Lifestyle & Seasonal

Patio and garden maintenance tasks for July

You sowed, you watered, you weeded. You swept and you washed. All that toil has led to a garden and patio ready for relaxation. Things may get slightly out of order, though, as the summer goes on. Here is a list of little chores for outdoor room and landscape maintenance.

Summer is the time to sit back and enjoy your efforts in the garden, but a tiny bit of upkeep will keep your garden looking its best throughout the season.

You sowed, you watered, you weeded. You swept and you washed. All that toil has led to a garden and patio ready for relaxation. Things may get slightly out of order, though, as the summer goes on. Here is a list of little chores for outdoor room and landscape maintenance.

Mowing

Let’s start with the basics: grass upkeep. Grass will be the majority of the summer’s landscaping activity. Finding a time of day to mow can be a challenge. In the early morning, the dew may be too wet and municipal noise ordinances may prevent any loud machinery use before 8 a.m. During the day, the summer heat may be too intense for outdoor work. Some homeowners may want to avoid the mid-morning/early afternoon time when bees are busy doing their thing. The simplest option is to hire professionals. They do the mowing for you. If that’s not in the budget, try to avoid 3pm which is the hottest time of day. Depending on the species of grass and rainfall in your area, once a week or once every two weeks is a good schedule for mowing.

Pruning

Dead branches and stems do show up occasionally in the summertime. Storing pruning shears in an easily accessible spot, like by the patio set, will make quick snips a snap. If your tools are always available and not locked up in a shed or garage, you’ll be able to trim dead parts right when you see them. Make sure the tools are not left out in the elements to rust. Look around for a good spot to store them in the outdoor kitchen or hide them in a lidded plastic container in the garden. The key to a neat landscape is immediate, small maintenance and keeping tools handy is essential.

Cleaning

As much as we love Mother Nature, she sure can be a messy old bird. She leaves pollen, dead branches, animal droppings and more all over the patio pavers and furniture, and it’s always right before a patio cocktail hour when we notice all the spots on the fabric and debris on the pavers. A broom and a cleaning tote kept near the patio will make last-minute tidying easier. Keep a clothes-detergent pen in the cleaning tote for touch-ups on the furniture. A snappy sweep of the patio with the broom will be good enough in a pinch. Thankfully July isn’t the messiest month, so when you have more time, one round around the patio with a leaf-blower and garden hose should be sufficient.

Not enough tasks for you? See this comprehensive list of gardening maintenance tips at Today’s Homeowner. There’s enough there to keep a few teens busy for the rest of the July.

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