Garden & Lawn

You may live in an area that is subjected to quick changes in the weather, where it stays cold longer than in other states, or where you need to start your pumpkin seeds in an enclosed...

Red mulch is commonly used for growing vegetables, especially tomatoes. The light reflected from the plastic red mulch has a lower red to far-red ratio than sunlight. The lower ratio results in an...

Plastic mulching has been shown to have many benefits, including weed control, increased soil temperature and less evaporation. These conditions can make it possible for plants such as tomatoes,...

Growing a new plant without planting seeds first may seem impossible, however, it is one of the most common means of plant reproduction. Cloning, as gardeners refer to it, is the method of...

Bermuda and Centipede are two popular warm-weather grasses that are commonly used in lawns. Bermuda grass spreads out and is more aggressive than Centipede grass. If allowed to grow unchecked,...

You can decorate your lawn for special occasions using flowers picked from your garden or purchased at your local supermarket or florist. Arranging cut flowers in a birdhouse adds to the ambiance,...

Concrete statues are an investment in beauty, and if they begin to deteriorate, it's frustrating. In cold weather cracks allow moisture in, which will freeze and expand, thus widening the cracks,...

Plastic flower pots are an affordable and light weight alternative to ceramic pots. Like most garden supplies, plastic flower pots can easily become dirty and discolored by calcium deposits....

Making a rain barrel is an effective way to collect run-off water for use in gardening, cleaning or other projects. Water can be collected from a roof, and the barrel will generally fill quickly...

Fescue grass is best planted in the fall. However, circumstances sometimes don't allow you to wait. If you find yourself forced to seed fescue in late winter there are some basic steps you can...

Windmill grass can become a bit of a nuisance if you are trying to plant other flowers, shrubs or even trees in its place. There are a few ways to get rid of it, but they do not always ensure that...

A small greenhouse can be useful for protecting tender plants in cold months, propagating cuttings and seeds or housing delicate plants year-round. It can also be the only place to grow your...

Hydrangeas rarely, if ever, produce seeds, so if you want to propagate hydrangeas, you will need to root some cuttings. Some gardeners have reported success rooting in water, but taking cuttings...

Bats are beneficial mammals that eat 30 to 100 percent of their body weight in insects each night. However, you may want to avoid having them near your home. Keeping bats out of your home is as...

Young trees are often killed by string trimmers and lawnmowers beating about the trunk. Here's a step-by-step guide to making an inexpensive and effective tree trunk protector for your freshly...

Torpedo grass is also known as panic grass. It's the bane of private gardens and public lands. It spreads quickly when left unattended, and it drives out native species of plants. It can grow in...

Seeds are tiny and there are a lot of them in those seed packages, often many more than we need at any one planting. Avid gardeners collect seeds from other gardeners and even grab them off the...

Planting flowers is an easy way to brighten your garden and soothe your soul. Many gardeners prefer to grow their flowers from seed, but choose to avoid using nonrenewable plastic seed flats....

Ground cover plantings control erosion, keep weeds at bay, hold in the soil's moisture and just generally improve the appearance of an expanse of land. Sometimes, though, an established ground...

Plastic fuel tanks have all but become the standard for small-engine gasoline containers. Holes can easily form in these vessels by an errant rock or an overzealous rodent. Unless the plastic tank...

Killing unwanted grass can seem like an insurmountable task. There are several methods you can utilize, including hiring a professional landscaping service to do the job for you. But before you...

Container gardens are an attractive and functional option for people with small yards or no yards at all. Manufactured planter pots can be expensive, and the ceramic ones are very heavy....

It is important to keep bugs out of firewood. Termites infesting your firewood could find their way into your home. To keep bugs out of firewood, prevention is your best option. Store firewood...

Raccoons are nocturnal mammals that scavenge for food and often seek warm shelter during cold weather. If you have discovered one or more raccoons living in your home's crawl space, they will set...

A freeze occurs when temperatures fall below 32 degrees F. Depending on your climate, frost can form on your vegetable garden plants in spring and fall, causing serious damage. Radishes, lettuce,...

