need help with dirt area selling house

5 years ago

Need ideas for dirt area. Had 3 large trees removed and left with dirt and a cement line from an exhausting fence line. Having a new fence put in where one is now. On a budget to make it look better ideas please without adding more sod. Thanks!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

PRO
Yardvaark
5 years ago
With a garden (dirt) rake, rake it out as smooth as possible and apply a fresh layer of mulch to the area. Make sure the edges are tidy. (You'll need to lower the soil about an inch on the back side of the edging so the mulch won't spill over the edging.)
just_jls
5 years ago
Possibly a pebble gravel layer with a patio set for staging.
Related Discussions
Help for small dirt area between front steps and driveway?
Q
Comments (8)
Decide what objectives you want this area to meet, and you will be half way to a solution. Do you want it to provide some seasonal change for you to watch daily, or simply an attractive vista to visitors? Or a little of both? Do you want height or a low sweep of plants? I don't know your local conditions at all, but if this were in my zone I would choose one or two landscaping conifers that would be interesting in later years, such as a spreading hemlock cultivar (it may be too shady for junipers or a low blue spruce, which would be other options). I'd put them in their long term positions. Then I would put in various perennials to provide seasonal interest, with the understanding that these would be crowded out as the conifers grow in. The conifers could be kept pruned or trained around a couple of choice plants that do well there - a special hosta, or a hellebore, for example. If you don't know your spreading conifers, check out the conifers forum for pictures - there are usually lots. It might also be nice to put in some bulbs, tall ones that would come through spreading conifers - which would hide the dying foliage. KarinL PS If you have a photo you can post it on the gallery side and link to it here - I don't check the gallery side often and I think it gets a lot less traffic.
...See More
need ideas- Dog won't use restroom on the dirt at new home.
Q
Comments (9)
They can certainly get quirky with their poopy routines, can't they? I had a most wonderful dog I adopted as a young adult dog who must have been disciplined severely for choosing inappropriate spots to deposit his payloads. He would not poo on the ground, but parked them on anything raised up off the ground. I suspect, in his mind, as long as it wasn't on the floor or ground, it was OK. I would find the deposits (especially if he had an accident in the house) in wild places. Once in my daughter's ballet slipper right before a performance, once on top of a floor waxer ( I will never figure out how he managed that one) and once propped up on the top edge of the woodwork. He is long gone, but certainly not forgotten.
...See More
Help!! Need advice on selling home
Q
Comments (13)
I have a couple suggestions: First, go to your courthouse and make 100% sure your neighborhood does not have restrictions. I found out a few years ago that ours did; they were recorded nearly 35 years ago (an older neighborhood) but no one even knew! Most restrictions say something about general nuisances. Of course, getting these neighbors to conform to the restrictions without an attorney's involvement could be a bit tricky. I did this once, though. The attorney just wrote a threatening letter to the owners and it worked like a charm. Secondly, as soon as your weather permits, get planting! Leland Cypresses (sp?) can be purchased tall, are green year round, and grow very fast. A potential buyer could be reassured by the fact that the trees are already in place and will be acting as a fantastic buffer in a short time. I ditto xine's suggestion to help your neighbors clean up. You could even offer to buy the pool and the swing set. It could be money well-spent. You could think of it in terms of fixing up your house to sell.
...See More
Large area needs fill dirt and reseeded
Q
Comments (6)
Shade, drought, and dog tolerant. You're the first one this year to ask for the moon, but you won't be the last. It would be much easier to drain the swamp than fill the swamp. Cut a swale into the low side of the yard to let water drain out. Or hire a landscaper to bring in a tractor and box blade to reprofile the entire area. For one acre it should take less than a morning with the right tools. If the landscaper pulls up with a skid steer or bobcat, send him away before he unloads the equipment. It will take weeks to fix with the wrong stuff, and remember, you're paying by the hour. If the soil is hard or otherwise horrible, that will essentially fix itself or can be fixed easily once stuff starts growing. If you cover the area with mulch, like Mother Nature tries to do every autumn, the soil will soften by itself. Otherwise just taking proper care of the soil will help soften it. Deep and infrequent watering is the proper care I'm talking about. Then to make it still better, drop some organic fertilizer several times a year at a rate of 15 to 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet. I usually use alfalfa pellets or corn meal depending on local price. In your area corn or soybean meal might be easier to find at good prices. Corn should be well under $10 per bag at the feed store. For a full acre you might consider a bulk delivery.
...See More
PRO
Yardvaark
5 years ago
It's more major, with a fair amount of preparation and materials, to install gravel than it is to install mulch. It vastly more major to remove if, it doesn't appeal to the new buyers. If I was a buyer, It would be a definite turnoff as it limits greatly what comes next.
User
5 years ago
So clover or wildflowers.
A W
5 years ago
Where do you live? It will affect your landscaping choices if you go that route.

