Is your garden ready for spring in Illinois? With the warmer spring weather finally on the horizon, now is the perfect time to give the exterior of your home a little extra TLC. Whether you simply want to complete a little outdoor maintenance around your home, it is important to keep your home insurance policy in mind as you make changes.
3 Simple Spring Gardening Tips
1. Clean Your Yard and Garden
As the winter weather clears to make room for spring sunshine (and showers), homeowners should head outside for a little spring cleaning. Remove debris from fallen branches and leaves, as well as leftover snow and weeds. If you have any outdoor structures like raised garden beds, fire pits, gazebos, etc., you’ll also need to make sure that they weren’t damaged during the cold winter months. Keep in mind that your home insurance policy does not typically cover outdoor projects like trees, plants and garden beds. But if a natural disaster or inclement weather damaged your garage or gazebo, you may have some protection.
2. Revitalize the Soil
Before you can start making plans for a grand garden this year, you’ll need to make sure that your new plantings have plenty of good soil and room to grow. No one wants to get home from the garden show only to find that their flowers don’t have the right conditions to grow properly. Add some moisture back into the soil with an organic material like manure or compost. Testing the soil to determine which nutrients it is lacking can also speed the process. Adding more fertilizer over the course of a few days or weeks may also help to increase the overall health of the soil and extend the life of your plants.
3. Trim Old Plants and Trees
If you have old plants or trees on your property that have seen better days, give them a bit of help with a good trimming. Not only do dead or dying trees and plants look bad but they can also be dangerous to passersby if you don’t stay on top of trimming them down to size. Extra long tree branches, thick bushes, and plants that have become overgrown all pose hazards to anyone who comes on to your property. While most home insurance policies can help pay for damages that may be caused by these types of accidents, it is best to do everything you can to avoid a personal injury claim.
Get a Head Start on Your Spring Home Maintenance Today
With a bit of elbow grease and a thorough knowledge of what your home insurance policy covers, it’s easy to sit back and enjoy the rest of the spring and summer months here in Rolling Meadows. As your trusted local independent insurance agent at AFI Insurance, I want to make sure you have the right level of insurance protection to meet your needs and budget.
Interested in learning more about the benefits of a comprehensive home insurance policy? Visit AFI Insurance online today for more details and be sure to a free quote!
