Whether you love mowing the lawn or hate it, it’s a job that needs to be done. As with most things, though, there’s a difference between doing it and doing it well. If you find yourself wondering why your neighbors have an amazing lawn while yours looks all the worse for wear, it could be more than just a matter of perspective; it’s possible that the grass really is greener on the other side.

This doesn’t have to be the case, though. Part of the problem might be how you’re caring for your lawn. If you haven’t put much thought into the specifics of yard care, here are a few things to think about. Changing how you think about mowing the lawn can have a big impact on the lawn itself, and your grass will thank you for it.

Prep Your Mower

Too many people approach the beginning of the mowing season the same way that they do the entire rest of the season: they put some gas in the mower and go. This is a good way to damage your lawn and wear out your mower at the same time. Start each season with an oil change and fresh gas, and check your mower blades for cracks, dullness or other signs that they need to be sharpened or replaced. Keep an eye on your grass as you mow; if it’s becoming ragged, this is a sign that your blades are getting dull again. Even a little bit of mower maintenance will make the cut easier on your lawn and keep your mower running in tip-top condition.

Learn Your Lawn

A lot of people think that grass is grass, but there are actually a lot of differences between grass species. Take a little time to find out what sort of grass you have growing in your lawn. If necessary, you can take a sample to your local agricultural extension office to get the job done. Once you know what kind of grass you have, you can learn the seasons when it actively grows, what sort of water and fertilizer needs it has, and even details about how it should be cut. If you need to reseed part of your lawn, knowing the existing grass type will also ensure that you get the right type of seed so that everything matches.

Cut to the Right Height

If your lawn is going to flourish, the grass needs to have enough blade area to absorb sunlight to meet its growing needs. Cutting it too short can damage it, causing the grass to wilt or brown, in some cases even killing off patches. As a general rule you’ll often hear that you should leave around 3 inches of grass when you cut, but this can vary depending on the type of grass you have. If in doubt, you can set the blade height between the 3-inch to 3 ½-inch mark to be safe, but you’ll have much more control over your lawn if you learn the grass type and find the optimal cutting height based on that.

Mind Those Clippings

It’s usually best to leave your clippings on the ground, as they provide much-needed nutrients to the lawn as they decompose. If you don’t like the look of them, consider a mulching blade and guard for your mower to ensure that they get cut into smaller pieces, or make multiple passes over the same area. The main exceptions to this are the first and last cuts of the year; in those instances, your lawn will do better if you bag the clippings instead.

Adapt Throughout the Year

One important thing to keep in mind is that grass is a living thing and grows differently depending on the time of the year and the local weather conditions. During the heat of the summer, make your lawn more drought resistant by adjust your cut height up a little; this gives the grass more blade area to collect dew on. In early spring and into the fall, cut less often to avoid shocking the grass. Even the direction of your cuts is important, especially if it’s been raining a lot; to prevent damaging the grass or compacting the soil too much, change direction every two or three cuts, switching to a cutting pattern around 90 degrees off from what you’ve been doing.

Keep It Under Control

A well-manicured lawn can be a big job. Fortunately, there are professionals out there who can take that burden off your shoulders. If you need to find a lawn service that comes highly recommended, send us an email! We will provide you with our trusted recommendations for mowers and landscapers that best match your specific needs.

Even though everything seems to have ground to a halt, it’s important to think about things a bit further down the line. This not only helps you to prepare for when things start back up again, but it can also make you a bit more self-sufficient in the future. This is where planning out a garden can be a great idea; it helps to keep you occupied now and yields a variety of healthy vegetables and other foods later in the year.

Maybe you don’t have a lot of space, though, or perhaps the soil in your yard isn’t the greatest. Neither of these prevents you from having a garden, though. There are a few different options available to address these concerns, but you might find that a raised bed garden is exactly what you’re looking for.

What Is a Raised Bed Garden?