Many garden plants are sensitive to the frost and if they aren't protected, the frost can kill or hurt tender plants. If you can spare your plants during those nights of frost, you can prolong...

When trees and grass occupy the same piece of land, they compete for the water and nutrients in the soil. Because there are generally more grass roots than tree roots, the trees may not grow...

Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) can be a beautiful ground cover around trees and in gardens, but it can be very invasive and spread quickly through your garden and lawn. Lily of the...

Making a simple and efficient greenhouse for your indoor plants can be done easily with a few materials. Whether you are starting seedlings or cultivating your tropical plants to have them...

Composting is a great way to reduce the amount of garbage you send to the landfill, and while some may imagine compost bins must be messy and smelly, nothing could be further from the...

Adirondack furniture is named for the area in which it originated. Adirondack chairs were created around 1900 in Westport, New York, near the Adirondack Mountains. The chairs are loved and...

Restoring faded plastic garden chairs is a fun and easy project. It is a great beginner DIY project. Using specialty paints will give your faded plastic garden chairs a fresh, new look which can...

According to the Green Chronicle, garden trugs began life in Anglo Saxon times, when the vessels were carved from wood and resembled the Saxon's round coracle boats. Because the trugs were very...

This article teaches you how to most efficiently rake your yard. You want to make sure that you buy a wide thick plastic rake as the flimsy ones have a tendency to break. This a manual job that is...

Growing fruits and vegetables in your own garden can be very rewarding. It can also be challenging, especially when trying to keep your plantings free of weeds. Fortunately, black plastic sheeting...

Weeds can be more than a nuisance for even the most casual of gardeners. They can make flower beds look ugly, block vegetable plants from getting light and generally ruin locations where they...

If hard-to-kill weeds are overpowering your lawn or driveway, use clear plastic sheeting to destroy them. The process takes a little time, but in a few weeks, the area will be weed-free. The...

Sand casting a bird bath for your garden or lawn can be a fun and relatively easy weekend project that will last for years to come. You will need to gather up some supplies and decide on a design...

Hanging baskets filled with plants or flowers are a great way to make the most of limited outdoor space. However, storing these baskets during cold winter months can be a challenge. If left...

Starting herb seeds indoors gives tender sprouts added protection until they can be transplanted to an outdoor herb garden. Whether you would like to grow herbs for culinary or medicinal purposes,...

In today's economy, we want to do everything we can to save money. Container gardening is an answer when you have a small area and you want to grow a lot of food.

Crabgrass is a type of perennial weed common throughout North America. The Digitaria sanguinalis, or hairy crabgrass, is one of the most common species encountered by gardeners. The weed is often...

A drip system is a convenient way to deliver water and moisture to plants throughout the day when you're not available to water them yourself. It can be beneficial during hot weather, when plants...

Hot peppers are easy to grow in a home garden and can be stored in a variety of ways. Store peppers for a short amount of time in your refrigerator, but for longer storage consider drying them....

Pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana) is a type of tall grass originally from South America but now grown throughout the United States. The grass is popular for ornamental purposes due to its large...

Azaleas are a popular spring shrub, often called "The Royalty of Flowers." They are hardy plants, requiring little help from gardeners once they are mature. Evergreen azaleas are also relatively...

Squirrels can cause damage to the home and lawn. Not only do squirrels dig up lawns when burying and retrieving nuts and seeds, they also feed on garden plants and vegetables, and sometimes even...

Planting a lawn from seed is an attractive option for many do-it-yourself landscapers because it is less expensive and labor intensive than purchasing and hauling in rolls of sod. Growing grass...

Keeping grass out of your flower beds requires a little effort on your part. A hard plastic barrier, more commonly known as landscape edging, keeps out invading grasses and provides a quick way to...

The delicate blooms of impatiens lining a walkway or spilling out of a pot are a sure sign of spring in many parts of the United States. Impatiens, which are typically grown as annuals, thrive in...