DID YOU KNOW THAT APRIL IS NATIONAL LAWN AND GARDEN MONTH?

Seems fitting since we have probably spent more time outside this month than in January through March combined. Our gardens, lawns, and landscapes have been keeping us busy these past few weeks and it’s a great thing! Not only is it good for us to spend some time outside getting some fresh air, but it’s good to spend time taking care of our yards too. Click here for more ways to celebrate this April.

At Moon Valley Nurseries, we encourage routinely taking care of your yard and keeping all your landscape materials as cleaned up, watered, and trimmed as they should be any time of the year. Whether you do the yard work yourself or have a professional come out and do it for you, consistent care of your yard provides important benefits every homeowner would want to capitalize on.

THREE BENEFITS OF TAKING CARE OF YOUR HOME’S LANDSCAPE

Your Home Will have Massive Curb Appeal

The first thing that comes to mind when you think of curb appeal is probably a gorgeous house that immediately catches your attention as you drive by it. This is certainly a big reason that it is so significant when you are considering selling or renting your homes.

The house with the green, cut grass is probably going to look more inviting than a house with an overgrown lawn.

Taking care of the exterior of your home is not always for how other people might view your property. Many of us take immense pride in our homes and our landscapes and see them more as our personal retreats.

Regular Yard Maintenance makes for a Healthy Yard

I am sure we all know that in order for things to look nice and last for a long time, we have to take care of them on a regular basis. Our cars need an oil change every few months, our air conditions need tune-ups at least once a year, and our yard needs monthly care. Without it, avoidable problems start to appear and cause a lot of financial mayhem.

Staying on top of a schedule for a yard helps you better understand what your landscape needs season by season and you will be able to start taking care of things before they are ever serious problems.

Adds Financial Value to Your Home and Neighborhood

The last and most common reason people want new landscape designs or new landscape materials is because of the increased financial value that comes with the upgrade to your yard.

A whole new landscape will have the most effect on increasing the value of your home but even small changes such as colorful shrubs, new mulch, flower containers, or trimmed trees can help make a positive difference.

It is obvious when a yard has been meticulously taken care for over the years and the payoff is large. Not only does it increase your property value, but it can also boost the homes around you!

WHEN TO CALL IN A LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONAL FOR YOUR HOME

For homeowners that do all their landscape maintenance themselves, cheers to you! For the most part, many of the tasks that need to be completed when doing your own yard are manageable for 1-2 people. However, there will be times when you run into issues and you don’t have time to figure out yourself.

Some issues include damaged trees or plants from heavy storms, dying trees or plants due to sudden frost or sudden heatwave, and major pest damage. Not every homeowner will be able to catch these issues while they are still small and will need the help of a professional service to fix them.

WHY YOU SHOULD LET THE LANDSCAPE PROS HANDLE YOUR YARD

Using a landscape service consistently has extreme benefits for your yards. A landscape professional has experience and knowledge about your specific lawn, trees, and plants and also a good understanding of our region and how it affects the plant materials in your landscape year-round.

With the assistance of a professional, your landscape will get consistent and thorough attention. This extra TLC will keep all your trees and plants in top health as they will be trimmed and pruned, fertilized, and properly watered.

Consistent Trimming Stimulates Consistent New Growth

When a landscape pro is monitoring and taking care of your landscape on a regular basis, those trees and plants are getting trimmed and manicured for visual appeal and to help stimulate newer growth from the plant.

Constant Observation Means Your Landscape Pro Won’t Miss a Thing

Constant observation also allows them to see any discoloration in the leaves, issues with the bark, or holes in the foliage that obviously came from some hungry pests. Noticing these types of issues sooner creates a speedy recovery from the plant.

It is extremely important to make sure that everything in your landscape is being watered properly. Depending on what type of landscape you have, this alone could be a daunting task full of trial and error. (By the time you start to figure out what works, the weather has probably started to drastically change again.)

A landscape professional will be able to handle this without a problem and you won’t have to worry about it at all!

MOON VALLEY NURSERIES FEATURED TREE

Citrus Trees

Almost everyone loves the feeling of growing their own food and Texas is a great region to grow nearly anything and everything for your dinner table. Citrus trees will be a popular addition to your yard and they produce fresh fruit throughout the year. Buying a mature tree will supply you with a crop of fruit as early as this season! Below are some of our favorite citrus options that do best when planted this time of year.

Lemon 

Lemons are one citrus variety that can be considered ever-bearing as they often produce two crops per year. Meyer lemons are a favorite due to their many culinary uses and their thin rind that makes squeezing the freshest lemon juice a breeze! Some other great varieties to plant are Lisbon and Eureka lemons.

Lemon trees need a lot of sun, so they do best when planted somewhere that lets them have full sun exposure through the year and they can adapt to most types of soil, so the focus is making sure they get sun on them!

Grapefruit

Red Grapefruits are another tree that can be planted to increase the length of time you can harvest fresh citrus from your yard. These fruits are typically ready January through May and are again ready for harvest later in the year.

The most popular types of grapefruits to plant and grow are the Red and White varieties. Grapefruit trees can be fast growers with the perfect combination of rich soil and full sunlight. Some can even grow up to 24 inches in a year depending on the type of tree.

Stop by any of our Texas nurseries and check out all the other varieties we carry including oranges, limes, and many more. You can even taste some of the newly produced fruit!