DIY Front Yard Landscaping Makeover on a Budget

[@bash9032]

Looks beautiful! First time home owner here! Very pleased to know I can use my excess of cardboard boxes from multiple furniture and Amazon purchases for our upcoming landscaping projects :D Nice tip with the vinegar spray; will try that as well!

[@BrandonTran]

Glad you like the tips! Best of luck in your DIY efforts. I hope your landscaping turns out epic!

[@sixro]

Finally someone showing the process and the result. It's full of people just talking without showing nothing. Thanks for the whole process.

[@BrandonTran]

Wow thank you Roberto! I’m certainly trying :)

[@amanamongmachines]

1:07... "the larger your landscape beds are, less grass you have to cut." Exactly! Enjoyed the video. Cheers!

[@BrandonTran]

Exactly!

[@aliazeldman629]

Wife should be proud of such hard👍🤝 worker

[@BrandonTran]

Haha she is. I do so much sitting for computer work that I can’t wait to get outside to do landscape work :)

[@DivineUniverse11]

Wow your house located by beautiful trees in the background 🥰❤️❤️🙏🙏

[@BrandonTran]

Thank you so much 🙂

[@KingCarlos1215]

Awesome job Brandon , It looks amazing.

[@BrandonTran]

Thank you! :)

[@manfredbismark6688]

Bravo, good work! Rudi.

[@mavisjones4750]

I'm using the no dig method also for laying out my beds. I've been in my house for 18 years. Last year, I started working on the landscape / curb appeal.

[@BrandonTran]

Hi Mavis, that's awesome! No dig saves so much work. I hope your landscape project is going amazing. Take care!

[@jeankelly368]

Great job. I also am using boxes instead of plastic to control weeds. Looks great.

[@BrandonTran]

Awesome! Best of luck in your project!

[@jeanp5395]

Some really great ideas! ……good color mix along with using what makes you happy! One of my first “oops” when I first started landscaping, was planting a blue spruce and not allowing enough space for eventual growth. Blue spruce can get Very large. Luckily, I was able to sell it to a tree moving service and plant another “anchor” tree that would fit the space.😊 Another hint: the boulders and large rocks tend to look more natural if you slightly bury a portion of them in the ground. Happy landscaping!🌻🌲🌷

[@BrandonTran]

Awesome Jean, thank you for sharing! That spacing is spot on, to all reading this that advice is great ^^. I do worry the blue spruce is too close to the house now. And the boulders I bet I could bury them a bit more, I'll give that a try!

[@MarkovichC]

Thank you. Just the video I was looking for.

[@BrandonTran]

Glad I could help! :)

[@Caribbeanhomeschoolmom]

I love the wooden pot

[@BrandonTran]

Hi Jess! We love it too. It’s a half whisky barrel from Lowes I think. The price was not too bad. We plan to decorate it with some weeping plants and other flowers next season.

[@BrandonTran]

The Wine Barrel video is up if you are still intrigued :) Happy Spring! kzbin.info/www/bejne/nZWlfqNnjdSSZ8U

[@RealProVanR]

Great job!

[@BrandonTran]

Thank you!

[@Faji9r]

Nice plants. I like it.

[@BrandonTran]

Thank you :)

[@vickikeeler2597]

Glad you had a plan. I guessed right off that you might be in the Carolina area.

[@BrandonTran]

Yes indeed, we are in Asheville, NC :)

[@lajuannalooper5771]

LUV..LUV...Your Green Wheelbarrow Brandon!! Great Job Kiddos👍!!! Place Looks Great Y'all, Best Wishes For Happy Returns ‼️😃‼️

[@BrandonTran]

Hi Lajuanna! Haha yep, that little toboggan has traveled around the world with us. It has so many uses and get's the job done. It cost me $8.00 and came from some ski trip long ago and still kickin. Thank you so much :)

[@christineross7620]

Love this! And great budget!

