home sectionhome sectionSoaker hoses are garden hoses with perforations all along their length that allow water to drip slowly. They can be placed around trees or shrubs, or along planted beds, so that water will seep into the soil gradually and reach the plant roots efficiently. Soaker hoses save water and time, and deliver water to plants where they need it. They must be laid flat and kept free of kinks. A few inches of light mulch will help retain moisture and protect the soaker hose from ultraviolet rays, so it will last longer.
A broken sprinkle head can cost you a lot of money in unnecessary water use each month. Repair sprinkler heads with help from a seasoned home improvement expert in this free video clip.
A lattice trellis makes a really great landscaping tool if utilized properly. Landscape with a lattice trellis with help from a landscape designer in this free video clip.
Growing Tillandsia Cyanea requires the right tools and just the right environment. Grow Tillandsia Cyanea with help from an experienced professional gardener in this free video clip.
Removing and transplanting raspberries requires a few key tools and a little bit of know how. Remove and transplant raspberries with help from a longtime gardener and blogger in this free video clip.
When planting with a cutting from a blueberry tree, you're going to want to make sure that you take that cutting in just the right way. Take a cutting from a blueberry true with help from a longtime gardener and blogger in this free video clip.
Wisteria plants are species of flowering vines that grow native in the eastern United States, Japan, China and Korea. A properly cared for wisteria plant grows several feet in height and width per year. To propagate wisteria, take a cutting from a vine on a healthy wisteria plant and encourage it to grow roots before planting it in soil. To root a wisteria in water, you must provide the plant with ideal growing conditions.
A loss of water pressure in the water main that supplies your home can result in backflow or siphoning. The pressure loss causes fixtures like the faucet on your laundry tub to suck water back into the pipe system, potentially mixing dirty water with clean. Protecting your home’s water supply is as simple as installing a backflow preventer or vacuum breaker on your laundry tub faucet.
Working with watercolors requires you to have some very important tools at the ready. Learn about tools to use with watercolors with help from an experienced visual artist in this free video clip.
At last you own that free-flowing bag of water your parents were violently opposed to ever darkening their doorstep. Your waterbed sloshes and simulates the incoming tide each time you roll over or get out of bed. When the day comes that your bed springs a leak because you fell asleep with keys in your pocket, you can spring into action with homemade patches to fix the leak. However, even the most loyal of waterbeds wear out one day, and there’s a point when you have to say goodbye to your old waterbed. A mattress that is more than a…
Programming means more than typing away furiously at your keyboard and filling your screen with a specified language's syntax. The actual process of constructing code comes towards the end of the process of finding the solution to a given problem or need. That problem's algorithm is a sequence of instructions that will solve the problem. A number of tools exist to help convert the algorithm to the final program.
The term “hose bib” is a generic term covering boiler drains, wall faucets, wall hydrants and sillcocks, the name plumbers use for a faucet mounted on an exterior wall. A sillcock or wall faucet is a common source of water for lawns and gardens. A sillcock has a 3/4-inch threaded exterior. This is the male part of the hose bib connection. The female connection has matching interior threads and screws over the male threads. Lengths of hoses are similarly connected by hose bibs. A garden hose typically has a male connection on one end and a female connection on the…
Glory bush, known scientifically as Tibouchina, is a family of more than 350 flowering plants. It grows in United States Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 and 11, as well as most of Central and South America. To propagate glory bush with the highest rate of success, you must take stem clippings from a healthy, established plant. With proper care, the glory bush clippings grow roots and are ready to plant in a few months. Wait until late spring to take clippings off the glory bush for the best rooting chances.
Felling large trees requires precision and care, otherwise serious injury can result. It's best to always have help on hand in case an accident does occur. It's vital to understand the proper cuts to improve the safety and success of tree cutting. A hinge cut, or undercut, guides the tree so it falls in the direction desired. The control provided by this cut allows you to successfully fell a tree by controlling its fall.
A leaf rake will definitely come in handy, especially as leaves fall of the trees in the fall time of year. Use a leaf rake with help from an expert with over two decades of experience working in Garden Centers in this free video clip.
