The next time you see a snake slithering through the grass, think twice before hitting it with a shovel. The much-maligned reptiles are great for gardens. “Most snakes pose no danger,” says Robert T. Mason, professor of integrative biology at Oregon State University. “Even if you see a snake, you’re […]
Summer left your lawn looking pretty rough. All that heat and all those hours spent enjoying it took a toll. And cooler temperatures on the horizon aren’t likely to do your lawn any favors. So how do you help it recover and prepare it for the colder weather ahead? It’s […]
If you don’t plan on raking leaves yourself this fall, then you need to hire the right lawn care company to help you out. Some landscaping and snow removal companies do offer leaf removal as one of their services. Before choosing a company to help you with leaf pick-up dilemma, […]
When the trees turn into a blaze of color, something comes out of hiding. It has hibernated behind your lawn mower for the last three seasons, but now it’s hungry to take action and help you winterize your lawn. It’s your leaf rake. But do you really need to rake […]
Inhale deeply. That heavenly fresh-cut grass smell you savor while mowing your back 40 is actually your lawn screaming in pain from the hell of a hurtful haircut. Plants and humans respond alike to physical injury by mobilizing our internal pain killers and healing molecules to recover from the trauma, […]
Fall leaves bring such beauty to the scenery with festive oranges and yellows. But that splendor ends quickly, and something has to be done with all those fallen leaves. Or does it? The old thinking was that raking leaves was a part of Homeowner 101: Every leaf must be removed from […]
As the leaves turn brilliant shades of red, amber and gold, creeping, crawling cankerworms are inching their way toward the canopies to destroy the colorful leaves on your favorite trees. “Cankerworms can cause complete defoliation,” says Jeff Hahn, extension entomologist with the University of Minnesota. The insects, which inch their way […]
For most homeowners, winter’s approach means putting lawn mowers into hibernation. “Most of the time when they’re done with that last mowing of the season, there’s a little bit of celebration,” says Kathleen Cue, Horticulture Educator with the Nebraska Extension. “The mower gets parked in the shed or garage and […]
In McAllen, a Texas city along the U.S. border with Mexico, the heat is on … and on and on and on. From 1979 to 2018, McAllen saw the average number of days per year with a heat index of at least 105 degrees shoot up by 21.9, according to […]
If you’re dreaming of wandering barefooted through a green lawn in spring, you must care for it in the fall. Fall lawn care doesn’t have to be complicated and makes the difference between having a healthy green lawn or a patchy brown one come spring. This checklist of basic fall lawn care steps […]