by: Hans Dekker
What type of lawn care works best for you depends on the time and money you decide to put into your lawn. If your lawn is your hobby, you can spend thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of time on it.
On the other side of the fence, if what you want is a low-maintenance green expanse that you can enjoy with family and friends, you've come to the right page!
The best lawn care tip you can get is to start with a solid plan.
1. Do you need to plant grass? Do some research on the best seed for your area, where to buy it cheap, and when it's available. Depending on where you live, you'll plant either cool season or warm season grass.
Cool season grass, planted in northern areas, is usually best planted in early fall, but if you missed planting then, plant it in the spring when soil temperatures reach 50 F.
Warm season grass needs soil temps of 70F to thrive and is the choice for southern plantings. Don't make the mistake of thinking you can plant warm season grass in the upper Midwest. Warm season grasses are bred to thrive in southern climates and are not winter hardy in the north.
2. Of course, you'll keep new grass plantings moist, but once grass reaches a height of three inches, water it deeply once a week.
A healthy lawn needs about an inch of water a week. When watering, remember to consider recent rainfalls. Shallow watering techniques keep grass from sinking the deep roots that your lawn needs to compete with deep-rooted weeds.
3. Do you already have a lawn? Aerate it in the spring while it's still moist and before the spring rains are done.
Aerating your lawn in the springtime gives microbes and other small life forms a breath of fresh air after winter. Aeration also makes new paths for drainage and keeps your lawn from becoming saturated.
4. A lot is written about lawn fertilizer and the big question is why? Grass is the most efficient user of nitrogen on earth!
Feed your soil with nutrient rich compost and let your lawn get its nutrients the natural way. The more chemicals you use, the more you disturb the natural biological processes that convert organic matter into nutrients and the microbes and other small organisms that take natural care of your lawn.
5. Mow your grass high. A 2 ½ to 3-inch high cut makes your lawn look fuller, feel softer, and helps keep it healthy. Taller grass shades pesky weed seeds and keeps them from getting established. In addition, a taller lawn is better able to absorb sunshine and better able to retain moisture, the two main contributors to a healthy lawn.
6. Enjoy your lawn. After all, isn't that your main reason for having a yard?
About the author:
Hans is an avid Gardener and author of http://www.gardening-guides.com and
http://www.lawnmower-guide.com Our
sites are packet with gardening and lawn care
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by: John Sanderson
When the sun is baking your car and the interior is scalding hot, or when it's covered with eight inches of snow, don't you wish you had room in that garage?
It seems that everything that isn't used on a regular basis in the house generally makes it's way out to the garage, paint, oil, the kid's bikes, that box of stuff from college, tools, unfinished projects, etc. This problem is made even worse if you don't have a storage shed for gardening and lawn equipment.
Well, now is the time to make that room.
The first thing you'll want to do is make sure that any poisonous substances you may have in the garage is well out of the reach of children and properly sealed. Perhaps you'll want to put any pesticides, paint thinner, etc., in a locked cabinet.
If you have bikes they can be hung upside down from the ceiling. You can get bike hangers at the local hardware store, or at the bike shop.
Purchase good shelving for your garage. This can be open shelving, or shelving with doors. It can be floor to ceiling shelving or shelving put up on the wall with brackets. Any type of shelving will do as long as it's heavy duty. Give each family member a portion of that shelving for storage. Make sure that things of importance are stored up high so they are away from any possible damage from water.
This is a good time to go through all those cans of paint and stain and toss out the old. Look at your paint brushes - are they really any good anymore? If they are, keep them on the shelf with the paint. Put screws and nails and bolts, etc in cans or bottles on a shelf. Collect all your tools and take a look at them. What condition are they in? Every house needs a well stocked toolbox.
What about all those car care items? Wax, soap, oil, rags (the antifreeze should be in the locked cabinet). Choose a shelf for all these types of items. Also go through you gardening tools. If you don't have a shed you'll want to keep them in the garage where they're not left outside in the weather.
This may seem like a lot of work, but just remember the next time it's raining, or cold you won't have the discomfort of sprinting to the car carrying an umbrella. You can stay nice and dry and warm.
