Lawn and Gardening Ideas – Tips, advice and ideas to maintain your lawn and garden

February 15, 2024February 15, 2024

Spring Lawn Care Tips

This page contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure below for more information.

As an option to caring for and maintaining a lawn, consider these options first, before continuing to read:
* https://sustainableamerica.org/blog/why-you-should-plant-a-front-yard-veggie-garden/
* https://gilmour.com/grass-alternatives-backyard-lawn
* https://www.yesmagazine.org/environment/2017/07/26/comic-why-you-should-turn-your-yard-into-a-mini-farm/ (hat tip to Raíces Eco-Culture)

Caring for your lawn in the spring can make a difference in the coming summer and fall months. Much of this will depend upon the region that you live in.

Here are some helpful tips and resources to get you started with your spring lawn care.

There are eleven planting zones and some states can have an overlap of zones.

In the North, the climate can be colder – even in the spring – than it is in the other regions. So you have to adjust how you treat your lawn based on the outdoor temperature. Your spring lawn care should begin when snow and icy conditions are no longer a weather issue.

If you live in the South, you’ll want to pay attention to your specific climate region because the spring temperatures can be noticeably different than that of the North. You can usually begin spring lawn care earlier than your northern neighbors, around March.

The first step is to remove any lawn debris. You’ll want to remove dead leaves or waste that didn’t decompose.

You can do this by raking. This gets up any leaves that have fallen to the ground and died, but it also can help keep your lawn free of thatch.

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Thatch is made up of the stems and roots that didn’t complete a decomposition process. You’ll find thatch right around the top of the soil. For people who did a thorough raking job in the fall, the thatch buildup isn’t as thick.

If you leave thatch, it can create patchy areas in your lawn because the new grass can’t push through to the surface. Check for areas of the lawn that has portions of soil that may have suffered any damage and repair those.

The next step after raking is to aerate the soil. In the mild weather states, the spring is the time that you must aerate the lawn. You can buy or rent the equipment to do this with.

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You want to aerate your soil to keep it from becoming compacted. Soil compaction happens when there’s pressure applied to the surface of the soil. This can be caused by items on the lawn, such as lawn furniture, equipment or children’s toys, or by people or animals walking across it.

Aerate the lawn and reseed any damaged areas. Usually weed control is taken care of in the fall. Once the weeds actually push out of the ground, it’s too late for preventative care and you have to go with an herbicide that takes care of weeds after they’ve started growing.

Next, you want to check your soil’s pH level. Make sure that you get the soil tested. What you’re looking for is a pH level of 6.5 to 7.

While some items do well with soil that’s more acidic, a higher pH level can kill off certain types of grass.

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Check the lawn for areas where the grass may have been worn away or is brown. You’ll need to treat those areas. This is where you can over-seed, but seeding is something that you really want to save for the fall. You’ll also need to keep the seed moist.

Next, you’ll need to fertilize.

Some people fertilize the minute that spring officially begins, but you want to wait until April or May, depending on your region, before you fertilize. If your lawn is still more brown than green, you want to wait until it has a higher area of green over brown. Fertilizing helps your grass make it through the winter.

Use a slow release fertilizer for best results.

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Spring is the time of the year where the weeds just seem to flourish regardless of what region you’re in.

You’ll want to remove the weeds either manually (see our previous post about Grampa’s Weeder – The Original Stand Up Weed Puller Tool) or by using an herbicide. If you use an herbicide, make sure to check if the product treats weeds before or after they sprout.

Spring is also the time to work on taking care of diseases associated with lawns. You’ll want to treat your grass, as well as any shrubs that you have.

The southern states are known for a higher level of moss growth and spring is the time of year when moss can spread rapidly. If you don’t get this growth under control, it can cause damage to your lawn.

You’ll also want to change out the mulch around your landscaping too. Pests and disease can make a home in mulch over the winter.

You might decide that lawn care is not for you and you want to lay turf down instead. Spring would be the perfect time to undertake that project as well.

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JOIN THE CONVERSATION!
Share your tips and lawn and garden photos! Email us at lawnandgardeningideas@gmail.com or join the conversation on our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/529039281374820/

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Contact:
EVA ABREU, REFERRAL AGENT
KP EDGESTONE REALTY
76 Main St., Suite 1, Matawan, NJ 07747
732-307-3200 Office
908-866-6576 Direct
www.kpedgestone.com

Disclosure: Per FTC guidelines, this website may be compensated by companies mentioned through advertising, affiliate programs or otherwise. Please note that LawnAndGardeningIdeas.com has financial relationships with some of the merchants mentioned on the website. LawnAndGardeningIdeas.com may be compensated if consumers choose to utilize paid links and advertisements located throughout the content on this site and sales may be generated for the said merchant. You are not obligated to click on any link or buy any products that are advertised. Any references to third party products, rates or websites are subject to change without notice. Please do the appropriate research before participating in any third party offers.

