Whenever you partake in your favourite pastime of gardening, the chances are that you head straight for your flower beds, vegetable patch or perfectly coiffed lawn. You take great pride in your pest free garden. You have had an abundant crop of strawberries, apples, and tomatoes this summer and you’re ready to get planting for the next season.
You possibly relish any opportunity to spruce up the mowed in stripes on your lawn and love giving the hanging baskets adorning your porch a makeover.
However, there is one part of your garden that you often overlook: the patio. This is an area that has been the foundation of many an alfresco dining experience and barbecue.
It’s time to take a step back and assess whether your patio measures up to the rest of your garden and consider what you can do to rectify the situation.
Get Weeding
There’s nothing worse than seeing thistles and other pesky weeds emerging from the cracks between your paving slabs. It’s vital that you pluck out the little blighters before they have a chance to take hold and spread.
Keeping your patio weed free will prevent the slabs from lifting and looking unsightly. If the weeds are thick with strong roots, purchase a chemical weed killer from your local garden center and get spraying. After a couple of days, you’ll see the weeds begin to wither away and weaken ready for you to pick them out easily.
Get Cleaning
It doesn’t matter whether you have a basic paving slab patio, a mosaic of flagstones or a patchwork of bricks, your patio will inevitably get dirty once in a while. Those beautiful pink hues and terracotta shades from your flagstones can be replaced with muddy looking grays and mossy laden crevices.
Consider purchasing an electric pressure washer that will see you cleaning your patio in a matter of minutes. With websites like Wash Wisely reviewing all of the latest pressure washers available on the market, you’ll be able to find the most appropriate product for your household. If money is a little tight, you can even find the most effective pressure washer for your budget.
Sealing The Cracks
If weeds have brought up any of your paving slabs, or if the joins between your slabs have weakened over time, you may need to consider resealing them.
You can do this simply with a coarse sand mix that compacts effectively between the stones. Lay the sand over the cracks, push down to compact and sweep away the excess mixture. This gives your patio a quick facelift and can prevent the stronger weeds from breaking through. The gappy looking appearance of your patio could soon be a thing of the past.
It’s important that you maintain your patio as regularly as you mow your lawn. Sweep up any loose leaves, remove the weeds as they appear and [amazon_textlink asin=’B01NGU8Z32′ text=’pressure wash’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’mygardening411-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’8cbe4f39-9cb7-11e7-9ad9-93f0ee108a50′] your patio once in a while. A clean and well-maintained patio will add to your already beautiful outdoor space.