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Trees and shrubs often need to be trimmed back in the fall, though this will vary, depending on the type of plant. If you’re unsure when to trim your trees or bushes, consult a gardening book or online resource. When doing any kind of trimming or pruning, basic safety precautions are of primary importance. If your trees are taller than 10 or 15 feet, it’s best not to take the risk of doing the job yourself. Look for a qualified arborist who can do the work for you, and be sure to check out some references before hiring anyone to do the work. This can also be a good time to remove any old or dying trees, as well.

Lawns will need several kinds of care during the fall months. First, you’ll want to rake up all the fallen leaves and any other debris from shrub and tree trimming. There are many types of leaf bagging devices on the market today that can make this job easier, such as leaf bag holders or special tarps designed to collect leaves and other debris while you are raking. Once all the leaves are removed, it’s important to do one final mowing of the grass at the end of the year. Last but not least, a fall lawn application is also a good idea. Visit your local garden center or nursery for a recommendation of what type of product to use. When in doubt, a good all purpose fertilizer is usually fine.

The last area that will require some fall attention is your garden and planting areas. Your work here will vary depending on what types of plants you’re working with. In the case of annuals, especially annual vegetable plants, it’s best to remove the plants entirely at the end of the growing season. Some vegetables like tomatoes and potatoes, if left to rot in the cool fall weather, can transmit fungal diseases into the soil. These pests and fungi are often times capable of overwintering in the dirt, and can then cause problems with next year’s crops. Once annual plants are removed, now is a good time to till the soil and add any fertilizers such as organic matter or other soil amendments. Finish the area off by adding a thick layer of mulch.

If the planting area in question is full of perennial plants, you’ll probably want to consult a gardening book or website to see what maintenance, if any, is required. With most perennials, it’s best to leave the plants alone and let them die back naturally during the winter months. It is a good idea to apply a thick layer of mulch around the base of each plant, too. In the spring, the dry, dead foliage will be easy to remove, making way for renewed growth.

Fall yard cleanup does require some work on your part, but nothing too difficult. With the basic steps we’ve outlined above, you will be rewarded by a yard, lawn, and garden that will look better than ever next spring.

About the Author:Ellen Bell

Home Products ‘N’ More offers free shipping on leaf bag holders and other leaf baggers. Visit us at http://www.homeproductsnmore.com/Leaf_Bag_Holder_s/24.htm

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Fall Yard Cleanup

These types of outdoor lights are becoming increasingly popular among customers not just because they can save them money – but because of how simple they are to use and how great they look in their yard. The only trouble that we have is attempting to choose the right kind for our home.

You never quite know how many options you have to choose from till you are the one picking it out. In order to understand what kind you need you should first ask yourself where you would like to utilize it. Various individuals might use them in their garden, on their footpath and drive, or close to a pond in their backyard.

Because they do not have any wiring they areeasy to use them anywhere you want, even near water. If you are utilizing them to light up your driveway you can buy the one that are specifically for this and might even be durable enough to drive over. The hardest one to pick out from are the lights used to light up decks, porches, walkways, and gardens.

In many cases it is merely easier to select something that will supply you with sufficient light and has a good design to it. You need to make sure that the solar post light or flood light you choose is big enough to receive enough sunshine during the day to stay lit throughout the whole night.

About the Author: nlwest21

Learn how you are able to Install Outdoor Solar Lights to use in your garden or on your porch. The most popular type of Solar Post Lights.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Tips On How You Can Find Outdoor Solar Lights

Building a brick outdoor fireplace is a huge undertaking, but well worth it. A brick fireplace will make any yard pop. It adds curb appeal and can increase the value of your home. So although building it is a pretty involved project it’s one that pays for itself in the long run. Assuming you have some basic masonry know how here’s how to build a brick outdoor fireplace.

The first thing you need is a piece of paper. You’ll need the dimensions for your new outdoor fireplace so you can order the brick. Once you’ve got it sketched out call up your local building center and they’ll be able to tell you how many bricks you need.

Pick a spot in your backyard where there isn’t a chance of a stray spark starting a fire – avoid placing under trees, awnings and the like.

Found just the right spot? Great! Grab your shovel and get ready to dig.

You’ll need to remove all the grass from the base of your outdoor fireplace.

Once you’ve removed the grass you need to compact the loose layer of soil. You can either use a hand compactor or rent a powered one for a few dollars a day.

So you’re sitting there looking at a big ugly barren spot in the yard by this point. Don’t get discouraged!

Have the bricks delivered as close to your work site as possible. Pushing carts full of bricks around all day isn’t going to get the fireplace built any faster.

Before you start throwing bricks on the ground make sure you’re set with a masonry saw, a trowel and mortar.

Lay a bottom layer of bricks on top of the compacted soil. Be sure to use the trowel and mortar in between each brick. This will give you a nice sturdy starting point for the rest of the brick fireplace.

