Tuesday, March 13, 2012

10 Tips for Creating a Beautiful Garden for Your Evanston Home!

Evanston has already enjoyed some beautiful weather this year, and thoughts of an early spring are causing many Evanston residents to want to get outdoors!  This week’s forecast is simply ideal for beginning some of those outdoors projects you’ve been considering all winter long, so you’ll want to take advantage of the great weekend ahead.
As Evanston Real Estate agents, one of the aspects of Evanston that we enjoy sharing with potential buyers is the community’s pristine care for their homes and curb appeal as residents realize that doing their part leads to a beautiful place to live.  If you’re planning on creating a stunning garden this year for the first time, or are a seasoned pro, we thought we would help you boost your Evanston garden this year with these ten tips!
1. Bulbs- Want full, rich colors in your yard?  Begin planting bulbs of dahlia, lily, gladiolus and tuberous begonia.  
2. Annuals- Now is the time to plant hardy annual such as petunias, dianthus, snapdragons and pansies.  If you’re worried about frost, simply cover the plants with plastic at night.  You can also opt for hanging mixed baskets filled with fuchsias, geraniums and impatiens which can easily be moved inside if threatened by a frost. 
3.  Perennials- As you begin to see these return, be sure to give these plants some fertilizer to ensure they’re fed for the season. 
4. Lawn care- Now is the ideal time to assess the needs of your lawn if you haven’t already done so.  Begin cleaning away weeds and debris that settled during the winter.  Begin fertilizing grassy areas and do any trimming to give a well manicured appearance.
5. Vegetables- Before you begin planting, consider the timing of your plants as well as who makes the best neighbors.  Plant hardier veggies such as lettuce or potatoes now and wait until it’s consistenly 60 degrees before planting the more delicate plants.  Beans, celery an cucumbers are happy to be planted near each other, but be sure to keep bean plants away from aromatic vegetables such as garlic.
6. Planting- Buy new plants along with replacements of those that may not have made it through the Evanston winters.  
7. Fertilizing- This is key to keeping your plants well fed and growing all season.  Don’t forget to give your well-loved plants their food!  Be sure that you don’t “over-fertilize” as it can kill the plants or cause “leaf burn.”
8. Pruning- Pruning needs vary by climate zones.  Be sure to check on more details of pruning for the Chicago area.  
9. Weeding- No one likes to do it, but weeds need to be nipped in the bud before they get out of control.  Spraying weed killer is a great option, just be sure to spray on a warm day with limited wind. 
10.  Preparing Your Patio- With consistent warm weather just around the corner, you’ll want to make sure your patio is spruced up and the furniture is cleaned and in good working order.
As always, our goal is to help you not only find your ideal home in Evanston, but to help you enjoy your Evanston home to the fullest!  A beautiful garden can create a serene and cheery atmosphere that you’ll be sure to enjoy during the warm spring and summer months.  You’ll also be contributing to Evanston’s beauty and giving back to the environment!
If you have any questions about owning an Evanston home or are ready to begin your Evanston home search; please let us know!  Our team of trusted Evanston Real Estate agents here on The Thomas Team would be happy to help you each step of the way!

The Thomas Team
Properties
Chicago's #1 Real Estate Brokerage

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