If you love Raspberries and most people do then the earliest part of spring is your last chance to get in a crop of plants before the season begins. Unfortunately you might have a difficult time finding plants at your local big box store so you are going to have to be creative and reach out to some quality garden centers or possibly try visiting a local farm that sells retail and asking if they …
Lawn & Garden
How to – Crop Rotation Guide to Similar Plant Types
When you plant your garden there are a variety of different reasons to rotate your crops. One reason is to restore nutrients like nitrogen that specific plants may suck out of your soil such as beans or tomatoes.
Other reasons include pest and disease control. This may mean that if you have a Tomato Disease you will want to stay away from crops that are in the same family.
The following chart can be used as a …
How to – Sterilize Garden Soil of Pests and Bacteria without harsh Chemicals
As Gardeners we all understand that at times there is a need to use chemicals in our garden to protect and improve our crops.
The most common chemicals we use are chemical based fertilizers and soil conditioners like lime that improve the health of our plants. Often these chemicals are safer for the home or small gardener and cheaper for larger farms then the alternative of organic products.
When it comes to pesticides, fungicides and anti bacterial products …
How To – Using a Swimming Pool Cooler for Hot Summer Days
While most people in Northern States have heard of Pool Heaters that allow you to use your pool early in the spring and later into the fall months there is an opposite problem for people that live in warmer climates and thats hot pool water.
Water will naturally hold heat and it is often used in home heating systems to store hot water from solar panels to warm homes.. This is a big problem …
How To – Growing Flowers From Seed
Every spring trays of flowers appear in front of almost every store and gardeners around the country buy up dozens of six packs to fill the beds around our homes but with a little planing and preparation you can grow a garden of flowers for about 10% of the cost of store bought flower packs.
The good thing about growing your own flowers is that you have a much wider selection of plants you can …
How To – Is Manure Safe for Vegetable Gardens?
Manure is a animal waste product that many farmers use to supplement the nutrients in their soil but is it something that the home gardener can use safely?
The first and most important thing that you need to know about using manure is that it can be dangerous for vegetable gardens.
If you have heard the warnings for E. coli on a variety of different vegetable and fruit crops like cantaloupes the one thing you probably …
How To – Whats a better deal Bulk Mulch or Mulch by the Bag?
Every spring we try to clean up our yards by planting new grass, killing weeds and putting mulch in our flower beds and around our trees but the cost of mulch, getting it home and applying it can lead to a soar back and a empty wallet.
The first thing you should consider when deciding if you need a bulk delivery of mulch or just a few bags is how much you actually need.
If you …
How To – Troubleshooting Lawnmower Starting and Performance Problems
Small Engines found in Lawnmowers normally work well for many years. If you have a problem with your lawnmower starting or operating to the best of its ability it is normally a small adjustment that needs to be made rather then a replacement.
One of the main ways that you can tell if your engine is still worth saving is if it smokes a lot of gray smoke through its exhaust. Gray smoke normally points to a problem with the piston …
How To – Sharpen Lawn Mower Blade
The easiest way to tell if your lawn mower blade needs sharpening is to look at the ends of the blades of grass on your lawn. If the edges seem torn and jagged and they show white or brown tips then you know the blade needs sharpening.
Sharpening your lawnmower blade isn’t that difficult to do but you can also take your blade off and get it sharpened at a repair center or bring your …
How To – Waiting for the Rain before Applying Granular Garden Products
For most people with moderate to large size lawns the choice of granular based products for fertilizer and weed killers is an important way to save money and get the best performance.
Early in the spring is the best time to apply pre-emergent crab grass killer and fertilizer but for the best results you want to wait until a day or two before it rains that way the product can dissolve and get to root …