How To Protect Your Plants from Animals During Winter

Watering an evergreen tree before the winter season.

How To Protect Your Plants from Animals During Winter

As winter approaches, we face a new challenge: keeping plants safe from hungry animals looking for food. This can be a difficult season for animals with the snow and frigid temperatures.

Whether it is deer, rabbits, squirrels, or even domestic pets, the colder months can bring a host of critters eager to nibble on your garden.

Here’s a guide to how Weller Brothers can help you protect your plants from animal intruders in Sioux Falls, SD, Rochester, MN, and Des Moines, IA.

Understanding the Threats

Different animals have varying habits and preferences when it comes to foraging. Below are the three most common types of furry friends that damage your Midwest vegetation.

Deer: Often roam in search of food and munch on buds, stems, side branches, fruits, and flowers of small trees and shrubs. They can also damage tree bark by scraping their antlers and heads on tree trunks.
Rabbits: Love to eat twigs, buds, and plant stems. When feeding on these plant stems, they may girdle the branches. Rabbits remove the bark completely around the trunks and stem of your trees, which disrupts the flow of nutrients from the leaves to the roots, leaving your trees struggling to stay healthy.
Rodents: Mice and voles can tunnel underground, damaging roots and bulbs. Their trails can be seen as raised trails through the snow.

Physical Barriers

At Weller Brothers, we suggest utilizing physical barriers to dissuade animals from finding dinner within your landscaping. The fall season, before snowfall, is the best time to install the physical barriers. You can remove the barriers once the snow begins to melt and your regular spring yard maintenance begins.

Which type of barrier should you use?

That depends on what plant material you need to protect and from which animals. For example:

Fencing: When installing fencing for your plants, it is important to consider what animals you are trying to deter. For rabbits and rodents, the fence should be a minimum of 4 feet tall. It should also be buried a few inches under the ground to prevent burrowing. For deer, the fence should be a minimum of 8 feet tall.
Netting and Cloth: Use netting or burlap to cover vulnerable plants. Newly planted juniper shrubs, delicate perennials, and annuals.
Tree guards: Are used to prevent wildlife from nibbling or rubbing bark off of the base of your tree.

Proper Fall Cleanup

Before the cold winter months hit, it is important to properly clean your yard. Fall cleanup removes leaves from your yard, makes space for new growth in the spring, and rids your yard of dangerous pests and diseases.

Leaf clutter and debris in the fall can be dangerous because they block vital nutrients to your lawn and attract many pests such as spiders, snakes, and rodents seeking shelter in the debris. A detailed fall cleanup will remove these pests from your yard and keep you and your lawn safe.

Contact Us To Protect Your Plants This Winter

Protecting your plants from animals during winter requires a combination of strategies.

Our Weller Brothers team understands the specific threats in our area and can implement effective deterrents so you can enjoy a thriving landscape when spring arrives In Sioux Falls, SD, Rochester, MN, and Des Moines, IA.

A Guide to Winter Watering For Newly Planted Trees

The first step to improving your home’s curb appeal and aesthetics is ensuring that the Midwest winters do not ruin your newly planted trees and shrubs.

At Weller Brothers Landscaping, our team is committed to educating homeowners about uncommon practices that can save you money and headaches in the spring.

Below is a simple guide to winter watering in Sioux Falls, SD, Rochester, MN, and Des Moines, IA, to help your newly planted trees thrive through their first winter season.

Why is Winter Watering Vital?

In the fall and winter, trees drop their leaves and become dormant as they prepare for the colder temperatures. However, this does not mean they stop growing this time of year. Newly planted trees experience the greatest growth in their root system during the winter months.

Midwest winters can often be unpredictable, with two or more weeks without snow cover. This leaves roots susceptible to drying out, causing severe root damage. Neglecting to properly water your tree before winter is the largest contributing factor to the mortality of newly planted trees.

Establish Your Watering Routine

It is best to slowly water any newly planted trees with 10–15 gallons of water once a week before putting your hose away for the winter. If the temperatures rise above 40 degrees at any point in the winter, this is a great time to take advantage and let your trees grab a drink.

Before winter: Continue to water your trees until the ground freezes. Slowly give your newly planted trees 10–15 gallons of water.
During winter: If the temperatures rise to 40 degrees, and your tree does not have snow cover, you can water your tree during the winter. We recommend 10–15 gallons of water at midday to ensure the tree can soak up the needed amount of water before evening temperature drops hit.
Following spring and summer: Continue to water the trees once a week with 10–15 gallons of water. The amount of water should be increased when the weather is dry, windy, or during prolonged periods of drought and sunshine.

