Latest Articles
5 Reasons Why You Must have a Porch Swing
When you think of a porch swing, you would think of a nice decorative piece for your house. However, a lesser known fact is that these swings...
on Jun 15, 2018
5 Major Benefits of Home Security Alarm Systems
We all fret from thinking about home security alarm systems as we all know of the costs that come with it. However, we must also keep in mind what...
on Jun 15, 2018
How to Find Problems in Your Chimney’s Masonry
Masonry issues are common problems with chimneys, and experts repair these issues quite often. Fortunately, it does not take a professional to spot...
on Jun 14, 2018
6 Things You Should Do After a Flood
Floods can be overwhelming, whether they are caused by a plumbing failure, falling water, a sewer backup, a sump pump malfunction or rising...
on Jun 13, 2018
Garage Door Security – Tips To Keep Your Home Safe From Burglars
For thieves and burglars, the easiest access to a home is the garage. Security companies always ask homeowners to secure the garage whether you are...
on Jun 8, 2018
Popular Articles
Three Places to Spend Money on the Exterior of Your Home
When you have the exterior of your home remodeled, you are investing, time, energy and convenience into the project and you want to make sure that...
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When to Use a Brush, Roller or Sponge Brush
Brushes are a good choice for painting trim and woodwork. They are also useful for cutting in the edges around the top and bottom edges and corners...
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Homemade Headboards-Make an Upholstered or Wooden Headboard
Homemade headboards can add a lot of personality to any bedroom. They can be coordinated with existing furniture and room decor or they can be the...
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Creating a Cottage Kitchen with Bead Board
Kitchen decor can range from modern and bold to elegant and elaborate by using strategic kitchen pieces. One of the most popular decorating trends...
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Gas Fireplace Diagnostics and Troubleshooting
Follow these steps for diagnosing and troubleshooting Gas Fireplaces repairs. For the average DIYer, this may seem intimidating, depending on the...
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Garden / Landscaping
Woodchucks/Groundhog Prevention
by Guest on Apr 28, 2012
Groundhog day may have passed unnoticed for some, but for homeowners and gardeners groundhog season is only just beginning. Groundhogs (also known as woodchucks) are active in the spring and summer and may be feasting off your garden or lawn. Here are our do-it-yourself tips for keeping your yard safe from groundhogs. Continue reading →
Landscape Plants Rated by Deer Resistance
by Dan Eskelson on Apr 28, 2012
The following is a list of landscape plants rated according to their resistance to deer damage. The list was compiled with input from nursery and landscape professionals, ClearWaterLandscapes. Realizing that no plant is deer proof, plants in the Rarely Damaged, and Seldom Severely Damaged categories would be best for landscapes prone to deer damage. Continue reading →
Down and Dirty - Understanding Your Soil
by Dan Eskelson on Apr 29, 2012
The very first consideration in new landscaping should be the condition of the native soil; the most beautiful design and efficient planning will go to waste if the landscape is installed in a poor soil environment. Soil is a living, breathing ecosystem, and requires a thorough understanding before any landscape installation is begun. You should be able to classify your soil as sandy, clay based, or ideally, somewhere in between. The amount of organic matter present in the soil is also important, as well as its relative acidity (pH). Continue reading →
Creating Your Planting Areas
by Dan Eskelson on Apr 29, 2012
In most cases, it's best to create planting beds with a slight crown, or hill, near the middle of the bed and sloping downward toward the edges. This will help to keep roots out of standing water during very wet periods. In very sandy soils, however, level beds are OK. In either case, create a basin around each plant which extends to, or further than, the drip line; especially important during the first year, this will help to deliver water where it's needed. Continue reading →
Basic Concepts: Line and Form for Landscaping
by Dan Eskelson on Apr 29, 2012
The form of structures should be considered for landscaping, as well as the relationship between this form and the form of adjacent plants. Forms may complement or contrast; we may use tall, columnar plant forms around a building with very steep, projecting roof lines to complement the architecture. Or it may be desired to contrast these vertical architectural elements with low, spreading forms. There are no strict rules for the use of form, but it's important to consider the effects that form exerts on the total landscape design. Continue reading →
Designing a Landscape Lighting System
by Guest on Apr 29, 2012
Before deciding what and how to light, we must first ask "why light?" Our design decisions are dependent on proposed uses for landscape lighting...for safety, security, property value, or enhancement of the beauty of the garden and structures. Most likely, the answer will be a combination of two or more of these uses. a specific technique can be employed to satisfy more than one requirement...for example, uplighting a prominent tree near the house entrance will provide safety, security and aesthetic enhancement. Continue reading →
Designing Flower Gardens
by Guest on Apr 30, 2012
Don't be intimidated by the term "flower garden." Let's define the term as: any planting of flowers. This could be the small patch by your front door- or the border that runs the length of your property. It could be the group of flower pots on your balcony or acres of wandering paths. The important thing is: it's where you plant your flowers. Many books have been written on landscape design, garden design, plant combinations, colors in the garden...it's enough to make a beginning gardener's head spin! Continue reading →
The Art and Science of Pruning: a Short Introduction
by Dan Eskelson on Apr 30, 2012
Most landscape plants need regular pruning, whether to preserve a loose, natural form, or to create tight,compact shapes. Each individual tree or shrub has its own, unique pruning needs, depending on variety, soil type, exposure and desired result. For instance, we prune a birch or hawthorne for ornamental value, but prune an apple or plum for fruit production; basic pruning rules apply to both, but final techniques and results are vastly different. Each individual plant will change its pruning requirements from year to year. Continue reading →
Dormant Pruning - Part 2
by Dan Eskelson on Apr 30, 2012
Pruning cuts must be made with full knowledge of future consequences, relying on our perception, or visualization, of the plant's growth characteristics, intended use, age and desired form. Various plant forms are "created," early in the plant's life, by choosing new growth which will eventually produce the desired shape. Growth which does not conform to our visualization is removed. Continue reading →
Save Water by Using Drip Irrigation
by Guest on Apr 30, 2012
The term "drip irrigation" describes the application of water not only by drip emitters but also by microsprays. Both of these have two traits in common: they operate at low pressure, and they deliver a low volume of water compared to standard sprinklers. Because the water is applied slowly on or near the ground, there should be no waste from runoff and little or no loss to evaporation. You position the emitters to deliver water just where the plants need it; you control penetration by varying the time the system runs and/or the emitters' delivery capacity (rated in gallons per hour). Continue reading →
Articles Archive
Featured Articles
What Type of Licensed Contractor Should You Hire?
on Feb 28, 2017
Hire Contractors / Estimates
Looking for a specialty project? There are many types of contractors available for your home improvement needs. Finding the right type of...
Helpful Tips on Selecting the Right Contractor
on Feb 24, 2010
Hire Contractors / Estimates
Selecting a reliable contractor can be a difficult and time consuming task, due to the fact the industry has a variety of terms, cost,...
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Smart Ways to Improve the Mood in Your Home with Minor Remodelling
on Jul 26, 2017
Improvements / Remodeling
Whether you know it or not, the theme or the way your home is modeled, as well as your immediate surroundings play a big role in the way you react...
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