Landscaping Articles
Aluminum Sling Patio Furniture Comfortable Seating For Outdoor Settings
(category: Landscaping, Word count: 292)
Share this article on: Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp
When shopping for patio furniture, people want something that will be comfortable for themselves as well as their guests. There are a number of great options in patio furniture it can be hard to choose. Aluminum sling patio furniture is a lesser known patio furniture, but nevertheless is a great choice for elegance and comfort in a patio setting.
Aluminum seating provides practical inexpensive outdoor seating with elegance. Aluminum sling patio furniture is actually one of the less expensive types of patio furniture available. The lower cost however does not sacrifice quality. The components of aluminum strap patio furniture are heavy-duty, and resistant to all types of elements including scratch and dent, stains, and intense sunlight.
Aluminum patio furniture is just as elegant as higher end types of patio furniture. Aluminum in this type of furniture can be crafted to give a more traditional furniture style like that of wrought iron. It can also be crafted in a more contemporary streamline design. As opposed to bulky wrought iron furniture however, aluminum sling patio furniture can be easily stacked for storage.
Aluminum sling patio furniture is available in a variety of styles. All traditional patio furniture elements are available including patio dining tables and chairs, patio bar chairs, and chaise lounges. However, aluminum sling patio furniture has some unique chair styles including rocking chairs, swinging benches, and recliners. All these great options will ensure a comfortable outdoor patio setting.
All these wonderful features make aluminum sling patio furniture an excellent choice for any outdoor seating. It is versatile, practical, and economical. And if comfort and elegance are top priorities for patio furniture, aluminum sling patio furniture is the way to go.
Exteriors Make Your Great Outdoors Greater
(category: Landscaping, Word count: 456)
Share this article on: Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp
Keeping wood properly protected is a growing challenge, especially as homeowners have made it a top choice for exterior surfaces-not just siding, but decks, furniture and all the other accessories that are part of the extended outdoors lifestyle.
"Homeowners are upgrading their outside living and garden areas with unrelenting zeal," says Kurt Denman, product manager of Benjamin Moore Paints. "Terraces, decks, patios, cabanas, pool houses, gazebos, and outdoor kitchens are additions that Americans spend $40 billion on annually."
What's necessary to keep all of this wood in tip-top shape as it faces exposure to the vagaries of Mother Nature?
"Performance is the chief characteristic a consumer should look for in an exterior stain," advises Denman. "It should protect from the two major culprits affecting wood-water and UV rays."
Responding to this growing focus on the expanded outdoors lifestyle, Benjamin Moore has developed a new, technologically advanced, premium Exterior Stain Collection that protects and beautifies just about every wood surface. The collection offers an extraordinary palette of hues, with a range inspired by organic life and the outdoors world.
"The best way to choose a color is to look at existing colors around your home," adds Denman. "Consider the color of your roof, siding, trim, driveway, and surrounding plant life."
When it comes to finishes, Denman advises that a clear finish is ideal for new or well-maintained wood. It reveals the beauty of the material without obscuring either its grain or texture. With more opacity, the additional pigments provide additional protection and color selection, but mask the grain of the wood while still highlighting the wood's natural texture. Stains with more opacity are a good choice for older wood that is not in pristine condition or when additional color selection is desirable.
For every type of wood no matter its condition-new, worn, plagued by mildew or mold, or tannin-leached types like redwood or cedar-a preparation coating is available. To ensure your exterior wood assets are protected, they should be coated evenly with a clear finish, relatively soon after installation. Remember, proper preparation is the ultimate determinant of how long the beauty of a staining job will last.
For the best advice on selecting an exterior stain and preparation appropriate for the type of wood on the exterior of your home or other outdoor project, speak to an experienced professional. One last tip: Be sure to test your color selections on the surface to be painted to see if it's accurate and exactly what you want. Remember that the natural color or grain pattern of the wood itself can greatly influence the final color.
