Bees are one of the most important pollinators on the planet. Not only do these famous yellow and black insects give us delicious honey, but they also help many plants reproduce.

Not only is it possible to plant garlic before the first frost, but it’s the growing environment that garlic prefers. Colder soil helps promote clove growth in the plant and gives the plant a more developed and nuanced flavor. 

One of the main advantages to owning a lawnmower is the fact that you don’t have to rely on your own energy to propel the mower. Most modern lawn mowers are wireless, meaning they are outfitted with a lithium battery that must be charged in order to operate the mower. Meanwhile, other lawnmowers, such as riding mowers, have either a gas- or diesel-powered engine and a battery.

The average homeowner rushes to plant as many flowers as possible during spring and early summer. However, that’s not the only time of the year that plants can take root, bloom, and thrive. So, what are the best flowers to plant in late summer?

A Weed Eater can be an effective tool in the battle against overgrowth in your yard. Weed Eater makes an effective line of lawncare tools that can help you keep your yard looking the way that you want it to all year round.

Basil plants like soil that is constantly moist. Remember, moist does not mean spoaking wet. The ideal moisture level is similar to a wrung-out sponge. To achieve this, your basil should be watered moderately on a daily basis. 

If you have banana plants in your yard, then you know how quickly these tropical trees spread. Each banana plant can produce several bunches of tasty bananas each year. When they aren’t making fruit, these plants grow giant green leaves. In addition to being great to look at, you can use banana leaves in ways you may never have thought of.

Named for Russian Princess Anna Pavlovna, Royal Empress Trees are kind of a miracle. They grow at a rate unmatched by any other tree and don’t care a lick what kind of soil they’re in. Some classify them as exotic invasive plants. Others are awed by their unique beauty and grand presence. I’ll let you decide.

Riding lawnmowers can save some serious time and effort when it comes to lawn care. Troy-Bilt is known as one of the top riding mower manufacturers and is the choice of many homeowners. Sometimes, however, homeowners are left scratching their heads when their Troy-Bilt mower is not up to speed, literally.

Riding mowers make maintaining your lawn and outdoor areas much easier. They enable us to cut through large sections of tough grass without wearing ourselves out.

It’s no secret that hummingbirds can work wonders to pollinate the plants in your garden. These small, fast birds only serve to get rid of pests and make your plants grow to their full potential. So, which plants attract hummingbirds?

As the weather gets warmer, you’ll have to start mowing your lawn more frequently. Over time, wear and tear will cause the blades to wear down, which means that you have to replace them. However, one question that comes up during replacement is, “how do I know that the lawnmower blade is facing up?”

Nothing is more aggravating than needing a piece of equipment, and it does not work when you need it. The ending of winter can be colder with more snow than in the beginning. The snowblower is necessary to clear the walkways, and you find after pulling the pull rope, it will not retract.

The most obvious sign that you have moles in your yard is if you spot a mole. Moles are fairly easy to identify, as they often have tiny or no eyes. Their claws are also unique, in that they look like scoops or shovels, making them perfect to dig their tunnels. They also have a long pointed nose.

The key to a healthy lawn and garden is a reliable sprinkler system. There are a number of models out there today that can be easily attached to your garden hose and the majority of the work is done – all that may be required is for you to move the sprinkler to various locations around your lawn. For the ultimate convenience, you could consider installing an underground sprinkler system set on a timer to ensure even, efficient watering.

You may begin to notice moisture building up on your garage floor. This process is known as “sweating” and it can be a real nuisance that can make your flooring a slipping hazard and even leave the other portions of the structure damp.

The Sunshine State is one of the most popular places in America to visit, especially if you’re a fan of plant life. Palm trees, exotic flowers, and rare plants in the Everglades all make this place a horticulturist’s paradise. If you just moved to the area and want to start your own garden, you need to know what kind of soil you have. Thankfully, there’s a little research-filled guide you can refer to…ours!

A swimming pool can be a terrific investment due to the value it adds and just how useful it is. If you have a swimming pool at home, you can use it for exercising or cooling down during the summer. Unfortunately, there’s also a chance that your swimming pool may largely go unused.

Choosing the right setup for outdoor lighting can set the tone for someone’s first impression of your home. It can also set the tone for any time that you entertain friends and family, as long as you get it right. Many homeowners have asked themselves: how many lumens do I need for outdoor lighting?

Citrus trees are fantastic additions to your property. The blossoms smell fragrant and lovely in the breeze, and the fruit allows you to enjoy sweet, tangy, or sour fruit in abundance. But citrus thrives in warm climates and often dies off in a freeze. But if you live in an area where the temperatures dip below freezing every now and then, you might wonder if there are any citrus trees that can survive annual frosty conditions.