Additional Winter Tree Care Tips

Young trees, especially thin-barked trees, are susceptible to sunscald and frost cracks because of the drastic winter temperature fluctuations. To prevent bark damage from the outdoor elements, or even your favorite furry friends, you can use commercial tree wrap.

Mulch base is another great way to ensure that your trees have a form of insulation. Mulch will also reduce soil evaporation and improve water absorption, allowing your tree to soak up every drop of water it may need to continue growing.

Contact Us To Prepare Your Trees For Winter

Proper tree care leading up to and during the winter months is crucial for tree health and survival. We know you may not be a tree care professional, but we are! Let the team at Weller Brothers in Sioux Falls, SD, Rochester, MN, and Des Moines, IA, take the guesswork out of winter preparation this season.

Des Moines Rochester Sioux Falls

Wilt-Pruf: Avoid Plant Stress In the Winter

Boxwood experiencing drought, photo credit to Wilt-Pruf

Wilt-Pruf: Avoid Plant Stress In the Winter

Maintaining vibrant and healthy plants can often feel like an uphill battle. During the Midwestern winters, the ground freezes, making it tough for roots to absorb water. With this excessive moisture loss, your plants and trees are under water stress. This stress is often visible in the form of wilting.

What is Wilt-Pruf?

Wilt-Pruf is a product that enhances a plant’s resistance to wilting. It creates a protective layer on plants, sealing in moisture on foliage and stems and reducing water loss during periods of severe plant stress. This is particularly beneficial in the wintertime when plants and trees are under water stress.

Benefits of Wilt-Pruf:

It can provide 3–4 months of protection during the fall/winter.
Vibrant landscapes: Treated plants maintain color and vitality, creating a lush and appealing garden.
Sustainability: Using less water and improving plant resilience contributes to more sustainable landscaping practices.
Enhanced plant health: Healthier plants are better equipped to withstand stress, pests, and diseases.

How to Apply Wilt-Pruf to Your Plants

Choose the right products: There are several products on the market that retain moisture by creating a protective barrier on leaves. At Weller Brothers, we use and trust Wilt-Pruf.
Timing is key: In the Midwest, the best time to apply Wilt-Pruf is in the late fall when there is no new growth; typically mid-to-late November.
Check the weather: Apply on a clear day when no precipitation is expected for at least 24 hours and temperatures are above freezing.

Plant treated with Wilt-Pruf, Photo Credit to Wilt-Pruf

Plant not treated with Wilt-Pruf, Photo credit to Wilt-Pruf

Photos courtesy of Wilt Pruf

Lasting Beauty for Your Holiday Greens

Outdoor chill and indoor heating threaten the holiday greens like wreaths, garlands, and swags. Wilt-Pruf acts as a hydration hug, blanketing these decorations to slow down the drying process. Your holiday greens will uphold their freshness longer, keeping the spirit of the season alive well into the new year.

Let’s Keep Your Plants Vibrant and Healthy in Sioux Falls, Rochester, or Des Moines

As you look forward to a cozy season, make sure your landscaping does too. Let us help you make winter a time of rest, not stress, for your cherished greens.

The lawn care professionals at Weller Brothers in Sioux Falls, SD, Des Moines, IA, and Rochester, MN, are ready to Wilt-Pruf your foilage today!

Des Moines Rochester Sioux Falls

Three Methods To Winterize Your Irrigation System

Irrigation specialist performing an irrigation service in Sioux Falls, SD.

Three Methods To Winterize Your Irrigation System

Save your irrigation system and your pocketbook for the spring.

If you have a lawn irrigation system, you need to winterize it before temperatures plunge to the freezing point.

If you do not winterize your irrigation system, you will likely need to repair or replace your irrigation system in the future.

What Is the Risk of Not Winterizing?

Unlike your house, irrigation pipes live below the soil and take on the soil temperature. When Midwest temperatures decide to plunge, the ground also begins to freeze, freezing your irrigation pipes along with it.

As water begins to freeze, it also expands. This expansion can cause your pipes and fittings to burst, ultimately ruining your investment and making it no longer functional.