First thing’s first: What exactly is a raised bed garden? Essentially, it’s a garden that has a box or other physical container around its border that allows you to add more soil to plant your vegetables and other crops in. In some cases, this can be a few added inches of topsoil. In other cases, you’ll need to add a substantial amount of new soil, and some raised beds have so much added topsoil that the plants never actually touch the “real” soil. Regardless of whether you add a little soil or a lot, the growing medium is still raised at least slightly from the ground level thanks to the garden box that surrounds it.

Building the Garden Box

There are a number of options available to you when it comes to building a garden box. You can use landscaping timber, bricks, 2x4s, wooden planks or even concrete. Decide on a height that works for you and pick a material that you’re comfortable working with or have easy access to. You can design a perfectly sized garden box, or you can make one that has gaps in the corners where your material doesn’t quite line up. It doesn’t actually matter what the box looks like, just so long as it is solid enough to contain your soil and is connected to itself or other supports to keep the sides from falling apart.

Just keep in mind that some materials such as pressure-treated wood contain chemicals that could leak out into the soil over time. If you have concerns about this or are using materials that you know present a chemical hazard, be sure to stain or seal your materials before use to keep water from penetrating and leaching the chemicals out.

Filling It In

Once you have a workable garden box, it’s time to add some soil. Ideally, you should till the ground soil before adding any additional soil to the box. Add a layer of garden soil or topsoil, then use a rake or hoe to blend the garden soil and your additive soil a bit. From there you can continue adding soil, mixing it together periodically, until you’ve reached the level you want in your garden box. In some cases, you’ll have room left within the box; in others, the soil will go all the way to the top. After it’s filled, you might want to water it well to let the soil settle a bit before you start planting.

Planting and Garden Care

With the box built and filled with soil, you’re ready to get your plants in the ground. Planting is largely the same as you’d do if you were planting directly into the ground, though your newly filled garden bed likely has softer soil than your yard. Water your garden a little more often than you normally would, as raised beds offer more of a chance for water to leak out or evaporate than ground soil does. Feed your plants as needed, remove weeds or grass when it appears, and do your best to keep pests out of the garden. The raised bed itself may deter some pests, and a small chicken wire fence around the edge of the bed can help as well.

There’s a decent chance that your raised bed garden will grow better than an in-soil garden thanks to the quality of its soil and the added control that you have over your garden environment. With proper care, you should be able to enjoy a bountiful harvest in just a few months.

The National Arts Centre is offering a busy schedule of live-streamed presentations by Canadian performers through a program called Canada Performs—everything from live music and kids’ shows to author readings and a one-man performance of Pride and Prejudice!

If you haven’t completed ALL of your spring cleaning yet due to self-isolation boredom, we have fortunately created this list of spring-cleaning tasks that can keep you busy for a while. Consider tackling the following jobs as well to reduce your future maintenance needs and ensure that you’re ready to face the summer.

Clean the Windows (And the Screens)

Cleaning the windows is a classic spring-cleaning task, but it’s one of those tasks that’s all too easy to only do halfway. When you clean your windows, be sure to clean both the inside and the outside (if you can) with a quality glass cleaner. You should also remove the window screens and clean them as well, especially if any of them have dirt or other icky stuff stuck in them after the winter.

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Pressure Washing

Dirt, mold, mildew and moss can all degrade the materials of your home over time. That’s why it’s a good idea to break out the pressure washer and give your home a good ol’ scrubdown at least once a year. Spring is a good time to do this since it’s usually still a bit too cool for things that grow on your house to get out of hand. While you’ve got the pressure washer out, you should also look to see if there’s anything else around the house that could use a good deep clean. Check out picnic tables, fences and any other spots where dirt and other contaminants might accumulate.

Gutter Cleaning

A lot of people view gutter cleaning as a fall task, associating full gutters with fallen leaves. There are a lot of things that can clog up your gutters, though, including debris that gets washed off your roof by spring rain and melting snow. To reduce wear and tear on your gutters and make cleaning them easier overall, make cleaning your gutters into a task that you do at least twice a year, in the spring and fall.

