How to Maintain your Yard this Summer

Most people are careful about keeping their home in order, but the same can't be said of gardens. Over the wet and cold months, many families allow garden maintenance to go to the wayside. With the summer months quickly approaching, though, it's an excellent time to clear out garden clutter for a safer, more attractive outdoor space. An increasing number of property owners are even going so far as to put in low-maintenance landscaping, with native plants becoming a more popular garden feature in most areas. Regardless of the style of garden, here, we go over how homeowners can keep their yard looking its best.

Set Up a Mowing & Maintenance Schedule

Mowing the lawn is no easy task, but it's a crucial step towards keeping your garden healthy. Not only does mowing make the grass look clean and even, but it also helps to remove unhealthy or rotting blades and encourage fresh growth. The trimmings that fall also compost eventually, making richer soil for the next generation of grass. You should aim to mow the lawn around once every one to two weeks. Your mowing schedule will depend on the type of grass you have and the climate in your area. For corners and fence lines, switch out the lawnmower for a weed whacker for more precision.

In addition to mowing regularly, it's equally important to maintain other areas of your home and yard outdoors, as well. Making sure your gutters are cleaned at the start of the summer is a good way to kick off the warmer months without any fear of mildew buildup. It may be worthwhile to consider power-washing your home's siding, too, to get rid of any leftover residue of the winter months and spring blooms.

Take Care of Pests

Keeping your grass trimmed can also help you to deal with pest problems. Ticks, fleas, rodents, and other vermin like to hide in tall grass, and so a mowed lawn doesn't make an ideal habitat. However, grass maintenance alone isn't always enough to ward off pesky or even dangerous pests, especially in the spring and summer months.

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Some of the most common signs that you have pests in your yard include brown or dead spots in your lawn, wilting grass, bite marks in shrubbery, or dead pests collecting in your yard. If you have an underground population such as moles, you may notice thin or crumbling soil and missing roots around woody plants. Once you identify the source of your problem, you can set traps, use specialized poisons, or attempt to relocate smaller populations. For heavy infestations, you may need to enlist the help of a professional pest control service.

Families who plan to spend time in their yard this summer should be diligent about maintaining their garden. Mowing the lawn can help to keep the grass looking fresh and healthy, and may even help to control pest problems. However, if you notice signs of unwanted insects or rodents in your yard, you should take steps to eliminate them as soon as possible.