What if we told you there’s a way to tackle that laundry list that all first-time homeowners experience? Forget about the kitchen for a moment. Don’t worry about the pool either. These tips are for something far more important-at least to the outside eye. The first thing you want to improve as soon as you get in your new house is the yard. Your lawn is the introduction to your home. If it looks great, it will give the indication that the rest of your house looks great. And the best part is that it’s not even hard to makeover.
Dressing up your outdoor space is a sure fire way to impress your neighbors. A beautiful, well-manicured lawn will make your home look like it’s the most valuable property on the block. It’s been proven that a little landscaping care can increase value by over 100%. If you’re not comfortable spending a chunk of change on hardscaping, new flower beds, and even a little pond, that’s okay. Simple grass treatments and shrub care will do the trick just fine.
You don’t have to skip a vacation to bring up your home’s property value, but you will have to put in a couple weekends. Trust us, it will be worth it. Green grass is something every homeowner wants. A good-looking lawn has appeal. The question is, what tricks do you need to master to have that golf green glow? That’s easy. Just follow these simple steps:
- Water it right: You don’t need to water every morning and night. You do need to water it right. Soaking your yard has far more benefits than just sprinkling it. Allowing the water to penetrate that tough top layer of turf is what separates the great lawns from the good ones. The roots need the water, so make sure they get it by allowing your sprinklers to spray the yard for plenty enough time. Short periods multiple times a day is not as effective as one long soaking session.
- Overseed: You’ll have some bare spots from time to time. And if you really want to have a beautiful yard, you might overhaul entire patches of thatch, crabgrass, or buttercup fields. You’ll be tempted to lay it on thick when it comes time to reseed these areas. Go for it! Overseed until your heart is content. What is overseeding exactly? It’s precisely what it sounds like. Dump as much seed on those problem spots as you want. The extra bit improves your yard’s health and encourages a thick, lush consistency. And don’t forget, it works best when combing aeration into the equation.
- Cut it right: Cut too short and your grass will lack the nutrients it needs to look healthy. Leave it grow too long and your yard looks like an untamed field. And if your mower blades are dull, you’ll break the grass instead of cutting it. Sounds like a lot to remember for just simply cutting your grass? It is, but it’ll all be beneficial if you’re trying to have the nicest lawn on the block.
- Spring prep: You need to get some fertilizer on your yard as soon as possible. The work doesn’t begin in the summer, it actually starts much earlier than that. Head to your local hardware store and get a spring fertilizer mix. Might as well pick up some anti weed spread as well. Applying these two coats to your lawn in early spring will help your yard look spectacular when everyone else’s is dead and brown in the middle months of the year.
- Fall prep: Same goes for fall. There will be plenty of moisture for your grass to absorb already. That means all you have to do is provide the nutrients. Breaking out the spreader near the end of the year will help bring back a strong, healthy lawn during the next spring.
- Spend up to get the correct care: Most people have no idea what they’re doing when it comes to lawn care. They think they do, but even the simple tips above escape those who feel like they’ve mastered their grass. It’s okay to admit this. In fact, it’s probably healthy, because at least you know that you should hire someone if you are super intent on having great grass. Because you’re reading this, you’re probably going to do it on your own, but keep in mind that if things get too busy, it’s better to hire someone than ignore the needs of your lawn.
