Garden & Lawn

Since the victory gardens of WWI and WWII, food gardeners have known that the time their garden requires is well worth the effort. Planting a garden at your private residence is a healthy,...

New lawns can be started by laying sod squares, or by growing new grass plants from seed. Growing a new lawn from seed is cheaper than sod, although the lawn takes longer to become established. If...

A weeping willow tree is a lovely addition to any home lawn or garden. Planting a weeping willow near a septic area in your lawn is not a problem, as the weeping willow does very well in moist...

An old wheelbarrow can go from eyesore to charming centerpiece in your garden when converted into a planter. Wheelbarrows function as movable planting boxes, broadening your planting possibilities...

A pH value reflects the acidity of a substance. Neutral is a pH of 7. Values below 7 correspond to acidic solutions, while basic solutions have pH above 7. Soil pH is an important factor that...

The Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) is a carnivorous plant native to North Carolina. This plant has adapted to low-nutrient conditions by evolving its leaves to attract, trap and digest animal...

Clay soil holds water even when completely drained and is sticky. It is a heavy soil, containing minerals, clay, silt, sand, water and air. Clay soil is found throughout the US, but is most...

Vegetable gardening can be a rewarding hobby, with a payoff of fresh produce at the finish line. Gardening doesn't require a large financial investment, but you do need to consider what plants...

Gardening can be done either in the ground or in a container with soil. Plants grown in containers are often set on tables both indoors and outdoors. Many people grow vegetables inside their home...

Grapes are hardy and versatile plants. There are many varieties, each one preferring different conditions, so most gardeners can find one that will grow well in their area. The vines are...

Ivy is a lush plant that can be found around the world. It's naturally a climber, which means it's quick to cover both the ground and the walls it grows near. But when green ivy is tamed, it can...

Mole plants are one way to combat moles and the tunnels they create in your lawn or garden. These tunnels compromise the structural integrity of the soil, making it sink and killing the plants...

Clay soil is heavy, doesn't drain well and easily compacts around plant roots. While it's easy to break it up and amend it each year in annual flower and plant beds, in perennial beds there is...

Rye grass is a hardy grass seed that can survive in many different climates and adverse conditions. In higher altitudes, it can be used as a tall-growing pasture grass. When rye grass is mixed...

Epsom salt is one of the easiest and cheapest fertilizers to use for a garden. It is primarily made up of magnesium and sulfur, which are important for seed germination and chlorophyll production,...

Pesky little gnats flying around your plants? Are there tiny, narrow slime trails crisscrossing your plant's soil? If so, fungus gnats have taken up residence in your potted plants. Fungus gnats...

Bahia is a warm season grass that is drought resistant. It's a good choice as it can survive in many soil types and resists insects and disease. It can be planted any time in the growing season....

Planting winter vegetables allows gardeners to grow produce beyond the spring and summer months. If you live in the mid-southern region of the United States, you can grow everything from kale and...

A St. Augustine grass lawn can be grown by seeding, planting plugs or laying sod. Installing sod is the quickest way to establish a lawn, but it's also the most expensive. It is therefore very...

Fertilizing is an essential part of raising a successful vegetable garden. Since plants rely on a variety of minerals and nutrients to support vibrant growth, getting the right blend to the roots...

Bean seeds are easily germinated when provided with the right environment. If you already have a seed that is split open, revealing a small sprout, then the germination work is basically done for...

One of the best gardening secrets has always been soil additives. Some gardeners have their own formulas for creating the best gardens using mulch, compost and fertilizers. However, there are some...

Many varieties of flowers have tiny seeds and are difficult to start.Here is an easier way to start them.

Gardening can be one of the most relaxing activities. You can grow almost anything depending on your climate. Maybe you want to grow some vegetables in your garden, or maybe you wish to plant a...

By opening up your ground to allow higher rates of seed infiltration, you can achieve higher rates of successful germination. The most important aspect of generating these high rates is to achieve...

