50 Brilliant Ways to Spruce Up Your Backyard This Summer
James Austin 6/50
Build in One-Day Storage Bench
Just as with any living space inside your home, adding storage and a few indoor comforts to your outdoor space is a must. An easy DIY outdoor storage bench is one sleek solution. They may look like high-end furniture pieces, but these outdoor storage benches are easy and inexpensive to build.
7/50
For Greener Grass Water Deeply, But not Often
If you water the lawn frequently and for short periods, the grassroots have no reason to grow deep. Those shallow roots can’t reach deep soil nutrients or deliver the water when you skip a watering. Instead, water deeply enough to penetrate the soil 4 to 6 in. Do our little test for a few waterings and you’ll get a sense of just how long and often. It’ll depend entirely on weather conditions and your soil type.
Water for 30 minutes. Then plunge a spade into the soil and pry out a wedge to see how far the water has penetrated. Four to 6 in. deep is ideal. Not deep enough? Water longer. Once you know how long to water, use a water timer and you’ll know what to set it for every time.
Heavy soils should be watered less often and less heavily but for longer periods of time. Sandy soils, on the other hand, can handle heavy, fast watering but dry out faster. In hot, dry weather, you may have to water every two to three days.
8/50
Build a Spring in Your Backyard
If you’ve ever been to Yellowstone, you probably remember the magic of the natural springs. Water bubbles out of the ground from seemingly nowhere. We can’t promise you the grandeur of our national parks, but in less than half a day you can build a small spring that will spark a similar sense of wonder. Looking for more ideas? Here are a few tips to upgrade your backyard.