Outdoors Gardening

To ensure that your lawnmower is functioning properly, you need to take good care of each of its parts. Doing so will lengthen the life of your mower and help you get more out of the time you spend using it.

Weeds find a way of popping out of the tiniest cracks around your home, even if you have a small yard. If you are getting your home ready for guests, you might try pulling weeds in order to have the area looking its best. You will, however, quickly find weed pulling can be back-breaking work. This is where products like Roundup weed killer can come in handy. But how long does it take for Roundup to work?

Millennials are known for their love of avocado toast as well as their love of gardening. It comes as no surprise, then, that many of us are now looking at growing our own avocado trees in hopes of getting a steady influx of avocados for breakfast. Of course, this is only doable in the warmer regions of the United States, and even then, it can take a while for avocado trees to bear fruit.

Ferns are considered some of the oldest living plants on the earth and they can be grown outdoors in your garden or indoors as houseplants. They are a leafy type of plant with leaves (fronds) that drape, adding beauty and a touch of drama to any setting. Most indoor varieties are relatively simple to grow and care for. When planted outdoors, ferns are an excellent choice for ground cover in the proper conditions.

A healthy lawn generates curb appeal, keeps you in your neighbor’s good graces, and is something to be proud of. The best way to ensure a healthy lawn is to install a sprinkler system, but unfortunately, that means spending a fortune. With that said, how can you avoid extreme expenses with alternatives to underground sprinkler systems?

Thornless honeylocust is a frequently-used tree that’s commonly found in urban areas. It has beautiful yellow leaves in autumn. Plus, thornless honeylocusts provide plenty of dappled shade that still allows grass to grow underneath.

Growing a bonsai tree is an ancient art that requires some skill and patience. While this process takes time, many find the art of bonsai a relaxing and even mediation task. Its reward is in the work and in the beautiful miniature giant that this work slowly shapes. If you are interested in creating your own bonsai tree, one of the first questions you are likely to ask yourself is “how long does it take to grow a bonsai tree?” 

Winter, for those who live in colder climates, is usually a time to give your garden and outdoor spaces a rest. Most plants either disappear under the earth or lay fairly dormant for the winter. But just because your plants aren’t doing much in the winter, doesn’t mean they don’t need attention now and then.

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.

Working the land is something that must be done, to maintain properties. When it comes to larger 1 acre + properties, you can’t always take care of it, with just a push mower, by yourself. Landscaping companies charge different prices. So, we have found the average price, and cost, to cut 1 acre of grass.

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.

Many things are placed on our property that we need but aren’t exactly the best things to see every day. Electrical boxes are one of those things that can be unsightly when we want to enjoy our front yards. However, many creative ideas to hide an electrical box in the front yard can divert people’s attention from those unsightly bulky boxes.

Upgrading to a new garden hose can make yard work so much easier. Less easy, however, is figuring out what to do with your old garden hose. It takes up so much space and isn’t very useful once you get a new one. So, can your garden hoses be recycled?

Your garden will never be able to thrive if bugs continually eat your plants. Pests can also make it difficult to enjoy time outside and perform yard work. So, what are the best plants to keep bugs away?

Because of their vibrantly colored blooms and the fact that they can thrive in shaded areas, impatiens are among the most popular annual flowers for gardens. While they are technically considered tropical perennials, these plants are typically grown as annuals in nearly all regions in the United States (except zones 10 to 12).

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.

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?”

Using any type of gas-powered equipment should be done with caution. A leaf blower is no exception to this rule. It’s important to know the type of gas required so you don’t damage the leaf blower or injure yourself.

If you love gardening but live somewhere with cold temperatures for most of the year, you have learned over time that your options are limited. Many flowers, shrubs, and fruit trees that thrive in many climates simply don’t survive in some places with short growing seasons. The same is true for vegetables. But if you live somewhere with a short growing season, you will be happy to learn there are several vegetables that you can still harvest successfully.

you want to make your lawnmower even more versatile and hard-working, mounting a ball hitch can be a great idea. However, before you begin, you need to know how to install it.

When you own a good amount of land, the upkeep can be a little more comprehensive. Mowing a larger lawn can become a little overwhelming with just a push mower at your disposal. Thankfully, there are riding lawn mowers that can make the job a bit easier.

Whether you’re a farmer or just a homeowner who takes pride in their garden, you likely have a reasonable fear of floods. Flooding creates dangerous road conditions, kills plants, and can quickly erode the soil in your garden. So, can plants survive flooding?

