Zero-turn mowers are enjoyable and can make cutting the yard fun. The mower operates on a hydro transmission that works the right and left sides of the mower separately. Gravely mowers are one of those zero-turns that have been around for over 100 years.

Mosquitoes are attracted to light, and they also love water. A glistening water feature in full sun, like a bird bath, is a mosquito's paradise. It has many of the ideal conditions for these pests to lay their eggs, so a bird bath will quickly attract them.

A vegetable garden will struggle to thrive if it is constantly under attack by animals and pests. Of course, deer, squirrels, rabbits, and groundhogs will find your vegetable garden enticing. That doesn’t mean you are doomed to have animals eat your vegetables. We have compiled several tips on how to keep animals out of your vegetable garden.

One great way to deter skunks from entering and spraying in your yard is to install outdoor motion sensor lights. Skunks are nocturnal animals, which means they do most of their moving around at night. Motion-sensor outdoor lighting tends to startle nocturnal animals and usually makes them want to head elsewhere.

Raccoons don’t build elaborate nests. Instead, they look for well-equipped shelters and then call them home. Hollowed-out trees and crawl spaces under decks and sheds are all ideal homes for these animals.

Changing the garage door is often a big part of the puzzle if you’re converting your garage to a finished space. One switch you might consider is to replace a garage door with French doors. But is that a viable option?

The daylily is a beautiful flower that is surprisingly resilient. It can grow in various soils, from sandy, well-drained soil to denser dirt types. It can also survive in salty conditions, which makes it an ideal flower to grow along the coast.

Your trusted and reliable Briggs and Stratton engine is showing signs of trouble.  You have noticed gas leaking around the air filter.  You begin to wonder if it is time to replace that old engine with a new one.

When revamping your home by adding outdoor living space, you’ll need to choose the best materials for the job. In the realm of heavy-duty lumber, pressure-treated wood is standard for decks, patios, and garden spaces.

Life in a big city can be overwhelming. That’s why, over the years, more and more people begin to consider moving to a smaller town.

Creating pathways outside your home can inspire both practical and whimsical journeys, depending on how they are designed. No matter what your vision, the odds are there will be a point you realize one of your outdoor walkways could use some additional lighting. As you prepare to purchase pathway lights for your home, you are bound to ask yourself how many pathway lights you need, and how much space you should leave between each of them.

Having an outdoor gathering is commonplace in the spring and summer. After all, there is nothing quite like enjoying food, friends, and family with the sun shining overhead. Even if there is no rain in the forecast, it still helps to have some kind of overhead covering.

If your goal is to beautify your yard, there are certain things you cannot forget about. Sticking to a maintenance program will help and you should also consider de-cluttering your yard to give it a fresh look. Don’t forget about cultivating a new lawn because that can make a huge difference.

The first step to a successful vegetable garden is not wasting any time. As soon as it’s warm enough to get outside and garden, you should put on your boots, grab your gardening gloves, and get to work.

With grocery prices constantly rising and showing no signs of decreasing in the foreseeable future, it’s time for consumers to get more savvy. You might not be able to lower the prices where you shop, but there are still ways you can reduce your grocery bill. One great method to decrease your grocery spending is to grow more fruits and vegetables at home. When growing produce, the big question is, which plants should you grow to save the most money on your grocery bill?

Have you ever seen a large PVC pipe sticking out of the ground in your yard, and wondered what is that? Chances are you may have had to mow around one. We’re going to tell you exactly what those are, and how you can help make them less obvious.

Ryegrass was once primarily used as a source of food for grazing cattle, and it still is. Now, ryegrass is used for turf, ground cover, and to accentuate surrounding grasses or plants. With all of the practical uses for ryegrass, what are the main types and how do they differ?

Not having a driveway or having one that is too small to fit your needs, can be frustrating and limiting. Not only do you have little to no space to park, but it can also make accessing certain parts of the property a difficulty.

It can be frightening when it starts to rain and you remember that you have an extension cord outside. Water and electronics don’t mix, so it is rational to worry about your outdoor extension cord. So, can outdoor extension cords get wet?

Having a weedeater, also known as a trimmer, makes lawn care all the easier. Lawnmowers can only reach so many areas around the yard and the trimmer allows for precision trimming in those tough-to-reach areas.

There are tons of different types of bonsai trees. Just about any tree can be altered into a bonsai form. Therefore, there is not a universal growing condition that bonsais enjoy. There are, however, a few challenges to growing bonsai indoors.

