Landscaping needs vary by season

FALLBROOK – Judging a home by its appearance is often par for the home-buying course. In fact, according to the National Association of Realtors, 49% of buying decisions are made from the street.

An appealing home exterior suggests the homeowner takes pride in his or her home and wants to make every effort to maintain that home. Curb appeal involves various components of a home's exterior, but beautiful landscaping can make a home stand out.

While maintaining a lawn is something many homeowners may think is exclusive to spring and summer, lawn maintenance is really a year-round endeavor. The following steps can help anyone maintain curb appeal no matter the season.

Spring

Spring is a season of renewal when plants and trees will begin to look fresh and green once more. Spring maintenance includes applying fertilizer to lawns, replenishing mulch in planting beds, creating more pronounced edges around the lawn and garden beds, and testing soil.

Some homeowners like to apply a weed-prevention product in the spring as well. Spring is a good time to plant annuals that will add a pop of color to the landscape. For those concerned about permanent planting, container gardening allows homeowners to move around planters in a configuration that works best for them.

Summer

Summer landscaping is all about maintaining what was established in the spring. Regular mowing, weeding and trimming can keep a landscape manicured. Other than drought, weeds are perhaps the biggest lawn and garden nuisance to a landscape in the summertime. Black medic, carpetweed, knotweed, mallow and prostate spurge are some of the weeds that will crop up during the summer. Seeds begin to germinate as soil warms up. According to the University of Maryland Extension, control with a broadleaf post emergent herbicide applied when the weed is actively growing will help prevent weeds from suffocating lawns.

Autumn

Autumn is often a forgotten season when it comes to maintaining a landscape. However, fall is a key time to keep landscapes in order. According to the landscaping resource LoveYourLandscape.com, fall is the ideal time to tend to a lawn that just endured summer heat. Seeding and fertilizing can ensure a stronger lawn come next spring. Perennials should be pruned and cut back. Raking leaves will help keep the property looking presentable.

Winter

One of the ways to maintain an attractive landscape throughout winter is to install plants that can survive the colder temperatures. Winterberry is a cousin of holly but loses its leaves in the fall. The bright red berries can be a stark contrast to the white of winter snowfall. Camellia is an evergreen that blooms from fall to early spring and looks like pink roses.

Heather is a popular plant in the United Kingdom but is growing in popularity on this side of the Atlantic as well. The Home Depot says this plant blooms all year and offers beautiful flowers in summer and fall. In winter, the thick foliage makes for an appealing contrast to the more delicate blooms of other winter plants.

Maintaining a landscape through the seasons makes a home attractive all year long.