Posts Tagged ‘lawn’
7 Killer Ways to Get Rid of Weeds
May 17th, 2012
Layers of wet newspaper, buried under mulch, will smother weeds and prevent new ones from growing. Image: Jami Scholl/My Edible Eden
Who says you need standard weeding tools to kill weeds? Here are 7 ways to kill weeds with weapons you already have around your house.
How to kill weeds
1. Newspaper: A carpet of newspaper, which blocks sunlight and oxygen from reaching the soil, will smother weeds already sprouted and prevent new ones from growing. Throw down newspaper in 10-sheet layers, wet to hold it down, and cover with an inch or two of mulch. If weeds begin to grow in the mulch, add more layers, making a mulch-newspaper lasagna, which eventually will decompose and nourish the soil.
2. Old shower curtains and carpet samples: Spreading these useless items in garden paths or between rows will keeps weeds from ever showing their unwanted heads. Cover with mulch.
3. Corn gluten meal: This corn by-product stops seeds from growing into weeds. Since the meal will prevent germination, spread it around established plants, and after seedlings and transplants have taken hold in the soil. After harvest, spread the meal to prevent late-season weeds.
4. Vinegar: The acetic acid in 5% vinegar is a desiccant that sucks the life out of plant leaves. It’s most destructive to young plants with immature roots, though it just rolls off weeds with waxy leaves, like pennywort or thistle.
Make sure you cover desirables before spraying, because vinegar is an equal opportunity killer. Keep your spray on-target by removing the bottom from a 2-liter plastic soda bottle, and placing it over the weed. Spray vinegar into the mouth of the bottle, which will keep it from splattering on your vegetables.
5. Vodka: Don’t know if vodka makes weeds fall down dead or drunk, but 1 ounce mixed with 2 cups of water and a couple of drops of dish soap will dry out weeds that live in the sun. Doesn’t work that well on shade-loving weeds. Protect desirables, because vodka will dry them out, too.
6. Soap: The oil in soap can break down waxy or hairy weed surfaces, making them vulnerable to desiccants. So add a few drops of liquid dish detergent to vinegar or vodka sprays to keep the solution on leaves. The soap also makes leaves shiny, which will help you keep track of what you’ve sprayed.
7. Boiling water: After you’ve made yourself a cup of tea, take the kettle outside and pour the boiling water on weeds, which will burn up. This is a particularly good way to whack driveway and walkway weeds, because the boiling water can run off impervious surfaces and cool before it reaches border plants.
Posted in Crazy Ideas!
August 16th, 2011
Summertime Uses For Old Things
Job: Small Flower Vase Tool: Toothbrush Holder Description: Display individual blooms, such as peonies, in each hole and fill with water for a foolproof, evenly spaced arrangement.
Job: Bug Bite Soother Tool: Tea bag Description: Place a cold, used tea bag on a bug bite for about 5 minutes to soothe itchy bug bites. You can also use tea to soothe sunburns- Brew a pot of tea and pour it into a lukewarm bath. Soak in it until you feel relief.
Job: Picnic Blanket Liner Tool: Shower Curtain Description: To keep your rear from getting soaked during a picnic, place a shower curtain under your blanket.
Job: Candle Holders Tool: Sand Description: Pour a little sand in the bottom of a hurricane shaped candle holder then place your favorite scented candle in the sand to stabile the candle. Plus the added bonus- no half melted candle stuck to the bottom of the vase syndrome!
Job: Sparkler Holder Tool: Play-Doh Description: prevent burnt fingers by pushing a sparkler in a small tub of play-doh then lighting it.
Job: Sunglasses Protector Tool: Mittens Description: Prevent scratches on your favorite pair of sunglasses by slipping them inside a spare mitten before tossing them in your purse or glove box.
Job: Bubble Machine Tool: Kazoo Description: Just dip the big end of the kazoo into bubble mixture to allow for double the fun with music and BUBBLES!