It never hurts to invest in your lawn’s future when you consider the curb appeal that lush grass adds. Grass seeds goes a long way, so many homeowners hold onto grass seed for months or even years at a time. When the time comes to plant the old grass seeds, many homeowners wonder; how long does grass seed last?

A big part of the joy of composting is that you get to see your progress week after week. Unfortunately, this becomes much less rewarding during the winter, when organic matter decomposes more slowly. However, you can avoid many common winter composting pitfalls if you keep a few simple tips in mind.

Choosing the right paver or natural stone for your hardscaping project depends on a number of factors. Whether you’re a homeowner or a contractor, you must consider personal taste and available options to create a space that is both visually pleasing and functional. Flagstone and pavers have long been among the most popular choices when it comes to walkways, driveways, patios, and the like.

When you’ve had a riding lawnmower for so long, one thing you’ll start to notice is that it will get slower. When that happens, it will take longer to mow the yard, meaning that your machine is working less efficiently. If you have a hydrostatic mower, you might want to increase the speed so that you can get the job done in less time.

Dahlias are a beautiful perennial flower that can last for a long time if you properly care for them. They come in a variety of colors and are a lovely addition to any garden.

There are many different uses for a standard four-foot fence on your property. Whether you have livestock and pets on your property, or you want to keep your children from getting too close to the road, it’s important to have a sturdy fence on your side.

Creating a backyard oasis with a pool or hot tub is fun. But what if you want to get creative? Can you put a hot tub on a rooftop deck, or should you put it somewhere else? Here is what you need to know.

Pollinator gardens have risen in popularity over the last several years. Homeowners, gardeners, and conservationists alike have realized how important it is to nurture an ecosystem with pollinators. Understandably, many homeowners struggle with what to put in a pollinator garden.

A pergola is a wonderful and show-stopping outdoor structure that provide sshade and opulence. It also gives you additional usable space in your backyard. Most pergolas look lovely on their own, but a lot of these structures can benefit from a bit of plant life. While some people opt to garden along the borders of a pergola, to truly bring some charm and whimsy to your pergola, you should introduce a vine or creeping plant.

We all cut our grass in different ways. Some of us can get by with a traditional push mower while others use a riding lawn tractor. Whatever the case, there is a common problem that most of us have experienced before: a stuck rear wheel.

A pressure washer is a highly versatile tool that no homeowner should be without. The things that it can help you do are far-reaching and it will quickly become a favorite tool around the house. Unfortunately, things can and will go wrong from time to time.

So, you went to your friend’s house the other night for some backyard conversation and wine and fell in love with their yard. It was relaxing and comfortable, and those string lights in their trees were the perfect finishing touch. Now you want to hang string lights in your backyard, but you don’t have any trees.

Lawnmowers are a necessary investment for a homeowner or lawn care professional. They can save you a fortune compared to hiring a service, but mowers themselves are quite expensive. So, what are the most expensive lawnmowers?

When I first started writing for Upgraded Home, one of my first articles was about “she sheds.” She sheds are sheds that are made to be a woman’s lounge area in the garden. When you are making your own little shed hideaway, you need to make sure to use the right materials. This includes choosing the right kind of plywood for your shed floor. But, what should you use for flooring?

One of the most deadly reptiles in America is the rattlesnake. This snake is known for its shaking tail that makes a loud, rattling sound. The snake often makes this sound when an animal (or human) gets too close for its comfort.

Spider mites can wreak havoc on plants and even kill them. They can quickly turn your idyllic garden into a nightmare that is hard to recover from. Many homeowners struggle with how to get rid of spider mites.

The first thing you need to look for when shopping for an outdoor rug, or any rug for that matter, is the quality of the construction. It can be easy to gravitate toward beautiful colors, designs, and materials, but craftsmanship is key. 

Cars are ingeniously designed machines with numerous moving parts that need to work in unison to achieve efficient operation. If even one part isn’t working well, the performance of the whole vehicle will suffer. Unfortunately, there are times when fixing that lone problematic piece can be quite difficult.

Having a sprinkler system makes it easier to keep your lawn beautiful. But, when they go underground and do not come back up, they are not doing much good. What happens when you cannot find a sprinkler head that has gone underground?

Snake plants are a type of succulent, which makes them rather easygoing and low maintenance, especially when compared to other plants. This makes them a great choice for people who like plants but don’t necessarily have a green thumb.

If one thing is for sure, it’s that the weather is never certain. Just because it’s springtime doesn’t mean that you should start watering your yard. Use this as a guide to determine the best time to turn on your sprinkler system. 

