A lush green and well-maintained backyard looks beautiful, but you will have to put in lots of effort to keep it like that. In order to do this, you will have to add certain tasks to your daily and weekly cleaning routine. These tasks will help ensure that your backyard remains clean and beautiful all the time. Your backyard is the perfect place to relax in the evening and enjoy a peaceful time with friends and family. This is why everyone wants it to be a soothing place full of greenery and color. If you don’t maintain your backyard, it will become home to pests and various other animals, which will end up destroying it completely. Here are some best ways to maintain your backyard, so let’s have a look at them.
1- Pruning
Pruning is an important lawn maintenance activity; therefore, you should cut back branches broken or damaged by winter snow and ice in late winter. This also includes shrubs that are overgrown and plants that are dead. Pruning is mostly carried out at the end of the winter or the start of spring. However, the time of pruning a lawn largely depends upon the growth period of trees and shrubs. You must cut all the plants that won’t grow in spring at the end of the winter and, similarly, remove the spring plants at the start of winter.
2- Removal of Weed
Weed can grow quickly on a lawn and can easily destroy a landscape. Removing the weed completely from its roots is important so it can’t grow back. For weed removal, you can hire a lawn maintenance company. However, if you want to do it on your own, use shovels and blowers specifically designed to pull the weed out. However, if the weed is overgrown, use herbicides for its removal. They can be used directly to kill the weed, or you can use a weed fertilizer and a top dressing that will improve the grass of your lawn.
3- Watering the Lawn Using a Sprinkler
Sufficient water is the next most important thing to keep a backyard healthy. However, there is no need to provide water to a lawn on a daily basis. The best practice is to water a lawn twice or thrice a week. A sprinkler system is the best choice if you want to make the most of your lawn. However, you must select a time to water a lawn. Early morning is very suitable if you want the grass to grow properly.
4- Drainage Improvement
If your lawn has a poor drainage system, water will remain on it for hours or days. If drainage is not improved, it can lead to other problems. Two common flooding causes are soil’s ability to absorb water and the garden landscape design.
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Soil Penetration
High clay content in the soil, thick patches of straw, and the roots’ layers can help prevent water absorption. Aeration of lawns is a good option to reduce surface buildup by improving water and airflow.
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Design of your Garden
If your backyard has a natural slope, it will automatically drain the water away from your house. If a natural slope isn’t present, water will start pooling at a spot, damaging the roots. Therefore, it is important to try to avoid flooding the garden.
5- Lawn Aeration
Lawn aeration ensures that a proper amount of water penetrates the roots of plants which is necessary to obtain the necessary nutrients for growth. This is a great way to take care of lawns that have suffered from flooding. Small holes are made into the soil at regular intervals and to a certain depth in the aeration process. Special machines are used for making these holes; hence it must be done with the help of a professional. Aeration must be done at least once every year. However, if necessary, smaller areas of grass can be treated separately.
6- Remove Dead Leaves from Lawn
In autumn, many trees and plants will shred the dead leaves and branches, and they will fall onto your lawn. Carefully remove these dead leaves from the ground so they don’t block the drainage system. Not just that, if the dead leaves remain on the ground, they can cause mold, disease, and rot. However, if your lawn is damp, avoid picking up the leaves for some time. It’s better to wait until temperatures rise above 40-50 degrees.
7- Mow the Lawn Weekly
Another tip to keep your backyard in the best shape is weekly mowing. A standard maintenance routine is to mow the backyard every week for once. It also depends upon the weather of your area upon which necessary adjustments are needed. Experts suggest mowing should be done at night to keep the lawn moist. However, it can be done at any time when it is needed.
8- Get the Soil TestedÂ
Knowing the condition of the soil in your yard will keep your lawn looking great year after year. Fertilizing, watering, and mowing usually give the best results, but not always. If you’re still having trouble maintaining your lawn, get a professional soil test done. It’ll provide you a clear picture of the soil condition of your lawn. You will get to know the number of nutrients in the soil and get an idea of the needed improvements.
9- Over-Seeding the Backyard
Reseeding restores the dead parts of the lawn as it will cover the whole area with a large number of composted seeds. It will reduce the infestation of algae and weeds on your lawn. Before applying the seeds, the lawn should be mowed and watered completely. You can also purchase a spreader to distribute the seeds evenly. After planting, the lawn should be kept damp, and mulch should be used to protect and provide nutrients to the seeds.
By using the ways shared above, you can maintain your backyard in a very efficient way. Use some or all of the above methods to get the desired results.
