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Passing kids, nosy neighbors, wandering drunks, escaping pets, there are many different reasons for fencing your yard but it is quite expensive to fence your whole yard and lets be honest there are more natural and economic ways to get some privacy against prying eyes. A solution with evergreen hedge plants is much better way, it is much more natural, usually it will be less expensive and it is also more effective in the long run. Full grown hedge plants are very effective to keep out intruders and it is stronger then a series of coiled barbed wire.

The effectiveness of the hedge is depended on the size of the hedge plants, if you are on a tight budget, you will probably buy small sized plants because they are much cheaper then the bigger ones. This way it will take you longer before your hedge plants have grown to a size where your privacy is taken care of. But there is a combination solution for this problem. There are cane fences that will last just a few years that can provide you with the necessary privacy in the time your hedge plants are growing. They are very cheap and are a good useful solution for this problem.

When you have a bigger budget you can decide to take bigger hedge plants and you can decide to plant them yourself or to hire a professional. But before you decide you first need to take a decision about the kind of plants you are going to buy.

Soil Type is important

If you are smart you choose evergreen hedge plants that grow well in your area, the ones more native to your area will grow best and will be more resistant against diseases and weather conditions. But not every area has a wide variety native evergreen hedge plants to choose from and when this is the case you need to buy a soil kit and determine your soil type. (sand, chalk, moist, dry) When you have determined the soil type you can choose hedge plants that thrive well there.

Popular evergreen hedge plants are privet,yew and boxwood but there are many other plants to choose from and you can also combine different plants if you like a more natural look and feel.

It depends on budget and time

Planting hedge plants is not difficult but it is time consuming and hard work, because you need to dig a lot of holes. So it depends on your budget and on your health if you decide to hire a professional or if you do it yourself. If you have a bad back, we would advice to hire someone.

If you decide to do this job yourself it is best to put some stakes in the ground and run a clothesline tightly over the ground where the plants should be planted. This way your hedge will be reasonably straight.

Next you need to calculate the amount of plants you are going to need, this depends on the full grown size the plant will have eventually and you need to do some research on the plant you have chosen. In general, you need to keep at least two feet between the plants.

Now you have what you need, you need to dig a trench all along the line where the hedge is coming. And you need to dig in that trench of two feet wide and four inches deep bigger holes for the individual plants, these wholes need to be twice as big as the root balls. When you have placed the plants in the wholes you need to water them and close the holes and the trench.

As you can see it is a lot of hard work but it is so much more rewarding to have a natural hedge instead of the expensive fences you see everywhere around you.

Hank Gordon has a passion for gardening and wants the world to know how relaxing and rewarding it can be. On his website he talks about gardening supplies and garden fencing

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Has your late summer garden seen better days? If your outdoor paradise is getting a little ragged, and you would like some easy and cheap gardening tips to get it back into shape in time for fall, keep reading!

Most gardens, no matter how well they are designed will have periods without a lot of bloom. But a late summer garden is more than just lack of bloom; it’s overgrown plants, ratty leaves, spindly annuals and brown spots in the lawn. Here’s how to fix these garden problems.

Cut back your blooming perennials by half. This will stimulate new growth, and create need for another flush of flowers in the fall for many varieties. It will also clean up the overgrown look of your flower beds.

If you still have brown foliage from spring bulbs showing, it is safe to cut them to the ground now. They have already stored all the energy they need for spring bloom, and the dead plant matter isn’t doing anything for the look of your garden.

If you have a pest problem, you should be addressing it. You can use commercially available Sevin dust for many of the most common predators, or seek out an organic alternative. One good way to identify what is eating your plants is place a piece of white paper under the leaves of the plant being attached and give the plant a good tap or shake. Whatever pest is the culprit should fall onto the paper for easy identification. If you’re stumped, pop it in a jar and take it to your local nursery for identification and advice on how to eradicate it while doing the least damage to beneficial bugs. Remember, we need those bees! Don’t’ poison them.

If you have annuals planted in containers or beds that have seen better days, cut them back hard. Apply a good dose of water soluble fertilizer and they will bounce back and start re-blooming for you. Petunias, alyssum and geraniums all need a good rejuvenation this time of year, but will bloom well into fall if you try this trick.

If your lawn has developed some dry spots, try raking in an organic compost or fine bark to protect the soil and hold in moisture. Water frequently during the day for a week or two until you start to see new green growth. Cut back on the watering gradually, but be consistent until the lawn is once again green in the spot.