Let the mortar cure overnight

Start stacking bricks along the edge of the base. What you’re shooting for here is a layer 4 bricks high. Be sure to cut/stagger the bricks from row to row always applying a thin layer of mortar between rows.

By now it should start looking like an outdoor brick fireplace.

Keeping laying, staggering, and mortaring those bricks along the sides and back of the fireplace.

Pretty soon you’ll have 3 walls about 3 and a half feet high. It’s time to build the roof.
Cut a piece of sheet metal sized to the fireplace walls. Cut a small notch slightly larger than 1 brick in the back of the sheet metal.

Place the metal across the 3 walls of your fireplace with the notch facing the back.

Put down another layer of bricks across the top of the sheet metal without covering the notch.

The chimney is the trickiest part.

You’ll need to cut the bricks to size to stack them around the notch.

The chimney doesn’t need to be that high, just tall enough to let the whole fireplace draft properly.

That does it! It took some time and backbreaking effort but you can now brag to the neighbors that you know how to build a brick outdoor fireplace.

The outdoor water fountains are the best choice and have become extremely popular in every type and size of garden.

So let’s take a look at the different options that are open to you whether you have a large garden, a small space or indeed just a balcony area. The beauty of the outdoor water fountains is they come in so many different shapes and sizes you will be able to have one in pretty much any outdoor space.

Large Garden Areas

If you have a large space outside that needs to be filled then there are plenty of choices available. Adding one of the fountains to the space that is too small and it will look lost and redundant, so it is critical to ensure you choose wisely for the space available. Before selecting the outdoor water fountain that appeals to you most check the size of the space you have and this will help you visualise the fountain within that area. The majority of the outdoor water fountains are freestanding so are easy to move around and get into the exact position you would like. If you are adding one to the garden area then it would be more recommended to choose the ornamental or traditional styles and shapes, however, if you are adding one to your decking or patio space then you could choose the floor fountain style.

Small Garden Spaces

For many people the large fountains will dominate the space too much and a smaller less obtrusive fountain would be the much better choice. The variety of smaller outdoor water fountains has grown as the features have become more popular, and today there are hundreds of designs and choices for you. They range from the traditional style designs such as the birdbaths, and pots to the more contemporary and modern spheres and stacked designs. The garden gives you the option to be creative and there is no right or wrong way for you to add the fountain into your garden, the top tip though would be to make sure the fountain is not too large for the space available.

No Gardens just Balconies

Lots of people live in flats and apartments these days and what could be more perfect than having your very own water feature on your balcony. The small features are all self-contained and these are perfect for this type of space, you could really create your very own haven. The ambience and the background noise given from these beautiful features really compliment areas such as Balconies and it is worth considering having one if you live in a flat or apartment.

Drizzly winter months, intense green foliage, and friendly folks are not the only signs that you are in the Pacific Northwest. The area is also the home to an abundance of cedar fences and decks.

The use of cedar in Northwest construction projects is more than popular – it’s also practical. Assuming you have chosen real wood over one of the new lower maintenance choices, then cedar is the right material for your next deck or fence. Consider these 10 reasons I consider cedar a superior wood choice for Oregon and Washington homes.

1. Durability. Thanks to its tight, straight grain and small knots, cedar offers strong dimensional stability, meaning that it holds its shape and form better than other substances. Wood often shrinks as natural moisture in it evaporates. This can negatively impact a project in several ways, as drying wood will twist or crack. Some woods will not lay flat after they dry out. Thanks to its high dimensional stability, cedar is more likely to stay straight and flat as it dries.

2. Decay resistance. Cedar has long been celebrated for its longevity. A naturally occurring oil in cedar acts as a preservative. However, certain sealants and stains can also lock in cedar’s rich original color, and protect it’s cosmetic beauty.

3. Beauty. Cedar’s tight grain patterns and interesting textures are enchanting in a cedar fence or cedar deck. Properly stained cedar has a warm, inviting quality not found in any other wood.

4. Insect Resistance. Did you know that oils found naturally in cedar repel bugs? This is why mothballs and shoetrees are often made from cedar. In fact, the use of cedar as a natural insecticide has a long historical legacy. Ancient Greeks revered local Mediterranean cedar for this reason; a section of The Iliad tells of a character fetching a precious item from a cedar chest. Homeowners and contractors alike appreciate cedar’s resistance to termites and fungi.

5. Acceptance of stains. Cedar is an easy-going, laid-back kind of wood. It’s happy to take nearly any stain you choose, making it easy to match a cedar deck or fence to your home. Experts recommend a natural oil based product for ease and longevity.

6. Aromatic properties. Cedar releases enchanting aromas as it ages, adding to its overall charm. Aromatherapists tell us that cedar calms the nerves and stimulates circulation. Cedar’s olfactory power is even touted in the bible; King Solomon’s palace was supposedly built with cedar, since its fragrance was thought to bring people closer to God.

