![\"Japanese](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/aa92a5f5-8ab5-406e-a721-72ac486709fc.jpg\")
Lawn grubs are a part of the ecosystem. And, of course, we want to preserve the ecosystem. But too much of anything can be a bad thing. Grub worms become a problem when there is a large grub population. They eat grass roots, weakening the bond between the grass and roots and ultimately killing the […]
\n","content":"\nLawn grubs are a part of the ecosystem. And, of course, we want to preserve the ecosystem. But too much of anything can be a bad thing. Grub worms become a problem when there is a large grub population. They eat grass roots, weakening the bond between the grass and roots and ultimately killing the grass. This article tells you how to get rid of grubs in your lawn using natural methods and conventional chemicals.
\n\n\nGrubs are the larvae of beetles like June bugs, Japanese beetles, and June beetles. After the beetles lay eggs, they hatch into larvae that feed on grass roots and need moisture to survive. They are slimy-looking, squishy, and C-shaped, with legs close to their brown heads.
\n\n\nInfographic by Juan Rodriguez
\n\n\n\nThe eggs hatch, and the white grubs become active in the spring and summer. In the fall, they feed and tunnel further into the soil for protection against upcoming winter weather.
\n\n\n\nGrubs do more than make your grass look unhealthy. By weakening the bond between the grass and grass roots, grubs cause your grass to become unstable. When pulled, patches of grass come up easily and roll up like a carpet. Grass will quickly die once the roots are severed.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThere are a few telltale signs of lawn grubs, like increased animal activity, as critters like skunks and raccoons flock to your yard to feed on the grub worms.
\n\n\n\nWhite grubs dig into grass roots and cause dead patches. Multiple dead patches that do not improve can be a sign of a grub infestation. Although brown patches can be a sign of lawn disease or drought, they are also a major indicator that grub control may be needed if the grass pulls up easily. Remember, patches of grass will roll up like carpet if there is grub damage.
\n\n\n\nBefore you start the process to get rid of grubs, test your yard to make sure grubs are the problem:
\n\n\n\n— In the suspected area, dig up 1 square foot that is about 3 inches deep.
— If you see 5 or fewer grubs, your lawn is normal. Treatment is unnecessary.
— Unhealthy grass will require grub control if there are five to 10 grubs in a single square foot.
— If you see more than 10 grubs, your infestation qualifies as severe, and you may need professional help to treat it.
You can kill grubs without injuring beneficial insects by using organic methods. Natural treatment can take several years, but you, your loved ones, and the environment will be safer for it.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"beneficial](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/85f15946-4a9d-4367-824e-fec8e65433b8.jpeg\")
Photo Credit: CSIRO / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0
\n\n\n\nThese microscopic worms are natural parasites that kill grubs by releasing bacteria. They naturally live in the soil. Homeowners can purchase them at retailers like Walmart and even online from Amazon. Use them soon after purchase, before they die. Water the grass before and after you release the beneficial nematodes into the lawn. The best time to apply the worms is in the afternoon.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMilky spore comes in powder form and can be sprinkled on the lawn. It is a bacterial disease that only kills Japanese beetle grubs. It can take many years for this bacterium to get rid of grubs.
\n\n\n\nTypically, milky spore can be purchased at the same locations as beneficial nematodes. You can find them online at Home Depot and Amazon.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHomeowners can control grubs with a DIY neem oil solution. Neem oil naturally contains ingredients that act as pesticides, like Azadirachtin.
\n\n\n\nRecipe and Directions. Mix 1 teaspoon of pure Castile soap with 1 gallon of warm water. Add 2 tablespoons of raw 100% cold-pressed neem oil. Place the mixture into a spray bottle. Spray your lawn weekly until the grubs are gone, or the population is reduced to a normal level. Apply at dawn or dusk to keep from harming beneficial insects.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"bird](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/d5635a6c-233a-43ad-9848-d4f3f21986db.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Anmol Dash / Canva Pro / License
\n\n\n\nGrubs are tasty little treats for birds like bluejays and robins. Put out birdhouses, birdbaths, and food for birds to attract them to your yard. They will eat your grub problem away while you sit back and watch.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIf you’re in an area where you experience droughts in the summer, take advantage of it. Dry out the soil even more by not watering your grass for three to four weeks. Since beetle eggs need moisture to live, drought will act as a natural pesticide and kill the eggs. The dry soil will decrease the subsequent year’s grub population.
\n\n\n\nSome grass types are more drought-tolerant than others, but most healthy lawns will green up when you start re-quenching the grass’s thirst.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nConventional grub control products, like other conventional lawn care agents such as herbicides and insecticides, come with risks to humans, pets, and the environment. Be sure to read product labels and follow the instructions, taking any necessary safety precautions.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCuratives eliminate larvae before they become pupae. They do not kill beetles when they are in their pupae stage, which is after they are larvae but before they become adult beetles. Products that have the ingredients carbaryl or trichlorfon are effective curative products for grubs.
\n\n\n\nCarbaryl kills grubs in about 10 to 14 days. It is more effective at eliminating certain types of grubs, like European chafer grubs, than trichlorfon. Beneficial insects, including bees, are also harmed by carbaryl.
\n\n\n\nTrichlorfon starts to kill grubs in about one to five days.
\n\n\n\nMow the lawn immediately before applying these chemicals to protect bees. Carbaryl and trichlorfon are toxic to these crucial pollinators. They can be harmed if they visit flowering weeds after the lawn is sprayed. Mowing removes the flowers. After the application of curative products, water the lawn with at least 0.5 inches of water.
\n\n\n\nTreat the grass in the early spring or fall with curative killers since this is when grubs are most vulnerable to pesticides. Do not apply curative treatments after mid-May because grubs are no longer feeding. Using carbaryl or trichlorfon in September will kill 20 – 80% of grubs. They will kill 20 – 55% when used in late October.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIf you already have a grub problem, preventative pesticides will not work. Preventative products are for homeowners who have had past grub problems or who have noticed that their neighbor probably has grubs. These pesticides will decrease your chances of a grub infestation and stop white grubs from invading in the future.
\n\n\n\nChoose preventative pesticides with the chemicals halofenozide or imidacloprid. Imidacloprid and clothianidin are effective on young grubs like European chafers and will kill them as they hatch.
\n\n\n\nPreventative chemicals are more effective at decreasing the grub population than curative methods. Products with these active ingredients can be used in late summer, fall, and early spring. These chemicals kill 75 – 100% of grubs when applied in early summer, in June or July. Be sure to irrigate immediately after application with 0.5 inches of water to get the optimal killing potential.
\n\n\n\nJust as you would with curative agents, mow the lawn immediately preceding the application of preventative pesticides to protect beneficial insects and to ensure the product reaches the grubs in the soil.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"dethatcher](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/hand-scarifiers-g35cd23e32_1920-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: silver bullet66 / Pixabay / License
\n\n\n\nKeeping your lawn healthy will help prevent grubs from taking over and injuring your yard. Thriving turfgrass that is watered regularly (but not overwatered) can withstand five or more grubs per square foot without damage. You want to maintain your grass in a way that facilitates a deeper root system. These lawn care practices will establish the healthy lawn needed to prevent lawn grubs:
\n\n\n\nAre there insecticides that do not work on grubs?
\n\n\n\nYes. The chemicals listed below will not work on grubs unless they are combined with preventative chemicals that are effective for grub control. Do not use products that contain only these chemicals:
\n\n\n\n— Bifenthrin
— Gamma-cyhalothrin
— Lambda-cyhalothrin
— Deltamethrin
— Permethrin
— Cyfluthrin
When is it safe for children and pets to return to the grass after grub control treatment?
\n\n\n\nInsecticides and herbicides, in general, are harmful to humans, especially children, and pets. Wait until after you have watered the grass, and it has completely dried before allowing humans or pets into the affected area.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAre there any active ingredients safe for bees?
\n\n\n\nThe chemical chlorantraniliprole is safe for bees. This active ingredient can be found in some preventive conventional grub control products.
\n\n\n\nUnlike other preventives, it can be used on the lawn any time in the spring after green-up. It is not as effective as other preventive agents, but it will decrease grubs by 65 – 80%. You can apply it between early April and mid-July, but applying it before June ensures maximum killing potential.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDo grubs go away without treatment?
\n\n\n\nNo, they do not. They not only spread quickly, but they also cause both aesthetic damage and damage to grass root systems. Test for grubs or call a professional if you have signs, and start treatment immediately.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHow do you apply conventional curative and preventive grub control products?
\n\n\n\nBoth of these types of products come as liquid and dry granules. Read labels and follow application directions. Liquid pesticides can be applied with a hose spray bottle or a hose sprayer. Granules can be applied with a fertilizer spreader. Some granules need to be mixed with water and sprayed. Some grub control products come in attach-to-hose bottles where the water is automatically mixed upon application.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nYou have several options to manage a lawn grub infestation. Fortunately, a few grubs do not indicate a problem. A healthy lawn may contain about five grubs per square foot and not have any damage. Always do a test before starting treatment. For the most accurate analysis, call a lawn pest control professional.
WikiLawn can connect you to qualified lawn care pros in your area for all your lawn care needs, including grub detection and treatment.
Main Photo Credit: CSIRO / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0
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\n","content":"Known for its bright yellow flowers, Black-eyed Susan is an easy to grow vine. It prefers a moist but well-drained soil under bright sunlight. Black-eyed Susan can be easily trained to twine up fences, walls, pergolas, and privacy screens in a garden, deck or backyard. This lovely vine can grow up to 5 feet and produces attractive flowers in early or mid-fall. Some varieties also bear orange, white, blue and violet flowers.
\nPopular varieties include Thunbergia alata (yellow, orange and white flowers) and Thunbergia grandiflora (violet flowers).
\nClematis are one of the widely planted and the best vines to grow in gardens. They are popular for their attractive flowers that come in many different shades of red, pink, yellow, blue, purple and white. Clematis are usually easy to grow in a warm and sunny spot but they can tolerate spells of cold when protected from chilling winds and frost. The spring bloomers can be trained to twine up trellis and pergolas. The vine can grow up to 15 feet or more. A large number of varieties varying in size, growing habit and color of flowers are available for gardeners and horticulturists.
\nParthenocissus is a small genus of climbing vines from the family of grapes. These fast-growing plants are the best vines to grow against a wall, fence, or almost any other structure in your garden that you want to cover or hide. These clinging vines can easily attach themselves to almost any surface with abundant and beautiful foliage. Most species of Parthenocissus benefit from bright sunlight and a well-drained soil. Popular species include Parthenocissus quinquefolia (also know as Virgina Creeper) and Parthenocissus tricuspidata (Boston Ivy).
\n","title":"10 Best Vines to Grow in Your Garden","featured_media":null,"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"10 Best Vines to Grow in Your Garden | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":""}}},{"node":{"id":"871de580-f86d-546f-85f2-f211c28be975","slug":"top-40-plant-nurseries-us","path":"/blog/home-and-garden/top-40-plant-nurseries-us/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Emaley Baxter is an expert landscaper who loves writing in her free time. She enjoys research and exploring the great outdoors.","name":"Emaley Baxter","id":"c006aa66-4cfc-59dc-b3ce-5c07b0f83ff0","path":"/author/emaleybaxter/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/889dbc1c9ea88d564723019ac6c9b47b?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"c16818a6-3923-5fc7-a49b-191ac48bf4d2","name":"Blog","count":81,"path":"/category/blog/"},{"id":"d4fa4848-36b3-57c3-925d-ae36e49e878f","name":"Garden Landscape","count":8,"path":"/category/garden-landscape/"},{"id":"a4b803e1-5b3a-516a-b5b4-c5b50b2ae834","name":"Home & Garden","count":19,"path":"/category/blog/home-and-garden/"}],"date":"May 21st, 2020","excerpt":"How does your garden grow? With a lot of help from your local plant nurseries. One thing many of these garden centers have in common? Longevity. It’s customary to find greenhouses that have been around 50, 60, even 100 years! We put together a list of the country’s best. The Wiki-Wonder award judges based their […]
\n","content":"\nHow does your garden grow? With a lot of help from your local plant nurseries. One thing many of these garden centers have in common? Longevity. It’s customary to find greenhouses that have been around 50, 60, even 100 years!
\n\n\n\nWe put together a list of the country’s best. The Wiki-Wonder award judges based their criteria on:
\n\n\n\nTo be considered one of Wikilawn’s best, the nursery must also have a website with helpful articles and a sizable presence on social media.
\n\n\n\nAfter years of not being able to find unique plant selections locally, the Cordrey family decided to open their own garden center to fill the void. Today, East Coast Garden Center in Millsboro, Del., has more than 70 greenhouses and brings in plants from around the country, ensuring they always have high-quality plants in stock. The nursery also holds classes on new skills and techniques in gardening and even has a children’s garden area.
\n\n\n\nWhat does a Major League Baseball star do when he retires? If he’s Mark Clear, he opens a plant nursery! Clear, whose 11-year MLB career included two trips to the All-Star game, discovered his love for plants as a kid while working on an avocado ranch. He owned a nursery in California while pitching in the majors, moving to the Midwest after retiring. Located in Ottawa, Kansas, since 1991, Loma Vista Nursery is still family-owned, sitting on 300 acres, with 150 greenhouses and a tree farm. Talk about throwing the winning pitch!
\n\n\n\nLooking for landscapers who know their horticulture? Look no further than Leaf Landscape Supply, with two locations in Austin, Texas. Owners Brad Seever and Trey Wyatt hold degrees in horticulture and agriculture. Wyatt founded Leaf Landscape under a different name 37 years ago. Seever bought into the company in 2014. Today, it’s a wholesale plant nursery and landscape supplier, offering unique greenery from across the country.
\n\n\n\nAdding a water feature to your garden calms the mind and refreshes the spirit. Hill Country Water Gardens & Nursery wants to help you build the water garden of your dreams. Around for two decades, this garden center in Cedar Park, Texas, has everything you need to build a successful backyard pond or running water feature. You’ll also find fish to put in your pond.
\n\n\n\nVivero Growers started out as a wholesaler for landscape companies in the Austin area. Now, this plant nursery, specializing in Texas native and adapted plants, grasses, and trees, is open to the public. Whether you’re looking to attract hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies or a succulent, Vivero Growers has you covered.
\n\n\n\nGinkgo Gardens is a lush oasis in the heart of lively Capitol Hill, serving the urban gardener. Founded 20 years ago in Washington, D.C., this nursery offers trees, shrubs, and flowers, along with hardscape goods and landscape design. Ginkgo Gardens also cares about historic preservation, buying a pre-Civil War house next to the nursery and restoring it. It’s now used as a staging area for landscape supplies.
\n\n\n\nFounded in 1911, the oldest garden center in Denver is still going strong. City Floral Greenhouse sits in the heart of the Mile High City. For the first 50 years, City Floral grew, cut, and delivered flowers to homes and businesses, including the historic Brown Palace hotel. In the ’70s, it started morphing into a garden center and tree nursery, still striving to beautify Denver.
\n\n\n\nGrowing plants without soil? Root Grow Bloom Hydroponics & Organics is here to show you what hydroponics is all about. The technique has been around for thousands of years but didn’t really come into favor in the U.S. until the military used it on a soilless island in the Pacific Ocean during World War II. Root Grow Bloom has been a staple in Orlando’s hydroponic and organic gardening scene for 20 years and will show you how to get started from the ground up.
\n\n\n\nIt’s all in the family for this Richmond, Va., plant nursery that started as a renovated gas station. Back in 1974, Gene and Diane McAuliffe opened Tropical Treehouse and started selling tropical plants and flowers. In the years since then, three sons and several business expansions led to what is today, Cross Creek Nursery. The entire family is involved in the business and also volunteers in the community.
