Yard Maintenance

Decorative landscaping often incorporates the use of landscape gravel. Easily adding texture and color to garden surrounds, the prime value is in not having to replace it annually. A homeowner...

If you hate looking at a dead, brown yard during the winter months, or if you have a beautiful lawn with one dead patch ruining your view, consider painting the grass green to restore color to...

The dreaded dilemma of a dead or wind-toppled tree in the yard or driveway can cause anxiety. Hiring a professional adept at the safe and timely removal of a tree at a reasonable price is your...

A three-point hitch is the style of linkage used on large farm tractors to attach equipment to the back end. As the name signifies, the hitch attaches to the tractor at three points: the top...

Channel drains are made of metal and plastic and serve as ideal drainage systems for driveways, pool decks, patios or any other outdoor area. They provide an ecological and simple alternative to...

Pine needles are seemingly the bane of any homeowner with pine trees in their yard. The acid in the needles can kill grass and plants; and they easily embed themselves in a rock garden or yard,...

When people think of a push mower today, many envision a self-propelled walk-behind powered by a Honda engine with a rear grass bag. But before the invention of the power mower in the mid-1950s,...

Centipede grass is a lawn grass that is typically found in subtropical coastal regions. It is sometimes called "Lazy Man's Grass" as it is well known for its ability to tolerate a certain amount...

Growing grapes is a vastly rewarding experience for many gardeners. Like many other garden plants, it requires weeding, fertilizing and general care, but most importantly, grapes need pruning....

Air and water hoses left lying about are unsightly, dangerous and can be severely damaged by exposure to the sun. Hoses should be stored on a reel to prolong their life and prevent accidents.There...

Keeping your yard drainage channels clean and free of debris maintains a healthy water flow in your watershed, and helps keep water away from your home and outbuildings in times of heavy rains....

Slime mold gets its name because it often looks gooey and slimy. Slime mold comes in many different shapes and colors, including yellow. Slime mold most often is found outside because it feeds on...

Black mulch continues to rise in popularity over other colors, giving flowerbeds a professionally landscaped look. Comprised of fir bark, it is partially decomposed and colored, bearing the...

Mosquito fish are hardy fish that range from 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches long. In the United States, they are used to cut down the population of mosquitoes in an area: They can eat up to 500 mosquito...

When winter comes, the grass turns brown, dull and uninviting. Planting winter grass takes a little work, but is worth it, as it will leave your lawn looking green. The best time to plant winter...

Many homeowners have compost piles and use all-natural items to make their gardens healthy. Adding fish waste to your lawn and garden may seem odd at first but fish waste makes a wonderful organic...

Many homeowners spend countless summer hours taking care of their lawns, mowing, raking and fertilizing to ensure that theirs gardens remain lush and beautiful. However, even when you give your...

Roundup is a trademarked name for a line of glyphosate selective herbicides manufactured by the Monsanto Corporation. This product is often used by both homeowners and farmers to kill weeds while...

Pine trees are some of the most majestic type of tree that exists. Their tall trunks and beautiful branches make them loved all over the world. The pine needles, however, are not nearly so loved....

Mold grows in areas of lawns that receive too much water and not enough sunshine. The first step in repairing a lawn with moss is removing it. The second is to keep the mold from coming back. You...

Roundup, or Glyphosate, is a herbicide used by a wide range of consumers and professionals alike. The availability of the product and typically good results have combined to make Roundup a...

St. Augustine grass is a very popular grass used in more tropical areas. It is the most used grass in states like Florida. It grows well in most types of soil and does well in high salt areas as...

Slime mold gets its name from its often slimy and gooey appearance; certain strains are so disgusting that they are referred to as "dog-vomit slime mold.'' Unlike most molds, slime mold can travel...

The dwarf Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica cultivars) is admired for its soft-textured form, smaller mature habit and needled foliage that turns purplish bronze in winter's cold. Although a...

The addition of a pressure tank to an irrigation system will help solve many problems. The tank will help to stop short cycling of the pump, erratic pressure changes, and low flow problems. The...

