Consumers can save big on yard care

Now that the warmer weather is finally here, many Americans are likely to start turning their attentions to beautifying their yards for the summer. However, many will spend a lot of money doing so, even though they don't necessarily have to. As such, those who look for ways to save on this annual tradition may find their household budgets in much better shape by the time June or July arrives.

Every year, Americans spend more than $6 billion on law care, but in general, experts say that many people who pour crucial family funds into this aspect of homeownership may end up wasting it because they're not optimizing the time at which they use the products they buy, according to a report from New England cable news network NECN. For example, many Americans may apply fertilizer or weed killers at times when they shouldn't necessarily do so. While this may not sound like the most egregious waste of money on an individual basis, but the way these costs can add up may be considerable for any family.

In many cases, experts also say that the things consumers are told are necessary to promoting lawn health may not actually apply to all lawns, the report said. For instance, those who live in areas with the right soil pH balance might not need to fertilize, and telling when this is the case can be looking at just how green the grass is. If it looks rich and dark, there's usually no need to do much more than continue to water it, because that's probably a healthy lawn.

And about watering
Of course, consumers may also waste a bit of money in the way they water their lawns, simply because they're not doing it at the right time of day. Those who water in the mornings, for instance, will likely see a lot of that moisture evaporate over the course of the day, and therefore not do as much as intended to promote lawn health. As such, it's often wiser to water at dusk, when the soil is still warm from the day's sunlight, but the time during which it can evaporate is minimal.

Owners should also try to avoid watering when rain is in the forecast. It stands to reason that a lawn can usually wait an extra day for water if it doesn't rain, and if it does, that's money trimmed off the family budget.