\n\n\n\nSunnyside Gardens comes from meager beginnings as an unassuming, small garden plot. Fast forward 80 years, and it’s one of South Minneapolis’ premier plant nurseries. Sunnyside offers landscape design, custom containers and, of course, everything in the nursery. Owner Mike Hurley feels strongly about giving back and holds gardening classes for local children and schools.
\n\n\n\nGideon A. Strange worked for the post office but wanted to earn extra cash in his spare time. It was the early 1930s, the time of the Great Depression, so he planted flowers and plants in his yard and sold them from there. Since then, the nursery has changed ownership and undergone massive expansion in the Richmond, Va., area but retains the Strange name. It’s one of the largest retail garden centers in the country.
\n\n\n\n“Virginian Grown and Owned.” That’s Colesville Nursery, in Ashland. The same family has run it for nearly 50 years. It’s a place where generations of growers born and raised in Virginia cultivate plants, flowers, and trees. Certified horticulturists answer your questions about native trees, hard-to-find perennials, and gardening in Virginia.
\n\n\n\nIn tune with the environment, Mother Earth Gardens specializes in organic gardening and sustainably grown plants. This Minneapolis garden center is open year-round with a different focus for each season. During spring and summer, it’s organic seeds, veggies, and herbs. Autumn brings locally grown gourds and pumpkins, while winter homes in on herbicide-free Christmas trees.
\n\n\n\nWaldoch Farm in Lino Lakes, Minn., started out selling chickens in 1916. It didn’t take long before owner William Waldoch expanded into produce. Over the years, his son, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren have picked up the hoe and joined the family business. William continued helping on the farm until he was 100 years old. These days, operations include the popular pick-your-own-vegetable garden, covering 30 acres.
\n\n\n\nO’Toole’s Garden Centers describes itself in three words: Local. Colorful. Knowledgeable. Serving Denver for nearly 40 years, O’Toole’s brings color into your home and yard. On a mission to cultivate gorgeous gardens, keep their employees happy and their communities thriving, this nursery wants to keep Colorado green.
\n\n\n\nEverything’s still coming up roses at Tagawa Gardens but, these days, that means a plant nursery that’s morphed into a huge garden center. It started in the ’60s as a long-stem roses greenhouse for florists. The Tagawa family has since expanded into a 110,000-square-foot indoor space and more than an acre outdoors filled with everything you’d hope to find at a garden center. The Denver nursery keeps the rose in its logo as a reminder of how it all started.
\n\n\n\nThree generations have put down roots at Country Fair Garden Center in Denver. For more than 70 years, the Gerace family has been showing you how to cope with the Mile High City’s unique growing conditions and tough environment. They believe in giving back, donating seeds and supplies to teachers each year for class projects.
\n\n\n\nWhen two childhood friends were studying horticulture at Texas A&M University in the ’70s, they started a lawn care company to make money. They brought that company home to Dallas after graduating. After many trials and tribulations, Shades of Green transformed into a family-owned and operated garden center, in business now for 43 years.
\n\n\n\nStrader’s is one of Central Ohio’s largest employers during peak garden season, with more than 300 staffers on hand in both their retail and wholesale divisions. Started some 60 years ago by Jack and Ruth Strader, it’s been a family affair, with their four children working alongside them.
\n\n\n\nOakland Nurseries opened its original space in 1940. Now, after opening its fourth location in New Albany, it sports the motto “32 Acres of Gardening Pleasure.” After the latest expansion, three generations of Gustav Reiner’s family now work in the Columbus area, selling horticulture products, along with designs and living landscapes.
\n\n\n\nLandscaping’s the name of the game at Liberty Landscape Supply in Jacksonville, Fla. In their perfect world, people would spend more time outside working on their yards, creating beautiful landscapes. They hope to accomplish this by making landscaping easy. Liberty has everything from mulch to stone to trees and plants. They also offer expert tips and solutions for bringing your landscaping dreams to life.
\n\n\n\nThe Garden Center in San Antonio sells plants, fertilizers, and gardening success. Family owned-and-operated since 1985, this independent retail nursery hand-picks plants from local growers that will do well in the South Texas climate.
\n\n\n\nProviding you with top quality plants and helping you succeed as a gardener is what they do best at Rainbow Gardens. This San Antonio nursery brings in local experts for seminars where they share what works and what doesn’t when it comes to growing. There’s even a Kids Gardening Club where the little ones see, smell, taste, and feel what gardening is all about.
\n\n\n\nIf you follow the winding brick road (well, pathway) at this nursery, you’ll find a diverse collection of garden art, fountains, and containers. Head indoors at Shades of Green and see a vast array of native plants and shrubs that are adapted to the San Antonio climate. Shades of Green in San Antonio (not to be confused with the nursery of the same name near Dallas), stays away from toxic chemicals and practices the organic method of gardening
\n\n\n\nMore than 30 years ago, Earth Works started as a small lawn-maintenance company. Today, it’s a full-service landscape business and garden center in the Jacksonville area. Earth Works plans on being there for its customers for years to come. The goal of their landscape team is to make your backyard the best room in the house.
\n\n\n\n“It’s not a landscape. It’s a lifestyle. Dig in.” That’s the motto of Garden Supply Company in Cary, N.C. Started 20 years ago as a landscape and design company, the original three-person crew has grown to 40 staff members, 6 acres and a building filled with plants, flowers, and supplies for container gardening. They also carry everything you’ll need for beekeeping.
\n\n\n\nPlant Delights has a physical nursery in Raleigh, N.C., but does much of its business online. At any given time, the website has more than 1,500 plants for sale, and specializes in rare and unusual perennials. The owner, Tony Avent, has made 60 expeditions to countries including China, South Africa, and Argentina, looking for exotic flowers for his customers.
\n\n\n\nMost plant nurseries focus on the outdoors; landscaping with trees, shrubs, and flowers. Foliage Concepts is an interiorscape company featuring high-quality interior plantings. Located in three North Carolina cities, the company has provided design and build services to hospitals, hotels, and office buildings since 1985, also working hard to be “green” by recycling soil, grow pots and moss.
\n\n\n\nWith a name like Jack Frost, you’d think this garden center would be in a snowy, cold city, but this nursery is near the Atlantic Ocean in Virginia Beach. When owner, David Dubinsky, arrived in the city 37 years ago, he had $500 in his pocket. He has since parlayed that meager amount into his full-service landscape and garden center. Jack Frost also offers hardscaping, creating patios, seating walls, and fire pits.
\n\n\n\nFour Seasons Nursery in Virginia Beach, has served both commercial and residential customers for nearly 50 years with a full-service plant nursery, as well as landscaping materials sold in bulk. With four certified horticulturists and several master gardeners on hand, you’ll certainly find plants that are just right for your lifestyle and budget.
\n\n\n\nBerridge Nurseries in Phoenix was founded in 1938 and forced to move to its second location in 1971 when some boys set a series of fires in the city. Berridge Nurseries rebuilt, then moved one more time to its current location on Camelback Road. The nursery remains in the family with the third generation now owners and operators.
\n\n\n\nImagine a business that’s been in the family for 130 years! In 1890, A.J. Rahn Greenhouses was one of 19 family-owned plant companies operating in an area of Cincinnati known as Wooden Shoe Hollow. Rahn is still going strong, offering flower bedding, houseplants, vegetables, and fruit plants. The fifth generation of the A.J. Rahn family now runs the nursery, keeping their proud heritage intact.
\n\n\n\nThis family-owned greenhouse has deep roots in the Cincinnati area. It started in Spring Grove, a village that fed the city with fresh produce. Over the years, the city grew up around that village but Funke’s family farm spirit remains. Their mission includes providing plants and knowledge to home gardeners so they can take control of their own food supply.
\n\n\n\nYou won’t find any golden arches here, but you will find a large white barn with timbers that are 140 years old. Back in the 1800s, Burger Farm and Garden Center was a dairy farm. The family switched to crops around 1950 and continued another 30 years before opening the garden center you see today. Customers give them rave reviews for helping create what they say are the most beautiful yards in Cincinnati.
\n\n\n\nThis Charlotte, N.C., company has more than 20,000 square feet under glass. Its greenhouses are filled to the brim with houseplants and tropical plants. Doing business for more than 40 years, Oakdale Greenhouses boasts that it is “Charlotte’s best source for plants.” In addition to its wide variety of greenery, they add expertise on koi fish and water plants.
\n\n\n\nWhen designing your garden, Southern Styles Nursery and Garden Center offers this advice: Start with trees. It calls them the backbone of a garden setting. Southern Styles has an immense selection of trees, from exotic to common shade, Japanese maple, and evergreen. Once you’re done with that, you can explore the rest of this Charlotte, N.C., nursery to pick out the rest of your landscape items.
\n\n\n\nDespite Grass Pad’s logo, they’re not smokin’ it, they’re growin’ it! What started out on a 700-acre sod farm at the end of a long gravel road in Missouri grew into today’s five locations in the Kansas City area and one in Omaha, Neb. They’re still transforming lawns with green sod, but have added full-line nurseries at each warehouse site.
\n\n\n\nThe man behind Rolling Meadows, Jesse Meadows, worked in landscaping for 15 years before making his garden center dream a reality. With a focus on creativity and quality, Jesse offers both residential and commercial landscaping in the Overland Park, Kansas, area. You’ll also find eco-friendly products and classes on how to go green.
\n\n\n\nBoth serious and casual gardeners will find what they need at Summer Winds Garden Centers, which has locations in Phoenix and the Santa Clara Valley in California. The company is one of the largest independent retail nursery businesses in the nation. Putting water and energy-saving initiatives into practice, Summer Winds is committed to the responsible use of our natural resources.
\n\n\n\nLondon Bridge Greenhouses & Nursery
\n\n\n\nLondon Bridge has been a Virginia Beach gardening tradition since 1976. Look for bulk sales of mulch, gravel, and organic mushroom compost. Their greenhouses are home to a huge selection of flowers. And butterfly lovers, rejoice! They even have a certified monarch butterfly waystation.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThere are more than 13,000 plant nurseries in the U.S., so there’s a possibility we missed your favorite.
\n","title":"The 40 Top Plant Nurseries in the U.S.","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.3544444444444443,"src":"/static/3a986897439d21f2d3c31ad97ef91c1f/1789c/work-nature-growth-plant-lawn-house-884622-pxhere.com_.jpg","srcSet":"/static/3a986897439d21f2d3c31ad97ef91c1f/107df/work-nature-growth-plant-lawn-house-884622-pxhere.com_.jpg 320w,\n/static/3a986897439d21f2d3c31ad97ef91c1f/293e9/work-nature-growth-plant-lawn-house-884622-pxhere.com_.jpg 500w,\n/static/3a986897439d21f2d3c31ad97ef91c1f/f2cbb/work-nature-growth-plant-lawn-house-884622-pxhere.com_.jpg 800w,\n/static/3a986897439d21f2d3c31ad97ef91c1f/1789c/work-nature-growth-plant-lawn-house-884622-pxhere.com_.jpg 960w,\n/static/3a986897439d21f2d3c31ad97ef91c1f/7199d/work-nature-growth-plant-lawn-house-884622-pxhere.com_.jpg 1219w","srcWebp":"/static/3a986897439d21f2d3c31ad97ef91c1f/1dd6e/work-nature-growth-plant-lawn-house-884622-pxhere.com_.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/3a986897439d21f2d3c31ad97ef91c1f/67b76/work-nature-growth-plant-lawn-house-884622-pxhere.com_.webp 320w,\n/static/3a986897439d21f2d3c31ad97ef91c1f/8df11/work-nature-growth-plant-lawn-house-884622-pxhere.com_.webp 500w,\n/static/3a986897439d21f2d3c31ad97ef91c1f/98a65/work-nature-growth-plant-lawn-house-884622-pxhere.com_.webp 800w,\n/static/3a986897439d21f2d3c31ad97ef91c1f/1dd6e/work-nature-growth-plant-lawn-house-884622-pxhere.com_.webp 960w,\n/static/3a986897439d21f2d3c31ad97ef91c1f/6413b/work-nature-growth-plant-lawn-house-884622-pxhere.com_.webp 1219w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"The 40 Top Plant Nurseries in the U.S. | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":""}}},{"node":{"id":"f608fbe5-2120-5d01-a50c-a9820f45fa6e","slug":"difference-between-dead-and-dormant-grass","path":"/blog/home-and-garden/difference-between-dead-and-dormant-grass/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Jill Ramone is a landscaper who specializes in designing sustainable yards for busy homeowners. She prides herself on using eco-friendly products to control weeds and pests.","name":"Jill Ramone","id":"4c71091e-0a16-561f-8bdf-528214955c18","path":"/author/jillramone/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0caf6c31bc9563a294dd509633a793c6?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"a4b803e1-5b3a-516a-b5b4-c5b50b2ae834","name":"Home & Garden","count":19,"path":"/category/blog/home-and-garden/"},{"id":"205f24d4-c1e5-5728-bb28-8ba70eecbc7a","name":"Lawn Care","count":432,"path":"/category/lawn-care/"},{"id":"84a346a7-9ce4-5d70-a95f-abcea3779ced","name":"Pests and Diseases","count":10,"path":"/category/pests-and-diseases/"}],"date":"October 9th, 2019","excerpt":"Grass can go kaput any time of year. The hot, dry conditions of summer can leave grass brown and unappealing. Winter snow mold and thatch buildup can leave your grass with dead spots. But is it really dead? Or just dormant? Before taking any action, it’s worth your time to determine if you have a […]
\n","content":"\nGrass can go kaput any time of year. The hot, dry conditions of summer can leave grass brown and unappealing. Winter snow mold and thatch buildup can leave your grass with dead spots. But is it really dead? Or just dormant?
\n\n\n\nBefore taking any action, it’s worth your time to determine if you have a dead lawn or just one that’s taking a nap. You don’t want to rip up a living lawn. Nor do you want to waste time mowing, watering, fertilizing, and trying to revive grass that isn’t coming back.
\n\n\n\nDead grass and dormant grass look much the same. It can be tough to tell the difference, but here’s what the experts say about discerning dead from dormant.
\n\n\n\nDeath is final. But dormancy, while it can look similar, is your lawn’s natural reaction to stress. Even warm-season grasses may turn brown due to the stress of summer’s hot, dry conditions.
\n\n\n\nIf less than half your lawn is dead or you can see surviving green shoots among the brown, crunchy blades of grass, it’s worth a try to save it. It will be less costly than re-sodding the entire lawn. Aerate the lawn. Power aerators work best. Rent one if you don’t own one. Raking the yard will help remove much of the dead grass. Be sure to take up thatch and other debris. Add new grass seed where needed and fertilize and water.
\n\n\n\nIf the entire lawn is dead, there’s no way to save it. It’s time to start over by re-seeding or re-sodding the entire area.
\n\n\n\nDormancy is a lawn’s reaction to heat and a lack of water. The plant gives all its resources to the roots, rather than the leaves. While brown grass may not look very appealing, dormancy is normal and usually lasts around four weeks. As the season’s change and weather conditions become more ideal for grass, your healthy lawn should return. Still, there are some things you can do to push it along a bit.
\n\n\n\nStay away from weed killers and herbicides during dormancy. It can damage already stressed lawns, and it may turn out insects weren’t the problem after all. Kelley Klopp of the Utah State Extension office says, “It is often difficult to diagnose insect problems when the grass is dormant. Be certain you are dealing with an insect problem before using insecticides, and always read and follow label directions.”
\n\n\n\n![\"Watering](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Andw9lRYwcV2ira3fBZXtJbm0tik_FO1QDPhsTv36DbNUSEpQ8J3EOf6TygqImw1exrMUgvfHpHPH5_7qseCijSk4J0Cv2psjB1jEMRWalCOjdiTAx1Q8oKuPuueIeeaUoGrqmHW\")
You can change the design of your yard to help your lawn make it through a drought. Reduce the setting on your mower blades and keep the grass a bit longer. Reduce slopes, if possible, so water doesn’t run downhill and off the grass. Put a greater distance between trees and shrubs and prune regularly, keeping shade to a minimum. And add good topsoil, if necessary.
