Taking command of your outdoor spaces can prove challenging. You may already have a lot going on in the home when it comes to upkeep and maintenance, but throw in the outdoor space, and you might be short on time to dedicate much to it.
That’s pretty common with a lot of homeowners and households who just don’t do much to their garden until they want to use it.
However, nowadays, we have a lot more availability when it comes to tools that help to improve the appearance of the garden. There are some overlooked tools when it comes to improving your lawn’s appearance that are important to consider. Whether you do much to your garden now or want to pay attention to it in the future, the right tools make all the difference.
In this guide, we’ll look at what you need to achieve a pristine finish to your lawn, as well as some general tips to help maintain your garden and make it more low-maintenance.
The overlooked tools to help achieve a pristine finish to your lawn
So let’s start with the overlooked tools. What do you need to achieve a pristine finish to your lawn and its appearance in general?
- Lawn edger
A lawn edger or a half-mooning edging tool helps to create sharp and clean boundaries between the grass and paths, driveways, or flower beds.
It’s a simple task that provides a professional-looking and manicured look to your lawn and exterior spaces in general. It can be a great way of boosting your curb appeal and defining the garden’s structure in general.
Options can range from manual tools and edging shears to electric or petrol-powered edgers, as well as multi-tool attachments.
- Lawn levelling rake
A lawn leveling rake is a tool that’s designed effortlessly spread top-dressing materials like compost, sand, or topsoil to help fill holes. This helps to create an even and uniform surface. By removing bumps and ridges, it provides a smooth yard without having to damage any of the existing turf in place.
- Stiff-bristled broom
Once you’ve performed maintenance tasks on your lawn, running a stiff-bristled broom over the lawn can help finalize the mowing stripes so that you have a photo-finish look to your grass. It’s also useful when you need to clear snow or debris from the lawn, too.
- Scarifier
A scarifier or dethatcher, as it’s often called, helps to remove excess thatch, moss, and dead grass clippings that sit on your lawn’s surface. This allows water, air, and important nutrients to reach the roots more effectively.
This process also helps to improve the overall health and density of the grass, which results in a lusher, greener appearance overall.
- Spreader
While it’s not a tool you’d use for instant results, a spreader allows for the even application of grass seeds, fertilisers, and pesticides. This can either be in the form of a hand-held or wheeled broadcast-style design.
The use of this tool helps to avoid patchy results and guarantees a consistently healthy lawn over time.
- Weed eaters
If you’re fed up with all of the weeds growing wild in your garden and on your lawn, then a battery powered weed eater might be exactly what you’re after right now.
How to look after your lawn in general
It’s important to do everything you can when it comes to looking after your lawn in general. With that being said, here are some helpful tips on how to keep your lawn in good shape.
Firstly, be sure to mow your lawn regularly, at least once a week in the summer and every two weeks in the spring and fall months. Keep your blades sharp to avoid tearing the grass, and during the summer, it’s worth raising the mower height if possible to prevent the grass from turning brown.
Watering deeply and infrequently every seven to ten days is a good way of encouraging deep roots, rather than shallow daily watering, which may not be as effective. Using a lawn aerator helps to reduce soil compaction and improve drainage, ideally for use in the fall or spring.
Feeding the lawn is imperative because it helps to ensure your grass is getting enough nutrients to survive and thrive. Feed the lawn with the appropriate fertilizer needed at the beginning of each season, where you can.
Removing weeds is a must to stop them from spreading and damaging your lawn. Fixing bare patches and applying to-dress/soil and seeding is a great way to keep on top of its appearance. Trim edges along walkways and flower beds for a neat and maintained look.
Tips to maintain your garden and make it low-maintenance
In order to maintain a low-maintenance garden, there are several focuses your attention should be on. From low-maintenance design to maintaining your garden in general, here are some useful tips.
Key steps for low-maintenance design
When it comes to mulch, embrace it. Apply a 2-to-4-inch layer of gravel or bark mulch to all beds around twice per year to drastically reduce the appearance of weeds as well as watering needs too.
Choosing hardy plants is a great way to ensure they last throughout the year. Opt for native plants or perennials as these are pest-resistant and often suited to your particular climate and soil.
Lawns will require consistent maintenance, so if there are opportunities to replace some or all of it, then replace it with patios, gravel, or ground covers. Evergreen shrubs are useful to plan for providing year-round structure and color without needing constant attention.
Finally, be sure to add some vertical elements like climbers to maximize your space and add some depth/complexity to it.
Tips to maintain the garden with ease
Break your gardening efforts into small and manageable jobs, rather than trying to do everything at once.
It’s beneficial to install irrigation. Look at how you can use drip irrigation or automatic sprinklers to help save time on watering. It’s worth prioritizing weeding where you can and staying on top of weeds by removing them when they’re small.
Invest in good tools, rather than cheap alternatives. Sharp and high-quality tools help to make pruning and cutting faster, as well as easier. Placing containers near the house will make for easier access to watering and care.
It’s important that if you’re struggling with your garden maintenance or lawn’s appearance, then a professional is something to think about. Use these helpful tips to keep your garden in good condition and invest in the overlooked equipment mentioned.