[@BrandonTran]

Thank you Christine for watching. I wish you the best for your landscape projects! Cheers

[@GearMaven]

Was going to say "Where's the obvious wheelbarrow to spread mulch?" Nice to see start to finish.

[@BrandonTran]

Yep I wish I had one but no storage space. If I buy some land, I’ll get a wheelbarrow :)

[@porkchop0711]

Looks beautiful

[@BrandonTran]

Thank you Dianna!

[@mave251]

Very cool!!!🎉

[@BrandonTran]

Thank you!

[@lizhadley3803]

You're my hero. I needed to see the process of replacing grass with a garden. My goal is to replace nearly all of my grass to make a native plant pollinator and veggie garden. I may use Chip Drop for free wood chips instead of processed mulch.

[@BrandonTran]

Hi Liz! Certainly any type of chip wood would work. Chips are great for an organic garden too. As long as you are happy with the look. I didn’t make a long video but in my latest flagstone path video I flip the grass chunks upside down to kill the grass. Cardboard is awesome too! So many ways. Vinegar will kill grass too and you can put mulch right over the grass.

[@K.enna_]

I love the before/after shot, looks great! I wasn’t expecting to laugh so much during this video, you guys are fun. My husband and I just bought our first house and we are excited to do some of our own landscaping!

[@BrandonTran]

Hi Kenna, Thank you so much! Congrats on your first house! I wish you all the success in your landscape makeover. It’s going to be spectacular!

[@mailywong9612]

Great video, thank you for sharing your ideas

[@BrandonTran]

You are so welcome! :)

[@nolagirl7082]

Love that little green boat you were using to transport the mulch.. smart!

[@BrandonTran]

Haha thank you :) . That is our toboggan aka sled for when it snows. It definitely helped get the job done.

[@BobbyKDesigns]

Hey Brandon. I get a lot of people asking me the same question so I figured I’d answer on your page. Real time landscape Thx for watching

[@BrandonTran]

Wow thank you Bobby! You are a real professional. I drew mine on paper but I want to step up my game for the next hobby project. Much appreciated!

[@herfirstmate]

Such a cute house!

[@BrandonTran]

Thank you :)

[@emmagush8023]

Beautifully design on a budget.

[@BrandonTran]

Thank you Emma!

[@mildredwest2541]

❤ your video...your newest subscriber...cannot wait to view your other videos. Thank you!

[@BrandonTran]

Hi again Kai! Thank you so much for subscribing. I have some videos coming soon. We are going to do a backyard landscape makeover. Also going to make a video for DIY sun room :) - Stay tuned.

[@a.anthonygauthier8558]

Well done

[@BrandonTran]

Thank you Anthony!

[@kristymarie6065]

Looks fantastic

[@BrandonTran]

Thank you Kristy!

[@barbarajameson8829]

Beautiful!!!

[@BrandonTran]

Thank you Barbara!

[@jdonnelly1977]

OMG, using a sled instead of an expensive wheelbarrow... that is genius. That alone may have saved me $150! hahah

[@BrandonTran]

Yep we did use a sled! I also use buckets. This is a very small house. No room for a wheelbarrow. I just use bag mulch now days.

[@simplifyourhome]

Loving your design. Getting some ideas. Awesome project!!

[@BrandonTran]

Thank you MsBetty! Your project will turn out amazing!

[@winky831]

That looks great! Wondering how it's going now, and how it's changed. Those projects are what makes a house a home. Keep it up! 🥳

[@BrandonTran]

Wow Anna thank you so much for the nice comment! There hasn't been a lot of change in the existing plants. We've had some very cold weather and it has snowed 5+ times. Spring is just now starting so I'm hoping to see some growth this growing season. I can post an update video this summer.

[@janettuttle2328]

​@@BrandonTran 😊

[@evaimbuido3377]

That is beautiful 😍

[@BrandonTran]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@classicride9210]

Tip: A 5-or-6-tine pitchfork makes much easier work of picking up and placing mulch.

