Articles Tagged "Landscaping"

With spring just around the corner, trees and plants are showing signs of new growth, green leaves, and early blooms. Our real estate agents think it's the perfect time to get outside and plant your Richmond garden so that you can enjoy all the benefits of National Garden Month in April.

On a beautiful spring day, there's nothing quite like planting new seeds and watching them grow. If you're ready to give it a try, it's time to roll up your sleeves and turn your Richmond garden into something spectacular.

Planting Annuals and Perennials

April is a great month to plant annuals and perennials in your garden, but first, you should know the difference. Annuals have a lifespan of one year, so they must be replanted the following season. Perennials grow back every spring, so you only need to plant them once.

Annuals

Planting annuals in garden beds or pots marks the beginning of a season-long show of eye-catching flowers. Annuals are usually planted during the spring and summer months, unfurling flowers and colorful foliage until frost arrives. Some annuals thrive in the sun, and others prefer shade and cooler temperatures, Before planting annuals, it's best to check planting, growth, and care requirements with a local garden center.

Perennials

Perennials can be planted any time during the growing season until the ground freezes, but for best results, they should be planted during spring or fall. Since perennials come back each year, many are bulbs rather than small plants. Whether you plant spring or fall perennials, they need plenty of room to grow and spread in your garden. Even without visible foliage, perennials will still send out roots underground until they go dormant when the ground freezes.

Planting Vegetable Gardens

If you enjoy cooking, you may want to plant a vegetable garden that fills your yard with color and provide herbs and veggies for the kitchen. Just like flower gardens, vegetable gardens can be planted in the spring and the fall.

Spring Planting

Eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes can be started indoors then transplanted into the garden in late April.

If you like the idea of growing yummy summer vegetables, you should start planting your garden in mid-April. Imagine your endless cooking possibilities with a vegetable garden filled with asparagus, beans, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, corn, cucumbers, okra, and squash.

Garden Maintenance

Proper maintenance is essential to keep your flower and vegetable gardens blooming and healthy. Here are some helpful tips:

• Mulch garden beds early in the spring

• Apply a light application of 10-10-10 fertilizer over perennial beds

• Deadhead perennials after flowering to extend bloom times

• Cut back and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs after flowering

• Weed your garden beds every week during the growing seasons

• Keep your gardening tools, hoses, and sprinklers in good condition

All flower and vegetable gardens are subjected to a variety of harmful pests that can destroy plants. You can protect your gardens with organic pest control products and barriers made from fabrics, fencing, or mesh around the planting area. Diatomaceous earth, a non-toxic natural product, hinders the movement of pests in and around fruits, vegetables, and flowers.

For information on Richmond homes for sale, contact us to discuss your lifestyle needs and see available properties.

When you're in the mood for a day of fantastic shopping, you certainly won't have to travel far from Richmond homes for sale. Downtown Richmond is filled with unique, local boutique shops offering fashion, art, antiques, home goods, culinary delights, and so much more. Whether you're shopping for the perfect gift or treating yourself, Richmond has you covered. Our real estate agents have the details on some of the many great shops that you'll find throughout downtown Richmond.

• Addison Handmade & Vintage – 103 S. Addison St., Richmond, VA 23220
  A boutique shop with a curated collection of handmade items, including home goods, gifts, and fashion, Addison Handmade & Vintage offers a little bit of everything on a street that features a variety of other great shops. Along with the handmade items, you'll find an extensive collection of vintage clothing for men and women that features tons of unique, hard-to-find fashion items.
  
  
• Fountain Bookstore – 1312 E. Cary St., Richmond, VA 23219
  A small, independent bookstore that has been going strong ever since it first opened its doors in 1978, Fountain Bookstore is a little slice of paradise for all of the bookworms in the Richmond area. Along with the extensive collection of fiction and non-fiction books that are always available, Fountain Bookstore features a busy schedule of events that includes book clubs and author meetups.
  
  
• Chadwick & Son Orchids – 203 N. Belmont Ave., Richmond, VA 23221
  Orchids are some of the most beautiful flowers on the planet, and Chadwick & Son Orchids is Richmond's premier source for these amazing plants. Whether you're looking for the perfect gift or want a starter kit for growing your own orchids at home, the knowledgeable team at this local shop offers everything that you need.
  