\n\n\n\nAlso, consider the climate where you live and choose an appropriate turfgrass. Cool-season grasses, like Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and tall fescue, thrive in temperatures between 68 and 77 degrees. Building a lawn from these varieties in a hot, dry climate can send them into dormancy early. It can also cause the grass to die. They fare much better in northern parts of the country.
\n\n\n\nWarm-season grasses work well in temperatures of 80 to 95 degrees, as they’re more drought-tolerant. They include Bermuda grass, Buffalo grass, and Zoysia grass, one of the better turfgrasses for hot climates. These lawns are usually started from sod, as they are more challenging to grow from grass seed than cool-season types.
\n\n\n\nBefore you ask “Why is my lawn dying?” make sure it’s not just taking a nap. With a little TLC (tender lawn care,) you’ll have a green lawn again before you know it.
It takes more than a green thumb to grow a good garden: usually a lot of blisters, calluses, and dirt under the nails. It also helps to rely on the expertise of others — as long as they really are experts. To make things easier, Wikilawn has plucked the best gardening blogs for you. Our […]
\n","content":"\nIt takes more than a green thumb to grow a good garden: usually a lot of blisters, calluses, and dirt under the nails. It also helps to rely on the expertise of others — as long as they really are experts.
\n\n\n\nTo make things easier, Wikilawn has plucked the best gardening blogs for you. Our judges scanned thousands of blogs, looking for innovative ideas, eco-friendly advice, and the quality of writing. To win the Wiki-Wonder Award, the blog also had to have a presence on social media.
\n\n\n\n![\"Wiki](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/2020-05-11.png\")
Here are the 50 top gardening blogs worthy of the Wiki-Wonder Award:
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Heather Rhoades, Staff
\n\n\n![\"Gardening](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/7b06kCuEJAJosJmvL1PQDGkHSJCZHFIo5oQHyPPoCEC5OJx2ZXsF-REnyTSSuhITZIi6_92fzadDkBwrpl7j31SyfxOTdxdTkeywJJPgU-zlcH0xr99FEQ7iNy4rnr-4Nt8bH4o2\")
Gardening Know How started small after gardener Heather Rhoades had trouble finding user-friendly gardener websites and decided to focus on non-technical information that anyone could use. She wants folks to feel comfortable asking for gardening advice and not made to feel incompetent.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Dog-Friendly Vegetables: 7 Garden Veggies to Grow for Dogs
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Amy Andrychowicz
\n\n\n![\"Amy](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/gxXjy9Gf2nVIgdKD09lSQ7FPyza85dy3FGBJ3jQRyZErRUjaYS1IF_2kuINRibJOuJL-A_53a8Ny4QeMov0wUMUWQz4u6ZYSrTpZmCJygGcARNNBLhSagLDloc4lAWaX-GQgIfEa\")
Amy Andrychowicz aims her blog at new gardeners, but Get Busy Gardening also has information for those with an experienced green thumb. Amy’s been gardening most of her life and has grown everything from trees and shrubs to flowers and fruit. If you want to get your hands in the dirt but don’t know where to start, Get Busy Gardening is for you.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Tips for Creating a Bee-Friendly Garden
\n\n\n\nFounders: Susan Harris, Elizabeth Licata, Michele Owens, Amy Stewart
\n\n\n![\"Garden](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/0SQgYqlhLGTuK6GXg4TJmU-1D3gj07qot4xqY0H0iVLc4b0_bY692fBvtR7AdgJvMaDEV1fUMuPqj7TatQLGtavhXNRkkHEwRMIydXGgAyVhN2-J2RxRRLj6J6oSIjrKkKJqeb3_\")
Garden Rant isn’t your average, everyday gardening blog. Its writers take the word “rant” seriously! You’re not likely to find how-to’s on this site; instead, they may take a side on a gardening issue and rant or rave about it, usually with humor. Amusing conversations about gardening is what Garden Rant is all about.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: A Very Rocky Obsession
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Gary Antosh
\n\n\n![\"Plant](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/XNySyIWvD1je_a-7wmxIOmt73ra_1qKkST6oTvUdzi-urotVMbsfJfYPFNbwoIx9r7rXLphFXQmoBoX55ANczXZkD-FwDdO9vKmln9rHj0x3IQIvOG-Ic5GQX5p7vGDddpYKepMi\")
Gary’s blog has been online for nearly eight years, but his journey into the world of plants started 47 years ago. Growing rare plants is his specialty. Whether you’re a beginner or advanced gardener, Gary says you’ll always find something to learn and something to share on Plant Care Today.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: 8 Mistakes Tomato Growers Make That Cause Problems
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Various Garden Experts
\n\n\n![\"Urban](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Xv0hwYDfraZtMLC-wmgv4CTEeH4yXq7dx-Xxi5aE2aY7BTiMKBR9OA_ZHLtWkmVGafoUq0KDoSJDZrzMomkyYANgMUNr8zLduS9Oi4Va_9_3aJiGhq3URbod8w24lcatcA5e2ysI\")
Interested in growing your own food? Urban Organic Gardener’s got you covered. These experts help you grow an organic, non-GMO garden year-round. UOG promises to get your hands in the soil and get you reconnecting with nature.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Gardening Projects Kids Will Love
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Margaret Roach
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/J9u7ido4f4QaBTwOAet7HlNRJJ2jGnSOIXnf3oQNDKbZc1QO7f5qECNe5IjI99S1bsV8PH9fZZrIfIaKu76wOLaoWiFyUlwplF9_2E18F0nmOj26FUf84Qt5gBRlUS2qec3DoQ_O\")
Margaret Roach named her blog after a book she wrote early in her gardening career. She’s a retired newspaper and magazine garden editor, an organic-style gardener, and a vegetarian. According to Margaret, you should “always say no to chemicals and yes to great plants.”
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Growing Potatoes Organically: When and How to Plant, Hill and Harvest
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAuthor: Lucy M. Clark
\n\n\n\n![\"Garden](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/dEqoN9gPvVJCqT1EsP8bXdPGdg1BSoKSfv27cf_I-IcFh6GSuajKI4ZDTnQ5s1hAT51v8bpTZDOay9pxKTdWLJjrLEe7MO4ktR_EfjT4FYXukJbQ9-qcVm7aXAo6uAX2gXHKXkt_\")
When Lucy started gardening about 14 years ago, she says she had no idea what she was doing! She spent a lot of time speaking to successful gardeners face-to-face. She hopes her blog allows you the same opportunities online. Garden Ambition is for wannabe gardeners who aren’t sure where to start.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: 8 Tips on How to Get Rid of Clover Naturally
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAuthor: Rachel
\n\n\n\n![\"Grow](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/fuP7w6hsGHxJmTNFXE9KRLH7MkywUd6rwDKAQFWJq_W8ZIWMIj28pXqn8NOJ97jumfd3D0iiD1XaP06_DmnNJ_V8cJN3M5pPmzGnr0iI3sOtcEKvHl5Nr8NTotPIGbNPWaPpgwVV\")
Want to make some big changes in your life but not sure where to start? Rachel, creator of Grow a Good Life, says get back to basics: Grow organic food, preserve the harvest, and make delicious meals from fresh ingredients. Learn how to use a mix of sustainable gardening methods, end your reliance on grocery store produce and preserve what your grow, so you can eat it year-round.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Benefits of Crop Rotation for Your Vegetable Garden
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAuthor: Various Writers
\n\n\n\n![\"Espoma](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/nQ1kWKz1kdaAixmA8zCyxtBgUHLyChZFIHg58mIonglp3PiPh8x0HnEeEcxauo8N_l0m1s53H7rQtWEanJ-W_zX45SWbxgHiUOxeCL9yBOagvcpJDb5ZAFVrcpY627CiUQTKh1UG\")
The family-run Espoma Company’s been around for nearly 100 years and is the leading provider of organic fertilizers for the lawn and garden industry. The Espoma blog hasn’t been around nearly as long, but it’s quite popular, with more than a quarter-million followers on Facebook. You’ll find tips and information on flowers, plants, and mulching.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Gothic Gardening — The Darkest Plants
\n\n\n\nVarious Authors
\n\n\n\n![\"Gothic](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/1zwxnQQS97E7KuM8z3FTR2cxwdmu4uRjDnrBAcSSdVHbk-ubR_Pi0doH-xMF8CCTopTMKS1EkzDSUxGwBJ_Paot6Nynvs0ni6HrEoO9f3BcriwFzUB57azcR9ek-R5JNtaOmlQeU\")
Writers and photographers for Gardener’s Path come from across the globe, bringing advice, troubleshooting tips, and in-depth reviews to its readers. You’ll find posts on a variety of plants, from annuals to edibles to ornamental. Gardener’s Path hopes to help you take your gardening skills to the next level.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: How to Grow and Care for Olive Trees
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Kevin Espiritu
\n\n\n\n![\"Epic](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/3-aSrVXRMGZlftqAAT_JNXWHYFem8WwGfoklP2-5bSKFesBE11aYVqFveaDuqdKtvq8qnfAGBqLGMtRT-AuP_QXbnHPk2dNMBxMyh0LZkvc7GBsSvujPm6P-et4NQStFKfpCNOZF\")
Kevin Espiritu gets straight to the point when it comes to the goal of Epic Gardening. He wants to help 10 million people around the world learn how to grow plants. His blog blends science and nature to bring you the best information on growing your own food, preventing garden pests and diseases, and creative gardening techniques like hydroponics!
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Regrown Green Onions and Sprouted Onions
\n\n\n\nAuthor: David The Good
\n\n\n\n![\"The](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/sjcWD4el9LFWKI5cBgXcNKTjDB0dzKQOronQuPElbwjBs4vt9CGkDbNYmACgnYGayssz1rOY273H5z7Ks5_h6mN4QmF8PLSaDCN9SK0ZsoowaqJaR2f7nx6_QmpH1KbB0nmCPstM\")
With more than 30 years of gardening experience, David The Good is about growing the most food with the least amount of work. He started his site eight years ago in Florida and has since gone international. The Survival Gardener focuses on old fashioned farming, natural ecosystems, and “lots” of experimentation.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Watermelons Growing in Sand
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Todd Heft
\n\n\n\n![\"Big](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-RwJ5TV3BgA-4XIXScG-9jfslcVFWGtQ84-dTFzZ9fsu12uS8XqwtAmCvUxQ_odGrOWLxLl4ptSPeJOGhdIEdDLiQy7AfdkH3klSsCDibAhzYN_r4s2BkZ2poFeQ69d69TRbe6Sq\")
Flower gardens, vegetable gardens, lawns; you can find advice and information about all of them at Big Blog of Gardening. Founded 11 years ago by Todd Heft, the site centers around organic/sustainable gardening. Or, as Todd calls it, gardening and landscaping.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: A Short History of the American Lawn
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Stephanie
\n\n\n\n![\"Garden](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/IDYe1TCroe4rNFFXsIh5Jn2tv5lg_Ifw3AIpEZDEtn6OUZAPallxyDDyHZwxrqghNBQWqh4nssMG84T_NNloCPEdG4fpRln6bFJbPBWTpIl2PYv2UXS554saHwH2Yn_P0VtluZV-\")
After illness kept her in bed for a year-and-a-half, Stephanie discovered gardening as a way to restore both her physical and mental health. Soon she was growing flowers and, after that, vegetables for food. She uses her blog to connect with others who spend time in the garden to heal.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: How to Start a Garden From Scratch Without Breaking the Bank
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Erin
\n\n\n\n![\"The](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/jo6M0-qNkGh7trg0mEPw_6r3TyCqoE28jJKmrQNssWfnoEeH3sQOgwg1_k3Pe8uNXmI5sZJmxJqNF3bFmnZZSxujVnxKxc5NeIRhWuzFdMEtSB8npPfLqMAvuh6yPio8c3N30Dki\")
Erin started gardening when she was a toddler, at least according to family photos. Fast-forward to adulthood, where she filled an apartment patio with so many plants, no one could see or walk through it. That led to her buying a house with enough room for three gardens. The Impatient Gardener leads you through real-life gardening; the good, the bad, and the funny!
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Compost 101 (Just Do It)
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Christy Wilhelmi
\n\n\n\n![\"'Gardenerd'](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/jgiTChaJlOX15OBAHJnAKlcSp2eWDqEPLWJDkYwlJv3f2Ws_gHg_3CS6foQlK1ghk-kjoswLxeBBetAZO7UwVN7pI3b67yf0on5RcAkXopnCoCLGzLcoJn4NIJJTvAkYAwHgTBLJ\")
Are you obsessed with gardening? Christy Wilhelmi wants you to visit her blog. Gardenerd offers up organic gardening advice such as how to turn land into a productive vegetable garden. Christy is convinced gardening combines physical activity and healthy food choices to provide “a grounding spiritual and creative outlet.”
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Recipe: Intro to Aquafaba
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Kathy Purdy
\n\n\n\n![\"Cold](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/LwstR5tLZR-M7bQjSfueVp98CQBoCbS6Qqe9MXP02e4HEfKU2g7FpHbNLPzF1TWM53Rrgfd8upohqoWxxriTgUh16kLw-7YIBqkGhEQjYd3akSLMwDn8a6QIhyjinoJFHixoDdvm\")
Living in a cold climate may not seem to lend itself to gardening. The trick, says Kathy Purdy, is to choose plants suited to the temperatures and the soil. Cold Climate Gardening is your site to find information on plants that survive the cold, particularly in upstate New York, where she’s gardened for more than 25 years. You’ll also learn how to grow climate-friendly vegetables, garden design, and hardscaping.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Worried for Your Plants With This Weather?
