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Have you started to get your yard ready for summer and all the activities ahead? Sure, the sunshine has already brought you outside, but now the calendar is telling you to get moving! Here are some of the ways that Sandlin Homes’ team attacks the outdoor living space and yard for summer fun.Feed your lawn, starve the pests.There are two times a year when you need to fertilize your lawn: in the spring to spark new growth and in the fall to provide nutrients for the winter dormancy. Apply a fertilizer that contains the right balance of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), also known as “NPK”. Nitrogen promotes healthy growth and that lush green lawn you love. Phosphorus (phosphate) strengthens the root system. Potassium (e.g., potash) helps the lawn withstand heat. Ask a lawn care specialist about the best combination for Fort Worth’s lawns. Once fertilized, apply a weed killer and a systemic pesticide to repel insects, funguses, and diseases.Prepare the garden beds.Get your garden ready for new planting and the return of your perennials. Rake out the leaves, twigs, and other debris. Amend the soil by adding new topsoil and compost. Till it to mix the new with the old and get the full benefit of the rich nutrients you’ve added. Once you’ve planted, spread a few inches of mulch around your plants to maintain the moisture in the soil below.While you’re preparing your garden beds, check your tools. Clean any garden tools so you’re not spreading unwanted leftovers. Also test your hoses and outdoor faucet for leaks.Plan and plant.Decide where you want to add new plantings, paying attention to where your perennials are hiding. Allow for the width and height. Don’t add a plant to the front of your garden that will tower over the ones behind it (think about the group photos where a tall person is in front of a shorter one). Fill your containers and hanging baskets and place them where they will receive the amount of sun or shade they need to thrive. A container garden by your front door and baskets hanging on your porch add to your home’s curb appeal.Decorate your outdoor living space.This is the really fun part! Look at your outdoor furniture and decor. The furniture probably needs a good cleaning (while you’re at it, power wash the patio and porch). How about those cushions? Are they what you want for the coming season? In some cases, you can clean the covers or spruce them up with new toss pillows. If you don’t want to invest in new lawn furniture, but yours is a bit tired or outdated, give it a coat of paint. Even resin furniture can be painted, if you clean it first and lightly sand it with a fine grit (220 to 300). Then apply a spray paint formulated for use with plastic surfaces.Lights add sparkle when the sun goes down. You can forget about extension cords by using solar-powered lights. Hang string lights on trees, shrubs, container gardens, the porch railing, a pergola, or anywhere you’d like to brighten up your backyard. Solar-powered stakes do a great job of lighting walkways.Time for fun and games.Turn your backyard into an activity center by adding outdoor games. Cornhole, bocce, badminton, and croquet are perennial favorites, whether you have 2 players or a crowd. Disc golf is another fun sport. If you can’t get to a disc golf course in the Fort Worth area, practice at home with a target. Ring toss, lawn bowling, yard-sized Jenga and Connect 4 also serve up fun outside. As you think about all the ways to perk up your backyard for summer activities, do you really want a better yard—and a home to go with it? Now is a great time to plan on buying a new home. Sandlin Homes builds single-family homes in beautiful neighborhoods throughout Fort Worth and its suburbs. Start the summer in a new space with a new yard. Browse our communities and homes and then let’s talk about where you’re going to spend the summer and the years ahead.