w i x h a c k a t h o n s f

Author: Aved1961

  • How to Enhance Artificial Grass

    How to Enhance Artificial Grass

    Although artificial grass, or artificial turf, does not need the trimming, fertilizing or watering needed by dwelling grass, it still requires some care to keep it looking fresh and presentable. Over time, debris and dust build up on its surface, dulling its colour and verdant appearance. Its seams and edges sometimes work their way loose. Persistent foot traffic and utilize compact the turf’s blades and dislodge the cushioning infill. Brushing, washing, washing re-anchoring and replacing the infill material improve artificial turf’s appearance and keeps it looking like new.

    Remove debris such as fallen leaves, rocks and twigs periodically out of your artificial turf utilizing a push-broom. Sweep the broom across the turf while moving in parallel rows. Gather the debris at a neat pile close to the border of their turf. Use a dust pan or shovel to collect the debris, and take it into a compost pile or trash bin.

    Spray the turf with water by a power washer or garden hose to wash off accumulated dust, pollen, dirt and dried liquids from accidental spills. Keep the power washer’s or lawn hose’s nozzle at least 1 foot above the turf to prevent damaging the turf. Pour a few drops of dish soap on stubborn stains that do not easily wash away with just water. Rub the dish soap back and forth over each stained area with a towel. Rinse each of the areas thoroughly with water.

    Prevent stains from forming on the artificial turf by absorbing spills immediately as soon as they occur. Use a towel to wipe a permeable material from the turf’s surface. Wash that place with water to wash off residual material in the spill.

    Brush against the synthetic turf’s grain using a rug rake or push-broom to lift and spread individual blades compacted from foot traffic and yard furniture. Change the direction in which you brush the turf, varying the angle while brushing against the grain, to make an appearance more like natural grass.

    Examine the turf once per month for loose edges that pop up. Fold the edges down, and push them back into their corresponding spaces at the ground. Insert artificial turf pins via loose edges or seams to re-anchor the turf into the ground. Hit the top of the pins using a rubber mallet to drive them easily through the layers of turf and soil.

    Implement new rubber infill or sand into the artificial turf as needed to boost its cushioning. Pour a 1/4- to 1/2-inch layer of infill or mud above the synthetic turf. Sweep the stuff downward, into the artificial grass blades, employing the push-broom. Repeat this procedure until the synthetic turf is complete and springy.

    See related

  • Colours of Gerbera Daisies

    Colours of Gerbera Daisies

    Gerbera daisies (Gerbera jamesonii) are big flowers from 2 to 4 inches in diameter. The flowers are apartment with a middle band of brief, small petals surrounded by rings of bigger flat petals. The flowers are indigenous to South Africa. Gerrondo gerbera daises have outer petals that bend down giving a fuller ruffled appearance to the blossom. Flowers are used in arrangements and bouquets, with a wire inserted into the hollow stem for equilibrium. Gerbera daisies bloom in every color except blue and green.

    Colours

    Gerbera daisies bloom in blazing red, bright orange, sunny yellow and beautiful pink. Pastel colors include pale to medium pink, soft yellows, light and peach purple. The white is more of an off-white compared to a bright white. Dark colors include purple, dark raspberry, maroon and bronze.

    Centers and Contrast

    Centers are apartment and indented from the surrounding petals. It may be the same color as the petals, brown, yellow or green. A few varieties of Gerbera daisies have a contrasting band of color on the petals. Occasionally the shorter petals surrounding the middle are a deeper color than the apartment petals.

    No Matter What Color

    Gerbera daisies need full sun. They may stop blooming if temperatures are over 70 degrees Fahrenheit. In warm inland regions, they do best with morning sun and afternoon shade. They can be started from seed but take around six months to develop into mature enough to blossom. Plants prepared to blossom are available in nurseries and are sometimes sold as potted plants in grocery shops and florist stores. Feed and water on a regular basis. After the flowers have finished blooming, let the plants dry out a bit. Gerbera daisies are tender perennials and should do well in mild-winter areas like U. S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10.

    Utilizes

    In the backyard, gerbera daisies are magnificent as focal points. Pair orange and yellow daisies using an edging of purple lobelia. Play off white daisies by growing them before taller purple snapdragons. The round shape of the daisy is directed by the tall stems of the snapdragons. Gerbera daisies do well in pots but have a inclination to overwhelm less vigorous growers. Assemble a spring bouquet with pink daisies, yellow daffodils and trailing white pansies.