7. Cedar is easy to work with. Unlike some especially hard tropical woods like Ipe, cedar is easy to work with from a construction point of view. Many tropical woods are so hard that holes must be pre-drilled. In contrast, cedar is lightweight and easy to saw, nail, and drill.

8. Regional Significance. Cedar is one of the most common trees in Pacific Northwest forests, and is often found growing among Douglas Fir and Hemlock. Native people of the Northwest used Cedar for everything from medicine to sacred ceremonies to housing.

9. It’s Natural and Safe. You’ll be living with your deck or fence for years, so you’ll want to be sure that the material it’s made of is safe. From a human health standpoint, cedar is healthy. Other decking materials, like pressure-treated lumber, often contain nasty chemicals. Anyone who’s gotten a sliver from pressure-treated wood will tell you that it’s better to get a sliver from natural wood, like cedar. (Splinters from pressure-treated wood often become infected, due to toxic substances in the chemical treatment.)

10. Environmental Impact. Cedar is an environmentally friendly choice with it being one of the few natural renewable resources. Not only are many woods products renewable, but they are also recyclable and biodegradable. Because cedar grows intermitted among stands of more common and densely grown and harvested species, cedar is generally reclaimed as a byproduct of timber operations, by smaller organizations who specialize in its milling.

A cedar fence or deck will provide you with a beautiful, long-lasting, natural finish to your Northwest yard. Consider your options but be sure you understand why so many fencing experts recommend cedar for outdoor builds.

~Colleen Welch, 2009

Do you want to build a privacy fence? Well, then, you should know your options. If you go for a wood fence, you can get really attractive options which will give you the best privacy. For instance, there is the stockade style, which puts a solid barrier between your yard and your neighbor’s yard. This means complete privacy.

Of course, you could go for brick (masonry) work, but the cost sometimes is prohibitively expensive, and of course, you wouldn’t want to be spending that much. Then there are wood fences with a certain amount of airiness to them. For example, there’s tall picket fencing – which gives partial privacy. There is also lattice fencing available. A suitable alternative is a hybrid fence design- this has a solid barrier for the bottom three-quarters of the fencing, and has lattice on top, which is visually appealing.

If you choose to build a privacy fence, it could be a very good decision, because such fences can be made from a wide variety of materials. You could go for vinyl, but wood is a great option as well. A privacy fence can give you a certain comfort level when you’re outdoors, it creates a lovely micro-environment, within the yard that ensures you neighbors aren’t prying at you. Your aim should be to create a lovely little cocoon of solitude for yourself. Most privacy fences have a height of 6 feet. Another thing you must remember is that you need to talk about the height of the fence, the material, and the direction with your nearest local government office.

The zoning department should clear your issues, because there are often many restrictions. Do be sure that no neighborhood rules prevent you from constructing a privacy fence for yourself. When it comes to materials, there are loads of options – metal, vinyl, and wood. You could even go for natural fencing material, like evergreen bushes and trees. But if you’re set on building a traditional fence, you could put plants atop it, which would show gorgeous color when the plants are in bloom.

When you are going to build a privacy fence, you can do it by yourself. The process isn’t too complicated, but you need to put effort into it so that it doesn’t blow away. Ensure that the main fence posts extend into the soil at least for a minimum of 2 feet. If you’re going for wood, take a rot-resistant species. Otherwise, you can chemically treat the wood to resist insect damage and rot.

Do remember to paint the fence pieces as well. Use stainless steel or hot-dipped galvanized element, to attach the wood fencing, this solves the problem of potential rust. You can even put a 45-degree angle into the fence so that viewing angles are cut off. This would also make an interesting design. You see, if you follow the procedure properly, and do your research and groundwork, you can build a great privacy fence, to ensure privacy for yourself and your family.

Build Your Own Fence: Without any technical knowledge you can learn to build a fence in as little as 7 days. Find out more about how to build a privacy fence over at http://YouCanBuildAFence.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chad_Hartman

1. Always follow your grout manufacturer’s instructions when mixing up the grout. Never be tempted to add more water than specified.

2. Only mix as much grout as you can use in half an hour. Grout will begin to harden straight away and could be prone to cracking if used after this. Devise a method of accurately measuring the precise amounts of grout and water used in each mixing session, this will ensure you always end up with the same colour or shade of grout (if using coloured grouts!)

3. When grouting, scoop off as much grout as possible from the tiles, then focus on the shaping of the joints! Do not allow yourself to be tempted to start polishing the tiles yet. The joints are hardening, so these must be shaped now. Remember: If you’re using waterproof grout, you must doubly ensure that all the grout is removed from the surface of the tiles before continuing to shape the joints.

