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 […]
Environment
Live by the Water? Prevent Algae Blooms with Lake-Friendly Lawn Care
Those fortunate enough to live by a shoreline have inherited a special responsibility along with spectacular views: Your landscaping habits can either help your gorgeous waterway — or harm it. Summer has become algae outbreak season, with the thick scum coating the surface of lakes, rivers and ponds — and […]
How to Build a Rain Garden: 6 Steps
If repeated rains have turned your lawn into patches of puddles or miniature wading pools, a rain garden could be the answer. Also called a bioretention area or stormwater garden, a rain garden is a landscaped area that catches and filters stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces such as driveways, parking lots […]
Natural Fly Repellents That Actually Work
For many people, enjoying the great outdoors is one of their favorite pastimes. However, that enjoyment can be tempered by the appearance of some unwanted guests: flies. To combat these pests, folks turn to bug sprays and insect repellents. DEET, around since the 1940s, is one of the most popular […]
Natural Lawn Pesticides That Work (Hint: They’re Not Homemade Recipes)
A beautiful lawn that could be certified organic, and is pest-free. Is it possible? Anyone calling their lawn “organic” will need organic means to repel lawn pests. That means synthetic chemical pesticides are out, due to their negative effects on wildlife and water quality. Folklore Pesticide Recipes: Organic, but Unproven If mainstream […]
Turn Your Yard Into a Certified Wildlife Habitat
Small creatures are struggling with a big issue: Birds, bees, butterflies, frogs and rabbits are among the wildlife facing homelessness, evicted from their environments as a result of habitat loss and degradation. Due to development, infrastructure and agriculture, millions of acres of wildlife habitat have been wiped out. More than […]
Applying Post-Emergent Herbicides to Your Lawn
They’re b-a-a-c-k! The weeds. Being a good steward of your yard, you’re determined to get rid of them. Before you head to the garden center, do a little homework. You’ll find a bewildering lineup of herbicides at the store, but if you’ve learned what kind of grass and what kind […]
Native Grasses: Are They Right for Your Lawn?
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 […]
5 Landscaping Tips for Cooling Off Urban ‘Heat Islands’
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 […]
Composting 101: How to Start Your First Compost Pile
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 […]