A shrub rake is the perfect tool to make your yard look exactly the way you want it to. Use a shrub rake with help from an expert with over two decades of experience working in Garden Centers in this free video clip.
A round point shovel is a tool so versatile it needs to be in every gardner's arsenal. Use a round point shovel with help from an expert with over two decades of experience working in Garden Centers in this free video clip.
Bonsai shears can come in handy in a wide variety of different garden-related circumstances. Use bonsai shears with help from an expert with over two decades of experience working in Garden Centers in this free video clip.
An Appalachian hoe is a great tool to have at your disposal during your yard work. Find out how to use an Appalachian hoe with help from an expert with over two decades of experience working in Garden Centers in this free video clip.
A gravel rake is a specially designed tool used to rake tougher materials than just leaves or grass. Find out how to use a gravel rake with help from an expert with over two decades of experience working in Garden Centers in this free video clip.
A winter storm blew through, leaving snow on your driveway and shoveling is out of the question. Although there are several ways to get rid of snow and ice without shoveling, you have to decide the best method for your use. Regular application of some ice melter might cause damage over the long-term. Consider factors such as what materials are used in the driveway area, and plant location.
You probably don’t enjoy moving your garden hose from the garden shed or garage to the outdoor faucet just to water the lawn, and leaving the hose out can be a blight on your otherwise beautifully landscaped yard. You can have the best of both worlds by cleverly hiding your garden hose, along with your sprinkler, inside or behind items that normally might not be used for a hose.
Installing a fire sprinkler system itself is not a requirement of all homes, but it is available as an option to homeowners for additional safety in the event of a fire. The International Residential Code dictates the placement of sprinklers in relation to many parts of the room, even the air supply registers. The minimum distance from an air register to the sprinkler depends on the type of heating, ventilation and air conditioning system you have and the location of the register.
The evergreen tree family has many members, including the juniper tree. With regular and careful pruning, a juniper tree should stay healthy and vibrant for years. Although not recommended, you might need to cut off the top of a juniper tree if it interferes with power lines or building structures near the tree. After topping off the central leader of the juniper tree, you will have to train a new leader to avoid excessive growth that could disfigure the tree.
Wheelbarrows are multi-use tools that make a variety of other household tasks easier to perform. Wheelbarrows allow you to lift and carry more weight and material than you could ever do by hand, they serve as a great concrete mixing platform, and can even be used as a table on which lunch is served once the job is finished. The process of making your own wheelbarrow can be a straightforward one, as long as you keep it simple and use the right tools.
Exceptionally resilient, anthracnose can survive in the soil for up to nine months without any plant hosts, according the University of California. A fungal disease, anthracnose occurs predominately in the eastern United States. During the winter, the fungus survives in the soil; when wet spring weather arrives, the fungus reproduces. It flourishes when the temperature hovers between 75 to 85 degrees F. Soil solarization has been shown to effectively kill anthracnose, so you can safely cultivate the area.
Ripping a hole in a Dyson vacuum cleaner's hose can occur in a number of ways, including stretching the hose too far or catching it on a sharp object. Although replacing the hose restores the vacuum cleaner to its optimal working condition, the new hose is an unnecessary expense. Instead, fix the hose's tear with a homemade solution that prolongs the life of the vacuum cleaner. The hose may need replacement eventually, though.
