Chemical-Free Weed Prevention Tactics

If there's one thing all gardeners hate, it is weeds. Fortunately, there are a number of chemical-free tactics you can use to control weeds in your garden. And in the long run, most of them will be cheaper than spending money on toxic, synthetic chemical weed controls.

Prevent Weeds Naturally With Other Plants

If you want chemical-free weed control, plant other plants.  Plant the plants that you want, and place them close enough together that there is no bare soil between them. Weeds grow where there is bare earth.  To Mother Nature, the earth is supposed to be covered with plants, so wherever there is bare earth and available space, a plant will grow. You might as well make it a plant you want instead of one you don't.

Mulch Provides Chemical-Free Weed Control

A 2 - 3 inch depth of mulch will provide chemical-free weed control. There are a lot of different materials that can be used as mulch. Mulch works by depleting the top 2 or 3 inches from the surface of the essential nutrients that plants need to grow.  If the mulch is deep enough, it will make it difficult for weed seeds to find soil in which to take root and grow.

Pulling Weeds is Important

As tedious as it may seem, pulling weeds before they go to seed is one of the most important weed prevention tactics available. All it takes is a little time and effort. Repeatedly cutting the tops of the weeds off with a garden hoe can eventually rob them of the means to photosynthesize, causing them to die, but pulling weeds up by the roots and discarding all of the plant is the best way to prevent future weed growth.

Kill Weeds With Vinegar?

A lot has been written recently about vinegar as a chemical-free weed killer. If pulling weeds isn't your thing, you can try spraying them with white vinegar. Vinegar does not actually prevent weeds; it only burns the leaves of weeds that are already in your garden.
Perennial weeds, which come back from the same plant year after year, will continue to grow back. This is because vinegar does not permeate into plant roots. The acetic acid in vinegar turns the leaves of weeds brown, and will work to rid your garden of small annual weeds - those that only grow for one season. However, large, perennial weeds will just keep coming.
Be careful where you spray vinegar or any chemical herbicides. If you accidentally get it on the garden plants you want to keep, you could burn their leaves.

No Magic Cure

When it comes to chemical-free weed prevention,  there is no magic cure. You will need to do some hard work if you want to keep weeds at bay. Set aside 15 minutes per day to pull weeds. Spend a little money on a layer of mulch, or plant your garden so full of the plants you want there will be little room for weeds to take root and grow.

Happy Gardening!

Richard Thyssen, Broker of Record
Colleen Thyssen, Sales Representative
Direct: 519-495-1541
email: richard@thyssengroup.com
www.thyssengroup.com

Great New Listing - Old North London, ON

Tips about choosing a closing date

Tips about choosing a closing date 

Besides negotiating the price, you should choose your closing date carefully.  This is one way to ensure that your deal will close smoothly.

Here are a few things to remember:

Whenever possible avoid having a closing date on a Friday at the end of a month. Typically this is the busiest day in most real estate law offices, especially in the summer and usually results in many deals not being able to close until later in the day (5 or 6 pm).

A great day for a closing is Wednesday.  It is much easier to manage any delays or extensions if something arises.

Sellers need to plan to be out of their homes by 3 pm on the closing day. Under most real estate contracts, sellers must turn over possession as soon as the deal is registered electronically. In normal circumstances, when the closing is not at the end of a month on a Friday, the deal will likely be registered by 2 - 3 pm. and at that time, vacant possession is to be given to the buyer.  

If you are buying and selling a home in the same time period, a good idea is to close your purchase 2 days early if possible and obtain bridge financing to assist you. You will have less pressure and have a few days to move in and tie up any loose ends. 

Sellers must turn the house over in broom swept condition, which means no garbage left behind. Buyers should make sure to schedule a final visit 2 days before the closing date to ensure that everything is as it should be.  This is also a good time to check the appliances (if included in the sale) and make sure they are working.

Buyers should not plan to move in until late in the day or the day after closing.  You do not want to have to pay extra to your movers if the closing does not happen until late in the day or the deal has to be extended.

If you are not moving in on the day of closing, buyers must check the condition of the home on that day to make sure that nothing has been broken or damaged since the date of your sale. The seller typically only warrants that everything will be working order on the closing date, not afterwards, so find out right away if you need to make a claim about anything after closing.

Keeping these tips about choosing a closing date in mind may save you stress and frustration when selling or purchasing a home.


As always, we will be there for you to help make this and other decisions that are in your best interest.

Richard Thyssen, Broker of Record
Colleen Thyssen, Sales Representative
Direct: 519-495-1541
email: rthyssen@rogers.com
www.thyssengroup.com

Taking the "scary" out of Real Estate

Even homeowners who have moved a few times can be intimidated by the
real estate market in general, and the buying and selling process in
particular.

First of all, making a decision to sell your home can be difficult. There are so
many questions, such as:
• Is "now" a good time to list?
• How much can you expect to get for your property?
• How long will it take to sell – and what if it doesn't?

Then there's the buying and selling process:
• How do you prepare your home for sale?
• How do you find homes that meet your criteria and are within your price range?
• How do you prepare your home for viewings?

Yes, there's a lot to think about. That's why finding a good REALTOR® who is an expert on the local market is so important.

We will help you understand the market, the current market value of your home,  and what you can expect should you decide to list.

We will walk you step-by-step through the home selling and buying process,
 and work hard to make sure everything goes smoothly.

So if you are considering buying or selling a home, take the "scary" out of Real Estate and contact us today.

We will  make all the difference!

Richard Thyssen, Broker of Record
Colleen Thyssen, Sales Representative
Direct: 519-495-1541
email: rthyssen@rogers.com
www.thyssengroup.com