5 Ways To Maintain The Look Of Your Backyard
In this article, we offer a list of expert recommendations to maintain the look of your backyard.
31/07/2020
Your backyard is the perfect place to lounge and enjoy the sunlight with your loved ones. If it’s assaulted by unsightly weeds and has harmful pathogens eating away at its foundations, it’s going to disturb your peace of mind and create several problems.
To make sure your backyard is well-maintained, several maintenance practices, such as mulching and mowing, using equipment from sites like UrbanOrganicYield, can help you keep your yard in tip-top shape year-round.
Below is a list of expert recommendations to nudge you in the right direction.
1. Don’t Go Overboard With Leaf Litter
Many trees like the stalwart “oaks” sprinkle their yellow leaves on your lawn throughout the winter. Now, you shouldn’t clean each and every one of these leaves. Doing so will leave nothing for the wildlife and the essential pollinators to survive in the winter.
Instead, remove accumulated leaf litter, as they attract mold and insects. In the case of perennial beds, wait for the temperatures to warm up before pruning the stems. Many beneficial insects, such as honey bees, hibernate in their stems until spring season is in full bloom. If waiting isn’t an option, just cut the stems and place them outside your property or some other safe place to have something for the bees when they wake from their deep, restful sleep.
2. Take Swift Action Against Aggressive Weeds
Don’t wait for weeds to grow. Invasive weeds will only exacerbate the condition of your backyard in the summers. With time, they will bore into the ground and will become very hard to pull out.
Here are some ways to effectively get rid of weeds:
• Don’t mow in short lengths
• Pass on spring
fertilization
• Don’t under or over water
• Introduce some wildflowers to your backyard
• Allow mow clippings to grow
Another option you can experiment with is a pre-emergent herbicide. This herbicide works best when the top layer of the soil has a temperature of 55°F for more than five days. At this temperature, the weeds initiate the process of germination. Keep in mind that the herbicide will not work if you can see a clump of visible weeds in your backyard. So, make sure you take prompt action.
3. Mow Grass Neatly Or Use Alternatives
If you have a traditional lawnmower, the best time to replace the spark plug and filters is spring. Furthermore, make sure you sharpen its blades every month to neatly cut the grass tips. Ripping grass and exposing its edges can invite harmful fungi to your yard.
If you’re environmentally conscious, use an electric or reel mower to mow your lawn instead. They’re an excellent choice if your property doesn’t cover a lot of real estate.
Make sure your grass doesn’t grow so long that it becomes difficult to handle. If you’re not sure you can mow regularly, there are alternative options you can look into. Many gardeners are using ground cover plants like spider plants and mints, copious flower beds and walkways to save themselves from the hassle of dealing with grass. Another trend that’s gathering traction is vegetable garden beds — it’s called edible landscaping and involves the incorporation of edible vegetables, herbs, and fruits to your backyard.
4. Mulch With Caution
It’s not a good idea to jump straight into leaf mulching. As with leaf litter, many pollinators and insects like moths, wasps, and wild honey bees camp in mulch during winters. Collapsing a heap of mulch onto their hibernation spots is likely to smother them. Just delay mulching until the weather is warmer and the soil is drier.
Furthermore, use heavy mulch, such as crushed brick chips or ground corn cobs. They’re high-quality options, have a long lifespan, and give your yard an attractive look.
5. Water Shrewdly
Watering a garden is essential to keep the plant life alive. However, many harmful pathogens also require moisture to move and reproduce. That’s why the way you water your yard is important. To prevent pathogens from wreaking havoc, adopt yard-friendly watering practices. Some of these include:
• Use drip irrigation or soaker hoses to water
• Don’t exercise overhead sprinkling (can wet the
leaves)
• Don’t over-water (can
waterlog the soil, promoting the growth of
root-rotting fungi).
• The best time to water
your loan is early morning before the sun is at
its peak. Cooler temperatures deter rapid
evaporation, and keep the surface cooler in the
afternoon, minimizing stress on the grass.
Final Thoughts
Keeping your yard maintained isn’t time-consuming. The most important thing is to not overdo things and stay in a strict schedule. Certain maintenance practices, such as watering and mulching, can make things worse if done incorrectly. Make sure you’re using the best methods and practices to keep your yard healthy and appealing.