10 Tips for a Better Yard

If you’re selling your home, first impressions are everything.  Make someone fall in love with your home the minute they pull up to the front.

If you’re not selling, create a beautiful yard as your private retreat and a comfortable spot to come home to.

Here are a few very easy suggestions:

1. 1. If you have any problem growth areas in your yard, send a soil sample to your county or state’s extension service (Google for your state resource) to have the pH levels tested.  This process can take up to six weeks so, if you don’t want to wait, check around.  I found a local garden nursery that will test my soil for free and I have my results in less than ten minutes!
   2. When trimming shrubs, keep your plants at least a foot away from the house to prevent mold and rot and to allow circulation against the house.
   3. Spread mulch around trees, shrubs and/or planted areas. Mulch, bark, or pine needles help keep weeds down and gives the yard a clean “finished” look.  Some mulches are colored, some are brown.  All fade and settle over time from the sun and rain so need to be reapplied each Spring.
   4. Edge your flowerbeds. There’s no easier way to make your yard look neat and groomed.
   5. Power wash everything or at least go around with a broom and get down cobwebs, mold and dirt from everything – decks, patios, fences, trellises, eaves, windows, siding and brick. Having your home pressure washed is fairly inexpensive or you can rent a pressure washers for an afternoon. When pressure washing, careful not to get water under the siding, in soffits or in vents where the moisture can cause damage.*Heads-up – after pressure washing your home, the exterior of your windows will need cleaning!
   6. Plant flowers. Perennials come up year after year eliminating the expense and effort of repurchasing and replanting every spring. Plant a few annuals (they won’t come back) like coleus to add all season color as most flowering plants bloom for only a short time. Coleus thrive well, are low maintenance and add such gorgeous color and impact. Hanging baskets are great, not only in entry areas and on porches but also lovely hanging on hooks in the yard or from tree branches.
   7. Plant a garden. If you have a sunny spot, a small bed with veggies adds so much! It’s beautiful, great exercise for you and you end up with wonderful, wholesome edibles! I prefer edible plants anywhere they will grow. Fruit trees flower in the spring and are ready to pick from in the summer and fall. I have herbs growing everywhere! Fragrant lavender under windows, creeping thyme and rosemary along the stone staircase, sage, parsley, chamomile and basal fill in bare spaces in shrub areas. Be sure to plant your mint in containers as mint loves to wander!
   8. Hang a hammock. Nothing suggests easy living (and a low-maintenance yard) like a hammock. If you don’t have two trees close enough to string one between, use a hammock stand. Ours is always a big hit when guests comes over.
   9. Create conversation areas, not just on your deck but in the yard. Place a metal bench out front, a stone bench in another area and tables and chairs on the deck. Make your yard another usable area of your home.
   10. When caring for your lawn, set your mower high (at least three inches). Higher grass reduces stress, cuts down on the need for water and helps choke out weeds.

Selling or staying, landscaping adds value to your home!

What ideas can you add?