Getting your Grounds in Order
August 16, 2011 at 11:03 AM
By Pete, JP&CO: the only residential construction firm delivering the full package: a personalized look founded on unwavering quality—and all at an outstanding price.
Take advantage of these last few months of beautiful weather by dedicating a little time to taking care of your lawn and the area around your house that frames its beauty and creates a happy outdoor space for you and your family.
A huge part of grounds care comes in the form of a dreaded weekend task: weeding. But here’s the truth about lawn weeds: a lot of us are attempting to rid them in the wrong way. Often times people turn to synthetic herbicides to liberate their lawns of pesky plant invaders, but these chemical weed killers can be dangerous to people, pets, and turf. The truth about weed control: the best way to control weeds is to maintain a thick, healthy lawn that crowds out weeds naturally. Sounds great—but how do you encourage this thick, healthy lawn?
How to Have a Happy Lawn:
- Watering is undoubtedly the most important part of maintaining your lawn. It makes your lawn less vulnerable to natural droughts (or those caused by your negligent house sitter!) and encourages a deep system of roots in your lawn.
- You should give your lawn between 1 – 2 inches of water per week. In order to discover how long this takes, place a few straight-sided containers in different spots in your yard and track the time and water level.
- Remember that hotter weather = more water
- Keeping your grass short may look good, but it requires more water because shorter grass creates less shade for the soil and roots and also causes your grass to grow faster.
In addition to a healthy lawn, planting a few accent flowers, trees, and shrubs easily improves the look and feel of your grounds and house. Now is the perfect time to liven up your lawn and invest in plants and bulbs to be introduced to your garden before the start of the frozen season. I love the wide variety of plants and resources offered at whiteflowerfarm.com
A great way to encourage your shrubs to look their best is to make sure you prune them once a year. Pruning your shrubs just a few minutes can result in a huge increase in the number of flowers or ornamental fruit your plants produce. Spring-flowering shrubs should be pruned immediately after they’ve flowered. Summer-flowering shrubs should be pruned at their most dormant stage—late winter or early spring.
Looking for more tips for taking care of all the green things in your life or improving the look and feel of your own personal outside space? I’m never disappointed by the unique ideas and helpful guides at thisoldhouse.com
JP&CO is a residential construction firm delivering a personalized home, through a truly enjoyable process, done at a remarkable pace.
Samantha Grose
Associate AIA, Allied ASID Designer for JP&CO.