A push snow shovel is a standard tool for any home that exists in a temperate or colder environment. While there are more effective ways to remove snow, nothing is as reliable in a pinch as a basic push snow shovel. By building your own, you create something that is easily reparable and can be build to your own standards. Push snow shovels require treated wood that is attached using galvanized hardware to protect them from long-term water and mineral damage. After mastering the basic fabrication technique, it is possible to create an arsenal of push snow shovels in various…
Also known as a horse apple, bois-d’arc and a hedge apple tree, the osage-orange tree (Maclura pomifera) is named for its unusual, 4- to 6-inch round fruit. The tree’s name hails from the smell of the inedible, ripened fruit and the Osage tribe, which prized its hardwood for making archery bows. Today, the tree is found throughout USDA zones 5A through 9A and is used to create densely planted hedgerows and wind breaks. It’s also used as an inspect repellent and continues to be prized for its hardwood. If you do not want a tree that produces fruit, choose a…
One of the keys to working effectively on a physically demanding job is to find ways to do things safely and with the minimal expenditure of time and energy. Moving a heavy wheelbarrow from one elevation to another represents one of the more physically demanding tasks on any site. The way to make this task easier is to install a hoist system that will allow you to just lift the wheelbarrow directly up. You can purchase expensive systems for doing this, but you can easily and less expensively make your own.
A properly set sprinkler head allows you to walk along the sidewalk past the sprinkler without getting soaked. It also distributes water efficiently throughout your lawn. A sprinkler head has three adjustment points: the left stop, the right stop and the spraying distance. The left stop determines the angle where the sprinkler stops spraying on the left, and the right stop determines the angle where the sprinkler stops spraying on the right. The sprinkler's spraying distance adjusts the distance the water shoots by adjusting the length of the sprinkler head.
Soaker hoses and drip hoses are garden watering methods that are more efficient and eco-friendly than the traditional sprinkler. Soaker hoses have thousands of tiny holes along their length that allow water to seep out into the surrounding soil. Drip hoses have water emitters spaced out that allow water to seep out at those spots only, not along the whole length of the hose. Converting a soaker hose to a drip hose requires forcing water to seep out only at certain sections.
Softubs are an inexpensive, user-friendly alternative to traditional spas. The Softub instructional manual recommends draining and cleaning the unit at least two to three times a year. It’s also advisable to drain the tub before winterization and storage. Skip the specialized siphons and use your garden hose to safely and effectively remove the water from your Softub, no matter where it’s set up.
Garden decorations are as varied as the gardens and the people decorating them. Some garden decorations have themes, such as a farmer theme with little wooden silhouettes of a farmer and his wife and a little wooden wheelbarrow. A wheelbarrow is a simple machine that moves heavy objects from one place to another in a bucket on a wheel. A mini wooden wheelbarrow can be used as a small planter or a movable tool holder while gardening.
You use a rake rafter when you are framing a roof on a building. The rake rafters overhang past the length of the building to allow the roof to overhang past the edge of the building. Trimming rake rafters only takes a few minutes and is easier to do before you install the rafter. You can accomplish trimming the rake rafter if it is installed as long as it hangs past the roof or if you have not yet installed the roof.
When it comes to large home construction projects such as building a house or garage or undertaking large-scale landscaping like installing a pool, you need heavy-duty tools. An excavator, one such tool, possesses the ability to move large quantities of earth in a short period of time. Various types of excavators exist, including shovel and backhoe. These two differ primarily in their scooping capabilities, though they also commonly appear in different uses and types of spaces.
Fire sprinkler systems are “instant firefighters,” according to the Residential Fire Safety Institute. They are on duty 24 hours every day to extinguish fires by using sprinkler heads, or valves, that release water when they sense heat. To calculate sufficient flow that is needed from a sprinkler head to extinguish a fire, engineers use a mathematical equation to determine the k-factor, or coefficient of discharge.
If you have purchased a General Electric fridge from 1940, odds are it is low on freon. Freon – the gas used to cool older fridges – leaks out slowly when a fridge is not used for a long period of time. Unless the machine has been running continuously for 70-plus years, freon will be low, if not gone entirely. The process of putting the freon back in is known as “charging” the fridge. Luckily, this is easier on older fridges, like the 1940 GE models, since the access you need is not covered by back panels.
Nelson is one of the first U.S. manufacturers of lawn and garden sprinklers, in the watering industry since 1911. Having a Nelson sprinkler system in your yard simplifies keeping your lawn green. You can set a timer and allow the system to do the job while you're sleeping or at work. However, sprinkler heads last only for a certain amount of time. They may become clogged, start leaking or stop spraying altogether. In some cases, you may need to dig up your Nelson sprinkler head in order to troubleshoot any issues.