Australian music teacher Marion Sinclair wrote a song for her students about black gum trees. Maybe you’ve heard it? “Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree, eating all the gumdrops he can see.” The beauty of the gum tree and its animal inhabitants deserves to be remembered in song.

If you do any sort of gardening or landscaping, mulch will be your best friend. In addition to adding aesthetic appeal to your land, mulch is crucial for keeping your soil healthy from season to season. Applying mulch is not a one-time job. You will have to replace and dispose of organic mulch as it decomposes, and you’ll eventually want to replace inorganic mulch, too.

The thought of a garden having to go a week without water is enough to give any gardener anxiety. However, you can’t let your worries about your garden keep you from taking the vacation that you have needed for a while. So, can you go a week without watering your garden?

Lawn mowers have come a long way since the old push mowers of yesteryear. Now they push themselves, mulch your grass and sometimes even take you for a ride. If you recently purchased a new mower, you are probably eager to take it out for its first mow. But in making room for your new mower you are left wondering what you should do with your old mower.

Growing vegetables in a garden is a simple way to get fresh veggies. Growing certain things is a relatively easy endeavor, too. Even still, there are certain things that can impact things like tomatoes and even cucumber plants.

Both soft touch holly and boxwoods are common choices for homeowners looking to liven up their landscape. For many homeowners, however, it can be quite difficult determining the difference between the two.

You hop on your Cub Cadet riding mower, start the engine with no problem, put the lever into forward, and release the clutch. Nothing. No movement. The engine sits idling happily and you are going now where. What is the problem when a Cub Cadet hydrostatic transmission won’t move?

Ticks are easily the scariest arachnids besides spiders, and they can be quite harmful to humans and animals alike. The sight of a tick on your body is enough to make you think twice about going outside during spring and summer. Most homeowners would do anything to keep ticks off their property. So, does mowing the lawn kill ticks?

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.

Soaker hoses are one of the most common tools in landscaping. Primarily used for watering large swaths of grass, flowerbeds, and bushes, these hoses definitely live up to their name. (Oh, they’re great for water fights, too!) However, we live in a world where water conservation is king. This means that we all have a duty to try to find efficient ways to water. So, how much water do these hoses use?

When I was younger, I quickly realized that I don’t want to have a front lawn simply because I didn’t want to mow the lawn. When I heard about artificial grass, I was pretty thrilled.

Spring is the season most synonymous with blooming flowers, but it certainly isn’t the only season full of color. Most blooms continue on through the summer, and fall is known for stunning foliage throughout many parts of the world. But leaves are not the only colors of fall. There are several beautiful plant species that bloom in the fall, and all the way up until the first frost.

A weed can be any plant that’s growing where you don’t want it to, like your yard or landscape. One person’s beautiful, natural yard is another person’s eyesore. If your yard is overrun by unwelcome weeds, there are several options to eradicate them.

Palm trees are great to plant in a yard for all sorts of reasons. They provide great shade in your yard and around your pool or patio areas. They also tend to shed far less than other types of trees, which makes the ground around them easier to keep clean.

Shaded porches serve as both an oasis and an entry to your home. Finding the right plants that can thrive in the shade is easier said than done, however. So, what are the best plants for a shaded porch?

Does your home have lots of tall trees? Or maybe you have tall shrubs or even high-climbing vines that tend to grow out of control. Regardless of exactly what type of hard-to-reach plant life you have in your yard, it is bound to become difficult and even frustrating to maintain your home’s landscaping once you can no longer reach the plants. This is where pole saws and pole pruners come in handy. But what exactly are pole saws and pole pruners, and when is it a good idea to use one over the other?

Nothing is more annoying than when weeds from your neighbor’s yard spill over into your yard. This is especially true if you take pride in your yard and don’t have a problem with weeds yourself. It’s also an eyesore to look at a yard full of weeds. Understandably, you may struggle with what to do when your neighbor’s yard is full of weeds.

The conventional sprinkler system found on residential properties does the majority of the work under the ground, and out of view. Despite their enigmatic nature, irrigation systems aren’t particularly complicated. In fact, they consist of only a few main basic components, each of which has the primary goal of distributing water to the correct place at the proper time.

Greenhouses allow us to continue growing our plants no matter the time of year. We are no longer beholden to the whims of Mother Nature because we can control the conditions for our crops.

Known for its signature star shape, Nelly Moser Clematis is a favorite of gardeners everywhere. This pink floral vine is easy to grow and adapts easily to its environment. Because of this, Nelly Moser Clematis’s growth can get out of hand if not tended to properly, so it’s important to know how to prune a Nelly Moser Clematis.