    See related

  • Sunny Yard Planting Guide

    Sunny Yard Planting Guide

    A yard full of bright sunlight is a gardener’s dream. The variety of plants, trees and flowers that thrive in full sun is much greater than those that prefer shade. Prior to making any plans to plant, then draw your lawn to scale. Rough from the full-grown sizes of the plants. Your lawn may look sparse once the 1-gallon plants have been planted 5 feet apart, so fill in with annuals till the opposite plants get growing. Keep in mind that since your trees and bushes grow, they may shade some of the additional plants, turning your full sun yard to sunlight in certain locations.

    Trees

    No landscape would be complete with no trees and nearly all need sunlight. The exclusion would be tropical trees requiring afternoon shade. Select trees that fit the size of your lawn and purpose. As an instance, southern live oak (Quercus virginiana) grow up to 80 feet tall and 160 feet wide and would dwarf a small lawn. Mediterranean cypress trees (Cupressus sempervirens) have an erect columnar growth layout and wouldn’t offer much shade. Fruit trees, like citrus, provide food in addition to shade. Ornamental trees, like Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), add shade and a focus.

    Perennials

    Perennials bloom little, if at all, the first two decades but hit their stride in the third year. Mild winters in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10 enable the gardener to grow frost-tender perennials like lantana (Lantana camera) and geraniums all year long. Sun-loving perennials also include roses (rosa), coreopsis and Russian sage (Perovskia).

    Annuals

    Echo the sun in your sunny yard by planting a garden of sunflowers, from dwarfs just two feet high to giants that top 10 feet. Annuals live for one season, though some skilled self-seeders like sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritime) and larkspur (Delphinium consolida) reappear every year. Annuals are cheap if you buy seed or six-packs. Fill in your perennial beds using annuals for your first few decades.

    Water Garden

    Flowering water plants like water lilies (Nymphaea) and iris (Iris ensata) need six hours of sun every day. If they get less, they will still grow, but you are going to see diminished blossoming. Depth is vital using a water garden as well, as shallow water heats up quicker than water. Maintain the roots of your plants cool and fish from the pond as well with a deeper pond.

    See related

  • Which Area Will Plants Grow Better: Garden or Front Yard?

    Which Area Will Plants Grow Better: Garden or Front Yard?

    Determining whether plants will grow better in the backyard or front yard demands an understanding of the plants’ needs and what each yard provides. Plants vary greatly in their demands for sun and water in addition to how they endure disturbances from foot traffic. There’s not any general rule as to if the front yard or garden will yield far better development. There are just considerations to be made based on your specific conditions.

    Sun

    The difference in the amount of sun your front yard gets can greatly differ from what the backyard gets. Notice the positioning of your residence and how that affects the sun exposure on your lawns through the day. Also see how established trees block out the sun during different times of day. Plants that require full sun won’t perform too at a planter that spends the afternoon in the shade. Conversely, plants that need shade should not be set in a planter at a sunny spot.

    Drainage

    Front lawns and backyards may also vary in how well they drain. Notice if your yard has any areas that don’t dry out after a rainstorm. Perhaps this is a low spot in your yard, or perhaps water from the downspout has been directed to that region to move it away from the home. The kind of plants you install in a wet area differ from those where the soil drains openly, so if you don’t intend to enhance the drainage, then you will need to take that into consideration.

    Existing Landscape

    Care is a substantial contributor to how well plants will grow. In case you have an current landscape that you are adding to, then it’s best to incorporate plants that have similar needs to what is already established. When you’ve added nutrient-rich compost to a front yard garden, then that is a better place to select plants that prefer fertile soil. In case you have a sprinkler timer place for areas in the backyard, then integrating plants with similar water conditions will better meet the needs of that landscape. Also consider in which yard you spend the most time. This is probably the better area for plants that need more maintenance because you already spend some time there.

    Obstacles

    Many variables outside environmental impacts can affect plant development. In a backyard, there may be foot traffic from neighbors and others who may walk through. Animals may also wander through lawns. At the backyard, some factors include children playing and pets that may spend the day outdoors. There are methods to cope with these barriers and have healthy plants, but determining whether plants will likely do better in front or back depends on how you would like to utilize the lawns and plant species and positioning. A garden next to a play area may not do well due to the foot traffic.

    See related

  • Outdoor Decorating With a Trellis

    Outdoor Decorating With a Trellis

    Functional landscaping trellises may also be fashionable accessories for your yard. It is possible to use a trellis made from a decorative fabric, or the situations you add to your plain wooden trellis can enhance your garden’s decor. Begin to think of trellises as more than supports for plants — they may also be significant aesthetic accents in your own garden.

