Summer for our family is about spending time outside! It’s about barbeques, watermelon, popsicles, swimming, sprinklers, camp fires and fireflies! While outside I don’t constantly want to be reminded of how my landscaping has taken over our yard and I certainly don’t want to have to spend countless hours getting it looking great! Here are 7 tips to get your yard ready for summer and how to do it in a flash! (When I say a flash…I really mean it…Spangenbaby #3 is due soon!) I am a RYOBI Outdoor Ambassador and they have graciously supplied me these tools of my choice. They are also rock stars to offer a fabulous giveaway for one of YOU as well!
1. Trim back any dead or overgrown foliage. Make sure pathways are clear and that landscaping has a defined area. I used the Ryobi 40V Expand-It Trimmer with the Brush Cutter Attachment to plow through these crazy vine ground covering plants we have. And when I say “I”…I really mean my husband did! I photographed! There are perks to being 8 months pregnant! He does all the yard work for me {love}. (He does not like to be in my pictures either!) These vines grow UP and OUT. They are out of control. They also are pretty fibrous so they are a pain to cut back. They were no match for the brush cutter. What used to take us hours to cut took a matter of minutes.
It also cut down these dead Yucca plant like guys in no time. I tell you, this thing really cut our work time in half! It was pretty impressive how fast we finished!
With the 40V Expand-It Trimmer we are able to trim, edge and use the brush cutter all as attachments (there are more attachments available as in the blower, cultivator, etc.). They just pop on and off the head unit with a simple twist of a knob! Kind of awesome. You know I love multi-tasking products!
2. We added some storage for the kid’s summer toys! There is nothing worse than wanting to go out and relax on a nice summer night and being surrounded by slip in slides, bikes and sports equipment left over from the day’s activities! These deck boxes serve the purpose perfectly! We defined an area, laid down weed fabric and leveled with rock before placing the deck boxes!
3. Add some mood lighting to enjoy your summer evenings! Add some fun! Summer is not just about the beautiful sun shining days! It’s also about the warm summer nights! Stringing a set of outdoor patio lights on the pergola makes the perfect atmosphere for enjoying the warm weather! You can add these to your porch or deck railing as well! Another great idea is getting some candles! Citronella ones work great if you have lots of pesky bugs!
4. Give your patio or deck a good cleaning! It doesn’t take long with the 3100 psi Ryobi Gas Powered Power Washer! It is amazing how dirty your home, deck and patio can get being trapped under leaves and snow all winter long!
5. Plant some flowers! Flowers are a great way to add color and beauty to your yard. You can plant them in the ground or you can plant them in pots or planters. If you need a good DIY Planter, then be sure to check out these beauties I made!
6. Add Fire or Water! You heard me! A fire pit or a water feature is the perfect addition to your yard for the summer! The fire pit may even be able to be used year round depending on where you live! I made this DIY Infinite Fountain from supplies that can all be found at The Home Depot! It’s great and drowns out the sound of my neighbor’s lawnmower while we want some relaxation!
7. Tidy up the edges. Long grass grown intertwined in your fence and over grown edges of your yard can really be an eye sore. Get them both in shape with the Edger and Trimmer attachments for the 40V Trimmer Head. We snapped on the edger and in minutes the landscaping blocks were visible again. Ah-mazing. The trimmer head powered through the tall grass along our fence line and even zapped the neighbors :) The edger worked great to contain the vines along our landscaping blocks! Everything looks so clean and refined now! 
Some comments from my husband when using this for the first time:
- He couldn’t believe the power it had, being a battery operated tool. He was really impressed and that says a lot from my husband.
- He enjoyed the ease of changing out the attachments.
- The brush cutter pretty much made his year!
- He loves that he stores one base unit and then attachments instead of individual, separate tools. Our garage is not large and they really reduce the amount of stuff we have.
- If you happen to have existing gas powered trimmer attachments…they WILL WORK with this battery powered Power Head!
I did get to test this out when I went to RYOBI headquarters back in March! My belly wasn’t so big then and I could more easily maneuver it. It was awesome!
So tell me…what is YOUR best tip to get your yard summer ready?
Do you want to win your own 40V Expand-It Trimmer? Well today’s your lucky day! You can use the widget below to record your entries! Giveaway open to US only 18 years and older. Void where prohibited. Giveaway estimated value $179.00. By entering this giveaway you agree to my Official Giveaway Rules
Jamie Lynn says
Mow!! I hate mowing the lawn. It’s my least favorite summer activity! Both my front and back yards are fenced and it’s hard getting to the edges with the lawnmower. Having that awesome Ryobi trimmer would make things much easier and better looking!
Lisa Brown says
I have mowing, and trimming, and weed removal on more than one lawn in my yard.
Karen Glatt says
I have to get rid of a lot of weeds before my yard looks good for Summer. I am tired of using a puny weed eater to try to knock down the weeds. This one looks so nice. I also plant new annual flowers to make my front porch and front yard look nice.
Amanda Sakovitz says
I have to do some minor landscaping and mowing.
Thomas Murphy says
I have to cut the grass and bushes.
steve weber says
there’s a ton.. pull weeds, plant grass seeds, mow, trim..
Nicole Dz says
We have already started are yard work and starting planting flowers. We still have stuff to trim down and a flower bed to fix up. Maybe a few weeds here and there, but it’s almost ready.
Jessicaj says
I need to plant lots of flowers!
courtney b says
we have to pick the weeds !:) so many and i hate doing it… so does my husband!
Cheryl Spangenberg says
I am totally with you! I hate weeds and weeding them! Ugh!
Teresa S says
I love getting the yard ready each Spring. The first thing I do is clean up all of the stuff that has blown into the corners of the garden, house, culvert etc… it makes the whole place look so fresh. I also have to rake up all the pine needles, which is my least favorite thing to do….I’d rather pull weeds.
Katie says
I have lots if weeds to pull.
Donna O'Neil says
We have lots of weeds to pull and we need to plant some more flowers.
Jessica w says
mow, weed wack, and mulch
mysweetiepiepie says
I have to get the rest of the veggies planted and then start working on the flower beds.
georgie c says
For our yard to get summer ready it needs walkway edged up, weeds cut down around porch and foundation, grass cut, and a pile of bricks around the back door moved or taken away
Crystal says
We need to add some landscaping to the backyard and keep up with weeds in the garden. In exchange for paying for her car insurance and gas, my daughter (17 yrs. old) does the lawn and she would love this tool!!
Cori @ Let's Eat Grandpa says
Pretty much put in a new yard! Ours is all overgrown — we could definitely use that trimmer!
Barb Leffeler says
Have my sister-in-law stay for a month so she can weed my rock gardens. She lives in a motor coach. But, she loves to do lawn work. She loves to weed. I’m so thankful she comes once a year in the spring.
Bonnie @ Uncommon Designs says
Oh we have a ton to do! The snow did our yard in and our sprinkler system has a leak….somewhere!
Nicole Millheim says
I been planting some summer veggies and getting the patio set together and the grill out