As a pet owner, you already know that keeping a healthy lawn and a healthy dog at the same time can be challenging to say the least. But there are still plenty of dog-friendly landscaping ideas that will keep both your pet and your neighbors happy.

Keeping pets and humans happy

There’s no way around it: Humans like to plant flowers, and dogs love to dig them up. This is just one of the many conflicts of interest that arise when you and your pet use the same landscape for your very different ideas of recreation. These dog-friendly landscaping tips will help ensure that you don’t spoil each other’s fun:

• In areas of high dog traffic, replace the grass with a more durable surface, like pea gravel or decomposed granite. These materials are safe for your dog to run on but won’t wear out. Perennial rye grass is a good turf option that can handle frequent pet use.
• Use a low fence or a border made from pieces of wood to naturally discourage dogs from entering areas where you don’t want them to go (but keep in mind that this is more effective for some dogs than others).
• Plant your vegetable garden in a raised bed outside of your dog’s reach.
• Make sure your sprinkler is in good working order to keep your lawn healthy and more able to withstand frequent use from your pet.
• In high-use areas, such as along paths, fences and walkways, choose hardy plants that can withstand a little roughhousing from your dog.

Avoiding hazards

One of the most important aspects of dog-friendly lawn care is ensuring that your pet stays safe. Here’s how you can ensure that your lawn doesn’t contain any pet hazards:

• Avoid plants that are poisonous to pets, including common garden and landscape plants such as irises, tulips and azaleas. The ASPCA offers a handy online listing of plants that are poisonous to pets.
• Use natural mulch (shredded cedar and pine are great) and avoid mulch that contains resins, insecticides, herbicides or fertilizers.
• Always check the label when you apply fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals to your lawn and garden. Many pet-friendly options are available.

Dealing with brown patches

One of the biggest headaches for dog owners comes in the form of those persistent brown patches that occur when your dog urinates in the same spot again and again. Dog urine contains a high concentration of nitrogen, which causes the grass to dry out and die. You can deal with this in a few ways:

• Gently hose the area each time to dilute the nitrogen.
• Train your dog to use a certain area, preferably on a surface of mulch or pea gravel instead of grass.
• Re-seed dead patches as needed.

We can’t wait to see how our homeowners use these dog-friendly landscaping ideas! For more home decor and curb appeal tips and tricks, check out our blog.

The post Lively lawns and happy hounds: How to create a dog-friendly landscape you’ll love appeared first on Austin Homes for Sale | New Homes Austin | Milestone Home Builder Blog.

Birds chirping, flowers blooming—the return of spring is always a welcome event here in Austin. If you step outside and are dismayed to find bare branches, brown grass and withered plants, don’t despair. This Texas landscaping guide will whip your yard back into shape in no time.

Reviving your lawn

Texas lawns don’t always emerge from winter looking their best, but that’s only temporary. For all the fuss that some people make about their lawns, it’s important to remember that grass is tough and generally takes care of itself. That being said, there are a few things you can do to help it along this spring.

• Seeding: Look for bare areas that need to be re-seeded. Also, apply new seed in April when the soil temperature reaches about 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Common grass varieties in Austin include St. Augustine Grass, Zoysia and Bermudagrass.
• Fertilizing: Do a soil test (available at your local Texas A&M AgriLife Extension office) to see if your lawn needs fertilizing this spring. Do not apply fertilizer until your lawn is at least 50% green.
• Watering: Water your lawn once a week for 10 to 15 minutes per area through April, and then two or three times per week starting in May.
• Mowing: Once your lawn is mostly green, you can start mowing again. Set your mower height high enough to trim the tops of the grass blades, but not so low that it cuts them off near the base.

Tree and shrub care

Spring is a good time to freshen up the mulch around shrubs and hedge plantings like azaleas and camellias. If a shrub appears to have been overtaken by insects or disease during winter, then replace it completely.

This time of year offers a great opportunity to start pruning.  However, methods of pruning vary depending on what types of trees and shrubs you have in your yard. Generally speaking, late winter and early spring are the best times to prune, as you’ll want to prune before new growth appears. To avoid damaging the plant, do not prune if new growth has already started.

Starting a garden

Your front and back yard offer limitless potential for gardening. Whether you’d like to plant daffodils along your walkway or tomatoes in a raised bed, spring is the perfect time to get started.

• Annuals: Many spring-planted annuals will bloom throughout the summer. The best time to plant varies by species, allowing you to continue putting in new flowers from February right up through May.
• Vegetables: Hardy vegetables like broccoli, carrots and Swiss chard can be planted as soon as February or early March. For more tender crops like tomatoes, peppers and squash, wait until all danger of frost has passed (usually late April or early May).

Choosing landscape plants

Plenty of plants look good in Texas gardens, but that doesn’t mean they’re cut out for the climate. Before adding plants to your landscape, check their hardiness zones and ensure they’re suited to the region. Austin is right around the border between hardiness zones 8a and 8b, which means plants rated for those zones are just right for your garden. Great options for central Texas include:

• Blackfoot daisy
• Bluebonnet
• Dahlberg daisy
• Esperanza
• Fall aster
• Iris
• Larkspur
• Oxblood lily
• Perennial hibiscus
• Petunia
• Poppy
• Purple coneflower
• Snapdragon
• Zinnia

This Texas landscaping guide will get your lawn and garden off to a great start this spring. Check out our gardening guide for more tips on sprucing up your new lawn.

