Outdoors

Adding a shed to your yard is an excellent way to get more out of the space. It’ll give you a place to store your gear and can add to the overall aesthetic of your backyard area.

When it rains heavily, it’s normal to see mushrooms pop up in mulch and outcroppings of rocks in the forest. It can look like you’re ready to get faeries visiting, right? Cute as it is to see in the forest, it’s not exactly cute in your yard. This is especially true if you have pets that could eat those potentially-toxic mushrooms. So, how do you get rid of these faerie rings in your yard?

Have you noticed that your sprinklers don’t hit every part of your lawn? If so, that can explain why there are patches of dead grass in your yard. Sprinkler placement is everything when it comes to evenly watering your lawn.

If you’ve ever done any planting or gardening, you’ve likely had to purchase plant pots. You might have also noticed that plant pots are extremely expensive if you want new, quality plant pots. However, plant pots are merely containers to hold a plant when you think about it. Why, then, are plant pots so costly?

To keep your food fresh and at a safe temperature, you need a tool that will accurately measure the temperature of your barbequed delicacies. This means you need a quality and reliable food thermometer.

Spider mites can wreak havoc on plants and even kill them. They can quickly turn your idyllic garden into a nightmare that is hard to recover from. Many homeowners struggle with how to get rid of spider mites.

Undeniably, barbecue smoking is one of the most difficult ways to cook meat. It requires a special level of skill and dedication in order to fully master the task. Though, just like anything, if you put in enough effort, you’ll yield the desired results. Fortunately, modern smokers are designed for both accuracy and convenience. With these models, gone are the days of hovering over the device for hours to check on the meat, give it the occasional spritz of water, monitor the temperature, shovel coal, add wood, make adjustments, and much more.

Well water isn’t an unlimited source that you can utilize for as long as you want. The water tank takes time to refill and can only be used for a limited period before it’s tapped out. This begs the question- how long can you run your hose on a well?

When considering buying a home, there are different things to take into consideration: neighborhood, infrastructure, highway accessibilities and of course — the size of your home.

There are dozens of different types of Christmas trees that are grown in nearly every climate around the world. With all this variety, it’s no surprise that there is not a simple answer to the question, “How long does it take to grow a Christmas tree?” Instead, there are averages, and approximate time frames based on what most people look for in a Christmas tree.

Fences can make your outdoor spaces more useable and more appealing.  Fences afford a sense of privacy, safe places for children, and areas for pets.  Maintaining a fence in good repair is essential for the fence’s aesthetics and the security the fence can provide. When a fence post begins to lean, many homeowners wonder how to straighten the post without removing it.

If you love seeing a little bit of structure in your garden, a pergola is a good way to get it. Pergolas act as a nice way to get a little bit of well-deserved shade in the sunny part of your deck. It also tends to be the best way to give your morning glories a place to climb. Many people leave pergolas plain in wood, but some paint them. Ever wonder which paint colors are best?

Husqvarna is the gold standard for zero-turn mowers, chainsaws, and leaf blowers. Their power tools are easy to use and consistently deliver on a quality performance. Diving into a new Husqvarna tool can be intimidating at first, so how do you start one of their leaf blowers?

Many tenants will do anything to make their rental properties meet their aesthetic and feel like home. For many people, this includes planting a vibrant garden in the yard. So, are you allowed to plant a garden at a rental property?

Power outages are always frustrating for the homeowner. However, they can also cause more than just inconvenience. When the power surges, it can leave your garage stuck open and your belongings vulnerable.

Azaleas are arguably among the south’s most favorite flowering plants. Despite their reputation as being rather finicky, these stunning shrubs are simple to grow when you understand their basic requirements.

Your riding mower needs to have its blades maintained to keep them working well. When your riding lawn mower’s blade wear out, you can easily change them by lifting the lawn mower up, removing the mounting nut and installing new blades. 

A trench is used to hide drainage systems and to bury utility lines. These can be dug by the homeowner or by a professional company, depending on the depth and size of the trench. Trenches are most often dug in order to hide many utility lines around your property. So before doing any digging, consult with your utility companies so they can come and mark their lines.

An electric fence is an effective way to deter animals and people from crossing a boundary. But just as with any electrical item, it’s possible to run into issues with your electric fence. So if your electric fence isn’t working, how can you figure out what went wrong?

In the colder months of the year, it can be difficult and uncomfortable to work in your garage or workshop without a heat source. The frigid conditions can make it difficult to get things done when all you can think about is how cold it is.

Having a riding mower can make life easier. Particularly on larger properties, the difference between using a push mower and a riding mower can be night and day. But just like the push mower, a riding mower needs to be mowed properly.

Improving your home can be done in a variety of ways. You can invest in a new room, make some long-overdue repairs, or work on your backyard. Even a minor home addition can make a real difference.

