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Winter Wonder: What Can You do With Your Yard?

14. December 2021 Chelsea How To Articles, Lawn Care Tips (0)

By Guest Blogger Carrie Spencer

When winter weather runs amok, it may seem more like time to hibernate than worry about your yard. As tempting as it is, hibernation isn’t in the cards for us humans. So instead, use this time when there’s less foot traffic and slower growth to tackle some of the not-so-routine jobs in your personal green space.

Things like trimming trees and cutting back plants, tackling pesky weeds, and mulching can help your yard over winter, and get it ready for a vibrant spring. Here, ProParts Direct shares some tips on how to prep your yard.

In The Zone

Start by learning about your USDA Hardiness Zone and any microclimates in your area. If you’ve ever wondered why that bush you planted didn’t flourish, even though you planted it exactly as directed, it could be related to your zone. If you’re certain that you’re in a specific zone, you may want to check again. Hardiness zones are subject to change, based on the most recent 30 years of data. If you’ve done your homework, and picked the right plant for your zone but it still didn’t thrive, it could be a microclimate specific to your property or neighborhood.

Understanding all these factors will help you with your yard work all year-round, not just in the winter months

Time to Trim

It’s actually best to prune or trim many trees, ornamental grasses, and woody shrubs back during the winter months while they are dormant. When done correctly, this can lead to extensive new growth and flowering the following season. Removing dead or decaying branches can also eliminate safety hazards from your yard that may fall and injure children or pets.

This is also the time of year when many lawns go dormant, making it easy to spot stubborn weeds that seem to outlive all other plants. You can attempt to physically remove the weeds if you only have a few, but if your lawn is covered, it’s best to tackle this chore in the spring. If you are in an area that has extended periods with freezing temps or gets heavy snowfall, it’s best to keep everyone and everything off the lawn altogether to avoid permanent damage.

Time to Mulch

Mulching in winter will help protect your plants from unseasonably warm or cold weather. It will also help you avoid fungus that can grow during the damp fall months, and deter rodents that might be attracted to it during the fall as well. Mulching with leaves from your yard or the neighborhood can help you save a buck, all while nourishing your plants in a manner similar to compost.

Speaking of compost, winter is a great time to start. Composting is both beneficial for the environment and economical. Just keep in mind that your compost area should be isolated from where your kids and pets play to avoid any potential contact with dangerous mold spores or allergens. If you live in an extremely cold climate, it may take a little longer for your pile to decompose, but it will prove to be worth the wait.

Prepare to Sell

While you should tend to your yard every season, you may be especially concerned now if your intention is to sell your home in the spring. If this is the case, take care of what you can during the winter months, and be prepared for cleanup and replanting in the spring. You want to give your home a competitive edge by sprucing up the exterior prior to starting your marketing efforts.

When the time comes to list, make the most of those marketing efforts with a great presentation of your home. In addition to boosting your curb appeal, make updates to the interior and then carefully stage your home. Take quality photos to capture your home in the best light, and then make a point to post your listing on your favorite social media platforms. For a professional look, consider designing a logo specific to your home sale. Adobe Spark’s free logo maker is perfect for novice designers, and you can quickly create a fun design that speaks to your home and your aesthetic.

Winter brings a much more subtle color palette to the yard than other months, but it doesn’t mean you should ignore it. Pruning trees and woody plants in winter, while protecting others with mulch, will lead to enhanced beauty during the other seasons. Understanding the climate in your area is essential for lawn and garden success year-round, and will help you maintain it appropriately this winter and beyond.

Photo Credit: Unsplash

Keeping a Pristine Lawn All Year Round

28. September 2021 Chelsea Lawn Care Tips (0)

By Guest Blogger Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp

The secret to a pristine lawn year-round is a year-round maintenance program. Whether you hire a lawn care company or do it yourself, that green lawn can be a lot of work and likely requires something more than a lawnmower. That’s a hard sell if you only think about your lawn in spring and summer.

It all starts with the type of grass you have and where you live. Northern U.S. properties usually grow cool-season grasses, such as Kentucky Blue or a fescue. In the South, lawns usually consist of a warm-season type, such as Zoysia or Bermuda. For the best selection for your area, check with your local extension office.

