If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Fill in Your Name & Email to get our Free Hardscaping Your Landscape Report & Insider Garden Tips

Watching your garden wither under the oppressive sun of a drought can be heartbreaking, but you don’t have to feel helpless. There are many tricks and techniques to help you and your garden get through a summer drought.

If you live in an area that is already experiencing a drought, or one that goes through summer droughts frequently, one of the best solutions for you might be to choose plants from the start that don’t require much water to thrive. Take a look at our garden tips to get you through those scorching dog days of summer and keep your garden plants thriving.

I have to admit I’m a little afraid of string trimmers. There always seems to be such potential for danger, from rocks flying up in your face to getting the string tangled in a horrible mess with a wad of tall grass wrapped around it.

The truth is, string trimmers are not that difficult to use and they are very handy to have around the yard. String trimmers can be used to trim grass next to trees, walls, fences and other items that you can’t get too close to with a conventional lawn mower…..

It is important to have the right pruning tools before you attack the trees, shrubs and plants that need pruning in your yard. Using the right pruning tools is better for the plant, and it's better for the tools as well, because you'll be using them properly. Here is a quick rundown of the different types of pruning tools you might need, depending on the plants in your yard…..

Hedgers, or hedge trimmers, are wonderful if you have a lot of shrubs in your yard. Hedgers make quick work of your pruning chores, making it easy to cut a bunch of bushes to the same height or give them all the same shape. A hedger isn't exactly a must-have garden tool, but it is certainly a product of convenience that will make your gardening chores much more enjoyable. When looking for a hedger for your yard, it's important to consider blade length, the size of branches it can cut and how it is powered….

No matter how well you maintain your lawn throughout the years, it will still need to be aerated in order to maintain good water and air flow to the soil. In order for water and air to penetrate the soil properly, there should be small pockets, like pores, that allow for the air and water to flow properly. Over time, though, foot traffic, grass clippings and debris will begin to close off those pockets, making it harder for water and air to penetrate the soil. When this happens, the soil and grass will no longer be able to breathe properly.So how do you go about lawn aeration?

 

Lawn Dethatching is often confused with lawn aeration but the processes are two completely different lawn maintenance procedures. Both will help with keeping your lawn looking lush and beautiful though. Lawn thatch is a layer of clippings, debris, leaves, grass stems and roots that settles onto the ground. For lawns that are regularly raked and cared for, not much thatch will accumulate and the rest will eventually decompose. But for lawns that see excessive amounts of thatch, for lawns that are not properly cared for or for lawns that have never been aerated, lawn dethatching may be necessary…..

No matter where you live, you can select easy care plants for your garden. Even if you think you don't have what it takes to grow a beautiful garden, you'll be surprised how easy care plants thrive with very little attention. In fact, once established, there are selections which almost ensure your success. In order to qualify as an "easy care" plant, the plant must be one that….

When I lived in Boston I use to go watch the 4th of July celebration and fireworks every year. On those rare occasions that I did not go I would watch them on television and then go outside on my front porch and watch the fireworks from home.

Now that I live in Colorado I can only watch the 4th of July fireworks on network television which is fun but not like being there. Celebrating the 4th Of July around the country is fun but there is no other place I would rather be celebrating the 4th of July than in Boston. I hope everyone around the country and our readers here a wonderful 4th of July and many more to come.