Even though the calendar has just flipped to a new year, it’s time to start thinking about our lawns and gardens. As everyone knows, a lawn that is properly maintained throughout the year will be lush and green once the weather turns warm. Gardening can be an expensive hobby, if you let it be, but there are ways to make your money stretch farther.
If you’re struggling to make ends meet, it doesn’t mean you have to give up your beautiful lawn. Follow these tips and you’ll create a gorgeous lawn that is well within your budget:
Wear Cleats
Golf shoes, in particular, are wonderful to wear when you’re mowing the lawn. Aerating your your grass will keep it healthy and ensure that your grass grows to its capacity. Renting an aerator, however, can be expensive. By wearing golf shoes while you mow, the tiny spikes on the bottom of your shoes will be driven into the ground, aerating your yard.
Plant Seed
The additional outlay will cost you, yes, but by overseeding you’ll create a lush, thick blanket of grass. Lawns can thicken naturally but it will take years and careful maintenance to make it happen. By laying down an abundance of seed, you’ll something that your neighbours are envious of.
Fertilize
You don’t need to buy bags of fertilizer every season to feed your lawn properly. Compost can be made in your back yard and a thin layer will fertilize nicely. Grass and leaf clippings make fantastic fertilizer as well! If you have a mulching mower, take the bag off and let the clippings fly.
Catch Water
Rain barrels are easy to make with just a few materials and will provide as much water as you desire. Rather than running up your water bill to give your lawn and garden a drink, catch the rain! You can make a rain barrel with a 50-gallon trash can, a piece of flexible gutter and a spigot.
Be sure, if you do make a rain barrel, that you purchase a pack of mosquito dunks. These are discs that you put in your rain barrel to kill any mosquitoes that make the mistake of using your barrel as their private breeding ground.
Buy Equipment
By purchasing your own equipment, you will eliminate the need for a lawn service. At the very least you’ll need a mower and a weed trimmer. If you like, you can also purchase a leaf blower and an edger. All of this machinery will enable you to take care of your lawn in a professional manner. Shopping sales or second hand will allow you to get this equipment at a discount.
Taking proper care of your lawn does not need to be expensive. With the proper tools and knowledge, you can take care of your lawn like a pro without spending an excessive amount of cash to do so.