Cermet is a hybrid material made of ceramic and metal used in various industrial applications, including those involving several specialized cutting tools. A cutting tool made of cermet used in metalworking is often just called a cermet. Cermets are particularly useful for finishing hard materials such as tool steel because in many cases they last longer than cutting tools made of just metal or ceramic. A cermet would typically be used in an industrial lathe in a metalworking shop that produces tools or other products requiring very high material tolerances. The term "turn" in the context of metalworking means to…
When winter storms arrive, you might find your steps covered in ice and snow, posing a safety risk to your family. Removing snow from your yard and steps can be back-breaking, but it can be accomplished with snow blowers or shovels. When it comes to icy steps, the task becomes more complicated. Physically removing it by chipping or pounding poses a risk of damaging your stairs.
Pop-up oscillating sprinklers are convenient because they retract into the ground, which saves space and prevents damage to the sprinkler head. However, from time to time it may be necessary to adjust the spray direction of the sprinkler head. There is no need to call a landscaper because you can adjust the sprinkler head on your own, and it can be done in a matter of minutes.
Thick, healthy lawns encourage backyard barbecues, bare toes and impromptu football games. Over time, however, even these well-loved lawns can become thin, patchy and downright ugly. Reseeding is the last step to your lawn's rejuvenation, but reseeding alone won't restore your backyard. Reseeding begins with the right tools to clear out thatch -- the layer of dead stems, roots and rhizomes of old grass -- and to improve the soil structure. These tools speed your lawn's return to health and your return to backyard living.
Cement is an ingredient in concrete, which is a mixture of cement and several other materials, including sand and gravel. When building a deck, concrete must be used. Concrete decks are an economical, low-maintenance alternative to traditional wood decks and patios. Apart from being more durable and longer lasting, concrete stands up better to the elements and won't rot like wood does. A concrete deck can become the centerpiece for all your outdoor entertaining events, such as barbecues and garden parties.
The sprinkler heads on any automatic system need to be level to deliver water evenly over the surface of your lawn. Having a crooked sprinkler head can lead to brown or dead spots on your grass that don't receive enough water, or pooling of water in areas that become oversaturated with water. Understanding more about how to properly install sprinkler heads will help with the final leveling process.
Nelson is a subsidiary company of Bosch, a German manufacturer of home and automotive products. Nelson has been in the lawn-watering business since 1911. The Nelson rotary sprinkler is typically part of a lawn-watering system that includes underground water pipes and sprinklers installed throughout your lawn at various locations. The Nelson rotary sprinkler delivers a circular spray pattern that is adjustable to fit your lawn-watering needs.
Large trees bring beauty, shade and structure to home landscapes but always grow with specific considerations. They require regular food and watering, with pruning for maintenance and shaping. Trees that go without pruning become top-heavy and unstable and may develop widowmakers — unstable limbs and branches. Widowmakers are so named for their tendency to fall without warning, killing the men below. Trim these limbs out when you see them to avoid a dangerous situation.
Getting to know a boiler is essential for proper water flow and energy conservation. Becoming familiar with your boiler involves identifying the open and close procedures for various zones. Radiant Floor Company notes that standard boilers come equipped with at least two zones — a fill zone and a release zone — suited for filling the boiler with water and draining water. Air may also become trapped in the tank, for example, causing pressure disruptions. Nevertheless, turning off one zone at a time is key.
Conifers include pine, fir, spruce, arborvitae, junipers and many other evergreen trees. These trees can be affected by fungus, diseases and other pests that can damage the needles and wood of the evergreens. Some of these afflictions can bring about the untimely death of the trees if they aren't adequately addressed.
In a large, open space, cutting down a tree is often as easy as cutting through its trunk with a chain saw and standing back as the tree falls. In an enclosed, tight area, the process of cutting down a tree becomes more complicated. If you have a tree you need to cut down but lack the space for it to fall, you will need to employ a few tools and some industriousness.
