How to Manage Landscaping for Rental Properties: A Landlord's Complete Guide

By PropsManager Team · Maintenance & Repairs · Jun 02, 2025

I've seen a $4,200 HOA fine land on a landlord's desk because his tenant let the front yard turn into a dandelion farm for three months. Three months. That's all it took for the neighborhood association to cycle through their warning letters and drop the hammer. The kicker? The landlord was collecting $1,450 a month in rent and thought he was saving money by making lawn care the tenant's responsibility.

Landscaping at rental properties is one of those deceptively simple management decisions that can snowball into real financial pain if you get it wrong. We're talking HOA violations, reduced property values, longer vacancy periods, and maintenance nightmares that eat into your cash flow. According to the National Association of Realtors, well-maintained landscaping can increase a property's value by 10-12% and reduce time-on-market by up to 15%.

So let's break down every angle of rental property landscaping — who should do it, what it should cost, how to protect yourself legally, and when it makes sense to rip out the grass entirely.

Why Landscaping Matters More Than You Think

Most landlords think of landscaping as an afterthought. Mow the grass, trim the hedges, move on. But here's what the numbers actually say:

• Curb appeal drives tenant quality. A well-maintained exterior signals that you take the property seriously. Good tenants notice. They're comparing your listing photos against 15 other options, and that overgrown front yard is pushing them toward a competing unit.
• Property value protection. The American Society of Landscape Architects estimates that quality landscaping adds 15-20% to a property's perceived value. Even if you're not selling anytime soon, your appraisal matters for refinancing and equity lines.
• Municipality and HOA compliance. Many cities have weed and vegetation ordinances with fines ranging from $50 to $500 per violation. HOA fines can be steeper — I've seen communities that charge $100 per day after the initial warning period expires.
• Pest prevention. Overgrown vegetation attracts rodents, termites, and mosquitoes. One termite infestation because nobody trimmed the bushes away from the foundation can cost $3,000-$5,000 to treat.

The bottom line: neglecting landscaping doesn't save money. It just delays the bill and makes it bigger.

Option 1: Making Landscaping the Tenant's Responsibility

This is the default for a lot of single-family rental landlords. You put a clause in the lease that says the tenant is responsible for "maintaining the lawn and exterior grounds in a neat and presentable condition." Simple enough, right?

Not really.

When Tenant-Managed Landscaping Works

It can work — under very specific conditions:

• The tenant is an owner-mentality renter. Some tenants genuinely enjoy yard work. They'll plant flowers, edge the walkways, and keep things sharp. These people exist, but they're maybe 20% of the renter population.
• The property is in a low-scrutiny area. No HOA, relaxed municipal codes, rural or semi-rural location. If nobody's going to complain about a slightly shaggy lawn, the stakes are lower.
• You do regular inspections. You can't just hand off yard responsibility and disappear. You need to drive by monthly or check photos to make sure things aren't deteriorating.

When It Falls Apart

Here's the honest truth from managing properties for years: most tenants won't maintain the yard to your standard. They moved into a rental specifically because they didn't want homeowner responsibilities. Asking them to maintain landscaping is like asking a hotel guest to vacuum the lobby.

Common problems include:

• Sporadic mowing. They'll mow once a month instead of weekly. In the summer, your property looks abandoned by week three.
• No edging, trimming, or weeding. Even tenants who mow will skip everything else. The beds fill with weeds, hedges get wild, and tree branches start blocking the walkway.
• Dead grass and plants. Tenants rarely water the lawn or adjust sprinkler systems. One scorching July and your turf is toast.
• Equipment issues. They don't own a mower, the mower breaks, they can't afford to fix it. Now you've got a code violation brewing.

Protecting Yourself If Tenants Handle It

If you still want tenants to manage the yard, at minimum:

1. Be extremely specific in the lease about what "maintaining the yard" means — mowing frequency, edging requirements, watering expectations, weed control.
2. Include photo documentation of the yard's condition at move-in.
3. Spell out consequences: if the yard falls below standards after written notice, you'll hire a service and charge the tenant.
4. Conduct regular property inspections at least quarterly.

With PropsManager's inspection tracking features, you can document yard conditions with timestamped photos during every inspection, creating a clear paper trail if you ever need to charge back landscaping costs or address lease violations.

