year-round structure and color, but proper establishment is important—especially before their first Midwest winter.
Water availability heading into colder weather can be particularly important for newly installed evergreen landscaping.
Perennial Plant Care
Perennials return year after year, making them a popular choice for adding color, texture, and seasonal interest to landscape beds.
Our resources help homeowners understand how to care for newly planted perennials, including watering, establishment, seasonal dieback, and ongoing maintenance.
Ornamental Grass Care
Ornamental grasses are popular throughout Chicagoland landscapes because of their texture, movement, and seasonal interest.
But homeowners frequently have questions about them:
When should ornamental grasses be cut back?
Should I cut them down in fall or spring?
How much should I water newly planted grasses?
Knowing how the plant behaves throughout the seasons can make ornamental grass care much easier.
Groundcover & Other Landscape Plants
Groundcovers and other landscape plants can help fill beds, provide texture, reduce exposed soil, and tie an entire landscape design together.
Their establishment requirements can vary considerably, which is another reason we encourage homeowners to understand the specific plants installed on their property.
How Often Should You Water New Landscaping?
This is probably one of the biggest questions after a new landscape installation.
And the answer is:
It depends.
We know that's not as convenient as saying "water every three days," but it's much better advice.
How frequently your newly installed landscaping needs water can depend on:
Plant species
Plant size
Root-ball size
Soil type
Drainage
Sun exposure
Temperature
Humidity
Rainfall
Wind
Time of year
How recently the plant was installed
The objective isn't simply to water frequently.
It's to maintain appropriate moisture in the root zone while the plant becomes established.
During periods of intense summer heat or drought, plants may require closer monitoring. During cooler or rainy periods, watering may need to be reduced.
Always consider actual soil moisture and current weather conditions rather than relying exclusively on a calendar.
Can You Overwater Newly Planted Landscaping?
Yes.
When homeowners hear that new plants require consistent watering, it's easy to assume more water = better.
That's not necessarily true.
Roots need both moisture and oxygen. Constantly saturated soil can create problems just as insufficient water can.
That's why proper drainage is also an important component of successful landscaping.
Rather than automatically adding water every day, homeowners should pay attention to soil moisture, weather conditions, drainage, and the requirements of the particular plant.
Why New Plants Sometimes Look Stressed After Installation
Don't automatically panic if a newly installed plant doesn't look perfect immediately.
Transplanting can be stressful.
A plant has been removed from the environment where it was growing, transported, planted in a new location, and exposed to different soil, sunlight, wind, temperature, and moisture conditions.
Some plants may temporarily show signs of transplant stress while adjusting.
However, continued decline, significant discoloration, excessive leaf loss, prolonged wilting, or other concerning changes deserve attention.
The sooner you identify a potential watering, drainage, environmental, pest, disease, or planting issue, the better.
Don't Forget About Chicagoland Weather
Plant-care recommendations that work somewhere else in the country aren't always ideal for our region.
Landscaping throughout Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana experiences a wide range of conditions throughout the year:
🌱 Cool and wet spring weather
☀️ Hot summer temperatures
🌧️ Heavy rain and storms
🍂 Rapid temperature changes in fall
❄️ Freezing temperatures, snow, and ice
🌡️ Repeated freeze-thaw cycles
That's one reason seasonal awareness is so important when caring for newly installed landscaping.
A watering routine that worked in May may be completely inappropriate during a July heat wave.
And preparing new landscaping for its first winter presents different considerations than summer establishment.
Protect Your Landscaping Investment
Landscaping can completely transform a property.
Trees create structure and shade.
Shrubs define landscape beds and provide privacy.
Perennials bring seasonal color.
Ornamental grasses add movement and texture.
Evergreens provide year-round interest.
Together, they can dramatically improve the appearance and usability of your outdoor space.
But installing beautiful landscaping is only half of the equation.
Proper plant care helps protect the investment you've made in your property.
That's why we want our customers to have somewhere they can turn when questions come up after installation.
Your Landscape Project Doesn't End When We Leave
At Precision Property Pros, we provide complete landscape installation and outdoor living services throughout Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana.
Our landscaping services include plant, shrub and tree installation, landscape refreshes and design, mulch installation, decorative stone installation, garden installations, raised landscape beds, edging, irrigation, and other property improvements.
And because we're a full-service outdoor contractor, landscaping can also be incorporated into larger backyard projects involving pools, patios, retaining walls, concrete, decks, fencing, outdoor kitchens, fire features, lighting, and more.
Whether we're refreshing a landscape bed or transforming an entire backyard, we want customers to understand how to care for the finished project once installation is complete.
Looking for Plant Care Advice After Your Landscape Installation?
If you're searching for answers to questions like:
How do I care for newly planted landscaping?
How often should I water new plants?
How often should I water newly planted shrubs?
How much water does a newly planted tree need?
How do I care for new perennials?
When should I cut back ornamental grasses?
How do I care for newly planted evergreens?
How do I prepare new landscaping for winter?
How long does new landscaping take to establish?
...bookmark the Precision Property Pros Plant Care & Landscaping Resource Center.
We're continuing to build this collection of resources to make caring for your landscape easier throughout the seasons.
Explore Our Plant Care & Landscaping Resource Center
Beautiful landscaping shouldn't come with a guessing game.
Our Plant Care & Landscaping Resource Center gives Precision Property Pros customers a convenient place to find plant-care information after installation and throughout the establishment process.
Save the page. Bookmark it on your phone. Come back when the seasons change or whenever you have questions about caring for your landscape.
Your landscape is an investment. We're here to help you care for it.
Visit the Plant Care & Landscaping Resource Center
Precision Property Pros
Serving Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana
815-321-1800