Check Out the AC

As things start to warm up, a lot of people prefer to open their windows instead of cranking the air conditioning. You should at least give it a test run to make sure that it’s working properly, though. Clean your AC as best as you can, let it run for a while to make sure that it’s able to maintain the air temperature, and change any filters that need to be changed. If there’s a problem, it’s better to find out now and fix it than discover it in a few months when temperatures peak.

Don’t Forget the Furniture

A lot of dusting goes on in the spring, but it’s easy to forget that dust and dirt accumulate on furniture too. Break out the vacuum or a steam cleaner to give your furniture a good cleaning as a part of your spring-cleaning routine. Not only will this keep your furniture looking good and in good shape for longer, but it can also reduce allergies and other health issues within your home.

Test Those Smoke Detectors

It’s easy to forget smoke detectors if they aren’t beeping randomly in the middle of the night because they have a low battery. To keep your home safe, though, you should test your smoke detectors and replace their batteries every six months. Spring cleaning time is a great time to do this (and then do it again in the fall when you start preparing your home for winter). Don’t settle for just replacing batteries, either; if a smoke detector doesn’t work or seems to have a larger problem than just dead batteries, replace the entire unit.

There is a lot of behind the scene work that is involved with selling your home. Staging is a very beneficial aspect to this. Whether you hire a professional or do it yourself, here are some details buyers may notice that can help sell your home:

1.Replace old curtains & rods:
Replacing these items can sometimes liven up the room and will often make the room/home look larger.

2. Repair cracks and mildew:
Although this can be difficult to locate, come time for an inspection, this may cause a devaluation in your property and will require immediate action. The spring is the perfect time to inspect your property for water penetration.

3. Depersonalize:
When it comes to home staging, a big factor for a home not selling could be a result of not depersonalizing. Buyers want to envision their family growing and living in the space. Replace personal items with something impersonal such as vases, landscape photography or abstract art.

4. Inviting Exterior:
The first image on every listing website is the front exterior image of a home so make sure it looks as beautiful as the inside! An unattractive lawn, peeling paint or a weedy garden can be precursors to your home being listed for much longer than a neighbour. Slap a fresh coat of paint on your front door and/or garage, maintain your lawn and garden while showings are being held to deliver a picturesque exterior that will wow buyers!

5. Keep it Clean:
Let’s be honest, selling a home can be quite stressful. Keeping a clean home during showings is just as important as depersonalizing. Buyers don’t want to see laundry or smell what you ate for dinner. Although this may be difficult (especially with children) the main goal is to get the house SOLD! Keep this in mind during the process. It will be worth it in the end 🙂

Most business arrangements are based from word of mouth agreements. Although it nice to have that trust with an individual or company, many negative issues may arise if there is no binding contract.

Signing a Buyer Representation Agreement binds the contract committing you to work with the brokerage when you’re in the market to buy a home. In the unlikely event you have a dispute, it is always better to have a signed contract if you need to take legal action. Being a client of the brokerage, rather than a customer, is another advantage of signing the contact. As a client, the brokerage and its employees must follow your lawful instructions, protect any confidential information and promote your best interests in the transaction.

If you prefer to work with a brokerage as a client and sign a Customer Service Agreement, the brokerage will help you complete the transaction but they are not required to owe you a fiduciary duty.

Be sure to read the documents provided to you by the brokerage of your choice. This is help you understand your relationship with the salesperson and the brokerage’s obligations.

Source: The truth about a Buyer Representation Agreement: Ask Joe https://www.thestar.com/life/homes/opinion/2019/03/09/the-truth-about-a-buyer-representation-agreement.html

As our seasons become more dramatic and dynamic, managing snow, ice, and rain in winter can be a challenge. Using salt or sand on ice and snow will make a difference. Knowing when and where to use them is pivotal.

How Salt Works to Manage Ice    Salt helps to melt ice by decreasing the freezing temperature of the water. Pure water freezes at 32 degrees F, but a 20% solution of ice drops the freezing point to almost 0 degrees F. However, to work on the ice, the salt must end up in a water solution. This can happen when sunlight, traffic friction, or heat in the pavement melts some of the ice, or by the salt attracting water from the atmosphere.

