I’ve been spending a lot of time fixing up the flower beds around the house. I have pulled out nearly everything, installed landscaping fabric, planted new flowers, and mulched. We have potted over a dozen fruit trees and put them on the back patio. The potted trees add a certain amount of charm that you do not get from trees that are growing in the yard, plus you can move them according to the sun and the season. We have apple trees, lemon trees, navel oranges, blood oranges, blueberries, Neem trees, and a few others.

We also worked hard all winter to remove the crab grass from the yard. It is terribly difficult to get it out from within the St. Augustine grass. We used Arm & Hammer detergent on the lawn, which killed the crab grass. One it was dead and dry, it was easy to distinguish and pull out by the roots. It was a long and tedious process, but now we have the nice St. Augustine taking back over the bare patches.

So, with all the work that has been invested in the yard, it is time for some nice patio furniture. You have to be so careful in Florida about what you put outside. We have enough damp all year around that wood rots quickly. So, teak furniture tends to be the best choice. It looks so much better than plastic furniture and the give is quite comfortable. Plus, it is notorious for resisting moisture, and therefore rot and warping. So, the teak pieces, and perhaps a fire pit, will be my next addition to the yard.