New wood finishes by Benjamin Moore can be a great way to highlight your home's exterior.
Landscape Can Drive Home Values
(category: Landscaping, Word count: 321)
Share this article on: Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp
The look of your lawn and garden may be the first and perhaps the most lasting impression people have of your home and property. Landscaping plays an essential role in enhancing its beauty and increasing the value.
Fortunately, homeowners can turn their own landscapes into works of art at an affordable price.
In recent years, many companies have begun to introduce more varieties of bagged rock and mulch. A new line of decorative rock and stone from Vigoro offers landscaping enthusiasts 26 varieties of bagged products in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors.
Decorative landscaping stones and mulches are not only an excellent way to beautify and accent garden beds, ponds, driveways and walkways, they also provide natural benefits to the soil and plants. These benefits include controlling and reducing erosion, retaining moisture, controlling weeds and insulating the soil.
Here are a few tips on choosing and applying mulch:
(*) Choose mulch that is long lasting and not easily washed away.
(*) Pick mulch that has a loose structure to let water pass through quickly.
(*) Apply mulch in late spring. This helps reduce soil temperature and save water.
(*) Apply fine mulches one to two inches deep. Coarse or fluffy mulches should be put on three to four inches deep.
(*) Apply mulch evenly and level it with a rake or your hands.
(*) Wet thoroughly after applying mulch.
(*) Pull mulch a few inches away from plant stems and tree trunks.
To further control weeds and keep plants healthy, there's a new mulch called Vigoro Mulch with Weed Stop. It's the first to contain pre-emergent herbicide, controlling unwanted weeds for up to four months yet allowing bulbs, established flowers, shrubs and trees to thrive. This mulch is certified by the Mulch and Soil Council as only containing natural forest products.
Can Robotic Lawnmowers Save The World Or At Least You Money
(category: Landscaping, Word count: 562)
Share this article on: Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp
It is common knowledge that gas powered lawn mowers are serious environmental polluters. It is estimated that 1 hour of lawn mower use equals driving an SUV 100 miles. I have read that lawnmowers contribute up to 5% of the nation's pollution. Even more alarming comparisons and statistics can be found on the internet.
Even if you are not an environmentalist, the price of gas will definitely make you a conservationist. Gas prices continue to climb. Personally, going to the gas station with my little gas can is not a trip of leisure, it has always been a chore.
Changing the oil, air filter, and regular maintenance is not what I consider an enjoyable event. John Deere charged me $129 one year to do all that, so it became a semi-annual day of bonding between me and ol' JD.
We hired a lawn service for a year. He did a good job but his helpers made us uneasy. They seemed friendly whether they could speak English or not. One of the problems we had was we travel a good deal and we just didn't feel comfortable having strangers running around our yard knowing we were gone. There are enough elements of risk out there without inviting it to our home.
One day on the internet I came across an article for automatic lawnmowers. We ordered it with a healthy serving of skepticism since our robotic vacuum cleaner needed to be replaced more often that our landscaper's hired hands.
It has exceeded out expectations. So much so we decided to start selling them. They have proven to be very low maintenance and highly reliable. They do a pretty good job cutting the yard.
Technology has advanced where batteries can now power lawn mowers to do an effective job. They can mow, go back to the charger by them selves, and go back out again on a schedule without any help all season.
My wife and I can now travel freely without the worry of a self-inflicted burglary. We no longer have invited strangers running around our yard, yet we have a nicely cut lawn.
Maintenance? Once a year I change the blades. For those who live in the north the robotic lawn mower needs to be housed in the garage for the winter. Since it is all electric it doesn't burn any gas or oil. That means no pollutants so we can all breathe easier.
Robotic lawn mowers are also very quiet. They are so quiet that they can be run at night while every one is asleep.
It costs about $7.00 a year in electricity to mow my yard. I used to spend more than that in one trip to fill up the gas container.
