At Buzz, our top yard resolution is to get outside and enjoy it more. But having a yard you want to hang out in takes a bit of work. Because who can relax while sitting in an overgrown jungle with a falling down fence? Here are a few resolutions that will make your yard more enjoyable in 2018 – and maybe you’ll even have fun doing them.
Grow Vegetables
Growing vegetables is one of the best ways to improve your relationship with your yard. While some plants are just pretty, vegetables feed you. So there’s a direct correlation between you taking care of them and them taking care of you.
If you’ve never gardened, or have limited space, start with a small patch or a few containers. Set yourself up for success by choosing vegetables that are easy to grow, such as tomatoes, collard greens, and melons. TAMU has a list of easy-growing veggies with instructions here.
Rethink Your Lawn
The tidy house, white picket fence, and manicured lawn are treasured symbols of Americana. But as parts of our country and the world experience droughts, it might be time to rethink a traditional water-guzzling lawn. In North Texas, exotic turf such as Saint Augustine and Bermuda grass can commandeer half your water bill just to stay alive. Switching to native turf (which grows a little higher than Bermuda), ground cover or wildflowers can look beautiful, spare your wallet and create a better environment for butterflies.
Care for Your Trees
A pruned tree is a happy tree. Resolve that this is the year you’ll snip dead or dying branches, or hire an expert to do it. Your yard and house will be safer since windborne dead branches leave a trail of destruction during storms.
Maintain Your Fence
Loose boards? Broken gate latch? Just plain dirty? Winter is the best time to inspect your fence since the bare trees make for an easier view of any problems. Maybe it’s time to clean your fence or fix a sagging walk gate.
Invite More Wildlife
We’re not talking about rats, moles, possums, or other varmints. More like birds, butterflies, and insects that pollinate your garden. Since butterflies are nearsighted, they prefer masses of brightly colored flowers. Here are some butterfly favorites, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife:
- Purple Coneflower
- Indian Blanket
- Gayfeather
- Frostweed
- Texas Kidneywood
- Horsemint
- Turk’s Cap
- Phlox
- Texas Lantana
- Bee brush
Team Effort
Sometimes it takes a team effort for resolutions to come to fruition. Make a plan with your household members to prioritize yard tasks and fairly divide labor. And if any of your resolutions have to do with fences, we are standing by to help.