Possums have recently gotten a little bit of meme fame on the net, and we can see the appeal. They are creepy, albeit fairly cute at the same time. While they are adorable from afar, they are not the type of creatures you want to bring to your home. Trapping them can hurt them, so the better question to ask is how you can spook them away from your home.

If you are redesigning your outdoor space you have all sorts of decisions to make. There are endless ways to spruce up your outdoor living space, like building a deck, installing a hot tub, or even by purchasing a stunning fire feature. If you decide to purchase a fire feature, you may find yourselves at a crossroads between buying a fire pit of a chiminea. When it comes to chimineas and fire pits, many people often wonder what exactly the difference is and which option is better.

Outdoor patios add value to a home and are a perfect example of modern leisure. You can make your patio even more comfortable if you include a ceiling fan to help cool off on a hot day. So, what size ceiling fan do you need for an outdoor patio?

You can tell your compost is ready when it shrinks and becomes brittle. However, parts of the compost pile may not be done, such as sticks. That said, you can tell the majority of your compost is finished when it’s brittle and smells quite earthy.

One key factor to remember is that English gardens are inspired by gardens from more than a hundred years ago. In those times, everything in the garden was natural and often handmade. 

Manufactured housing is becoming a popular alternative for home buyers. Unless your manufactured home sits on a foundation, the space beneath the home can be problematic. Keeping the pipes from freezing under your mobile home is often challenging.

When it comes to gardening, we all want a landscape that not only looks beautiful but is also well taken care of. Mulch— no matter what kind— is necessary for a garden to flourish. Many gardeners are looking to lava rocks for their aesthetic and practical appeal.

Thompson’s WaterSeal offers a wide variety of deck sealers and stains. Applying sealers and paints to your deck will provide the necessary protection from both moisture and sunlight. The process for using a sealer or stain is not very technical, but can present some challenges.

One of the most important aspects of any home renovation or new home build is the landscaping. Whether you have a long walkway, a decorative driveway, a massive pool deck, or a small back porch, you’ll want to carefully consider what materials to use to make your landscaping stand out on the block. When it comes to outdoor design and decorating, travertine and brick are popular materials for both their visual appeal and practicality.

Climbing the steep hills on your property can get tiresome very quickly. You may be interested in solving the issue by building a staircase that eliminates the problem. If so, you’ve come to the right place.

Dairy products should never be added to your compost pile. For one, they tend to spoil and smell horrible after a while. This is particularly true when left outside in the sun. This scent can also attract animals.

Growing vegetables in a small garden can be beneficial. In addition to adding color to any garden, it can mean fresh vegetables to be used in the kitchen. It should not be surprising that one of the most popular garden vegetables are tomatoes.

Early spring and fall are the best times to move plants because of the weather and growth conditions. Plants are rarely in bloom during early spring and fall, so you are unlikely to harm them. Flowers are much more likely to go into shock and even die if you move them during the peak of spring and summer.

A sprinkler system is a great tool in helping to keep your lawn hydrated and beautiful. Through this seemingly complicated system, there’s the convenience of having to just program it and forget it. However, a common issue is that the sprinkler system runs twice,  but there is probably a simple solution.

Summers are getting warmer, and heat waves are more common in many regions around the world. While many plants can handle normal summer heat, the extreme temperatures that accompany a heat wave can stress, burn, and kill even your most resilient plants. If there’s a stretch of hot weather heading your way, you’ll want to know all the ways you can protect your plants from the heat.

Many people understandably want to import plants from other states and climates. However, you may notice that growing non-native plants doesn’t always go as planned, and it can be frustrating. That said, you can’t deny that growing native plants is typically worth every effort.

Exterior shutters can do a lot for your home. If you choose functional shutters, they can protect your windows and add shade to your house’s interior. Stationary shutters are an easy way to boost curb appeal. 

Perennials go dormant by early-to-mid fall in most climates. It depends on the temperature and how quickly it gets cold where you live. The process is often slow, and perennials begin their dormant stage between late August and mid-September in most places.

A home isn’t a home without a foundation that can support it safely and without incident. However, factors such as cracks, heat, moisture, and roots can weaken your foundation to where it isn’t safe. The only option is to install a root barrier to make it safe, but what should you expect to pay for installation?

There’s nothing quite like the experience of feasting on properly smoked brisket or ribs. The complex, savory flavor the smoke adds to the meat is something you’ll crave constantly after tasting it once. Going through the long smoking process is worth it just for that flavor.