Winterization Methods

There are three different methods for draining water from your sprinkler or irrigation system:

manual drain
automatic drain
blow-out

The method you use depends on the type of irrigation you have in place.

If you are inexperienced in winterizing your irrigation system yourself, the professionals at Weller Brothers are here to help. Keep in mind that you will not be the only one requesting these services, so plan ahead.

Manual drain method

Some irrigation systems are equipped with manual drainage. These systems allow you to empty excess water from the system by opening a valve.

If you have manual drain irrigation, follow these steps:

Turn off the water supply to the system.
Look for the manual valves at the ends and low points of the piping.
Open all the valves and drain the water from the system.
Drain the backflow device.

Some irrigation systems are equipped with check valves. These devices allow water to only flow one way. If you have check valves on your system, try raising the sprinkler heads. This allows water to drain out of the sprinkler heads. Once the entire system has been drained, close all the valves.

Automatic Drain Method

An auto drain system has valves that automatically drain water from the pipes. This happens only when the water pressure falls below a certain number of pounds per square inch.

To activate an automatic drain function, follow these steps:

Turn off the water supply to the system.
Briefly run one of the sprinkler heads to drop the water pressure.
Automatic draining will begin, clearing the pipes of excess water.

You may still need to drain the water between the shut-off and backflow device. If the sprinkler heads are equipped with check valves, empty them separately.

Blow-Out Method

The final way of draining an irrigation system is the blow-out method. This is the method that Weller Brothers irrigation specialists use to ensure that your system is shut down properly without risk of damage.

To drain the pipes, you force compressed air through the irrigation system. This discharges excess water through the sprinkler heads. This method can be potentially hazardous and damaging if you do not have a system that can handle the pressure. If you have never blown out an irrigation system before, please consult a professional. This will save you from frustration, possible injury, and repair costs.

Contact Us For Irrigation Winterization in Sioux Falls, Rochester, or Des Moines

Before freezing temperatures hit the Midwest region, it is important to plan ahead.

The irrigation professionals at Weller Brothers in Sioux Falls, SD, Des Moines, IA, and Rochester, MN, have the experience to properly shut down your system for the winter.

Des Moines Rochester Sioux Falls

Overseeding: What Is It and Why Should You Do It?

Weller Brothers lawn care professional overseeding a lawn in Sioux Falls, SD

Overseeding: What Is It and Why Should You Do It?

Are bare spots and thinning grass blades taking over your lawn?

Do you fertilize your lawn and seed the soil every spring, but your turf just won’t grow as lush and green as your neighbor’s?

Weller Brothers Landscape Professionals is here to help you understand why overseeding may have failed in the past and how it can help save your lawn this year!

What is Overseeding?

Overseeding is an easy method of planting grass seed that avoids disturbing the soil in your yard.

This method differs from new lawn seeding because overseeding is exactly like it sounds – planting new seed over an existing lawn.

When to Overseed Your Lawn

You should overseed in the fall, typically between late August and early October before the first freeze.

In the Midwest, we recommend that lawns be seeded with cool-season grass that is best acclimated to our temperate climates. The most common grasses used in our area are Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue, which are designed to thrive in cooler temperatures.

When planted outside the appropriate season, these grasses will struggle to germinate and grow in the summer heat. This will result in having to re-overseed again in the fall. If you’ve struggled with overseeding before, perhaps this timing was the problem.

Fall is also the time of year when you should aerate your lawn. At Weller Brothers, we always recommend that overseeding be performed alongside aeration in the fall.

Important Factors to Consider When Assessing Your Lawn

If you notice any of the following conditions in your lawn, it is important to consult with a lawn care professional. They will determine if overseeding should take place sooner rather than later.

Thin Grass
Bare Patches
Invasive Weeds
Brittle Grass Blades
Undesirable Grass Types
Spreading Fungal Infections
Pest Damage
Poor Drainage

Lawn in Sioux Falls, SD that has not been properly maintained.

Can You Overseed in the Spring?

You shouldn’t. Here’s why.

Cool-season seeds need cooler temperatures to germinate; warm-season seeds perform best when planted in the warmer weather of late spring or early summer. However, we do not recommend using warm-season grass seeds in the Midwest climate zone, which is why Weller Brothers Landscaping overseeds in the fall.

Springtime is when we begin our fertilizer program, beginning with the pre-emergent. Pre-emergent is an herbicide that produces a protective barrier across the soil surface to prevent weeds from emerging. Pre-emergent is non-selective, which means it will prevent the growth of any non-established vegetation – not just undesirable weeds and grasses.