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Various Authors
\n\n\n\n![\"Park](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/mHqsPwxdau2WQUWdBieMqgw8PZcOqwwIASLqmjntzsj20q_bOtpmCdXtO3Gdl8ec8cLBFb6eFxUMOIQUaOJvNLIzN7-wmNaxUPgb8bcOkmD5VW_sEjQiKSkeAIkpJ_69hXtw5Dbt\")
The blog is an offshoot of the Park Seed Company, which dates back to 1868. There have been a lot of advances in gardening since then and the blog reflects that. You’ll find posts on vegetables, herbs, flowers, germinating seeds, and tips on protecting your garden from predators. Park Seed is one of American’s oldest mail-order seed and plant companies and you’ll find info on pretty much all things gardening on their blog.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Rascally Rabbits: How to Stop Rabbits From Eating Plants
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Steve Albert
\n\n\n\n![\"Harvest](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/pcK8a38Eyckc8swCl7F6Eai1A53MTcj9CITn8ybLHbbZfAGMLYKT8zJnnpUcUPU9gbrHA8qi7HnTeGXyB_nkjz4rb5slo7mX-bHeFONxsiAaZrJWHiCJD7dw5IdFVlI1xqc7CHyP\")
Steve writes his blog from his utility room with the door to the kitchen on one side and the door to the garden on the other. Appropriate, as he cooks and eats what he grows (and gives plenty away, too). Harvest to Table is for gardeners of all levels. The goal is to find easy solutions to common garden problems.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Companion Planting in the Vegetable Garden
\n\n\n\nVarious Authors
\n\n\n\n![\"Seed](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/mL5mz25ByVjTiawr2LE-wt4W1OjQOuyr9ErkN0oISRtAVNsFiM2YKlP1DC3c4n1l2ioNo61p7ZrDpEtJTwGcIR1WwWVlMClk1pK_asChfUEHdhzwdiiWATZ7PeevZDqZonFANUMx\")
This site originally focused on helping home gardeners. Today, it centers around supporting and helping finance public garden projects such as school, community, and homeless shelter gardens. Look for pieces on the value of home gardens, some how-tos on planting, and documentation of the projects Seed Money has worked on.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Roosevelt High School Urban Farm, Three Sisters Culinary Garden
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Gayla Trail
\n\n\n\n![\"You](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/wwMq5AbTldIVT_EDfrDvLr6z7XDfTc5x56XA-wmVCNgWE2q2QZ1Jh0Sfk7-DYCE-x96c4UdBnnMXXXFGO4GKAGU1zbrpmnBhLydoNjaR_i93Rm4d0YScagixLhVzKftMahcO4mmd\")
It’s been 20 years since Gayla launched her blog. It has grown into a site that seeks to change our relationship to plants. You Grow Girl takes a laid-back approach to organic gardening, looking at affordability, environmentalism and style. Gayla says her blog is for everyone from gardeners to cooks, to creators, to the just plain curious.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: The First Leafy Greens Harvest Of The Season
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Linda Ly
\n\n\n\n![\"Garden](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/wgn8RociLOayNAdJte6UubQUjVvvILupzqIQxm_k6Fxh0N-LBmgod0eF-MbLVXi1WbMPwp3Tu1y4eEyBXewGKcJnd-k1uJpK9fPiCdGeDjSo_H-CtBX5KPxZixUxHq8MhR5qQNQT\")
Linda Ly started her site as a personal blog but it’s now one of the leading resources on gardening. The focal points of Garden Betty are modern homesteading, farm-to-table cooking, and outdoor adventuring. Linda is also the author of the “No-Waste Vegetable Cookbook,” finding ways to use up all the veggies we grow or buy.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Defending the Dandelion: It’s Not Just Another Weed
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Helen Yoest
\n\n\n\n![\"Bee](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/0LtPSUFdDw4sI9nP-rN-0sGIX0jTwkJy0Pm87UI45sraOv9Ivx16eLNmK275N0i-VuV0KARC8uz7CREuRncRzoK3LI3mtbs-BNn0z1nRjwSbF6s97f3jghS9V_FTgIn6ZxgJfME0\")
Helen Yoest wants to better the world, one garden at a time, by giving wildlife what it needs to survive. Bee Better Naturally teaches you how to select the best plants to sustain our birds, bees, and butterflies over their lifecycle. Linda emphasizes being pesticide-free, even from organic pesticides. You’ll learn to accept that there will be damage done to plants that host insects, and that’s OK.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: XX Days Lockdown During 2020 Pandemic: The Garden Never Looked Better!
\n\n\n\nVarious Authors
\n\n\n\n![\"Morning](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/rhwfNl8SFX0KXLjmCsAyHQeWGgceaTRJ5C_JtAMrNGdd5hDVKwZesqLwaCP9jEXzrpniLeLjwz9IxevHT_dCH0l_sC-DIWAwLSMTqDr1MA3OyKZ183RudVMi4toB5yXDgQWT-x56\")
Created with the premise that it’s hard to find gardening guides you can trust, Morning Chores aims to bring you information and stories that help you grow a thriving garden, learn new skills, and save money. The writing team is scattered across the U.S. and around the world. The one thing they all have in common? Each one has experience in gardening, so they know their plants.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: 15 Easy Ingredient Substitutions if You Can’t Get to the Store
\n\n\n\nVarious Authors
\n\n\n\n![\"Garden](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/LaZrmDDpotUTWFd7cL-pGa40MPL0Jw4Z2bwiQxlhu6DJx6Y5iOWcwlaeqYU5lGE-DZ-ZJJlCMiQyYUeqrbMr_Bwndia4ZzqBKrMBKlxlRvCk-dk-J9DB8wTUsN8DTdDZ8zxUFJ7B\")
This contemporary look at natural living with posts on herbal healing, seasonal foods, and the stories plants can tell. You’ll find categories such as “Nourish,” “Heal,” “Change,” and “Inspire.” With a presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and hundreds of thousands of followers, Garden Collage uses influencers to bring their stories to social media.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: 5 Classic Fairytale Love Stories About Plants
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Pam Penick
\n\n\n\n![\"Digging\"](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/qEYg9qxfGJ9PlhKziCufOyd9zc2Sl97wx8EHzG2TO4teVsxgVtqvgVPExtNFUED5XiZdk4oI6yGSgu99j9fvQlSbcIHGaOB1umV7YQoi39_CLiyfdJXK1gswiBNwpCU4L9bS60XH\")
Pam Penick is a Texan with a penchant for getting dirt under her nails. Digging is for folks who want to feel connected to nature, through real-life plant info, garden design, and virtual garden tours. Like Pam says, it’s for “dirt-under-the-nails types and armchair gardeners alike.”
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Grapey Gorgeous Texas Mountain Laurel
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Fran Sorin
\n\n\n\n![\"Gardening](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/SgZRF9ZYeP8-m0ApjlVnRXC5pWlkMYWnJASbmr1bnJU-E-jbweJB3eKA1J3P3-JQhhwsp5Rr1UFqd2IPJiUdzaI6atEEHWlBeyWB1Mn0ox7LeC0jIDbhcxjQl2RYwjr1qLQoijvM\")
Fran Sorin started her blog back in 2007, with an emphasis on how to create bold, organic, low maintenance and drought-resistant gardens. These days, you’ll still find those types of posts, along with more. Want to know how to effectively use color in your garden? Gardening Gone Wild’s got you covered. How about amazing photos of unique plants and flowers? Covered. You’ll also learn why gardening’s good for your health.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Can Landscaping Protect a Home From Fire?
\n\n\n\nVarious Authors
\n\n\n\n![\"Mother](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/72SJ1aXi6J6Bsom6EEdNV2mJDjupct9zoYNEk1slOC3_WxBK7hoyLkKgwTc1n5X9ZZXxM49waxcRlNVKjHGnRP2yHIDrxIm7ap4FOBSe_qhgptaSS3UAJ_mQqpYpBzShLzuBQ-hB\")
Living green is what it’s all about at Mother Earth News. It’s the longest-running sustainable-lifestyle magazine, and the advice on the pages carries over to the online posts. Organic foods, country living, green transportation, and natural health are some of the topics you’ll find. And if you’re wondering what to do with the veggies you just picked, Mother Earth News has recipes, as well.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Home Canning Guide: Learn How to Can Your Own Food
\n\n\n\nVarious Authors
\n\n\n\n![\"Urban](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/1YdhRfn3JZfb1ENkT_U1y5dygdYsRKWi1xFfFN4ljjRV0jUsMLbP0lrds5HzUJ_lN_QnYzv5EXeVGeFoqJ_ahVF7TF5a1RVuGVLeZRG1cvCgNKy1neOXGe7gXOM7d9cI1uSO_247\")
City living doesn’t mean you can’t have a garden. Urban Gardeners Republic’s mission is to create 1000 gardens in 100 cities around the world over the next five years. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced gardener, this blog aims to encourage you to grow your own food, teach your kids how to garden, and build a green space at home.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Indoor Garden Tips and Ideas For All Gardeners
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Jan Johnsen
\n\n\n\n![\"Serenity](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/iDOudVnzwQg8Tkbb8Z1oszcAX5ihoNwhVvQQg8mA4DBHf8kRRMss9V2cGBsku4E1hrERwZNFgYYCtyDuRuwm6Frn7VOcKEQp8rAkUBfm1L0gU_5PFdmIGMw8TfcHiNZCQ8DnES_A\")
Going green is what it’s all about for Jan, who designs landscapes and pools and writes books, including “Heaven Is a Garden – Designing Serene Outdoor Spaces for Inspiration and Reflection.” Serenity In The Garden aims to show you how to use a garden to enhance your wellbeing.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Milk Carton Gardens
\n\n\n\nAuthors: Jessica Walliser, Niki Jabbour, Tara Nolan
\n\n\n\n![\"Savvy](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/cRgPvzckrdTayxUnETWe5BJEvAzPvv4H2isFq1C5mp6b4WhMb9zHxA6Gx_fUL3UawdXsq40OjQlVg9uE-CL4h6P_TH7mxvtt1WDtj9dh4oSi0hsCCb6kWm8h80GMcALh0xLNbJP7\")
Three voices of gardening expertise make up Savvy Gardening. Jessica, Niki and Tara want you to get out in your garden and experiment. The blog offers information on food, interactions between insects and plants, and ways to reconnect with nature.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Landscape Borders: Eye-Catching Edging Ideas
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Kathy Jantz
\n\n\n\n![\"Washington](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-roubdCJ8Dh9oQzQF_OEdYK0gcgQYsuRX1eVXixOwHG7B2lm3ksQk0UmH_AZnCLs95NRXITB4cAuVJ1UrGu0YEfFx0K6Ra0BK8VXYgH6BE1pwymv9wPZvo6J22pWEJ0On-2IwGLy\")
Kathy is determined to leave a very small environmental footprint behind and is committed to doing all she can to protect the planet. At Washington Gardener, they source 100% wind power and use vegetable-based inks and recycled paper for printing. In this blog, look for tips on building a garden, safety, and transitioning the kitchen garden from spring into early summer.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Plant Profile: Carex
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Isis Loran
\n\n\n\n![\"Family](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Y2og6TXrWkJuE31xPeHQkf50s0MJkIUxXzvoXY6_oHRzVmRI0wkbcxXwqSGITLzQGow9PwvK80k51ToxM1tncyhJMWxOl9x4Oi0euVhpUJH4-m_YjzBNfvDd6OR-FZops6pMy4zW\")
When you grow your own food, you can control what you put into your body, whether it’s tea, herbs, wild foraged food, or fruits and vegetables. Isis loves growing heirlooms and experimenting with plants. Family Food Garden covers garden planning, homesteading and permaculture, such as growing a pollinator garden.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: How to Keep Your Greenhouse Cool in the Summer
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Jeanne Grunert
\n\n\n\n![\"Home](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/7lxZO7nsKlhibmJSY16WRa2dqHSUFwP6vIeYbxbza_zQVnmiBPOzTkgjHsXvLkAUIVQ1ihNdL-oZPrwne2kvYf1eSmOcgwo-UQKm1q6iML7nEkBHl8we82KraMoe_98PcHcLUFfk\")
On her voyage from a city slicker to farm girl, Jeanne moved from New York City to Farmersville, Va. Regardless of where she was living, plants and gardening were her thing. Home Garden Joy shares posts on how to grow vegetables, fruits, and herbs plus some surprising info like how to make a bee water station with things you find at the dollar store.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Asian Murder Hornets: What Gardeners Need to Know
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Melissa Caughey
![\"Tilly's](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/3QBjGjCCvwKxsTNKIobyMk4a3KiEQjX7Ep8PLmKucaCadV3BX--2gmA6gRkxwvuObZ8YtApmTkOHJhTHWW8UcZtguH68EBHf4J8xxv6OGZq4R8rmVlEHnPA9IWBYNeWjFXHsnB-U\")
The first thing you notice about Tilly’s Nest is chickens. Lots of chickens. A second to the fowl is gardening. Melissa lives by the New England seaside and keeps you updated on chickens, gardening, bees, art, and food.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Spring Awakenings: Delights of the Season
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Marianne Willburn
\n\n\n\n![\"Small](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/71JejNFhVzmdKqSpv3218elWFjVAcz_I4a05i81wrRVlu7y5EuERscFU9bovKJx3xwrBjgLZKlHcElAG6rIN-m7g-wYn08rvYeuHl4w04bk30jPxO-tiytVoVVg1YQ01-OjW0CIF\")
Growing plants reminds Marianne how fulfilling it is to work with your hands. These days of digital living find some gardeners glued to Pinterest and other sites, collecting information but forgetting to do anything with it. Small Town Gardener helps you reconnect with the actual garden, whether it’s on your balcony, in your backyard, or on ten acres in your field.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Vegetable Gardening on a Smaller Scale
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Dee Nash
\n\n\n\n![\"Red](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/H34Ltk9U2G5UJ-ffRQOKNXYzNWEOnjb3--5ybs0eEpnezw2x8h1gp4rOk7flih1NjiWrnEIfM_h66vkUTLMZm52LBx4WyzYEezM62Fz5dBgyKsC_21SPs_fyElRb4VvWY8HsWzC0\")
Dee once grew 90 rose bushes and more than 200 daylilies. You might say she’s garden-obsessed. Oklahoma born and raised, she loves getting her hands in the red dirt. Her blog offers tips on how to grow your own transplants from seed, when to buy bulbs for spring flowers, and the basics of container gardening.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Heart-Shaped Plants
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Anna Hackman
\n\n\n\n![\"Green](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/ORWxmwN3NWaxsVcCgYLXDIidwS0bfl2lzqybJ5kqtXmdwAAh7cWQLPLIMoE_pTIUFOCwHDcKLvmSpO6IBTEuk9iZX_B6OIOrWW5qwqmS_Xm56D5Ly3EJ2kPmPKXc1gS23wthHcNY\")
Green Talk began as a blog about green building, as Anna had just finished building an eco-friendly house. It’s evolved into a site about gardening, herbs, and food preservation, with some green living still sprinkled in. Anna promotes health, hope, and happiness, which she says you can achieve by growing and preserving your own food.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: How to Successfully Grow Indoor Seedlings Using the Right Light
\n\n\n\nAuthors: Chantal Aida Gordon, Ryan Benoit
\n\n\n\n![\"The](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_5ekLkx2ab5SD9wfVqNRSLm-81FhpWfPcObZvj64EthlW3tcJqrZYvcnnC9e_7zF5BTfvXIW9Y8v564UQ125Yr_we_zhuMW8uRpdWIfiCOnit2U3RzBP7wDnT0U5CjbpjrZj5rqQ\")
Chantal and Ryan created their blog seven years ago as newbies to gardening. As they experimented with plants and interviewed the experts, they shared everything they learned with their readers. Now, accomplished gardeners, they bring to The Horticult a guide to enjoying a plant-infused lifestyle, including how to serve up herb-garnished cocktails.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Show Thyme: How to Build an Outdoor Theater in Your Garden
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Carol Michel
\n\n\n\n![\"May](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/HtdGPwH6rboWOIrAnOHk5-kMiQTlEBRN_G0WVLc_mFvl0s-NgEsoueOcQ0tYGGDlmfPs6yWLNz3qj_AEMRMohPg93y_wwV-bNAWJFUKyWfS7yGYGtgqBgA6KYTVX0KO9m5JqKMpL\")
Carol calls herself an eccentric gardening geek. This Indiana gardener writes about how to select and use the right tools, gardening clubs you may want to join and, of course, house plants, outdoor plants, and colorful blossoms. May Dreams Gardens also encourages you to keep a garden diary. Who knows? Maybe you’ll start your own garden blog.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: The Garden Fairies May Need to Defend Themselves
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Eva
\n\n\n\n![\"My](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/izvZvsAW5ZIggPNfRfAXlNzFF_-E7Ib0veYr75OfP_44-Zukm0qzelZ3k4ZFCSTYbipr-z8RxJu1u4CK7SaoVgRwcWjtsuKOgHAvQZOdjfZyrd3WkKJiarZcleNiVPC5mTUxRhoN\")
My Desired Home describes itself as the place to go when home deco and DIY need inspiration, but the blog also focuses on gardening. Want to know the secret to growing tasty tomatoes in pots? Learn why bamboo is the new trend for your garden. Or read about DIY ideas to transform a tree trunk into a beautiful garden decoration.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Dipladenia, the Amazing Brazilian Jasmine in Your Pot and Garden
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Jessica Lane
\n\n\n\n![\"The](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/3PyptlLBYdTWVbuIL0sQYlDXyWgoDSIfpTDoYktHTuzfLMYmWlPAZ_KWfhLGIpCb4CISwCq2KQOWb928hYODCKDwqNGYaCKE_5yz24QxISpxKiACwwsuWB4wpCGM99q0FwU6VYE5\")
Jessica lives a nearly self-sufficient life with her three kids in Maine. She grows as much food as she can and what she can’t grow, she barters for. The 104 Homestead follows her journey into homesteading. If you want to be more self-sufficient but don’t know where to start, you’ll find the answers on this blog.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: There’s No Reason Not to Grow Your Own Food
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Jenny
\n\n\n\n![\"Bees](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/i7pELAdyVkTwDzgnEMXvz9XIOEVHWAZxc_tpPj6RM2NL9mbJ14h77aW5NAycFa3yGbLRFCJHwacr6B3TdLmLIR1mCChkZfTAqQ6euuA_dzGdim8-VOVEIhnpLRyoJq-NSUgAFgrE\")
A certified master gardener, Jenny wants to tell you all she can about outdoor living. Whether it’s landscaping, planting trees, or flowers, Bees and Roses has what you need to be successful in the garden. Jenny’s posts include advice on creating permaculture designs for your backyard and tips for growing tomatoes upside down. That’s right. Upside down!
