5 yard work hacks for your property

You have your yard all set up for summer, and you’re ready for a long season of relaxing in the sun. After spending all that time and energy on your property, it would be great if that were the end of it. Unfortunately, getting your yard beautifully set up for summer is just one job — and if you need some last-minute advice on that, you can find yard prep tips here. Keeping it looking great all season is another task. Now, you need some yard work hacks to reduce the time you spend maintaining your property all season long. 

It can feel like a full-time job trying to take care of all the weeding, mowing and watering you need to do to keep your yard looking pristine. However, “hacks” tend to have a bit of a reputation for being ineffective and time consuming. The good news is there actually are some valuable yard work hacks out there that can help you save time (and energy) this summer. Here are some handy shortcuts you can take so you don’t always feel one step behind in your lawn maintenance!

Kill weeds with vinegar

There are tons of chemical products you can buy to kill weeds in your yard. However, you can find a cheaper and simpler at-home remedy. White vinegar does a great job killing off weeds in your garden, and it’s an easier and safer solution to store-bought products. Vinegar draws out all the moisture around weedy areas to prevent further growth, and kill off any existing intruders. Vinegar is also a safer bet if you have curious pets running around your yard who like to sniff and taste.

Make sure you don’t get vinegar on nearby plants, as it might cause damage to your healthy garden. You can put vinegar in a spray bottle to help concentrate on the areas that need treatment.

Prevent furniture from fading

As much as we love our patio furniture, maintaining it can be a challenge when it starts to fade in the sun. Spending that much time under such a bright glare, it’s no surprise we find our furniture quickly becoming discoloured and faded. You can extend your furniture’s life by investing in a UV ray blocker! This acts like a sunscreen for furniture, protecting it from taking too much of a hit from UV rays. This will keep the colours of your furniture vibrant and prevent any premature ageing or other sun damage. 

It’s also important to wash or sponge off your furniture regularly. Dirt, pollen, and other outdoor substances cover patio furniture quickly and can cause some quality damage. Regular sunscreen can also leave stains on furniture, so you should tackle any marks immediately.

Prevent pests naturally

Instead of spreading chemicals all over your yard to prevent pests, you can save money and the environment with natural solutions. There are a ton of yard work hacks recommended for pest control. For issues like mites and aphids, a spray bottle mixture of vegetable oil, water, and classic soap is good to use on plants. Citrusy peels of lemon are natural deterrents to pests and bugs as well without hurting your garden. You can sprinkle these peels in your garden or around affected areas to keep pests at bay without spending time using heavy-duty chemicals.

Mow your yard quicker

Very few people enjoy mowing their lawn, especially those with push mowers. Do you find yourself spending too much time sweating and turning your clunky mower back and forth at corners? Luckily, there are several yard work hacks targeted for this issue. The easiest is to reconsider your mowing pattern. While it doesn’t seem like it would make a big difference, mowing in a spiral pattern or across the longer part of your yard reduces the number of awkward turns and makes the job quicker. You can also change up your pattern if you find flying grass clippings where you don’t want them, such as in pools or in mulch. Mowing with the chute away from these areas will prevent these issues, reducing the need for cleaning up after.

Protect plants from frost

Even in the summer, Canadians can experience the occasional night where temperatures dip down to frost level. For delicate summer plants, this change in temperature is often too much, causing an early demise. Instead of hauling your plants inside on chilly nights (especially ones in big planters), you can throw a towel or sheet over them to keep them warm. While it might not seem too effective, this is one of those yard work hacks that makes a surprisingly big difference. By the time morning comes, it will be warm enough to take these makeshift covers off so your plants don’t look like little ghosts in your yard. This hack keeps your plants alive longer, especially into the fall, and is far less work than moving the plants themselves.

It’s impossible to get rid of summer lawn maintenance altogether, but these yard work hacks will definitely make your life easier this season. You can spend less time chasing after problems in your yard, and more time enjoying your efforts. 

If you’re looking to buy a home or refinance your mortgage this summer, get in touch with us at Clinton Wilkins Mortgage Team! You can call us at (902) 482-2770 or contact us here.