Genovese basil is the most commonly grown variety of basil, especially in North America. It is a staple in Italian cooking, and it has a slightly sweet, and very fragrant classic basil flavor. It is known for its signature shiny leaves and typically grows up to 24 inches in height.

A drought is a nightmare for homeowners and communities, especially when they aren’t prepared. Droughts can disrupt the ecosystem, harm animals, and kill your garden and lawn that you worked hard to grow. Understandably, many homeowners struggle with how to prepare for a drought.

For those of us who live in colder climates, winter means one thing – plenty of snow for outdoor activities. Snow also means clearing sidewalks, steps, and driveways. As you get ready for the season, you may be wondering – can you use a snowblower on a gravel driveway?

Mold forms in terrariums because of excessive moisture and poor airflow. You can also accidentally introduce mold to your terrarium via contaminated rocks, plants, and decorations from a pet store. Mold is especially common in dark, stagnant terrariums that don’t get enough attention.

When winter gives way to spring, it’s time to clean up the outside for garden and barbecue get-togethers.  As you begin mowing unruly patches of grass, dead leaves, and the occasional twig, your lawnmower simply stops.  

Privacy fences and decorative fencing are all the rage these days. People value their landscaping and privacy more than ever, which means that fences are becoming very popular. One of the most popular types of fencing is fences made of vinyl.

Having the perfect lawn is a goal for many homeowners. Luscious green grass is a status symbol in many neighborhoods, but achieving a pristine lawn is a formidable challenge that isn’t for everyone. Whether you are sick of paying a high water bill or can’t dedicate the time required to maintaining healthy grass, sometimes it’s easier to give up on grass altogether. If you’re ready to say goodbye to your lawn, the first step is finding the best way to kill your grass.

A garage door that won’t close can cause frustration as well as leave your home vulnerable. The garage door sensors protect your family and your possessions in your garage and home. If you’re struggling with your garage door, first examine the sensors. 

Orchids are some of the most beautiful and magical blooming plants in the world. They thrive in seemingly unbelievable conditions, often enjoying the struggle to stay alive. There are thousands of varieties of orchids. They come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and every imaginable color combination. 

There are riding, push, and self-propelled mowers. There are mowers that self-bag, that have no bags, and that have built-in mulchers. There are high-powered and pricey riding mowers, and more affordable and basic pushing mowers, and seemingly a million different options for mowers in between. While having choices in mowers is a good thing, it also creates more potential for finding lawn tractor brands to avoid.

Green spaces are the future of our planet. Therefore, greens spaces and patios are getting more and more popular nowadays. Understanding the least expensive patio material will help you make well-informed decisions. So, you need to know how to invest in green spaces without spending too much money.

When it comes to a lawnmower’s performance, most owners focus on the crucial components, such as the blades and the engine. However, your tires can make a considerable difference in your mowing capabilities, so it can sometimes help to adjust them accordingly. One change that might be beneficial is to put larger wheels on your lawnmower.

Typically, when talking about riding lawnmowers, the most common elements to discuss are its horsepower, cutting capabilities, and turning radius. However, one other critical component is its weights. Chances are that you haven’t thought much about your mower’s weight (unless you had to transport it somewhere), but it matters.

Having a home with a backyard is a blessing. It allows you the opportunity to enjoy nature, peace, and tranquility, especially in the summer months. There are all sorts of leisure activities perfect for the backyard, including grilling, sunbathing, and reading. But if your backyard is near a busy street, your backyard tranquility might be stifled by irritating noises. While it is easy to block the sight of traffic, is it possible to reduce the traffic noise in your backyard?

Craftsman leaf blowers are great during the fall season, especially if you live in a very foresty area. If you have a Craftsman gas blower, you can expect it to be reliable. That’s why people tend to be pretty shocked when their blower suddenly won’t start. Worried that you will need to replace it? Don’t be. There are quite a few simple fixes for this surprisingly common problem.

Portland cement is commonly misunderstood as a specific brand of cement. However, it is actually a generic term that refers to the most common type of cement used around the world. Typically made from limestone, shells, clay, and silica sand, Portland cement is a fine powder that is the most basic ingredient used for making mortar, grout, stucco, and concrete.

No longer just for cars, garages have become multi-faceted in their usage. They are part storage, part workshop, part exercise room, and the list goes on.

Birds love to eat grass seed. If you’re planting it in your yard, you’ll need to take the proper precautions to deter birds so that your grass a chance to grow.