Garden & Lawn

A waterfall is a wonderful addition to any garden or pond, but the effect can be ruined by dirty, cloudy, or algae-choked water. Adding plants to your water feature is a great way to provide...

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....

The addition of vibrant flowers beautifies any area of your house or yard. The only problem is that, once planted or placed in a vase, they tend to only last a few days. But by taking a few extra...

Barring building a fortress around your house, or your kiddie pool, keeping mosquitoes at bay during the summer months could be a challenge. The key to successfully eliminating mosquitoes from...

High water bills during the summer months are common due to lawn and garden watering. If you cringe when you see an envelope from the water company, a rain barrel might ease the blow to your...

Water softeners use either sodium chloride or potassium chloride to remove minerals from hard water. Because they leave very little trace of sodium or potassium behind, it's OK to water a garden...

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,...

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...

From ancient times to modern gardens terracotta (literally earth baked) pots have been a favorite decorative planter among gardeners. Heavier than plastic pots, terracotta is less likely to be...

It is very frustrating to plant new grass seed only to see it wash away because of rain and soil erosion. The keys to growing grass are to keep the seeds in place until they take root and to help...

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,...

Roses are one of the most elegant and beautiful flowers. Most people not only like the beauty of roses, but the wonderful scent as well. Anyone with a garden wants to have beautiful roses in...

Have problems with the neighborhood dogs using your yard is their own personal bathroom? I know how frustrating that can be, however I also know some ways to stop it from happening ever again. In...

Bird baths come in many shapes and sizes, but all have one thing in common: they must be cleaned or birds may succumb to illness by using them. Cleaning your bird bath and keeping it cleaned...

Plant cuttings are an easy and inexpensive way to add new specimens to your garden without spending a fortune. And if your friends, family or neighbors have plants you admire, starting a cutting...

Soil that is high in both salt and sodium is considered to be saline-sodic soil. This type of soil might occur naturally or unnaturally though the impact of human gardening and farming practices.

Rye grass is a popular grass that makes for luxurious lawns. Rye grass generally requires little maintenance, although it does require some at certain times of the year. The best time to plant rye...

Dursban granules are a wide spectrum insecticide used to control many different species of outdoor pests. The chemical makeup of Dursban is toxic and should never be used on food bearing plants...

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,...

Gardeners often struggle to keep their gardens and yards healthy when water is restricted. Many times, water is restricted to just certain times of the day; however, sometimes during water...

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...

Water grass is a general term used to describe a wide variety of grassy weed species. It thrives in a wet environment. Some species grow in water, while others thrive on soggy ground and lawns....

Mosquitoes are six-legged flying insects that feed on blood, both from animals and humans. No one wants to deal with these pesky insects. Even though they inject a numbing agent when they bite,...

Sandy soil is composed of large, coarse, rapidly-draining particles. Clay soil is made up of fine particles, which when compacted, causes soil to become waterlogged. A grower who knows the...

Epsom salts are widely available at pharmacies because of their usefulness as a bodily cleanser. Soaking in Epsom salt is recommended to treat numerous conditions and strengthen your natural...

Mold thrives in areas of grass that receive lots of water and not enough sunlight. Mold comes in many different varieties and colors. The first step to getting rid of mold in grass it to create an...

Arizona is an arid environment that has a year-round growing season. Planting grass in Arizona can be tricky, according to Jeff Greenbloom at Richard's Garden Center in Arizona. You need to choose...

Aloe is a very good plant to grow. It has many medicinal purposes, is relatively easy to care for and can be grown both outdoors and indoors. If you like hummingbirds, this is also a plant which...

Honeysuckle is not only a beautiful plant, but it has a very sweet scent that many enjoy having in their garden. It is a great plant to enhance the scents around your home and it is very hardy! ...

Water lilies are a beautiful aquatic flower, great for shallow ponds or aquatic gardening. They are also a very hardy plant that is difficult to accidentally kill and requires little effort on...

Black mold, which is formally called Strachybotrys atra, has a green and black color. Black mold can grow just about anywhere, including inside and outside. Black mold grows best in areas that are...

You can water your plants midday and it will not harm your plants. It is not true that midday watering is bad for your plants and will scorch or burn the plant. If your plant or lawn is suffering...

Paper wasps are predators and help rid a garden and home of pests. When wasps build their nests too close to a home, though, it can lead to stings. These are not only painful but potentially...

Grass can make for a beautiful lawn and complement a home garden, but if you have grass creeping up into unwanted areas, it can be a nuisance. Sometimes grass has a way of sprouting up between...

Epsom salt is a good source of magnesium and sulfate to help turn the lawn green. It can aid the lawn's ability absorb phosphates and nitrogen, two important nutrients for a healthy and happy...

Healthy soil with proper drainage is an important part of the successful home garden. The type of soil and amount of drainage will directly affect the type of plants that will thrive and grow in...

Green bean seeds are notorious for their low germination rates. Because they're more difficult to germinate in soil than other seeds, they often rot or mold before they start producing plants....

A drip irrigation system (also called micro irrigation) trickles water where you need it rather than all over. In other words, it saves you money and puts less of a strain on the local water...

Your lawn is the first thing someone sees when coming over so be sure to make the right impression with a healthy green lawn. A burned or scorched lawn is grass that has become brown or withered,...

Hard water is responsible for leaving lime deposits on bird baths. The mineral-rich water flows into the bath and when it evaporates, the mineral deposits are left on that surface, leaving an...

Although you may enjoy soft water for bathing and other household uses, it's not good for your lawn and garden. Hard water contains magnesium and calcium, which counteracts any sodium found in the...

Ponds and waterfalls add a beautiful and formal touch to just about any garden setting. The glistening water provides a focal-point for your yard and invites guests to relax while enjoying the...

Ponds add tasteful decorative touches to many backyard environments. Crystal-clear water with beautiful fish swimming about invites relaxation and meditation to all who visit your home. In spite...

Rockwool is a mixture of melted rock and sand that has been spun into thread and compressed into different shapes, the most popular being large bricks. It also comes in small cubes that are used...

An all natural insecticide that works on veggie gardens or flowers and bushes and trees.

Stop mosquitoes before they become biting adults.

Petunias are annual flowers that come in many colors, including pink, purple, yellow, white and red. Some species even have dual-colored blooms as a result of cross-breeding. Petunias are one of...

Soaking is a common method use to determine which seeds in a given batch are viable and which are not. Soaking may also reveal the presence of parasites in the seeds or rancid seeds. Although...

Agapanthus africanus is more commonly called the African blue lily or the lily of the Nile. The plant is actually a native of South Africa, quite a distance from the Nile, but it does sport blue...

Sometimes watering your garden can be the most difficult or time-consuming aspect of gardening. To simplify this process and make your garden run easier, find a nearby stream with a constant flow...