Dirt is dirt, right? It gets under your nails, it gets tracked into your house and it creates a lot of laundry if you have young children. Most people don’t give topsoil a second thought other than to grumble about the mess it makes. But your soil deserves respect. It […]
You’re on the hunt for the perfect pumpkin. But what is the perfect time to pick that ideal pumpkin for turning into a Halloween jack-o’-lantern? And how do you keep it from rotting before trick-or-treaters come knocking? The experts say the answers aren’t carved in stone, but careful selection and […]
Your lawn was meant to be used — but maybe you have used it too much. Maybe it has become: A staging area for that van you’ve been trying to sell. Where you practice your short game. Basepaths where your kids re-enact the World Series, every day. Your dog’s workout […]
While they are commonly called privacy hedges, they can do more than provide a barrier to neighbors’ prying eyes. A living privacy fence can: Drastically reduce sound pollution from traffic or other noisy neighbors. Shield your house from blowing snow. Act as a windbreak. And just as they act as […]
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 […]
Well-cared landscaping not only can bring oohs and aahs from family and friends, but it can also bring you more money when you go to sell your home. Landscape improvements recoup 100 to 200 percent of their cost when a house is sold, according to the American Society of Landscape Architects […]
Soon, summer will wind down. The weather will turn colder, the leaves will change colors and begin falling, and many of us feel sad our gardening season is wrapping up. It doesn’t have to be that way! Fall gardening can include more than yard cleanup and winter prep. As gardeners […]
You want your lawn to look thicker and feel more comfy on bare feet. You don’t have to hire a professional for help. It’s as simple as contacting your local Cooperative Extension Service to get free advice. They offer their expertise and educational programs for the area in which their […]
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 […]
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 […]