February 2, 2024February 15, 2024

Lawn and Gardening Tool: Stand Up Weeder

This page contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure below for more information.

When you hear the word weeding, if you’re like most of us, you get a mental picture of someone bent over, digging in the dirt. You can imagine the hot sun, the straw hat and you can almost feel the backache that’s coming when the job is finally finished.

Pulling weeds is synonymous with blisters (even in gloves), spending a long time stooped over in the hot sun or battling annoying mosquitoes. If you don’t weed, you know what happens to your lawn.

You look out the window one day and see weeds gathering in random groups all over your yard. What’s worse is realizing that the weeds are carrying over into your neighbor’s manicured yard as well.

With Grampa’s Weeder – The Original Stand Up Weed Puller Tool, there’s no more bending or stooping, no groans from a backache and no stress on your knees. With this classic tool, it’s simple, easy and even fun too!

Mowing over weeds doesn’t help. They just come right back up. You might be inspired to go outside and try to pull up a couple of weeds but you’re fighting a losing battle – you can’t get them all with a quick tug. If you miss some of the roots, they will just grow back. And you know what happens if you use a toxic herbicide. You expose your family, your pets and the environment to dangerous toxins.

If you’re still hand plucking, still bending and stooping and straining over weeds or using an herbicide, you’re doing it the hard way. There’s a faster, easy way to get the job done instead.

To use Grampa’s Weeder – The Original Stand Up Weed Puller Tool, simply center the tool over the weed, press the foot lever to the ground, then lean the handle toward the lever side. It securely grabs weeds all the way down to the root system. When you pull the long handle back out of the ground, you’ll see the weed clutched in its grip.

The quick release of the stand up weeder lets you dump the weed in one easy motion. The steel head design on this tool makes it durable enough to handle the toughest weed and yet the bamboo long handle makes it comfortable to use.

Instead of spending hours doing weeding, the stand up weeder will make quick work of this dreaded chore. Your yard will look amazing – and best of all, you will have done it without a backache or stiff knees!

Order today:
Grampa’s Weeder – The Original Stand Up Weed Puller Tool
**Shop for more Lawn and Garden Items for Your Home**

JOIN THE CONVERSATION!
Tell us about your favorite gardening tool. Leave a comment or join the conversation on our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/529039281374820/

SPONSORED BY:

EVA ABREU, REFERRAL AGENT
KP EDGESTONE REALTY, 76 Main St, Suite 1, Matawan, NJ 07747

Disclosure: Please note that LawnAndGardeningIdeas.com has financial relationships with some of the merchants mentioned on the website. LawnAndGardeningIdeas.com may be compensated if consumers choose to utilize the links located throughout the content on this site and generate sales for the said merchant. LawnAndGardeningIdeas.com is compensated for certain paid links and advertisements. You are not obligated to click on any link or buy any products that are advertised. Per FTC guidelines, this website may be compensated by companies mentioned through advertising, affiliate programs, or otherwise. Any references to third party products, rates, or websites are subject to change without notice. Please do the appropriate research before participating in any third party offers.

December 26, 2020December 29, 2020

Succulent Gardening

This page contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure below for more information.

A succulent is a plant that’s known as a fleshy or water retaining plant. They’re a perfect plant for most climates, plus they don’t require a lot of watering. They’re sturdier plants and more resistant to pests.

You can create a succulent garden indoors or outdoors. Not all succulent plants are the same so the growing conditions will differ. You may have to adjust the amount of water you use for each plant.

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You’ll have to provide excellent drainage for the plant since these can be more susceptible to root rot if over-watered or if water accumulates in the soil. If you don’t give a succulent enough water, they can still thrive on their own moisture for a while.

For the most successful growth of these kind of plants, adjust your watering schedule according to the temperature if they’re outside. Never water a succulent daily, even on hot weeks. Water the roots, not the tops of the plants.

You may also have to adjust the kind of soil that you use for planting, as well as how deep the soil is, depending on the succulent type.

Most succulents need soil mixed with pumice, which is volcanic rock, that can be purchased in home improvement or gardening stores. Pumice is needed for good drainage.

When planning your garden, space the plants according to their growth needs. Some of them will need more room. The sunlight needed can vary as well.

