Victory Home Improvement » Gardening

Transform Your Yard Into A Garden

victory — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 12:40:00 +0000

If you only have a tiny yard but you're yearning to create a well-maintained garden, there are only two things you really need, that is: determination and know-how. Following are some tips that will help you keep your yard-garden looking spruced up and glamorous.

1. Deadheading

Keep your border free from wilted flowers and dried leaves. Deadheading or removing dead flower heads will encourage your plants to produce more blooms and for longer. Many perennials such as geraniums and dahlias, and some annuals benefit from having dead blooms removed.

3. Pinch out tops

Certain plants, in particular foliage plants such as Coleus - respond with a spate of exponential growth when their tops are pinched out. Pinching out makes the plant much bushier resulting in the production of more blooms. Note that Fuchsias are prone to becoming leggy unless they are pinched out.

4. Fertilize lightly

A minimal amount of fertilizer will further boost the growth of your vegetation. If you water your yard-garden frequently, you have to fertilize it more regularly too, because of the nutrient depletion caused by watering. A two-weekly application of liquid fertilizer is sometimes more beneficial than the use of granules, because it is more readily absorbed by the leaves. Container plants will be considerably healthier if treated with a half-strength solution of liquid fertilizer, which is applied regularly.

5. Weed out

Weeding out is one of the best ways to preserve the beauty of your yard-garden. Note that the weeds compete with your plants for both nutrients and moisture. If the weeds are not close to seeding, leave them on the bed to rot down for mulch. In the event that you need to use a weedicide, try and do so with a wick applicator, rather than a spray. This will protect you plants from spray-drift.

6. Water your plants well

One good tip when it comes to watering your yard-garden is to give it a thorough soaking once a week, making sure there is no run-off, which is linkely to cause erosion. Deep watering will encourage the growth of deeper roots that will be more hardy in dryer spells.

7. Say no to chemicals

Chemicals are dangerous to humans and often kill the natural predators that are beneficial to your garden, because they kill off your garden pests, so avoid their use, if at all possible. You can find many organic alternatives to choose from, that work just as well.

Follow this simple advice and your yard-garden will soon be your pride and the envy of your neighbors.

Make Money With A Water Garden

victory — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:00:00 +0000

The first and in many ways simplest way to make money with a water garden is by adding a small water garden to your property in order to charm potential buyers and renters so that you can close a real estate deal. The second way that a water garden can translate into cash in your pocket is a bit more elaborate, and involves putting in a large scale water garden in order to give your property's value a serious boost. The third way that a water garden can help you raise your bank balance has nothing to do with real estate, but instead has plenty to do with how you can use a water garden to adjust your attitude and raise your self esteem.

Install a small water garden to increase your home's salability and to stimulate consumer interest. A stunning, peaceful water garden can enhance the beauty of any yard or open outdoor space. Installing a water garden on your land can help you enchant potential buyers or renters who will be sure to fall in love with this fashionable element of your property's overall design. Although a modest water garden probably won't drive your home's value through the roof in the blink of an eye, even a small water garden can help you win over a buyer or a tenant at the price you want to get for your property. In short, an inexpensive, easy to maintain water garden that will increase consumer interest in your home can be a great investment.

The more attractive your landscaping is, the more valuable your property will be, and putting in a large water garden can make your home worth much more money on the open market than it is today. If you have the resources to make it happen, installing a water garden that is extremely large or impressive can translate into a hefty profit. Depending on the size and style of the water garden you install, this yard feature can increase the value of your home substantially. A large and elaborate water garden complete with state of the art filtration, exotic aquatic flora from all corners of the globe, and top of the line landscaping that helps it blend gracefully into its surroundings can cost a pretty penny to install, but the investment is often well worth the cost. An impressive water garden of this scale and scope can raise the financial value of your property by thousands of dollars.

A water garden provides you with the deep relaxation and tranquility that you need in order to manage stress and tension, and to maintain focus, concentration, and the confidence that you need in order to get ahead. Capitalize on the psychological and emotional benefits of a water garden to help you achieve success. A water garden can help you center yourself, which will let you fulfill your potential in all realms of your life, and is sure to be a boon to your career.

Water Gardening – Riding The Wave!

victory — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:20:00 +0000

There are plenty of possible reasons why the water garden has become such a popular landscaping feature in recent years, and different garden design professionals have different theories as to why this gardening style with strong classical roots has suddenly caught on. One of the most widely accepted theories for the explosion in water garden popularity has to do with the fact that life outside the home is getting more and more hectic. In a world where cell phones and laptops keep us constantly on the communications grid, it can be difficult to escape from the pressures of work. A water garden provides the ultimate contrast to the frenzied pace of modern living, and it makes home an oasis where it is possible to get away from the demands of the rest of the world.

