Do It Yourself - Water Hose Blog

When It Comes to Planting Near the House, Fall in Love, But Keep Your Distance

It’s been said that the landscaping around a home adorns it like jewelry. Nothing softens the line between a flat lawn and a tall wall like gorgeous greenery. Its many shades, shapes and heights are the perfect enhancement to your curb appeal.

But it’s no coincidence that the word “plan” is most of the word “plant!” There are serious errors that can be made, and here are the Top 5:

Discover the Beauty and Benefits of Decomposing Leaves and Bark

The weeds are pulled, the soil is turned and the plants are in. Now take a few well-deserved minutes to stand back and admire your work.

Okay, long enough. Now it’s time to think about mulch, the gardener’s finishing touch. What usually comes to mind are those muscle-building bags of shredded bark from the garden center. But just to clarify, mulch is actually any type of material (usually organic) spread over soil as a covering: grass clippings, shredded leaves, compost or even newspaper.

You Made Your Bed. Now Plant in It!

It’s almost time. Open the seed catalogs, grab your garden gloves and start thinking. What’ll it be this season? An explosion of vibrant wildflowers, a garden of fresh herbs, or all the makings for fresh summer salads?

For a growing number of gardeners, the raised bed has become the solution to a spectrum of backyard challenges. Whether it’s built from stones or logs, the raised bed offers terrific advantages, like…

From 2013 to the spring of 2014, 113.5 million Americans spent time in their garden, making it one of the most popular ways to spend time outdoors, and a great way to make your home beautiful. When you're thinking about starting a garden, you want to make sure you're prepared with all the materials you'll need to keep it maintained and healthy. Here are just a few things you should invest in if you want to be a successful gardener.

There's nothing like the fresh fall air to get my blood pumping. I can just taste seasonally fresh apple crisp, squash soup and pumpkin pie, made in part from produce grown in my garden. In the midst of all the feasting, though, I need to nurture my outdoor plant beds and give them a bit of attention as the summer growing season wraps up and fall planting begins. With a little bit of effort, my outdoor beds will be ready in no time for broccoli, cabbage, onions and other delectable produce.

Water pressure determines how far apart your sprinkler heads can be spaced to work properly, and it can also determine which type of sprinkler head is a better choice for your application. Here’s a quick explanation of water pressure – what it is and how the effect it can have on the sprinkler system you choose:

A soaker hose is porous to allow water to weep through the hose wall for efficient watering.

1. Place the hose around the base of plants where the slow dripping can deliver water directly to the roots. The maximum recommended length is 50' for consistent watering the entire length of the hose.
2. We suggest that you monitor the hose during the first few uses and adjust flow rate and hose position accordingly.

Does the cold, dreary fall and winter weather get you down? Add more vegetables to your diet. Not only are they loaded with nutrients that give you energy and optimize your health, but I've found that playing in the dirt reduces stress and makes me feel happy. You can stay positive and perky too despite the cooler weather when you grow a variety of vegetables this fall and winter.