The post Your Texas landscaping guide to sprucing up your new home appeared first on Austin Homes for Sale | New Homes Austin | Milestone Home Builder Blog.

Spring rains might keep you indoors, but the rainy season also brings an opportunity to get your house ready for the summer months ahead. It’s a great time to take care of your home inside and out, and these April home maintenance tips will have you ready for summer before you know it!

Outdoor maintenance

Contrary to the popular saying about April showers and May flowers, the greatest rainfall of the year usually hits Austin in May and June. That makes April an ideal time to tackle outdoor maintenance so your home will be ready to take the rain when it comes.

• Look for lawn damage. Low areas next to the foundation should be filled in so water drains away from your house, and bare patches should be re-seeded to revive the grass.
• Check for loose and leaky gutters. When your gutters don’t drain correctly, it can lead to all kinds of problems, including leaks in your roof and damage to your foundation. Be sure to clear the leaves and other debris out of your gutters, but be careful—if you plan on climbing up on a ladder, have a friend around who can keep the ladder steady.
• Check your deck. Power-wash your deck to clear away winter grime, and re-stain if needed. Before staining, check the forecast to ensure you have a few rain-free days ahead.
• Inspect your roof. Using a pair of binoculars, look for loose shingles, broken flashing around vents and chimney damage. Contact a professional for repairs.
• Have a look at your walkway. Look for cracks in concrete slabs, and fill them in with a concrete crack filler if necessary. Make sure all walkways, driveways and other concrete surfaces drain away from the foundation.

Indoor maintenance

When rainy weather keeps you indoors, don’t worry! There are plenty of ways you can keep busy when the rain falls, like catching up on these home maintenance tips and taking care of these essential indoor spring cleaning jobs.

• Replace your HVAC filters. A dirty filter reduces energy efficiency and may cause your system to wear out more quickly. So, always start the spring with a clean filter.
• Deep-clean your carpets. Dirt builds up in carpets over time, so you might not even notice them getting dirty, but you’ll sure see the difference once they’ve been cleaned!
• Test smoke and fire alarms. Replace batteries if necessary, and don’t forget to check your carbon monoxide detectors as well.
• Tend to your air conditioner. You’ll be using your AC a lot in the months ahead. Be sure to clean both the indoor and outdoor units. It’s a good idea to have them professionally serviced at least once a year, and spring is the perfect time.
• Clean out your refrigerator. While you’re at it, why not defrost the freezer and vacuum the coils to boost efficiency?
• Clean and adjust ceiling fans. Chances are good that your ceiling fans haven’t had much use over the winter. A lot of dust can hide on the upper surface of the fan blades. Make sure your ceiling fans are set to spin counterclockwise to give you the most cooling power.

Don’t let the rainy season get you down! This is the perfect time to dive into all your spring cleaning and home repair tasks. So, when the summer comes, there’s nothing left to do but sit back and enjoy it. Contact us today to learn more about life in our Austin, Texas, communities and view our blog for more home maintenance tips.

The post 11 rainy season tips to empower the exterior & interior of your home. appeared first on Austin Homes for Sale | New Homes Austin | Milestone Home Builder Blog.

Birds return, flowers bloom, the sun comes out at last—there’s nothing quite like the feeling of spring in the air. Now is a great time to head outside and enjoy the perfect spring weather, but it’s also important to tend to your home with home maintenance tips. Spring offers an opportunity to boost your home’s energy and appearance, inside and out.

Check your gutters

Spring is prime time to clean and check your gutters. Look for leaks, and make sure the gutters are draining properly and are firmly connected to the roof. Gutters that overflow and leak can eventually lead to foundation and basement damage. Also, check your downspouts and ensure they are draining away from the foundation.

Have a look at the roof

Roof inspections are important, but there’s no need to climb up to the roof yourself. From ground level, a pair of binoculars should give you a good enough view to tell if your roof needs maintenance. So, look for shingles that are missing, broken, askew or have nails popping out.

Inspect your HVAC system

Even a relatively mild Austin winter can put your heating, ventilation and air conditioning system through its paces. Make sure you start the spring with a fresh filter in your air conditioner. Spring is also a good time to get your system professionally cleaned and serviced. With very little maintenance, the 14.5 SEER high-efficiency heating and air conditioning system in your MileStone home will provide efficient heating and cooling for many years.

Beware your windows

Top home maintenance tips can also double as energy-saving tip. This includes maintaining your windows. You can lose a lot of heating and cooling energy through them if you’re not careful. Before summer arrives, inspect the areas around your windows for cracks, gaps and signs of air leakage. Caulk, spray foam and weather stripping are easy and cost-efficient quick fixes for leaky window and door frames. While you’re paying attention to your windows, make sure each has drapes, blinds or an awning—especially the ones that face south—to help keep the sun’s “greenhouse effect” from driving up your cooling bills.

