If you are like many Kirkland rental property owners, you make it a point to develop your rental to be more environmentally friendly. A tiny aspect you can change is to create a pollinator-friendly yard. Developing yards that are attractive and easy to maintain is a best practice for rental property landscaping. However, you or your tenant could also take into account making your property’s yard pollinator-friendly. It’s a project worth thinking about for many reasons. It’s not only a positive investment in the environment, but it can add value to your property as well. When done accurately, creating a pollinator-friendly yard may even be an awesome way to entice environmentally conscious tenants.
Though you may not necessarily be an avid gardener, you may have heard that pollinators like butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other flying insects are quickly declining. These pollinators are a crucial part of our ecosystem. Without them, we would not have various fruits, nuts, and seeds that most of us eat and enjoy. But with just a couple of changes to your rental’s landscaping, you can definitely impact pollinator populations in your area.
Plant With Variety
Having a wide variety of plants in your landscaping is one of the first things you can do to encourage pollinators to visit your rental yard. You should ideally select plants that will bloom at separate times, from early spring to late fall. In most locations, you should be able to get native plant varieties that are both easy to care for and quick to attract pollinators.
Add a Feeder
Hanging a nectar feeder is another easy approach to attract hummingbirds and butterflies to your rental yard. Aside from providing many benefits to your landscaping plants, a lot of people also enjoy looking at these pollinators’ feed. You could also place a dish of ripe fruit or water mixed with sea salt to attract even more pollinators to your yard. Butterflies are specifically drawn to these items.
Rethink the Lawn
For many rental homes, a flourishing green lawn is a crucial part of the landscaping. By creating some simple changes, you can also support pollinators with your lawn. As an example, having the grass grow a bit taller (about 3 inches) and develop seed heads will not only retain moisture in the soil but also entice pollinators to your yard. You could also consider mixing in some low-growing plants with your grass, such as white clover or violets. These non-invasive plants will increase local pollinator populations without causing harm to the health of your lawn.
Use Alternatives to Pesticides
Spraying the lawn or other plants with pesticides is a common practice for a lot of property owners. But no matter what kind of insect you intend to kill, you could also be affecting beneficial pollinators. If you must use a spray to manage harmful insects or other issues, consider selecting the ones that are more environmentally friendly. A couple of oils and soaps can repel pests without killing off pollinators. Cornmeal will at times fend off troublesome ant colonies, while garlic, pepper, and even beer can keep certain biting insects at bay.
If your tenant wants to add pollinator-friendly items to your rental yard, you might consider allowing them to do it. Of course, you and your tenant should be aware of what updates will be made, who will do the work, and who will pay for the improvements. In the event that your tenant wants you to cover the expense of the plants and other elements, it still may be a good investment and worth saying yes to since it could add value to your property or make it further attractive to future tenants.
Designing a pollinator-friendly yard for your rental that will also boost your property values is doable. But it may be a challenge to know what certain updates will add to your property’s appeal. For answers and advice about this and any other queries you may have about managing your property, you may want to think of turning to expert Kirkland property managers. To understand all of the great services that Real Property Management Eclipse has to offer – including landscaping advice – contact us online today!
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