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Author Archives: Kelsey Savage Hays

Kelsey Savage Hays

About Kelsey Savage Hays

Kelsey Savage Hays writes about home and garden care in between doing her crafty best to update her small New York space. She has worked for Martha Stewart Living and Country Living.

Easy Groundcovers: 7 Varieties to Enhance Any Landscape

by , May 7th, 2012

A great solution to those patchy parts of your landscape, ‘groundcover’ is a general term for perennials that are known for their ability to spread. Not only do they enhance the areas of your lawn where grass is difficult to sustain, but they often require less water than grass and are a great way to prevent erosion in hilly areas. Once established, groundcovers are generally low-maintenance.

When picking your groundcover, consider not just light, water and soil requirements, but how much foot traffic the plants will be subject to. Some plant brands—Stepables and Jeepers Creepers, for example—specialize in groundcovers, making it easy to find the perfect plant for your space.

Here are a few standard groundcovers to get you started:

Groundcovers - You Can Learn Series' Sedum

Sedum/Photo courtesy: HGTV

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Posted in Lawn and Garden | 2 Comments »

7 Eye-Catching New Annuals

by , April 23rd, 2012

While there’s no need to dismiss those hardworking favorites with which you fill your garden year in and year out, here are seven of the most eye-catching annuals new on the market. Today’s introductions could be next year’s classics!

VLanai TwstrPnk verbena-flowering-annuals-rev

Verbena 'Lanai Twister Pink'

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Posted in Lawn and Garden | 2 Comments »

An Instant, Low-Maintenance Lawn

by , April 4th, 2012
Turf Products

trendir.com

Having a lawn doesn’t always mean you can grow grass. Some places are simply too shady or too wet for any variety of grass—except the artificial kind.

Turf products have come a long way since ‘AstroTurf’ debuted at the Houston Astrodome in 1966. Today, companies specializing in artificial grass (e.g., NewGrass or Everlast Turf) even offer options for finding a product that matches and nearly blends in with the natural grass you do have.

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Light, Water, Warmth: Tips on Germinating Mail-Order Seeds

by , March 6th, 2012
Burpee Seed Starter Forms

burpee.com

With the last frost imminent in most parts of the country, you can begin working on your garden today. Instead of buying young plants this year, try to start seeds indoors. It’s cheaper than the alternative (particularly for plants you might choose to grow in great quantities) and accommodates a larger variety than your local nursery does. Seed sources like Burpee.com and SelectSeeds.com specialize in high-quality heirloom seeds and make available a wide range of species.

Of course, buying the seeds is only the beginning. When it comes to successfully growing seeds indoors, Chelsey Fields, Vegetable Product Manager at Burpee.com, has four expert pointers.

1. Seeds with a long growing season that are tolerant of root disturbances are the best seeds to sow indoors. “Tomatoes, basil and petunias are all great candidates,” says Chelsey. Most seeds need to be started 4-8 weeks in advance of the last frost; check individual packages for specifics.

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Five (Nearly) Kill-Proof House Plants

by , February 1st, 2012
Usingaloevera.com Aloe Vera

Usingaloevera.com Aloe Vera

Bringing a plant into your home doesn’t just enhance your décor but it will actually help purify the air in your dwelling. Sure we’ve all had that one bad experience with some plant we picked up from the grocery store that quickly turned into a wilting mess. But don’t be intimidated by past failures, here are five nearly kill-proof house plants with care tips from Dr. Neil Mattson, Assistant Professor of Floriculture Extension in the Department of Horticulture at Cornell University. Keep in mind that according to Dr. Mattson, “It’s amazing what plants can survive.”

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Reblooming Amaryllis

by , January 12th, 2012
Amaryllis Bulbs

Courtesy of whiteflowerfarm.com

Far from a one-time treat, forced amaryllis bulbs in a pot with their big trumpet flowers are one of the bright spots of winter.

Since amaryllis are native to tropical environments, they love lots of water and humidity. To mimic those conditions, give your plant—foliage intact, flowers pruned—as much light as possible. Water often and fertilize twice a month.