How Sand Works to Manage Ice  Sand and other abrasive materials work by improving traction over ice. Friction may melt the ice, but this is an incidental addition to the functionality.

Advantages of Using Salt    Salt removes the ice from the road, melting it as long as the temperature is not too low.

Disadvantages of Using Salt   There is a limited temperature window in which salt can be used to de-ice roads. Below that temperature range, the ice is too cold to melt even if the salt forms a layer of brine. Even within the effective range, more salt is needed the colder it is, and the slower it will work.

Advantages of Sand   Sand can be used effectively at any temperature. As long as it is spread over the ice it will provide the necessary traction.
Also, dry snow will stick to a salted ice patch while it will blow off an unsalted ice patch, meaning if the salt is applied during a storm it can cause further dangers on the road.

Disadvantages of Using Sand If the weather is too cold, the sand can clump and freeze together, becoming part of the ice and providing no traction. Adding some salt can keep this from happening.
Sand is only effective as long it is on the surface. If it is buried under more snow, it must be reapplied. Heavy traffic areas will also quickly move the sand off the road, requiring regular reapplication.

Ecological Impact of Using Salt Salt and salt water runoff contaminate the area around the road and down the drainage path. Vegetation within 60 feet of the road is damaged, and salt can contaminate ground water and wells.
Salt will also degrade steel and concrete structures. This means using salt will damage the cars on the road as well as bridge structures and even pavement. New construction techniques are minimizing this problem, but it is not yet solved.

Ecological Impact of Using Sand Sand and other abrasive materials collect on the sides of the road, in drainage ditches, and can be washed into streams and lakes. Clean up after storms is becoming a bigger and bigger concern. Particles can also be ground up and become an air pollution concern. Because sand is often combined with salt to improve effectiveness, all the environmental impacts of salt also apply to most applications of sand.

Neither sand nor salt is a perfect solution for removing ice from the roads. However, they are the best options currently available.

Source: http://www.doityourself.com/stry/sand-on-ice-vs-salt-on-ice#b#ixzz2EkslNwtj

Ten DON’Ts When Buying a Home
or Applying for a Mortgage

What not to do can be just as important as what you must do when it comes to mortgages. Think of your application as a snap shot in time. It is a picture of your current financial profile and how you were approved for said loan. Any changes made prior to your profile made prior to your funding date may impact your approval. This doesn’t mean you can’t use your credit card between now and the closing date but what it does mean is don’t make any drastic life changes during your approval period. Here are some of the most common examples:

1. DO NOT change jobs,become self-employed, or quit your job.
2. DO NOT buy a car, truck,or van (or you may find yourself living in it!).
3. DO NOT use charge cards excessively or let your accounts fall behind.
4. DO NOT buy furniture with money set aside for closing.
5. DO NOT omit debts or liabilities from your loan application.
6. DO NOT stop paying your rent or current mortgage.
7. DO NOT originate any inquiries on your credit.
8. DO NOT make large deposits without first checking with your Mortgage Broker.
9. DO NOT change bank accounts or transfer funds back and forth between accounts.
10. DO NOT co-sign on a loan for anyone.

For more great mortgage tips or to discuss your mortgage needs, please call Erica Vincelli today!

As you may know, there is a lot of planning involved with putting your house up for sale. Thinking of selling in the Spring? Now is the time to start preparing your home! 

Here are some ways you can start/ease into the process:

• Start decluttering so that buyers can see the potential of the house, not just stuff.
• Think about starting minor updates and fixes, along with “nice to haves” (paint, flooring, hardware) to ensure you focus on the most important tasks to get the most ROI.
• We will be happy to provide you with paint colour options to help brighten and make a room feel more spacious.
• To ensure that every room buyers walk into appear spacious and welcoming, we provide staging furniture as well as suggestions on furniture placement and styling!
• We also have our recommend resources and help (contractors, painters, etc.) should you require additional assistance.

A well-prepared and well-shown house is no longer something that you should do, it is something that you must do in order to attract the right buyer!