Check your thermostat

Your programmable thermostat is a handy tool, but make sure you re-program it for spring. It’s easy to forget about, and that can waste a lot of energy heating your house unnecessarily. A programmable thermostat can potentially save you a lot on heating and cooling costs year round; check out this handy guide from Energy Star for properly setting your thermostat!

Trim overgrowth

Having big, adult trees in your yard is great! They look wonderful, and they provide shade for your house that can reduce air conditioning costs. However, watch out for trees and shrubs that brush up against your house. Spring is a perfect time to trim back any overly enthusiastic trees, which will reduce potential moisture damage and keep pests from finding their way into your home.

Watch out for bare wood

While this should not be an issue in your MileStone community home for many, many years, it’s always a good idea to do a quick check around the outside of your house, looking for places where paint has chipped and bare wood is exposed. Sand away chipping or flaking paint, and spot-paint any areas where you see the wood underneath. Take a look at brick and stucco sections of your house to find trouble spots there, too.

Spring is a wonderful time of year to get out and enjoy the fresh air and the sunshine! These top home maintenance tips will ensure that your home enjoys the upcoming season as much as you do. But, before tackling your home improvement task list, we encourage you to follow home repair safety guidelines and check out these handy home improvement apps!

If you’re on the search to find a home with energy-efficient features, explore the following communities in the greater Austin area:

• Buda: Shadow Creek and Meadows at Shadow Creek
• Downtown Austin: Eastwood at Riverside
• South Austin: Enclave on Cooper Lane
• Cedar Park: Park at Brushy Creek, Scottsdale Crossing and Woodford Estates
• Georgetown: Teravista

The post Top springtime sprucing tips to renew your home’s energy and appearance. appeared first on Austin Homes for Sale | New Homes Austin | Milestone Home Builder Blog.

Choose your location

Not every spot in your yard is ideal for spring gardening. Consider a few factors when you pick the location for your vegetable garden or flowers:

• Sunlight: Most plants can handle a little shade, but sun exposure throughout most of the day is better for the majority of flora.
• Moisture: Avoid low-lying sites that become waterlogged when it rains.
• Soil type: The ideal soil is loose, moist and well-drained. Heavy clay soils and dry, sandy soils are improved with the addition of mulch.

Timing is everything

Before we get too carried away, it’s important to remember that nothing spells disaster for your garden like starting too early. You can start seeds indoors as early as February, but be careful about when you transplant seedlings to your garden.

As a general rule, hold off on preparing the soil until it’s dry enough to work with. A handful of soil should break apart in your hand—not stick together—when you squeeze it. We can get frost well into March here in Austin, so hold off on planting warm-season flowers and vegetables until late in the month. Hardier plants can be put out a little sooner.

Follow a vegetable planting calendar

Austin summers can get a little on the dry side, but we generally have a pretty good climate for a home vegetable garden—and with a little luck and these Texas gardening tips, you can expect a healthy crop. The first step is getting plants in the ground at the right time, so begin with the hardiest crops that can handle a little frost:

• Early March: beets, celery, kale, lettuce, spinach, cauliflower and parsnips
• Late March: watermelon, peas, beans, okra, sweetcorn and squash
• Early April: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and cucumbers
• Late April: sweet potatoes and pumpkins

Most vegetables can be started from seeds in indoor containers much earlier—typically about six weeks before you intend to transplant your seedlings to the garden. In the meantime, the early part of March is a great time to prepare the soil and add mulch.

Add some color

A wide range of flowering plants, both annual and perennial, can thrive in our region, including quite a few colorful native plants. Consider these to add a splash of color to your home garden:

• Bluebonnets: Our state flower does very well in Central Texas! Plant in fall and supplement with new seedlings in spring as needed.
• Daffodils: Plant bulbs by the end of January for spring blooms.
• Blackfoot daisy: Blooms in summer and thrives in dry conditions.
• Iris: Great for planting on slopes to control erosion.
• Turks Cap: A hardy perennial that attracts hummingbirds.

Deer-resistant plants

Gardening with deer around can be a real challenge, but while they are not exactly deer-proof, a wide variety of native garden and landscape plants are certainly deer-resistant. Try these to keep the deer at bay:

• Flowers: larkspurs, marigolds, periwinkles, zinnias
• Perennials: yarrow, lantana, mallow hibiscus, Copper Canyon daisy
• Shrubs: oleander, firebush, Texas mountain laurel, viburnum, pomegranate
• Ground covers: thyme, prostrate rosemary, germander
• Ornamental grasses: maiden grass, pampas grass, Gulf muhley

Now that things are warming up here in Austin, it’s time to bring the landscape around your Milestone community to life! These Central Texas gardening tips should satisfy your green thumb in no time.

For some more visual gardening inspiration, explore a wide variety of ideas on our Pinterest board, Beautify Your Land. Happy planting!

The post Rooted in Texas and Ready to Bloom: Local gardening tips appeared first on Austin Homes for Sale | New Homes Austin | Milestone Home Builder Blog.