The key to a healthy lawn and garden is a reliable sprinkler system. There are a number of models out there today that can be easily attached to your garden hose and the majority of the work is done – all that may be required is for you to move the sprinkler to various locations around your lawn. For the ultimate convenience, you could consider installing an underground sprinkler system set on a timer to ensure even, efficient watering.

Installing lights on vinyl siding is a great way to spruce up the outside of your home. It’s essential to use exterior lights to keep the wiring safe from any potential moisture. These lights come with a built-in rubber gasket that helps seal the fixture against the siding. 

If you have ever gone out to mow the lawn and suddenly realized that your lawnmower wouldn’t start, then you know the pain of this situation all too well. Whether it is due to a dirty carburetor, you have a malfunctioning spark plug, not enough gas to the engine, or simply a clogged air filter, there are many reasons why this could be happening.

Are you having issues with starting up your riding mower? When you go to start it, does it crank over but not completely startup? Thankfully, riding mowers aren’t very complicated pieces of equipment, and the owner can quickly resolve most issues. This will help save you money and time on bringing it into a shop. However, if this happens to you, what do you do?

One thing that is on the want list for almost any gardener or plant enthusiast is a greenhouse. Among the popular styles of home and backyard greenhouses is the gothic arch design. Many gardeners considering their first greenhouse wonder about the advantages and disadvantages of building or buying a gothic arc greenhouse.

A vegetable garden will struggle to thrive if it is constantly under attack by animals and pests. Of course, deer, squirrels, rabbits, and groundhogs will find your vegetable garden enticing. That doesn’t mean you are doomed to have animals eat your vegetables. We have compiled several tips on how to keep animals out of your vegetable garden.

A swimming pool is a luxury, and while it requires a lot of maintenance, it’s worth every penny. However, the sight of green water in your pool can thwart any plans that you have of swimming laps or leisurely floating. Many frustrated homeowners have asked themselves the question: why does my pool keep turning green?

There’s no denying that energy costs are out of control, getting higher and higher year after year. Utility costs tend to rise right along with the rising outdoor temperatures. Therefore, it’s not surprising that people want to reduce the heat entering their homes so that they can lower their bills. A popular method is planting trees to save on air conditioning. But this only works if you know where to plant them.

Wood is a material that is important to many different animals, including squirrels, as it helps to file their continually growing teeth. Therefore, you may see teeth marks from squirrels on places like your deck, fencing, birdhouse posts, wood siding, and more. But you can stop these creatures from chewing your wood by taking a few steps.

A chain-link fence offers many benefits, curb appeal not being one of them. While it helps keep your dogs in your yard and mark off your property, it won’t do a whole lot to raise the aesthetic of your home.

Picture it: you buy a new home or a plot of land, and it’s time to make your own. Adding a beautiful paver patio or walkway is the perfect addition to any yard or garden. There are several different ways to get the job done. 

Weather conditions these days are unpredictable. Just as there are record-high temperature records each year, there are also shocking cold snaps in unexpected places. These cold snaps can reach below freezing and happen rather suddenly. So, if there is an overnight frost, and you have left vulnerable plants outside, you will want to know what you can do to keep them alive.

When you own land, there are so many tests and evaluations that need to be done, that some of them can get lost in the mix. One such often overlooked important test for homeowners is the percolation test, or perc test, and it is quite important.  Perc tests are done by drilling a hole into the soil and filling it with water to determine the absorption of the soil.

Turn your shed into a cozy getaway perfect for glamping in your backyard. It’s like having a private cabin at your disposal 24/7. Include a comfy bed or convertible sofa, games, puzzles, extra pillows and blankets, and simple appliances like a microwave and mini-fridge.

How big are the pots that your houseplants are in? Plants must have the correct-sized pot whether you put them inside or outside. For example, a plant with big, deep roots simply cannot thrive in a small pot.

Using any type of gas-powered equipment should be done with caution. A leaf blower is no exception to this rule. It’s important to know the type of gas required so you don’t damage the leaf blower or injure yourself.

Maintaining a pool is never easy—at least, when it comes to the tedium and actually keeping on top of it. At times, you might even have your tools fail you while you’re trying to work on the upkeep. Keeping things working smoothly can be difficult, especially if you noticed that your pool pump loses pressure after a few minutes of work. What causes this to happen, anyway?

Pools are great for when you want to cool off during the summer. They’re also excellent for those who love low-impact exercises. However, many people are not fond of the amount of chlorine that goes into regular swimming pools. To bypass the potential health effects of exposure to chlorine, people choose to install a saltwater pool, but at what cost?

Aphids are one of the most common threats to a garden and even houseplants. There are more than 1,000 types of these bugs, which means they can exist in just about every climate. What makes these pests particularly tricky is that they can feed on the entire plant. They will suck on the leaves, stems, and even the roots of a plant.