Pro tip: a fescue will stay green throughout the year. Tall fescue is also one of the most heat and drought-tolerant varieties which is also able to resist winter freezes.

Water

A must-have is an irrigation system. The lawn needs water to stay green and grow. Supplemental watering depends on the type of lawn you have. No irrigation and long spells of dry, hot weather will cause grass to go dormant in summer. Stressed lawns also show footprints when walked on.

If you don’t have a programmable irrigation system, be prepared to use sprinklers to water the lawn. Opt for a sprinkler that delivers water close to the ground rather than overhead. Concerns about this precious resource – water usage, availability, and drought – have spread beyond the West to the Upper Midwest.

How much water? About 1 inch a week. When using a sprinkler, place tuna cans or something similar in the area being watered. When the cans have an inch of water, turn the sprinkler off. Or, apply one-half inch of water twice a week using the cans as a guide.

Fertilize

The best time to fertilize your lawn is in September. The second best time is November. Indeed, two fall applications of winter formula lawn fertilizer go a long way at keeping the grass green in winter. It also helps the lawn green up earlier in spring. Whether you or your lawn care company fertilizes in spring is up to you. Spring temps encourage the grass to grow, so fertilizing in spring frequently increases mowing duties.

Lawn fertilizer is typically a granular product. There are several types of applicators, which also can be used with other lawn care products. There are synthetic and eco-friendly, natural or organic lawn fertilizers on the market. With any lawn and garden product, always read and follow the directions.

Treat

Pesticide is an umbrella word for bug killers (insecticides), weed killers (herbicides), mites (miticide), and fungus (fungicides). Several brands of lawn fertilizers add weed killers to the mix, such as for crabgrass or dandelions.

Most of these lawn products are used if there’s a problem with insects, fungus or weeds, rather than as a preventative. It’s always best to know what the problem is before you treat it. That will save you money.

Mow

The best way to have a pristine lawn is to mow it correctly. That means the mower blade should be sharp, so the grass is cut evenly and not torn. You’ve probably heard the grass mantra to “mow high.” Mow lawns to 3 or 4 inches tall. Grass at that height shades out any weeds looking to take root. It also helps shade the soil to reduce the loss of moisture.

When mowing, avoid removing more than one-third of the grass blade. If the lawn is 6-inches high, mow at 4 inches. If 4 inches, mow at 3. Mowing duties are usually the most demanding in spring and early summer. Fewer mows are needed in late summer when grass growth slows.

A mulching mower allows the clipped grass to remain on the lawn, gradually breaking down and adding trace nutrients to the soil. Mowing leaves and leaving the bits on the lawn in fall also adds trace nutrients.

Rake

Leaving leaves on your lawn can allow them to become soggy, which leads to snow mold and insect infestations. Raking them allows the grass to breathe and absorb moisture. A thick layer of leaves will also deprive your lawn of the sunlight it needs to thrive.

Tips for DIYers

You will need a mower, a spreader for granular products, and an applicator for liquid products, such as insecticides. You may also need tools like a rake or shovel.
Check with your county extension service for a lawn care guide. It will lay out the lawn care schedule for you to follow. It also will explain when and if to use pesticides.
Make sure your lawn equipment is ready for the job. Keep the blades sharp and spreader distributing the correct amount of lawn product. Replace parts, such as blades or spark plugs, as needed.
Remember always to read and follow the label directions of any lawn and garden product.

Tips for Hiring a Lawn Service

Have a clear understanding and schedule of what the service will do and when. Ask what products they use and what precautions they take, especially around children or pets.
What is the service’s policy if a treatment damages or kills your garden plant? This can happen when the spray from weed killers drifts on the perennials, shrubs, or trees.
Tell the service that you prefer them to mow high, even if it means increased mows, especially in spring.
Ask the service to reduce mowing in the fall if it isn’t needed.

Keep in mind: Your lawn doesn’t have to be green year-round to be pristine. A healthy lawn may go dormant during the colder months. But with the proper care (and by keeping heavy foot traffic off the lawn in winter), it can bounce back stronger than ever once spring returns.

Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp award-winning garden writer, editor, and speaker. (She speaks at libraries, garden clubs, public gardens, home and garden shows, and horticulture industry events.) She frequently says her eyes are too big for her yard. She blogs at hoosiergardener.com.