Job: Sunburn Soother Tool: Ice Cube Tray Description: Fill an ice cube tray with aloe vera and freeze for instant relief from sunburns.
Job: Cupcake Holder Tool: Ice Cream Cone Description: Place 24 flat bottom cones in a high sided baking dish. Fill the cones 2/3s full with cake batter. Bake at 325 degreens for 30 minutes. Let cool then frost!
Job: Paper Plate Holder Tool: Frisbee Description: Place flimsy paper plates ontop of frisbees to make sure more food finds its way into your mouth and not the floor.
What Were You Thinking!?
August 3rd, 2011
Summertime Uses for Old Things
Job: Side Dish Warmer Tool: Mini Cooler Description: After preparing your side dish, toss it into a mini cooler to fake a perfectly timed meal. .
Job: BBQ Utensil Holder Tool: Oven Mitt Description: Slide all of the BBQ utensils you will need into an oven mitt then hang it from the grill. No more burnt steaks because your forgot a tool inside.
Job: Glass Gripper Tool: Rubberbands Description: To keep swaeting glasses from slipping out of hands in the summer, put rubberbands around the glass to allow for a nice grip on the glass.
Job: Shaving Cream Tool: Expired Suncreen Description: Expired sunscreen will no longer protect you from the suns rays, but it can keep your skin free of razor burn and make it silky smooth.
Job: Get those pesky hairy from the corn husks off Tool: Clean Toothbrush Description: Remove the stray hairs from corn husks by brushing the corn. They will easily be removed for the corn.
Job: Goggle Defogger Tool: Toothpaste Description: Smear some toothpaste on the lenses then wipe it off before hitting the pool to prevent fogging.
Job: Sundae Bar Organizer Tool: Ice Cube Tray (yet again) Description: For a self serve sundae bar, let guests dish out their own sundae toppings.
Job: Sundae Bar Organizer Tool: Ice Cube Tray (yet again) Description: For a self serve sundae bar, let guests dish out their own sundae toppings.
Job: Popsicle Drip Catcher Tool: Cupcake Liner Description: Push the Popsicle stick through the cupcake liner and slide it up to the bottom of the Popsicle. This will keep little hands from getting super sticky.
Job: Condiment Carrier Tool: Drink Carrier Description: Empty a drink carrier and replace with all your favorite condiments and utensils to cart around your backyard barbeque.
Job: Protect Wine Bottles Tool: Your Child's Floaties Description: Simply slide the floatie around the wine bottle and inflate to keep your wine bottle intact.
Job: Bucket Handle Grip Tool: Old Hose Description: Instead of throwing away that old hose with a leak in it, cut a portion of it then make a slit down the length of the hose. Slide the hose around a skinny bucket handle for a more comfortable grip.
Job: Paint Palette Tool: Ice Cube Tray Description: Mix watercolors in the tray's compartments for easy use.
DON’T USE THAT!!!!!
July 27th, 2011
Summertime Uses for Old Things
Ever had a task that you needed to complete at home, but never had the “real” or “right” tool for the job. Here are some household items you have laying around that can be used for those jobs.
Job: Sand Castle Building Tool: The Ice Cream scoop Description: Create perfectly mounded domes
Job: Fire Starter Tool: Citrus Peels Description: Use those citrus peels that you were just going to put into the trash or the garbage disposal. Let the peels dry out for a couple of days. Then when your ready for that fire toss the peels in for a great, fruity aroma!
Bundt Pan as Corn Holder Job: Get the corn off the cob Tool: Bundt Pan Description: Stick one end of the corn cob in the center of the bundt pan, then using a knife, cut the corn off the cob. The pan catches all the mess!
Bucket As Side Table Job: Sitting on the beach/ deck and need a side table Tool: Bucket Description: Turn the bucket upside down and place a tray on top and Voila! You have made a side table.
Job: Shower Curtain Tool: Beach towels Description: Tired of that old shower curtain? For an easy summer theme, try using a couple bold patterned beach towels and shower curtain clips to create that summery theme.