The biggest problem that we have is with our neighbors. My goodness they love to come out and watch it work. For me the excitement has long gone and I consider it no more of a novelty than the dishwasher. But for some reason our little robotic lawn mower continues to be the neighborhood star attraction day after day.
Robotic lawn mowers aren't going to put John Deere or the local landscaper out of business anytime soon, but one day the do-it-yourselfers are going to be the ones that will be the neighborhood oddity.
Repowering Your Jacobsen Greens King Iv Mower
(category: Landscaping, Word count: 622)
Share this article on: Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp
Small engine vehicles have been revitalized and revamped over the last several years. Golf carts and hauling vehicles once innovative in the 1980s were still able to be improved upon in the areas of design, steering mechanism, vehicle weight and basic functionality. Mowers, however, have remained constant in their design and mechanics for quite some time. The single biggest area of improvement for golf course and large area mowers is in the engine. Recent small engine mechanics innovation has allowed designers to create more powerful, easier to maintain, and more efficient engines for these pieces of equipment. Though older model mowers may have quality engines that are still getting the job done, many landscapers or greens keepers may find that the engine does not provide the power or efficiency that a newer vehicle could. Buying a new mower in order to get the power of a modern small engine is not necessary if you consider repowering the vehicle instead.
What Is Repowering?
Repowering a small engine refers to installing a newer rebuilt engine into an existing vehicle in order to improve its performance and save on buying a brand new vehicle or motor. By repowering, a landscapers or golf course maintenance crew gets more than just swapping out an old engine for the same rebuilt model engine. Rather, a repower kit swaps out an old engine for a newer, better engine model built with the latest technology. Repowering results in a better small engine in a vehicle for the fraction of the price of buying a new one.
I Already Have A Quality Engine
If you are a smart consumer, you have already bought a large mower from a reputable brand that stands by its products. So, you may wonder why you would ever want to consider repowering. Consider the Jacobsen Greens King IV. Jacobsen has an incredible reputation for being a leading turf maintenance mowers and equipment manufacturer for over 100 years. The company's Greens King IV has been one of their best selling vehicles for over a quarter of a century. These mowers, however, will last longer and perform better if their engines are updated to newer models.
The need to innovate and improve performance is well understood by Jacobsen. The company's newer model Greens King IV has a 16 or 18 horse power Briggs & Stratton Vanguard gas engines. Older models have a 14 or 16 horse power Kohler engines. Improving the engine is important to the long-term life of the mower and to achieve better performance. This is why so many are choosing to repower their landscaping mowers - to give their well-maintained older models more power and extend their life.
Jacobsen Greens King IV is a popular landscaping mower and hauling vehicle manufacturer. As such, there are a variety of repower kits available. There are Briggs & Stratton Vanguard small engines or Kohler small engine rebuild kits available, depending on what engine is currently installed in the GV IV. Diesel models are also great candidates for repower kits. Those landscapers with other mowers brands, something other than a Jacobsen, can easily find a repower kit compatible with their model too.
Where Do I Find A Repower Kit?
Small engine repower or rebuild kits are available from several certified dealers online. When looking for a kit, make sure the one you purchase comes with a warranty that you would expect from the original factory dealer. They are available. This will give you piece of mind and assurance that the quality of your machine will remain intact. After all, repowering a small engine is a step toward improving the value of your mower and extending its life.
Backpack Blowers
(category: Landscaping, Word count: 267)
Share this article on: Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp
Backpack blowers are more commonly used by professionals and are mostly powered by 2-stroke gasoline engines. The harness, which has a blower fit into it, is worn on the operator's back. The engine and fan are also placed on the backpack frame with a hand-held hose and spout to direct the airflow. Backpack blowers are powerful, convenient and have larger, more efficient fuel tanks and air filters and therefore, longer duty cycles.