A fantastic backyard space can add a lot of positives to your home, providing extra room for relaxing and entertaining. You could set up a dining area, lounge space, or a cozy reading nook with the right furniture. However, choosing patio furniture that lasts is essential to maintaining the backyard of your dreams.

Creating a relaxing outdoor space can feature anything from backyard ponds to pergolas but usually includes some comfortable patio furniture. But when your outdoor cushions don’t stay in place, your backyard retreat becomes anything but relaxing. Luckily, there are easy ways to keep outdoor cushions from sliding so you can get back to enjoying your backyard retreat.

Stihl is one of the leading power tool companies, and its products are accessible to any homeowner. Their weed eaters, or trimmers, have helped the curb appeal of countless homes with their precision and power. Many new and proud Stihl trimmers are faced with the question; how do you start a Stihl weed eater?

With winter well on its way, those icy driveways and sidewalks are soon to come. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to drive on an icy driveway. You may be tempted to try any type of salt, but not all salts are the same.

Lavender is an enduring herb that’s easy to grow if you provide enough sunlight. Plant lavender in an unobstructed area where it can get up to 8 hours of sunlight each day. That said, lavender can handle partial shade in hot climates, as that stops the soil from drying out.

Roses are the oldest flower ever recorded with archaeologists finding a rose fossil from 35 million years ago. In fact, the oldest living rose is more than a thousand years old! There are over two thousand types of roses from short ground cover to large rose bushes and heirloom to wild. That makes answering the question of when roses bloom a difficult one.

One of the first ways to prepare your garden for spring is to clean up your largest plants. After a long winter, trees, bushes, and hedges wake up from dormancy and are ready to grow. To ensure these plants grow their best and dead branches don’t fall in your garden, pruning is essential. Trim back overgrown branches, and remove any parts of a tree that appear dead or dying. This will make your trees and hedges look better and will provide more light for the plants on the ground below.

Modular homes, also known as prefabricated homes, or homes that are built off-site, are quite popular because of how cost-effective and simple they are. Their simplicity and affordability is a huge selling point of modular homes, but many wonder if they will depreciate in value.

One of the best ways to soothe the unbearable allergic reaction associated with poison ivy is to apply calamine lotion. This lotion is derived from the calamine mineral. It is pink in color and is one of the most popular lotions to treat itching associated with ailments like chicken pox, mosquito bites, and even sunburn.

We all cut our grass in different ways. Some of us can get by with a traditional push mower while others use a riding lawn tractor. Whatever the case, there is a common problem that most of us have experienced before: a stuck rear wheel.

Gardeners love to plant as many perennials as possible to make their springtime list of chores even easier. Perennials come back year after year and bloom for months at a time, but this only happens if you take good care of them. Many homeowners understandably struggle with how to make sure perennials come back.

Raised garden beds have grown in popularity, and it’s with good reason. Not only are they beautiful, but they’re also easy to take care of if you don’t have a lot of gardening experience. The improved soil drainage, accessibility, mobility, and weed control make raised garden beds quite enjoyable. 

Electric or automatic driveway gates are growing in popularity for many residences in the U.S. Not only are they visually appealing and improve the curb appeal of the property, they also increase convenience and enhance home security. Opposed to gates that are operated manually, automatic driveway gates offer more control over who comes on your property while also eliminating the need to leave your car or home to open the gate for yourself or a guest.

We use them every day and typically many times a day. That also means we usually take them for granted. Then one day (and commonly with garage doors) without warning, they stop working or stop working correctly. Sometimes they won’t open. Sometimes the  garage door won’t close or close all the way. And sometimes the genie garage door light won’t turn off.

Green spaces are the future of our planet. Therefore, greens spaces and patios are getting more and more popular nowadays. Understanding the least expensive patio material will help you make well-informed decisions. So, you need to know how to invest in green spaces without spending too much money.

The most obvious sign that you have moles in your yard is if you spot a mole. Moles are fairly easy to identify, as they often have tiny or no eyes. Their claws are also unique, in that they look like scoops or shovels, making them perfect to dig their tunnels. They also have a long pointed nose.

If you have ever been stuck on one side of your garage door, then you may know the pain of having a garage door with a broken spring. Whether your springs are simply getting weak, or you have one that has snapped, it can be a scary situation. However, there are still ways that you can open up your garage door.

Having an inground pool can be an awesome feeling, but will an inground pool increase property taxes? It is a question you have to ask yourself anytime you make home improvements. With this informational guide, you will have that answer.

It’s no secret that rain is great for plants, but only in small doses. Heavy rain is nice at first, but it can quickly take a toll on your lawn and garden that can be hard to recover from. Many homeowners understandably struggle with how to save plants from heavy rain.