Sellers: Gain an Edge with These Landscaping Tips

Tips abound for sprucing up the interior of a home before it goes on the market, as well as getting the exterior into shipshape, ready-to-sell mode. But what about the landscape? If yard care and gardening are not your thing, you may need a little guidance as you wonder how a potential buyer might react to your less-than-inspired landscaping. 

Now that you're seriously wanting to attract attention to your home among Mansfield homes for sale, there are a few landscaping tricks that can turn heads of potential buyers without you having to break the bank—or break into too much of a sweat to get things presentable. Our REALTORS® can make additional recommendations if need be. Let's start with one of the most basic landscaping tasks, but one that can make a real difference.

The Art of Edging

There's an art to edging. It's more than just whacking away at grass and weeds. If it's not done correctly, trees can be wounded and develop diseases, turf can be mangled, and border plantings destroyed. 

A nicely edged border along a garden bed adds a refined touch to the landscape. Clean, smooth lines show that the homeowner cares about the details, and can help build confidence that a property has been well cared for. Good edging also creates a frame around the flowerbeds that subtly draws attention to the plantings and displays them at their best.

Well-edged sidewalks and curbs also show finesse, when compared to careless edging that digs an ever-widening trench between asphalt and turf.

A Few Tips to Edge By

Whether you're doing the honors with the edger yourself or instructing a yard service how you want it done, hone a few of these techniques, and you'll be amazed at the difference they make.

1. How to cut an edge 
   Use a garden hose to mark off your path for new borders around garden beds. You obviously won't need to do this for sidewalks and curbs. Use a half-moon edger or a spade to cut the edge, although these manual tools can be hard to work with. Far better to invest in a wheeled edging tool, which is good at cutting curves. The wheels help you cut straighter.
   
   You can also use a power edger. Mastering a power edger requires some practice, as the tool can get away from you and cut in a direction other than what you intend. Note that not all power edgers are created equal; some are better at curves than others. If you can keep edging depth at 2 inches along curbs and sidewalks, you're less likely to encounter underground pipes and cables.
   
   
2. Refine the edges of garden beds 
   Refine the edge of a garden bed with a spade or power edger to a depth of 4 to 6 inches. Remove loosened turf on the inside of the bed. Aim to create an edge with a 90-degree angle. Using grass shears, cut along the wall of the trench, removing any grass blades from the edge. Take care to cut at a right angle; trimming horizontally will destroy the sharp edge. You can also use the weed whacker, but be forewarned it can whack away too much grass and destroy your precise angle. 
   
   
3. Add mulch
   Mulch right up to the edge of the cut, creating a slight slope from the edge's bottom to the top of the garden bed.

A nicely landscaped yard is just one way to gain an edge over the competition when selling your Mansfield home. Our experienced real estate agents know many others. Contact us today.