Donna’s beautiful yard in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. Photo Courtesy: Donna Cazadd
Your yard is one of the first things someone notices when passing by or entering your home. Keeping your property looking beautiful may not be one of the first things on your to-do list, but doing so is going to make coming home each day a relaxing experience.
No one likes to come home to see all of the tasks that are yet to be completed, like that paint chipping on the side of your home or that hole your new puppy dug near the fence. This is why it’s important to maintain your property on a regular basis, so you don’t feel as though you’ll never catch up and get the look you’re so desperately going for.
Taking Proper Care of Your Lawn
Your neighbors may mow once a week, but every two weeks will suffice. Doing so is not only going to create less work for you during the month but this length of time will allow your grass to strengthen, as roots will have a chance to extend deeper into the soil. This way, if you aren’t exactly the best at keeping up with your watering schedule, your grass is less likely to look sickly.
Typically, watering your lawn and plants about twice a week works, but be prepared to make changes as weather differs. If it is extremely hot during the week, water more. If it is more on the rainy side, you can save on your water bill. Educate yourself on the type of grass and soil you currently have because these factors will affect how much water and overall maintenance your particular lawn requires. Over-watering is just as deadly as under-watering, so make sure you aren’t completely soaking the area. You should be able to see the soil soaking up the water. If huge puddles and mud is left behind, slow down. It’s a bit of a learn-as-you-go process, but in time, it’ll all make sense.
Creating a Safe Place for Children and Pets
Keeping a lawn looking great doesn’t have to involve harmful chemicals. Not only are there organic fertilizers that may just fit into your family’s lifestyle, but synthetic grass is also a solution many parents and pet owners turn to.
Synthetic Grass: Having a Great Yard, Without All the Work
Above: Believe it – it’s artificial grass by Rollout Grass of Australia
In the past, artificial or ‘synthetic’ grass was only used for sporting events, but more and more businesses and homes are incorporating the simple solution into their exterior appeal. What’s so nice about this type of grass is that there is no need to mow, fertilize or water (unless, of course, you are cleaning the area). The only thing you’ll need to worry about is replacing your turf about every 5 years. Some brands last even longer when coupled with proper care.
Synthetic grass is great for those yards that don’t quite get enough sun or areas that just can’t seem to sustain healthy-looking grass. With demand for this product through the roof, there are more solutions than ever that work fantastic with children and pets.
Tracking Down the Right Natural Grass
Don’t think artificial grass is right for you? Consider locating a local grass that is extremely durable and can handle high-traffic, such as Bermuda. When compared to other types of grass, Bermuda is going to be able to withstand much more wear and tear than other types of grass. This means a more ‘alive’ look and less worry about bare patches commonly caused by excessive walking or running through the area. (Trying to keep a newborn puppy or toddlers in specific areas of the yard isn’t exactly one of the simplest tasks, although many pet owners put up fences around their favorite trees or plants to reduce damage)
Right: “My neighbor has beautiful bermuda grass lawn” – says Woodley. Photo Courtesy: WoodleyWonderWorks
Question: Why is the neighbor’s grass ALWAYS nicer?!?!
Minimizing the Areas You Need to Work On
Still not feeling as though you have the time or the energy to keep up with everything your yard requires? Another way to deal with the problem is to decrease the amount of softscape. Softscape is anything in your yard that is living, such as flowers, plants, and grass. Find ways to incorporate hardscape into your lawn’s design. Hardscape includes items you add onto your property that are not alive, such as decks or yard décor.
It may be tough work initially, but over the long-term, this is going to save you a lot of time. Whether you decide to build a new walkway or concrete sections into your property, so you have less grass to mow and weeds to worry about, the amount of maintenance you need to worry about is going to be greatly reduced.
As you can see, you don’t necessarily need to have a green thumb in order to get the job done. All it takes is a pinch of creativity, patience and the desire to make a change. Everyone deserves a yard they can enjoy and share with their guests.
Adam Benson is a software engineer and a home owner. He likes gardening, but maintaining a yard is no easy task. Owing to his busy schedule he doesn’t find enough time and so has opted for Commercial Grass Installation in Perth. He also likes blogging and talks about various issues on his blog.
Sandy says
Thanks for your kind words Celeste! You’ve a nice backyard. And thanks for the use of your nice picture again.
Perfectly Green says
Great advice, there is a lot you can do to keep the amount of maintenance down in your garden. Synthetic grass is a really good way of doing this, you get to have lush green grass all year round without have to do the hard work of cutting and treating it, and there is no mud to worry about!