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Most succulents need plenty of sun, but the strength of the sun’s rays can change, depending on time of year, as well as cloud coverage. The sunlight strength on the plant can also be affected by location.

In many states, the high temperatures, combined with time in the sun, can negatively affect the plant. If you start to notice dark spots on the plant, that could mean it’s getting too much time in the sun.

Choose the hardiest of succulents if you’ve never grown these types of plants before. Many of these varieties are easier to grow, even if the conditions aren’t the best. But you also want to choose ones that are native to your area.

Succulents can be placed in containers or planted outside in the ground. If you choose to grow them inside, put the containers near a window where they can get sunlight.

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For a successful succulent garden that’s planted outside, do a soil water test first. If you pour water in the area where you want to plant the succulent and the water remains pooled, then the area’s drainage isn’t sufficient for the plant to grow well.

When planting, it can be tempting to plant your biggest succulents in the back row. You’ll want to plant them in the middle instead. Then, place the ones that are ground cover plants on the sides.

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Find more Indoor Gardening Ideas:
* Indoor Herb Growing Kit – Kitchen Windowsill Starter Kit
* Nature’s Blossom Herb Garden Seed Starter Kit

JOIN THE CONVERSATION!
Show us your indoor garden and plants! Email us at lawnandgardeningideas@gmail.com or join the conversation on our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/529039281374820/

SPONSORED BY:
EVA ABREU, REALTOR® ASSOCIATE
KP EDGESTONE REALTY, 76 Main St., Suite 1, Matawan, NJ 07747
732-307-3200 Office 908-866-6576 Direct
https://evaabreurealtor.com

Disclosure: Per FTC guidelines, this website may be compensated by companies mentioned through advertising, affiliate programs or otherwise. Please note that LawnAndGardeningIdeas.com has financial relationships with some of the merchants mentioned on the website. LawnAndGardeningIdeas.com may be compensated if consumers choose to utilize paid links and advertisements located throughout the content on this site and sales may be generated for the said merchant. You are not obligated to click on any link or buy any products that are advertised. Any references to third party products, rates or websites are subject to change without notice. Please do the appropriate research before participating in any third party offers.

April 10, 2020December 15, 2020

April is National Garden Month

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Guest post compliments of Mike Rusinak, National Property Inspections of NJ, NJ LIC #24GI00145000 (from April 2020 newsletter.)

What better way to usher in spring than by celebrating all that our amazing planet has to offer? April is National Garden Month, or, as National Today likes to call it, “Mother Nature’s colorful antidote to cabin fever.”

We couldn’t have said it better! Since most of us are staying home, now is the perfect time to get in on all the fun.

Here are a few ways to enjoy National Garden Month right in your own backyard:

RECOMMENDED: Shop for all things gardening

1. Plant something new.
Whether you’re a seasoned pro with the best-looking flower beds on the block or you’ve never so much as pulled a weed, it’s time to think outside the box. Do a little research about the climate and soil in your area and plant something you’ve never dreamed of planting before. If you go with an herb, fruit or vegetable, you can enjoy your bounty all summer and into the fall.

RECOMMENDED: Exotic Vegetables Growing Kit

2. Make it a part of your kids’ learning.
If you’re currently homeschooling, you can get your whole family involved in National Garden Month by incorporating activities into your kids’ daily learning. From preschool to high school level, there are countless free resources available online. Ideas include coloring sheets, plant and insect identification, historical research, plotting and planning and of course, planting.

RECOMMENDED: Top Children’s Gardening Books

3. Have a picnic.
Celebrate National Garden Month without ever getting your hands dirty. A backyard picnic is a great way to get some fresh air and enjoy a change of pace. All you need is a tarp or blanket to enjoy a meal outside picnic-style. You can always up the ante by playing music, putting out pillows and lanterns or preparing a fun drink or food spread.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION!
Let us know what you are doing for National Garden Month! Leave a comment or join the conversation on our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/529039281374820/

Special thanks for providing content for this post:
Mike Rusinak
National Property Inspections of NJ
NJ LIC #24GI00145000
Owner/Inspector
Tel. 732.588.8980
1056 Highway 9 South Suite #237
Parlin, NJ 08859
NationalPropertyInspections.com
Each office is independently owned and operated.

SPONSORED BY:

EVA ABREU, REALTOR® ASSOCIATE
KP EDGESTONE REALTY, 1000 Route 34, Suite 302, Matawan, NJ 07747

March 31, 2020December 15, 2020

Garden Everywhere

By Nicole Wines

This page contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure below for more information.