    Country Rustic

    When you have an informal garden, some rustic trellis made from branches will fit to the casual style of your yard while contributing to the overall theme. You can use bamboo canes, green branches or dry sticks to create your trellis. The natural structure of this trellis should blend into the natural look of your yard. A sturdy rustic trellis made of wood looks natural enough to remain in place throughout the winter months, even when the plants which grow over it have faded to brown.

    Holiday Decor

    A trellis in your yard may be utilized as a support for holiday decor such as Christmas lights or garlands. This is one way to get use from a trellis throughout the winter when plants which need support aren’t growing. “Sunset” magazine advocates creating a synthetic holiday tree by supporting green garlands and lights over a spiral trellis. This notion can even be adapted to other vacations by hanging plastic Easter eggs from ribbons on a trellis for Easter or putting orange lights up for Halloween.

    Pipework

    If you have leftover copper pipe in a recent plumbing job, then put it to use in your lawn as a decorative trellis. The naturally bright color of copper pipe functions as an eye-catching accent in your lawn, and since the pipe is intended to carry water, so it will withstand the rain. “Fine Gardening” magazine offers plans for constructing a copper pipe trellis. If you do not have copper pipe, paint PVC pipe a metallic copper color as a substitute.

    Bench Shade

    A three-sided trellis may be used to present seasonal shade over a garden seat. At the growing months once the cover of the trellis is covered with vines, the seat underneath is shaded. During the winter, the sunlight comes through when the leaves have dropped from the vines. The three sides of the trellis would be the two vertical sides with a third flat piece at the top. You can make them by tying together three trellises.

    See related

  • The way to Prune Leatherleaf Mahonias

    The way to Prune Leatherleaf Mahonias

    With its holly-like leaf and fragrant yellow blooms, leatherleaf mahonia (Mahonia bealei) adds year-round interest to shaded gardens where few other shrubs will grow. They prosper within U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 to 9, where they reach a mature height of 4 to 6 ft with an open, spreading growth habit. Leatherleaf mahonia shrubs grow gradually and require very little pruning to control their dimensions. However, heavy pruning in late winter and occasional pruning during the summer months will improve their look by creating a fuller shape with denser, more attractive foliage cover.

    Water leatherleaf mahonia shrubs deeply the morning prior to pruning them so the stems and foliage are well hydrated. Trickle a garden hose at the base until the soil feels saturated from the top 5 inches.

    Clean and sanitize a set of bypass shears before using them on the leatherleaf mahonia. Soak the blades for five minutes at a bucket of cleaning solution made up of 1 part chlorine bleach and 3 parts water. Rinse the bypass shears and allow them to dry prior to use.

    Put on heavy leather gloves and a thick long-sleeved shirt before pruning leatherleaf mahonias because their leaves are extremely spiny and sharp. Wear goggles to shield your eyes in case the plant is quite big and overgrown.

    Prune leatherleaf mahonias severely in late winter to promote fresh, new growth. Cut back the entire shrub to within 12 inches of the ground using your newly washed jump shears. Leave a few of the tall divisions to keep the shrubs’ height, if needed.

    Prune off any dead or damaged branches as they appear throughout the summer months. Snip off the undesirable branches where they emerge in the nearest lead division. Make the pruning cut almost flush against the lead division.

    Selectively remove growth in the center of this leatherleaf mahonia to accentuate its receptive, tiered growth habit. Snip off any small side shoots that have appeared along the lead branches between the key tiers.

    Prune back all but the largest, most robust stem to create an erect, single-stemmed tree. Cut the encompassing stems to ground level to force the shrubs’ energy into the central stem. Keep to cut back the unwanted branches year-round to keep its physical appearance.

    See related

  • Wayne Sump Pump Esp15 Installation

    Wayne Sump Pump Esp15 Installation

    The Wayne ESP 15 is a battery-powered 12-V backup sump pump intended to eliminate water from a basement sump if a power failure or other mishap renders the AC-powered main heat pump inoperable. This 9-pound pump, intended for light-duty surroundings, can eliminate 720 gallons per hour when lifting the water to a height of 10 feet. It depends upon a magnetic reed float switch to detect failure of the main sump pump.

    Install an anti-backflow check valve in the point at which the key pump connects to the release pipe. Disconnect the pipe in the main pump’s discharge port, fit the test valve to the pump and discharge pipe, and fasten it in position with clamps, adhesive or other proper fastening. Omit this step if a check valve is currently present in the main pump’s discharge port.