Spring pre-emergent application is crucial to the health of your lawn, as it is the best method of fighting off weeds before they disrupt new grass growth. Even if pre-emergent is not applied, cool-season grass seeded in spring will develop shallow roots because the conditions are not ideal for growing. This is why we do not recommend overseeding in the spring.

Contact Us For Overseeding in Sioux Falls, Rochester, or Des Moines

As winter approaches, don’t miss out on the benefits you’ll see next spring from overseeding in the fall.

The lawn care professionals at Weller Brothers in Sioux Falls, SD, Des Moines, IA, and Rochester, MN, have the experience to properly overseed your lawn today.

Des Moines Rochester Sioux Falls

Landscape Technician (Des Moines)

Questions?

(605) 681-9962

recruiting@wellerbrothers.com

Details about this Career

The primary responsibility of the Landscape Technician is to assist with the construction/installation of designated landscape projects. This position will assist with a variety of outdoor landscape project installations that improve the functional and/or aesthetic value of the property. Many of the projects include softscape and hardscape installation, including pavers, retaining walls, and outdoor kitchens. All Weller Brothers team members are expected to provide excellent client service by assisting clients promptly and courteously, answering questions, and providing information as needed. A landscape technician will be expected to perform all job responsibilities in a safe, timely, and efficient manner.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty and competency satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required to perform this job.

Take direction from the job site foreman.
Communicate with the job site foreman and landscape designer to make sure the job is being completed to the Weller Brothers quality standards.
Have the ability to adapt and perform other landscape team member duties as needed.
Maintain clean and safe job sites.
Maintain a strong work ethic to complete a variety of physical job tasks.
Professionally communicate with clients to achieve strong client/company relationships if necessary.
Operate a variety of outdoor landscape and power equipment, as well as a variety of hand tools.
Commit the hours necessary to make sure the job is done to satisfaction; this may include weekends and/or holidays
Maintain a clean appearance and conform to the Weller Brothers dress code.
Willingness to learn new techniques and installation practices.
Assist in maintaining all company equipment.
Follow all policies as specified in the Team Member Handbook.
Make decisions that are in the best interest of the company.
Other duties are needed to help drive and fulfill the Weller Brothers mission, including referring new team members for employment.

Required Skills and Abilities

Ability to communicate in a professional courteous manner
Ability to take constructive criticism
Superior work ethic
Detail-oriented, with considerable attention to order and cleanliness
Ability to manage multiple tasks
Strong attention to detail
Experience installing softscapes, such as edging, mulch, rock, plants, trees, and sod, is preferred.
Experience installing hardscapes, such as pavers, retaining walls, and outdoor kitchens, is preferred.

Education and Experience

Minimum of one year experience in industry or related field.
Must be 16 years or older
High school diploma/GED
A valid driver’s license and a clean driving record are preferred.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a team member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Team members must be able to perform the following tasks during a typical 8+ hour day.

HEAVY WORK: Lifting up to 100 pounds; frequent lifting or carrying objects weighing up to 80 pounds.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time non-exempt position. Specific schedules will be determined based on weather and general needs of the business.

Compensation and Benefits

Benefits Available after 60 Days of Service

Health Insurance Available
Dental Insurance Available
Vision Insurance Available
Short Term Disability
Long Term Disability

Benefits Available After 1 Year of Service

401K with Company Match Up to 4%

Benefits Available at Start of Employment

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Year Round Employment
Ample amount of overtime in peak seasons
Positive and Motivated Work Environment

Disclaimer: The specific statements shown in each section of this job description are not intended to be all-inclusive. They represent typical elements and criteria considered necessary to perform the job successfully. The company recognized that an individual with a disability may require an accommodation to enable him/her to successfully perform a job function. Consideration will be given to reasonable accommodations. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship.

The Weller Brothers Way

Our Mission and Roots guide us in our decision and actions every day. They are not just written words; they are our culture.

Why Work Here?

You can work anywhere. So why work at Weller Brothers?

You can be somebody here, and we believe that we are the best employer in the Midwest.

Des Moines

Landscape Foreman (Des Moines)

Questions?