Note: This is the first in a series of guest posts intending to help our community in their home gardening endeavors. If you have a specific topic you would like us to explore or have a question or need advice, please email us with your requests at lawnandgardeningideas@gmail.com

As states and countries continue to go on lockdown and issue stay-at-home orders in this time of the coronavirus crisis, there has a been a surge of news about the momentary breath our society is giving to Mother Earth.

Emissions from cars, factories, boats and planes have gone down, with satellite images and photographs showing both clearing skies and waters. With many people working from home, or even out of work, in their daily practice of our newest vocabulary word, “social distancing”, many have turned to nature.

People are spending time outdoors, heading out for hikes, walks, and even yard work. New gardeners are popping up all over the place, and those who garden regularly are getting serious about growing their own food.

There is a potential for shortages of fresh produce as a ripple effect of the crisis, especially as more than 200,000 migrant workers who work in the fields of America’s farms will not be able to apply for their seasonal visas this season, as U.S. consulates in Mexico are closed indefinitely.

There are many personal actions we can take to address this aspect of the crisis, so that we can continue to have access to fresh produce.

Reaching out to your local farmers to join a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program and frequenting farmer’s markets (while practicing social distancing), while adjusting to seasonal eating is one way to ensure you will have nutritious, fresh produce throughout the growing season.

But if ever there was a time to turn to gardening, it is now.

The benefits of gardening are endless. Fresh air, clean homegrown food, a direct connection to the soil, the earth, and the cycles of nature. From homestead subsistence plots to a tomato plant and a few culinary herbs in containers, the value of growing your own food is priceless.

This is a call to garden everywhere.

Break ground and set up a plot in your backyard, build raised beds, or grab a couple of pots, buckets, and containers and fill them up with soil.

Even if you don’t have access to a yard or land, you can even grow a few culinary herbs and edible flowers on your balconies, porches, or even on your windowsill.

There are some incredibly creative gardeners out there who grow their food and herbs in the most unusual places, like in old shoes, cinder blocks, sewer tiles, or even the back of a pickup truck!

If you aren’t sure where to start, there are many resources, guides, and inspirational sites available on the web.

Here are just a few:

Container Gardening Resources

A Complete Guide to Container Gardening with Vegetables for Beginners: https://morningchores.com/container-gardening/
The Seven Best Herbs for Container Gardening: https://savvygardening.com/best-herbs-for-container-gardening/
125 Container Gardening Ideas: https://www.southernliving.com/home-garden/gardens/creative-container-gardens

Sponsored: Bamboo Wood Ladder Plant Stand 3-Tier – Foldable

Backyard Gardening Resources

Vegetable Gardening for Beginners: https://www.gardeners.com/how-to/vegetable-gardening/5069.html
Planning and Planting Your Garden: https://gardenerspath.com/how-to/beginners/first-vegetable-garden/
10 Best Garden Crops for Beginners: https://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/10-best-garden-crops-for-beginners

Sponsored: 2.5″ Square Extra Deep Landmark Nursery Pots (100)

More Resources & Ideas for Getting Started

Building a Raised Garden Bed: http://www.raicesculturalcenter.org/blog/d-i-y-fridays-building-a-raised-garden-bed/
Grow Your Own Seedlings, Knowing When to Start: http://www.raicesculturalcenter.org/blog/d-i-y-fridays-grow-your-own-seedlings-knowing-when-to-start/
Starting Seeds in Recycled Produce Containers: http://www.raicesculturalcenter.org/blog/d-i-y-fridays-starting-seeds-in-recycled-produce-containers/

Sponsored: Biodegradable Herb Seed Starter Pots

One last resource I would like to share has been invaluable to me as a gardener is a planting chart or planting schedule, to guide you in knowing when to plant which varieties in your growing zone.

Here is one that contains planting schedules both by zone and by state for you to utilize and bookmark: https://www.ufseeds.com/learning/planting-schedules/

Happy growing!

Nicole Wines is the Eco-Culture Coordinator at Raíces Cultural Center http://www.raicesculturalcenter.org/ . She can be reached at nicole@raicesuclturalcenter.org

BUY SEEDS, HELP RAISE FUNDS :
Check out Raíces Cultural Center’s online seed shop: https://www.seedsnow.com/?rfsn=533738.a6a4a

Raíces Cultural Center is a local NJ non-profit organization and an affiliate of SeedsNOW. Any order, no matter the size will help keep funds coming in to the organization through this difficult time of canceled programming. The online shop has hundreds of varieties of veggies, herbs, fruits, and flowers, and offer low-cost sampler packs for $0.99 – $1.99 so you can try planting a diversity of varieties. Please share to help us spread the word, every bit helps!

