Category: Gardening

When you leave your grass to its own devices, it’s good at perpetuating itself. You don’t have to do anything to ensure that it will grow healthy year after year. However, manicured lawns are different.

Cutting your grass also cuts away most of its seeds, so it cannot grow as effectively. Reseeding your lawn is an excellent way to replenish grass seeds.

But when is the best time to reeseed your lawn? Is there a specific time that works best for reseeding? Well, it depends on your grass.

Below, we discuss when to reseed your lawn, if you can reseed a dead lawn, and if you can reseed a lawn with weeds. So read on!

When Is the Best Time to Reseed Your Lawn? 

Timing when to reseed your lawn depends on geography and the type of grass you’ve got. For example, cool-weather grasses in the upper part of the US grow well in areas with frigid winters and mild summers. 

The best time to reseed your lawn in these colder areas is sometime in September, when the weather reaches about 60 to 75°F. Warmer weather grasses thrive in the lower part of the US, like the South. 

Warm-weather grass looks lovely in hotter weather but doesn’t do too well in colder temperatures. The best time to reseed your yard with warm grasses is during the winter when temperatures reach the low 80s.

Transitional areas, where weather wavers between hot and cold, have grasses best reseeded during the spring.

Reseeding a lawn involves a lot of work. If you feel more confident having a professional do the job, consider contacting Tuxedo Yard Care. They do everything from reseeding lawns to sprinkler repair.

Can You Reseed a Dead Lawn? 

It’s possible to reseed a dead or dying lawn, but you may want to consider lawn renovation depending on what’s killing your grass. Renovation is better if half or more of your lawn is dead.

The difference is that reseeding means laying seeds specifically in dead spots. “Renovate,” in this case, doesn’t mean pulling up your grass and laying concrete, but instead applying a layer of grass seed over the existing grass.

Can You Overseed a Lawn With Weeds? 

You can overseed a lawn with weeds, but it’s best if you don’t. The grass seeds and weeds will compete with the soil’s nutrients, and you don’t want to risk the seeds winning.

The best way to overseed a weedy yard is to kill the weeds during the late summer and seed during the fall. You won’t get all the weeds during the summer, but you can control what’s left with herbicide.

Should You Overseed Often? 

You’re probably curious about how often you should overseed your lawn. It’s only something you do if your yard is dying, right? Actually, it’s best practice to overseed a lawn every year.

Overseeding helps make lawns stronger and more resistant to disease. The seeding technique also increases resistance to pests and drought.

Want to Know When to Reseed Your Lawn? 

Figuring out when to reseed your lawn depends on what kind of grass you’ve got. You should reseed Warm-weather grasses during warm winter weather. Cool-weather grasses need reseeding in temperate fall weather.

Overseeding your lawn is better if half of it is dead, and you shouldn’t reseed a lawn with weeds.

If you’d like more helpful articles, look through our website. We have plenty more informative posts for you to read.

According to one study, 1 in 3 Americans grows their own food.

If you are interested in joining all of these people and beginning a garden, you might be wondering what the best tips are, especially on a budget.

Thankfully, we have the best guide on how to start your first garden on a budget, so make sure you keep reading!

1. Take Cuttings

Cuttings are parts of a plant that you can use to grow other plants. Some fruits and vegetables can grow out of seeds, but other plants can grow from cuttings as well.

Normally all shrubs, vines, and perennials will be able to grow from cuttings. To grow some, you can ask your friend if they can cut a few small sticks from their plant. Once you have the cutting, pot it up and in a few weeks, you should start to see new roots growing. 

2. Have a Low Maintenace Yard

Instead of putting a lot of money and energy into maintaining your yard, put it into your garden instead.

Manicured lawns aren’t sustainable for the environment, and you also have to pay for things like gas mowers, water, and synthetic fertilizers to keep them alive. 

You don’t have to give up your yard completely, but you can have a low-maintenance yard. For example, you should never fertilize your yard. If you do need to mow it, try and use an electric mower.