(605) 681-9962

recruiting@wellerbrothers.com

Details about this Career

The primary responsibility of the Landscape Foreman is to oversee designated landscape projects. Coordinate and manage team members along with their schedules. This position will perform a variety of outdoor landscape project installations that improve the functional and/or aesthetic value of the property. Many of the projects include softscape and hardscape installation, including pavers, retaining walls, and outdoor kitchens. All Weller Brothers team members are expected to provide excellent client service by assisting clients promptly and courteously, answer questions and provide information as needed. A landscape foreman will perform and ensure all team members are executing all job responsibilities in a safe, timely and efficient manner.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty and competency satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required to perform this job.

Place orders for materials needed for projects. Make sure material deliveries are set to arrive as they are needed on the jobsite. For any special order materials, make sure that you have scheduled delivery on a timeline that allows the crew to continue a consistent pace of work.
Contact and line up subcontractors for projects. Ensure subcontractors are scheduled to start and finish their portion of the work in sequence with what Weller Brothers is doing on that jobsite to maximize efficiency.
Take time to review all plans with team members making sure they are aware of what their assignments are if you are going to be absent from a jobsite.
Set daily and weekly goals for all team members on the jobsite.
Oversee a crew of 2-3 team members, making sure they are on track and being productive.
Responsible for maintaining clean job sites. Record End-of-Day Checklist each day.
Maintain a strong work ethic to complete a variety of physical job tasks.
Professionally communicate with clients to achieve strong client/company relationships.
Operate a variety of outdoor landscape and power equipment, as well as a variety of hand tools.
Commit the hours necessary to make sure the job is done to satisfaction; this may include weekends and/or holidays
Maintain a clean appearance and conform to the Weller Brothers dress code.
Willingness to learn new techniques and installation practices.
Assist in maintaining all company equipment.
Follow all policies as specified in the Team Member Handbook.
Make decisions that are in the best interest of the company.
Other duties needed to help drive and fulfill the Weller Brothers Mission.

Required Skills and Abilities

Strong communication skills.
Superior work ethic.
Timely input of hours on LMN software to ensure accurate payroll processing.
Detail oriented, with considerable attention to order and cleanliness.
Ability to manage multiple tasks
Strong attention to detail
Experience installing softscapes, such as edging, mulch, rock, plants, trees and sod.
Experience installing hardscapes, such as pavers, retaining walls, and outdoor kitchens.

Education and Experience

Minimum of one-year experience in industry or related field.
Must be 16 years or older
High school diploma/GED
Valid driver’s license and a clean driving record is preferred.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a team member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Team members must be able to perform the following tasks during a typical 8+hour day.

HEAVY WORK: Lifting up to 100 pounds; frequent lifting or carrying objects weighing up to 80 pounds.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time non-exempt position. Specific schedules will be determined based on weather and general needs of the business.

Compensation and Benefits

Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Paid Holidays and Paid Time Off
401K with Company Match Up to 4%
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Cell Phone Reimbursement
Company Truck
Year Round Employment
Ample Overtime During the Summer Work Season
Relocation Assistance if Applicable

Disclaimer: The specific statements shown in each section of this job description are not intended to be all-inclusive. They represent typical elements and criteria considered necessary to perform the job successfully. The company recognized that an individual with a disability may require an accommodation to enable him/her to successfully perform a job function. Consideration will be given to reasonable accommodations. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” relationship.

The Weller Brothers Way

Our Mission and Roots guide us in our decision and actions every day. They are not just written words; they are our culture.

Why Work Here?

You can work anywhere. So why work at Weller Brothers?

You can be somebody here, and we believe that we are the best employer in the Midwest.

Des Moines

Landscape Enhancement: From Dead Grass to Bright Corner Bed

a green lawn with a mulch landscape bed and plants

Landscape Enhancement: From Dead Grass to Bright Corner Bed

Enhancement by

Dallas Moore

After a large corner lot tree was taken out by the May 2022 derecho in South Dakota, the homeowners struggled to grow grass in the area.

This was due to the accumulation of pine needles over the years. Pine needles create a challenging environment for grass growth due to a couple of key factors:

Soil acidity: When pine needles decompose, they create acidic soil conditions, but grass thrives in neutral or slightly alkaline soil.
Nutrient depletion: Pine needles deplete the soil of some nutrients as they decompose while releasing other nutrients. This creates an imbalance that hinders grass growth.

The homeowner missed his tree and was tired of the unsightly brown area on the corner of the property.

