Gardening must be one of the topmost summertime pastimes, all around the World. Along with gardening, is a large collection of garden tools and equipment, particularly for those with a huge interest in Gardening. Then, for all, the summer and fall times of year sadly come to an conclusion, and it is time to get the storage reorganized and everything locked up for the wintertime. Don’t some of us just detest that job!
One of the hardest items about the house to store is gardening equipment. Tiny tools such as the secateurs are quite easy to store away in the shed. Their issue is their very smallness, making them prone to be lost and AWOL by the new year. But the superior issue is with stashing away the bulky tools, which just happen to be some of the most difficult forms.
Lawn rakes are one of the most problematic bulky garden tools to store, finding someplace intelligent to put it for an extended period of time can be very tricky. Add in the garden fork with its deadly spikes, the garden hoe, garden rake, forged spade, shubbery spade and you have a recipe for disaster lying in wait for you. If you have babies, then the perils are even deeper.
Apart from anything else, though, it is better all round to have your tools cleansed and hived away in a safe place, precisely where you can recover them when you require them. That is why garden equipment shelves, particularly designed for the function of storing garden accessories, are such an powerful feature of any garden storage, or garage if that is where you have to hive away your horticulture things.
A effective accessory rack will help you to keep your Garden Fork UK in good order, as well as convenient to find. The trouble is, which rack do you prefer? There are many options, and most of these are very well designed for the role specified. While separate stands, if firm and strengthened, might be good enough, it is surely advisable to have a wall mount that is permanently secured to the garden shed or garage wall. That way, it is less likely to come tumbling down in a mound on the floor. If you have kids, a wall rack that can be elevated out of the range of the children is necessary, as is selecting one that will hold the shovel and other dangerous horticulture implements securely in place.
There are lots of reasons why you would need a garden shed and fortunately there are cheap garden sheds to meet just about every need. Garden Sheds can be purchased just about everyplace but what you will discovery is the price will change hugely. You shouldn’t have to abandon the garden shed you wish because it is excessively dear though. A shed is something you purchase once and use for a long time and if you have a look on the net you can find Garden sheds at some pretty silly prices. I don’t mean cheap and silly as in quality but as in price. You may find you can obtain the garden shed you want for the cost of the one you were close to settle for very much less and if you own a garden that you tend to each day you will almost in all probability want to look into a wooden garden shed as a space to put the tools, water hose and fertilizer etc..
Protecting your garden tools and making them well accessible is a very good idea. You can find cheap reliable sheds online that are the very same sheds you’d purchase in the store. As A Matter Of Fact, you can go to the store and shop even touch them to find if it is what you require and then go on the net and purchase it for a lot lower price. The difference in cost is remarkable!
I would like to know…………………
WHO STOLE SUMMER?????????????/
What did you do with it?
And where are you hiding it?
It seems as though just last week we were celebrating the beginning of summer.
Looking forward to our yards and gardens.
Planning vacations.
Now, parents are celebrating “BACK TO SCHOOL!”
That could mean more time in our yards and enjoying the fruits of our labor, however.
Enjoying our backyard guests.
We’ve seen visitors come and go.
And all the feathered families we helped raise.
Now it’s time to think of visitors heading south.
Keep your feeders cleaned and filled.
Very important is a source of fresh water.
Quite often a stranger will stop for a drink and you may be fortunate enough to see your guests.
You may want to keep a camera handy.
It’s getting time to think about fall projects in our yards.
It’s time to let annuals go to seed and let some perennials go as well.
Say……………. do you have any grasses in your yard?
I’m not referring to the grass you mow, or the stuff “Cheech and Chong” made so popular either.
I’m talking about ornamental grasses.
Ornamental grasses for your birds.
No,I haven’t flipped my lid.
Grasses are becoming more popular in landscaping, yet have you
thought of the possibilities for wildlife?
For birds?
Grasses come in many varieties from only a couple inches tall to 15 feet and taller.
They come with names like “Little Bunny” and “Giganteus”
“Flamingo” and ” Little Zebra”
How about “Karley Rose” or “Karl Forrester”
Names are as unique as the grasses are.
Grasses can work as a ground cover, erosion control, a wind brake and look good while doing it.
Ornamental grass can make up a border, a barrier or become a focal point in your yard.
Grasses can also help feed and shelter birds.
This time of year, most grasses are flowering or have showy plumes.
Many of these plumes produce seeds for birds to munch on.
Foliage left up for the winter months provide wind brakes and protection from harsh winter winds
Birds may also make a mad dash to flee a predator.