Fixing a broken sprinkler head is a do-it-yourself project that will save you money, and possibly save some of your landscaping. Sprinkler heads can become damaged when the lawn is cut, or if the...

Using an ATV to remove snow is a necessary thing to do in areas where municipality plows cannot go or in areas around property where it would be unwise to drive a truck or plow through the show....

Landscaping rocks are available in a variety of styles and types. White marble rocks fit into most landscaping projects and they are easy to arrange around plants, pots and other outdoor...

Yucca is a hardy perennial plant native to dry climates in the southern United States but grown as an ornamental plant throughout the country. Also known as Adam's Needle, an established yucca...

The gray bird-of-paradise (Strelitzia nicholai), also called the white or giant bird-of-paradise, is a tropical herb with large, oar-like leaves that grow from a stalky, wood-like stem. Lacking...

Properly standing up a ladder before using it is one of the most important steps in safe home improvement. If a ladder is set up incorrectly, it can result in serious injury or even death. While...

Roundup, developed by Monsanto, is an herbicide that can kill a wide variety of weeds. Its active chemical ingredient is glyphosate, which is absorbed by all parts of the plant, including flower,...

Clay soils are difficult to cultivate in their natural state, as clay consists of small particles that bond when wet. Clay soil has the potential of being one of the most fertile soils, but it...

Angel Wing begonia (Corallina de lucerna) is primarily grown for its elegant foliage. Unlike many begonias, this particular variety needs plenty of bright but indirect light to thrive. The key to...

Water may seem like an infinite resource, but during the summer months the threat of drought can often severely limit its use. Use smart water conservation methods to reduce your family's water...

Broken or malfunctioning sprinkler heads are not uncommon in both home and commercial irrigation systems. Sprinkler heads get run over with lawn mowers, hit with digging equipment or broken off...

Over the winter months, the fuel in your lawnmower can become stale. Since it's not being fired up every week, it's a common occurrence. One of the byproducts of stale fuel is the deterioration of...

A zone valve is an irrigation valve. Irrigation controllers break your yard into zones or stations. Each area in your yard is controlled by a valve, which is electronically fired by the irrigation...

According to the Sierra Club Green Home, Americans send nearly 30 million tons of food waste to landfills each year. If this were composted, it would offset the production of methane in the...

Moving a sprinkler head to a different spot on your property may be necessary for a number of reasons. Whether it's because you are having drainage problems or you just want a change, moving a...

When you take the time to do proper lawn maintenance you not only help make your lawn look better but you also help prolong the life of your lawn by preventing grass and weeds from growing out of...

Wild canaries, also known as the American Goldfinch, are beautiful yellow and black birds. In the spring and summer they can be found throughout much of the United States. These birds are members...

Digging out tree stumps can be a long process, and an expensive one if you hire a landscaping professional to do the work for you. Luckily, digging out stumps on your own is easier than you might...

Your family and friends will marvel at your ability to use a pry bar to move a boulder. Using physics concepts and minimum physical exertion, you can roll an otherwise impossible-to-move boulder.

If some of your outdoor low voltage landscape lighting is not working, the most likely cause is a bad connection. Landscape lighting wire is buried under the ground and has splices. The ground is...

A common lawn problem for pet owners is damage from dog urine. Dog urine is high in nitrogen content and can lead to dead grass and yellow patches on your lawn. While nitrogen can be a nutrient...

Wooly croton is an invasive annual weed native to the warmer climates of North America. The plant grows from one to three feet in height and will overpower more productive rangeland grasses if...

Costelytra zealandica, the grass grub beetle, is endemic to New Zealand. (ref. 1) Eggs are laid during the summer and the larvae then feed on grass roots through the fall and winter. By October...

Assuming that you have verified the type of pest control company that you require (i.e. ants, cockroaches, fleas, ticks, termites or rodents, for example), you can choose a pest control company...

Sedge grass in your lawn, garden or flowerbeds is unattractive and difficult to kill. Sedge grass cannot be pulled out because it reproduces underground and will grow back. Oftentimes general...