7 Tips for Spring Landscaping for Vacation Rental Owners
How to Landscape Your Vacation Rental for Spring
Springtime brings with it a whole host of benefits: trees are in bloom, flowers are pushing up from beneath the frost, and the sun is shining so brightly it’s like winter never even happened. But with spring comes the need to take care of the exterior of your vacation rental, something that many vacation rental owners might overlook each year. Landscaping might not seem that important from a guest perspective, but it can improve the overall look and feel of your property and keep guests coming back for years to come.
For those who haven’t the first idea of where to start with spring landscaping, we’ve got your back. Today we’ll dive into 7 helpful tips for vacation rental landscaping during the springtime.
#1: Remove Trash and Debris
As the frost begins to thaw out, your front yard and backyard areas will probably look a bit messy. Whether it’s fallen tree branches, dead leaves leftover from fall, moldy mulch, or other debris, take some time to go through your outside areas to remove all of the trash that has accumulated over the winter season. Be sure to also check your gutters and drainage areas for any clogs that may have developed over the winter season. Clear these out as soon as possible–you’ll want the spring rains to drain properly and not cause any issues further down the line.
#2: Take Care of Weeds
While weeds might seem like a late spring concern, don’t underestimate these hardy plants, which are prone to popping up even when the weather is still chilly. Before spring gets into its full swing, do a once-over of your outdoor areas and visually inspect any weeds that have begun to grow. It’s vital that you do this early in the season to ensure that your weeds don’t get out of control once the weather truly begins to warm. If you need to, break out the Weed Whacker and trim up your edges as well.
#3: Give Your Sprinklers a Once-Over
Now that the weather has taken a turn for the warmer, it’s time to ensure that your sprinkler system is still in good condition and working properly. Winter can cause extreme wear and tear on your sprinkler system, especially if you didn’t get it properly cleared out before the freeze/thaw cycle began, so it’s essential to check up on the health of your sprinklers before you need to irrigate your lawn for the spring and summer months.
#4: Is It Time to Reseed?
As spring turns the corner and the winter weather recedes, it’s also a good time to take a look at the health of your lawn. Winter tends to cause a lot of damage to lawns, especially if you live in a particularly snow-prone area, and that’s why you should give your yard a look as your lawn begins to grow back in to see where it is patchy and undergrown. If there’s been enough damage, it might be time to reseed and fertilize your lawn to make sure it grows healthily during the warmer months.
#5: Don’t Let Early Spring Fool You Into Planting Too Early
Planting flowers in your yard is a great way to improve your landscaping, but be cautious not to plant too early on in the season. Though the warmer temperatures may tempt you into planting in late March, wait until at least early April for the ground to thaw before planting any annuals or flowers. The soil temperature should be around 60 degrees by then, allowing your seedlings to germinate and thrive.
However, some flower and plant species are hardier than others and can handle lower ground temperatures. Do your research before planting to ensure that your plants can handle whatever weather conditions come their way.
#6: Take a Look at the Health of Your Trees and Shrubs
Spring is the perfect time to look further into how your trees and shrubs fared over the harsh winter months. While it may seem that fauna stays dormant all winter long, there still may be overgrowth or spots of damage that you’ll have to deal with when the weather begins to warm up. Now is also a great time to prune your trees and shrubs–because they’ll still be fairly leafless, it’s much easier to pick out overgrown areas and trim them back to keep your plants happy and healthy.
#7: Plan Your Lawn and Yard Maintenance for the Coming Warm Months
Our final tip for ensuring you have a striking lawn come summertime is to carefully plan out your yard maintenance. It’s not just a one and done sort of thing–landscaping requires meticulous maintenance to keep it in good shape. To ensure you keep up with what landscaping needs you might have, it’s smart to hire a landscaping company to maintain your outside areas, especially if you’re not local to where your property is located.
Read More Owner Tips on the LocalVR Blog
Landscaping your vacation rental is incredibly important during the spring and summer months. Not only does it make a good impression upon your short-term rental guests, but it also keeps your home looking beautiful and taken care of. Follow the above tips to make sure your property stands out on the market–and don’t forget to take pictures of the immaculate exterior to put on distribution platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo.
Looking for more vacation rental owner tips? Check out our blog on landscaping your rental like a pro, or take a look at our guide for handling difficult Airbnb guests.