Once the frost threat has passed, put your amaryllis outside for the summer in a sunny spot until the weather chills. Bring it indoors to induce a dormant period, keeping it in a dark place for eight weeks, withholding water. Then put it in a sunny window and provide lots of water… keep your fingers crossed for another bloom. Unfortunately, if the foliage appears first, then you have a stubborn amaryllis. Fertilize more frequently and try again next year.

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The Winter Garden: Hedge Your Bets

by , November 29th, 2011

Courtesy of Midwestgardentips.com

“Don’t stop gardening just because it’s winter,” says Cindy Baker, Manager of Grounds at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Most plants, at least those hardy to your climate, can handle 90% of winters, but why not hedge your bets a little so that come spring, you have no sad discoveries (whether due to animals, frost, or dehydration)?

Once the ground freezes completely, there’s not much to be done for annuals, but you can extend the season a little longer until then. When you are aware that there will be an early cold snap or hard frost, lay down a bed sheet on the protected plants. “The sheet holds in enough heat to get them through the night,” says Cindy. Lift it off in the morning once the sun hits. You can also get creative and try protecting individual plants with items like dog food bags or milk jugs. Just don’t use plastic sheets—they don’t allow for enough air exchange. Glass or clay cloches make for perhaps the prettiest option, but also the priciest.

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How To: Care for Winter Birds

by , November 7th, 2011

Courtesy of wildbirdfeeder.org

Sure, the majority of birds head south for the winter, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to stop buying birdseed. According to the Audubon Society, more than a hundred bird species supplement their natural diets with food offered at feeders, and in winter, when food is scarce, human assistance is especially important. Feeders also provide pit stops for birds on the way to warmer climates, or returning home when spring finally arrives. Providing for your feathered friends means offering fresh water, shelter, and the right mix of quality seed.

To battle the cold, birds need a high calorie, high fat birdseed mix. If you incorporate only one bird feeder into your yard, go with a sunflower-seed tube feeder that has metal ports around the seed dispensers—these will attract small birds like chicadees, titmice, nuthatches, and goldfinches. Hang feeders at least five feet off the ground, and for your own enjoyment, near a window.

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How To: Stack Firewood

by , October 28th, 2011

Nothing celebrates the colder weather like the distinct scent and sound of a crackling log in the fireplace. A steady supply of firewood can help offset your heating costs and, unlike oil and coal, is a renewable resource that can be replanted for future fire-burning pleasure. It takes up to a year to properly season wood, but following these guidelines for proper stacking will help keep purchased logs dry and burnable.

Woodheat.org Stacking Firewood

Photo: woodheat.org

The purpose of seasoning freshly cut wood is to remove the moisture for ease-of-burning. Allocate a dry, sunny spot of your yard for stacking. A well-built pile provides proper ventilation and keeps the wood from being prone to molds or fungus. A haphazard heap, on the other hand, won’t dry, will soak up rainwater, and eventually turn into a smelly, rotting mess.

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How To: Preserve Your Jack-o’-Lantern for Halloween

by , October 27th, 2011
All Halloween Crafts Pumpkin Carving Tip

Photo: allhalloweencrafts.com

No amount of candy corn can make up for the moment you realize that your carefully carved pumpkin’s smile has turned into a rotting grimace just as the trick-or-treaters start showing up at the door. The freshest pumpkin is carved October 31, so if you are tempted to start the festivities earlier, follow these tips to make sure there will still be a plump pumpkin to greet the neighborhood kids once the big day arrives.

With a keyhole saw, either take off the top of the pumpkin (best if you intend to put a candle inside), or make a hole in the back. Then dig out the pumpkin pulp with a scraping tool—a spoon can do, but it helps to have something with a sharp edge or teeth. Be sure to remove one hundred percent of the pumpkin guts. Carve the gourd by affixing a stencil and using an awl—or another thin, sharp tool—to outline the pattern with small holes before cutting. Then dig in carefully with a miniature saw or sharp knife to complete the Jack-o’-Lantern’s face. Even a drill can double as a carving tool—use a ½ inch or ¾ spade bit for making the eyes.

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