[@BrandonTran]

For sure! I moved 10 yards of mulch with a pitchfork on another house years ago. It works wonders. I know people think I’m crazy but I’m trying to not buy more stuff. Bc I don’t repeat these projects. Nor do I have space for more stuff. This is a vacation rental home

[@classicride9210]

@@BrandonTran Hey Brandon, totally see your point! Why get duplicates of tools if you don't have to! I just recently received that tip about the pitchfork from a good friend with a lot of landscape experience when I placed 5 cu. yds. of mulch! It was hard work! I didn't use cardboard but instead just de-weeded thoroughly before putting the mulch down! Whew! Jersey humidity killed me! How do you like Asheville? I was in the Chapel Hill area all last year - I heard great things about Asheville!

[@classicride9210]

@@BrandonTran BTW, thanks for your channel! Your explanations are excellent!

[@KatherineTheGr8t]

Excellent location for Fat Albert! I would have liked to see two of the same on each side of the window. Wow your place looks great...love the color of your house and your boulders! : D

[@BrandonTran]

Hi Katherine! Thanks for that confirmation. Definitely we are hoping the Fat Albert has a nice long healthy life here. Good call on the dual Fat Alberts. That would look better indeed. You never know, I could propagate a few more from this one and make that happen :) - Oh my you just gave me a new video idea hah. Thank you Katherine!

[@suerosado8479]

You look like the actor John Stamos from Full House

[@BrandonTran]

Haha thanks. I don't quite have his wit :) Who doesn't love John Stamos though.

[@Ericar89]

Muy hermoso.

[@BrandonTran]

Muchas gracias!

[@JayDaveyAdelphus]

Hi, love your video, thank you for all info, would you please let me know if i need to kill white warm that is killing my grass first before i put cardboards? or it doesn't matter since the cardboard is blocking it?

[@BrandonTran]

Hi @Hyein Kim, I think the white worms you are referring to are grub worms. If you have a large infestation of grub worms, yes you are going to want to lower their population. They eat the roots of plants and grass and when there are too many, they can destroy your landscape. Some are ok, just not too many.

[@barbarahendricks8715]

Looks great! I bet a wheelbarrow might have been nice! :)

[@BrandonTran]

Haha Barbara, yes indeed it would have been amazing.I was trying to be resourceful. We got the job done though :)

[@farkleberry471]

Did you remove the grass underneath the cardboard or did you just lay the cardboard on top of mowed grass?

[@BrandonTran]

Hi there, the cardboard is to smother and kill the grass. It doesn’t have to be cut. The grass can be 2 feet tall and the cardboard will kill it. It decomposes within 1 year. And grass is gone.

[@michaelfisher7835]

I see a mulch washout coming.

[@BrandonTran]

Hi Michael, On the left side? We’ve had plenty of big rains, tail of hurricane, and thunder storms in 2022, and all is just fine! I’m planning on a grass cutting video soon :) I’ll have an update

[@michaelfisher7835]

Some how, I find that hard to believe. I use to get constant washouts and my landscaping wasnt even close to a slope into a drain, so I had to switchit out to landscape pebbles and rocks. I have to take your word for it, but I still find it hard to believe.

[@BrandonTran]

You are right, if there is enough water it will wash out indeed. We have drains for all rain gutters that feed into that drain underground instead of on top. Secondly there’s drains around both houses underground as well. So I think it’s more about the overall drainage setup that helps.

[@brooketaylor-maeshort6973]

May I ask why you wet the mulch????

[@BrandonTran]

Hi Brook! Ah it is minor. But it just makes the mulch stick a little better and ensures the cardboard lays flat. It’s not necessary but i tend to spray mulch down on all my projects. I may be the only person doing that :)

[@kathyr1516]

Well done! That looks beautiful. Your home is so lovely! What State are you in? It is such a pretty area!. Blessings from Melbourne Australia. Time for me to get out in the garden.