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Victory Gardens: a Blast From the Past
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Jono Stevens
\n\n\n\n![\"Real](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/LfSInuEAxob-dUj2oH-fCpXQzWFK71OthYXJW2IkCoVCLzC0znpKOBo4hzBJvTWOhcPEF4iqMDLhy9YKppqLedqF7H8dnVWyeSrSq_-UdsP7rH_FaOlCXPpH00RF3SV0yNulBa_r\")
Thirteen years ago, Jono took up gardening with his mom. He says a steady stream of tasty fruits and veggies have made their way to his kitchen ever since. You’ll find advice for beginning gardeners and tips for buying cheap seeds. Jono hopes his blog captures the joy of growing your own food and living within the seasons.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: 6 Tips for Composting Down Your Spent Crops
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Shawna Coronado
\n\n\n\n![\"Shawna](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/8uTZUK5M5Wx8a9F4k8-nF5DHUlKBIgMEdBkxOW1Josr5E58tU1WyZqZlnGAItNEFj2I5tikhmCi9I0-8nMWrS1hUuViUDXnZnZIBASm-J1mXNK4-5acVSMpmsPcdRV1C5ZIlhLA_\")
When Shawna was diagnosed with a debilitating disease, she set out to find ways to decrease the pain. Focusing on growing organic produce and plants for food, while also sharing anti-inflammatory recipes, Shawna has a “make a difference” passion, zeroing in on wellness.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Purple Basil Is a Great Ornamental Edible
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Kate
\n\n\n\n![\"High](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zh9QZTBjxQVjs-y9fQlPvIcXFzKPekUDHAzS7Rxx1wlEmGnj6XqZpHRFN347Q7kX73SN-s7G1cOCRC3FdNacshfvNLmwpn2dmc2T14bmYdiziDoEpy11vz3XeIUdKDHqDBWJlBxX\")
Kate gardens in a high-plain desert at an elevation of 7,000 feet. Sound challenging? It is. This Utah blogger is a certified master gardener who plants native flowers to adapt to the dry, harsh conditions. High Altitude Gardening offers advice on which seeds to buy and which vegetables to plant.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: The Divine Inspiration of … Onions?
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Kathy
\n\n\n\n![\"Skippy's](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/wuw6jUzkv0WCYxMXMzW6Yj5VdRddFA_fgfNxZ3H7xlxB8J9IpPK696cPq4bA0I0atSzFW5bwSnPSgB9BknWUEFFX7XxoyXrKk9Bc0kNeRaomNDNEZkd73oWIeO7rsu5yvs36qHHB\")
Kathy is a biochemist who gardens as a hobby. The blog is named after Skippy, her first dog who followed her through the garden. Though Skippy is no longer here, his memory lives on through the blog. Kathy shares advice from expert gardeners, including gardening projects you can do in your kitchen and templates for garden plans.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Growing Sprouts and Microgreens
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Robin Plaskoff Horton
\n\n\n\n![\"Urban](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/LCtPsh06n9u638ddxmBxHJ3swQYu6NgsT8lYlLBvjEijXcf3ulshPDsG1C9R4npM4WVSawfbl2oBFXOkpmLwkBLD_-G_sfL-vrLT6ygegn3VwsTLBPXbktbhOK0luv1roirakUdC\")
Urban Gardens starts at the beginning, from planting and cultivating to harvesting. The blog combines urban style, design, sustainable living, and travel. Robin grew up in several countries and uses her experience on her blog, scouting the world for food and design trends.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Horticulture Therapy Cultivates Healing and Hope for Seniors
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Michelle
\n\n\n\n![\"Veg](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ZnCnOGVWTmpffLBoYB427OJ7KaCcK6ktwgkK656ZPEqxFs_eVgBugWBNtyompLAyYqffnTLQ4W7o-OeBbwV_ejHiq_w2mhAmu_U-GQgI48yvhs0WIQvqKJqiuYC0UFO0UISD3KHD\")
Michelle doesn’t claim to be an expert gardener but she hopes you’ll find useful information in Veg Plotting. She writes about discovering things about gardening, cooking what you grow, and spotting spring flowers. The gardening bug didn’t really bite her until she was an adult, but she’s making up for lost time.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: It Started With a Lemon
\n\n\n\nAuthor: Lee Miller
\n\n\n\n![\"Landscape](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/RgA6MJ4vnacjGsa0mpHWfs6ky3sksbFQtzdO0ux0JVu-pKA6DhXTteiQgKz5p91SvzuHenx_efXbUbrmC1ArjEHUD4CBDIdUI8I6r_a5GA5jApjhzt38tKGU67maDibhdyjm9nO3\")
ee says she’s had a shovel in her hand since age 5. She’s a lifetime gardener, book author and now a landscape designer. Lee stays current with horticulture practices and shares what she learns on her blog. You’ll also find gorgeous pictures of flowers and plants on her page.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post 2020: Garden Bloggers Bloom Day & Foliage Follow
\n","title":"50 Best Gardening Blogs of 2020","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.5515151515151515,"src":"/static/6bdcfb08eef3cd45b3286f91a10e07c1/1789c/gardener-planting-flower-plant-man-tree-1586951-pxhere.com_.jpg","srcSet":"/static/6bdcfb08eef3cd45b3286f91a10e07c1/107df/gardener-planting-flower-plant-man-tree-1586951-pxhere.com_.jpg 320w,\n/static/6bdcfb08eef3cd45b3286f91a10e07c1/293e9/gardener-planting-flower-plant-man-tree-1586951-pxhere.com_.jpg 500w,\n/static/6bdcfb08eef3cd45b3286f91a10e07c1/f2cbb/gardener-planting-flower-plant-man-tree-1586951-pxhere.com_.jpg 800w,\n/static/6bdcfb08eef3cd45b3286f91a10e07c1/1789c/gardener-planting-flower-plant-man-tree-1586951-pxhere.com_.jpg 960w,\n/static/6bdcfb08eef3cd45b3286f91a10e07c1/a2a79/gardener-planting-flower-plant-man-tree-1586951-pxhere.com_.jpg 1024w","srcWebp":"/static/6bdcfb08eef3cd45b3286f91a10e07c1/1dd6e/gardener-planting-flower-plant-man-tree-1586951-pxhere.com_.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/6bdcfb08eef3cd45b3286f91a10e07c1/67b76/gardener-planting-flower-plant-man-tree-1586951-pxhere.com_.webp 320w,\n/static/6bdcfb08eef3cd45b3286f91a10e07c1/8df11/gardener-planting-flower-plant-man-tree-1586951-pxhere.com_.webp 500w,\n/static/6bdcfb08eef3cd45b3286f91a10e07c1/98a65/gardener-planting-flower-plant-man-tree-1586951-pxhere.com_.webp 800w,\n/static/6bdcfb08eef3cd45b3286f91a10e07c1/1dd6e/gardener-planting-flower-plant-man-tree-1586951-pxhere.com_.webp 960w,\n/static/6bdcfb08eef3cd45b3286f91a10e07c1/7aa54/gardener-planting-flower-plant-man-tree-1586951-pxhere.com_.webp 1024w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"50 Best Gardening Blogs of 2020 | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":""}}},{"node":{"id":"cd6cba7b-0d03-533d-8b50-07d0825d97bf","slug":"getting-rid-of-grass-in-driveway-cracks","path":"/weeds/getting-rid-of-grass-in-driveway-cracks/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Frank Naper is a nature enthusiast who loves to travel and explore new cities, taking nature photographs along the way.","name":"Frank Naper","id":"548facf1-0faf-5729-a658-167972066913","path":"/author/frank-naper/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/905ec21d5a8e70f5f8486364c08aa6b2?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"cfca3a30-772e-535e-90a9-3056dfc1de8c","name":"Home & Garden","count":15,"path":"/category/home-garden/"},{"id":"e80a46cb-c990-5ffe-81c8-aa77d74e07ad","name":"Weeds","count":2,"path":"/category/weeds/"}],"date":"October 22nd, 2019","excerpt":"Maybe you got a nasty notice from the homeowners association. Or maybe you spent the weekend weeding, only to come home and find grass or dandelions poking up between your pavers or the cracks of your sidewalk. They’re unsightly and can cause serious damage to your walkway. Before you reach for the spray bottle of […]
\n","content":"\nMaybe you got a nasty notice from the homeowners association. Or maybe you spent the weekend weeding, only to come home and find grass or dandelions poking up between your pavers or the cracks of your sidewalk. They’re unsightly and can cause serious damage to your walkway.
\n\n\n\nBefore you reach for the spray bottle of Roundup or some other toxic weed killer containing glyphosate, take a look in your kitchen. You may already have all the ingredients to kill weeds and grass in driveway cracks. Homemade solutions are both cheap and eco-friendly.
\n\n\n\nLet’s start with why grass and weeds are attracted to sidewalk cracks. The cracks and crevices look small, but the spaces between pavers hold an amazing amount of dirt and organic matter. This matter gets swept by wind and rain and snow. Those crevices also hold onto moisture a little longer than flat surfaces, so it’s a perfect incubator for the weed seeds or grass.
\n\n\n\nThe setup also gives grass and weeds a little protection from you. It’s tough to get to the grass roots, or taproots of the weeds when all you can do is try to pull the unwanted plants by their tops. And you’re not likely to mulch those areas, as you would your flower beds, to prevent a return. But you can find everything you need to get to the root of the problem, in your kitchen — without turning to chemical herbicides sold at the garden center.
\n\n\n\nThe good news is that because the unwanted intruders are in driveway or sidewalk cracks, you don’t need to be as precise when applying your homemade remedies. A poorly aimed squirt has less of a chance to hit and accidentally kill desirable plants.
\n\n\n\nFirst, a word of warning: These common kitchen ingredients aren’t toxic in small doses, but they’re not benign, either. “Several can be harmful to people/pets during mixing and application, owing to inhalation, skin or eye contact, or spray mist. Some have unpleasant smells or have an allergenic effect,” writes Deborah Smith-Fiola and Stanton Gill for the University of Maryland Extension. Some hazards are obvious: Boiling water can burn you if you are not careful with it. Others aren’t as obvious. Don’t take chances and handle all of them carefully.
\n\n\n\nThe pros of homemade weed killers are that yes, they do provide some level of weed control, without the environmental or health risks that toxic chemicals can leave behind. That’s more peace of mind for parents, pet owners, and for people who care about the environment. It also gives you more control over your weed problem, killing those stubborn grasses and new weeds that seem to pop up all too often in the driveway cracks and crevices of your hardscaping. If you apply natural weed killer enough and at the right time, you may finally be free of those pesky plants that ruin the look of your yard.
\n\n\n\nImage credit: “Hordeum leporinum,” by Matt Lavin, CC by SA 2.0
\n","title":"Getting Rid of Weeds, Grass in Driveway Cracks","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/758039ca3b2de2ecb8e7a4ee81da9156/1789c/rsz_weed-in-driveway-crack-matt-lavin-cc20.jpg","srcSet":"/static/758039ca3b2de2ecb8e7a4ee81da9156/107df/rsz_weed-in-driveway-crack-matt-lavin-cc20.jpg 320w,\n/static/758039ca3b2de2ecb8e7a4ee81da9156/293e9/rsz_weed-in-driveway-crack-matt-lavin-cc20.jpg 500w,\n/static/758039ca3b2de2ecb8e7a4ee81da9156/f2cbb/rsz_weed-in-driveway-crack-matt-lavin-cc20.jpg 800w,\n/static/758039ca3b2de2ecb8e7a4ee81da9156/1789c/rsz_weed-in-driveway-crack-matt-lavin-cc20.jpg 960w,\n/static/758039ca3b2de2ecb8e7a4ee81da9156/356ef/rsz_weed-in-driveway-crack-matt-lavin-cc20.jpg 1280w","srcWebp":"/static/758039ca3b2de2ecb8e7a4ee81da9156/1dd6e/rsz_weed-in-driveway-crack-matt-lavin-cc20.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/758039ca3b2de2ecb8e7a4ee81da9156/67b76/rsz_weed-in-driveway-crack-matt-lavin-cc20.webp 320w,\n/static/758039ca3b2de2ecb8e7a4ee81da9156/8df11/rsz_weed-in-driveway-crack-matt-lavin-cc20.webp 500w,\n/static/758039ca3b2de2ecb8e7a4ee81da9156/98a65/rsz_weed-in-driveway-crack-matt-lavin-cc20.webp 800w,\n/static/758039ca3b2de2ecb8e7a4ee81da9156/1dd6e/rsz_weed-in-driveway-crack-matt-lavin-cc20.webp 960w,\n/static/758039ca3b2de2ecb8e7a4ee81da9156/93f70/rsz_weed-in-driveway-crack-matt-lavin-cc20.webp 1280w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"Getting Rid of Weeds, Grass in Driveway Cracks | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":""}}},{"node":{"id":"67113647-e2d4-5b0b-a106-89d537375b3c","slug":"grass-allergies-causes-cures","path":"/blog/home-and-garden/grass-allergies-causes-cures/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Frank Naper is a nature enthusiast who loves to travel and explore new cities, taking nature photographs along the way.","name":"Frank Naper","id":"548facf1-0faf-5729-a658-167972066913","path":"/author/frank-naper/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/905ec21d5a8e70f5f8486364c08aa6b2?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"cfca3a30-772e-535e-90a9-3056dfc1de8c","name":"Home & Garden","count":15,"path":"/category/home-garden/"},{"id":"a4b803e1-5b3a-516a-b5b4-c5b50b2ae834","name":"Home & Garden","count":19,"path":"/category/blog/home-and-garden/"},{"id":"cb2b47be-d0ca-5bee-88fc-9bb625c184bd","name":"Outdoor","count":6,"path":"/category/outdoor/"}],"date":"October 29th, 2019","excerpt":"Whether you call it hay fever or allergic rhinitis, grass allergies can make spring and early summer miserable for allergy sufferers. Knowing the causes of your grass allergies may make it easier to deal with them. What causes grass allergies? The simple answer in most cases is grass pollen. Pollen allergies are the most common. […]
\n","content":"\nWhether you call it hay fever or allergic rhinitis, grass allergies can make spring and early summer miserable for allergy sufferers. Knowing the causes of your grass allergies may make it easier to deal with them.