Another reason why water gardens are so trendy with today's homeowners and landscape designers has to do with consumers' increasing desire for eco-friendly gardens. As information about conservation becomes more readily available by the minute, today's gardeners are searching for ways to transform their backyards into personal oases without wasting precious water or polluting the earth with harmful pesticides. A water garden is an extremely eco-conscious landscaping feature. Water circulates through the garden, requiring only an occasional extra splash from the hose to counteract the effects of evaporation. This makes a water garden a much more earth friendly choice than a lawn that soaks up gallon after gallon every week. Every water garden is its own complete, self-sustaining ecosystem that has its own natural pest control features in the form of fish, birds, and frogs. In addition to the fact that a water garden is self sustaining, its plants and water actually help to purify the air in your yard.

A water garden is often created as part of public city gardens, or planned as an eye-catching feature for a community area like a schoolyard. One realm in which the water garden is really catching on is as a staple of peace gardens, which are meant to provide tranquility and an atmosphere conducive to contemplation of the deeper things in life. Public peace gardens that utilize water have been built in locations ranging from San Francisco, California, to Rockford, Illinois, and even all the way across the ocean in the city of Sheffield in the United Kingdom.

By creating a water garden, you can savor the benefits of this trend that design professionals are spreading across the globe in the comfort of your very own backyard. A water garden has a very positive environmental impact, which means that the worldwide water garden trend is great news for mother nature. Indeed, the popularity of water gardens is as great for the planet as it is for the lucky homeowners who have been able to create their own little slices of heaven on earth.

Realizing The Beauty Of Spring Through Winter Lawn Care

victory — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 15:53:00 +0000

A basic way to make sure your lawn is substantial as well as healthy each spring is to provide it with the proper lawn care throughout the months of winter and in late fall. While most lawns appear altogether hibernating throughout these months, the way that the lawn is cared for during this time period can make a lot of difference to the overall beauty and health of it when the summer time arrives. Here are a few ideas that will assure that the lawn is as healthy as it can possibly be when warm weather eventually returns.

Clearing Debris

If you happen to live in a region where there is regular snowfall, you want to be certain your strategy includes seeing to it that all parts of the lawn are free of debris as well as clutter prior to the first large snowfall of the year happens. Good maintenance of your lawn and preparation for winter snow include raking the leaves, getting rid of sticks, and removing any other kind of debris that simply does not belong on your lawns.

Even if you do not expect a lot of snow, it is always important to make sure the grass is not left under a pile of leaves or other waste which can interfere with the grass receiving a higher rate of moisture, air and nutrients. While the growth of most grass frequently stops at the end of autumn, it still has the capability of dying if it is buried under any type of yard debris.

Controlling Weeds

There are numerous individuals that have the misconception that the summer season is the most significant time period to control weeds. However, just the opposite is true and it is significant to realize this in order to plan for appropriate and healthy lawn care for the lawns that are around your home and garden.

Weeds actually grow much quicker than your lawn did during the winter, as compared to the summer season. If weeds are allowed to merely grow out of control during the "off season", then there might not be a lot of lawn left to enjoy when spring comes.

Fortunately, since your grass will be growing at a much slower rate during the fall and winter, it is fairly easy to pinpoint the progress of weeds during this time period. Just make certain that you give a little attention and care to your lawn during these particular months, and get the weeds pulled out, or apply herbicide, so these weeds do not smother the lawn and ruin the appearance of your designed landscape.

Rye Grass and Bluegrass

If you are happy with the look of a thick flourishing lawn through the wintertime, then it is a good idea to plant ryegrass, bluegrass or other types of northern grasses which all have a tendency to be heartier and will survive through the cold winter months.

One of the primary benefits when using rye grass in your lawn, is that it generally grows well when mixed with your current grass and it will make your lawn appear more lush and full. However, the ryegrass will actually die off and the lawns regular grass will then take over as it comes to life in the springtime.

The winter grasses such as rye, will tend to grow better if you plant them in mid and later part of October. If you decide to plant in the fall, you will still need to make sure that your new lawn receives sufficient amounts of water.

If you get a week of dry weather, you want to make sure you water your lawn so that the rye gets one to two inches of water per week. Just by taking a few simple measures of lawn care should help you achieve a healthy and lush lawn that stand out in the summer.