[@BrandonTran]

Hi Kathy! We are in Asheville, NC. We have a lot of moderate mountain ranges here and amazing rain. And yes indeed, it's time for gardening. The buds are popping everywhere! At some point I want to share some videos of my bonsai trees. They aren't professional looking yet. The black berries are starting to produce flowers here. My little kiddos are so excited as am I. Blessings from NC!

[@kathyr1516]

@@BrandonTran Lovely! I will look forward to seeing more! We are in autumn now so the leaves are starting to change colour and fall. Just planted some violas, pansies, cosmos, sweet peas, lettuce and spinach. Every season has its own beauty. 🌻

[@levirainsrealty4004]

What city / state is this? Looks really nice

[@BrandonTran]

Hi there, we are in Asheville, NC! We love the mountains here.

[@mssagittarius615]

Curious doesn’t the cardboard under the mulch make it difficult for planting purposes?

[@BrandonTran]

Hi @MsSagittarius61, not really. You do have to chop through it with the shovel, but wet cardboard isn't very strong. Also the cardboard is gone in a few months.

[@herfirstmate]

Do you just break through the cardboard to plant again?

[@BrandonTran]

Hi! Yes indeed I cut through the cardboard with a shovel. Once it’s soft it doesn’t put up much of a fight :)

[@ANGIEB52]

Nice 😍 … how’s it holding up with just the cardboard?

[@BrandonTran]

Hi Angie B52! It's going great. Thanks for the question! The spots with the cardboard have no grass popping up. A few areas I ran out of cardboard and those are popping up some grass. So it's definitely worth it. When it comes to the other cloth you can buy at the store, after 1 year, the weeds start to grown on top so that's not worth it imo.

[@ANGIEB52]

@@BrandonTran Welcome. Maybe I should give the cardboard another try.

[@hungchu4653]

Omg where is this? I love the scenery. BTW I wouldn't have ever thought your last name would be Tran lol

[@BrandonTran]

Hi Hung, We live in Asheville, NC area.

[@bmarie8965]

Colorado?

[@BrandonTran]

We are in Asheville, NC.

[@margielulu1366]

If you live in the south avoid putting wood mulch, attracts termites. I learn the hard way and I found a whole lot of termites under. 🤷🏾‍♀️

[@BrandonTran]

Hi Margie, It is common for homes to have termite baits all around the house here. These bait traps help prevent and kill entire termite colonies.

[@MV-ns7nw]

Are the cardboards still there when you plant the new plants? I’m just curious how you went about planting the new plants with the cardboard underneath

[@BrandonTran]

Hi MV, the cardboard will be gone in 1 year. It completely decomposes. Also when you stick a shovel in the ground you just cut through the cardboard. When it get's soggy and wet it's not much to go through.

[@Echo-zu8up]

Looks great 👍 Can you let me know that why you put cardboard under the mulch ? Thank you!

[@BrandonTran]

Hi Echo! Yes, the cardboard helps kill the grass. When spring comes if you don't have it smothered enough, the grass can grow through. At that point, chemicals could help but I try to minimize chemicals.

[@Echo-zu8up]

@@BrandonTran Thank you ! 😄

[@nix1ish]

May I ask why have you put those cardboards and then filled with soil? I saw in other videos also that they don’t put soil directly over the existing soil

[@BrandonTran]

Hi there Nishtha, the cardboard was just to tamp down the grass. Some people spray it with herbicide or dig up the grass. The cardboard smothers the grass and then I put mulch on top. There are really so many ways to handle this but this one is my favorite because we have so much cardboard all the time. Back to the earth for the cardboard :) If you rework your landscape, share a photo! I'd love to see it. Thank you.

[@jeannec7758]

@@BrandonTran Good to know! I am planning to do my own yard, and just done with 7 yards of lawn soil for raising the bed. Just one question regarding the cardboard: Later when you planted those beautiful plants on ground, how did you do it through the cardboard beneath the mulch?

