Category: Spring Market

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By Andrea Justus, Properties on the Potomac Realtor

It’s that time of year: the time to plan your garden and start seeds. Vegetable gardening is easy and fun and the prep starts eight weeks prior to planting time. In Northern Virginia, planting time is generally the weekend of Mother’s Day. Although beautiful Spring days are tempting, I have “early planted” and lost a garden or two due to late season snow and cold snaps. I now am a firm advocate of Mother’s Day planting.   

Seeds can be planted directly into the ground for items like spinach, radishes, beets and herbs, as long as the ground is 50 degrees. For non-leafy vegetables, it’s important to start your plants early to get a jump on the growing season. I start tomatoes, eggplant, okra, cucumbers, squash and pumpkins in early March so that by early May the plants are large and healthy enough to withstand weather and insects and flourish. (For pumpkins, you can also sow the seeds in the ground in June for pumpkins in Fall.) March is also a good time to start flowers like Astilbe, Dahlias, and Croscomia. By starting in March, the flowers will bloom early and throughout summer.

What is the best method for starting seeds? There are many approaches, from dirt in a cup to seed-starting trays with heating pads and overhead lights. I make my own seed-starting blend with a Miracle Grow soil, worm castings, vermiculite and peat moss mixture. The mix is approximately 5 parts soil, two parts worm castings, one part vermiculite and a handful of peat moss. This gives the seeds an airy and nutritious start. You can use seed-starting trays or mini pots available at most gardening stores. Solo cups in trays also work well. I start mine in the basement next to the door so they get natural light. I use solar blankets on the ground and behind the seed table to capture any warmth and sunlight available.

Once the seed starts come up, I transfer them to larger cups and plant them deeper. Sometimes more than one transplant is needed. Water lightly every other day so that the soil is slightly damp, not wet. A gentle hand is critical to transferring the seed starts. Plan on starting more seeds than you need plants so that it’s not a crisis if you break a tender shoot. About 2 weeks before planting, start hardening off the plants by putting them outside. Start with an hour or two and gradually increase the time outside. You can also cover the plants while they are outside with burlap to keep them from being wind and sun burned. Once the plants are hardened, get ready to plant your garden in early May. I like to plant and fertilize with Abernethy and Spencer’s TLC. It gets healthy plants off to a roaring start!

I enjoy gardening and sharing the fruits of my labor with others! If you know me, you know I’m a plant person. Happy Gardening!

Need help figuring out the best landscaping for resale value? Reach out to Properties on the Potomac at
703-624-8333 now!

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“We plan to list in spring.”

Most people believe that selling their homes in spring (after March 21) is the best time. However, that is not real estate’s “spring” market.

Real Estate in no longer just regional, but national and even global. What happens in one area affects many others. Our properties in the Washington, D.C. Metro area are affected accordingly. Making decisions that affect one of your largest assets must be made with all of the best possible information. With this in mind, below are the five reasons to consider listing your property for sale now:

  1. We are not in last year’s market. There are no guarantees of unlimited buyers.
  2. The economy and corresponding interest rates are volatile.  
  3. In our decades of professional experience, the BEST time to sell is January, February, and March.
  4. Buyers have been planning their moves before the holidays and purchase after the holidays.
  5. Because most people count on the later market, the serious buyers have already made their decisions and purchased; leaving the inventory of listings to increase while the pool of buyers declines.

An example is from the post-2007 recession market: a client was being relocated to another state. They had to sell their home. We recommended listing it in February. After completing their presale activities, we put the house on the market in February. The first three groups who toured the house made competitive offers. Our clients made their move according to their best plans. Several months later, their neighbors listed their house for sale. Their house remained on the market for considerably longer than our clients’ property; selling with a single offer for slightly below my clients’ price.

In volatile markets such as this, delays can be costly.

If you are planning to sell your property this year, please contact us today so that we can help you make your best plans. Call or text us at 703-624-8333.