As an eye-catching solution, Dallas designed a simple mulch landscape bed that integrated pollinator plants the homeowner selected. These included hydrangeas, Pugster Amethyst butterfly bushes, powwow white coneflower, and lobelia.

We surrounded the bed with steel edging that will provide years of longevity over poly-edging.

Our client was thrilled to be part of the plant selection process and says many neighbors have commented on the new focal point of his yard.

Progression Photos

How Can We Help Enhance Your Landscaping?

If you have a landscaping issue you’re not sure how to fix, trust the Weller Brothers team to find a solution.

We approach these challenges every single day and we’d love to enhance your landscaping, too, in Sioux Falls, SD, Rochester, MN, and Des Moines, IA.

View More Enhancements

Landscape Enhancement: AlphaGraphics

Rochester, MN, Backyard Bliss with KTTC

Do You Know Your Landscaping Budget?

Six Reasons To Use Native Plants in Your Next Landscaping Project

Caring for Your Outdoor Patio

The Best Plants For Your Next Midwest Landscaping Project

Des Moines Enhancement Rochester Sioux Falls

Do You Know Your Landscaping Budget?

backyard landscaping with a patio and pergola in south dakota

Do You Know Your Landscaping Budget?

Homeowners contact our team daily with their dreams for improved landscaping or outdoor living features. But, often, they have no concept of their budget simply because they don’t know a reasonable cost expectation.

Part of doing our job the Weller Brothers Way includes making an extra effort to educate our clients and being transparent about how we price our products and services. We value the time of both our clients and our designers and for that reason, we strive to be upfront about landscaping costs.

Which Type of Homeowner Are You?

We frequently meet with two types of homeowners with misunderstandings regarding the cost of landscaping:

1. They Know What Their Budget Is

This homeowner comes to Weller Brothers with landscaping dreams – perhaps a new patio with an outdoor kitchen and surrounding softscapes – but with unrealistic investment expectations.

“We’d love to have a backyard pool with surrounding pavers and softscapes, and maybe even a firepit. Our budget for this is $50,000.”

While this budget is nothing to scoff at, we’ll need to nix the pool to make it happen and encourage the client to prioritize their desired features to accommodate the budget.

These conversations are always a bummer for both the client and our team. For this reason, we do our best to share our landscape budget guide online and in our initial client onboarding process to manage expectations and goals early in the relationship.

2. They Know What Their Budget Isn’t

“We don’t really have a budget in mind” or “We have no clue what’s reasonable,” is something we commonly hear from homeowners. “But here is what we want.”

Without a baseline budget to guide the way, we might spend time drafting a landscape design with the client’s desired features, often to be met with “Well, that’s more than we thought it would be. That isn’t within our budget.”

Back to the drawing board.

If you know that you would spend, for example, $25,000 to $75,000, but you know that you won’t spend $80,000, let us know! While that wide range of available budget may not seem to provide our designers much direction, it gives us something to work with and could eliminate the potential for multiple revisions (which saves you money).

So, if you meet with a Weller Brothers landscape designer who asks, “Would you spend $50,000? Would you spend $80,000? Would you spend $150,000?” know that they aren’t trying to manipulate you into spending more.

They are identifying what your landscaping budget isn’t.

How We Work Within Your Budget

While some landscaping features may simply be out of the question for some price points (for example, a custom masonry outdoor kitchen on a $15,000 budget), our design team will work with you to manage costs as much as possible.

Here are some examples of features we can adjust to help manage your budget:

Wall Materials

We have many options across various price points for wall materials – between field boulders, manufactured block, or decorative block.

Patio Pavers

We source our pavers from a few different manufacturers, including Belgard, Unilock, and Techo-Bloc. Within these brands, there are many options for paver style, size, and materials. We can consider all of these options to help offset costs as needed.

Pool Options

Your backyard pool design provides many opportunities for cost efficiency. To give you an idea, a pool could range anywhere from $180,000 (no features or landscaping around the pool) to upwards of half a million dollars (including custom designs, lights, jets, slides or diving boards, and more.)

There are also price ranges between fiberglass (lower cost) and concrete pools (higher cost).

Outdoor Kitchens

Similar to your pool, we have a lot of room for adjustment with outdoor kitchens. A baseline outdoor kitchen is a simple kit kitchen that may include a countertop and a grill.

Conversely, your fully customized stone veneer kitchen with accessories like a kegerator, pizza oven, or sink will require greater investment.

