Do you have your sights set on a spring sale of your Inner West home? Well, now’s the perfect time to tackle the outdoors. From lawns to planting and fertilising, here are some tips on how to prepare your home’s winter garden for a spring sale.
How to prepare your winter garden for a spring sale
Don’t wait until the week you list your home for sale this spring to tackle your garden. There are so many small things you can do in winter to prepare your garden to look its absolute best. Here are some suggestions:
- Say goodbye to weeds. Getting rid of weeds will make your garden look instantly healthier and shows prospective buyers that the property is cared for.
- Mow your lawn regularly. When you mow your lawn regularly, you’re ensuring your grass remains healthy. Plus, with the amount of rain we’ve had this year, we bet your grass is growing long quickly. Another consequence of ‘the big wet’ is you’ll need to set your lawn mower blades quite high to stop churning the soil. And try to let your lawn dry out a bit, so your mower doesn’t sink. Now, when mowing, don’t forget the edges, as we don’t want the outer lawn to grow back quicker than the middle. Another helpful tip is to aerate the soil in winter using a garden fork, which allows the moisture to truly soak through every layer rather than pooling. Follow this up with fertiliser, and your lawn will be as happy as a clam! Remember that nitrogen gives rapid growth while potassium gives lusher growth.
- Add seasonal additions. Winter is the perfect time to add some seasonal plants or flowers to your garden so they bloom during your peak selling period. This includes acacia, spiraea, and orange and grapefruit trees. Flower-wise, check out easy-to-maintain and beautiful spring-flowering blooms like tulips, daffodils, crocus, bluebells, hyacinth and buttercups. Finally, focus on leafy foliage plants that look great year-round.
- Time for a trim. Another thing you should do every winter is trim back any hedges and prune trees and large plants. You’re allowed to be brutal in winter and cut back plants to only four main stems, as this encourages new spring growth. This means they’ll be looking fresh and full when it comes time to sell. However, you’ll want to stay away from shrubs or trees that flower in spring. Wait until they’re in bloom to trim back any dead bits.
- Add mulch. Once your winter garden has been planted, pruned, weeded and trimmed, go ahead and spread mulch around your garden beds. Mulch is good for multiple reasons; it helps keep moisture in the plants and gives any garden a fresh and clean finish.
- Make a mini herb or vegetable garden. All you need is a cheap plastic container or two with holes drilled in the bottom for drainage to make a mini herb garden or greenhouse. Start in winter and allow the herbs to establish a good root system, so you can really show them off in spring. You also shouldn’t give up on your veggie patch in winter if you have one, as carrots, peas and English spinach all do well in the cooler months.
- Upgrade your drainage. With the rain that’s been pelting down this year (with more destined to come in spring), take the time this winter to ensure your plants, lawn and garden beds all have good drainage. You don’t want any plants to drown or your garden to look flooded come inspection day.
- Prepare your balcony. If the outdoors of your Inner West property consists exclusively of a balcony, use winter to maintain any plants, upgrade furniture during off-season sales and keep the space clean.
If you put in the work in winter, you’ll be rewarded with a well-maintained and lush garden ready for a spring sale.
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Whether you’re ready to sell or need help to rent your investment property, we have the experience and local knowledge to make your property journey easier.
Looking for help selling your home or renting your investment property? Our team at Belle Property Balmain supports homeowners across Balmain, Balmain East, Birchgrove, Rozelle and Lilyfield. Feel free to get in touch for a no-obligation discussion or property appraisal.
