How a Leaf Mulcher and Basic Cable Can Help You Transform Your Backyard

One of the great things about home ownership is the pride you feel about your property. No matter how hard your day at work is, you at least know that you can come home to a place that you earned. On the flipside, when something in or outside your home just isn’t quite right, it will nag at you. One of the biggest problem areas I’ve noticed is the backyard. An outdated backyard will not only cause you to get less out of your home, it will also lower the overall value of your home. Fortunately, there is hope for those on a budget, and it can be found on the DIY Network’s Yard Crashers.

Yard Crashers is a show where experts arrive at a home where the backyard is a complete afterthought. Within a half hour, you watch professional landscapers completely renovate these backyards until the entire space looks worthy of an A-List celebrity. Now, it’s common for people to watch the show and think I’d love for experts to come in and do that for me, but it’s on the Do It Yourself Network for a reason; you can make it happen.
 
Every great backyard needs a great lawn. It’s the foundation. Below are four easy steps to a great new lawn that can cost you less than a thousand dollars to do yourself.

#1: Clean Up Your Space

Cleaning up your lawn is as simple as getting rid of everything that is dead. The easiest way to do this is to rent or own a leaf mulcher. These machines can pick up all the common debris found in a backyard. It will then take your muscle and probably a pick to remove roots, rocks, and dead plants. Getting rid of your existing lawn is as easy as picking up a sod cutter from a local store.

#2: Prepare for Sodding

When looking at the dirt in your backyard, there should be no holes. Everything should look totally even. All this takes is a good rake. However, you can save yourself some time by using a sod roller. These rollers will commonly be offered to you when you buy your new lawn.

#3: Lay Down your Sod

Watching the show, I learned that the sod should be laid down crosswise on a slope. Also, you want to start placing your sod down against a hard surface. For me, it was along a set of bricks that border my flowerbeds. You then simply stagger the rolls of sod like you would lay bricks for a house. The experts pointed out that this ensures your blades of grass are all growing in the same direction. It will help your lawn look as beautiful as you envisioned.

#4: Feed Your Lawn

To secure your sod in the soil, water it gently. You can also use your roller again to keep the sod snug in the soil. Once this job is completed, you have the foundation for a beautiful backyard. All that’s left is to use your leaf mulcher to keep it clean and add whatever lawn furniture you desire.
 
Stephen Craig is a part of an elite team of writers who have contributed to hundreds of blogs and news sites. Follow him @SCraigSEO.