\n\n\n\nWhat causes grass allergies? The simple answer in most cases is grass pollen. Pollen allergies are the most common. Plants, including grasses, release pollen to fertilize other plants. The Weed Science Society of America says, “For the 40-50 million allergy sufferers in America, inhaling airborne allergens can produce a variety of allergic symptoms. Because pollen grains are small and buoyant, they can remain airborne for hundreds of miles.” Breathing in pollen triggers an allergic reaction. and this can cause your immune system to attack.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/mnVUl0CqyXWxp5wWfdziA96vh-8qjH5TECtrUDWiWRBvD8-FPqEIusBfQ5Jli3lIKpnjV1mI4MtRHIlS8jzEE6S2Bp_elqOKdL7TRp458YubkAgMQc14tRippU32mZo-DRdfDjdA\")
Grass allergies can also cause rashes. This often happens when the skin comes into direct contact with grass. The rashes are usually raised welts or hives, sometimes red and itchy. This kind of grass allergy can also affect your pets.
\n\n\n\nIn rare cases, a grass allergy can cause a reaction similar to anaphylaxis, which is defined as an acute reaction to an antigen. This can occur when grass proteins enter the bloodstream through scraped skin.
\n\n\n\nGrass pollen season usually happens in northern climates of the United States in late spring or early summer. Grasses can pollinate in the southern United States throughout the year, triggering allergy symptoms in any season.
\n\n\n\nWhen it comes to grass allergies, you can treat and decrease the symptoms. The best treatment for is prevention. This means avoid coming into contact with grasses that trigger an allergic reaction. This can be challenging since unlike food allergies, it’s nearly impossible to avoid spending time outdoors. Here are some tips for times when avoiding grass is impossible:
\n\n\n\nHave someone else mow your lawn, and keep your lawn as short as possible. Shorter grass usually releases less pollen. Shield your skin and eyes from grass pollen by wearing protective clothing. This includes long-sleeved shirts, pants, hats, and sunglasses. This is especially important when you know you’ll be in contact with grass. Dry laundry inside rather than outside. Clothes, towels, and sheets can attract pollen.
\n\n\n\nYou can track pollen counts in your area online or through your local forecast. On days when the grass pollen count is high, stay inside if possible. If that’s not possible, consider wearing a face mask. This will help protect you from inhaling pollen and other allergy-causing particles.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ahhKSmBFL3TXV_XDmhPhSrtxHNle-Gw4SDnWuY0LwYCUTOLFSnEHPb3i_hac6RKuyCtM2y4BB_peQCtI1N6gaL7D25yaYN5Do79KFuPd4B-Udr4PqVufXcZKpSza43gAfSL0qa_S\")
To keep from bringing pollen into your home, remove shoes and change your clothes after spending time outdoors. Showering is also a good idea to wash pollen from your skin and hair. Use a towel to wipe off pets before allowing them inside, and keep them off your furniture and bed. Wash sheets and vacuum carpets at least once a week.
Keep doors and windows closed during lawn mowing and yard work sessions, and when pollen counts are high. If you have air conditioning, replace the filters every few months. Consider using filters designed to trap smaller particles such as pollen. These are called “high energy air particulate filters,” or HEPA for short.
\n\n\n\nFor mild allergic reactions and seasonal allergies, you can use over-the-counter medications to treat the symptoms. Options include antihistamines, decongestants, and nasal sprays. Some of these may have side effects such as drowsiness. For more severe or longer-lasting problems, you may want to ask your doctor for help. Possible treatments include nasal corticosteroid sprays, prescription antihistamines or decongestants, and allergy immunotherapy. If you’re experiencing chest tightness or trouble breathing, get medical attention right away.
\n\n\n\nAllergy shots are the most common and most effective type of allergy immunotherapy. The shots, called subcutaneous immunotherapy, deliver a small amount of an allergen into the skin of your arm. The amount of allergen gradually increases over time. This helps your body build up a tolerance to the allergen. Because of the slight risk of anaphylactic shock, allergists administer the shots in their office. The course of treatment lasts several years, but it has proven effective in reducing or eliminating allergic reactions. Allergy tablets (sublingual immunotherapy) work in a similar way. Instead of shots, tablets that dissolve under the tongue deliver the allergen.
\n\n\n\nKnowing the causes of grass pollen allergies and ways to help prevent them can go a long way in easing your symptoms. It may just help you get through allergy season with a lot less suffering.
\n","title":"Grass Allergies: The Causes and Cures","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.5005861664712778,"src":"/static/7e20ee085c12c69df0474ef77e8bacc1/1789c/meadow-123280_1280.jpg","srcSet":"/static/7e20ee085c12c69df0474ef77e8bacc1/107df/meadow-123280_1280.jpg 320w,\n/static/7e20ee085c12c69df0474ef77e8bacc1/293e9/meadow-123280_1280.jpg 500w,\n/static/7e20ee085c12c69df0474ef77e8bacc1/f2cbb/meadow-123280_1280.jpg 800w,\n/static/7e20ee085c12c69df0474ef77e8bacc1/1789c/meadow-123280_1280.jpg 960w,\n/static/7e20ee085c12c69df0474ef77e8bacc1/356ef/meadow-123280_1280.jpg 1280w","srcWebp":"/static/7e20ee085c12c69df0474ef77e8bacc1/1dd6e/meadow-123280_1280.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/7e20ee085c12c69df0474ef77e8bacc1/67b76/meadow-123280_1280.webp 320w,\n/static/7e20ee085c12c69df0474ef77e8bacc1/8df11/meadow-123280_1280.webp 500w,\n/static/7e20ee085c12c69df0474ef77e8bacc1/98a65/meadow-123280_1280.webp 800w,\n/static/7e20ee085c12c69df0474ef77e8bacc1/1dd6e/meadow-123280_1280.webp 960w,\n/static/7e20ee085c12c69df0474ef77e8bacc1/93f70/meadow-123280_1280.webp 1280w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"Grass Allergies: The Causes and Cures | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":""}}},{"node":{"id":"f9879681-f5b4-5ed2-93df-bd0a0ed130bc","slug":"tired-of-traditional-turf-try-a-grass-alternative","path":"/blog/home-and-garden/tired-of-traditional-turf-try-a-grass-alternative/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"","name":"Max Mustermann","id":"38f26ae5-e768-550f-a948-33b5a37f67de","path":"/author/roblawnstarter-com/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7f12ece9fc89be73ee3b329da1a4eb0c?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"a4b803e1-5b3a-516a-b5b4-c5b50b2ae834","name":"Home & Garden","count":19,"path":"/category/blog/home-and-garden/"},{"id":"5bb57152-2e9b-5822-a133-bc84c122adab","name":"Landscaping","count":42,"path":"/category/blog/landscaping/"},{"id":"205f24d4-c1e5-5728-bb28-8ba70eecbc7a","name":"Lawn Care","count":432,"path":"/category/lawn-care/"}],"date":"October 15th, 2019","excerpt":"Traditional lawns are part of the American dream — an ocean of green covering nearly 2% of our nation’s area. But at what cost? Americans view the hassle of mowing, fertilizing, irrigation, and pest control our lawns demand as the price we pay for flawless turfgrass. The net effect is a bit grim. Cristina Milesi, […]
\n","content":"\nTraditional lawns are part of the American dream — an ocean of green covering nearly 2% of our nation’s area. But at what cost? Americans view the hassle of mowing, fertilizing, irrigation, and pest control our lawns demand as the price we pay for flawless turfgrass. The net effect is a bit grim.
\n\n\n\nCristina Milesi, a NASA researcher who studies lawn area, says, “I estimate there are three times more acres of lawns in the U.S. than irrigated corn.” Her figures reveal turfgrass is the largest crop in America. “Each family may have only a small lawn,” she explains, “but once you add them all up, they have a big impact.”
\n\n\n\nGrass is needy. It needs a mower to manage its length and an edger to tidy its margins. It thrives in full sun and struggles in shady areas. It hungers for fertilizer and thirsts for water. In short, maintaining a grass lawn means spending a lot of time and money on lawn care.
\n\n\n\nThere are lawn alternatives that are low-maintenance and need less water than a traditional lawn. Here’s a selection of lawn replacements that can save you time and make your yard more eco-friendly.
\n\n\n\nTurfgrass isn’t all bad: It absorbs carbon dioxide and helps prevent erosion. But the non-native varieties used in the traditional lawn take large volumes of water and fertilizer. Native grasses thrive on poor soil, are drought-tolerant, and don’t mind partial shade. The best part? They require little maintenance.
\n\n\n\nThe most common native is buffalo grass (pictured above), a bunch-type grass that once dominated the Plains. Others include bluestem, blue grama and switchgrass. Contact your local county extension agent to see what the most common varieties or blends do best in your area.
\n\n\n\nIf your goal is to reduce lawn maintenance, consider a product like No-Mow-Grass. There are two blends sold commercially under the No-Mow brand. One is a fescue mix for Northern areas where it freezes, and the other is a buffalo grass mix for hot, dry Southern climes. Despite the name, No-Mow-Grass needs mowing once a year in late spring or fall. Like any turf grass that sees heavy foot traffic, No-Mow lawns benefit from a core aeration every couple of years.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/creeping-jenny-groundcover-peter-stevens-cc20.jpg\")
Not all grass alternatives are green. Using mulch, gravel, or even artificial turf to cover large areas of the yard can be aesthetically pleasing and are obviously shade and drought tolerant as can be. The jury is still out on whether artificial grass is a good alternative to turfgrass. Mulch is a fine addition to garden and flower beds because it helps to control weeds, retains soil moisture, and breaks down over time, adding nutrients to the soil.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/QlUzeqrntDZ8N_UfSNMSnnSunjCk2zWaeLEju6OOX3xGIPgKHDk4cfVcuRJl0yRafKRgaV06H3XNxfOpBaQLSq4vYOmFq9Y_Moa9G6WpBF5OKfQ3ggWjzRvhJMxGPOlEfttDpQOn\")
Offering compact, thick green growth, Dutch white clover is a perfect lawn replacement. Its root system generates nitrogen, reducing the need for fertilizing. You can achieve a more drought-tolerant lawn that requires less mowing by encouraging the growth of existing white clover patches. A mixed turfgrass and clover lawn can take heavy foot traffic better than a solid clover lawn.
\n\n\n\nThe bottom line? There’s no reason to support a needy front lawn when so many shade-loving lawn replacements exist. Find your groove, make your changes, and pat yourself on the back for doing your part to make the world a little greener.
\n\n\n\nMain image credit: “Buffalo grass” by CAJC: in the PNW is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
\n","title":"Tired of Traditional Turf? Try a Grass Alternative","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.439278937381404,"src":"/static/fffe31371e63fda79da4e920147a5ea0/1789c/rsz_buffalograss-carol-jacobs-carre-ccbysa20.jpg","srcSet":"/static/fffe31371e63fda79da4e920147a5ea0/107df/rsz_buffalograss-carol-jacobs-carre-ccbysa20.jpg 320w,\n/static/fffe31371e63fda79da4e920147a5ea0/293e9/rsz_buffalograss-carol-jacobs-carre-ccbysa20.jpg 500w,\n/static/fffe31371e63fda79da4e920147a5ea0/f2cbb/rsz_buffalograss-carol-jacobs-carre-ccbysa20.jpg 800w,\n/static/fffe31371e63fda79da4e920147a5ea0/1789c/rsz_buffalograss-carol-jacobs-carre-ccbysa20.jpg 960w,\n/static/fffe31371e63fda79da4e920147a5ea0/e0195/rsz_buffalograss-carol-jacobs-carre-ccbysa20.jpg 1517w","srcWebp":"/static/fffe31371e63fda79da4e920147a5ea0/1dd6e/rsz_buffalograss-carol-jacobs-carre-ccbysa20.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/fffe31371e63fda79da4e920147a5ea0/67b76/rsz_buffalograss-carol-jacobs-carre-ccbysa20.webp 320w,\n/static/fffe31371e63fda79da4e920147a5ea0/8df11/rsz_buffalograss-carol-jacobs-carre-ccbysa20.webp 500w,\n/static/fffe31371e63fda79da4e920147a5ea0/98a65/rsz_buffalograss-carol-jacobs-carre-ccbysa20.webp 800w,\n/static/fffe31371e63fda79da4e920147a5ea0/1dd6e/rsz_buffalograss-carol-jacobs-carre-ccbysa20.webp 960w,\n/static/fffe31371e63fda79da4e920147a5ea0/bab36/rsz_buffalograss-carol-jacobs-carre-ccbysa20.webp 1517w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"Tired of Traditional Turf? Try a Grass Alternative | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":""}}},{"node":{"id":"955df50b-3a49-5c55-b019-eb27187a6285","slug":"keep-outdoor-faucets-freezing","path":"/blog/home-and-garden/keep-outdoor-faucets-freezing/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Frank Naper is a nature enthusiast who loves to travel and explore new cities, taking nature photographs along the way.","name":"Frank Naper","id":"548facf1-0faf-5729-a658-167972066913","path":"/author/frank-naper/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/905ec21d5a8e70f5f8486364c08aa6b2?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"6fc58ffa-eaae-56a2-a670-d6f84e2bb962","name":"Cold Climate","count":4,"path":"/category/cold-climate/"},{"id":"a4b803e1-5b3a-516a-b5b4-c5b50b2ae834","name":"Home & Garden","count":19,"path":"/category/blog/home-and-garden/"}],"date":"October 8th, 2019","excerpt":"Thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit is the magic temperature that puts your faucets at risk. If you and your pipes and faucets are not ready when the cold weather hits, you could end up paying the plumber a lot of money to fix the water damage. Here’s how to keep your outdoor faucets from freezing in the […]
\n","content":"\nThirty-two degrees Fahrenheit is the magic temperature that puts your faucets at risk. If you and your pipes and faucets are not ready when the cold weather hits, you could end up paying the plumber a lot of money to fix the water damage. Here’s how to keep your outdoor faucets from freezing in the winter.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/O1TWH61XpDdiFBQGLmJDSGl_w5Ks3bz9YRiCiJF8YPnf14mneyiSWMI3PlrEYMBR0fLh-OAAypzKxPacHs0EU-w34mHZfjc3wMqDD7D97FgQD-yFVhIUuRKlTQHlW83saCzSMsQq\")
First, let’s go back to middle school science class to understand what happens to your faucet when water freezes. Not only do freezing temperatures make the metal in your faucet more brittle, but it also changes the water too. Scientists at the International Association for the Properties of Water and Steam are the expert on what happens to water in different conditions. They explain that as water begins to cool, like most liquids, it shrinks. But when the temperature drops below freezing, that changes. “When liquid water is cooled, it contracts like one would expect until a temperature of approximately 4 degrees Celsius is reached. After that, it expands slightly until it reaches the freezing point, and then when it freezes, it expands by approximately 9%,” says the IAPWS. It’s like your water pressure on steroids. That 9% expansion is bad news for your outside faucet, and that’s why winterizing is necessary.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ud3jrOn9iFhnvA1pTOKAeQWyQL3bJlEovDdA1R9wR7-felw7mu_7vxwlT3tXQCDQkzudZMWPrg0sz3UlX-wZ83l_gUINWpONkSQHNxccY_9rxQapuN1IXlOUfh9luqRPwoWpQU69\")
There are two to-do lists here.
\n\n\n\nIf you live in a cold part of the country, such as New England or the Upper Midwest, you’ll want to follow both lists.
\n\n\n\nIf you live in a warmer part of the country, like Texas or Florida, you’ll need to follow only the second list because your exterior faucet will only be at risk for days, or at most, weeks, during the cold months.
\n\n\n\nIf you’re in Miami or Honolulu, you can go back to the pool and stop reading.
\n\n\n\nPeople in warmer areas probably need access to your faucet and water supply sooner than folks who live in the deep freeze. But be careful, many cities and counties have watering restrictions in place year-round).
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/3467jMMZnZLxCBy-KWgF5YBnuPJHYNLo3ssQKYN_5rheq2NrV7Z1fQ_2YzVG9VfnusaJRzkLGLP-4voVwdV9f_3vb5wdVF5FkaKjDP06l2nfCMXbzBKOMyde3nKpswRj39UsDwJp\")
If you do it correctly, you save yourself the headache of a cracked faucet or a burst pipe.
