There’s an old saying that home improvement starts with a single blade of grass. Did you know that improving your lawn not only adds curb appeal but can increase the value of your property by 15 per cent? Just like a new carpet can make the rest of a room look more fresh and appealing, an expanse of lush green that is weed-free and well-maintained grass can improve the appearance of the rest of your property.

Whether you are selling your home, preparing for an appraisal, or just looking for a home improvement project, your lawn is the single best place to start.

Let’s face it: the perfect lawn—lush, green grass stretching from the house to the street – is a look all home owners want to achieve. And it creates the ultimate in first impressions.

Unless your home is built right to the lot line, any buyer walking or driving by will notice your lawn before any other features of your property. Whether you have a small patch or a sweeping expanse of lawn, beautifying it is a low-cost high-yield investment that is simpler and more cost-effective than painting your exterior, resurfacing walk ways or adding pave work.
How to get started creating a fabulous first impression?

First of all, take a step back and scrutinize. Take inventory of imperfections. Identify what needs repair or removal. You would be surprised to know how little time and effort it takes to makeover an unsightly lawn – and without having to resort to applying chemicals. Over-fertilizing is one of the most common mistakes home owners make in trying to achieve that perfect green. Instead of enhancing the green, the nitrogen in fertilizers can burn grass and leave it looking unsightly.

The first step is to remove weeds and thistles, debris, twigs, dying or patchy grass and place them into a refuse bag. If your neighbours have flowering shrubs and trees which blow petals and leaves to your property, consider investing in a leaf blower.

Weeding the natural way takes as little as elbow grease and some basic tools you already have in your home. Using a small hand shovel, a flat screwdriver or even a pair of scissors, dig out the weeds including the roots out of the ground.

If your lawn has unsightly brown spots, a can of beer can come to the rescue. Beer is one of the cheapest way to fertilize your lawn and remove spots caused by disease or pet urine. Start off by saturating the spotted area with a can of beer, and wait for a few days. If you want to get slightly more sophisticated, mix a can of beer with a can of cola along with a cup of ammonia.

Add this to a sprayer, and be liberal when applying the spray. This mixture will kill fungi in your yard and also replace nutrients. Continue using this approach on a weekly basis.

Bare spots to deal with? Once you have eliminated weeds or poor-quality grass, it’s time to look at the soil condition: is it rocky? Hard to insert a shovel? New seed needs to take root. Soil problems can mean seeds will wash away in the next rain. Start off with topsoil at your local home improvement store or garden supply center.

On a regular basis, mow the grass (cut 1/3 of the blade). Set your blades at two inches. Mow the lawn weekly during the spring, summer, and fall.

No time to nurture your lawn back to health? Need a new lawn right away? Lay down rolls of sod which are available at landscaping supply stores and then water continuously.

Remember that lawn care home improvements offer the best return on investment of any home improvement you can make.

Author Bio: Eric Winston is a lawn expert with BUR-HAN Lawn Care, a Vancouver grass cutting company. For more great tips please visit their website at http://www.bur-han.ca

Category: Home Management
Keywords: lawn maintenance, lawn fertilization, vancouver, real estate, house value, grass cutting