What You Should Do To Your Garden Before Selling Your House

Selling your house comes with many responsibilities, including a huge list of chores. However, you shouldn’t neglect your yard and garden, as they’re just as important as your home’s interior. You’re not alone if you’re unsure about what you should do to your garden before selling your house. 

Regularly weed your garden, water your flowers, and mow your lawn while your house sits on the market. It’s worth investing in an irrigation system and landscape lights, as they can boost home value and make your garden look great. Label your plants if you have a wide variety and prune them as needed. 

Focus on making your garden as inviting and vibrant as possible. Consult a professional landscaper for help if you’re lost. Follow along as we highlight some important gardening tips for homeowners looking to sell their houses. 

10 Gardening Tips Before You Put Your House On The Market

1. Apply Mulch

The smell and look of fresh mulch can appeal to anyone looking to buy a house. Not only does it look great, but many people also understand the benefits of a freshly mulched garden. Mulch can help keep weeds at bay, retain moisture, insulate soil, and deter pests. 

Moisture retention means you won’t have to water your mulched garden beds nearly as much. This conserves water and can help you save time. Many people pay landscapers to mulch their gardens at least once every other year. 

Make sure to tell the buyer when you last had the garden mulched. They will appreciate it, as that will tell them when they should mulch the yard next. 

2. Weed Your Yard Weekly

Pulling weeds is one of the most annoying parts of gardening and landscaping. It can be tiresome, but the payoff is worth the effort. That’s especially true when selling a house, as you must do everything possible to make your yard and garden look its best. 

A garden full of weeds is the last thing that potential buyers want to see when they visit houses. All it will do is make them think about yard maintenance they must keep up with upon buying the house. Keep up with pulling weeds weekly, or even daily, until your home sells. 

It’s also worth buying weed killers and spraying your garden beds. Preventative weed killers paired with manually weeding your garden and yard can make a huge difference. 

3. Repair Or Replace Raised Beds

Raised beds have always been popular, especially among experienced gardeners. Like anything else, they go through a lot of wear and tear with time. The mixture of UV radiation from sunlight, temperature fluctuations, and moisture can wear them down. 

That’s why it’s a great idea to repair or replace your raised beds before selling your house. You may even need to replace the wooden siding if its splintered and sun-faded. While you’re at it, it’s a great idea to remove and replace the old soil at the bottom of the bed. 

This is an easy process that you can get done in a single afternoon, unless you have a ton of raised beds. Keep in mind that you must replant grass or plants if you remove the raised beds altogether. Otherwise, there will be a big, barren space where the raised beds once sat. 

4. Add Lights

Landscaping lights have been popular for a long time. After all, why not enjoy all the hard work that you put into your garden and yard even when it’s dark out? Today, this is cheaper and easier than ever thanks to affordable LED lights. 

Simple LED light fixtures typically cost between $80 and $350 each. However, you can expect to spend up to $6,000 to install an extensive lighting system throughout your yard and garden. Doing so can boost curb appeal and increase your home's value. 

Garden and landscaping lighting can also appeal to potential buyers who value home security. This is a great way to beef up security and deter burglars with the increased visibility. The added ambience, security, and value can appeal to many potential buyers. 

5. Power Wash The Walkways

Garden walkways understandably get quite dirty because of mud and foot traffic. This can easily leave a bad impression on anyone who visits your house for a walk-through. You can make your garden walkways look much better if you power wash them. 

Power washers, or pressure washers, can quickly clean even the most stubborn surfaces. You can rent a power washer for under $40, but it varies based on where you rent it from. 

Otherwise, you can buy one for $200 or less. While you’re at it, it’s a great idea to wash your driveway and deck if you have them. 

6. Trim Your Plants

Overgrown plants look messy, and may seem hard to take care of. However, anyone can appreciate freshly pruned flower beds full of clean, colorful plants. That’s especially true if you put your house on the market in the spring. 

Pruning your plants can make them look better and encourage growth. It’s also important to trim your trees if they’re overgrown and hanging down. Overgrown trees can understandably scare potential buyers who worry about branches falling. 

Hire a tree trimmer, as trimming trees yourself can be dangerous if you lack experience and the proper tools. Put your flower and tree trimmings in a yard waste bin when you’re done. 

7. Provide Seating

The ability to sit in your garden with your friends and family is a luxury. A seated garden section can also make a strong impression when you list your home on the market. Whether people see pictures online or visit your home, your garden seating will stand out. 

Take your time when picking garden furniture, as it’s just as important as your indoor furniture. Benches, chairs, and small tables can make your garden comfortable enough for a nice evening hangout. However, you must buy furniture that is meant for outdoor use, or else, it will suffer damage. 

A lot of outdoor furniture comes with plush cushions that can withstand sunlight and water. Of course, you don’t have to sell your home with the furniture. However, having it there during showings can help potential buyers picture themselves living there. 

8. Label Your Plants

The person who buys your house may not know as much about plants as you do. That’s why they will likely appreciate it if you label the plants in your garden. This can help them research and learn about their growth patterns and watering needs. 

Use small, visually appealing plant ID tags to avoid taking too much attention away from the plants. Be friendly if the potential buyer asks questions about your garden and plants. That can go a long way in making a great impression and selling your house. 

9. Install An Irrigation System

Sprinklers and irrigation systems can boost home value, especially if you have a big yard and garden. After all, watering a big lawn and garden can take a long time without an irrigation system. The convenience that sprinklers and irrigation systems offer is hard to beat. 

Well-maintained irrigation systems can easily last at least 15 years. Keep all the relevant information about your irrigation system on hand in case buyers have questions. This can help ease buyers’ minds if they’re worried about the maintenance requirements. 

10. Create An Appealing Color Scheme

A well-planned, colorful garden and yard can sway any buyer who is already interested in your home. Vibrant colors, like yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, and blue can make your garden feel welcoming. However, you don’t need to go over the top and cover every inch of your yard with bright colors. 

You can either group plants by color or pair complementary colors, like blue and orange flowers. This is your chance to get creative and have fun with it. Don’t hesitate to consult a landscaper if you aren’t sure which color scheme will be the best fit for your house. 

Summing it Up

Mulch your garden beds and continually pull your weeds each week when you put your house on the market. It’s also a great idea to repair or replace your raised garden beds if they look bad and worn. Trim your plants, install an irrigation system, and put lights in your garden to make a great impression on buyers. 

Related Guides:

• What Makes A Home Hard To Sell?
• Selling Your House? Stay Honest To Seal The Deal