THE HONEST BROKER : LAWN & GARDEN TIPS FOR SPRING
BY: Diane Lott, Broker
Spring is in the Air!!! Here are 7 Tips and recommendations for a healthy lawn and garden that should begin now. Your local nursery or landscaper is a great source for personal assistance on your own lawn issues. However, the following are general recommendations.
#1- Dethatch your lawn
Dead grass and lawn clippings accumulate and get matted down into thatch, which not only prevents the germination of new grass seed, but also promotes fungus growth and pest infestation. Dethatch the lawn by giving it a good once-over, using a lawn rake with stiff tines.
#2- Do a soil test
depending on the condition of your lawn. To grow grass successfully, you need the right soil. Most varieties thrive in conditions that are neither acidic nor alkaline. Methods exist to raise or lower soil pH, but you’ve got to know what you’re dealing with. Purchase a soil test kit for around $10 from your neighborhood garden store or send a soil sample to your local extension office.
#3.- Yard Cleanup
I recommend that the homeowner take an exploratory stroll around the property. Look closely for any plants that don’t appear healthy. Prune damaged or dead branches from trees and bushes and remove twigs or leaves you find lingering on the grass.
#4. -Aeration
In high-traffic areas, the soil beneath grass gradually becomes compacted and inhospitable to grass roots. Aeration reverses the damage done. By using a specialized tool, wine cork-size plugs are drawn out of the lawn surface, giving roots room to spread, and allowing air, nutrients, and moisture to penetrate the soil.
#5 -Weed Treatment
Weed control ranks high among spring lawn-care priorities: If you don’t act against weeds now, before they emerge, you’ll spend the summer battling them—and it’s not a fight you’re liable to win. Prevent weeds from even sprouting by applying a pre-emergent herbicide or explore alternative treatments free of harmful chemicals.
#6. -Seeding
On any bare patches of ground, skip the herbicide and opt instead for grass seed. Be aware, however, that if you’re planting grass in the spring, it’s going to need lots of TLC during the hot summer months—that is, consistent watering and regular weeding—and you’ll most likely have to seed again in the fall.
#7. -Equipment Maintenance
Before the lawn season gets into full swing, inspect all your outdoor tools, including the mower. If necessary, take the machine in for service or give it a tune-up yourself: change the oil, install new spark plugs, and replace the air filter. Also, make sure to have fuel on hand in preparation for the first grass-cutting of the year.
(**Spring health tip: if you suffer from allergies, don’t forget to begin your antihistamine at this time of the year as well.)
Stay well and stay healthy….
Diane
Diane Lott, Broker
Owner: Paradise Found Realty
Paradise Found Realty, Inc. of Palm City
website: www.ParadiseFoundRealtyFl.com
Email: diane@paradisefoundrealtyfl.com
Phone: 954-294-5060
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