Active adult homeowners of Atlanta new homes can spruce up their gardens and lawns for this upcoming season. Here are just a few tips:
Garden
Soil: Look for soil that is damp. If the soil is moist enough to clump together but dry enough to crumble apart, the soil is ready.
Beds: Remove winter mulch on a cloudy day, so the sun doesn’t burn you and your plants. In planting beds, remove winter perennial stems to protect plant crowns and offer forage for birds. Remember to clip them at ground level, and don’t pull the stems.
Fertilizer: Use slow-release organic fertilizer around bulbs, perennials and roses anytime before it rains. Then, add a fresh 2- to 4-inch-thick layer of organic mulch.
Planting: Flower and vegetable seeds need to be germinated indoors to make sure seedlings receive 16 hours of light per day. As soon as the ground is worked, homeowners should plant cool-season vegetables, broccoli, potatoes, onions, greens and lettuces. Yum!
Lawn
Weeds: Before the forsythias finish blooming in the early spring, apply a pre-emergent herbicide to turf to control crabgrass. No one wants dandelions and other broad leaf weeds in their yard. Tackle them by digging them up or spraying.
Repair: When there are bare spots on the cool-season turf, overseed them but wait until late spring or early summer to patch warm-season turf.
Mower: Whip out the mower, and raise the mower blade after the first spring cut. Homeowners should start mowing cool-season grasses when they turn green.
Outdoor Living Areas
Deck: Active adults who have decks should remove dirt and mildew stains by using a specially formulated deck-cleaning solution. If the deck is new, be sure to purchase a wood treatment instead of a deck cleaner. Never use bleach, and then use a high-quality deck stain to follow up.
Grill: Mix a solution of warm water with a small amount of dish soap to clean the gas connection. Brush some of the connection and turn on the gas. Watch! If bubbles show up, there is a leak. In this case, replace the connector. By using a wire brush and degreaser on the grill, this will remove baked-on grease on the cooking grate and grill pan. By heating it first, this will make the grease easier to remove. To ensure burners and holes are clear, use a wire.
For more information on gardening for this season, read Real Estate Magazine and Lowe’s Creative Ideas Magazine.
