Search Results for: blog five clever landscape and gardening tips

Felling Trees and Catching Earthworms

Early last evening, my eldest son and I came home from his chess club and found that we couldn’t get down the driveway. I parked at the top and saw splayed across our path several trees that my husband had felled. We made our way around and over the lawn toward the house, only to be met with another felled tree blocking our path.Our course my son thought this was great fun, climbing over a tree on the ground. Fortunately, the three holly trees near the house were still in tact. So were a few other strong, healthy trees, so … Continue reading →

How to Have a Campfire in the Backyard

Having a cozy campfire in the backyard is a great way to have a low-cost and fun activity that can be adapted for kids or adults. Have a campfire as a family activity, or invite the neighbors and friends for a nice social gathering. The first thing you need to do when planning to have a campfire in the backyard is to know what the rules are for open burning and campfires in your town. Some areas allow free open burning of organic material (including wood), while others limit the time of year, time of day, the size of the … Continue reading →

The Four Types of Mowers

What kind of shape is your mower in these days? Is it time to upgrade to a new one? The first step is to decide which type of mower to buy. There are some new options to consider. Gas Powered Mowers and Tractors Gas powered mowers and tractors are the usual type of mower we think about when we think about mowers. The loud engines that can be heard on almost any Saturday in the suburbs is what we have come to expect. This type of mower is usually the practical choice if you have a large lawn to mow, … Continue reading →

Deer in the House

Did you happen to see that story today about a deer jumping through someone’s window and into their study? The homeowner, he lives in Michigan, simply opened the door so the deer, a six-point buck, could leave. While a deer crashing through a window and into someone’s home is not that common, I have noticed that there has been a lot of deer activity lately. Last year, we would be delighted if we would spot a deer or two off in the distance. This year, they practically knock on the door twice a day. Just looking out of my kitchen … Continue reading →

Five Little Grocery Shopping Tricks: Hide and Seek

Ooh, those clever, clever grocery stores. They have all sorts of subliminal tricks up their proverbial sleeves to make you part with as much of your money as they can. You might be surprised to learn that a lot of the shopping you do is a direct result of marketing, rather than your own well-thought-out shopping decisions. I have been sharing some of these little tricks that the stores pull on grocery shoppers. Now here is another one that I call hide and seek. The reasoning behind this one is simple. The longer you spend in the store and the … Continue reading →

Fall Planting “How To” on You Tube

If you are getting ready for your fall planting, you might want to check out You Tube. There are some great videos on there that can give you some how to help that is easy to see and understand. From choosing what to plant to how to prune and start your own plants, You Tube is a great resource. Here are some of my favorite fall planting “how to” videos. Horticultural Tip/Fall Planting If you need some tips about planting shrubs, this is a really useful video. It talks about everything from drainage to avoiding backfill soil on top of … Continue reading →

Pulling Out the Vinca

The ground cover at the front of our house is a mess. That is because I have been attacking it at the suggestion of my husband. You see, part of the ground cover is a lush covering of pacasandra. This pachysandra is in areas around our yard. To the right of the house as you are looking at it, the pachysandra is well established and looks great. To the far left of the house, the pacasandra also looks well. But in between, we have a problem. Vinca, another nice ground cover has started to take over, choking out the pachysandra … Continue reading →

Favorite Perennials: Hostas

Also see: Picking Perennials Favorite Perennials: Daylilies Favorite Perennials: Lambs’ Ear I admit that when I first saw Hostas growing happily in many a New England yard I did not care at all for them. Oh they looked fine for a while, the wide bushy plants that were pretty and leafy. But then, there was the long flower stalks that emerged from the plants, and there was just something about those stalks that didn’t appeal to me. Perhaps it is become they remind me too much of potato eyes, a thing that irrationally fears and repulses me. Since my first … Continue reading →

Things to Do Around Your Home in March

Are you feeling a little bit of spring fever? We’ll be officially leaving winter behind this month when spring arrives on the 20th. Here are some great ideas of things to do around your home in March. Put up a new bird feeder to welcome all of your feathered friends. You can check out the good selection of feeders at a home improvement store, or make a feeder on your own. If you needs some ideas, you can check out the following articles all about birds and bird feeders. Creating A Bird Book The National Great Backyard Bird Count Frugal … Continue reading →

Five Clever Landscape and Gardening Tips

It is never too early to start planning out your garden. Here are some great little tips that are both clever and practical. Strong trees and bushes To encourage strong new growth and hearty stems on your trees, bushes and evergreen plants, add these extras when planting. Dig your planting hole and then scatter the following” 10 unused match heads and 1 cup of epsom salts. Make your own sprinkler stand If you want to water a section of your garden while working on another task, use your spade as a makeshift stand. Just stick the spade into the soil … Continue reading →