Meadow View Greenhouse & Garden Center

ETMV April 2010

I love this time of year! Every time I see a new daffodil blooming or hear the peepers, it makes me smile. Spring is a time of new beginnings, and many of you are ready to do some work in your yard, but don’t know where to start. You may not know much about plants or what to do with them, or you may have made costly mistakes with your landscape in the past. Whether you are trying to sell your home or are simply trying to make your home more appealing, there are many simple and inexpensive things you can do to increase the attractiveness.

Step number one:  Take inventory and make a plan.

I have a mental trick I tell customers to use to really see what your yard looks like. The next time you are coming home after running errands or whatever, pretend like the house isn’t yours. Pretend you are in the market for a house and you are looking at yours for the first time. What do you notice? The reason I suggest this is because after we have lived in a house for a while, we stop seeing it. Maybe you don’t use the front door very much, or maybe in this gloomy winter you have just hurried in as fast as possible and you aren’t looking around anymore. In any case, now is a great time to take a nice, objective view.

If you can’t be objective, find a friend whose yard you admire and ask for advice. Pick someone who is honest but not brutal. You still want to be friends with them later!

After you have walked around for a few minutes, alone or with a friend, start visualizing what you would like to see. If you were a buyer looking at the house, where would you make improvements? There may be things there that you saw when you first moved in and wanted to fix, but you had forgotten about them. Grab a handy dandy notebook and start writing things down so they won’t slip you mind again.

Step number two:  Educate yourself.

There are some things you need to know about your yard before you start doing any changes. First of all, what types of plants are there currently, and how are they doing? Are they thriving, or struggling? Do you have old, shaggy shrubs that need a haircut, or shrubs that have overgrown their location? Do you have perennials that should be divided or moved? Do you have dead plants?

Secondly, how much sun does your yard get and at what time of the day? That is the first question we will ask you when you come to us for advice, so keep yours eyes open for a couple of days to see when the sun hits an area and when it leaves.

Step number three:  Fix what you have.

If you have shaggy, overgrown shrubs, you will be amazed at how much a good pruning will help. This is a great time of year to do some shaping up to get shrubs off the sidewalk, rejuvenate overgrown plants, or remove branches that slap you in the head every time you walk by. If you have pruning questions, just give us a call or stop by for an information sheet.

If the weeds have taken over your flower beds and lawn, pull them or spray them. Nothing detracts more from the appearance of a lawn than beds full of weeds. Once you get them out, use Preen to keep the weeds out.

Mow your yard correctly. Many people want to mow the lawn as short as possible so they don’t have to mow as frequently. This is a bad idea. Short grass is weak grass, and you want yours to be strong and healthy. It is best to mow more often and leave the grass longer. It is also a good idea to have your mower blades sharpened, and to mow in a different direction every time you mow.

Don’t forget to clean up clutter. It is amazing how we will stop noticing broken birdbaths and trellises, pots with last years dead annuals, toys that were forgotten over the winter, etc. It isn’t that we are rednecks (unless you have ever mowed your grass and found a car, as Jeff Foxworthy says), it is just that we are busy and don’t pay attention.

Step number four:  Add plants.

Now that you have everything tidied up, you can start filling in gaps. Is there are large area that needs a tree or shrub? Now is a great time to plant. If you want to save money, pick a native plant or another easy plant and get it in the ground correctly. Correct planting is the best way to ensure success.

Smaller areas can be filled in with perennials and annuals. Perennials cost a little more in the beginning, but can last for years. Annuals are a cheap bang for the buck. Both will add a nice splash of color that catches the eye and makes the house look cared for.

Containers are also a quick and easy way to add color to your yard. There are containers available in many shapes and colors, and they really make a difference on a porch or patio.

Step number five: A layer of mulch can do wonders for your landscape.

You don’t have to put a lot of mulch down to make a big impact. I frequently have to convince customers that no one needs 6 inches of mulch. 3 inches is plenty. If you mulched last fall, you may be able to get away with just “fluffing” your mulch, unless the winter rain washed it away. Otherwise, add a couple of inches. Putting a double layer of old newspaper under the mulch will help keep weeds out and allow you to use less.

If you need more suggestions on how to make your yard beautiful, stop in and see us or schedule an appointment for Shalena to come out for a consultation. Let us help you make your yard into something you can be proud of.