Is Your Backyard Ready for Summer?
It is never too early to start thinking about the summer. If you have a house with a backyard, you have to make the most of your outdoor space. We are not suggesting hitting the store to find a new swimsuit and hat; we are talking about preparing your backyard for the warm months. You will have to complete some key tasks around the court to ensure that the backyard is prepared to host parties. Keep reading if you want to find out what the main steps in preparing your yard for summer are.
Start with an exterior home clean
The first thing you have to do is to plan an exterior clean. This step will help you notice if there are things that need repairs and extra maintenance, because sometimes if you do not use the equipment and amenities for a long period of time, they experience damage, and they do not function properly. If you have a patio, you will want to wash the deck and clean it. Take a few days to project the plan. Note down all the areas that require cleaning, and do not forget the windows and pool.
Ensure the damaged structures, check the fence and secure it. Also, you should take away all the flammable materials, and store them in safety conditions, because during summer they can easily get in flames, because of the high outdoor temperatures. It is essential to secure all the damaged structures, because during summer, storms are a common weather phenomenon and the wind can easily move them out of their place.
Check the lighting and heating system
If you plan to spend the summer evening on your patio, or by the side of the pool, you should make sure that your backyard is a comfortable space to do it. If you have not installed an outdoor lighting system, in the back of the house, this is the moment to check the options available on the market, and to install a source of light for the nights, when you will stay late outdoors. You can use solar lights, or a permanent source of light, like hanging lights or fixtures. Even if during daytime the temperatures will be high, sometimes during the night, they drop and you will need a source of heat to create a comfortable and cosy atmosphere. One option is to use a heating lamp, but if you have some free space, you should create a fire pit.
Clean the lawn
Cleaning and maintaining the lawn is simple, but somehow people ignore to do it. You should remove the build-up materials from the lawn, do not leave any dead branches or dry leaves above the grass. Branches are flammable, and in case of a storm, they can get on fire or they can cause damage to your windows. After you remove the build-up materials, you should mow the lawn; keep it short if you want it to stay green the entire summer. The lawn is one of the largest parts of your backyard and if it does not look good, it will ruin the entire aesthetics of the outdoor space. Weed, replant, water and overhaul it.
Overhaul the patio
If you plan to host parties in the back of your house, then the patio will become the centre of the backyard. It is more than a deck, it is an extension of the house, and it will help you organise amazing parties. However, before starting to invite your friends to come over, you should make sure it is prepared for the summer. Start by checking the large items of furniture, make sure that they are in the best shape, and they do not need repairs. Clean and wash the floor of the patio, get rid of the debris that built up during the cold days. If the furniture items can be washed, do this now.
Get the pool back in shape
During winter, homeowners neglect the swimming pool, because they do not use it. This means that you will find inside a lot of leaves and branches. It will not take long to prepare it for a swim, you will have to clean it, and add the needed chemicals and equipment to filter the water and make it sparkling clean. Start with a chemical clean, buy some products from a store specialised in pool maintenance and put them in the filtration system, and in the pool. Find a company that supplies the UK homeowners, and buy a pro test to check the quality of the water. It will show you the pH, chlorine levels, alkalinity and mineral content of the water. During the summer, you will have to regularly clean and maintain the pool. If you have time do it weekly.
Check the backyard drainage
It is nothing worse than experiencing flooding during the summer, it can destroy the furniture and the dirty water can get into the pool. If you know from the previous years that during heavy rainfalls your backyard is filled with water, it is a good idea to build water trenches and to install a drainage system. In time flooding can lead to soil erosion, a problem that will have a negative impact on your backyard.
It is the time to plant
During spring, it is the perfect time to plan flowers and greenery. Make a plan with the way you want to arrange the plants and flowers, because some species need to be planted later, and you have to make sure that you leave the space free. Before starting to seed the soil, you should weed the garden and prepare the garden beds. You need a base to work with, when you plant the flowers. Check if the flowers and greenery you planted last year
have survived the winter. The dead plants need to be cleaned up before the weather warms up.
If you want to create a flourishing backyard this summer, but you have no idea where to start, the above headlines will help you make a plan. Do not worry; you will manage to create your own paradise.
