Lawn care for many of us has become tedious and tiresome.  Dealing with pests, wildlife, mowing and reseeding can take up much of our valuable time.  Time which we would prefer to spend doing other things.  If you have decided that lawn care is not for you but don’t want to give up that fresh, green, beautifully mowed lawn look there is an easy alternative.

Think about this: no more muddy paws when your dog goes out, pest free lawn, an allergen free area for your children to play and did we mention no maintenance?

Our advanced synthetic fiber technology has keeps fooling  mother nature year after year!  Our unique combination of materials makes synthetic grass look and feel unbelievably real!  The sun can’t fade our “grass”.  In months of drought you will have a lush green lawn that your neighbors will envy.

Worried about drainage?  No need!  Drainage is very similar to natural grass.  The turf backing has many perforated holes ( or a porous fabric backing) that allows water to drain vertically into the ground below the turf.

Best of all, when compared with the cost of a sprinkler system, top soil, sod with water, mowing, weeding and watering the artificial grass can pay for itself in a few years!  

Is something ” bugging” your lawn?  They bugs just may be those pesky grubs, the white kind!

How do you know if your lawn problem is actually grubs?  Simple!  Grubs have a white “C” shaped body, brown head and 6 legs on the upper half of the body.

Grubs lay their eggs in the lawn late June and hatch into Grubs late July.  They feed on the roots of your lawn from late July to August and continue feeding and growing right through fall.  After the fall the Grubs will burrow below the frost line till the end of winter so you will actually never get rid of them.  As soon as the ground starts to defrost and warm they will start feeding again.

There are many related problems with Grubs.  Raccoons and skunks love to feed on them.  If you don’t here those pesky wildlife creatures when they are feeding you will definitely see the damage they have caused in the morning.  Your lawn will be ripped up every night during the spring months. 

If you start noticing patches of brown, dead grass this is a sure indication that the Grubs have fed and consumed the root system of your lawn. 

Grubs will feed and grown until mid May, they then develop into their final form the beetle.  The adult beetle emerges mid June, mates and then the females return to the soil to lay their eggs so the cycle will begin all over again.

Predatory nematodes are a great way to biologically control white grubs.  To use these nematodes you must keep your soil moist and closely follow the instructions, don’t forget that nematodes are living organisms.

Treat the entire lawn, don’t attempt to spot treat the lawn.  Make sure to water the lawn thorought after each application.  Another important factor is that the youger the grubs are the easier they are to control.  The best time to apply is mid July to August and September.  During this time period the grubs are small and near the soil surface.

Labor Day seems to be everyone’s signal for prepping the garden for the coming fall season.  

Summer plants need to be removed as well as yellow leaves and spoilt fruit.  Once you have removed the plants and foliage that grows in the summer but dies in the colder weather be sure to turn over your soil.  If you have permanent plants in your garden that are frost resistant and can last through the winter leave them in just be sure to clean up around them.  If they are plants that will regrow next spring and summer put markers in to make sure that you are leaving them enough room when planting your fall plants.

Here are a few fall plants that will enhance your fall garden:

1) Chrysanthemums, they come in gorgeous fall colors, you can even color coordinate them and plant them in patterns.

2) The Perennial Sunflower, brilliant gold fluffy daisy-like flowers make an instant focal point and attract butterflies and birds.

3) Michaelmas Daisy, shades of pink, purple, blue and white, these delicate daisy-like blossoms start popping open in late August and continue on until frost. Pinching in the early summer turns these Asters into mounds with dozens of flower buds.

4) Aster,  daisy-like flowers in pink, rosy-lilac or deep purple, asters are classic fall flowers. 

5)  Low-growing Marguerite daisy is a delight, and it flowers pretty much nonstop until the first hard freeze.

And there you have it, just a few of our favorite plants for your fall gardening project.

Lawn care is a major issue with homeowners.  Your lawn is the first thing  you see when you look at your home.  Nothing compares with a beautiful, lush, green lawn, it relays the message that you care about your home and image that it projects to others. 

