Get Ready For Spring With SCHEELS Home & Hardware

After a long, bitterly cold winter, paradise is on the horizon. Strap in your seat belts because we are catapulting towards the time of year full of cookouts, yard activities, blooming flowers, refreshing poolside drinks and baseball games—I’m, of course, talking about summer.

In preparation for this magnificent time of year, it’s important to make sure that your home and lawn are in tip-top shape for all of the entertaining and family bonding sure to come. That’s why we worked with the team at SCHEELS Home & Hardware to put together this can’t miss list of summer advice.

1. Prepare your lawn for green grass all summer long 

Spring tips: Don’t fertilize too early, you want your grass to focus on root development and not shoot development. Fertilize with a natural fertilizer like Milorganite immediately after the snow melts. Wait until AT LEAST Mother’s Day to plant grass, because if we get one last hard frost, it will kill any germination that has started and you will have wasted a lot of money on grass seed.  

Summer tips: Keep your lawn long and DON’T bag. Keeping it at least 3 inches will prevent your lawn from drying out. When you mulch your lawn, the nutrients from the blades of grass that you just cut will go back into the lawn keeping it fresh and healthy all summer long. If you need to water, only do it in the morning or later in the evening. Watering your lawn in the heat of the day will fry the blades of grass when the water droplets turn into millions of magnifying bubbles when the sun hits them.

Overall lawn care: Mow at 3 inches, fertilize with Milorganite and plant AGASSIZ Grass Seed, a local seed company that has been perfected for growing in our harsh midwest climate. Aerate and dethatch in the late summer/early fall once the grass has had time for root development.

2. Tune-up your lawnmower

Bring your riding or push mower to SCHEELS Home & Hardware service shop for yearly maintenance. This includes an oil change, blade sharpening and overall inspection of your machine. Yearly maintenance will prevent your machine from breaking down when you need it the most. Paying for service annually also prevents large repair bills in the future.

3. Clean up your yard and outside of your home

1. Spreading out the snow so it melts faster will prevent snow mold, but be careful not to walk on and damage your lawn too early in the spring. 
2. After your lawn is completely dry, you should rake anything leftover from last year. 
3. Make sure outdoor spigots and hoses are connected properly to prevent leaks.
4. Using a timer on your sprinklers can prevent a high water bill and will ensure that you are watering at the proper times. 
5. Using a pressure washer on driveways and sidewalks can help clean off all the grime from the winter. However, be cautious when using a pressure washer on your deck as it can essentially remove the fibers in the wood—which causes irreparable damage to the wood. 
6. Try something new and set up a garden in planters or in the ground—these could host vegetables or flowers. Gardening can be a rewarding project for anyone in your family.  
7. Organize and clean your sheds and garages and switch out winter equipment with summer goods. 
8. Always prune shrubs to provide new growth for next year. Each shrub has a different pruning cycle so make sure to research what vegetation you have around your home. 

4. Clean your grill to start the season fresh 

Cleaning your grill prevents fires and damage to your deck or home. A clean grill is the safest grill you can have.

1. If you have a pellet or charcoal grill, make sure to clean out any debris or ash from previous cooks. Start the year with fresh pellets or charcoal.
2. If you have a gas grill, make sure your connection to the propane tank is tight and free of any leaks. 
3. Scraping in the grease from the inside of the grill will help prevent flare-ups when cooking and your food will taste better. 
4. Also, starting the year off with a new grill brush is always a good idea.

Note: Make sure to keep a fire extinguisher handy, in case of any emergency.

5. Cleaning inside your home!

Spring cleaning is our favorite thing! It is liberating to open the windows and let out all the germs and dust from the winter. We recommend starting with the main living spaces in your home—the most popular are the kitchen and living room, followed by the bathroom.

1. For best results, clean all surfaces with a natural multi-surface cleaner like Method or Mrs. Meyers (both of these products come in many great scents for spring). 
2. After that, use a degreaser on your cabinets and floors. 
3. In the living room, you can freshen fabrics on furniture or drapes with sprayable scent boosters. For fabrics that can be washed, use a scented fabric softener to keep them fresh for months. 
4. Many germs and dust can live in your carpets. Make sure to vacuum regularly and wash your carpets when able. You can rent carpet shampooers at SCHEELS Home & Hardware. We have a full selection of cleaning products for any area of your home. 
5. If you want something big to refresh your home, consider painting your walls or putting up easy-to-install wallpaper and adding new decor to freshen up your space.

Looking for more advice? Swing by SCHEELS Home & Hardware located at 3202 13th Ave. S. Fargo, ND 58103 to speak with any number of their fantastic experts.