Not to mention that the dry foliage and plumes can give depth and motion to an otherwise drab landscape.
In spring, birds will be using bits and pieces for their nests.
Cut back your grasses 2 to 4 inches from the ground before new growth starts.
Most grasses are hardy to zone 5 and many are hardy to zone 4
There are a few hardy to zone 3.
Once established, ornamental grass needs little care.
Grasses come in about every shade of green there is.
You can find shades of blue.
Grasses with shades of yellow
There are grasses with shades of red.
Grasses with horizontal stripes and some with vertical stripes.
Some varieties are drought tolerant.
Others may prefer moist conditions.
Most prefer sunny locations, while a few prefer shade.
The fact is, there will be a grass for your location.
You can even get annual grasses.
There are so many varieties to choose from I can’t go through them all.
Check with your local garden center or nursery.
Have them recommend what is good for your yard.
Or, do some homework and see what you may prefer instead.
I have 6 varieties of grasses and I’m sure the collection will continue to grow as I find and make room for them.
You are sure to be hooked on grasses when you see a bird hanging onto a stalk and dancing in the wind.
An added bonus, grasses are deer resistant.
Check out the yards around you.
Hit the local garden centers and nurseries.
I’m sure you can find a grass for your yard.
Remember, fall is the best time to plant.
Well friend, it is time to get this letter sent out so I best get going.
Do have a blessed week and continue to smile.
Until next time.
Your friend,
Ron
http://www.backyardbirdingtips.com/
Ron Patterson has been caring for wild birds since he was 10 years old. He has discovered many things along the way.
An avid gardener as well, Ron is a Michigan Certified Nurseryman.
With his expertise in birds and gardens, he writes a weekly newsletter called “Backyard Birding Tips”
When spending time with friends and family outdoors there are a few better options than to build an outdoor kitchen. Not only does it enhance the outdoor space, but it ads to the value of your home.
When building an outdoor kitchen you may want to consider the amount of time you plan on entertaining your friends and family. It’s important to consider the location of your kitchen; typically you would want to choose a patio area, if one is previously built. What type of cooking equipment do you want to include? You could include all the amenities such as refrigerator, grill and stove. Choosing the size to build your outdoor kitchen is important. It is recommended that you build the outdoor kitchen as close to your home as possible.
Do you want to build your own kitchen or have one built for you? One of the advantages of building your own is cost. It is vital to plan properly to stay within a budget. As a rule of thumb, expect to pay more than half of what your original estimate was.
Make sure your new outdoor kitchen is designed well so that you can actually enjoy cooking with it. Some suggestions would be to model the design from your indoor kitchen.
At Carroll Gardens, we can’t get enough of the breakthrough hydrangeas that have been introduced over the past few years. Beginning with the ‘Endless Summer’ Hydrangea in 2003, we have seen such choice introductions as ‘Forever & Ever,”Forever & Ever Double Pink,”Forever & Ever Red’ and ‘Blushing Bride.’
Variegated hydrangeas have been used to brighten up shady gardens for at least a 100 years. I grew one as a kid in my fern garden. Any variegated hydrangeas I have ever encountered have had one major deficiency—sparse to non-existent blooms. For some reason, all variegated hydrangeas have lace cap blooms, even when they originated as sports (mutations) of mop head hydrangeas.
Recently, the widely popular re-blooming hydrangea Endless Summer made a variegated lace cap mutation. This hydrangea has been named ‘Light O’ Day.’ Compared to other variegated hydrangeas, it has a more reliable bloom, better hardiness and at least as good creamy white variegation. Don’t expect ‘Light O’ Day’ to re-bloom like Endless Summer, but any bloom from a variegated hydrangea in the shade is a blessing indeed. And you will certainly get more blooms from ‘Light O’ Day’ than from any other variegated hydrangea grown in similar conditions. For maximum bloom production, choose a spot that is lightly shaded, has dappled shade or is shaded in the afternoon with morning sun.
The inner blooms are either pink or blue, depending on the soil acidity. Surrounding the inner blooms are bright white flowers. ‘Light O’ Day’ will reach about four feet tall and four feet wide. It prefers moist soil (not wet) in a place with afternoon shade and morning sun. ‘Light O’ Day’ makes an excellent choice for the woodland garden or along the north side of the house or garage.
Planting and Care
Click here to view Light O’ Day Hydrangea on the Carroll Gardens website.
Alan Summers, president of Carroll Gardens, Inc., has over 30 years experience in gardening and landscape design. He has made Carroll Gardens one of America’s preeminent nurseries, having introduced more than 20 new perennials and woody shrubs over the years and reintroduced numerous “lost” cultivars back to American gardeners.
