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You should always keep a few of the usual supplies near the garden in case of emergency. Learn about flower gardening supplies and get tips with help from a certified horticulturist in this free video clip.
A fresh snowfall may leave the neighborhood glistening and white, but may also bring a less welcome winter visitor -- ice-covered steps and sidewalks. Traditional salt-based products can gradually melt away the ice and break its hold on the brick, they can also stain brick and concrete and harm surrounding plants, grass and trees. Newer products offer more environmentally-friendly ways to remove ice from brick steps and similar surfaces and they don't stain the stone, either.
Adding barley straw is a handy way to keep pond water clear naturally. Barley straw releases a chemical as it decays that interferes with the growth of algae. Regularly raking out visible algae and vacuuming the bottom will also keep the pond from getting too murky.
A French drain rests a few inches below the ground's surface. It is a perforated plastic drainpipe that runs along the foundation wall with the highest grade and it continues around the two walls that connect to that wall. This routes rainwater around your house and then distributes it in front of your house at the both ends of the drainpipe. You can harvest that rainwater by installing a removable container to catch the water.
Designing your own flower garden is hard, but rewarding work. There are many elements to consider, and it is important to have a master plan in mind before you start digging. It is also essential to consider the climate and soil type you have in your specific geographic region when choosing the plants you intend to grow.
Spring is the most common time of year to stock up on major gardening supplies. There is a difference between supplies and tools. Tools are items that are used to work the soil or the plant itself. Supplies are the items that are used to grow the plants or to help support the plants.
For woodworking, nothing beats a set of well-constructed, heavy-duty electrical tools in your shop to make jobs more pleasant and far easier. The basics of a well-equipped shop include a drill press, table saw, bench grinder and a jig saw for fine detail work. These tools can be purchased new or used, and due to their simple construction, can last for generations if properly cared for.
Gathering the essential gardening supplies and seeds in early spring helps take the curse off the winter and allows any gardener from expert to novice to get a jump on their gardening plans. While gardening sales are tempting, some products are not worth purchasing because they are not high-quality, or you don't need them.
Some people garden as a hobby, while others see it as a physically demanding -- albeit worthwhile -- effort to create an aesthetically-pleasing outdoor environment. Well-planned landscaping can increase the value of your home, but before you begin a gardening project, you'll need some basic tools and supplies.
Diligent homeowners have likely employed all the standard fire safety techniques around their house: replacing the smoke detector battery on a regular basis, not allowing any lit candles to be unattended and practicing proper stove safety. A less common fire safety technique involves fireproofing the structural beams in your home. The process involves mixing several chemicals together to create a fireproofing liquid that is applied to your structural beams. This process is beneficial to any household but even more so if your structural beams are made from flammable material such as wood.
Red wigglers, also known as red worms, are the most popular composting worm in the United States. They are easy to keep at home in a purpose-built composting bin, where they munch their way through household waste like fruit and vegetable trimmings. They turn this into nutrient-rich compost to spread in the garden as a plant and vegetable food. Involve kids in the worms' care for a hands-on science project they are sure to enjoy.
Yard tools can prove invaluable in your yard and garden, but they are only useful when they are easy to find and identify. As is the case with other items in the home, properly organized yard tools can help you avoid plenty of headaches. Whether you keep these tools in your garage or in a backyard shed, you have ways to keep them organized and easy to find.
The most important tool for a successful butterfly garden is a plan or design. Sometimes a trial-and-error plan works out fine and can be quite fun, but it can also frustrate the goal of attracting butterflies to your garden when your plants won't survive. Gather your materials and chat with other successful butterfly gardeners in your community before you plant that first flower or sow that first seed.
Safety washers are round objects that are used as spacers in between two objects. They can be small and difficult to keep together. An effective way to retain safety washers is to store them in a place where they will stay organized. A storage system is a way to keep them organized. There are hundreds of different ways to organize and store your safety washers. Three options to store your safety washers are hardware storage bins, mason jars and a tackle box.
The Japanese shrub, or Enkianthus perulatus, is a small, ornamental plant that makes a landscape more appealing with its colorful bark and flowers. Japanese shrubs need specific soil and sun conditions. Although they are native Asian plants, they thrive in parts of the U.S.
An attractive water garden provides a sense of peace and adds to the value of the landscape. A water garden often includes fish, such as koi, as well as plants that live at different depths in the water garden. Because a water garden is an artificial environment that would not naturally exist in the landscape, you must take steps to ensure the water garden remains attractive throughout the year. For example, an overgrowth of aggressive water plants or poor water conditions threatens the health of the water garden and turns a beautiful water garden into an eyesore.
Fire safety in your home or office is always a priority. However, purchasing fire-resistant, pre-fabricated cabinets can be a costly venture. Save a few dollars and build your own cabinet--or purchase one that isn't fireproof--and apply your own, homemade fire-resistant coating.
