A Summer Backyard Maintenance Checklist for Homeowners
The weather is warming up and it’s time to go outside! Winter will have taken a toll on your beautiful backyard. In order to keep it pristine, you are going to need to perform several tasks. It can seem a little overwhelming at first. Start off by checking off the following items on your to do list for backyard maintenance and lawn tips.
Trim Overgrown Trees
Trees are wonderful additions to the backyard. They provide shade in hot weather and can have a beautiful framing effect. However, you need to make sure that you keep your tree's growth in check. A tree that grows too tall can become dangerous. A tall tree is more likely to be damaged in a storm. If it falls, it could destroy your home. According to Birch Tree Care, trimming the tree will also help improve its health. Trees can often grow more branches than the roots are capable of sustaining. Trimming these branches will help the tree focus its energy on more important tasks like leaf and fruit production. There is also an aesthetic appeal to a nicely trimmed tree.
Gutter Cleaning
Cleaning your gutters is an extremely important, and often overlooked task. Gutters are designed to control the flow of water from your roof to a designated area. If a problem occurs in your gutter system, you could face serious problems. Rats, spiders, mosquitoes, and other pests love clogged and dirty gutter systems. It’s the perfect place for them to hide and breed. If you don’t keep your gutters cleaned, you could have an infestation on your hands. Additionally, a clogged gutter could lead to flooding and erosion problems. When the water cannot flow properly, it will spill over the edges of your gutters and begin to pool by the edges of the house. This can cause erosion near the home’s foundation. If there are any cracks in your walls or foundation, you could see flooding in your basement.
Fix Your Sprinklers
Winter can cause a lot of problems for your sprinkler system. Freezing temperatures can cause undrained water to expand in the sprinkler pipes. This can lead to cracked pipes and broken sprinkler heads. When you first turn on your sprinkler system, you should watch it run through several cycles. Look for any sprinklers that are having trouble producing enough power. This could be a sign of a broken pipe. Check to make sure that your sprinklers are covering the proper areas. Many homeowners accidentally use the wrong sprinkler heads. This can cause you to be overwatering your lawn. According to The Sprinkler Guy, replacing your sprinkler with the correct head can help you cut down on your water bill.
Aeration
If there are areas in your lawn that have a hard time absorbing water while you are testing your sprinkler system, you may need to aerate your lawn. According to Briggs & Stratton, aeration is an important part of lawn care. An aerator is a special tool that puts holes into your lawn by pulling out small cylindrical sections of it. This allows air to get down into the soil and reach the roots. This allows your lawn to grow greener because the roots can get the nutrients they need from the air and the soil is less compact. Owning your own aerator is expensive, so it is often better to hire a company to do this for you or rent an aerator from a local lawn care store.
Fertilizer
Just like animals, plants need food to survive and grow. In order to make sure that your soil does not become depleted of nutrients, you should regularly be fertilizing your lawn. When you fertilize, be sure to follow all of the instructions on the fertilizer container. These instructions will tell you how much fertilizer to use and how often. Pay special attention to warnings regarding the weather conditions around the time that you put the fertilizer down. Most fertilizers will get washed away by rain. Not only is this a waste of money, but it can also be harmful to the environment. If you have young kids, make sure that they stay off of the grass while the fertilizer is setting. Otherwise, they will end up tracking the fertilizer into your home.
Edging
If you want to have a pristine lawn, according to Greenpal, then it’s important that you edge it. Edging the lawn should be done with a proper edging tool. Do not just use a weed trimmer on its side. This has a tendency to expose the soil on the edge of your lawn which makes it very easy for weeds to invade your lawn.
This all may seem like a lot of work. Fortunately, you don’t have to do it all at the same time. Set yourself a schedule and work on it throughout the coming weeks. The end product will be worth it. You will have a beautiful backyard where you can enjoy the pleasures of life.
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