    Measure and cut the release pipe so that you may install a PVC pipe tee to that you’ll fit the backup heat pump. Pick a point on the discharge pipe which is going to have the backup pump’s consumption at least 1 inch above the main pump and the cap of the backup pump at least 4 inches beneath the lid of this sump. Mark the cutting stage and cut with a hacksaw. Test-fit the parts prior to making a permanent attachment. If everything fits, use PVC cement to glue your elbow into position.

    Insert the flapper valve into the pipe tee so the flapper will swing upwards whenever the pump begins. Double-check to be certain the flapper moves freely. Slide a 1.5-inch pipe clamp onto the tee, then add the pump’s discharge port into the flapper valve. Tilt the pump 30 degrees, making sure the aspect of the pump with the power cord is uppermost. Tighten the pipe clamp with a screwdriver or wrench to ensure the pump to the elbow.

    Install the float switch to your backup pump over the tee to your pump in a point on the discharge pipe in which it’ll activate the pump once the pump is under water. Secure the float switch to the release pipe with cable ties. Check to be sure the float switch moves freely and that electricity cords or other obstacles do not interfere with the switch activity. Extend the float switch’s cord to the battery box.

    Attach the pump controller box to the side of the battery box with four screws. Put a charged, 12-V, deep-cycle battery at the box. Use wrenches to attach the red cable from the control box to the battery’s positive post and the black cable to the negative post. Set the battery box’s lid on and fasten it with the battery box strap. Place the battery box in a dry, well-ventilated place within 6 feet of the sump and within 6 feet of the AC outlet protected by a ground-fault circuit interrupter.

    Plug the cords in the battery charger, float switch and then pump into the appropriately marked terminals on the controller box. With electricity to the main heat pump disconnected, fill the sump with water and then check the newly installed backup pump comes on to drain the sump. If the pump runs properly, plug the battery charger into the AC outlet to keep the backup pump’s battery charged.

    See related

  • Is it Possible to Mount a Flat-Screen TV on Wood Paneling?

    Is it Possible to Mount a Flat-Screen TV on Wood Paneling?

    Mounting your flat-screen television on the wall is a fantastic space-saving strategy, and it typically makes the TV easier to observe. You can achieve this if your walls are covered with wood paneling, but thin paneling constrains the placement of the mounting brackets.

    Mounting a TV on Wood Paneling

    Provided that the wall is not constructed with metal studs, it is possible to mount a flat-screen TV on drywall or on timber paneling. If the paneling is 1/4- or 3/8-inches thick, however, you have to position the brackets in front of studs and screw to the studs to get support; thin paneling will bend outward beneath the weight of their TV. If the paneling is 1/2 inch or more thick, it is possible to mount the mounts anywhere. Pre-drill the holes for the screws that hold the mounts to prevent the wood from splitting.

    Before You Begin

    Before you mount your television on timber paneling, do not forget that you are going to need to drill holes through the paneling for the screws and you may not have the ability to make them fully disappear when it is time to replace the TV. If you are willing to take this risk, check for electric cables behind the wall, then using a electric cable sensor. You don’t need to pierce any when drilling or driving the mounting screws.

    See related

  • Is Grass Scale Safe for Liriope?

    Is Grass Scale Safe for Liriope?

    Sometimes what seems like grass is another plant in disguise. Although liriope (Liriope spp.) , also referred to as monkey grass, is considered a border grass, it is botanically a part of the lily family. So if you use a grass-specific herbicide to destroy true grasses in your garden, then the liriope grass lookalikes are unaffected.

    Liriope Species

    Both main liriope species have different growth habits and hardiness ranges. Liriope muscari, commonly called big blue lilyturf, is a perennial in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 10. Liriope spicata, commonly called creeping lily turf, is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 10. As its title implies, creeping lilyturf includes a spreading habit that can become invasive. It multiplies by rhizomes that creep just under the ground surface, forming a dense underground network. Blue lilyturf is controlled, with a clumping habit that makes it acceptable as a edge for sidewalks, flower beds or garden islands.

    Killing the Grass

    Herbicides that destroy grass are discerning — targeting grasses just — or non-selective — killing most vegetation, irrespective of type. Grass killers that are safe for liriope are selective herbicides that target true grasses. The brand names vary, however, the effective chemicals have names like fluazifop-P-butyl and sethoxydim. Some grass-selective herbicides are premixed, but others need diluting in water, typically at the rate of approximately 3/4 oz to 2 ounces of chemical per 1 gallon of water. These grass-specific herbicides will not harm liriope, even if the chemicals are sprayed directly on it.