If you have a garden on your property, you likely want to avoid drought stress during your growing season. A lack of sufficient water can lead to stunted growth, a reduced yield and deformed, underdeveloped or prematurely ripened harvests.

When improving your outdoor space, trees are an especially important feature. In addition to being a prominent focal point, trees can provide shade and beauty when chosen for an appropriate space. With a large canopy and unique foliage, could the tipu tree be a great fit for your landscape? We will explore the pros and cons of tipu trees to help you decide.

Lawn mowers are considered by many as simple machines, but that does not mean they are always easy to fix. If you have a lawn mower that runs for a minute then stops, you are probably wondering why that is happening and how you can solve the problem.

It’s no secret that rain is great for plants, but only in small doses. Heavy rain is nice at first, but it can quickly take a toll on your lawn and garden that can be hard to recover from. Many homeowners understandably struggle with how to save plants from heavy rain.

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.

When I first got into botany, I was shocked at how many flowers are purple. It seems like purple is just the go-to color for most wildflowers, not to mention many herbs that we take for granted. Are you a fan of the color purple? Well, we have a bunch of types of purple flowers you can look at in this article.

Troy-Bilt makes a series of outdoor power tools and yard care equipment. They are one of the most recognizable and trusted names currently in the industry. Their line of trimmers and mowers are particularly revered.

For many homeowners, choosing the grade of oil they use in their lawn mower can be tricky. A common oil grade that people use in their lawn mower is SAE30. However, many people wonder whether or not they can swap out the SAE30 in favor of 10W30.

If you have a garden or potted plants, then you know they need a little extra attention from time to time. In addition to watering your plants on a regular and scheduled basis, potted plants and gardens alike need nutrients for them to grow and thrive. These nutrients are often supplied through compost and store-bought fertilizer, but these costs can add up. You will be happy to know that you can add some household waste to potting soil to provide necessary nutrients.

Nothing is as annoying as going to water your plants and finding out that deer have been nibbling on them. This can hinder plant growth and will continue to happen until you address the problem. Understandably, many homeowners struggle with how to keep deer away from plants.

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.

When I was young, there was a nearby park that used pine straw mulch from time to time. I loved it. It smelled like summer to me. While pine straw mulch has its perk of being amazingly nicely scented, the truth is that it’s not for everyone. If you’ve been curious about whether it’s the right mulch for you, I totally understand.

Are you one of the countless homeowners who have been torn about what to do with your compost pile for the winter? This is a common dilemma for many homeowners who don’t want to let their compost go to waste as temperatures plummet. Understandably, many homeowners struggle with how to store compost in the winter for later use.

Making your own compost is a great way to help the environment, while also providing free nutrient-dense soil for plants. While your compost pile takes months to break down and develop into the type of compost that is ready to add to your garden, its benefits are worth the wait. If you have a lot of compost you are excited to use, but aren’t ready to use it quite yet, you will want to find the best way to store compost so you can use it later.

You’re taking a significant step toward finishing your landscape design. Buying sod by the pallet can get expensive. Plus, there are several things to consider. So, how many square feet are in a pallet of sod, and what does that mean for your budget? Here’s what you need to know.

If you are one of the many homeowners who have Bermuda grass in your yard, you already know how difficult it can be to get rid of. While some people actually like Bermuda grass, many of us consider it nothing more than a weed.

By keeping your fig trees properly pruned, you will allow them to produce sweeter, more flavorful figs. Pruning enables the hormones and sugars to make their way all the way up the branches and into the fruits. While the process isn’t entirely complicated, many home gardeners are at a loss as to how to prune a fig tree.

With the appropriate care, roses can easily be the crowning glory of any garden. But as most gardeners will tell you, coaxing a rose bush to full bloom is a delicate task. And getting a rose bush to thrive year-round is another matter, whether you have knockout, climbing, or hybrid tea roses. But if you respect the process, caring for your rose bush can be as rewarding as it is demanding.

The secret to growing a healthy and vibrant rose bush lies in understanding your plant’s needs. For starters, all plants require regular watering, fertilizing, and pruning. Since rose bushes bloom in the summer, the more intensive pruning will usually occur in the spring. For summer pruning, you will only need to lightly “deadhead,” remove dead wood, and form the bush.

To prune roses in the summer, first find a healthy shoot that has already bloomed. Identify the five-leaf cluster, which tells us where the cane is thick enough to support another stem. With your pruning shears, cut just above the five-leaf cluster, keeping it intact. Although rose varieties differ, you can expect your rose bush to be in full bloom 3-4 weeks after a light summer pruning.