Barley straw concentrate has been used for decades to help maintain water clarity and control excess algae. While the process is not fully understood by science, according to a paper published by Carole A. Lembi, professor of botany and plant pathology at Purdue University, it is believed to help maintain a balance between algae and the conditions under which they thrive. Barley straw concentrate is not an algaecide and therefore does not kill algae, reports the website The Pond Guy. Rather, it is used to reduce the rate of algae growth.
Fire is always a danger to wooden structures. While methods of making wood almost completely fireproof are available, most of these involve expensive materials or processes requiring special materials. Fortunately you can make a simple spray- or paint-on mixture at home out of easily-obtained chemicals that will help retard flame. While this won't make the wood entirely fireproof, it will give it enough resistance to allow you to quickly put out any conflagration before it spreads.
Rockwool is an insulating building material that has recently been adapted as a sterile growing medium for hydroponic gardening systems. Rockwool is made from spun rock fibers. Rockwool can be purchased from building supply stores or from specialty garden centers.
Red wigglers (Eisenia foetida) are a type of worm most commonly used in vermicomposting or composting with worms. Unlike the worms you may see in your garden or yard, red wigglers do well in confinement and will happily turn your kitchen scraps and waste paper into worm compost. Larger ones can also be used for bait, if you like to go fishing. Purchasing them is easy once you know how many you need and where to find them.
Orange oil or d-limonene has been touted for its ability to kill termites on contact. This oil is actually a terpene hydrocarbon colorless liquid that will harm a termite as long as it is sprayed directly on the insect. Because of their reluctance to use harsh chemicals, many people prefer to use this type of treatment. It is notable that the homeowner will have to directly spray the termite for the product to have its desired effect.
Learn how to naturally limit aquatic plant and algae growth in large ponds and lakes, through the use of pond dye. Before becoming involved with ponds and living in an area that is home to thousands of ponds, I always wondered why anyone would want the potential for a stagnant, algae covered, mosquito infested body of water on their property. Little did I know how important a pond is to a homeowner, farmer, rancher or property manager since many of these ponds are used for irrigation, fire suppression, run-off control and recreation. Maintaining a healthy pond ecosystem is a necessity…
Native to Japan, Japanese shrub (Enkianthus perulatus) is an ornamental plant that thrives in United States hardiness zones 6 to 10. It is an upright, bushy shrub that can reach 15 to 18 feet at maturity. Japanese shrub is a tough, woody plant that does not produce a distinct main stem or trunk; branches grow outward from near the base, almost flush with the ground. The plant also has many other characteristics that aid in identifying it.
A well organized workshop can make the difference between a project and a chore, but sometimes it's hard to know where to begin. There are lots of creative organization solutions to alleviate your frustrations over spending too much time looking for what you need instead of getting the job done. So take heart and take notes. Soon you'll be doing projects as efficiently as the guys on television.
Crabgrass is a common problem that plagues many homeowners' lawns. Eradicating crabgrass is much simpler if one understands a few of its characteristics. Crabgrass is a type of grass that dies naturally during the cold winter months and begins to sprout when the temperature heats up in early spring. It also competes with your lawn for space after germination. Because of this, it is best to eradicate crabgrass when the temperatures begin to heat up after winter and to keep your lawn healthy in order to prevent crabgrass growth.
A good quality set of hand pruners, known as "secateurs" in some parts of the world, can make your gardening tasks far more enjoyable than inexpensive tools. Cheap secateurs may last a season or two, but good quality ones may last a decade or longer. It is inevitable that your set of secateurs will need sharpening at some point.
Many children adore playing in the dirt and are intrigued by plants and flowers, so giving them a gardening supply kit can encourage them to be around two things that they love. It can teach them the responsibility of having a garden and can open up a whole world of science and learning for them. A gardening supply kit for a child is easy to put together no matter your budget.
Maintaining a clean, clear pond is cheap and easy when you use barley straw. It helps control algae so your pond isn't covered over or muddied with these organisms. Plus, you'll feel good about using the barley straw because it won't harm the environment or plants, animals and fish that live in or around the pond. Barley straw is not an algaecide, so it doesn't kill algae. Instead, its decomposition creates an environment that is hostile to algae formation, leaving you with a cleaner pond.
It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood, except for the smashed cat in the middle of the street. Bad drivers, loose pets and hazardous circumstances kill dozens of animals every day, and one may unfortunately end up in front of your house. You shouldn’t simply slide it over in the neighbor’s direction, but remove roadkill by using a few simple steps and a lot of steely nerves; here’s how.
Rainwater is free, pure and plentiful in most places. It simply runs off the roof. Collecting it for garden use is moderately easy.
Pumpkins are native to America and have become a symbol of one of children's favorite holidays. Although most pumpkins are raised for food, the most popular use of the larger ones is to carve them into a jack-o-lanterns for Halloween. Use the following tips to help you determine when to pick the fruit from your pumpkin patch and a few things you can do with the harvest.