About the author:
This article courtesy of http://www.vacuum-cleaner-shopper.com
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by: Steve Valentino
It stands to reason that you more space you have, you more organized you will be. Why then, are so many walk-in closets disorganized messes? It seems that the more space we have, the more junk we have to fill it.
Walk-in closets offer a variety of design options. They can be filled with shelves for folded clothing or books. They can host tie racks, belt racks, and shoe cubbies. They can hold multiple garment racks for hanging clothes. Hooks and hang bars can also be installed to hold hats, robes, and other such items. Drawers or dressers can be placed inside walk-in closets to free up space inside the room.
Walk-in closets grant you the freedom to be creative. For example, islands and benches can be placed inside large closets to create the feeling of a dressing room.
Walk-in closet organizers can be purchased as kits from local home improvement stores and some department stores. These kits contain everything needed to design your basic closet—components, shelving, and hardware. Accessories are available separately. You may have to purchase more than one kit to accommodate the entire closet. Though assembly is necessary, it is usually relatively simple.
Closet organizer systems can also be purchased for walk-in closets. These systems usually consist of pre-assembled pieces that simply need to be installed. Most can be placed on the floor for a built-in look or wall-mounted to keep floors clear.
Another option for walk-in closet organizers is a custom closet. Though these can be rather expensive, it does allow for a bit more creativity and flexibility. Custom closets can be ordered online. You give the dimensions of the closet and the desired components and accessories. You also select color, material, and style. The company will then provide you with a drawing or diagram of the proposed closet. Upon approval, they will ship the pre-made pieces to you for installation. Local closet organizer companies are also available. Many of these will send a consultant to your home. This person will evaluate your space, your décor, your needs, and your budget before presenting his or her recommendations for a custom closet.
With walk-in closets, the sky really is the limit. Organization is truly within reach.
About the author:
Closet Organizers Info provides detailed information on bedroom, kids, custom, wood and walk-in closet organizers for sale. Closet Organizers Info is affiliated with Original Content.
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by: Ken Marlborough
Not all bathrooms can be lavish spaces with whirlpool tubs and two separate vanities. For some bathrooms, space is at a premium and knocking out walls is not an option, but remodeling must be done. Small bathroom remodeling presents its own complications, but with the right information, a small bathroom-remodeling project can shine.
Before beginning your small bathroom remodeling, design a floor plan that maximizes the room's useable space. Don't be afraid to design up by incorporating free-floating cabinets. Use mirrors to stretch a small bathroom's space, and keep the color scheme simple. Keep a small bathroom bright, fresh, and inviting with coordinated colors and accessories.
Pare down the scale in your bathroom. Big items take up more space in the bathroom and look bulky. Corner sinks are simple and small. These sinks free up visual space below, but don't provide the counter space and cabinet space that a traditional sink provides. Another option is a pedestal sink. These sinks have a more classic design and are free standing. Wall-mounted sinks save space but do not have counter space. Both types of sinks do not provide storage space underneath. Most home-improvement stores stock smaller sinks, or you can custom order one from a cabinet shop for a price.
A simple way to conserve space is to do away with a tub and just use a shower. Smaller tubs, however, are available, although most cannot handle whirlpool faucets. Any tub less than five feet long will probably spill the water sprayed by the whirlpool faucets.
Pick a toilet that can sit close to the wall to conserve space, and the size of the seat and tank design determine just how much space the toilet will use. Also pay attention to the size of the home's original toilet. Older homes have toilets with 10 to 14 inches between the wall and the toilet drain, but newer homes typically have 12 inches. The wrong toilet won't fit. Buying a toilet with a low tank takes up less visual space and compact toilets leave more room, but as with any small bathroom remodeling project, use these suggestions to find a toilet that is both stylish and fits in the room.
Finally, limit what you bring into the bathroom. To save space in a cramped bathroom, for example, it may be best to have a dressing area in a bedroom. Limit the number of accessories -- clutter can easily make a small bathroom look smaller.
Planning a small remodeling may take extra planning, but the resulting clean, beautiful, an uncluttered bathroom will be an inviting space.
About the author:
Bathroom Remodeling Info provides detailed information on bathroom remodeling ideas, costs, plans, and checklists. Bathroom Remodeling Info is the sister site of Kitchen Remodeling Web.
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