Keeping Overwintering Insects Away From Your Home and Lawn

10. March 2021 Ed How To Articles, Lawn Care Tips (0)

By Guest Blogger Raymond Web

With the setting of the winter sun, even the bugs and insects seek shelter to keep warm. Unfortunately for home and business owners with beautiful lawns, this becomes an issue since their spaces get invaded by Asian lady beetles, boxelder bugs, cluster flies, stink bugs, ladybugs, boxelder bugs, and many more. These pests cause nuisance with their large populations emerging out of their hiding spaces as soon as they discover some warmth. Overwintering insects also include bees and wasps in winters. The next part of the article will uncover more information on the prevention of these uninvited guests.

What is Overwintering?

Overwintering defines the act with which insects, plants and animals, seek shelter inside warmer places during peak winter months. Since this article focuses on insects, overwintering in their lifecycle denotes a time when they search for more conducive spaces for survival during winters when the cold halts their growth and development.

Types of Overwintering Pests

Consider this section as an introduction to the variety of overwintering insects you are likely to find lurking in the nooks and crevices in your house. You will encounter them sneaking out when they discover warmer temperatures and determining them becomes crucial to decide the appropriate pest control measure. These include:

Spiders - Although most house spider species are harmless if left alone, it is crucial to know how to handle their infestation to prevent any terrifying encounters.
Termites - Prioritizing termite inspection in order to avoid hefty property damage is in your hands because these overpopulating insects seek comfortable shelters to reproduce during the winters.
Grubs - These plump, white, C-shaped creatures feast on the roots in your lawn, thereby destroying the soil structure.
Ants - While living in colonies, ants seek shelter and food to keep them alive in the cold climate.
Fleas and Ticks - These minuscule creatures usually climb onto pets and eventually lay eggs onto furniture and carpets.
Chinch bugs - They feed on the fresh grass in your lawn, which eventually starts to turn brown as a sign of damage and death.
Brown Marmorated Stink bugs - It is the mid-Atlantic regions that suffer from the arrival of stinkbugs which feed on crops.
Cockroaches - These creepy crawlers have successfully habituated themselves to the changing environment and can survive even the harshest of climates. Act promptly, when you find them in your home to avoid larger population gathering.
Crickets - You will often find crickets silently lurking in the sealed gaps of your doors and windows during winters for warmth.
Boxelder Bugs - This North-American species of bugs live on Boxelder, maple, and ash trees and seek shelter inside closed spaces during the colder months.
Cluster Flies - As the name suggests, these insects arrive in clusters to escape via windows and can be exceedingly annoying.

How to Prevent Infestation of Overwintering Pests?

Invest in Professional Help - Pest control services and their trained experts would tactfully handle the situation of overwintering insects in your home and lawn before it instigates into a bigger problem.
Store Food Properly - Food being one of the primary sources of survival for most of the insects mentioned above, you need to be extra careful when storing it in the open. Double-check the seals and use airtight containers even in the refrigerators.
Seal the Gaps - Performing a spot check and sealing the gaps, cracks and holes in the wooden panels of your doors and windows would instantly lower the chances of overwintering pests in your house.
Move Trees, Bushes, Shrubs, and Firewood Away - Trim and maintain these natural habitats which are ideal winter homes for overwintering insects. Steer clear of fuelling the issue by placing them away from doors and windows.
Choose to landscape for a pest-free lawn - Having a clean, pest-free yard is essential to save your home from these insects during winters. There is a wide range of landscaping ideas you can cater to as an escape from common lawn-pests.

While live and let live is a great motto considering nature and its many creatures, it is crucial to saving oneself from the spread of diseases that might arrive with these overwintering insects. Hopefully, this resource has helped you with actionable solutions.

Author Bio: When people find their homes and offices infested with pests, it is not uncommon for them to panic. Raymond Web has taken the task to educate people on pest prevention and control strategies helping them keep their surroundings healthy, safe and pest-free. Being the digital marketing manager for Take Care Termite and Pest Control, a top rated pest control service in Tracy, CA, he has an in-depth understanding of people and their pain points due to pests, which he uses in his content to educate.