Backpack blowers with more than 40cc engines are the best with a typical blowing power of 400 cfm (cubic feet per minute) of volume at 190 mph (meter per hour). If you live in a quiet neighborhood, these units are the best choice, because they are specially assembled to control unwanted noise. Also, keep in mind that harness quality and comfort differ from one model to the other.
Performance backpack blowers generally have blowing power of more than 450 cfm of volume at 195 mph, and are named because of their high performance. Though they may be noisier than other blowers, they are fast, fuel efficient, and have a quick throttle response. Most professionals and commercial users prefer this type of units, which also has optional accessories like breathable nylon back pads and padded, adjustable harnesses.
The largest and heaviest backpack blower units available are Big-bore Backpacks, with engine powers starting at 50cc. They are also fast and may decrease cleaning time in half. Since these blowers are very powerful, they are typically used for larger areas, and tough jobs like wet matted leaves. They are most suitable for commercial uses.
Mower Maintenance For A Perfect Lawn
(category: Landscaping, Word count: 552)
Share this article on: Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp
Growing and maintaining a lush green lawn takes care and the right equipment. The right lawn mover for your landscape and proper maintenance of your equipment will ensure a nice even lawn. A good lawn mower should cut the grass and not tear or rip it out.
The first thing to consider when purchasing a lawn mover is your landscape. Is your lawn on a slope or flat ground? What type of mower can get the job done with the least amount of effort? Another factor is how easy the mower is to maintain for peak performance.
If you have to cut grass on a slope, the best type of lawn mower is one with high wheels. This will make it easier to push up a hill, or to move back down the hill with. The second type of lawn mower is a cordless or electric mulching lawn mower. The mulching mower is less messy and mulches your lawn. The third type of lawn mower is a reel lawn mower. Reel lawnmowers are environmental friendly, not contributing to pollution and are easy to use.
After deciding on the type of lawn mower to purchase, review the maintenance schedule. A good maintenance program will allow your mower to last for years to come and give your grass a better cut. Every spring, the different parts of the lawnmower should be cleaned or repaired. Spark plugs should be cleaned or replaced for good firing and nuts and bolts should be checked and tightened where necessary.
The underside decking should be cleaned throughout the season to remove build up of grass and dirt. Cleaning the grass and dirt will also help in preventing the spread of diseases in grass. In order to clean the deck of the lawnmower, you should first empty the gas tank and make sure that the spark plug is not connected. You can then stand the mower up on its side and spray the mower with water. You can then scrub off the rest of the dirt and grass that is stuck on the mower. Make sure to dry the mower after you have finished rinsing it off, to make sure that none of the parts rust.
Your maintenance should also include checking the oil and air filters. The air filters should be cleaned or replaced on a regular basis. Before removing the filter to replace, make sure that you know whether it is paper or foam. The oil in your lawn mower lubricates the engine. Be sure you read the operating instructions on the type and amount of oil your mower uses.
Another important part of maintenance is sharpening the blades every one or two months, depending on use. Sharp blades ensure a clean cut rather than ripping out the grass. This can be easily done by removing the blade from the mower and sharpening it with a file.
When mowing season is over, there are certain steps to properly store your lawn mower for the winter. It is advisable to remove the oil and gas, and clean the exterior.
With consistent and proper care of your lawnmower, you will be able to keep your lawn looking great through the seasons and years, and your mower will last for years too.
Some Practical Ideas For Designing You Own Landscape
(category: Landscaping, Word count: 573)
Share this article on: Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp
Designing your own landscape, can be both exciting and challenging. If you are considering such a project, here are some practical ideas and suggestions.
Planning the Project
Planning your landscape design is the first and most important step. Take the time to gather the information you will need to make your decisions on the elements you wish to include in your landscape design. Will you want a deck, patio, foot paths, walkways, a pond? What type of plants, trees, flowers, and ground cover will you want to use? You should research books, articles, and landscape design magazines to help you make these decisions. This will pay off in the end by saving you money, time, and frustration, enabeling you end up with a beautifully finished project to be proud of.