8 Surefire Tips To Give Your House Irresistible Curb Appeal Now

victory — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:15:00 +0000

Almost everybody realizes what "curb appeal" is and the reason why it is important. This is the first impression that an individual receives as they initially pull up to the house. It only takes a fraction of a second for somebody to 'evaluate your house and determine a number of different things about you even before they set foot onto your property.

One of the most significant ways that you can provide your house with a needed boost and enrich its curb appeal is feeding the lawn and making sure it is well maintained and carefully manicured.

Although it may seem easy enough, sometimes making the back and front lawn to appear beautiful, impeccable and appealing can be a tedious process, particularly if there were some initial problems with the health of the lawn. Listed below is a set of lawn care suggestions and tips that can assist you in cultivating a lawn that draws people to your house, invites them, and provides your curb appeal with a real boost.

1. Find out about the condition of the soil of your lawn. It is easy enough to get the soil tested. Just contact the agricultural extension agent in your city. This basic test will be able to speedily discover the elements of your soil and will indicate all that is missing so that you can correct the problem.

2. Have a scheduled lawn maintenance routine that incorporates fertilizing three to five times per year. Make certain that it is performed on a regular basis and it provides the right kind of food for the grass in the garden lawn. The extension agency can also assist you with information in this matter as it pertains to your local area.

3. When attempting to mow your grass during the heat of summer, make sure that you cut it to the maximum height that your lawn mower permits. This help the grass to dry faster after rainfall and even allows for shade on the ground, which assists in preventing moisture loss. This will help to conserve water, and it will also help the lawns to crowd out the weeds and smother them. During the cool and wet parts of the year, you can setup the lawnmower to cut lower depending on your preferences.

4. Water approximately one and a half inches at least once a week. When you briefly water every day, you encourage your lawn to develop a more shallow type of root system. Watering just once a week helps to develop strong deep roots that have the ability to better withstand hot, dry summer weather.

5. You should aerate at least once or twice each year. It also helps to promote a lawn with a deep root system and helps water and allow food for the lawn to get past the surface and into the roots, where it can do the most good. Aeration can also repair the symptoms of soil compaction, which is a specific problem if you are using a riding lawn mower to help maintain your lawn.

6. Keep your mower blades sharp and well maintained. Dull blades actually tear off the tip of the blades of grass and give it a ragged appearance and cause browning at the ends of the grass. Also, you should mow your lawn in different directions and patterns each time you mow. This helps avoid soil compaction and ruts.

7. Watch for signals of dead areas. These dead patches can be an symptom of a problem with insects or diseases that attack your home and garden lawns. When you notice this, you should not deal with the problem until you are fully aware of the facts. Your local extension agency will be of great assistance in this case also.

8. Handling weed control with the use of good quality herbicides. You can do this individually or look for a fertilizer that also contains elements of weed control.

These basic tips should give you a good starting point from which to enrich the health, vitality and appearance of the lawn that is the welcoming introduction to your home. With prudent lawn care, you will enjoy great curb appeal and you will also be able to use and benefit more fully from your yard.

Planting Austin Friendly Flowers : A Guide To A Low Maintenance Garden

victory — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 17:00:00 +0000

Do you love the beauty and color of flowers but cringe at the thought of the maintenance required for their upkeep? If your colorful blooms have a tendency to turn brown and crunchy from neglect in the hot Austin sun, there may be some flowers made just for you. Flora native or adapted to the Austin area thrive where others perish, resisting drought, pests and other hazards. Just choose your plants wisely and you can have fabulous landscaping for your property with little work.

There are many benefits to growing native plants. In addition to saving on water and fertilizer you save on time by choosing plants that thrive in the unique climate of Austin Texas. Your gardening is also more enjoyable when you are not fighting mother nature in an attempt to grow plants that are not suited to the Texas Climate. It is also nice to help maintain the original ecosystem of your locale by promoting local plants and flowers.

Perennials are an essential part of a vibrant landscape, and a beautiful choice for any Texas flowerbed is Cedar Sage. A shade lover, Cedar Sage has bright red spiky flowers that bloom spring through summer and can bring a pop of color to an otherwise gloomy spot in your yard. Sage comes in several other varieties, too, including Majestic Sage, Mealy Blue Sage and Mexican Sage bush all of which produce beautiful flowers and require very little water, just like Cedar Sage.

Trailing Lantana is another great choice, especially when used as a ground cover. It is very tolerant of poor conditions, highly drought resistant, and its lavender flowers are very attractive to butterflies.

Purple Cone Flowers, also know as Echinacea, require a little more water than the previous plants, but they are nonetheless exceptional specimens for an Austin garden. These daisy-like flowers are a Texas native and produce violet or white blooms. Preferring sun or partial shade, they can be planted almost anywhere.

