Summer Lawn Care

Whether you have a small square out front or expansive greenery surrounding your home, you need to think about how to keep it looking good during the summer. Summer is a busy time and it is easy to leave the lawn to itself.If you don’t take care, your lawn will be dry and parched because of the heat.

Water your Lawn
Yes, that seems elementary, but summer is a busy time. Sometimes people figure that there has been enough rainfall to keep their lawns well-watered. What they forget is that the higher temperatures in summer mean more evaporation. A lot of the water you think is reaching the roots is really evaporating. So don't forget to get out the hose and water your lawn. Or, remember to make good use of your sprinkler system.

Choose the Right Fertilizer
If you go out and buy the first fertilizer on the shelf, you may be in for a surprise this summer. Fertilizers contain nitrogen. When the temperatures rise in the summer, the nitrogen will react to the heat. It will burn you lawn and you don't want that. Pick a fertilizer that is low in nitrogen. There are also slow-release fertilizers that reduce the chances of heat and nitrogen damaging your lawn.

New Design Trends Make Use of Outdoor Space

It's a far cry from the family camping of your youth, but there's a definite trend in home design to bring the outdoors inside and connect the inside to the outdoors. Today designers, remodelers and builders have taken outdoor living to the next level. Indoor rooms are not only being designed to connect to patios, decks and gardens, these outdoor spaces are being planned as extensions of their interior counterparts. Your backyard is now considered another "room" in your house to be tweaked and manipulated to enhance your overall comfort and convenience.

Here are some of the new trends seen at a recent Parade of Homes:

• Huge windows make the outdoor view part of the indoor scenery, letting in fresh air and sunshine.
• Gathering rooms are a new channeling of the great room concept. Window walls with multiple glass or french doors to a large patio make it possible to use the patio and room as a single unit. Intricate tile patterns begin inside, leading onto the outdoor patio where they are repeated and enhanced. Lighting and decorating schemes for the indoor space are also carried into the outdoor area. In one home, a stunning two-sided fireplace was built into the common wall allowing use from both the inside room and the patio.
• Plasma TVs mounted on the walls of covered porches and patios let you cheer for the home team while you're barbecuing. One home featured a specially designed rear window with motorized blinds that allows movies to be projected onto it. Films can be viewed from the indoor family room or, with the flick of a switch, the image inverts for outdoor viewing.
• Ceiling fans mounted into porch ceilings create a breeze when Mother Nature takes a rest and keep bugs away.
• Integrated stereo systems now include outdoor speakers, some even disguised as flower pots and benches that also provide extra seating.
• Large one-way windows in the bathroom allow light and view in but keep peeping toms out.
• Specially designed cupolas and skylights bring natural light deep into the interior of the home.

Whatever you're looking for in a home, John Day can help you find it. A top realtor with prestigious Long & Foster Realtors, John has an intimate knowledge of Maryland's real estate markets and can help you find the perfect home in the perfect community. Take a look at the latest listings on John's website. If you're buying or selling a home in Maryland or the Washington DC metro area, John Day is your key to success.