If you want to add something special to your yard, you can also try adding some wildflowers to it and letting them grow naturally. 

3. Grow in Containers

If you don’t have a lot of space for your garden, you can grow things in containers. This can be a pot that’s on your porch, a window box, a vertical garden wall, or even a plastic recycled container. 

Many people use objects they found for free, like boxes or wooden pallets. 

4. Make Your Own Compost

Instead of buying fertilizer that can be harmful, make your own organic compost! This is one of the best ways to help your plants grow, and you can make it on your own. 

You can make it with materials like grass clippings, dry leaves, wood chips, newspaper, or kitchen scraps. Many local coffee shops will also give away old coffee grinds that you can use too.

If you don’t want to make your own compost, many municipalities will give away free compost as well.

5. Recycle As Much As Possible

Buying plants is expensive enough, so try and recycle as much as possible. You can make an in-home garden using almost any type of re-used container. 

Many people might use broken concrete, old satellite dishes, or anything that they think could hold a plant. However, keep in mind that you should limit what you bring home because your yard could easily end up looking like a thrift store.

6. Go Thrifting

Speaking of thrifting, you can often find plants, tools, and pots that people just throw away. 

A lot of the plants that are thrown away can be brought back to life with a little bit of extra care. You may even find old branches and tree stumps that you can use. Make sure that they aren’t showing any signs of disease and them use them and take them home. 

7. Grow Organic

You can go to a plant nursery and buy all kinds of organic seeds and plants to grow. These will be better to eat for you, and you’ll save money from having to go to the grocery store. 

However, for the plants and food to be truly organic, make sure that you don’t use any chemical pesticides. Instead, you can try attracting bugs that will eat the bad bugs from your plants. 

If you want to get rid of weeks, try getting a goat or some other animal to help come and eat all of those for you to naturally keep your garden clean!

8. Collect Rain Water

Instead of watering your garden with your own water, use barrels to collect rainwater. However, check to make sure that it’s legal to do it in your area. 

The water in the barrel will also be warmer than the tap water, which makes it less of a shock on your plants. 

9. Choose Low Maintenance Plants

You might also want to choose plants that are going to be low maintenance but give you a big crop. Plants like these include squash, cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes. 

You might also want to consider growing salad greens and herbs. You can cut them whenever you need them, but they’ll still just keep growing. 

You may want to talk to other gardeners to see what grows well in the area and come up with a plan for rotating crops in your area.

10. Get Creative

Having a garden on a budget means that you’ll also have a chance to be creative! 

For example, you might want to consider having a garden with raised beds. This way, you can cut your costs, only focus on watering, and build your beds cheaply by using wood that you found. 

Discover More Cheap Ways to Start Your First Garden

These are only a few of the cheap ways to start your first garden, but there are many more tips you can try!

We know that always trying to save money can be stressful, but we’re here to help you out!

If you enjoyed this article, make sure that you explore our website to find more articles just like this one!

Are you looking for something a bit different to grow this year?

Growing berries in your garden add a splash of color, and they’re a tasty treat for all the family. But if you’ve never branched out into berries before, you might not know where to start.

Don’t worry! Read on to discover the 7 best berries to grow in your backyard this year.

1. Acai

Due to acai health benefits, and the fact they’re pretty rare they can be an expensive choice. But they’re the best berries to grown indoors or in containers. The dwarf acai berry palm will grow 20-30ft tall if planted in the ground. If grown in a planter, the size reduces to around 10-12ft.

It will take around 3 years, sometimes longer, to mature and produce berries. This isn’t a low maintenance option though and can take time, space, and patience. You’ll need a large container for it, or you’ll need to keep replanting as it grows.

A subtropical, warm climate is best for acai palms to grow in, so they might not be the best choice for colder areas. Though, you can use a greenhouse for them if you have one large enough.

