Grounds maintenance

Free guide to build a preventative maintenance plan

What is grounds maintenance?

Grounds (or sometimes called ground) maintenance is the process of caring for your building or facility's exterior and keeping it maintained. This can include lawn care, but it's not limited to grass. It also includes trimming bushes and trees, removing leaves from gutters and roofs, cleaning windowsills and other areas where dirt accumulates over time (especially if your facility is in an industrial sector), pressure washing concrete patios or driveways, and so much more.

What are some examples of grounds maintenance?

Grounds maintenance refers to the activities and tasks involved in the care and upkeep of outdoor areas such as parks, gardens, sports fields, and commercial or residential landscapes. Generally, grounds maintenance falls into the categories of preventive maintenance (opens in new tab), corrective maintenance, predictive (opens in new tab) and condition-based maintenance (opens in new tab).

Here are some examples of grounds maintenance tasks:

Lawn mowing: Regularly mowing grass to maintain an even and tidy appearance.
Pruning and trimming: Trimming shrubs, hedges, and trees to maintain their shape and promote growth.
Planting and replanting: Installing new plants, flowers, and trees or replacing damaged or dead vegetation.
Fertilizing: Applying fertilizers to promote healthy growth and improve soil quality.
Irrigation: Ensuring proper watering of plants, using methods such as sprinklers or drip irrigation systems.
Leaf and debris removal: Raking and collecting leaves, branches, and other debris to maintain a clean appearance.
Pest and disease control: Monitoring for pests and diseases and taking appropriate measures for their control.
Seasonal maintenance: Performing specific tasks based on the season, such as snow removal in winter or preparing plants for colder temperatures.
Pathway and pavement maintenance: Repairing cracks, removing weeds, and ensuring safe and functional pathways and pavements.
Equipment maintenance (opens in new tab): Regularly servicing and maintaining grounds maintenance equipment such as mowers, trimmers, and irrigation systems.

Where is grounds maintenance conducted?

Grounds maintenance is conducted in a wide range of places that have outdoor spaces requiring care and upkeep. Here are some types of places where grounds maintenance is commonly performed:

Residential properties: Grounds maintenance is essential for maintaining the appearance and functionality of residential landscapes, including private homes, housing complexes, and gated communities.
Commercial properties: Many commercial establishments invest in grounds maintenance to create an attractive and welcoming outdoor environment. This includes office buildings, shopping centers, hotels, restaurants, and industrial complexes.
Public parks and gardens: Grounds maintenance is crucial for public parks, botanical gardens, and recreational areas. These spaces often have extensive landscapes, flowerbeds, lawns, walking paths, and amenities like playgrounds and picnic areas.
Educational institutions: Grounds maintenance is essential for schools, colleges, and universities to create a conducive learning environment. It includes maintaining lawns, sports fields, gardens, and outdoor gathering spaces.
Sports facilities: Grounds maintenance is essential for sports facilities such as stadiums, arenas, and sports complexes. Proper maintenance of playing surfaces, including grass fields, synthetic turf, and tracks, ensures safe and optimal conditions for athletes.

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Types of grounds maintenance workers

Grounds maintenance workers are sometimes called groundskeepers or groundkeepers, and they are the people who maintain the grounds and landscape of your property. They can be either full-time or part-time, depending on what you need.

There are several types of grounds maintenance workers:

Landscapers: These professionals have training in horticulture and landscaping design. Their job is to create beautiful outdoor spaces for clients by installing plants, trees, and other vegetation and designing thematic areas such as ponds or streams with water features like fountains or waterfalls. They also build decks and patios using brick pavers or stone chips (pea gravel).
Groundskeepers: These workers tend to focus more on lawn care than anything else; however, some may still perform light gardening duties such as trimming hedges and shrubs around fences so that they don't grow too high over time.
Sports turf managers: They oversee the maintenance of sports fields, ensuring they are adequately prepared and maintained for various athletic activities. This may include mowing, fertilizing, aerating, and marking lines on the playing surface.
Park maintenance workers: These individuals maintain public parks and recreational areas. Their responsibilities may include mowing, pruning, litter removal, playground maintenance, and ensuring the overall cleanliness and safety of the park.
Grounds maintenance technicians: These workers specialize in the operation and maintenance of grounds maintenance equipment, such as mowers, trimmers, irrigation systems, and power tools. They ensure the proper functioning and safety of the equipment.
Grounds maintenance supervisors: These professionals oversee and coordinate grounds maintenance activities. They may manage a team of groundskeepers, develop maintenance schedules, monitor budgets, and ensure safety and quality standards compliance.

Grounds maintenance involves caring for your business or facility's exterior and keeping it maintained

Grounds maintenance is a great way to keep your business or facility's exterior presentable and well-maintained. Conducting grounds maintenance regularly and with seasonal changes can save you money in the long run by preventing costly repairs or replacements.