Job: Carrier Tool: Large handled basket Description: When you are ready to head to the lake, just toss all your needs in the basket. If you are heading to a barbeque, line the basket with a trash bag and toss all the ice and beverages in side.
Job: Tar remover Tool: Baby Oil Description: After a day out on the beach or walking around Six Flags/Worlds of Fun in flip flops, you may have developed some tar or grease on the bottom of your feet from the concrete. Simply rub some baby oil on your feet and wash off. Bye-bye grease!
Job: Ice cream bowl Tool: Citrus peel Description: Scoop out and freeze the citrus peel. Cut a small portion off the bottom (without making a hole), so the peel will stand up. Then fill with ice cream. What a cool looking way to serve your favorite ice cream!
Job: Hose stakes Tool: Croquet wickets Description: Stick the wickets in the ground. Then feed your hose through the wickets. The hose is now stabilized and will not damage your flowers!
Job: Ice Bucket Tool: Colander Description: Set a colander inside a bowl. The ice will melt into the bowl, and when you grab for that next drink, your hand won't get frozen by all that ice water.
Job: Iced Coffee mixer Tool: Cocktail mixer Description: Who doesn't love a good iced coffee in the summer? Why go to the coffee shop and spend twice as much than you would making them at home. Here is a simple way. Pour your cooled coffee into a cocktail mixer along with some ice, milk, sugar and a little flavoring and SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE until it is nice a frothy. Then enjoy!
Keep an eye (or two) out for more fun uses for ordinary household items!
Your Grass Is NOT Dead!
July 6th, 2011
Keep It Green
To keep your grass lush and green this summer make sure it gets plenty of water. And since we all know that it isn’t going to rain consistently during the summer, here are some watering suggestions to keep that yard you have worked so hard to get.
- Water deeply – Whether watering in the summer, spring or fall, make sure you give your yard plenty of water at one time. This will ensure the water gets down deep in the soil and encourage the grass roots to grow deeper.
- Space out your watering – Sine you will be giving your lawn a lot of water at once, spacing your watering out will encourage the roots grow down deep into the soil for water instead of staying superficial on the surface (where they will be more likely to burn from the summer’s sun.
- Apply wetting agents – The trick golf courses use to keep their greens thick, healthy and green are wetting agents. This should be done by a professional and can be costly, however.
- Pre-condition the lawn – If a time of drought is expected, start preparing your lawn by spreading out your waterings further ahead of time, rather than suddenly ending the watering.
- Avoid fertilizers – Applying fertilizers to your lawn during a season of drought is a BIG no-no. This could actually do more harm to your lawn than you would expect.
- Raise the mower height – By raising the cutting height on your mower, you will be encouraging root growth in your grasses. This will help the grass stay greener longer during a drought season.
- Increase potassium – Before the drought season begins, try changing to a fertilizer containing a higher level of potassium. Potassium is said to encourage root growth in your grass.
- Decrease nitrogen – Try using fertilizer with less nitrogen prior to the drought season. Nitrogen promotes blade growth of the grass. During dry seasons, you want your focus to be on the roots. So the use of nitrogen fertilizers should be during the spring or non-drought seasons.
- Change grass types – Because drought is expected to happen in the Mid-West, you may want to consider having more Fescue type turf grasses in your yard. These grasses maintain their green qualities longer during a drought than grasses such as Kentucky or rye.
- Natural dormancy – Don’t worry if you grass has turned brown and dry during the drought season. You have NOT killed your grass…….most likely. Many grasses will actually go into a dormant stage when the water levels get low. They will revive again quickly when water levels rise in the soil. Your lawn is not actually being damaged by the drought season, it simply doesn’t look as nice.
As you can see there are things you can do to help keep your lawn greener, longer, during a drought period. Just remember, that if you can water, watering longer and less often will be better for your grass that small amounts every day.