Carroll Gardens publishes a weekly online newsletter written by Alan. It contains valuable gardening advice and tips and answers to customer questions. Click here to sign up for the Carroll Gardens weekly enewsletter.
Every Saturday, Alan hosts a call-in gardening forum on WCBM radio - 680 AM. For those outside of the WCBM listening area, they can listen to radio show via the internet.
Visit CarrollGardens.com to learn more.
Going climate and green friendly is a thing that is going to have an effect on us all in the next ten years. We have Environmental Travel, Electric Cars & Biological Fuels to look at now.
There can be found different types of Bio Fuels. Bio Diesels are many basically plant based options to oil- based fuels such as petrol, diesel & cooking oil. Using biodiesel emits CO2 emissions, but nevertheless, this is offset by the fact that the crop used to fabricate it uses CO2 emissions from the environment to grow. Even so the green gains of Bio Fuels are hotly talked about, with some green consultants declaring that Bio Diesels cause more harm than good. There are many two big sorts of Biological Diesel and Ethanol.
As the name means, biodiesel is planned for use in diesel cars. It is awfully like to veg oil & is created from the same forms of plants- oil rich sources such as sun flower, palm, rapeseed and groundnut. Biodiesel can often also be generated from sheep fat or oils recycled from Australian cuisine restaurants. Biodiesel and fuels might well be used smart in some diesel motorcycles, however, at this current time Bio Diesel is much more traditionally visible in a mix with normal diesel- typically 0.08 biodiesel with normal diesel fuel. This blend should be consumed by any regular diesel car.
Ever thought about getting an electric car? There is 2 forms the G WIZ electric car & the Mega City. All of these is genuinely environmentally friendly machines; in fact they are many an environmental daydream. Bio Diesels cars do not create any C02 emissions in fact more to the point the electric cars do not even have an exhaust pipe. Because if you power an eco car from renewable energy, it produces 0 CO2. Although this eco car has loads of advantages it does have quite a few cons as well. The clear one being it is an electric car and it can only only do 101 miles before you have to charge the batteries & all that usually has to be charged over the course of the night, if you are scheduling on doing a lengthy road trip, this may have to be completed over the course of quite a few days. Reduce your carbon footprint with Electric Cars.
Cushions play an important part in adding comfort to your outdoor teak furniture. The better the cushion, the better the comfort and feel of the furniture. With the coming of latest trends and styles, cushions do not only act as a soft padding but they add fashion, style and color to your regular furniture. According to the surroundings and ambiance of your lawn, comfy, colorful cushions can be a perfect addition to your furniture to help brighten up the place.
For all those who want to give their outdoor teak furniture a unique and fabulous look, they must opt for outdoor furniture cushion replacement. Replacing cushion would not only lend it a new and attractive look but also make your old furniture as good as new.
Cushions also play a vital role in providing solidarity and durability to the furniture and also enhance the comfort level by keeping the body relaxed and in better posture while using the furniture. Well cushioned furniture can help in overcoming any sort of stress or strain from the otherwise hard and heavy wooden furniture.
Outdoor teak furniture with cushions are famous among homeowners as well as those living in apartments, who prefer to remain outside most of the time during summer days. One can easily find a wide variety of colorful, durable and comfortable cushions with all shapes and sizes to go with your outdoor teak furniture, according to your choice of style, design and price.
Different climatic conditions play a critical role in choosing the form of cushion replacement. If you are living in a place where the climate is tropical one, wicker ware is more suitable for you. You can find a number of airy, light colored outdoor teak furniture cushions, which are available in various colors. You can purchase such cushions for other furnishings such as couches, chairs, daybeds, end tables, etc.
There is a wide variety of outdoor teak furniture cushions that are completely weatherproof and, therefore, can resist wind, rain and humidity quite easily. Outdoor furnishing is most suitable for those who are living in such an area where the climate generally remains rainy.
Outdoor teak furniture covers can be purchased as well, matching the color of a deck or pool side set. Covers can be found separately for those who decide they want to provide added protection to their already purchased set of furnishings. For whatever the need or reason, covers are always a smart investment because they can add years to the life of outdoor furniture.
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Jennifer Akre, owner of numerous niche home decor and patio furniture websites, makes it easy to find quality Unique Teak Patio Furniture and Timeless Teak Benches. A symbol of luxury and affluence. Rich quality and classic aesthetic. These are a few reasons teak furniture is the ideal choice for outdoor furniture and remains a sound investment. You deserve it - Click to enjoy: http://www.morethanteak.com. |
Does Your Chimney Stack Up?
