Is your backyard looking a little worse for wear? Well, perhaps it’s time to revamp it. From figuring out how to care for your lawn to dealing with the weeds that have appeared out of nowhere, here are some top tips to remember next time you’re doing a little gardening…
Give your lawn some love
However large or small your lawn is, you’re going to need to put some effort into maintaining it. That means mowing your lawn (twice a week at this time of year, dropping to once a week during periods of drought), feeding it (by applying fertilizer all over, taking care to distribute it evenly and mixing it in with the soil to avoid scorching the grass), and watering it too. During the summer you can probably afford to just water your lawn once a week or wait until it rains, but if the ground is particularly hard, spike it with a garden fork before you water it so that the water penetrates through the soil properly.
Plant some flowers
Next, pay attention to your blooms. If your backyard is looking a little bland, now’s the time to add some color. Choose flowers that you find attractive, but if you’re new to gardening be sure to ask your local nursery for advice on what to choose, or request insider tips for growing the particular variety you’ve chosen. Also, did you know that each state in the US has an official flower? Of course, you can grow anything you’d like to grow… but it might be fun to make sure you’ve proudly included the flower of your state in your backyard – whether you’re growing apple blossoms in Arkansas or orange blossoms in Florida.
Tackle those weeds
If you’ve not given your yard some love for a long time, you’re probably going to have to deal with some weeds. You can use chemical weed killers if you want a quick solution, but there are plenty of organic ‘planet friendly’ things you can do instead. For example, you can pull weeds by hand (or with a fork), taking care to dig out as much as the root as possible. You could also use a flame gun to get rid of weeds between paving stones or on driveways (so long as you’re very careful).
Prune back climbers and wall shrubs
If your backyard has some established climbers or wall shrubs, you’re going to need to prune them back to make your yard look nice and neat. But, don’t overdo it: just remove dead shoots and any areas that look overcrowded, diseased or damage, and shorten your side-shoots a little too.
Dedicate a relaxation area
As well attending to your plants and flowers, you probably want to be able to spend some time in your yard too. If this is the case, why not portion off an area for relaxation? You could install a hammock or a swing chair, for example. Or, if you love to cook and host garden parties, why not invest in a proper outdoor cooking station like a brick BBQ island? You’ll be able to spend lots of time in your backyard if you give yourself a work area like this, and your friends and family will love it as much as you do.