How to repair a bare patch of lawn is the most common question that we get from our readers ask.  Here are some easy to follow instructions, a step by step process that will repair that bare patch and have it quickly blend in with the rest of your beautiful, lush lawn.

1) Remove any debris or dead grass from the bare patch of lawn

2) With a hard tooth lawn rake break up the soil.

3) Take about 2 inches of compost and add it to the existing soil.  With your rake , mix in the compost with the soil to make a nice blend.

4) Using the top edge of the rake even out the surface that you have just created and mix some of the soil with the adjacent areas of lawn.

5) Buy some good quality seed and sprinkle it evenly across the area .  Remember when picking your seed it should be seed that is appropriate for your region.

6) Once this is done you will want to add a starter fertilizer.  Try getting a fertilizer  with weed control. This will allow the grass seed to germinate without any weeds.

7) With your rake, lightly rake the seed and fertilizer to a depth of about 1/2 inch. 

Step down on the earth to ensure the soil connects to seeds.  If a roller is available that would be optimal

9) Water the area lightly and make sure to keep the seeds moist until they are an inch high.

10) Your bare patch of lawn should be fill in and blending well within a couple of mowing’s.

Are you looking to add value as well as curb appeal to your home?  Front landscaping can do that and more!  From simple ideas that you can do yourself to the more elaborate ideas front landscaping will help change the entire flavor of your front yard.  Ideas for front yard landscaping range from whimsical to functional,  choose an idea that fits your personality and your homes architecture while making your home inviting to visitors. 

When deciding on a front landscaping design keep in mind a few major components that make up a great front yard.

1)  Driveway, design and material.  Where are you and your guests going to park?  Like it or not most of us arrive in cars.  Parking should be easily accessible from any angle and in any weather.

2)  Walkway, design a walkway that is inviting, easy to navigate and leads you right to your front door.  If you have steps leading to your front door or porch have the wider than the walkway.  This will avoid a ”bottleneck” if you have a group of people coming to visit.  Another reason to design wider stairs is that it gives you a lovely landing for you to put potted flowers and plants.  Any potted plants will be sure to brighten up your front entrance and make it more inviting.

3)  Front door, the entrance.  How do you and your guests feel when they arrive at the front door, what is the element of emotion that you want to express?  If you live in a subdivision it is likely that your front door is less prominent than your garage unless you are one of the lucky people to have a side or rear garage.  You may want to consider having a larger stoop or porch to offset the size of the door in comparison to the garage.

Whatever you decide when planning your front yard remember to have fun with it.  Look around, get ideas and then decide what is right for you.

So you have decided to start a garden. You have read all the books, talked to gardening mavens and are now ready to take the plunge.  Drowning your flowers with over watering and digging up seedling that you thought were weeds are just a few of the mistakes novice gardeners make.

 Before you start your garden here are the top 5  gardening mistakes: 

1)  Planting a garden in the wrong area – location, location, location!  Plants that are well suited to their site will establish easily and grow wonderfully.  They will develop a healthy root system and grow into healthy plants.  Before planting your garden do a bit of research on the plants that you would like to see in that area.  Make sure they are plants that are suited to the area, for instance, if the area gets only sun and you want flowering plants  you would plant geraniums or sunshine inpatients.  The extra time taken to do a bit of research will definitely pay off when your garden is healthy and flourishing.

2) “I thought it was a weed”, accidentally pulling up flowers instead of weeds. – This is a tough one for even the most experienced gardener.  There is no sure fire way to keep track of new sprouts that are perennials and not weeds but the easiest system is to keep the  nursery tags that come with your plants or use popsicle sticks inserted in the ground in the area that your perennials are planted.

 3) Soil preparation or lack there of – knowing what kind of soil you have and what it is lacking can be a challenge.  The easiest solution is to pick up an at home soil testing kit. This will tell you what you need to add to your soil in order to make your garden flourish.  Keep in mind that it is always a good idea to mix your soil with equal amounts of organic compost.