Option 2: Hiring a Professional Landscaping Service

This is my preferred approach for almost every rental property, and here's why: it eliminates variables. You control the quality, you control the schedule, and you never have to have an awkward conversation with a tenant about their dead azaleas.

What Professional Landscaping Costs

Let's talk real numbers. Costs vary by region, property size, and service level, but here's a realistic breakdown:

For most single-family rentals, the standard package at $150-$250/month is the sweet spot. That's $1,800-$3,000 per year. Sounds like a lot until you compare it to a single $2,500 HOA fine or the $5,000-$8,000 it costs to re-sod a dead yard.

Building Landscaping Costs Into Rent

Here's the move that smart landlords make: don't eat the landscaping cost. Build it into the rent.

Instead of charging $1,500/month rent with a lease clause that says "tenant maintains yard," charge $1,650/month rent with landscaping included. The tenant pays $150 more per month but has zero yard responsibilities. Most tenants actually prefer this arrangement — it's one less thing they have to worry about.

The math works out beautifully:

• You collect $1,800 more per year in rent
• You spend $1,800-$2,400 on landscaping
• Your property stays immaculate year-round
• You attract higher-quality tenants willing to pay for convenience
• You avoid HOA fines, code violations, and yard-related disputes

Even if you're slightly underwater on the landscaping cost, you're ahead on reduced vacancy, fewer disputes, and property value preservation.

Choosing the Right Landscaping Company

Not all lawn services are created equal. Here's what to look for:

• Commercial property experience. Residential lawn guys who mow their neighbor's yard on Saturdays won't cut it (pun intended). You want a company that handles multiple properties on a route.
• Liability insurance. Non-negotiable. If their employee gets injured on your property or damages something, you need their insurance covering it. Ask for a certificate of insurance naming you as additionally insured.
• Consistent scheduling. The whole point is reliability. Ask for a set day-of-week schedule so tenants know when to expect the crew.
• Before/after photos. Some companies provide these as part of their service. If not, ask for them — they're great documentation for your records.
• Multi-property discounts. If you own several rentals in the same area, bundle them with one company. I've negotiated 15-20% discounts by giving a landscaper four properties within a 5-mile radius.

Option 3: Low-Maintenance and Xeriscaping Solutions

Here's where things get interesting. What if you could dramatically reduce or eliminate ongoing landscaping costs altogether?

Xeriscaping — landscaping designed to require minimal water and maintenance — isn't just for Arizona anymore. Landlords across the country are converting high-maintenance turf lawns into low-maintenance alternatives, and the ROI is compelling.

Low-Maintenance Alternatives to Traditional Lawns

Gravel and rock gardens. Upfront cost of $3-$8 per square foot installed. Zero mowing, minimal weeding with proper landscape fabric underneath. Works great in drought-prone regions and gives a clean, modern look.

Mulch beds with native plants. Cost of $2-$5 per square foot. Native plants are adapted to your local climate, so they need less water, less fertilizer, and less attention. A well-designed native plant bed might need maintenance three or four times per year instead of weekly.

Artificial turf. This one's gained serious traction. Installation runs $8-$14 per square foot, which is steep upfront — a 1,000 square foot front yard could cost $8,000-$14,000 to install. But after that? No mowing, no watering, no fertilizing, no dead patches. It pays for itself in 4-6 years compared to ongoing professional lawn care.

Clover lawns. An underrated option. Clover stays green with minimal water, fixes nitrogen in the soil (free fertilizer), rarely needs mowing, and doesn't go dormant in drought. Seed costs about $4-$8 per 1,000 square feet. The downside: some HOAs don't allow it, and some tenants think it looks "weedy."

Hardscaping. Patios, walkways, and decorative concrete reduce the total area that needs plant maintenance. A well-designed hardscape with minimal planting beds can look fantastic and require almost zero upkeep.

The Xeriscaping ROI Calculation

Let's say you're spending $200/month on professional landscaping for a traditional lawn. That's $2,400 per year. Over 10 years, that's $24,000 — and that's before factoring in inflation, re-sodding costs, irrigation repairs, and the occasional tree removal.

Now compare that to a one-time xeriscaping conversion at $6,000-$10,000. Even at the high end, you break even in 4-5 years and then pocket the difference for the remaining life of the property. Plus, many municipalities in water-scarce regions offer rebates of $1-$3 per square foot for converting turf to drought-tolerant landscaping.

