Don’t feel hopeless just because summer is ending. With a little effort, you can still enjoy your outdoors by grooming your yard and garden. If you use the right summer gardening techniques, you’ll have an attractive landscape to take you beyond summer.
Here are 10 vibrant late summer upgrades for your yard and garden.
1. Clean Your Landscape
A dirty yard will spoil the curb appeal of your home. Pick up a rake, a wheelbarrow, and gloves, and get to work. Whatever you can pick up by hand, go ahead and do so. After cutting grass or weeding your garden, ensure you clean up the area to leave it as clean as possible.
Loose materials blown all over by wind can make your yard look unkempt, so you need to remove them. You can bury the organic materials in your garden to provide free manure and burn materials that cannot decompose. You can also remove tree trunks and boulders that make your home unsightly.
2. Keep a Lush Lawn And a Clean Garden
A lush lawn requires ongoing maintenance. So, you need not wait for a particular season to tend to your yard. In summer, weeds are not the only hindrance to a lush lawn. Also, be on the lookout for fungal diseases and pests.
After clearing the weeds, ensure you use the right pesticides and antifungal chemicals to rid your lawn of this menace. Remember to use only environmentally friendly chemicals on your lawn. Do the same with your garden. Make sure you have weeded it well and treat the plants.
3. Attract Only Good Bugs
Your yard and garden are full of insects. However, not everything that wriggles, creeps, or buzzes is your enemy. Some of them can make your garden and yard more beautiful. Most of these bugs feed on pests, meaning you need them more than you can imagine.
Some of them are soil aerators, while others are pollinators. So, you must be careful when using insecticides in your yard. You do not need to harm the useful bugs. Using organic lawn care techniques can be your best option.
4. Divide And Prune Plants Professionally
The attractiveness of your yard and garden will depend on how you divide and prune the plants. Green plants need to remain green. That’s why you need to remove any dry leaves and branches. You must also prune them to give them a fabulous look.
The few minutes you spend taking care of your plants will make a big difference. Dividing and pruning plants is an art that you need to learn to make sure your plants remain healthy.
5. Renew Your Decks And Porches
Repair your porches and the decks. Then clean them up. This will make them more inviting and safer for summer. Not only that, but they will also be ready in the fall for entertaining your guests.
If you can’t do the repairs on your own, you can hire a contractor.
6. Polish Up Patios And Paths Save
As you work on the porches and the decks, do not forget the patios and the paths. Do not let the coming winter destroy your garden and yard. Seal all the cracks to prevent water or ice from damaging them in the winter.
Check all the drainage channels to make sure they are ready for heavy rains. It is not wise to wait until the winter sets in, then start working on the patios and paths. Bring them into tip-top shape right now.
It is easier to work on the entertainment areas and the walkways while the weather is fair. Renew and resurface the worn concrete to bring it back to its original state.
7. Invest In The Best Outdoor Furniture
The outdoor furniture is part and parcel of your lawn. Check and make sure all the furniture is in good shape. You can repair those that need repair and paint those that need painting. If you cannot repair some of the furniture, get rid of it and replace it with new ones.
Before you buy outdoor furniture, consider the weather elements you’ll expose it to. Choose furniture that can serve you longer.
8. Work On Your Fence
Your lawn and garden will not look neat when surrounded by an unkempt fence. Rotten wooden fences are excellent breeding grounds for unwanted organisms, such as mold and fungi. These organisms will make your fence lose its attractiveness. And their spores trigger allergies.
When mold eats away the wood, it will compromise the safety and stability of your fence.
Take your time this late summer to make sure you bring your fence back to a perfect look. Remove any rotten wood and replace it with new ones. If you are using a live fence, do the necessary pruning. Trim it and plant new trees in case there are some gaps.
9. Upgrade the Outdoor Lighting
During the winter, you may want to stay indoors most of the time. This means you’ll need your yard to be well-lit at night for security reasons. So, before winter sets in, make sure you upgrade your outdoor lighting. LED lights are better because they are durable and don’t waste much energy.
10. Add Bloomers for Late Summer
Toward the end of the summer, your flower garden will look tired. There will be fewer blossoms, the edges will turn brown, and colors will wash out. You can give your garden a new life by planting late summer bloomers. Let florists help you choose the best flowers for your garden.
Final Words
Your lawn and garden need your dedication and effort to keep them looking attractive and healthy. You can spare a few hours in the evening or on weekends to take care of your yard. Check everything in your compound and ensure you fix them in good time before the winter. If you can’t find time to do all these, hire an expert to help you out.