Summer Landscaping And Decorating Tips
Summer is just around the corner! If you haven’t already prepped your outdoor living spaces for summer, now is the time to do it. One of the most important parts of summer is enjoying time outside whether it’s parties, getting active, getting that summer or tan, or just relaxing and enjoying the sun. It can be hard to figure out where to start or know what all you need to do, so we have put together a list of tips for prepping and maintaining your yard for some fun in the sun this summer!
Don’t mow your lawn too short.
While it is tempting to mow your lawn to be as short as possible to avoid the chore of mowing your lawn so often, it’s not good for your grass. Mowing your grass too short can leave your grass weak to the hot summer sun by not providing enough insulation to maintain a proper temperature. Another perk of not cutting your grass too short is that you reduce water loss from your soil. Healthy grass creates an environment in your outdoor space that is resistant to diseases, bugs, and stress caused by weather conditions. Experts recommend you try not to cut your grass shorter than 2.5 inches.
Leaving your lawn a little longer also makes your grass look fuller, so your lawn looks pristine for all those parties, barbecues, and birthdays you have planned for the summer season.
Water your lawn right.
Most people think you should water your lawn more during hotter weather, however, that’s not necessarily true. It’s not really about how much you water your grass, but more about how you water it and when. While every grass type is different, so you might need to adjust these instructions to fit your lawn’s needs, here are a couple tips on watering your grass during summer:
Water your grass in the early morning before the sun comes up and the evening when the sun goes down for the day to avoid damage to your grass and moisture loss from the hot sun evaporating excess moisture.
Water your lawn deeply or set up a drip irrigation system for effective moisture control
Typically, your lawn should receive more than an inch of water per week
Keep your grass healthy.
While mowing and watering your grass all contributes to your grass being healthy, there are other things you need to keep track of to keep your grass healthy. For example, weeds. Not only are weeds unsightly but they also can cause your grass as well as other plants to suffer by draining nutrients from them. Closely monitor your lawn and kill or pull weeds as soon as you notice them. If you choose to use weed killer, try to find a natural one that won’t cause harm to surrounding plant life. Lastly, don’t forget to fertilize. You can use traditional fertilizing methods or, for a more natural and eco-friendly approach, check out our previous blog where we discuss natural fertilizing methods.
Make sure the plants you have hold up in the heat.
There are all different kinds of plants, and while some thrive in cold weather, during summer, it is best that you have plants that can hold up to the kind of heat you get in your area. If you maintain a seasonal garden, swap out your cool-weather plants with ones that thrive best in hot weather. If your area is prone to drought during the summer months, consider plants that thrive in desert-like conditions— high heat and low water. If plants look like they are wilting due to the heat, make sure you are watering them properly.
Clean, clear, and maintain decks, porches, and patios.
Spring can leave a lot of mess to clean up— puddles from spring showers, pollen, debris from windy days, etc— so make sure your patio is looking its best. The worst thing when you want to enjoy outdoor relaxation or celebrations is to be confronted with a messy patio, deck, or porch. Sweep or use a leaf blower to clear off any leaves or other debris from outdoor surfaces. Hose off or power wash your outdoor living areas to get rid of any grime or dust left. If you have issues with standing water on your deck, porch or deck, get them repaired and leveled. Repair missing or broken patio stones, warped boards on your deck, or loose, broken, or missing railing posts on your porch.
Add color to your outdoor living space with seasonal plants.
Brighten up your outdoor living space with a few decorative seasonal plants. Nothing sets the mood for summer celebrations like a beautiful arrangement of colorful and interesting plants. Adding colorful, seasonal plants brighten up a space and just screams SUMMER! To figure out how you can most effectively utilize color to add something a little extra to your outdoor spaces, study up on color theory to figure out which colors will compliment each other and your home best. You can either plan them to integrate them with the rest of your landscape or leave them in pots to add flare to your patios, decks, and porches.
Plan for pests and prevent them from ruining outdoor activities.
While summer is the time for fun in the sun, it is also time for bugs. Protect your lawn against pets so that you not only can enjoy outdoor activities pest-free, but also so you can continue to have a happy and healthy garden. Find out what kinds of pests you get the most and tailor a method that works best with your landscape, but make sure you are not harming any of the natural pollinators in your area. Natural pollinators like bees and birds are essential to maintain a healthy ecosystem, so you want to make sure you are not inadvertently hurting them. You can also keep pests away from you or your guests with less permanent solutions if you are worried about harming plant and animal life. Less permanent methods of pest control include decorative lamps with citronella oil or other natural pest-repelling oils, burning pest-repellent incense, or the traditional bug spray.
Add outdoor lighting to enjoy those summer nights.
If you do one thing to take your outdoor spaces to the next level, it should be lighting. Lighting increases your curb appeal and makes engaging in nighttime outdoor activities so much more enjoyable and safe (especially if you have any little ones). Integrating permanent lighting fixtures to light your house is a great way to solve to lighting issues. You could also go for a more whimsical approach with some beautiful string lights strung across your outdoor living space— just make sure they are safe for use in the outdoors. Whatever you choose, make sure to set them up with transformers and timers so that you can properly manage power usage.