You can do either landscaping or hardscaping. But I think you do need some plants to add color and character since the yard looks a bit bare when its just open grass.

Hardscaping ideas:

- fill with rocks or mulch and make a large patio area for entertaining

- create an inground fire pit with a nice stone ring around it along with pavers for a small patio area

Landscaping:

If it were me I would actually do a few things. This is if it were my yard:

1) plant a few dwarf evergreen shrubs spread out there for winter interest.

2) and then depending how much space is left I would add perennial flowering plants with beautiful flowers that die to the ground in fall and come up in spring which make clean up simpler with less pruning, so for example things like peonies (which flower late spring) and hardy hibiscus (which flower mid-late summer)

3) And additionally this is kind of optional but along the edge line (and in any bare areas if there are any left) I would plant some low growing annuals like french marigolds or petunias so they don't cover up or hide the other stuff but add plenty of color. You would be using less annuals each year as the other ''permanent'' plants will be filling in over the next few years.

4) After all the planting is done, mulch everything with wood, it will add organic material to the soil as it decomposes, conserve moisture in the summer, and help control weeds

Related Stories

SELLING YOUR HOUSE 10 Tricks to Help Your Bathroom Sell Your House

By Mink Home Staging

As with the kitchen, the bathroom is always a high priority for home buyers. Here’s how to showcase your bathroom so it looks its best

Full Story

141

BATHROOM MAKEOVERS Room of the Day: See the Bathroom That Helped a House Sell in a Day

By Annie Thornton

Sophisticated but sensitive bathroom upgrades help a century-old house move fast on the market

Full Story

SELLING YOUR HOUSE The Real Scents That Will Help Sell Your House

By Urban Casa

Ditch the potpourri and baked cookies. Follow these guidelines on scents to use and avoid to help sell your home

Full Story

103

SELLING YOUR HOUSE 5 Savvy Fixes to Help Your Home Sell

By Kristie Barnett, The Decorologist

Get the maximum return on your spruce-up dollars by putting your money in the areas buyers care most about

Full Story

SELLING YOUR HOUSE 10 Low-Cost Tweaks to Help Your Home Sell

By Lurdes Abruscato

Put these inexpensive but invaluable fixes on your to-do list before you put your home on the market

Full Story

287

SELLING YOUR HOUSE Help for Selling Your Home Faster — and Maybe for More

By Laura Gaskill

Prep your home properly before you put it on the market. Learn what tasks are worth the money and the best pros for the jobs

Full Story

178

ARCHITECTURE House-Hunting Help: If You Could Pick Your Home Style ...

By Laura Gaskill

Love an open layout? Steer clear of Victorians. Hate stairs? Sidle up to a ranch. Whatever home you're looking for, this guide can help

Full Story

100

SELLING YOUR HOUSE Selling? How to Make Your House Look Great in Photos

By Laura Gaskill

Improve your home’s shot at a sale by maximizing light, removing clutter and refreshing plants before the photo shoot

Full Story

LIFE 12 House-Hunting Tips to Help You Make the Right Choice

By Laura Gaskill

Stay organized and focused on your quest for a new home, to make the search easier and avoid surprises later

Full Story

By Alison Hodgson

Suggestions from someone who lost her home to fire — and experienced the staggering generosity of community

Full Story

268

need help with dirt area selling house

Comments (4)

Yardvaark

just_jls

Related Discussions

Yardvaark

User

A W

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US