Mexican Honeysuckle is another low-water plant. It displays its orange flowers spring to frost, attracting hummingbirds with its sweet smell. It only requires an occasional pruning to encourage full growth.

Ornamental grasses are another option for sprucing up your landscape, and there are many hardy varieties to choose from, such as Big Muhly, Little Bluestem and Dwarf Fountain Grass. Some grasses can be quite invasive, so be careful where you plant them, because they will thrive and take over.

These are only a few of the many ideal plants for your Texas landscape. There are a multitude of choices available out there, so next time you go to a nursery, make sure you do your homework first or ask the people running the nursery which plants and flowers are native to Texas. The city of Austin has worked to promote a green and environmentally friendly city. The city of Austin has a Grow Green plant list featuring native and adapted landscape plants that thrive in Texas. By planting smart you can save water, fertilizer and time.

Your Water Garden Oasis

victory — Wed, 26 May 2010 17:00:00 +0000

A water garden can provide you with a level of relaxation and calm that you may never have even dreamed was possible. Adding a water garden to your backyard can transform your property's outdoor space from a run of the mill lawn to a transporting, beautiful place that makes you feel instantly peaceful and tranquil.

One reason why a water garden creates such a calming atmosphere is due to the effects of the gentle noise of bubbling, flowing water. Water creates what is known as white noise, a calming atmosphere of sound that some experts believe is reminiscent of the sounds heard in the safety of the womb. White noise has been shown to reduce stress and tension, and regular exposure to environments rich with white noise, such as a water garden, may help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. The sound of water helps to block out other, less pleasant ambient sounds like traffic or the activity of noisy neighbors. The white noise of a water garden can create an atmosphere that makes you feel as though you are millions of miles away from your daily life, in a place of safety and calm that nothing can intrude into.

Another reason for the powerfully positive effect that a water garden has on the attitude of anyone sitting nearby is that a water garden has a tangible effect on climate and temperature. The evaporation process that is a natural part of any water garden disperses water molecules through the air surrounding the garden. The humidity of the air around your water garden is great for your skin, and its gentle, dewy moisture can help you feel refreshed after even a long and hectic day. In addition, a pond, waterfall, or other water garden feature provides subtle climate control, creating a very pleasant area around your water garden where temperatures are milder and more comfortable than elsewhere in your yard. During even the hottest summer day, your water garden will provide a comfortably cool spot where you can relax.

Because it is easier to maintain than most landscaping options, a water garden will leave you free to enjoy its beauty without worrying about devoting hours to its care. A water garden can help you make pleasant, soothing relaxation a viable part of your daily schedule. When you stroll into your backyard to enjoy your water garden, you are telling the world that you are ready to relax and unplug. By building your own water garden, you can enjoy the beautiful sight, soothing sounds, and comfortable climate that a water garden provides on a daily basis. Having a personal sanctuary in your own backyard is invaluable because it gives you a chance to unwind completely without having to do anything more than step out your door.

Do You Know The Benefits Of Water Gardens ?

victory — Tue, 18 May 2010 17:15:00 +0000

The beauty and tranquility that a water garden adds to any outdoor area is more than enough incentive to create one of these stunning landscaping features in your backyard. However, there are benefits to a water garden that go beyond the pleasant hedonism of enjoying the unique aesthetic pleasures of a water garden. A water garden is as great for the environment as it is pleasant for homeowners.

The negative ions that moving water releases into the atmosphere help to purify the air. If you've ever noticed that air smells and tastes fresher near a waterfall or just after a rain storm, you have had a firsthand experience of the impact that these ions can have. A water garden produces a continual stream of negatively charged ions that help to remove toxins and impurities from the atmosphere. When you take a deep breath of the fresh, clear air that hovers around your water garden, you will find tangible proof of the fact that your garden is having a positive impact on the environment as a whole.

One of the reasons why eco-conscious gardeners are increasingly attracted to water gardens has to do with the idea of conservation. Most forms of plant based landscaping like lawns, flowers, shrubs, or gardens based in soil require constant watering. A lush yard of vibrant green grass can soak up gallons of water each week, especially during the summer months when heat threatens to wilt your carefully tended plants. This sends your household's water consumption through the roof, despite the fact that environmental experts recommend conserving water and using as little as possible. When you create a water garden, you create a self sustaining cycle of hydration that will keep plants alive and well without you having to water them at all. An occasional top-up with a hose or a watering is necessary, but for the most part your water garden will literally water itself, allowing you to save water, which is doing your share to save the earth.

