A tight budget doesn’t mean you’re out of luck when it comes to preparing your home for spring.
Warm weather is returning to metro Detroit, so backyard barbecues and family celebrations will return too. Eddie Zielinski, a store manager at Lowe’s in Harper Woods, said the key is to plan out your yard and the furniture early in the year so you can enjoy it throughout the year.
A GREEN LUSH LAWN
The key to a green, lush lawn is preparation. If you wait too long, the cost to prepare your yard gets more expensive.
Zielinksi said a little work now pays dividends later — before anything is laid down to fertilize, you need to prepare the yard by raking up old debris and aerating the lawn. He also recommends using lime and iron to balance the soil in your yard so that fertilizer interacts with the soil better.
Instead of waiting for weeds to pull, Zielinski recommends Preen — a pre-treatment to keep away weeds.
“I would say for $12 it’s the best,” said Zielinksi. “I don’t know what price tag you want to put on your time on a weekend — but spending a Saturday pulling weeds compared to putting Preen down on your garden now? It’ll save you time and energy.”
PATIO FURNITURE
When it comes to patio furniture, it’s not about buying the most expensive set. It’s possible to find a inexpensive set that works if you plan properly.
At Lowe’s they have some patio furniture in the Driscol Patio Collection that sells for less than $150 with chairs and a table— Zielinski said you can add a few accents to make the patio set pop.
“Over and under is a great concept to go with and it adds value to your backyard,” said Zielinski, explaining that he recommends an accent rug and a bright umbrella to make any patio set stand out. “It’s an inexpensive way to go, and it adds so much to the look regardless of your budget.”
PATIO STONE
If you’re looking for a new deck, but can’t break the bank a final way to make your yard standout is an inexpensive patio stone.
You can find stones for as cheap as $1.50 a square foot, and it allows the buyer to plan how big, or small, the area will be. You need to account for some yard prep time, and additional supplies to make sure the stones set properly in your yard, but as Zielinski pointed out: it’s a lot less cheaper than building a brand new deck.