Irrigation Systems: Set It and Forget It

If you're keeping any living plants — and you probably should for aesthetics — install an automatic drip irrigation system. Cost: $500-$2,000 depending on property size and complexity.

Why drip irrigation specifically?

• Uses 30-50% less water than sprinklers
• Delivers water directly to root zones, reducing weed growth
• Smart controllers adjust watering based on weather data
• Virtually invisible to tenants, so they can't accidentally damage it

Connect it to a smart controller like Rachio or RainMachine, and you can monitor and adjust watering from your phone. That's managing landscaping from your couch — which, honestly, is the dream.

Seasonal Landscaping Considerations

Landscaping isn't a set-it-and-forget-it situation, even with professionals. Different seasons bring different challenges:

Spring

• Aerate and overseed bare patches
• Apply pre-emergent weed control
• Mulch beds (2-3 inches)
• Clean up winter debris
• Test and activate irrigation systems

Summer

• Weekly mowing at proper height (3-3.5 inches for most grass types — cutting too short kills lawns faster than anything)
• Deep, infrequent watering (1 inch per week)
• Monitor for grub damage and fungal diseases

Fall

• Leaf removal (don't let leaves smother the grass)
• Final fertilizer application
• Overseed thin areas
• Winterize irrigation systems before first freeze

Winter

• Prune dormant trees and shrubs
• Address drainage issues before spring rains
• Plan any major landscape changes for spring installation
• Review landscaping contracts and renegotiate if needed

Tracking seasonal maintenance tasks alongside your other property upkeep is critical. PropsManager lets you set up recurring maintenance reminders so nothing slips through the cracks — whether it's a spring aeration or a fall irrigation blowout.

Lease Clauses That Protect You

Whatever landscaping arrangement you choose, your lease needs to address it clearly. Vague language leads to disputes. Here's what to include:

If the tenant is responsible:

• Specific tasks (mow weekly, water twice weekly, weed monthly)
• Standards (grass height not to exceed 6 inches, no dead or dying plants)
• Consequences for non-compliance (written notice, then landlord hires service at tenant's expense)
• Seasonal requirements (leaf removal, snow clearing if applicable)

If the landlord provides landscaping:

• Scope of service (what's included, what isn't — most services don't include backyard gardens or potted plants)
• Tenant's obligation not to interfere with the service (don't park on the grass, don't leave toys in the yard on mowing day)
• Tenant's responsibility for damage to landscaping they cause (running over sprinkler heads, letting dogs dig up the yard)

For all situations:

• Who pays for tree removal if a tree dies or becomes hazardous
• Rules about tenant modifications (can they plant a garden? Add a fire pit? Install a shed?)
• Access provisions for landscaping crews entering gated areas

Landscaping for Multi-Family Properties

Everything above applies mostly to single-family rentals. Multi-family is a different animal.

For duplexes, triplexes, and small apartment buildings, professional landscaping is really the only viable option. You can't assign "yard duty" to one tenant in a fourplex — it's not fair, nobody does it well, and it creates resentment.

Budget $50-$100 per unit per month for common area landscaping at multi-family properties. So a 10-unit building might run $500-$1,000/month. This is a straight operating expense that you factor into your rent calculations from day one.

The upside of multi-family landscaping is economies of scale. Your cost per unit drops significantly compared to single-family because the landscaper is servicing one location with multiple revenue streams.

Managing Landscaping Vendors With Technology

If you've got more than a couple of properties, tracking landscaping schedules, invoices, and vendor performance manually becomes a headache fast. This is where property management software earns its keep.

With PropsManager, you can:

• Track vendor invoices and compare costs across properties
• Set maintenance schedules with automated reminders for seasonal tasks
• Store vendor contacts and contracts in one centralized location
• Document property conditions with photo inspections tied to specific dates
• Generate expense reports that break down landscaping costs per property for tax time

When you're managing landscaping across five, ten, or twenty properties, having everything in one dashboard instead of scattered across emails and spreadsheets saves hours every month. Check out our pricing plans to see which tier fits your portfolio, or request a demo to see the vendor management features in action.