A late summer garden may seem to have gone to sleep, but its pretty easy to throw a big basket of water on it and wake it back up. (Both literally, and figuratively!) Use these easy and cheap gardening tips to renew your garden, and have a beautiful spot to spend those quiet autumn afternoons.

Want free gardening tips and ideas? Kathy Wilson is a home and garden writer, author and consultant and is the home decorating expert for LifetimeTV.com. Visit her for more home and garden ideas at http://www.TheGardenGlove.com and http://www.TheBudgetDecorator.com . Also visit her at http://www.Women-on-the-Net.com where any woman can learn to make money on the internet!

For free budget gardening ideas visit her at http://www.TheGardenGlove.com

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Even experienced gardeners will often ignore the fact that their gardening efforts can extend well into the fall season, while in certain sections of the world; gardening is virtually a year round endeavor. Extending the gardening season is becoming more critical to all of us because of the changing dynamics in the world’s food supply. This is a situation that we will have to live with for an extended period of time, so it is a good idea to do our bit. The victory gardens of World War II provided 40% of the country’s food supply, proving that we can make a difference.

It is hard to think about planting more vegetables at a time when fresh produce is so abundant in our garden, but late July and early September are good times to plant cool weather crops. Fall plants such as broccoli and cauliflower usually taste better when grown in the cooler weather, while others such as kale and Swiss chard reach their peak flavor after the first frost.

Fall planting requires less work because the soil was worked up in the spring, so a light cultivation is usually all that is needed after removing all the previous crop waste. Place the debris into your compost pile after being sure to remove any diseased vegetation, Top dress the garden with some compost or organic mulch and work it into your soil. Then you can proceed to plant according to recommended methods.

Examples of good fall plants are: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Chinese cabbage, endive, kale, lettuce, parsnips, peas, potatoes, radishes, mustard and spinach. Do not plant the same crops back in the exact same place, but rotate your crops to reduce potential disease problems.

It is a good idea to consult with your local garden center or your local county extension service for advice on correct planting times for your growing zone.

As the fall season nears, protection for these crops has to be considered. One method is to cover the crops with sheets, plastic sheeting, or mulch which will trap the radiated heat from the ground and raise the temperature enough to protect them from a light frost.

Some crops such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, potatoes, Swiss chard, Chinese cabbage and kale are not affected by frost or even moderate freezes and can be left in the garden until the hard freezes set in. Root crops such as beets, carrots, parsnips and turnips can be re-mulched, left in the garden and dug up as needed.

If a hard freeze is predicted, pick the green mature tomatoes or pull the entire plants.

Store them in a dry cool (65 degree) place where they will ripen in about two weeks. Delicate plants such as squash, peppers and eggplant should be harvested and stored in a comparable location as the tomatoes.

After harvesting and while the weather is still pleasant, many chores can be accomplished in anticipation of spring and next year’s garden. Cleaning up garden refuse, adding soil amendments to your plot and making a planting plan of your garden to decide how you want to rotate your crops while this year’s garden is still fresh in your mind, are just three jobs to get out of the way.

Now you can kick back in your easy chair, read the seed catalogs and dream of those prize winning vegetables you are going to raise.

Dick Murray loves to write about growing fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables and has created an information packed web site web site dedicated to gardening basics and designed for families who care about their food supply..

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When you move into a new home, you want a lawn that is as beautiful as your new home. Every homeowner has a different idea of what makes up a beautiful lawn. It is important for a new homeowner to work with their landscaper to help create the most practical landscape for their purposes. What would work for one family could be simply disastrous for another. A lawn is a serious commitment and your lawn needs to be tended to at least several times a week if not every day most of the time.

To achieve a beautiful lawn, a new homeowner should consider exactly what landscaping has appealed to them. Perhaps they have seen landscaping in their neighbors’ yards that they like a great deal. Alternatively, something from the home they used to live in appeals to them. Brainstorm and make a list of these ideal suggestions to bring to your landscaper. While not every suggestion may be practical, having this list can be a great starting point. Your landscaper can make suggestions as they realize that you like box trimmed hedges or that you want fully-grown maple trees. The landscapers want you to be happy with the lawn that you create.

