Lawn Care Curb Appeal

I wanted to title this post Drive-by Lawn Care but both my wife and son told me that this was not a title tat would attract readers.  Though I think they're wrong I took their advice so here's today's post Lawn Care Curb Appeal.

My wife and I have lived in our house for a bit over 1 ½ years now and in that time we’ve done a lot of landscaping, upgrading outdoor lights putting up a basketball hoop (didn’t help the curb appeal but we have fun with it), etc.  During this time our subdivision has exploded from 18 homes to 37 with all of the homes sold and several more under construction.  A very unusual event in today’s economy.  Now, as I look around at all the new homes and new yards I see that my lawn looks like well let’s just say heck.  It’s not that we don’t water and fertilize we do.  We (I) just simply don’t do anything more than that with the result that the curb appeal of our home is less than optimal. 

The condition of your lawn is a critical first impression item for a potential home buyer.  Dead spots from your dog, grub or seed worm patches, ring fungus, thinning patches under a tree all are big turn-offs to a prospective buyer.  The good news is that many of these problems are easily cured.

Dog spots: 

·         Cut the dead grass plus another 1” – 2” in a regular pattern suitable for new sod

·         Flush with running water for 15 minutes to remove or dilute the dog urine

·         Fill with new clean dirt

·         Place new sod

·         Water

Insects:

·         Find a good 7 in 1 lawn insecticide

·         Apply and water per manufacturer instructions

·         You can either let the grass grow back over time or

·         Cut the dead grass plus another 1” – 2” in a regular pattern suitable for new sod

·         Fill with new clean dirt

·         Place new sod

·         Water

·         Understand that some of these insects once in your lawn will become an annual problem so plan your lawn care accordingly

Ring Fungus:

·         Very difficult to control

·         Mark out an area at least one foot beyond the ring and remove all sod in that area

·         Remove all the soil in that area to a depth of one foot

·         Refill the hole with new soil

·         Reseed or resod. Seeding is preferable as there is less danger of reintroducing the ring fungus.

·         Water

Thinning Patches in Shaded Areas:  Use any one of the “sure to grow” lawn products that are currently available.  Steer towards those that highlight grows well in shaded areas.

OK, these are some fixes for current problems however the real cure is proper lawn maintenance.  To insure a good looking healthy lawn you should:

·         Thatch your lawn in the spring

·         Use a pre-emergent fertilizer in the spring

·         Apply a summer fertilizer

·         Apply a summer insect control

·         Water at least 30 – 45 minutes 3 – 4 times per week

·         Aerate your lawn in the fall

·         Over seed your lawn in the fall

·         Apply a pre-emergent fertilizer in the fall

If you follow these simple steps you’ll have an inviting lawn for any prospective buyer.

To learn more about lawn maintenance visit www.lawn-care-tips.com.

 You can find additional DIY project support at www.bejane.com, www.planitdiy.com and www.homefixated.com.  You can also listen to Michael King the Cajun Contractor at Home Talk USA by visiting www.hometalkusa.com