Here are some ideas to consider for your outdoor kitchen.

Firepits

Going from a gas firepit to a wood-burning firepit is an easy cost-saving swap.

We can also discuss the materials for your firepit; for example, we can custom-build it from cinder blocks and stone veneer or purchase a firepit kit for a more cost-effective option.

Softscapes

We can manage the costs of your general landscaping, shrubs, trees, and plants by selecting smaller or different plants.

A common example is Boxwoods. They are popular in the Midwest but cost more as they take several years to grow. Instead, opt for Dogwoods, which have a quicker growth rate and are more cost-efficient.

Your Weller Brothers landscape designer will help you make cost-related material decisions that align with your priorities for your outdoor living space.

Also, you can trust that even if you go with the “cheapest” option for a feature, Weller Brothers still only sources high-quality materials for our clients and our landscaping projects in Sioux Falls, SD, Rochester, MN, and Des Moines, IA.

Let’s Align Expectations

We understand that if you don’t live and breathe landscaping like we do, it’s unlikely that you would have a realistic idea of the cost of landscaping features.

That’s exactly why we have created our landscape budget guide. We encourage you to consult this before you contact us. That way, you will be confident of your next steps in investing in your outdoor living space and we can create a high-quality, long-lasting landscape design within your budget — whatever it may be.

Des Moines Sioux Falls

Backyard Embers & Elegance

Custom patio area with mantel style fire place and pergola in Ames, IA

Backyard Embers and Elegance

Design by

Anna Stadel

Imagine it’s a crisp Friday night in Ames. You’re snuggled by your backyard fireplace; the flames rivaling the roar of passionate Cyclone fans echoing through Jack Trice Stadium just down the road.

That’s exactly what these Cyclone fans were dreaming of when they came to Weller Brothers with a vision for a cozy and inviting outdoor area to host pre- and post-game festivities.

Our Iowa landscaping team created this outdoor living space with the mantel-style fireplace as the main focal point. Brick pavers complemented and extended the existing outdoor seating area. The custom-built pergola provides shade throughout while allowing enjoyment of the natural elements.

For added privacy along the outskirts of the new patio area, landscape beds feature greenery and small trees.

Designed

How To Protect Your Plants from Animals During Winter

Understanding the Threats

Physical Barriers

Which type of barrier should you use?

Proper Fall Cleanup

Contact Us To Protect Your Plants This Winter

A Guide to Winter Watering For Newly Planted Trees

Why is Winter Watering Vital?

Establish Your Watering Routine

Additional Winter Tree Care Tips

Contact Us To Prepare Your Trees For Winter

Wilt-Pruf: Avoid Plant Stress In the Winter

What is Wilt-Pruf?

Benefits of Wilt-Pruf:

How to Apply Wilt-Pruf to Your Plants

Lasting Beauty for Your Holiday Greens

Let’s Keep Your Plants Vibrant and Healthy in Sioux Falls, Rochester, or Des Moines

Three Methods To Winterize Your Irrigation System

What Is the Risk of Not Winterizing?

Winterization Methods

Manual drain method

Automatic Drain Method

Blow-Out Method

Contact Us For Irrigation Winterization in Sioux Falls, Rochester, or Des Moines

Overseeding: What Is It and Why Should You Do It?

What is Overseeding?

When to Overseed Your Lawn

Important Factors to Consider When Assessing Your Lawn

Can You Overseed in the Spring?

Contact Us For Overseeding in Sioux Falls, Rochester, or Des Moines

Landscape Technician (Des Moines)

Questions?

Details about this Career

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Required Skills and Abilities

Education and Experience

Physical Requirements

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work

Compensation and Benefits

The Weller Brothers Way

Why Work Here?

Landscape Foreman (Des Moines)

Questions?

Details about this Career

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Required Skills and Abilities

Education and Experience

Physical Requirements

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work

Compensation and Benefits

The Weller Brothers Way

Why Work Here?

Landscape Enhancement: From Dead Grass to Bright Corner Bed

Dallas Moore

Progression Photos

How Can We Help Enhance Your Landscaping?

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Do You Know Your Landscaping Budget?

Which Type of Homeowner Are You?

1. They Know What Their Budget Is

2. They Know What Their Budget Isn’t

How We Work Within Your Budget

Let’s Align Expectations

Backyard Embers and Elegance

Anna Stadel

the Weller Brothers Way.

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