With a vibrant pink/purple color, the Rhododendron blooms brightly across the world. These bushes provide magnificent pop of color wherever they spring up. But when they become distressed, it can rob them of their natural beauty. The key is determining the problem.

Are you tired of spending your time chopping your wood with an ax? Then you might want to look at getting a log splitter. A log splitter is a tool that is used to cut the wood into a sharpened wedge.

Adding a deck to your home can make for an attractive hangout space and can even improve the value of your home. If you already have a concrete surface located in the backyard, you have a foundation that is sturdy and reliable to build your decking on.

It is an alarming sound and situation. You have been running your lawnmower over your yard. Suddenly, as you are shutting the Briggs and Stratton engine down, it backfires through the carburetor.

Perfecting a smoked brisket can take a lifetime. The right smoker, wood, cut of meat and the cook all play a role in making this succulent barbecued delicacy. If you are just starting out in the realm of meat smoking, you will want to know all the ins and outs involved. Perhaps the most important tip you will want to know is the perfect time to pull your brisket off the smoker.

Usually, when mowing your lawn, the biggest problem you have to worry about is the heat and how long it will take to cut the grass. However, sometimes, you might run into more problems. Since lawnmowers are relatively complex machines, they can wear down over time. If you notice that your mower is shutting off or losing power while cutting, it could be a sign of some potentially serious issues.

When I first started writing about home improvement, I talked about the “she-sheer she shed” commercial. Sheds have, since then, become a favorite part of my home improvement repertoire. I started to wonder what the deal with sheds are. Do they actually add value to a home, or is it more of a “meh” type of deal?

Modular homes, also known as prefabricated homes, or homes that are built off-site, are quite popular because of how cost-effective and simple they are. Their simplicity and affordability is a huge selling point of modular homes, but many wonder if they will depreciate in value.

When you pull out the pressure washer and find out the hose is not long enough, there are different options. There are also warnings for some things that you should not do if you find yourself in this situation. You should first know the size of your hose in length and diameter.

You move into a new house, you are sleeping peacefully in your bed, and then ‘CRACK!”. A loud sound like a gunshot pierces through your dreams, shooting you out of bed. No, there aren’t any prowlers on your property or fireworks going off. It’s just your deck, adjusting to the freezing cold temperature.

The sight of ants in your yard or home can understandably be discomforting. Not only are ant hills ugly, but they can indicate that you have an upcoming ant problem on your hands. Many homeowners have asked themselves the question: why are there so many ant hills in my yard?

If you use a push lawnmower, one of the components that can help you work  faster and more efficiently is the throttle cable. Although many modern mowers use an automatic throttle, older machines mostly used the cable. Unfortunately, this piece can break over time, which means that you have to buy a replacement.

A solar cover is a great addition to your heated or non-heated pool. If your pool has a heater, you will have to retain all the heat you can. If it is heated, saving heat with a solar cover is a great way to save money.

Native to the rocky hills of China, Taiwan, and the Philippines, the Chinese pistache tree is known for its signature umbrella shape and its brilliant fiery leaves in the fall. If you’re looking for a low-maintenance tree with ornamental properties for your xeriscape back, front, or side yard, the Chinese pistache tree will check all the boxes. 

Every part of your home deserves to feel toasty and warm during the colder months, even when it comes to your garage. Now that garage apartments are becoming increasingly popular, people are starting to look for ways to get more heat into their homes. A fairly popular option is to install a wood stove in your garage. But, how do you go about that?

Sprinklers are a highly useful tool for keeping a yard or garden properly and consistently watered. They can even be scheduled and automated so that they require little intervention from the user. At the end of the day, they are quite effective for proper yard and garden care.

Boxwoods have been around in gardens for centuries, going all the way back to the mid-1600s in America. It makes sense that these popular shrubs would withstand the test of time since they have so many good points. They’re versatile, feeling right at home outside, inside, in the ground, or in a container, deer-resistant, and easy to maintain.

Almost every kitchen has eggs in it. After you crack eggs, you may set them aside for your compost, or simply toss them in the trash. Moving forward, consider crushing them up and adding them to your soil.

Edging out a flower bed used to mean digging the outline with a garden spade. Fortunately, this task is much less tedious and significantly more accurate with the emergence of power edgers.

Ideally, you should store your extra propane tanks outside in uncovered areas. For example, it is potentially dangerous to store propane tanks under covered decks. That’s because vapors can escape a poorly sealed propane tank and ignite nearby structures when introduced to heat sources.