    Leaving the Well-behaved Liriope

    Grass may invade a clean liriope edge, producing the need to remove it while leaving the liriope intact and unharmed. After spraying a grass-selective herbicide on the grass that grew into the liriope, kill the grass in a 6- to 12-inch-wide buffer strip between the liriope border along with your lawn. Mulch this buffer zone to suppress the weeds and grass. You can also install plastic edging at the grassy side of this buffer zone to help maintain a specified border between the yard and the liriope.

    Controlling the Ill-mannered Liriope

    Liriope spicata isn’t acceptable as a border plant, but it excels as a ground cover to naturalize a large region and help control erosion. If you would like to dominate Liriope spicata that has overgrown its boundaries, spraying a grass-selective herbicide on it won’t work. First, use a shovel or tiller to dig till up the plants, and make use of a rake to eliminate as much as possible. When new development inevitably looks, spray it with a non-selective, ready-to-use herbicide, like one that’s glyphosate as the chief chemical. After fourteen days, spray again, and repeat as often as required.

    See related

  • What Is the Name of a Succulent Plant That Makes Tiny Baby Plants on the Edge of Its Own Leaves?

    What Is the Name of a Succulent Plant That Makes Tiny Baby Plants on the Edge of Its Own Leaves?

    Imagine a succulent cloning itself by the thousands, and every one of its clones doing the same. For the mother of thousands plant (Kalanchoe daigremontiana), replicating at warp speed is not enough to guarantee survival. For additional protection, in addition, it contains toxic glycosides capable of killing any livestock, pets or young children unfortunate enough to nibble it. Grow mother of thousands at your own risk: Babies falling from the edges of its leaflike stems root so efficiently that it’s deemed invasive in some areas.

    By Any Other Name

    Mom of thousands goes by a lot of other colorful names that are common. Devil’s spine catches the vertebrae appearance of their little plantlets sprouting along its lance-shaped leaf-stems. The plantlets’ contour also inspired its Mexican hat name. Alligator’s tongue pertains to this saw-toothed leaf-stems, and mother-of-millions envisions a worst-case scenario if the plantlets spread.

    The Secret to Success

    While most plants use their leaves to photosynthesize and their blossoms to produce seeds for the next generation, mother of thousands has its own way of doing things. Its flowers are sterile, so the job of reproduction falls into its photosynthesizing organs. These aren’t leaves, but especially adapted stems known botanically as cladodes or phylloclades, for leaflike branches. Tiny, spoon-shaped spurs lining their margins produce bulbils, or plantlets, nourished by the parent’s vascular system. The bulbils remain attached until their root systems are developed enough for them to grow individually.

    The Better Side

    Despite its toxicity and enthusiasm for spreading, mother of tens is not all bad. The blue-green, purple-blotched cladodes and their grayish-blue plantlets grow from a slender blue-green trunk. It eventually reaches 3 feet tall, with a 1-foot spread. Dangling clusters of salmon-pink, bell-shaped flowers crown mature plants in winter. Its narrow, vertical profile provides year-round interest.

    Growing Requirements

    If you’re committed to being vigilant about controlling its spread, mother of thousands makes an appealing addition to gardens at U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9b through 11. Elsewhere, grow it as a houseplant. To grow it outside, select a place with two to four hours of daily sunlight and well-draining, averagely moist to dry soil. It is not fussy about soil pH. Let the soil dry slightly between watering sessions.

    Possible Pests

    Sap-draining mealybugs and aphids sometimes infest mother of thousands plants. Flat, segmented mealybugs resemble parts of cotton. Tiny, pear-shaped aphids feed in colonies on the backs of their cladodes. Both insects excrete a sticky, clear waste — known as honeydew — that coats the plant. To eliminate them, bend your plant down with a strong blast of water. Otherwise, spray it with ready-to-use insecticidal soap until all its surfaces drip. Use the soap when the temperature is below 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Dress in protective clothing and follow the label’s directions when working with any insecticide.

    Potential Disorders

    Velvety white splotches on mother of thousands’ cladodes are powdery mildew. During mild, dry weather, the fungus targets plants growing in shade. Prune and dispose of the affected plant parts. Before and after using them, wipe the pruning program’s blades with a cloth soaked in rubbing alcohol to prevent the spread of disease. When conditions favor the disease, sprinkle the plant with water each day to prevent the spores from germinating.

    See related