  
• Ladles & Linens Kitchen Shoppe – 3016 W. Cary St., Richmond, VA 23221
  For all of your kitchen needs, along with great gift ideas for anyone who loves cooking, it's hard to top the experience at the Ladles & Linens Kitchen Shoppe. Pick up plenty of great items for cooking and entertaining, or shop from an extensive selection of prepared foods to find the perfect complement for your next culinary creation.
  
  
• Reynolds Gallery – 1514 W. Main St., Richmond, VA
  For more than 40 years, Reynolds Gallery has been committed to showcasing contemporary art from regional artists, with rotating exhibitions of paintings, glass art, sculptures, and more. Whether you're there to experience the art or to shop for something unique to decorate your own home, you're sure to love this local art gallery. Keep an eye out for special events like receptions for new exhibitions and chances to meet the artists.
  
  
• Second Bottle – 324 N. 27th St., Richmond, VA 23223
  Downtown Richmond has plenty to offer for wine connoisseurs, thanks to local wine shops like Second Bottle. With an extensive selection of wines to suit every budget and tons of great snacks that will pair perfectly with your bottle, this shop has everything you need for your next dinner party.

Is your next home at the top of your shopping list this year? Our local real estate team is here to help you find the perfect match. Contact us to buy and sell homes throughout the Richmond, VA, area.

It's easy not to think about your gutters when they're doing their job, but a little cleaning and maintenance should be done at least once or twice a year. If you haven't cleaned your gutters since the trees dropped their leaves last fall, doing your maintenance now will help keep them clean throughout the summer's rainstorms. Here are a few tips from our real estate agents for gutter maintenance this summer.

1. Remove Nests
   First things first: Check your gutters for any nests from animals or creepy crawlies. Birds' nests are commonly found in and around gutters. If you've waited until summer to clean your gutters, chances are the birds aren't using the nests anymore, so you can remove them without worrying about the occupants. Wasps nests, on the other hand, are best left to a professional pest service for your own safety.
   
   
2. Remove Debris
   Before you can flush your gutters, it's important to make sure you remove any loose debris so that you're not washing it all downstream and creating a blockage. Check your gutters for leaves, sticks, and other debris that can be removed manually. It may be time-consuming, but it'll save you any hassle later on.
   
   
3. Flush Your Gutters
   Once you've removed all the loose debris, you can use a garden hose to manually flush the gutters. Make sure the downspouts are running quickly and don't show any signs of blockage inside. If you do find blockages, you can remove the downspout and work on it from the safety of the ground. Clear the blockage by running the garden hose directly into the downspout, running a plumbing snake through the downspout, and if none of those work, disassembling the downspout to find and remove the blockage. Once the downspout is clear, you can reattach it to the gutters.
   
   
4. Repair Any Damage
   Gutters can become damaged over time, especially if they're not cleaned regularly. Inspect your gutters thoroughly for rust, cracks and busted seams, and signs of problems such as algae growth. Algae can be scrubbed off, but cracked or rusted gutters should be repaired or replaced. This is especially important if you're planning on selling your home, as unsightly gutters will be an immediate red flag to potential buyers that can be seen from the street, if not the listing pictures.
   
   
5. Call a Professional if Needed
   Whether you're working on a ladder at gutter height, or leaning down to access the gutters from your roof, cleaning and repairing gutters can be dangerous. Consider whether you have the tools and skills to do this job yourself, and call the pros if you don't. Especially if you are planning to sell the home, it may benefit you to have a pro doing the work, and recent gutter maintenance or even a brand new gutter system will be a selling point over other Richmond homes for sale.

Keeping up on home maintenance is an easy way to protect your investment, but it's especially important to catch up on any maintenance tasks if you're planning on selling your home soon. The outside of your home is a great place to start because that's the first thing a buyer sees. For more suggestions on how to get your home ready to sell and boost your curb appeal, contact us today.

If you're tired of your yard turning brown during the stifling dog days of summer or want to cut down on the time you spend watering your garden, it's time to install a sprinkler system. Not only will a sprinkler system make it easier for you to care for your landscaping, but our real estate agents know that it appeals to potential homebuyers when it's time to sell your home. Here are a few tips to follow when installing a sprinkler system. 

1. Decide If You Should Hire a Pro
   A DIY project is an excellent way to save money when you're on a tight budget. Opting to purchase and install your sprinkler components yourself can cut the cost of the project in half. However, you have to spend time installing the system, and adding a sprinkler system can be a fairly labor-intensive project. You may also have to rent or purchase tools to complete the job. It can also be tricky to properly place the sprinklers so that every area of your landscaping receives ample moisture. While it costs more to hire a pro to install your new sprinkler system, you'll maximize the amount of time in your schedule by letting someone else handle the job. Most professionally installed sprinkler systems also come with a warranty on the parts and labor, giving you a little peace of mind in your investment.