Landscaping Decision Checklist

Not sure which approach is right for your property? Run through this quick checklist:

• Is the property in an HOA? → Strongly consider hiring a pro. HOA fines aren't worth the gamble.
• Is the property in a drought-prone area? → Look into xeriscaping or low-water alternatives.
• Do you own multiple properties nearby? → Bundle with one landscaping company for volume discounts.
• Is the tenant long-term and reliable? → Tenant-managed might work, but still inspect regularly.
• Is the property a multi-family building? → Professional service is the only realistic option.
• What's your rent price point? → Higher-end rentals ($1,800+/month) should always include landscaping. It's expected.
• How far is the property from where you live? → Remote property management demands professional landscaping — you can't drive by to check.

Explore More PropsManager Resources

Looking for the right property management software? Check out our in-depth guides:

• Compare Property Management Software — See how PropsManager stacks up against Buildium, AppFolio, Rent Manager, and Propertyware.
• Software for Small Landlords — Built for landlords managing 1–50 units without the enterprise price tag.
• AI-Powered Property Management — Discover how automation can save you 5–10 hours per week.
• Solutions for Property Managers — Scale from 50 to 500+ units without scaling your costs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I deduct landscaping expenses on my rental property taxes?

Yes. Routine landscaping maintenance — mowing, trimming, fertilizing, seasonal cleanups — is a deductible operating expense in the year you pay it. Major landscaping improvements like installing a new irrigation system, hardscaping, or a full xeriscaping conversion are typically capitalized and depreciated over 15 years (land improvements) under IRS guidelines. Always consult your tax professional, but plan on writing off that monthly lawn service bill directly against your rental income.

How do I handle a tenant who refuses to maintain the yard as required by the lease?

Start with a written notice specifying exactly what's out of compliance — include photos. Give them a reasonable timeframe (7-14 days) to correct it. If they don't comply, most leases allow you to hire a service and charge the cost to the tenant, either deducting from the security deposit at move-out or billing them directly. Document everything. If it's a recurring issue, consider switching to landlord-provided landscaping and adjusting rent at the next renewal.

Is artificial turf worth the investment for a rental property?

For properties in warm, dry climates where water costs are high and growing grass is a constant battle, artificial turf can absolutely pay for itself. At $8-$14 per square foot installed, a small front yard (500 sq ft) runs $4,000-$7,000. Compare that to $150-$250/month in ongoing lawn care plus water costs — you're looking at a 2-4 year payback period. Modern artificial turf looks remarkably realistic and lasts 15-20 years with minimal maintenance. The main drawbacks: it gets hot in direct sun, some tenants and HOAs still have a stigma about it, and pet urine can cause odor if not rinsed periodically.

Should I let tenants plant their own gardens at the rental property?

This is a judgment call. A small herb garden or a few potted tomato plants? Probably fine. A full vegetable garden that involves tilling up part of the yard? That's a modification to the property and should require written approval. The concern is restoration — when they move out, who's responsible for returning the yard to its original condition? Spell it out in writing. Some landlords actually encourage container gardening as it shows the tenant takes pride in the property, which usually means they're taking care of the interior too.

How often should I reassess my landscaping strategy?

At minimum, review annually — ideally in late winter before the growing season kicks off. Look at what you spent the previous year, evaluate the condition of the property, and check whether your current approach is still the best fit. If you've been paying a tenant to neglect the yard, switch to professional service. If you've been paying $250/month for full-service landscaping on a property that could be xeriscaped, do the conversion and save long-term. The rental market shifts, costs change, and your strategy should adapt with them.

Take Control of Your Property's Curb Appeal

Landscaping isn't glamorous, but it's one of those operational details that separates profitable landlords from the ones constantly putting out fires. Whether you hire a pro, convert to low-maintenance alternatives, or build tenant responsibilities into an ironclad lease, the key is having a deliberate strategy — not just hoping it works out.

The landlords who do this well treat landscaping like any other line item in their operating budget. They track costs, schedule maintenance, document conditions, and adjust their approach based on what the numbers tell them.

PropsManager gives you the tools to manage landscaping vendors, schedule seasonal maintenance, track expenses per property, and document everything with photo inspections — all from one platform. Stop managing landscaping with sticky notes and start running it like a business.

Start your free trial today or schedule a demo to see how PropsManager keeps your properties — and your profits — looking sharp.