[@jeannec7758]

I mean I saw you put mulch on the cardboards, so I assume you left all cardboard there until decomposed? So they are still there when you planted those from pots....?

[@BrandonTran]

Hi Jeanne, the cardboard was soggy and soft. Yes I just shoveled right through it. Also it only lasts for 1.5 years. Then the cardboard is completely decomposed. No sign of it, except any plastic tape I left on there.

[@carlavanwezel8847]

What does the cardboard do?

[@BrandonTran]

Hi Carla, thanks for the question! it smothers and kills grass.

[@carlavanwezel8847]

@@BrandonTran That is really interesting, I didnt know that! Well worth to remember! You did a great job on your garden, I really hope that you will show us what it looks like in a year and then two from when you did it.

[@MrSubielove]

bur how long does a cardboard last on the ground?

[@BrandonTran]

Hi @brolitz, the cardboard disappears in about 1 year. It completely decomposes. Any plastic tape you leave on it will remain for a long time. Plastic is good to remove

[@LukeM-r1t]

whellbarrow my guy

[@BrandonTran]

Good recommendation :) I need one badly

[@sacdigitaldesignweb]

I think variety conflicts with consistency. This is the hardest part of garden design.

[@BrandonTran]

Very true Thomas! There's certainly different styles out there. I think we landed in the unstructured style :) . Some may prefer symmetry.

[@umabdalla.4360]

🤩👍🏻👍🏻

[@BrandonTran]

Nice thank you :)

[@barrywainwright3391]

The cardboard will interfere with the root systems of the plants. Why did you lay down mulch first before removing the plants? Also it's not good to plant bushes next to a concrete foundation because over time the roots will crack the concrete.

[@BrandonTran]

Thanks for the comment Barry. The plants are far enough from the foundation and on par with other landscaping professionals. I also am a bonsai enthusiast so I have experience studying roots. Cardboard decomposes quickly and roots won’t be hindered at all in my experience.

[@brittanyhunter35]

You just cut through the cardboard?

[@BrandonTran]

Hi Brittany, yes the cardboard after getting wet is more like tearing it. It smothers the grass but will decompose as if it were never there in a year.

[@brittanyhunter35]

@@BrandonTran this is so smart! Thank you!!

[@thanhtuanngo5074]

If you're a madhouse

[@BrandonTran]

Lol

[@LauraGallantRealtor]

Look much better. You should never plant next to your foundations to protect the foundation long-term, should have rocked a few feet away from the foundation and then established the plants. Also, the tree is way too close to the home, in time it will overtake your corner of the home. Thinking about what the mature plant will look like and how big it will get is critical to good landscaping.

[@BrandonTran]

Hi Laura, thank you so much for the feedback! We may have to move these plants at some point. We did measure but I think you are right, once these plants mature they are going to be extra close.

[@bmarie8965]

Why did he not dump your mulch on your cardboard!? Lol

[@BrandonTran]

@B Marie! Haha, wow, I totally didn't think about that. That's an amazing idea. Ok next time, I'm doing this to save 4 hours of mulch moving! :)

[@galav8045]

Take it from me vinegar won’t kill weeds!

[@BrandonTran]

I agree, vinegar isn’t a single solution. I do use it as part of my maintenance strategy.

[@mybestideas1]

Maybe stones have a role in landscaping design but I do not like them in your front yard.

[@BrandonTran]

That’s a good different perspective! I appreciate your opinion. Some may not like these stones. We tried it and they were free so I keep them. Thanks for stopping by!

[@wlh4395]

When you do your landscaping shoot a vidoe edit it and post it and then we can decide If we like your idea

[@CindyRe]

Unloading mulch onto the driveway instead of the landscape area left you with a day of work and not so fun part of your video to watch. Instead of leveling the mulch you are shoveling it.

[@BrandonTran]

Indeed. I'm going to rethink next time. Thank you for the tip!