2. Have Underground Lines and Cables Marked
   Regardless of which installation method you choose, you'll need to have your local utility companies come and mark any underground lines that are located on your property. When installing a sprinkler system, you'll need to avoid these lines. Otherwise, you risk cutting power, cable, or TV to your home. You'll also have to pay for any damage caused to these lines or cables. 

3. Determine What Features You Want
   Your sprinkler system should incorporate elements that make it a good fit for your home. After considering what the sprinkler will water (such as grass, vegetables, flowers, or trees), you can decide what kind of water pressure the system should have and how quickly the water needs to flow. These features will also factor into what kind of service lines you purchase for the system. When you add your home to the inventory of Richmond homes for sale, buyers will appreciate a sprinkler system that's adapted to the property's unique vegetation. 

4. Select Your Sprinkler Heads
   The sprinkler heads are one of the most important components of your sprinkler system. Different heads will add moisture to your landscaping in distinct ways. For example, fixed spray heads produce a consistent span of water that travels 5 to 15 feet, while bubbler sprinkler heads add moisture at the base of vegetation. Bubbler sprinkler heads are ideal for plants that easily mold due to excessive moisture, like hydrangeas. Pop-up sprinkler heads are popular with families who enjoy using their yard for exercise and recreation; when they aren't in use, these sprinkler heads disappear into the ground. You can mix and match sprinkler heads to have the best alternative for each section of your yard. 

Ready to put your home on the market? Contact us today to get started!

Composting may not be the most exciting topic for a new homeowner, but it's important to remember its impact. The lush green lawns surrounding the most impressive Richmond homes for sale are fed by the nutrients found in compost. If this is your first venture into home gardening, or you want to enhance your efforts, adding composting is an effective option. Get started with these tips. 

1. Select a Location
   The ideal spot for a compost heap or bin is a level space with good drainage and partial shade. The object is to keep the pile moist, not wet or dry. You must also ensure that it is not accessible to dogs and cats. Allow for about three to five feet in both width and depth. Avoid concrete and asphalt as a base as they hinder microbial growth.
   
   
2. Accumulate Compost Ingredients
   These include fruits and vegetables, coffee grounds, tea, leaves, wood, shredded paper, and cardboard. Avoid animal byproducts such as bones and dairy items, fatty or oily foods, fecal material, and any garden waste that was treated with pesticides or weed killer. If you have had sick plants, do not include that material, either. 
   
   
3. Add Organic Materials and a Nitrogen Source
   A successful compost heap is built on nitrogen and carbon compounds. The nitrogen is derived from green materials, such as grass clippings, while carbon comes from brown sources such as twigs and straw. Since they take longer to break down than green materials, start with a layer of brown debris. Build it up to about six inches. Your next layer should be green materials, including kitchen waste. Again, make this layer about six inches high. Continue building this organic "parfait" until you run out of materials or reach the desired height. Lightly water each layer as you go. Tamp them down, but don't pack tightly.
   While not a hard and fast rule, many gardeners find that adding nitrogen fertilizer helps initiate the breaking down of the organic materials. 
   
   
4. Water and Turn Materials
   Hopefully, nature will provide most of the moisture you need in the form of rain. But sometimes, the weather may need a little help, and you'll have to water the pile yourself. The goal is to keep the pile moist but not wet, like a damp sponge. A handful should feel moist, but not leave your hand wet when you dump it out. Decomposition creates heat in the middle and bottom of the pile, but aeration releases oxygen to the rest of the pile and encourages the growth of microorganisms. As a general rule, you should turn the pile every three to seven days, depending upon weather and rate of decomposition.

Following these steps will help you create the initial pile, but you may need to troubleshoot the process as you go. If there is a foul odor, your pile is not getting enough air and should be turned. If it is soggy, there is too much water, and you will need to add dry materials as you turn it. If the compost is damp but not warming up throughout the pile, your ratio of "brown to green" is too high. Add nitrogen ingredients such as grass clippings, manure, or a commercial nitrogen fertilizer. 

If you're still looking for that perfect garden space, our real estate agents would be happy to help you find it. Contact us to arrange a tour of the finest homes in the Richmond area.