\n\n\n\nOnce you have your outdoor faucet covered, think about your pipes as well. Homes in colder climates are pretty well frost-proofed for all but the most extreme cold. Builders often place pipes inside of homes. But if you live in a warmer climate where builders aren’t as concerned about deep freezes, or you can see pipes outside the walls of your home, you’ll want to winterize those pipes and spouts as well. The same cold temperatures that can crack your faucets can damage your pipes. You can pick up pipe sleeves and other accessories a home improvement store at the same time you get the faucet covers.
\n\n\n\nYou should see the individual shutoff valves for each line leading to a faucet. If you don’t have individual shutoff valves, consider installing a hose bib, or sillcock. A frost-free sillcock runs inside the house where it’s warmer and prevents the water from freezing and causing damage.
\n\n\n\nWhatever you do, DON’T use a hairdryer for a quick thaw! If ice is filling the pipes, the freeze damage is already done. A quick thaw will cause the pipes to burst and that’s when you’ll have water damage throughout your house.
\n\n\n\nIt doesn’t matter what part of the country you’re in when it comes to outside faucets. Most homes have at least one faucet on an exterior wall, and the physical properties of water, metal, and frigid temperatures are universal — and a good reason to cover up this winter!
\n","title":"How to Keep Outdoor Faucets From Freezing","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/992b059f35c6c62dc33b3845f408e12d/1789c/frozen-pipe-pixabay.jpg","srcSet":"/static/992b059f35c6c62dc33b3845f408e12d/107df/frozen-pipe-pixabay.jpg 320w,\n/static/992b059f35c6c62dc33b3845f408e12d/293e9/frozen-pipe-pixabay.jpg 500w,\n/static/992b059f35c6c62dc33b3845f408e12d/f2cbb/frozen-pipe-pixabay.jpg 800w,\n/static/992b059f35c6c62dc33b3845f408e12d/1789c/frozen-pipe-pixabay.jpg 960w,\n/static/992b059f35c6c62dc33b3845f408e12d/4fb49/frozen-pipe-pixabay.jpg 1920w","srcWebp":"/static/992b059f35c6c62dc33b3845f408e12d/1dd6e/frozen-pipe-pixabay.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/992b059f35c6c62dc33b3845f408e12d/67b76/frozen-pipe-pixabay.webp 320w,\n/static/992b059f35c6c62dc33b3845f408e12d/8df11/frozen-pipe-pixabay.webp 500w,\n/static/992b059f35c6c62dc33b3845f408e12d/98a65/frozen-pipe-pixabay.webp 800w,\n/static/992b059f35c6c62dc33b3845f408e12d/1dd6e/frozen-pipe-pixabay.webp 960w,\n/static/992b059f35c6c62dc33b3845f408e12d/62477/frozen-pipe-pixabay.webp 1920w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"How to Keep Outdoor Faucets From Freezing | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":""}}},{"node":{"id":"d16e2d6b-56c8-59e2-83f4-27ffd9dd8cd8","slug":"benefits-composting-lawn","path":"/lawn-care/benefits-composting-lawn/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"","name":"Ruma Akter","id":"b4adb332-066f-5309-a11a-ada9d71b73f7","path":"/author/opushaon10/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ebb2426fcf700731e458d89422adc475?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"a4b803e1-5b3a-516a-b5b4-c5b50b2ae834","name":"Home & Garden","count":19,"path":"/category/blog/home-and-garden/"},{"id":"205f24d4-c1e5-5728-bb28-8ba70eecbc7a","name":"Lawn Care","count":432,"path":"/category/lawn-care/"}],"date":"November 27th, 2019","excerpt":"Looking for a cost-efficient way to a beautiful lawn with healthier grass? Composting may be the answer. You may associate compost with gardens and flower beds, but there are several benefits to adding the beautiful rot to your grass, too. What Is Compost? Compost is organic material, made up of decomposing living matter. Food scraps […]
\n","content":"\nLooking for a cost-efficient way to a beautiful lawn with healthier grass? Composting may be the answer.
\n\n\n\nYou may associate compost with gardens and flower beds, but there are several benefits to adding the beautiful rot to your grass, too.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/7siWPz9hIYZNaFizVvrLv1ilgO2v5ZEN6q_jZTkH9LyzmiTKBQ-wplgwMSshwyJel0FpzwSEjtWWWzWiVQY7qEuHWGV0kuQrn-qt3FS5grSQfBs4xY62AB-ltZieVNlrBe1SUz3h\")
Compost is organic material, made up of decomposing living matter. Food scraps and yard waste (grass clippings, raked leaves, and remnants of garden plants) make up most compost. Compost also happens on its own in nature with fallen leaves, twigs, and branches. By adding fruit and vegetable scraps, you put back into the soil the ingredients it needs to thrive.
\n\n\n\nFood products that don’t compost well include tea bags (the tea residue works well but only if you remove the bag) and highly acidic citrus fruits and tomatoes (they may kill the good bacteria that break down the compost). Peelings from other fruits and vegetables are also excellent for the compost bin (remove the small paper stickers on them).
\n\n\n\nWhat you don’t want in your compost? Weeds. The weed seeds will spread and regrow in your yard.
\n\n\n\nLawns are dormant in winter, but it’s still a good time for maintenance. Composting supports the root system during dormancy. The organic matter helps the soil retain water, making it more available to the grass roots. Nutrients that would otherwise wash away, (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium), make their way down to the roots. The healthier your lawn’s roots are, the deeper they grow and spread under your yard. This holds the soil together and helps it resist wind and water.
\n\n\n\nWith healthier roots created by composting comes healthier soil. The primary nutrients are joined by micronutrients like zinc, iron, copper, and manganese. The fertilizer you buy doesn’t always have these components. But compost breaks down slowly, so it acts as a slow-release fertilizer. The more diverse the ingredients in the compost, the more different types of nutrients sink into the soil. The decomposed compost (also called humus), will also neutralize both acidic and alkaline soils, creating pH levels that enable your grass to absorb the nutrients.
\n\n\n\nAerating your lawn helps break up compacted soil. But compost creates clusters of particles, called aggregates, for a stronger soil structure. These bundles have air channels and tiny holes that keep in water, nutrients, and air. There are basically three types of soil, and organic matter affects each one in different ways.
\n\n\n\nThis dense, heavy soil can be tough to work with. But when maintained, it’s one of the best soils for lawns and gardens. Adding organic matter like pine bark and finely ground leaves creates better soil structure. It also gets rid of drainage problems and compacted soil. Start with 3 to 6 inches of compost on your topsoil and work it down into the ground about ten inches over time. As the matter decomposes, it improves the quality of clay soil.
\n\n\n\nSandy soil is dry with large, coarse particles and a lot of air pockets, so it doesn’t need aeration. It’s also not ideal for growing things because all that space lets water drain before it can provide moisture to plant roots. Fertilizer is ineffective because it washes away before doing any good. Horticulture Agent Charlotte Glen of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension says, “Because they naturally lack nutrients and cannot store nutrients provided by fertilizers, plants growing in sandy sites often show nutrient deficiency symptoms like stunting, yellow leaves, and sparse flowering or poor fruit production.”
\n\n\n\nThe good news is that sand is lightweight and porous and easy to work with. This type of soil needs 3 to 4 inches of compost as topsoil. Till it deep into the ground. Then, in the future, let grass clippings fall onto the yard when mowing. The clippings add to the compost.
\n\n\n\nThis is the best type of soil for growing plants and grass. It’s a mix of equal parts clay, sand, and silt (sediment deposited by running water). While loamy soil already provides excellent growing conditions, you can improve any soil with compost. Do this once a year to lower its pH to a level that works well with grass.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/fXTp3fOUPxxEJfrU4ABu64j_Zld8HZGr_VZc6ZpQOmTIkGU2ukwTl22wTLSETZwBt11kHl7TGBemnJ5-skvzmyBYzYT8xgSiYPixheaoIRMEWt_nrohyBSv7zGXMzLbyIKHk1BcF\")
Healthy turf is about 50% air, held in pockets and spaces in the soil. When that soil is compacted, moisture and nutrients don’t filter down to the plant’s roots as well as they should. Compost creates more accommodating surroundings by loosening the soil, creating natural energy.
\n\n\n\nSo how do you know if your soil is compacted?
\n\n\n\nWorking organic matter into the ground is the best way to fight compaction. For extreme cases, you may need to use up to 50% compost. This will also help decompose thatch buildup in the fall. Too much thatch causes the root system under your lawn to choke itself.
\n\n\n\nPerhaps the best perk from composting is how it benefits the environment. By putting your vegetable and fruit scraps, eggshells, and other kitchen scraps in a compost pile, you’re keeping it out of landfills. You also eliminate the need for fertilizing. Make sure the organic matter stays damp, and it will keep insects away, negating the need for insecticide. And the air pockets created in the soil will hold more water, meaning you won’t need to water as often.
\n\n\n\nComposting is a win-win in many ways, but poor quality soil with too much clay or sand needs a little more work. After spreading more than an inch of compost over the yard, spray the grass blades with liquid nitrogen to speed up decomposition. Healthy lawns take some work but in the long run, are worth it!
\n\n\n\nMain image credit: normanack, CC 2.0
\n","title":"Benefits of Composting for Your Lawn","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.336116910229645,"src":"/static/ec62ef777e3d749b2ee58e20601924c5/1789c/1280px-Compost-dirt-wikimedia.jpg","srcSet":"/static/ec62ef777e3d749b2ee58e20601924c5/107df/1280px-Compost-dirt-wikimedia.jpg 320w,\n/static/ec62ef777e3d749b2ee58e20601924c5/293e9/1280px-Compost-dirt-wikimedia.jpg 500w,\n/static/ec62ef777e3d749b2ee58e20601924c5/f2cbb/1280px-Compost-dirt-wikimedia.jpg 800w,\n/static/ec62ef777e3d749b2ee58e20601924c5/1789c/1280px-Compost-dirt-wikimedia.jpg 960w,\n/static/ec62ef777e3d749b2ee58e20601924c5/356ef/1280px-Compost-dirt-wikimedia.jpg 1280w","srcWebp":"/static/ec62ef777e3d749b2ee58e20601924c5/1dd6e/1280px-Compost-dirt-wikimedia.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/ec62ef777e3d749b2ee58e20601924c5/67b76/1280px-Compost-dirt-wikimedia.webp 320w,\n/static/ec62ef777e3d749b2ee58e20601924c5/8df11/1280px-Compost-dirt-wikimedia.webp 500w,\n/static/ec62ef777e3d749b2ee58e20601924c5/98a65/1280px-Compost-dirt-wikimedia.webp 800w,\n/static/ec62ef777e3d749b2ee58e20601924c5/1dd6e/1280px-Compost-dirt-wikimedia.webp 960w,\n/static/ec62ef777e3d749b2ee58e20601924c5/93f70/1280px-Compost-dirt-wikimedia.webp 1280w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"Benefits of Composting for Your Lawn | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":""}}},{"node":{"id":"2baae674-4a45-56fc-869b-a30c15030ed9","slug":"how-to-get-rid-of-carpenter-ants","path":"/blog/how-to-get-rid-of-carpenter-ants/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Caleb Leonard is a freelance writer and marketing professional. A graduate of the University of North Texas, his interests include gardening, podcasts, and studying Spanish.","name":"Caleb Leonard","id":"1c332919-8490-5383-95ec-6ae90855221c","path":"/author/caleb-leonard/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/4ac26f4a5bb894df76f4af23dd100da4?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"c16818a6-3923-5fc7-a49b-191ac48bf4d2","name":"Blog","count":81,"path":"/category/blog/"},{"id":"a4b803e1-5b3a-516a-b5b4-c5b50b2ae834","name":"Home & Garden","count":19,"path":"/category/blog/home-and-garden/"}],"date":"November 22nd, 2022","excerpt":"Anytime you face a pest infestation, it’s a stressful situation. But when you have pests that can damage your property, that’s a whole new level of stress. Carpenter ants chew through wood in homes and yards across the country. Thankfully, we’ve got some advice on how to get rid of carpenter ants indoors and outdoors. […]
\n","content":"\nAnytime you face a pest infestation, it’s a stressful situation. But when you have pests that can damage your property, that’s a whole new level of stress. Carpenter ants chew through wood in homes and yards across the country. Thankfully, we’ve got some advice on how to get rid of carpenter ants indoors and outdoors.
\n\n\n\nIn this article we’ll cover:
\n\n\n\nCarpenter ants (Camponotus) make their homes in trees and logs, easily chewing through wet wood to create their tunnels and nests. These ants come in different sizes and colors, but in North America, they mostly appear black or reddish brown.
\n\n\n\nCarpenter ants are typically between one-quarter inch and five-eighths of an inch in length, with elbowed antennae. Some carpenter ants may develop wings while the nest is swarming.
\n\n\n\nLike most ants, carpenter ants give each other directions to food and shelter by leaving behind a pheromone trail. It’s how they sneak into your kitchen or bathroom in vast numbers.
\n\n\n\nThankfully, we have some helpful tips for controlling carpenter ants in the home. Infestation sizes may vary, but following these steps in the suggested order mimics professional treatments and can save you the cost of hiring an exterminator.
\n\n\n\nThe first step to ending your carpenter ant problem is to locate the nest. Follow the ant trail or evidence of damage until you reach the nest.
\n\n\n\nSometimes these nests are difficult to find. Try thumping the wood where you suspect damage. If it sounds hollow, you’re in the right place. Thumping around the nest can excite the ants, and panicked ants may appear.
\n\n\n\nOnce you find the nest (or locate high ant activity) apply bait traps or bait gel nearby. Spread your bait around sinks, appliances, baseboards, and bathroom fixtures. The nest is usually near a source of water. Consider using a duster for a quick and even application of fine granular baits.
\n\n\n\nBaits eliminate ants by lacing their food with insecticide. When the ant takes the bait back to share it with the colony, that insecticide spreads amongst the other ants until it dethrones the queen.
\n\n\n\nNext, apply an aerosol foam to cracks, holes, and crevices. Insecticidal foams expand, making them the ideal choice for wall voids, cracks, and crevices.
\n\n\n\nAerosol foams like FiPro spread pesticides from ant to ant, infecting the entire colony. When ants come in contact with these foams, their nervous systems are affected, resulting in death.
\n\n\n\nYou can use insecticidal dust to pump pesticides into hard-to-reach places like behind sinks and inside hollow doors.
\n\n\n\nAnother option is to use diatomaceous earth (D.E.) to solve your carpenter ant problem. Just sprinkle this pesticide along the pheromone trail or near suspected entry points to your home.
\n\n\n\nDiatomaceous earth eradicates pests dehydrating their bodies. This dehydration occurs either by consumption or the proximity to D.E.
\n\n\n\nYou can use boric acid in the same manner. Boric acid takes longer to kill insects than D.E., but both are effective means of carpenter ant control. Diatomaceous earth can be used outdoors as well.
\n\n\n\nAre carpenter ants infesting the wood frame around your compost pile or chewing away at your wood deck? Similar to indoor infestations, you’ll need to find the nest and treat it with pesticides.
\n\n\n\nPerimeter treatments are advisable whether your infestation is indoors or outside. Use a non-repellent insecticide to spray wall voids, crevices, windows, eaves, and potential entry points. This will help ensure the outside infestation doesn’t migrate indoors.
\n\n\n\nSpray the insecticides in a sweeping motion 1 to 3 feet up the wall and 1 to 3 feet into the yard to create a strong barrier around your home.
\n\n\n\nAlways read and follow the instructions listed on the product label, as guidelines may vary from product to product.