Privet hedges are easy to grow. They will quickly fill in and give you a thick hedge of greenery. Some countries such as Australia have outlawed growing privet hedges because they grow like weeds....

Healthy, nutrient-rich organic soil is the most important factor in growing a vigorous, prolific garden. Building up garden soil is a time-consuming process, sometimes taking several years until a...

After a winter of family pets using the garden or backyard as a porta-potty, the yard may be quite odorous by spring. Skunks that are attracted to gardens may also leave their scent behind. This...

Soil blocks are a method to grow seedling plants. They remove the need for a container--such as pots--and allow the plants to germinate in a small space. Seed blocks are also useful for...

The soil your lawn is planted in directly affects the health of your turf. For most grass types, your soil should have a pH level of between 6.5 and 7.0, which is slightly acidic. You'll also want...

Rye grass is a wonderful grass seed from which to grow hay. Aside from being a hardy grass, rye grass is strong, resilient and animals love it. Starting the rye grass hay from seedlings can, at...

Blueberry bushes make up a large family of fruiting bush with species growing both above the Arctic Circle and well into the humid southern reaches of North America. Blueberries are related to...

Dusty Miller is a lovely, pale green plant with soft, branching, fern-like stems that can grow a foot or more in a good season. If you don't want to buy new each year, here's how to overwinter...

Fennel looks like a white bulb at the base with green stalks protruding from the top. Used a lot in Italian cuisines, fennel is crunchy with a bit of a sweet taste and can be found in other...

Laying sod over bare soil allows you to enjoy a full, mature lawn instantly. Sod is grown and harvested at grass farms, then cut and delivered to garden and home improvement stores; you can also...

Once believed to be a delicacy reserved for special occasions, asparagus has become as commonly grown throughout Australia as peas and carrots. Exports of Australian asparagus are sold in...

Sod is a mat of mature grass, grass roots and about 1/2 inch of top soil. Laying sod is a fast and fairly easy way to grow a full, healthy lawn in a much shorter amount of time than sowing seed....

For best results for your garden, soil testing is recommended. Soil testing can provide useful information such as pH and nutrient content. These measurements can guide plant selection decisions....

Hard clay soil is heavy and tightly compacted, and growing most plants, trees or gardens in this type of soil is nearly impossible. Because hard clay soil packs together so tightly, water and...

Mold is a type of fungi growing in lawns that receive a lot of water and not enough sun. A lawn ruined by mold requires immediate and aggressive treatment. The first step in fixing a lawn infested...

Aerating a lawn involves removing small plugs of grass and soil from the ground. This lawn maintenance procedure should be completed once or twice a year. Spring or fall are ideal times for...

Shucking pecans without gloves allows the yellow sap to oxidize on hands and turn them dark brown or black. Unfortunately while you can lighten the the shade of the stain by using an abrasive like...

A tensiometer is a tool used for measuring moisture in soil. It lets gardeners and growers know when the soil needs water. As the soil dries out, water is removed from the tensiometer. Likewise,...

Nematodes are slender, translucent, unsegmented roundworms measuring roughly 1/50 of an inch or less. Nematodes can be beneficial by attacking troublesome garden insects, or they can damage...

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...

Herbs are generally easy to grow and relatively hearty given proper growing conditions, growing medium, light, water and nutrients. Fresh herbs are ideal for use in culinary endeavors or for...

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,...

Soil contains nitrogen, potassium, organic matter, particles and minerals. Soil analysts isolate these elements using touch, extraction and suspension methods. Elemental deficiencies and...

Have you been wanting to find a way to recycle things such as leftovers? Leaves and other things such as that? Well if you are really trying to go green making an organic compost pile is a great idea.

Composting is a great way to get rid of excess yard waste and kitchen scraps without adding to the landfill or polluting the air with smoke from burning leaves. Not only is it the environmentally...