The Design
The landscape design is your next step. You will need to make a layout of the area to be landscaped, as close to scale as possible, and with accurate measurements. Many landscape design planning guides that will give you step-by-step instructions are available on the internet for free, and books or eBooks are abundant. Once your landscape design layout is done you can began to place your elements on the layout pad. This should be your first or preliminary plan and as you progess, changes can be transfered to your secondary or updated plans. Changing your mind often is just fine. After all this is just on paper at this point and you have not spent any money or performed any labor yet. Experimenting with a few plans is necessary before you come up the final landscape design. A well planned landscape will never look the same in different seasons. Plan your landscape design to change with the seasons. You should attempt to design your landscape as maintenance free as possible.
Landscape Design Software
If it is hard for you to visualize your finished landscape design by just looking at your layout, there is some very good landscape design software available. Much of the landscape design software was originally developed for professional landscapers, but since has been modified for the beginner who wants to do-it-themselves. There are many do-it-yourslef landscape design software programs available today. Landscape design software lets you see a virtual picture of the landscape design and enables you to move items around and see the changes you make come to life. Some software allows you to import a photo of your home or building and designs the landscape around the photo. Most landscape design software programs offer advise on using and placing the many different elements available today in your landscape design. A well designed landscape will always change with time, abd some of the landscape design software available will allow you to view your landscape as it matures. You can see what it will look like 5 or 10 years from now when the trees have grown and the plants matured.
Many people like to incorparate a garden in their landscape design. Gardens can be tucked away in the corner of an area, or be the focal point of the entire landscape design. Gardens can even be stragecly placed among the plants, flowers and trees so they blend in with the entire landscape design. If you like to garden, dont overlook all the garden design possiblities when planning your landscape design.
Landscaping On A Budget
(category: Landscaping, Word count: 557)
Share this article on: Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp
It is possible to have an appealing, unique look to your yard without investing thousands of dollars every year in order to do so. Practicing some basic conservation rules can help you to save money and still make your yard look great.
One great new innovation that is all the rage is the art of xeriscaping. As water becomes ever more valuable a commodity, many homeowners are seeking to conserve their water costs by choosing plants that do not need very much water in order to survive. These plants are available in many different varieties, and they will add a splash of color to your yard while still saving you money. Know which plants tend to use a lot of water- cedar hedges, for example, are the landscaping equivalent of the sports utility vehicle. Don't plant any if you are concerned about your water costs!
Another way to save money on water is to include a material in your planting that has good water retention qualities. Peat moss, for example, is very cheap. When you mix it in with the dirt and bone meal while planting your new flowers or hedges, any water that goes near the area will be soaked up and retained for later use as the plant's needs dictate.
As with many other areas of budget concern, the best way to stay within your means when it comes to landscaping is to do the job yourself. This means everything, from picking your plants to weeding and pruning. With the information age in full swing, though, it is not hard to educate yourself well on all the different tasks specific to your yard.
When it comes to weeds, you are probably going to have to expect a few. If you wage a campaign against your weeds, and this is especially true of your lawn, you are going to end up spending a lot of money and time on various chemicals and treatments, processes which, in the end, may end up doing more harm than good. Be content with some weeds on your lawn, particularly if they have some aesthetic appeal, such as clover.
Don't be afraid to skip the nursery and buy your plants at a box store. A lot of the time, the plants you buy at a big store that carries many varieties of items will cost much less than those at the local nursery. These plants will not have been tended as carefully as the nursery plants, but with some care taken in the planting and tending, they will probably grow to the same levels in terms of appeal as will the plants which cost more but took less time initially in tending. Most do-it-yourself gardeners like to maximize their time outside anyway, so the extra attention these plants may need will help to increase the time spent on your hobby.
