Just about everyone knows what “curb appeal” is and why it is important. It is the very first impression that a person gets as they pull up to your house. It just takes a split second for someone to evaluate your home and decide a number of things about you, before they even set foot on your property. One of the most important ways that you can give your home a boost and improve its curb appeal is by nurturing the lawn and making sure it is well tended and carefully manicured.

While that can sound easy enough, sometimes getting the back and front lawn to look beautiful, immaculate and attractive can be a daunting task, especially if there have been some problems with the health of your lawn recently. Below is a collection of lawn care tips and suggestions that can help you cultivate a lawn that draws people to your home, welcomes them, and gives your curb appeal a real boost.

Tip One: Find out the condition of the lawn soil. You can get the soil tested through the agricultural extension agencies in your area. This test will identify what is lacking in the soil so you know what it needs to make your lawns flourish.

Tip Two: Have a regular lawn maintenance routine that includes fertilizing three to five times every year. Make sure this is done on a regular schedule and is the right kind of food for the grass in your garden lawn. The extension agency can also help you with information in this regard as it relates to your local area.

Tip Three: When undertaking lawn mowing during the heat of the summer, cut it at the maximum height your lawn mower allows. This helps keep the grass from drying out as fast and even provides shade to the ground which helps prevent the loss of moisture. This will help conserve water and it will also help the lawns to crowd the weeds out. During the cooler and wetter times of the year you can set the lawn mower to cut lower according to your preferences.

Tip Four: Water about one to one-and-a-half inches once a week. When you water briefly every day, you are encouraging your lawn to develop a shallow root system. Watering only once a week helps develop nice deep roots which can better withstand hot, dry summer weather.

Tip Five: Aerate at least once or twice every year. This also helps promote lawns with deep root systems and helps the water and lawn food to get past the surface and down to the roots where it does the most good. Aerating also helps undo the effects of soil compacting, which is a particular problem if you use a riding lawn mower to help with your lawn maintenance.

Tip Six: Keep the blades of the mower good and sharp. Dull blades actually rip the ends of the grass blades and cause a ragged look and contribute to browning at the ends. Also, you should do your lawn mowing in different directions each time you mow. This helps avoid ruts and soil compaction problems.

Tip Seven: Watch for signs of dead areas. Such dead patches can be an indication of an insect problem or disease that is attacking your home and garden lawns. When you see this, you should not treat the problem until you know the cause. Your local extension agency will be a great help in this case also.

Tip Eight: Control weeds with the use of quality herbicides. You can do this separately or look for a fertilizer that also contains weed control components.

These tips should provide you with enough information to be able to improve the look of the lawn that graces your home and garden. Keeping your lawn in good shape will most definitely help the curb appeal of your home and will help you get more use and enjoyment from it as well.

No realestate is finished without some type of grass, as well as some forms of shruberry to help enhance the overall quality of the building. The added value of curb appeal can make the difference when selling a house or increasing the value of a home. Any small amounts help and you don’t have to always use a professional to complete the landscaping for you. There is no downside to get some advice from professionals or some knowledge prior to you beginning tearing up your front yard. A few trees, some nice green grass and you will have it down pat before you know it. Who knows? Maybe you will decide it as a line of work that you may be curious in following. The following are some of the frequently asked question people have for landscaping so that you can have an idea of how landscaping is done and how it can be easier than you might think.

Is it possible to do my own landscaping?

Yes, you can do your own landscaping if you have a small amount of information on how to get it done and if have the time to do so. You will be getting your hands dirty. Plus you will need to have knowledge of what plants are the best for your terrain. If you are making man-made structures such as ponds or decks, you will needs to have some carpentry and plumbing skills. You will also have to recognize how to upkeep the pond because one of the last things you need after putting in all that work is to produce a body of water loaded with mosquito larvae and algae.

If I decide to do the landscaping of my house myself, what are some designs as well as ideas to assist me?

There are numerous software programs that are on the market currently that can assist you design your own landscape. You will have to input the shape of your yard and then select from the type of terrain and environmental condition you live in. The software can give you recommended plants as well as shrubbery that is best fitted for your yard. If you want manmade terrains or structures, you will want to confer a carpenter for suggestions or a do-it-yourself website for directions.

How do I decide which type to plant?

The type of plant you select will be contingent upon on your climate and the amount of water you want to use. It will also depend on the amount of sun that your gets throughout the day. Some plants thrive in the shade while others will wilt. For those people who live in drought prone areas, they should consider planting hardy plants which need little water and actually help preserve the soil from process of erosion. Many individuals elect to have rock gardens and cactus if they live in desert environments.

When is the ideal planting season?

The ideal planting season is dependent upon what type of plant you want to grow. The best time to plany bulbs is in the fall so that they have the necessary time to root within the soil. Other plants are best suited to planting in the months of the spring. Some plants will not produce flowers or fruits until one or two seasons later so you need to get ready for this. Trees will need to work through several years prior to them becoming big enough to provide the right amount of shade or produce fruit.

What is the best way to protect my newly planted shrubs and flowers from the weather as well as the elements?

During the early weeks and months many plants are in danger of dying from the atmospheric condition but you can take steps to help prevent this from happening. Two of the greatest threats are the rain as well as the wind. To guard your plants from both you will need to furnish with shelter. You can put down a protective barrier between the ground and the plant. This will assist in securing the plant’s roots and preclude excess amounts of from absorbing into the ground. The added gain will be prevention of weeds from sprining up through the grating. To keep wind erosion of the soil, scatter hay or straw around the plants to help protect the soil. If you put a protective bag around the plant that will keep the plant warm enough to prevent frost.

To find out additional information Landscape Plans also Backyard Landscaping and River Rock Landscaping