The first decision to make is about the maintenance of your lawn. Some families decide to do their own yard work and others choose to have a landscaping crew do their maintenance. Sometimes this all comes down to a time issue: with many dual-career couples, there can often be little time to do yard chores. Alternatively, sometimes yard chores can be difficult for a couple to do. When one of the family members suffers from hay fever or pollen allergies, it can make great sense to hire a landscaping crew to do your yard chores for you on a weekly basis. Having this dependable crew working for you means that your lawn, trees, bushes and flowers will be taken care of in every season. That your leaves will be raked in the fall and that the snow will be shoveled in the wintertime.

Creating a beautiful landscape for the new homeowner takes input from every family member. Your landscape designer will need to know exactly what you intend to use your lawn for. Some families do a lot of socializing or entertaining on their lawn. These families would want an area for a barbecue or grill and a patio table with chairs. Some families might even want a hot tub or a pool installed. Each of these decisions would affect your landscaping. Families with young children might desire playground equipment like swing sets, sandboxes and slides. These are popular items for children under twelve and can make play dates at home even more fun. A landscape designer can create a lawn that can suit each member of your family with ease.

Another factor to consider when creating a landscape for a new homeowner is the family budget. Some families have a “the sky is the limit” type of budget. Other families will have an exact dollar amount. Other families may have a more open mind about their budget. Each of these families can achieve a beautiful lawn, but certain decisions will need to be made. Some types of grass, plants and flowers can be more expensive than others. Some plants and foliage also need more maintenance than others, and each of these choices will need to be considered when keeping a family’s budget well in mind.

Timing is also a key factor for any landscaping ideas. Some families are more patient about having their lawn being created over time. They don’t mind watching tiny trees grow up into mighty oaks (or maples) over time, just as their children grow into teens. However, some families prefer to have plants, trees and foliage that is more mature. They want a lawn that does not look as if it was just planted. Every customer can be accommodated, it is simply best to understand their needs before pressing forward with an idea. Knowing your customer’s preference about timing, and when they would like their lawn to appear completed is important for this project.

A home’s landscaping very much becomes a big part of the home itself. The tree that stands so close to the doorway welcomes visitors that enter the door. The flowering bushes are a way that makes your home stand out from the others on the block. With some planning and thinking, your home can have beautiful landscaping!

If you are a landscaper and need Curbing Equipment check out Vancouver BC Landscapers for more information.

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Maintaining a thriving green garden needs proper care and the right equipment on hand. Having the right lawn mower for your landscape’s glory that will cut the grass and not actually rip them up is a must have. If you wish to buy one, the primary thing that you need to consider is your landscape. Do you have a flat lawn or do you own the slope type? In case the work calls for cutting grasses on a slope then you could go with the one that contains high wheels so you won’t find it hard to push it into the hill. On the other hand, if you wish to get rid of the messy job then the cordless or the electric munching lawn mower is the thing for you. After purchasing, review the maintenance schedule and ensure that you are aware of the guidelines when it comes to lawn mower sharpening and repair.

A good kind will allow your equipment to last for more than a year while at the same time giving your grass a better cut. When spring time comes, all of the parts must be properly cleaned and maintained. Even the spark plug should be replaced from time to time as to achieve good firing. Ensure the condition of every nuts and bolts and see to it the proper tightness is achieved. In addition, the underside deck calls for proper cleaning all throughout the season in order to get rid of unnecessary dirt and grass; doing this is a great advantage for grasses since it hinders the spread of diseases among them. For you to successfully clean the deck, ensure first that the spark plug is not connected and empty the gas tank first. After then, you can now start to stand the mower in an upward position and spray the equipment with water. Scrub the rest of the grimes then you’re done. In addition, lawn mower repair also calls for checking the air filter and the oil. The later must be cleaned and replaced when needed and you should oil the equipment from time to time.

When it comes to lawn mower sharpening, the process should be done after 1 or 2 months varying upon how often you use it. Dong this will benefit you of having nicely cut grasses instead of ripping them up. When sharpening, simply detach the blade and sharpen it with the use of a file. Be extra careful with the blade as to not cut your fingers, don’t allow your kid to do this and never even attempt to do it right in front of them so they would not emulate you later on. You know how harmful it s too play with sharp objects.

When the mowing season is over, it is about time that you gear yourself with the proper step of correctly storing the machine until winter time. It is highly recommended to remove the gas and the oil before storing. If each owner would only do the proper care for the mower then they will be ensured of great seasons and years of service.

PART 2 - For part two of this article, head on to Lawn Mower Sharpening & Repair, which is a popular website that provides advice on where to go to save money when buying scotts lawn care products.

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