My mother & I go around to about 10 rural cemeteries to tend relatives graves. Over the years I've learned a few things
Cemeteries mow the grass but don't trim around gravestones. There is always a huge build up of dried grass trimmings that needs clearing out around stones
Cemeteries that allow perennial plants should be thoroughly trimmed back on the regular. There are fern peonies at most of my anscestral graves, many were planted by my grandmother in the 70's & 80's
We've transplanted trimmings for other graves & pass these beauties on. There is one peony that my paternal great grandmother planted on her husband's grave in the early 1900's because she couldn't afford a gravestone
This is a beautiful legacy I highly recommend starting. Also teach your children the value of caring for graves.
Overall the in the ground flat stones will disappear without exception & be overgrown if the earth around is not cleared away, at least annually. They will sink over time making this worse. The above ground stones fair better
Stones with tough texturing look nice but grow mold & lichen bad, a buffed shiney flat surface fares better
Give the stone a quick wipe down with water, wash away mud & bird poop & spray down with "Wet & Forget" this will remove all discoloration.
The brass military markers do well but clear the cement around them & spray for mold and they'll be even more beautiful. The metal stick in the ground military markers, if bent cannot be replaced. You can take them home & simply bend straight again if you have tools
Spiders love gravestones. I saw a lifetimes worth of big ass spiders & daddy long legs today
One last thing, if budget allows consider replacing broken or missing gravestones. My mother & father purchased for several ansestors. You can engrave many names on one stone for family plots to honor them & save money
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