Dirt Yard to Dream Yard

Turn your dirt yard to a dream yard with these simple steps.

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A brand new, untouched yard in Yorba Linda, California is turned into a dream yard for a couple and their three kids. To create a place to entertain parents, a patio is built from the ground up using concrete pavers and Scottish moss. The kids are treated to a playground area complete with a soft fir bark surface. The yard is tied together by laying sod and plantings trees, flowers, vines and ground cover.

The first step in tackling this dirt yard is to till the entire yard to loosen the soil. Next, install the drain, irrigation tubes and sprinkler heads. Then to ready the ground for sod, add organic material and gypsum. Till the ground again to properly mix the soil. Finally, lay down the sod so that the seams are never even. By staggering the seams, your sod will not be as likely to separate and will look natural within a month. Use a carpet knife to install sod along edges. As soon as the sod is down make sure to water it thoroughly and continue to water it daily for at least three weeks.

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To build the patio area we first make sure that the ground is level. Add roughly one inch of sand and spread it evenly with a rake. Then set concrete pavers in place making sure that they are set into the sand. Be sure that they are level and are evenly spaced. You can use a 2X4 to act as a spacer. Finally, measure and cut Scottish Moss with a carpet knife to fit in between concrete pavers. After moss is in place, give it a thoroughly watering.

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When planting trees, shrubs and flowers in the yard, always plan your arrangements with plants still in temporary pots. Once they are properly spaced allowing for enough space for growth, dig holes only as deep as the root ball. Place fertilizer pellet in bottom of the hole and throw in some peat. Then backfill holes. When planting tress, it can be helpful to soak the hole before backfilling. Finally, soak all new plants and make sure that they are properly watered in the first couple of weeks.

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