\n\n\n\nRepellents are a helpful tool to rid your lawn of carpenter ants. Carpenter ants are sensitive to strong odors, and the odors will disrupt the pheromone trails they use to direct other ants.
\n\n\n\nScents like peppermint (oil), lemon, vinegar, and chili powder can keep carpenter ants away.
\n\n\n\nAdd your chosen repellant to a spray bottle and dilute it with water. Aim for a 1:1 ratio. Spray your natural repellent solution around any potential entrances to your home or in areas where you see carpenter ant activity.
\n\n\n\nJust like you would indoors, scout your yard for signs of carpenter ant activity and set up bait traps.
\n\n\n\nAnother way to rid your lawn of carpenter ants is with homemade bait. Start by mixing one-thirds sugar with two-thirds boric acid. Next, place your mixture in a small dish or bottle cap near ant trails or the nest.
\n\n\n\nBoric acid is widely available at grocery stores, pharmacies, and supercenters.
\n\n\n\nAphids and carpenter ants have a symbiotic relationship. The aphids create a food source for the ants (honeydew), and in return, the carpenter ants protect the aphids from predators. If your lawn is teeming with aphids, there’s likely a carpenter ant infestation nearby.
\n\n\n\nLuckily, aphids can be eradicated with pesticides, soapy water, neem oil, or petroleum-based horticultural oils. Once the aphid population is reduced, the ant colony will likely search for a new source of food elsewhere.
\n\n\n\nThe best way to prevent pests is to remove their food source and tidy your home and yard.
\n\n\n\nA carpenter ant infestation can happen anywhere. These ants need damp wood to make a home and a consistent food source.
\n\n\n\nCommon causes of a carpenter ant infestation include:
\n\n\n\nA carpenter ant sighting in your home doesn’t necessarily mean you have an infestation. It could just be a worker ant scouting out a new location for a nest. However, if you see winged carpenter ants, that means a colony is swarming and might be trying to move into your area.
\n\n\n\nSigns of an infestation in your home include:
\n\n\n\nBoth termites and carpenter ants can damage wood, leaving evidence of frass (wood shavings). Despite looking so similar and causing similar damage, they require significantly different treatment, which is why proper identification is so important. Here are some helpful tips to tell them apart:
\n\n\n\n| Carpenter Ants | Termites |
| Carpenter ants are discrete in their nest building, often unbeknownst to homeowners. | Depending on the species, termites typically cause damage out in the open. Termites also construct mud tubes that are often visible outside of the nest. |
| Carpenter ant bodies are pinched at the neck and waist. | Termite bodies have a similar thickness throughout. |
| Carpenter ants have six long legs. | Termites have six short legs. |
| Carpenter ants have elbowed antennae. | Termites have straight antennae. |
| Carpenter ants have two pairs of wings with the front wings much larger than the back wings. The wings also have fewer veins than termite wings. | Termites have two pairs of wings of equal size with many veins. |
Carpenter ants likely entered your home through cracks and crevices. They can travel across tree limbs and wires and even chew through wood to enter your home.
\n\n\n\nMonitor points of entry such as any place wires enter your home. Check your baseboards and window sills, and keep shrubs and tree limbs away from your home.
\n\n\n\nThe good news is it can take years for carpenter ants to cause notable damage, unlike termites, whose damage becomes evident in a few months.
\n\n\n\nPest infestations can be overwhelming, so there’s no shame in hiring a professional exterminator. If your carpenter ant infestation is in a difficult-to-reach location, or pest control isn’t your forte, hire a pro for the job.
Pests like carpenter ants don’t like a manicured lawn. They prefer tall grass to hide from predators. Connect with a local lawn care professional who can keep your lawn tidy and ward off outdoor pests.
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Gallice / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
\n","title":"How to Get Rid of Carpenter Ants","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.5018773466833542,"src":"/static/7d6e5e63a3e98471f86ce25fb59adb29/1789c/rsz_carpenter-ants.jpg","srcSet":"/static/7d6e5e63a3e98471f86ce25fb59adb29/107df/rsz_carpenter-ants.jpg 320w,\n/static/7d6e5e63a3e98471f86ce25fb59adb29/293e9/rsz_carpenter-ants.jpg 500w,\n/static/7d6e5e63a3e98471f86ce25fb59adb29/f2cbb/rsz_carpenter-ants.jpg 800w,\n/static/7d6e5e63a3e98471f86ce25fb59adb29/1789c/rsz_carpenter-ants.jpg 960w,\n/static/7d6e5e63a3e98471f86ce25fb59adb29/c26c2/rsz_carpenter-ants.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/7d6e5e63a3e98471f86ce25fb59adb29/1dd6e/rsz_carpenter-ants.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/7d6e5e63a3e98471f86ce25fb59adb29/67b76/rsz_carpenter-ants.webp 320w,\n/static/7d6e5e63a3e98471f86ce25fb59adb29/8df11/rsz_carpenter-ants.webp 500w,\n/static/7d6e5e63a3e98471f86ce25fb59adb29/98a65/rsz_carpenter-ants.webp 800w,\n/static/7d6e5e63a3e98471f86ce25fb59adb29/1dd6e/rsz_carpenter-ants.webp 960w,\n/static/7d6e5e63a3e98471f86ce25fb59adb29/3cc96/rsz_carpenter-ants.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"How to Get Rid of Carpenter Ants | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Carpenter ants chew through wood, causing headaches for homeowners. Learn how to get rid of carpenter ants indoors and outdoors."}}},{"node":{"id":"cef80600-2c2e-53c8-9a06-e868a2500049","slug":"5-rustic-decor-diy-projects-for-your-outdoor-space","path":"/home-garden/5-rustic-decor-diy-projects-for-your-outdoor-space/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"","name":"Wikilawn","id":"706a455e-0b9c-56ea-aeed-4f411c6c1973","path":"/author/wikilawn/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fd0301960c52ded452e0b5fc145cb264?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"cfca3a30-772e-535e-90a9-3056dfc1de8c","name":"Home & Garden","count":15,"path":"/category/home-garden/"}],"date":"September 19th, 2018","excerpt":"There are plenty of reasons to decorate your outdoor space with DIY backyard projects that you can easily do at home. Choosing a rustic theme is the perfect blend of shabby and chic to withstand the outdoor elements. Creating rustic décor for your outdoor space is just one creative way to decorate your outdoor living […]
\n","content":"There are plenty of reasons to decorate your outdoor space with DIY backyard projects that you can easily do at home. Choosing a rustic theme is the perfect blend of shabby and chic to withstand the outdoor elements. Creating rustic décor for your outdoor space is just one creative way to decorate your outdoor living space. Check out these projects that you can easily make yourself to add some rustic décor beauty to your outdoor area:
\nYou may have seen this project all around town and there is a reason why they are so popular! Pallet flags not only show pride in our country but also add beautiful color to a green space. Pick up a pallet from a store in town or ask some friends who may have some connections. Pick up small sampler cans of red, white, and blue paint along with a paintbrush or two. Paint the pallet to look like an American flag with red and white stripes along with a blue box in the top left hand corner. Add a few white stars and you’ve got yourself an outdoor flag that won’t tear in the wind and will look even more fabulous as it ages!
\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/rustic-wagon-garden.jpg\")
The beauty of creating rustic outdoor décor is that the items that you add don’t have to be perfect. In fact, the more beat up they are the better. Consider things that garage sale fanatics would be selling that will add beauty to your outdoor space. Anything metal that can be sanded or wood that is aged would be great additions to a rustic outdoor space. Pick items that are a little bit beat up for a better price or age newer looking pieces with sandpaper, dark stain, or even crackle paint.
\nNothing says rustic like aged wood items for your outdoor space. Look around your house for wood items that are just collecting dust in the corner. Consider hanging antique wood tools and old picture frames on the outside of you home to create an overall rustic feel. If you don’t have any old wood consider buying new pieces of wood and making them look old with ageing techniques. Create a wood welcome sign or even a planter box that is sturdy and yet looks like it belonged to Grandma many years ago.
\nDon’t throw out that cracked pot just yet. Simply leave the crack but seal the edging in order to use the pot for a classic rustic look. Chipped, scuffed, or dented planter pots are perfect for a rustic outdoor space. Plant flowers in different colors to add even more beauty and interest as well as create contrast between the flowers and the old looking planter. Give those chipped or broken pots a second chance with different variations in a rustic themed outdoor space.
\nThe overall color for a rustic outdoor space involves more muted and natural tones of brown, tan, and white. Consider making a rustic wreath for your door hanging out of wheat stalks, branches, or even brown yarn. Add a few natural accents to the wreath like a white flower or even a cream colored bow to tie together the old and rustic look in your outdoor living space.
\nThere are many DIY projects that you can easily create at home for a rustic outdoor space. Create a pallet flag to decorate the yard or hang some old wood tools or picture frames for a cozy look. Consider adding a natural colored welcome wreath to the front door as well as give some new life to old looking things that are destined for the trash. Look around your home for items that can be easily transformed into rustic decorations for your outdoor space with just a little bit of sandpaper and some imagination.
\n","title":"5 Rustic Décor DIY Projects for Your Outdoor Space","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.43928035982009,"src":"/static/027de07117dd00841e285cb7d3fd14e0/1789c/rustic-flower-cart.jpg","srcSet":"/static/027de07117dd00841e285cb7d3fd14e0/107df/rustic-flower-cart.jpg 320w,\n/static/027de07117dd00841e285cb7d3fd14e0/293e9/rustic-flower-cart.jpg 500w,\n/static/027de07117dd00841e285cb7d3fd14e0/f2cbb/rustic-flower-cart.jpg 800w,\n/static/027de07117dd00841e285cb7d3fd14e0/1789c/rustic-flower-cart.jpg 960w","srcWebp":"/static/027de07117dd00841e285cb7d3fd14e0/1dd6e/rustic-flower-cart.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/027de07117dd00841e285cb7d3fd14e0/67b76/rustic-flower-cart.webp 320w,\n/static/027de07117dd00841e285cb7d3fd14e0/8df11/rustic-flower-cart.webp 500w,\n/static/027de07117dd00841e285cb7d3fd14e0/98a65/rustic-flower-cart.webp 800w,\n/static/027de07117dd00841e285cb7d3fd14e0/1dd6e/rustic-flower-cart.webp 960w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"5 Rustic Décor DIY Projects for Your Outdoor Space | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":""}}},{"node":{"id":"99a8a8a1-0eee-5669-b635-4a59bfaa7e90","slug":"how-to-prevent-repair-rock-salt-damage-on-lawns","path":"/lawn-care/how-to-prevent-repair-rock-salt-damage-on-lawns/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Jill Ramone is a landscaper who specializes in designing sustainable yards for busy homeowners. She prides herself on using eco-friendly products to control weeds and pests.","name":"Jill Ramone","id":"4c71091e-0a16-561f-8bdf-528214955c18","path":"/author/jillramone/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0caf6c31bc9563a294dd509633a793c6?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"6fc58ffa-eaae-56a2-a670-d6f84e2bb962","name":"Cold Climate","count":4,"path":"/category/cold-climate/"},{"id":"a4b803e1-5b3a-516a-b5b4-c5b50b2ae834","name":"Home & Garden","count":19,"path":"/category/blog/home-and-garden/"},{"id":"5bb57152-2e9b-5822-a133-bc84c122adab","name":"Landscaping","count":42,"path":"/category/blog/landscaping/"},{"id":"205f24d4-c1e5-5728-bb28-8ba70eecbc7a","name":"Lawn Care","count":432,"path":"/category/lawn-care/"}],"date":"November 21st, 2019","excerpt":"The debate over rock salt is a slippery slope. More than 25 million metric tons of rock salt are dumped onto roads, sidewalks, and driveways every year to de-ice them. While these de-icing salts make life safer for motorists and pedestrians, they have the unintended consequence of damaging lawns. Most of the time, salt damage […]
\n","content":"\nThe debate over rock salt is a slippery slope. More than 25 million metric tons of rock salt are dumped onto roads, sidewalks, and driveways every year to de-ice them. While these de-icing salts make life safer for motorists and pedestrians, they have the unintended consequence of damaging lawns. Most of the time, salt damage is not apparent until spring, when snowmelt and warming temperatures reveal the dead grass.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/NjGOu8zuJtv1iLsWaOawKFZkMeM88I6RMbT39KNWxyyP4HtkKpZ3FaM3z-QvKFOfPq_ruGVeQvxM4VYlm51XL_BWd4oUJp_7-eKeEKNVLH5FYFx7YXLEebmoYGqR3_sKplyNOfVl\")
If you live on a major roadway where crews use salt as a road de-icer, consider a little preventive and remedial lawn care to safeguard your lawn.
\n\n\n\nWhen rock salt is applied to icy surfaces, it melts the ice and then runs off or is sprayed by the tires of cars driving through the slush. That overspray can travel up to 150 feet, which means even if your yard isn’t directly affected, some mist may still reach your yard. Salt spray can cause injury to plant buds, leaves, and stems.
\n\n\n\nSalt draws moisture out of leaves, leaving them brown and dry. It also pulls moisture out of the soil, causes soil compaction, and exposes grass roots to chlorides. When chlorides build up to a toxic level, plants lose the ability to produce chlorophyll and eventually die.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/eMqSKQJMlPHs_fovZyFU86BptGtpjXzfRSIJMS6h5y6pAMvBZrj4YuQ9mChNNaxemCHLuKi8jEmxVrM6PsA9_4yeacUeQQgx6VnTAL1L6UlHuHOHT3ZraXxc6OK9hfElPEz_GXzZ\")
Rock salt has a corrosive effect on hard surfaces, often leaving white spots on natural stone walkways and patios. Concrete that isn’t sealed is porous and will soak up the briny water left behind from a de-icing treatment. That absorbed water will refreeze when the temperature dips below freezing, causing expansion. This process will eventually cause chipping, cracks, and flaking in concrete structures. The least expensive de-icing salts tend to be the most corrosive. Pricier de-icing agents are less harmful to grass and less corrosive to concrete and stone. Even if you use a cheaper, more corrosive de-icer, you can cut it with sand to reduce the volume of harsh chemicals.
\n\n\n\nSalt remains in the soil for years, and it accumulates over time until it creates an environment where grass can no longer thrive. Salt is leached out by rainfall, but it can take a while for this process to be complete. Speeding this process by irrigating deeply once the weather warms up will help. But the best solution is to avoid the accumulation of salt in the soil in the first place.
\n\n\n\nGenevieve Schmidt, owner of Genevieve Schmidt Landscape Design and Fine Maintenance in Humboldt County on California’s northern coast, recommends using calcium or magnesium acetates rather than chlorides to de-ice areas around yards and landscapes. She cautions, “When you see dieback and browning or yellowing of leaves, it’s evident there’s been salt damage. If you suspect salt has leached into your landscaping, it’s wise to rinse plants and soil with water as soon as the snow melts. Apply 2 inches of water over a two- to three-hour period, then repeat a few days later.”
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/mzr4JokmArjex8fONGsriVGdlk7rogYtVDYn7Jn2p9p6dkkmm55B4mFZ5yBYIdX2jHnqwOIigim53_JN9OnlWXt497yNnHHE5MD4LtQ7cYwWqutEXbn5L5y8Ku7xq5axXtgrLMwm\")
There is little point in reseeding or overseeding a lawn that has a high level of salt buildup. Without flushing out the salt beforehand, the new grass will absorb the chlorides in the soil and eventually suffer the same fate as the grass you’re replacing. Once you’ve adequately flushed salt out of your lawn in the spring, take your time to reseed your lawn the right way. While salt damage in your yard is nothing to shrug off, it also isn’t the end of the world. With a little foresight and prevention, you can protect your lawn and treat the damage before it’s irreversible.
\n\n\n\nMain image credit: Michael Pereckas, CC by 2.0
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