Would you like to be a guest blogger? Email: lawnandgardeningideas@gmail.com

March 14, 2020December 15, 2020

Welcome to Lawn and Gardening Ideas!

This page contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure below for more information.

Benefits of Gardening: The Perfect Pastime

Gardening has become one of the most popular hobbies for a good reason.

According to a report compiled by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, there are many benefits to being around plants, including:

Reducing Stress – Studies show that people who spend time cultivating plants have less stress in their lives. Plants soothe human beings and provide a positive way for people to channel their stress into nurturing.

Mental Health – Studies have proven that people who spend more time outside in nature have better mental health and a more positive outlook on life.

Therapeutic Effects of Gardening – Gardening can act as therapy for people who have undergone trauma. The act of nurturing something is a way for people to work through the issues surrounding traumatic events and improve their mental health.

Flowers Generate Happiness – Flowers and ornamental plants increase levels of positive energy and help people feel secure and relaxed.

Improves Relationships/Compassion – Research shows that people who spend extended lengths of time around plants tend to have better relationships with others. This is due to measurable increases in feelings of compassion; another effect of exposure to ornamental plants.

Learning – Research shows that children who spend time around plants learn better. In addition, being around natural environments improves the ability of children with Attention Deficit Disorder to focus, concentrate, and engage more with their surrounding environment.

Medicinal Properties – Cultivating plants is beneficial to humankind because of the many medicinal properties of trees and foliage plants.

In addition, more and more people are turning to a vegetarian or a vegan lifestyle. Numerous studies have shown the many health benefits of switching to a plant-based diet including improved cardiovascular health and lowered risks of developing certain diseases such as diabetes or certain types of cancer. Plus, this eating lifestyle boosts the immune system, can be helpful for losing weight and people report feeling better.

Growing your own food in a vegetable garden is a great way to ensure that nothing toxic is used on your food, as you can decide what types of products and organic options to use to grow your plants and to control pests and weeds.

Depending on where you buy fruits and vegetables, much of the produce sold in supermarkets has had contact with pesticides. Even the transporting of vegetables can cause tons of carbon dioxide to be released every day.

Vegetarians and vegans, as well as people who follow other types of diets, want to reduce their carbon footprint and to do what’s best for themselves and for nature.

A better way to eat, as well as reduce the carbon footprint, is to create a garden to grow your own food.

It’s not difficult to create a garden that’s good for you. To be successful with this type of garden, you’ll need to leave the soil as it is. When the soil is broken, it can mess up the natural balance.

Recommended Book: Kitchen Gardening for Beginners

Plus, it lets nutrients leach out. Gardeners can follow a no-dig method by using straw bales or building a no-dig garden. This is done by using compost or the straw over your gardening area.

To aerate the soil, let earthworms do the work because they won’t damage the soil.

Fertilize the soil naturally using nutrients provided by organic material.

One issue that can sometimes crop up in any garden is the pests that can harm food or plants.

To prevent this, use natural pesticides. These consist of food items that you can eat but pests don’t like. Among them are garlic or certain essential oils, such as peppermint mixed with water.

By starting a garden hobby, you can introduce a wide variety of healthy vegetables and fruits to your diet as well as help to protect the planet.

Let us know what you use to controls pests and for fertilizer. Leave a comment or email LawnAndGardeningIdeas@gmail.com

Click here to Shop for Lawn and Garden Items for Your Home

BUY SEEDS, HELP RAISE FUNDS :
Check out Raíces Cultural Center’s online seed shop: https://www.seedsnow.com/?rfsn=533738.a6a4a

Raíces Cultural Center is a local NJ non-profit organization and an affiliate of SeedsNOW. Any order, no matter the size will help keep funds coming in to the organization through this difficult time of canceled programming. The online shop has hundreds of varieties of veggies, herbs, fruits, and flowers, and offer low-cost sampler packs for $0.99 – $1.99 so you can try planting a diversity of varieties. Please share to help us spread the word, every bit helps!

Disclosure:

Please note that LawnAndGardeningIdeas.com has financial relationships with some of the merchants mentioned on the website. LawnAndGardeningIdeas.com may be compensated if consumers choose to utilize the links located throughout the content on this site and generate sales for the said merchant. LawnAndGardeningIdeas.com is compensated for certain paid links and advertisements. You are not obligated to click on any link or buy any products that are advertised. Per FTC guidelines, this website may be compensated by companies mentioned through advertising, affiliate programs, or otherwise. Any references to third party products, rates, or websites are subject to change without notice. Please do the appropriate research before participating in any third party offers.