Well, wasn’t last weekend magnificent and gorgeous, almost like a San Diego day! It hit 70 in New York City and very close to it, on Long Island.
Hopefully, this weekend will be a duplication! Now we need to think what we have to do to prepare for the next few months as summer approaches.
First thing you want to do this weekend, is to pull that barbecue out and wash off with liquid soap and water (never with cleaners as you will be cooking and that is the last thing you want as a residue on your food).
If you didn’t clean off your grill last fall, then make sure you brush off your grill with a brass wire brush, which will not damage the grating if you have a stainless steel grill; thoroughly removing all the caked on stuff and then wash off in soapy water.
Lastly, coat with a little bit of cooking oil to keep rust off, if you barbecue infrequently.
If you have a barbecue with briquettes I personally would switch over to a regular device without charcoal; which is more healthier, and you can use lava rock that will heat up your food just as well and very evenly and be very safe to use with any types of food you will be cooking with this season.
Were you almost out of propane last summer and said, “I will fill it up next year? It is a good idea to have it filled up now instead of waiting.
You can either fill it up at a company in Westbury or Hicksville, which is most cost effective and more convenient, or buy a new tank already filled at one of the large home centers.
Next, pull out all your lawn furniture and clean with non abrasive dish detergent and rinse and let dry in the sun.
By now your lawn should be fairly green, if you or your gardener had applied a light application of fertilizer 20-5-7 ( percent of nitrogen-phosphorus- potash).
If you did scrape or thatch out the dead patches last fall, from the summer, as I had suggested back then, and seeded; those areas should have filled in already.
If not, clean out any dead areas and lightly seed with a perennial mix of seeds depending on the amount of sun or shade you have on your lawn (also cut back any trees and shrubs, after flowering finishes, allowing more sunlight onto your lawn, as needed.
There are many hybrid seeds that are more tolerant against seasonal fungus diseases and insects.
Ask your local garden center for recommendations.
If you didn’t apply pelletized lime last fall to sweeten the soil (PH should be 6.5-7 and you can take soil samples from 4 areas of your lawn and send them away to get an analysis or do it yourself.
Your lawn will better thrive and increase its vigor, drought tolerance and disease resistance, when the PH is in an alkaline and sweeter state.
It does take several months for lime to increase the PH of your soil, but better late than never!
As weeds appear you may spray them on a calm (not windy) and cool day, never during the heat of the day, preferably in the morning hours), so you do not burn your grass!
Did you or your gardener sharpen the lawn mower this year. I am fairly sure your gardener did, but ask him and you should do it to, if you are cutting your own lawn.
A dull blade pulls the grass and you will see the tips of grass blades turn a bit whitish and this will easily allow a multitude of fungal diseases to enter the plant in the very near future as temperatures rise and humidity sets in. Keep your mower set at three inches and do not try to keep your lawn cut like a golf course (A specific grass called Bent grass is what is on golf courses, not your lawn).
This will only reduce the vigor and stamina of your lawn, by removing too much of the manufacturing part of the plant disabling proper photosynthesis, which will reduce the health of the grass plant and make it more vulnerable to diseases and insects in the summer months.
Also, when no rain occurs in any week, water at least inch of water per week, by putting a square cup in the middle of the area where you are sprinkling and when it fills to one inch, you will have watered the soil to a depth of 3 inches. This will train and force the roots of your grass to grow deep; so never do surface watering; this will only train the grass roots to go up instead of down deep.
Set your automatic sprinklers for 15-20 minutes per zone. However, on an extremely hot day and you want to reduce the temperatures on those grass surfaces in only those sunny areas, you can water 5-10 minutes)
Also remember to never water at night, like the say, put the baby to bed dry! Set your sprinklers, between 5-10 in the morning for the most efficient use of your water, where the least amount of evaporation will occur and never do your regular watering during the heat of the day!
Remember, when you lawn looks green and lush, it will make a very strong statement to potential purchasers, when the day comes and you are ready to sell! So get to work…..
The following links will help you with the outside and inside with a checklist of things to do this spring and summer, while minimizing costs and adding value to your home:
https://www.homezada.com/value-of-home-maintenance-schedule
https://www.bobvila.com/articles/2355-spring-home-maintenance-checklist/#.VxVirfkrL4Y
Next week we’ll talk about trees, flowers and perennials to plant in your garden.
Phil@TurnKeyRealEstate.Com or by Cell, (516) 647-4289 to answer any of your questions. To search for Philip A. Raices is the owner of Turn Key Real Estate in Great Neck. He can be reached by email: property, see what your home is worth or homes that have sold in your area, go to: WWW.Li-RealEstate.Com
