Yard Maintenance

An unsecured yard gate can pose problems for your yard--children can push through the gate and leave the safety of your yard, wind can pull the gate off its hinges and cause damage to your fence,...

Laser levels have revolutionized the way readings are taken on construction jobs and do-it-yourself at-home projects. This is because laser light provides for an infallibly straight beam. The only...

Erosion steals a homeowners' yard, as well as part of the home's value. By implementing erosion control steps at your home, you can keep the yard you have, beautify it, and raise your home's value.

Coastal erosion, also called beach evolution, consists of the wearing away of land or beach by wave action, wave currents, tidal currents or drainage. Erosion may cause permanent loss of sediment...

Burdock, also known by the scientific name Arctium minus, is an ecologically invasive plant found along roadsides and in disturbed ground throughout the northern United States. A biennial, the...

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,...

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, 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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Fleas multiply extremely fast, and if you see a few on your pet, inside your house, and/or outside your home, then you will want to react quickly. The best way to get rid of fleas is to take...

Ryobi lawn trimmers and weed eaters come in handy when trying to trim those hard-to-reach areas that your lawn mower cannot reach. Line trimmers use a stiff nylon line to cut. As the line spins,...

String algae is a common difficulty for those who cultivate backyard ponds. Often referred to as "hair algae" or "blanketweed," string algae grows in clumps of thin fibers near the surface of the...

You may need to cut down a tall tree because is deteriorating and rotting. In some locales, you could receive a ticket for leaving a dead tree in your yard. Or you may want to chop down a tree to...

Do you like the idea of being your own boss and starting a lawn care and landscaping business? This article will teach you what you need to know and how to go about getting your feet wet in this...

A garden pond is a beautiful addition to any backyard that can serve to provide relaxation and increases your property value. Ponds must be properly cared for, however, lest the water become...

With over 100 varieties available, there is some form of Kentucky bluegrass available to meet almost any requirement. Varieties have been developed for high traffic areas, shady areas and sunny...

Nut grass, also referred to nut sedge, is a weed capable of overrunning your lawn or garden. The yellow-green plant, noted for its grass-like, waxy blades, can produce nearly 1,500 seeds every...

A French drain is is used to remove excess water from low-lying areas that tend to get saturated. These types of drains consist of a trench that is dug and filled with gravel or stone and a top...

Poison ivy releases urushiol oil, causing a severe rash to most everyone who touches or brushes up against it. For this reason, most people do not want it anywhere near their home or garden. ...

Rats are common pests that like to forage and nibble on vegetable gardens. To determine if you have a rat infestation, look for rat droppings, small tracks and bite marks on vegetables. This pest...

Ah, fall--the weather is turning and the trees in your backyard are shedding their leaves in abundance. Try these tips to simplify leaf clean-up and removal:

Ivy is a beautiful way to decorate your yard, house and garden. Unfortunately, it's one of those plants that tends to get out of control and can even begin to overpower and kill the rest of your...

White landscaping rock can make your yard look clean and crisp. As the years go by, though, white landscaping rock can turn black from mildew or green from algae. Most white landscaping rock is...

Poison oak is infamous for the unpleasant itchy rash that can develop on the skin of those unfortunate enough to come in contact with the plant. It grows as a shrub in sunny wooded regions and as...

Creeping Charlie is a vine-like weed that can be found in yards and gardens. This weed grows back each year unless it is permanently removed from the area. In order to kill Creeping Charlie, it...

Cypress trees will decorate your landscape for hundreds of years if they are properly maintained and cared for. The four most common types of cypress tree are the Bald Cypress, Pond Cypress,...

Termites dwell in damp rotted wood such as rotting fences or dead tree bark. They can make their way into your home and cause major damage to its structure. It is important to make sure that...

Snow throwers are handy tools to have---especially during and after significant snowfall. Most snow throwers work around the same design principles. An auger feeds snow and ice into an impeller,...

Cub Cadet tractors are well-made machines that, if maintained and serviced properly, will last a long time. Troubleshooting opportunities typically arise for one of three reasons: lack of...

Noxious plants can quickly take over a pond, covering the entire surface and choking out decorative plants. Since they grow so quickly, they are difficult to remove and usually require extreme...

Boy, geese can be a real pest. What I'd really like to know is -- why are they called Canadian geese when they so obviously do not stay within the bounds of Canada?! Goodness! I'm sure you, like...

Troy-Bilt tillers are well rated by Troy-Bilt customers. They are well made and reliable machines. Like any other machine, repairs are inevitable. You can complete some repairs yourself, but other...

Zero turn lawn mowers operate unlike any other lawn mower type. They are larger and heavier than lawn tractors, and the mower decks are available in larger sizes. The wheels on the left side of...