4. The main thing to remember when grouting is to not panic. If there’s a section you are not happy with, simply go back and redo it before it dries. Like in all DIY tasks, you are better off taking an extra five minutes now, than spending five minutes of every day you look at the result regretting not fixing it when you could!

5. Begin polishing when grout has dried. Glazed surfaces should polish up relatively easily. Some surfaces are porous and will have absorbed a certain amount of grout in the process. Don’t panic, all this means is you’re going to need something slightly stronger to clean it off. There are lots of after-market products that claim to remove dried grout, but these will cost a lot more than a small amount of a readily available chemical: hydrochloric acid. Simply mix a very small part to five parts water. Wear protective rubber gloves and use the coarse side of a pan-scourer to test a small, hidden area of your tiles. If the tiles suffer no reaction, then rub a small amount over the affected areas. Wipe down with a slightly damp cloth when finished and allow the tiles to dry. Repeat if necessary.

Want to find out how to reduce home renovation costs and save money? Read about lowering home renovation costs. Follow the progress of my own home renovation at youmakeahome.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Duncan_Wilson

When it comes to directions on how to build a fence, let your imagination run free. Look through books and magazines to get an idea of what kind of fence you would like. There are many options available – ranch style, panel, picket, chain-link, etc. Before building, do be sure to check that you’re not going over any utility lines. A good tip would be to have a surveyor check out the area before going about the process. Now stake out where the fence will go, and pull a string between them.

This will help you drive the posts into a straight line. Use the 4-6-8 triangle measurement to calculate the right angle, where you start your fence. locate the position of your first post, then mark out the rest of the holes. Dig the holes as you go along, with a posthole digger. Try to get a gas powered machine for this purpose, as it’s quite strenuous. Make sure that you’re using treated wood, that will resist rot and decay. Put in 5 or 6 inches of gravel at the bottom, this means that any water that might collect at the bottom will be drained away.

Set the corner posts first, with concrete, then check for plumb, both ways. Use a 4-foot level, and center on the mark. Then drive in the rest of the posts, taking care that at least 2 feet are below the soil. When the posts are set, trim the tops of the poles to the required height. Next, you’ll need to put in the panels, for directions on how to build a fence. Put in stringers, which run left to right between the posts, they will support the boards. Use galvanized nails.

The panels can be of any design, vertical pickets, pre-made panels, or lattice – everything’s great, so you can use your creativity. But do be sure to keep the panels symmetrical and consistent. If you’re going to put in a picket fence gate, use two cross pieces and a diagonal piece for support. Then attach the panel design for the support pieces. When they are nailed together, you can set the gate in place, with blocks to keep them at the correct height, and spacers will ensure that they are at a proper distance from the posts.

Build Your Own Fence: Without any technical knowledge you can learn to build a fence in as little as 7 days. Find out more directions on building a fence over at http://YouCanBuildAFence.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chad_Hartman

There’s never been a better time to beautify your lawn and garden. Home values across the country have plummeted because of a sour economy and massive uncertainty in the banking sectors. A recent study by Michigan State University revealed that a well-landscaped yard can add 6 to 12 percent to the base value of a home.

One of the most effective ways to improve a yard design is to add attractive structures such as garden arbors and trellises. Experts say it’s important to create an integrated design that “flows.” It all depends on the size of your yard, your tastes and your budget, but make sure you create a design that gives a sense of beauty and balance. Give yourself a couple of weeks or more just for planning. If you live near an arboretum or botanical garden be sure to visit to get ideas. Drive through neighborhoods known for their beauty. Invest in a blank journal to use for sketching ideas, pasting pictures and taking notes. It’s also a great idea to read books about garden design and do online research. If you have the money for it, consult with a landscape architect.

Garden arbors and trellises provide the highest value when they blend in well with the exterior of a home. For example, a brick home might look best with white structures made from wood or vinyl. On the other hand, a contemporary home would likely be best matched with elegant arbors or trellises made from metal, iron or copper. There’s an amazing array of designs on the market, so it shouldn’t be hard to find the perfect stylistic match.

It’s also important to pick the right plants. They will grow and climb up a garden trellises quickly. Make sure your garden structures are sturdy enough to support typical plants such as wisteria or grapes. If you’re not careful, these kinds of plants can overtake arbors and trellises with heavy vines.

The best kinds of garden arbors are ones that serve more than one purpose. For example, some designs are built with side planter boxes for easy planting and can be placed on decks or patios without having to be permanently mounted. Look for clever designs that will add personality to your yard.

An investment of a few hundreds dollars in a few garden arbors and trellises can raise the value of your home dramatically. You might be able to get by on less, but don’t skimp too much. Remember if you do it right, you’re going to increase the value of your home. Think of your garden pieces like furniture. That means spending more money on the big, eye catching pieces. Spend less on the little flourishes such as yard art or large potted plants.