 4) Over watering – over watering your plants can cause them to drown and their roots to rot. The simple method to see if you soil needs or doesn’t need watering is to grab a fistful of soil, if it stay together nicely in a ball it does not need watering.

 5)  Planting an invasive variety – Plants like horseradish, mint, and ivy are extremely invasive and better off in containers so that you can control them.  If you are ordering seeds from a catalogue and see words such as prolific re-seeder and vigorous growth that is a sure sign that the plants will be invasive and take over your garden.

 So there you have it!  Our top five gardening mistakes to avoid.  Now have fun gardening.

Here in the north east our rainfall has been quite abundant.  June may prove to be the month that is the first truly dry month of the planting season.  Most gardeners consider June the peak gardening month because the days are drier, warmer and longer.   June is usually the month that the summer heat is felt and flowers, shrubs, trees and gardens in general start to flourish.

If you have procrastinated in planting your garden you still have the opportunity to have a beautiful garden. 

For instant gardens try planting full plants such as Cosmos, Petunia, Zinnia, Marigold and Chrysanthemum.

Don’t forget about your grass in June.  A gorgeous, luscious lawn will add the framework to any garden.  To prevent burning of you lawn in the hot summer months make sure to leave the grass blades at least three and a half inches long.   Summer is a great time to fertilize your lawn so if you haven’t fertilized yet now is the time to do so.  If there are any patches on your lawn make sure to re-seed so that you will end up with a lawn to be proud of.

Here are some tips to make your garden your little miracle .

1) Start with great soil:  Soil is not just soil but an ecosystem of micro-organisms.  It is home to natures creatures such as  worms, beetles and snails.  A good organic mulch will nourish your soil which in turn will nurture your plants.

2) Add scents to your garden: Shrubs, trees and flowers that enhance your senses such as smell will also attract insects which is vital for pollination.  Try planting a Dwarf Korean Lilac Paliban, Mock Orange or Summer Sweet.  Your garden will flourish naturally and smell wonderful.  Research shows that scents may increase your brain function and help maintain focus.

3) Nurture wildlife:  Flowers and fruit trees will provide not only a wonderful and enchanting garden but also provide food and lodging to wildlife.  Birds will love your garden and will constantly fly in for a visit.

4) Nectar, the juice of Gods?: Insects, bees and butterflies will visit in abundance and will thrive on the nectar from plants across the seasons.  Bulbs and trees can provide nectar all year round.  Your garden will become an oasis for these lovely flying specimens.

5) Color your garden:  People and insects alike are attracted to color.  If you are looking to create a garden delight try to choose colorful blooms in all forms such ast tubular, flat, umbel and daisy.

6) Water is a magnet:  Wildlife fluttering around in water creates a magical sound to the ear.  Whether you have a pond or simple bird bath you are going to delight in the magic of splashing and gurgling wildlife.

Enjoy your garden, look upon it as a magical place for all to enjoy.  Take a risk, put in color, water and most of all nurture your garden and your little visitors. Sit back and enjoy.

Spring is finally here and the gardener in all  of us is just waiting to be released.  This year why not have some fun with your garden and plant edible flowers.  Not only are these flowers a great addition to you kitchen but they add lovely color to your garden.

Here is a list of easy to grow edible flowers :

1) Daisies – the petals are edible. Their lovely white color looks fabulous scattered over a salad or sprinkled on soup.

2)Clover – clover grows wild in many fields. The whole flower is edible and are actually a high source of protein. 

3) Sunflower – the seeds of the sunflower are edible but did you know that the buds and petals are also edible?  Their taste is somewhere between bitter and sweet.

4) Roses – the rose petals are edible although the white part of the petal tends to be bitter so it is best to cut that part off.  Some ways to use rose petals are on top of decorated cakes or placed in water for ice cubes.  The red rose petals tend to be a bit tastier than the other colors.

5) Pansies – The flowers and petals are edible and so vibrantly pretty.   Use the Pansie for decorating cakes and sprinkling on salads.

Those are our top 5 picks of edible flowers for your garden.  Easy to plant and grow, even if eating your flowers is not for you they will make a lovely addition to you garden .