A common misconception about yard maintenance is that unless you put enormous effort into it, it’s just not going to work out well. While there certainly are some enthusiasts out there that choose to devote several hours per week to maintain their yards, by no means is that something that you must do as well.
The secret to a neat and tidy garden lies in good habits. By establishing an efficient routine, you will ensure your yard is in top shape without devoting excessive amounts of time to tend to it.
In this article, you will find a few quick and efficient tricks that are going to help you enhance the appearance of your yard quite easily.
Watering is the stepping stone to a beautiful yard
A lawn is the most impactful aspect of a yard. If your lawn is nice and tidy, the probability is high that it will ultimately overshadow some minor discrepancies that you might overlook.
Now, the key to perfect grass is watering. As a rule of thumb, you should always ensure that your lawn gets at least one inch of water every week. No more - no less. Of course, small variations aren’t going to do any harm, but some serious underwatering or overwatering is.
How can you ensure that you have reached your one-inch goal? The easiest way to do so is by placing an empty tuna can near the sprinkler. It will require some trial and error for you to perfect your watering technique, but once you get there - it’s a smooth ride.
Handling weeds proactively
Watering properly is going to ensure that your lawn is in top shape, but it’s also going to promote weed growth. The key to dealing with weeds is to act as soon as you spot them. While shrugging one dandelion off and opting to take care of it later seems easier, doing so sets you for a bigger problem down the line.
Dealing with weeds early is easier and more efficient, but making sure that you deal with weeds before they sprout is even better. Utilizing weed and feed for lawns is a great way to deal with weed growth. Such products are easy to use, and they ensure that the unwanted elements are dealt with while also promoting the growth of the ideal lawn.
Don’t underestimate pruning
Waiting for the branches on your trees to overgrow causes more problems than it saves time. Pruning on time is going to result in less work overtime since putting such things off adds to the probability of a more serious problem down the road.
Broken branches may result in property damage, while diseased ones might affect the entire tree - and none of these scenarios is a good one. So, even though putting this work off for later might seem tempting, make sure to avoid doing so.
Pruning should be done in late winter or early spring in most cases, but some trees are different. In case they bloom during times when pruning is done in general, adjust the time for pruning accordingly.
Is trimming bushes necessary?
You’ve guessed it - the answer is yes. Trimming bushes is pretty much down-scaled pruning, and if you’re looking for a neat yard, avoiding trimming isn’t a way to go. The probability is high that overgrown bushes are going to be even more eye-catching than trees that aren’t pruned.
As with pruning, making a habit of this activity is going to result in less work, so, don’t avoid doing so!
It should be noted that if you have flowering bushes, you should be careful with what you trim. Make sure that you primarily trim the older branches rather than newer ones.
Mulch is always a good choice
Now here’s one of the most subtle, and yet effective methods of keeping your yard neat. There’s no need for you to tend to everything if you are smart about space utilization.
Mulch is a popular landscaping element, and besides the fact that it looks neat, it reduces the amount of grass that you need to tend to. Creating a few islands around trees, other decoration elements, and similar is a great way for introducing some landscaping while decreasing the amount of work that you need to put into your yard.
A similar result can be achieved by utilizing any decorative elements out there. The reason why mulch is so popular though is the fact that it’s cheap and that it can cover larger surfaces.
In the end, all that matters is that you do your research on the most efficient methods of maintaining your garden before sticking to a certain routine. Be vigilant, assess your garden critically, and you will always be able to figure out whether a certain technique works or not. Lastly - make sure that you take pride and joy in tending to your yard!
