Santa Cruz Garden

Selling Your Home - Curb Appeal of the 21st Century and Beyond

Friday, February 5th, 2010 at 1:01am. 10 Views, 0 Comments.

I can hear you now, “Oh, no! Not another article on curb appeal to sell my Santa Cruz home!” To which I reply, “Oh, yes.” One more time around the block, but this time, we’re doing it in style.

The 21st Century Curb

Curb appeal is that thing you do to pretty up the outside of your home. It’s the landscaping, the painting and the checking of the little details. However, many home sellers (and real estate agents, for that matter), don’t take into account that the curb nowadays isn't just the view from the front of your house. In the 21st century, the “curb” starts right here on the Net.

Your online home listing has only three seconds - three short moments of time - to catch a potential buyer’s eye and turn them into an interested party. Unfortunately, it’s hard…

Eat Healthy by Growing Your Own Food at Your Santa Cruz Home

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009 at 2:07pm. 40 Views, 0 Comments.

Even if your Santa Cruz home is cramped for space and has a small yard, you can still get in on growing your own fresh foods for your family's table. The key to growing in small areas is to concentrate on 'must haves' rather than everything under the sun. Family staples like tomatoes take lots of space, but one or two plants can easily provide enough for a family of four all summer long with plenty left over for canning.

How Much is Enough?

Two square feet of dirt is enough to grow a single tomato plant. Most people have more than two square feet of ground somewhere around their Santa Cruz home.

Something that may be more difficult to find around your home is ground with enough direct sunlight.  Choose an area with plenty of exposure to the sun for the best…

You Don't Need Paint to Make Your Santa Cruz Home Green

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 at 9:13am. 53 Views, 0 Comments.

The environment is a major news issue and everyone is thinking green. Sometimes it seems difficult to go green in your everyday life, but just a few simple steps can move you down the path to a green Santa Cruz home.  You won't even have to break a sweat or crack open a can of paint.

In the Laundry Room

Pick machines for your Santa Cruz home that have an Energy Star rating for peak performance to conserve water and electricity. According to Planet Green, an Energy Star washer saves enough water over the machine's life to provide drinking water for six people for a LIFETIME. It will also save you hundreds of dollars in utility bills over an average 11 year machine lifespan. Use natural drying when possible. Hang clothes on a clothesline in the sun on nice…

Tips for Filling Flower Beds at Your Santa Cruz Home

Sunday, June 28th, 2009 at 8:47am. 85 Views, 0 Comments.

Flower beds can be a very attractive addition to any Santa Cruz home – if you have the time to set up and maintain them. Flower beds don’t necessarily require a profusion of costly flowers that need to be fertilized, mulched, covered in severe weather and possibly re-planted on a yearly basis.

Here are a few tips to keep your flower beds filled without a huge money or time commitment.

Perennial Wildflowers

Wildflower mixes native to your area are often a good choice if you want a profusion of flowers, but don’t want to do much to take care of them. These flowers grow back easily every year and are well-adapted to the climate and soil conditions in your area. Native wildflowers may need little more than watering and the occasional weeding.

Decorative…