Photo: mooseyscountrygarden.com
With planting season around the corner, it’s time to hit the garage and take inventory: what have you got, and what do you need to get? Act now to ensure you have the right equipment for transforming your wintertime garden planning into springtime reality.
In a small yard, a wheelbarrow might only be occasionally useful, but on larger properties, one-wheeled helpmates of this kind are virtually essential.
Related: 10 “Style Setting” Garden Sheds
If you’re heading out to shop for a wheelbarrow this weekend, it’s more than likely that a slew of options will be available. So on what basis should you choose a wheelbarrow? Here’s a breakdown of the basics:
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Bob Vila Radio: Chain Saws
Chain saws aren’t just for lumberjacks anymore. These powerful tools now come in a range of sizes, with lightweight ones well-suited for smaller jobs and heavy-duty models built for taking down large trees. But even a small chain saw is a powerful tool that needs to be handled carefully.
Photo: cpsc.gov
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How To: Choose a Lawn Mower
John Deere X300 Select Series. Photo: JohnDeere.com
If your current lawn mower was built to last, it’s probably been a while since you’ve shopped for a new one! When your trusty mower does finally cut its last blade, you may find it challenging to choose a replacement.
Knowledge can mean the difference between owning a machine that lasts and having to make a return trip to the garden supply store, so we sought out John Deere for advice on how to choose a lawn mower.
Slideshow: 10 Top-Rated “Grass Guzzlers”
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5 Ways to Jump-Start Your Garden for Spring
Photo: hoosiergardener.com
Ready for spring to arrive? So is your garden.
The ground may still be cold, but longer days have already begun to coax your plants out of their winter dormancy. It’s undoubtedly early—there’s not a lot of true gardening to do yet—but there are several valuable ways that you can prepare for the busy spring and summer seasons ahead.
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Mail-Order Seeds: Variety, Viability, Value
Photo: organicconnectmag
It couldn’t be easier to go out and buy seeds from the local nursery or the nearest home improvement store. A large selection is available at either venue. But there’s a much, much larger selection ready to order from seed catalogs and online vendors.
But why should you wait? And why should you pay shipping costs when you can get seeds so easily at the local grocery store?
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Bob Vila Radio: Kitchen Composting
Composting’s a great idea: it helps your garden thrive and keeps valuable organic waste out of landfills. But once you’ve made the decision to compost, you’ll need some tidy, odor-free ways to collect those kitchen scraps.
Photo: naturalhomemerchandise.com'
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Breathe Easier at Home with Indoor Plants
Bamboo Palm. Photo: houstoninteriorplants.com
As winter draws to a close, things are getting a bit stuffy in our house. Like many energy-conscious consumers, we’ve done a great job of insulating and sealing our home to keep the heat in and drafts out. An unintended consequence of our cocooning? Lessened air exchange throughout the house, which has compromised indoor air quality to an extent.
While it’s still far too cold in the Northeast to open the windows and enjoy fresh air, there is an easy air purifying solution for every one of us with houseplants.
Related: 5 (Nearly) Kill-Proof Houseplants
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Bob Vila Radio: Container Gardens
There’s nothing quite as fresh as food that you grow in your own backyard. You may think your soil is too poor for a kitchen garden, or that you don’t have enough room for one. But almost anyone can grow herbs and vegetables in a kitchen container garden. All you really need is sunshine—at least five to six hours a day. If you have a nice sunny spot outside your house, you can start planning your container garden.
Photo: joyfulabode.com
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