Spice up your curb appeal

Are your petunias pooped? Is your mulch looking weathered? Maybe your front door needs a punch of color.

August is National Curb Appeal month. It’s the perfect time to get out in your yard and do a little sprucing up.

Think of it as a basic cleanup, says Lisa Gabory of Petritsch Lawn and Landscaping in New Ringgold.

“Your mulch is probably looking kind of gray by now,” says Gabory. “Add a thin layer, about an inch, to freshen it up. Make sure to remove any existing weeds first.”

You’ll also want to deadhead any spent blooms, as well as groom and shape any of your topiaries or boxwoods.

Gabory, who has an associate degree in horticulture and is a former Carbon County Master Gardener, says it’s also a good time to think ahead.

“It’s safe to plant almost anything now,” she says, “but not during a heat wave.”

Just remember: water, water, water.

Ann Ahner, the manager at Petritsch for 16 years and a Schuylkill County Master Gardener, says watering is essential, especially for new plantings.

“Keep watering into the fall,” says Ahner, “until the ground freezes, so that its feet are established in the ground.”

She says you need to give those roots a good head start.

“This goes for trees, shrubs and perennials,” adds Gabory. “Once the ground freezes, the plant can’t take up water anymore.”

A fresh new look

Claire Cannon just got a fresh dose of curb appeal in her Lehighton yard.

“The house was built in the ‘60s,” says Cannon. “I wanted to update it.”

Cannon freshened up the crisp, white paint on her trim and front door. Then she had Petritsch remove several tall, overgrown shrubs that covered the front windows and part of the side yard.

New beds were installed, as well as new plant material that will do well in her shady yard.

On the side of the house Petritsch planted white azaleas and Palace Purple hostas. Along the driveway and front, Cannon now has a weeping hemlock, pink azaleas, false cypress, cone flowers, white dogwood, holly, magic carpet spirea and vanilla spike clethra.

And she couldn’t be happier.

Colorful containers

Another way to freshen your curb appeal for fall is to replant your containers. Take out those droopy petunias and the sparse-looking salvia.

to keep color in your yard for another season.

If the soil is root bound from your original planting, discard it. If not, you should be able to reuse it.

When you switch out your summer annuals, make sure to fertilize when you plant and keep the pot watered.

“Containers will dry out faster than if plants are in the ground,” says Ahner.

“Late August and early September are good times to switch out your plants,” says Ahner. “People will often start as soon as they become available. For fall, consider mums, asters, ornamental kale and pansies.”

You can make your container simple, by just including a nice, large mum on its own, or mix and match with ornamental grasses and other cool weather bloomers.

Gabory says you can cram a lot into a pot.

“They don’t mind being tight.”

For example, Ahner and Gabory filled an insulated pot with a Cheyenne Spirit coneflower, “Hameln” grass and Redstone falls foamy bells. In less than five minutes and for about $50, you could have a stylish container garden to set near your front door or along your driveway. Since all of the plants are perennials, you’ll still have them next year.

When the season is over, you can either move the plants to the garden before the ground freezes, or store the entire container in an unheated garage or basement during the winter. Just don’t forget to water once or twice a month.

Looking for more ideas to amp up your curb appeal? Check out Pinterest for hundreds of tips and photos.