15 Yard Work Hacks

From Redditor /u/canadijen

I have had ugly yards. Sometimes, you must accept them.

- Plant hearty wildflowers in a couple of spots. Place a few large rocks there to hold them in.

- Add height. Put a tall plant, a piece of driftwood standing up, and a stone inukshuk to draw your eyes up from the lawn. Aim for a rustic, overgrown, creative look.

- Add color. Use flowers, bright colored reclaimed pots or planters, or paint an old chair or table.

- Make it useful. Create a spot to sit, a spot to grow food, or a spot for yoga.

From Redditor /u/[deleted]

Cut your grass long. Most people scalp their lawns; that is a huge mistake. When grass is cut too short, the plant uses energy to regrow the green blades because they convert sunlight to energy. Cutting grass long lets the plant put more energy into growing its roots. Healthy roots create a healthy lawn. It takes a season or two, but the lawn will fill bare spots. It will fight weeds and insects better. It will handle dry spells better. Raise your lawnmower blade to its highest setting. Mow every five days in spring and fall. In summer, you might mow every seven to ten days, depending on dryness.

From Redditor /u/nottavailable

Follow these three simple rules. Do these things, and you will get, at worst, a "B" yard. This yard will easily beat others on the street (unless you have another rare lawn nut near). Here is the order of importance:

Water one inch per week. Split it into two times at 0.5 inches. If Mother Nature helps, adjust. Check weather websites for rainfall totals. Your effort depends on your setup: an irrigation system (for the very lazy), hoses and timers (my method for the generally lazy), or doing it by hand (1/10, not recommended).

Milorganite/BayState fertilizer is this stuff. It is human poop pellets. It is the best [stuff] ever. It does not burn the lawn; therefore, you do not need to water it. It is organic. It has iron, which darkens your lawn. Helpful soil micro-organisms eat this stuff and release nitrogen into your soil. Put it down on any day ending in "Y" and use as much of your budget allows. I put it down every three to four weeks. Buy it at Depot and Lowes.

Spray the weeds. Get the bottle that screws onto your hose so you cannot mess it up. If weeds take over your lawn, spray it twice, ten days apart. Weeds do not shrivel or expire upon contact; it takes time for them to show stress. Be patient. Your lawn may look bad as the weeds die, but the good grass will fill the space.

From Redditor /u/kilamumster

Lots of sun helps a single plant produce a lot of produce. Train vines, like grapevines, along the fence. Build an arbor for extra shade. Do not grow grapes if you have a dog; they cause kidney failure in hours. Start with small raised beds, or design them for seating. Grow small until you know the work needed. A weeper system improves plant health and yield. If you have water limits, you might prefer xeriscaping.

Redditor /u/bregun

Figure out the sun and water for each yard section with others. See what gets muddy and what drains well. Sketch a yard blueprint and mark your notes. This sketch helps you plan layouts. Drive around and see what plants neighbors have. Now is a great time; most things bloom. Take photos to identify plants later.

Decide if you want a lawn in certain spots before working. If you plan to grow vegetables, some space becomes raised garden beds. Seed those spots only if you plan to use them for vegetables. First, decide what you want from the space.

Redditor /u/fredthefree1

Outer deco panels might provide privacy. Backlight them, then use pavers on the ground for a BBQ or entertaining area. Use raised planter beds for a few plants. Sunlight is the main problem; you have a fence on one side and a building on another.

Redditor /u/mastermind1228

Caring for a yard takes time. It requires patience. Bringing your lawn to standard takes years. Persistence and consistency matter. Pull weeds right away when you see them. Clean up leaves. Use a shovel to edge mulch beds. Cut grass often for healthy growth.

Water your grass often. Trim your bushes regularly. A cheap hose and shrub trimmers help. Perfection is the goal.

Redditor /u/DoMoreWork

Make a habit of visiting garden centers at Home Depot and Lowes on Monday afternoons. They deeply discount items that did not sell over the weekend. I bought 6 azaleas for $1 each (instead of $7 each) and 3 blueberry bushes for $4 each (instead of $15 each). Talk to the garden center manager about upcoming items.

Redditor /u/Emfx

Cut your backyard vertically toward the back patio to make it look larger. This makes the yard look longer than diagonal lines. You lose the diagonal line look, but with that fence, I don't think anyone will notice.

For the front yard, cut diagonally away from the sidewalk. This creates the look of a bigger yard.

Redditor /u/kilamumster

Check the view from each window for planting. Place tall plants for privacy and colorful plants for the best view. Plant papaya, tall clumping Rhapis palm, and some lower variegated grasses or mondo.

Redditor /u/3rdMonkey

Here are things I like to do:

Walk neighborhoods to get ideas from existing yards.

Talk to the owners of those gardens if you can find them. Learn what they would change.

I bring home books on gardens and natural shaping in winter. I learn what I like versus what works for my zone. Dahlias—is that practical in SoCal? Maybe not, or maybe try and error.

Decide what you want versus what is practical.

Make a realistic budget, but do not skip the must-have list.

Redditor /u/walkswithwolfies

Container gardening is easier with large pots. Bigger containers give roots space, meaning less frequent watering.

The Sunset Western Garden Book is a good buy. You can also get it free at your local library.

Books exist about landscaping for privacy.

Redditor /u/west_pac

I am a professional landscaper. I give you the answer I would give my customer.

Beginners should minimize gardening work while maximizing enjoyment. Shoot for plants that look after themselves.

Grass takes much work. I suggest a central patio with a garden bed border. Plant hardy, low-maintenance plants that offer flowers or fruit. Use cedar bark mulch to control weeds and improve looks.

Build a basic pergola. Add lattice panels. Get hardy climbing plants to cover the panels and pergola. Get simple outdoor furniture to place under the pergola.

You get an outdoor space for sitting, barbecues, and entertaining. It needs little maintenance and can expand with pots. If you do the work, you can stay under $1000.

Pick your plants carefully. Some garden centers charge a lot; others are cheap. You usually pay more for mature plants than young ones. Know when to fight. Do not put a young plant in a very shady spot, even if the label says it handles full shade. Buy mature plants for hard-to-grow areas to save effort. Use cheap young plants in full sun areas to save money.

Redditor /u/air28uk

Grow carrots or parsnips in tubes to get long, straight roots.

Put potatoes in old car tires stacked up or roll down an empty compost bag. Roll it back up a bit at a time and fill it with compost. After the plant grows, slice the bag open, and the potatoes fall out.

If your soil rake breaks at the weld on top, keep the handle with the metal hook. Use it for fiddly bits or paths.

Redditor /u/SonVoltMMA

Garden Hose Quick-Connectors. I have them on every hose end. Never twist again!

Also, use brass shut-off valves. Never kink a hose to remove the attachment. Just turn off the valve wherever you are.