Submitted by: Michael Del Greco, New Jersey Home Inspector Lic GI 0121, President of Accurate Inspections, Inc, a New Jersey home inspection company
Not all chimneys are created equal. There are accepted standards for chimneys, some of these standards vary based on geographic location and local ordinances.
How high your chimney should be: Your chimney should be at least two feet (2\’) above any portion of the building within ten feet (10\’) of the chimney and at least three feet (3\’) above the point where it passes through the roof.
What size flue the chimney should have: Your chimney should not be smaller than the collar from the heating appliance.
How far the chimney should be from combustible material: The chimney should be two inches (2\’\') if it is built partially or entirely within the structure, and one inch (1\’\') if it\’s built outside the structure.
The height requirements for metal chimneys: The height requirements for metal chimneys are the same as for masonry chimneys: at least two feet (2\’) above any portion of the building within ten feet (10\’) of the chimney, and at least three feet (3\’) above the point where it passes through the roof.
How to know your fireplace will draw without lighting a fire: Generally, you can know if your fireplace will draw without lighting a fire by checking just a few things:
1) Check for smoke stains on the front of the fireplace or mantle. These stains indicate that something has gone wrong. What that is will be determined later, but there is a problem if stains are present. However, if a fireplace is new or if the mantle has been recently painted, the stains may not be evident.
2) Check the size of the flue and firebox opening:
a. The chimney flue should be one-tenth (if square or rectangle) to one-twelfth (if round) the size of the firebox opening or larger (e.g., an 8\’\’ x 12\’\’ chimney flue, or 96 square inches, should have a firebox opening of 960 square inches, approximately 30\’\’ x 32\’\').
b. The chimney should be two feet (2\’) above the roof or any roof structure within ten feet (10\’) and a minimum of three feet (3\’) above the roof.
c. Other criteria such as the throat and smoke shelf should be considered. However, if the flue to the firebox ratio is correct and the chimney height is acceptable, the chimney will probably draw.
Most chimneys meet the basic requirements. If yours is not one of them, you probably would have figured out by now that something is wrong. Consult a local home inspector or a chimney specialist from a recognized chimney association. Chimneys should be cleaned after every cord of wood is burned!
Information provided by Michael Del Greco, New Jersey Home Inspector Lic. GI 0121, American Society of Home Inspectors Member 102273, Pesident of Accurate Inspections, Inc. A West Paterson New Jersey Home Inspection firm.
In this next in our series on lawn maintenance chores we’re
going to begin going over certain things that should be done
depending on the time of the year. This of course may vary
slightly depending on the climate you live in.
We’ll begin with the month of March. The reason is that in most
places this is when the last big snow has melted and the ground
is no longer soggy. You can now go out and do some raking of
leaves and remove any debris from your lawn leftover from the
cold winter. By raking the lawn you’ll remove any thatch that
was left from the previous year, and will also aerate the soil.
If you’re not fond of raking, an alternative is to lower your
mower blades and attach a mulch bag to the mower. Use the mower
to remove the leaves and debris from the lawn. Set your mower to
leave about a three inch cut but don’t cut the lawn just yet.
You’ll probably want to wait until the first week of April to
give the lawn its first cut. That way you can be sure that the
cut is about three inches as there will be enough grass to cut.
In March the grass probably hasn’t grown enough yet. The reason
you want to wait is because if you cut the lawn too soon you
will weaken it and then you’ll be spending April watering it.
This way you avoid this problem.
Around the middle to end of April begin your fertilization. Feed
the grass once between now and the middle of May. Keep cutting
the lawn high so that it develops a thick strong base. That way
it will be able to withstand draught, grubs and weeds. Get a
fertilizer that has at least a 50% slow release factor. Make
sure you only use weed killer when you can actually see the
weeds. Most weed killers kill on contact but only if the weeds
are visible. Otherwise they are totally ineffective and you will
have wasted your money.
As the weather begins to warm up the weeds will begin to show
some signs of life. If you have only a few weeds you can spot
spray them. If however, you have a lot then you might want to
use a hose and a sprayer and apply chemicals to the whole lawn.
This can wait until late May or Early June. Also around this
time you should apply your crabgrass killer.
One word of caution. That really annoying Ground Ivy or Creeping
Charlie is unaffected by 2-4-D, so please check the label
carefully that the weeds you’re trying to get rid of are covered
by the chemical that you’re using. If you’re unsure of this,
consult with an expert. He’ll be able to tell you based on what
you have what you need to get.
In the next article in this series we’ll continue with chores
that need to be done in May and June.