The potential environmental impact of a water garden goes far beyond the immediate present, because a water garden can influence young people to help create a better future for the planet. If you have children, involving them in the design and maintenance of a water garden is a great way to help them gain an interest in science and environmental issues. A water garden is a complete eco-system of its own, where a delicate balance of fish, useful bacteria, plant life, and insects co-exist in harmony. This makes a water garden a great educational tool that teaches you and others how natural systems work with all of the different predators and prey in fully sustainable balance. Getting your kids engaged in thinking about environmental impact early in life with a water garden may help them learn about issues that will help them pursue an eco-friendly lifestyle years down the road.

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7 Great Basement Design Ideas

Mowing Your Lawn Benefits Your Grass and You

victory — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:00:00 +0000

Now that we are well into the 2008 lawn growing season, I'm sure you've got your turfgrass properly fertilized properly and looking super thick and pretty. You've toiled to foil the onslaught of invading dandelions, clover and other weeds; and you are on a regular watering and irrigation schedule to keep your investment alive and growing.
The final basic element involved is the cutting. This is my favorite part of the maintenance process.
The positives are not only for the turf grass, but for the homeowner as well.
Mowing benefits to the homeowner include:
First off, cutting the lawn involves a power tool, namely, your mower.
Secondly, it involves some form of exercise (for which my wife is appreciative).
Finally, it affords the operator a chance to get some real thinking done.

Let's explore each of these benefits.
(1) The power mower: I use a variable speed, self-propelled 21" Lawn Boy 'sense-a-speed' mower, rear wheel drive. (Oh that sounds hot just to say out-loud!)
My lawn is only 8,000 square feet, so I am not in need of anything larger; besides, I run that puppy wide open!
(2) The exercise: It takes about an hour to mow my lawn including edging, weed-whacking and cleanup. That's not bad really. I suppose if I wanted to increase the aerobic benefits in this process, I could lose the "self-propelled" mower option and push the thing, but I'm not really that fat! Ha!
However, one thing I am in favor of to increase the benefit in exercise is mow the lawn 2 or 3 times per week! This helps #3 come more into focus as well as benefits the turf itself: it's a venerable cornucopia of benefaction!
(3) The thinking time: (this is a great one!) Ponder this: you are out for 1-hour doing a job that only requires one person to do, that no one else in your household really wants to do anyway (especially if you have teenagers like I do). This means it's all yours; you own it ... completely!
On top of that, your wife can't bark or nag at you during this time because the mower engine noise drowns her out completely and she knows it! It's just plain quiet time for you inside your head! That's better than a hammock under a tree and a cold lemonade as far as I'm concerned.

Now let's get down to the tips that benefit the lawn itself.
(1) Mowing height
(2) Mowing frequency
(3) Mowing direction
(4) Mulch or Catch

Mowing benefits for the lawn, by the numbers:
(1) The height: This one varies according to the type of grass you have. But who *really* knows their grass type? Chances are you have a mix of Kentucky BlueGrass and some sort of fescue or rye. With that in mind, I tell folks to set their mower on the highest or second-highest setting. You just don't want to remove much more than 25% of the grass blade in any single cutting.
It's like this: If I lose a finger-nail, I'm going to be just fine, but if I lose my entire arm, I'm in a world of hurt, ...got it?
And on a side note, ya gotta have a sharp blade. A dull blade rips the grass blades instead of cutting them. Rips turn brown and rob the lawn of it's color.

(2) Assuming proper irrigation year-round, the lawn needs cutting weekly. I've had people call me to complain that after cutting their lawns, they turned yellow. Upon further investigation, I found that they had not cut the lawn prior for a month! Now we're back to the finger-nail vs the arm analogy. Please folks, be responsible and keep your turf trimmed regularly.
As mentioned above, I actually try and get people to mow twice per week, but that's over-the-top for most.

(3) The mowing direction isn't the biggest deal here, but you certainly don't want to mow the exact same way all the time or you take a chance on developing ruts in the lawn. You also will literally push lines of turf down, and "train" them to lay down all the time ... like people "train" their hair to lay a certain direction...this is not a good situation for turf-grass.

(4) Mulch or catch? Ford or Chevy?
Yeah, it's like that. I do both depending on my mood. Catching has benefits in the end because you don't have as many clippings to blow off the driveway. If you do mulch, make sure you have a quality mulching blade installed to grind up the cuttings into super-fine bits!

So next time you head outside to cut that lawn, be sure to review the benefits to you, as well as your nice patch of green grass.