One of the best ways to keep a low budget in your landscaping is to limit your green space. Smaller lawns, and less flowers mean less materials needed for the upkeep. Watch what you use as your replacement, though- some types of landscaping rocks (such as lava rock) can be incredibly overpriced. Bark mulch is a fairly inexpensive option, but again, you have to be willing to invest a little extra time into its containment and maintenance.
Reload this page to get new content randomly.
More Categories
Time-Management | Loans | Credit | Weather | Finance | Weddings | Trucks-Suvs | Home-Family | Cars | Self-Improvement | Reference-Education | Insurance | Vehicles | Mortgage | Home-Improvement | Gardening | Society | Parenting | Debt-Consolidation | Womens-Issues | Relationships | Acne | Interior-Design | Nutrition | Fashion | Baby | Legal | Religion | Fishing | Clothing | Holidays | Product-Reviews | Personal-Finance | Auctions | Communications | Misc | Supplements | Marriage | Currency-Trading | Politics | Goal-Setting | Taxes | Ecommerce | Movie-Reviews | Recipes | Traffic-Generation | College | Cooking | Computer-Certification | Success | Motivation | Depression | Stress-Management | Site-Promotion | Outdoors | Home-Security | Book-Reviews | History | Entrepreneurs | Hair-Loss | Yoga | Consumer-Electronics | Stock-Market | Email-Marketing | Article-Writing | Ppc-Advertising | Science | K12-Education | Crafts | Environmental | Elderly-Care | Fitness-Equipment | Cruises | Coaching | Domains | Spirituality | Mens-Issues | Happiness | Leadership | Customer-Service | Inspirational | Diabetes | Attraction | Security | Copywriting | Language | Data-Recovery | Muscle-Building | Aviation | Motorcycles | Coffee | Landscaping | Homeschooling | Ebooks | Cardio | Psychology | Celebrities | Pregnancy | Ebay | Mesothelioma | Extreme | Ezine-Marketing | Digital-Products | Fundraising | Martial-Arts | Boating | Divorce | Book-Marketing | Commentary | Current-Events | Credit-Cards | Public-Speaking | Hunting | Debt | Financial | Coin-Collecting | Family-Budget | Meditation | Biking | Rss | Music-Reviews | Organizing | Breast-Cancer | Creativity | Spam | Podcasts | Google-Adsense | Forums | Ethics | Buying-Paintings | Gourmet | Auto-Sound-systems | After-School-Activities | Adsense | Dieting | Education | Dance | Cigars | Astronomy | Cats | Diamonds | Autoresponders | Disneyland | Carpet | Bbqs | Dental | Criminology | Craigslist | Atv | Excavation-Equipment | Buying-A-boat | Auto-Responders | Auto-Navigation-Systems | Autism-Articles | Atkins-Diet | Aspen-Nightlife | Fruit-Trees | Credit-Card-Debt | Creating-An-Online-Business | Breast-Feeding | Contact-Lenses | Computer-Games-systems | Colon-Cleanse | College-Scholarship | Golden-Retriever | Anger-Management | American-History | Bluetooth-Technology | Alternative-Energy | Closet-Organizers | Elliptical-Trainers | Electric-Cars | Black-History | Air-Purifiers | Diesel-Vs-Gasoline-Vehicles | Christmas-Shopping | Choosing-The-Right-Golf-Clubs | Dental-Assistant | Decorating-For-Christmas | Beach-Vacations | Cd-Duplication | Bathroom-Remodeling | Bargain-Hunting | Candle-Making | Backyard-Activities | Auto-Leasing | Skin-Cancer | Recreational-Vehicle | Mutual-Funds | Boats | Leasing | Innovation | Philosophy | Grief | Colon-Cancer | Prostate-Cancer | Dating-Women | Audio-Video-Streaming | Forex | Digital-Camera | Cell-Phone | Car-Stereo | Car-Rental | Running | Sociology | Multiple-Sclerosis | Leukemia | Dogs | Ovarian-Cancer