While working with Vancouver Westside Real Estate we often come across families that have trouble with their lawn. Since spring is the best time to pay attention to a lawn we thought we could offer some quick tips for growing a healthy looking lawn. If you’re planning on selling your home, then a great looking lawn is essential for attracting potential buyers.
7 Lawn Care Tips
1. Clear the yard – Like any project it’s best to start with a clean slate or clear work area to avoid any setbacks or damage to equipment. Before you start weed whacking or mowing make sure to check the lawn for large branches, rocker or litter that may have accumulated over the winter.
2. Start with the soil – Grass needs healthy soil in order to grow strong. Purchase a soil test kit and test your lawn’s pH level. The scale runs from 1 to 14, where 1 is very alkalinity and 14 is very acidic. A healthy lawn should have a neutral pH level close to 7.
3. De-thatch – De-thatching is the process of removing dead grass and a leaves from your lawn so that the soil and grass can breathe better. This will also allow your lawn to absorb more water as well.
4. Aerate – If you’re considering whether or not to aerate, you can test your lawn’s soil first. Take a screw driver or tool and push it into the soil. If the resistance is high and you struggle to get the driver into the lawn than your lawn probably needs aeration to soften it up. If the driver goes in with little force then your lawn is probably retaining enough moisture.
5. Over-seed and reseed – To fight off the bare patches and crowd out any trail blazing weeds try over-seeding or reseeding your lawn. You can also do this during the fall with a light layer of top soil.
6. Leave the mulch – This is a win-win situation, but some people may not like the aesthetics of leaving mulch (lawn clippings) on their lawn. But in the mulch is actually beneficial to the lawn because it is packed with nutrients and moisture that can be absorbed back into the lawn.
7. Mowing – When mowing your lawn, ensure your blade is sharp, as using a sharp blade allows the grass to recover quicker because of the clean cut. Cutting your lawn so it’s 6-8cm tall is recommended as this height promotes better water retention, it blocks out potential weed growth and it helps to encourage stronger root growth. Try to mow your lawn consistently on a weekly basis and only mow when it’s dry for best results.
We hope that these tips prove to be useful while working on your lawn this spring. If you have any questions regarding Vancouver westside real estate or if you are interested in selling your home please contact us. We have worked with many families in the westside and will help you sell your house for its best value.
