It’s a little rough around the edges. It stands a little taller and looks a little wilder. Native grasses sustained the heartland of America before the settlers came through the plains and prairies; it was there before the Native Americans and bison roamed the land. Is native grass right for […]
You might live on an island. Not the kind with palm trees, ocean breezes and miles of white sand (sorry) but a heat island. Urban heat islands (UHIs) are found in urban areas where concrete and parking lots absorb heat; tall buildings reflect sunlight and block wind; and pollution from […]
If you are new to gardening or lawn care, a word you’ve likely run across is composting. The truth of the matter is that backyard composting really is important for gardening and lawn care. It’s not a passing trend that will be forgotten in a few years, so if you […]
Whether you are planting new grass from scratch or repairing bare spots, figuring out a proper fertilizer to get your grass off to the best start can be daunting. One look at your local garden center’s fertilizer aisle and you’re inundated with choices for producing your lush lawn. We’ve taken […]
If you pull the trigger on a bottle of weed and feed and launch an all-out chemical assault at the first sign of a dandelion, you might be forced to put down your weapon. A growing number of cities are banning synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. “Education is making a big […]
It’s the key to great salad dressings, pickles, even marinades. But in terms of being the best homemade organic herbicide out there (with dozens of articles detailing how to make and use it online), vinegar as a homemade weed killer could be a less than an amazing choice — and better off staying […]
The air vibrates under the heat of a full sun. Your once-beautiful green lawn, now turned brown, crunches underfoot. It’s so dry you can almost hear its bent-over blades cry out for water. Can you save your parched grass from a drought? “Drought conditions are manageable for landscapes — with […]
It’s a movement that has swept the nation, with the sweeping taking place behind elephants, giraffes, zebras and hippos: Zoos across the United States gather, compost and sell their animal waste to homeowners to beautify their gardens and lawns. “A lot of people tell us their gardens look amazing because […]
As floods become more common, so has the chore of recovering from their damage. Whether the water rises from rivers or oceans or falls from the sky, after it recedes, homeowners need to salvage or replace their lawns. If Mother Nature throws a watery hissy fit and floods your lawn, […]
The rumbling drone of a bumblebee or the sight of a sweat bee landing on your picnic basket might send you scurrying back inside. But it really should make you smile — these tiny fliers are first responders in food security but are at risk of disappearing. A 2017 University […]