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How to Have an Incredible Yard Even with a Busy Schedule

1. August 2018 Clara Beaufort How To Articles, Lawn Care Tips (0)

Photo via Pixabay by Paul_Henri

Once warm weather comes around, many homeowners start thinking about what they can do to make their lawns look beautiful without putting in hours on the landscaping every week. When you have a busy schedule, it can be difficult to consider taking the time to mow every five days, pull weeds, or trim the shrubs. That’s why it’s important to do a little planning in the beginning so you won’t have to scramble to get the yard work done -- or spend a fortune on hiring a landscaping service.

It also helps to stay organized and arrange for certain jobs to be done on certain days. This way, not only does the yard work get done no matter what else you have going on, but it also allows you to spread it out a little at a time so you’re not working in the hot sun for hours on end. You might make a list of all the outside chores, such as mulching, weeding, mowing, fertilizing, and trimming hedges and trees. Since different plants, trees, and grasses grow at different rates, you won’t have to get them all done at once.

Keep reading for some great tips on how to have an award-winning yard even when you’re busy

Plan Out a Landscape First

The easiest way to save time when it comes to yard work is to plan out a landscape that won’t need much of your attention but still adds to your home’s curb appeal. This might include evergreen shrubs, mulch, and hardy or potted plants that can withstand heat without wilting if you can’t get them watered every day.

You can also take up grass space -- meaning areas where you won’t need to mow -- by laying down a brick pathway, stepping stones, or mulch. Just make sure you do it the right way to prevent weeds from growing up.

Make a Checklist

Remember that even the most simple of landscapes will still need your attention, especially if you want to add to your home’s value. Shaggy lawns, weeds, and unattended plants can all draw negative attention to your house and, should you decide to sell, will be a big turnoff for buyers. To avoid becoming overwhelmed with tasks, make a checklist of all the things you need to do within a given week. Pulling weeds may not take any time at all, depending on the size of your yard, but it can add quite a bit of appeal to the aesthetics. Click here for some wonderful tips on how to start a checklist for your lawn.

Turn It Into a Family Affair

If you have kids, chances are they can help out in the yard, whether it’s just to pick up leaves or to mow now and then. Getting them involved will not only help you stay on top of your chores, it will teach them about responsibility and how to care for other living things as they grow up.

Create a Functional Space

Depending on the size of your lawn and the way your home is situated, you may be able to add on a patio or extend the front porch area in order to cut down on the amount of lawn you need to take care of. Creating a functional space can add value to your home if it’s done properly and will save you time in the long run when it comes to mowing and watering. Taking care of your lawn doesn’t have to be a stressful ordeal. With a good plan and a little time management, you can create an outdoor space that is personalized, functional, and beautiful without sacrificing hours of your precious weekend time.

Article Written by Clara Beaufort

For Additional information on the subject. Please check out this link
How to Bring Great Landscaping Home

How To Keep Your Children and Pets Safe

3. May 2018 Administrator Lawn Care Tips (0)

Your lawn should be a place of play and relaxation, where your children’s imagination can flourish and their seemingly endless energy can be spent. While you want their imaginations running wild, you don’t want your lawn to go wild and create needless hazards or dangers for them and your pets when they do venture outdoors. As warmer weather approaches, it’s time to think about the things you can do to keep your yard safe.

Childproofing
It’s not likely you’ll be able to remove all danger from your child’s path at all times, but taking a few precautions can ensure that certain accidents be avoided. As Forbes reports, parents often go to great detail to childproof the interior of the house, but the exterior can also pose dangers.
The following are some tips for childproofing your yard:

Look for pointy objects or loose wires from fencing that might injure your child.
Look for holes or big rocks that are hidden and can cause your child to trip.
Make sure lawn tools are put away and locked.
Aim for soft and cushioned play areas with grass and sand. Avoid pea gravel, as it can be a choking hazard and not the ideal surface for rolling and tumbling around.
Avoid dangerous, toxic, or prickly plants like English ivy, poison oak, or morning glory.

Dog Proofing
Dogs are awfully curious and can get into trouble by ingesting or breathing in harmful chemicals. The Huffington Post reported that pets should be kept away from areas sprayed with chemical pesticides in order to avoid poisoning and even cancer. There are plenty of natural weed killers that are pet- and child-safe. Some steps to killing your weeds include:

Using 10-20% vinegar: Go to a home maintenance store because regular vinegar from the grocery store will not do the trick. Then spray around as needed.
Using BurnOut weed killer: This is a prepared mix of vinegar and clove oil.
Pulling them out: To keep your yard chemical free for your pooch and children, you might have to put on some gloves and pull them out yourself.

The Spruce reports of several backyard plants that are poisonous to dogs. These include English ivy, morning glory, lily of the valley, and foxglove.

Trees and Shrubs
Trees and shrubs can improve the look of your lawn and home while providing a great hangout spot. Shrubs can bring a lawn together and add some beautiful flowers, colorful leaves, or berries. Trees have many benefits to our homes and neighborhoods. They provide shade, clean air, and a place to relax, but like shrubs, they also need care and attention.

Keep your shrubs clean and trimmed to avoid pests and to maintain an orderly look. This also prevents hazardous branches or prickly plants from growing outward and posing danger. A dead or dying tree may ultimately have to be removed for health and safety purposes.

Pruning helps to maintain a tree and keep branches under control, and can be done in three ways:

Cleaning: Removing dead or dying branches or limbs
Thinning: Removing certain branches to thin out the tree, which removes weight from the branches
Reduction: This reduces the size of the tree without harming the tree’s structure

Other Yard Safety Precautions
Many yard precautions depend on the size and nature of your yard, but you might also install other kinds of safety guards to improve safety. Here are some tips:

Install and tighten railings and/or steps to help avoid injury. Handrails can assist children and seniors as they walk outside. Handrails loosen over time, so make sure to check and tighten them often to ensure they serve their purpose.
Fence off your lawn. With children and dogs running around, you don’t want to worry about them going off into the street or traffic. Make sure you have a high and safe fence so you can keep an eye on them.

As the warmer temperatures come, ensure your family is safe so that they can make the most of the outdoors. Use these tips to maintain and clear your trees when necessary and keep your lawn beautiful and safe for children and pets.

Article Written By: Clara Beaufort

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Easy Summer Lawncare Tips to keep Your Lawn Green

12. July 2016 Ed Lawn Care Tips, Quick Tips (0)

The summer is here! Because the summer heat can be so damaging it is crucial you change your lawn care routine accordingly. Here are 4 easy things you could start doing now to protect your lawn this summer.

1. Be sure to raise the deck of your lawn mower. This will make your grass blades longer. The extra density will protect the root from burning in the sun. Nothing ruin's a summer party like brown dead grass!

2. Water your lawn only in the morning or at night time. If you water your lawn at midday you will burn your grass. The beads of water will act like a magnifying glass and burn your lawn at the height of the day.

3. Control the weeds with all natural pet safe solutions. Did you know you can create your own weed killer? All you need is some vinegar. Douse weeds with white vinegar (or even the leftover liquid from a jar of pickles) and they'll be dead a few days later. This is a good method for exterminating weeds with long taproots, like dandelions, dock, and plantain.

4. Sharpen your lawn mower blades now. This will not only cut your lawn mowing time in half. It will also slice your grass clean, allowing it to recover quickly.

How to Have an Incredible Yard Even with a Busy Schedule

How To Keep Your Children and Pets Safe

Easy Summer Lawncare Tips to keep Your Lawn Green

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