Make The Most of Spring at Home With These Backyard Improvements

10. March 2021 Ed Lawn Care Tips (0)

By Guest Blogger Kevin Jefferson

Winter is still here, but now is the right time to start thinking about the ways you could ramp up your yard for spring.

Spring is the right time for action. When the new replaces the old throughout nature, why not do the same with your back yard? Even the smallest of changes and improvements can help improve the functionality and aesthetic of your backyard, transforming it into the ultimate getaway for some peace or the best place to host your family and friends. So, get geared up for the spring with these tips that will help you make vital backyard improvements.

Refresh your plants

Adding a few plants to your yard is a great way to revitalize the space — and it doesn’t have to cost too much.

When choosing new flowers, it’s vital to pick a theme, so the garden doesn’t look visually chaotic and disconnected. Do some research and select plants based on your region, or choose a theme based on color, such as all-white flowering plants.

From a visual perspective, remember that less is more. Keep your planting simple so that it will make a far better visual impression.

Prices for plants vary considerably; for an affordable option, purchase plants in seed form, cuttings, bulbs, tubes, or small container sizes. Next, put them in some colorful planters that match your overall aesthetics, and get ready for a vibrant spring in your backyard.

Add some color

One easy and effective way to change your backyard’s look is by adding a splash of color to the ground.

You can do it with minimal investment and hassle, simply by adding some colorful mulch or decorative glass chippings. No matter which choice you make, one thing is the same - this type of decoration requires no additional care.

Choose a cool color and texture, then dump it, spread it, and forget it. Perfect!

Prepare your outdoor furniture for spring

Take your outdoor chairs and tables out of storage early for a thorough wash. Then give them any necessary touch-ups, or perhaps even a complete makeover.

Once the spring comes, and you get everything set up, it will be much harder to make yourself do all the maintenance work, so the best approach would be to do it before spring even comes.

If you do not have any outdoor furniture, consider a DIY project where you would turn any tree stumps you have in your shed into stools and even build a picnic table. It is easy to do, trendy, and eco-friendly. What more could you ask for?

Build a treehouse

Speaking of fun DIY projects, if you have kids in the family, this could be the right idea for you.

A treehouse can add a particular aesthetic to your backyard and give it a unique feature that many do not have, while they will have a fun area to play and spend time together.

If you are not that handy, you can always hire a professional to build a treehouse for you, but it is not that hard. Check online to find different creative ideas on improving the look of your backyard with a treehouse.

Consider an outdoor living room

An excellent idea for a backyard makeover is creating an open living room.

This idea provides you with the comfort of the inside of your own house combined with being out in the open, with the sun and fresh air directly there for you to enjoy.

To make this concept into reality, you are going to need a covered patio. Then, some furniture, a table, maybe even a rug. If you can afford it, adding a fireplace or a firepit can be an excellent addition as well.

Use natural stone as the flooring for your patio. Add some durable wicker chairs there, a lovely table, and you have the perfect escape from home close to your home.

Outdoor pizza oven

There is nothing wrong with a classical approach and having a barbecue grill in your backyard. But, if you want to go the extra mile and have something unique, why not get a pizza oven?

Once again, you can make it yourself if you are extra skilled or buy one that is pre-made, but that is not the most crucial part.

What matters is that you and your family - and, hopefully, friends - will have another point of gathering in your yard and fun activity that you can all partake in.

Give French Doors a try

An exciting way you can extend your living area is by using French doors. Use them to extend your home (or your patio living area) by essentially opening an exterior wall between your dining room or kitchen and your patio.

To get the most out of this option, change up the dining room to match the patio (or vice versa). Things like matching floor tiles, furniture, and decorations can enhance the look and make it all seem like one big room.

Kevin has gone through an extensive home renovation with his son, which he has both thoroughly enjoyed, and dreaded every morning. He is now the proud owner of half his dream house (the other half has been waiting for spring). You can read more of Kevin’s work on PlainHelp.

Winter Wonder: What Can You do With Your Yard?

Keeping a Pristine Lawn All Year Round

Keeping Overwintering Insects Away From Your Home and Lawn

Make The Most of Spring at Home With These Backyard Improvements

ProParts Direct is your one-stop parts store for Lawn Mowers Parts, Chainsaw Parts, Engines Parts, Snow Blowers and all landscaping equipment parts.

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