2. Strawberries

A real family favorite, you can plant your strawberries in spring, summer, or fall. Fall is the best time though, as your plant’s root systems will grow and strengthen in the cooler months. You’ll be ready for a bushy growth come spring full of vitality.

If you plant in spring, you’ll have to disbud these young plants as they’ll grow flowers. Otherwise, they can pinch back runner and you won’t get as healthy growth the next season.

To get a longer lasting harvest season, plant two types of strawberries. One early, and one late fruiting. Your local agricultural center will be able to recommend varieties for your area.

3. Blackberries

If you’re looking for something tasty and functional, blackberries are a great choice. Their big, floppy, rambling nature makes them great hedging plants. And it’s fun for all the family to pick from them when they fruit. It’s a quick, easy way to hide an ugly fence or section off an area.

Of everything on our list, blackberries are the easiest berries to grow. They can survive in cold, harsher climes due to their hardiness. They also function as climbers. So, train them over arches, pergolas, and trellises to create a decorative feature. Get creative!

They even work for backyards where you’re short on space. You can get varieties that don’t have thorns and are compact, designed to grow in containers. Here are a few extra tips to get you started:

• Blackberries are self-fertile so you don’t have to worry about getting loads of plants to get a good crop.
• Plant in the sun; the more sun the more berries unless you’re in a hotter climate then they do need some shade midday.
• Provide regular watering during their first growing season to get their root system extensive and deep.
• Put down a 3-inch organic mulch layer each year but keep the mulch 2 inches from the crown to stop any rotting.

4. Raspberries

Don’t plant brambles, better known as raspberries, until early spring or late fall. Give them room to grow and don’t put them anywhere you want something ‘pretty’ to be. You can control the spread by planting in raised beds or digging them out on a regular basis.

Provide mulch for your raspberries and it’s a good side to use a fungicide as a preventative. This will help prolong the life of your raspberry patch.

To keep them tidy and well maintained, cut them back after each fruiting season. You can also prune out some of the older, brown stalks in winter (or very early in spring). It might not be the most attractive option, but the berries are great on yogurt and for pies and jams.

5. Blueberries

Another great option for container growers is blueberries. They’re a treat to eat and to look at. In spring, you’ll get delightful, scented flowers, and in autumn they turn fiery in color. And in the summer, you get that beautiful crop of delicious berries.

They need an acid (ericaceous) soil to grow in, but you can get this at your local garden center. They’re low maintenance but you’ll have to wait about 3 years for any fruit. In the meantime, at least they’ll make a beautiful patio decoration.

If space is at a total premium, there is a very compact variety of blueberry called “Top Hat”. But whatever your variety, water them with rainwater. Lime in tap water can reduce the acidity of your soil as time goes on.

6. Currants

For a pretty looking berry bush, the current bush may be a good choice. It’s got dainty, lobed leaves much like fancier maples. They branch out and have an airy appearance, with tiny berries that come in red, white, pink, and black shades.

They’re also a great option to fit into more formal, strict landscapes. You can train them into standard shapes. Current bushes even work as stand-alone ornamental plants on patios or porches.

The berries themselves (redcurrants, blackcurrants, and whitecurrants) are some of the best berries to grow for jams and jellies. They also work in cooking sauces and for decorating desserts. They also take well to freezing, so you can enjoy them all year round.

7. Gooseberries

If you’re thinking of getting currents, consider getting gooseberries alongside them. Gooseberries grow particularly well when you plant them near current bushes.

For better tasting berries, position them away from the harsh afternoon sun. But make sure they can get plenty of cooler, morning sunlight.

Give them regular sprinklings of potash (or a berry fertilizer) around the base. This encourages prolific fruiting and flowers throughout the season.

Pick half the crop in midsummer to get bigger berries. The unripened berries you can use in wines, sauces, and pies. The berries left behind are quick to grow in size and will be sweeter.

Don’t Miss Out on the Best Berries to Grow in Your Backyard

So there you have it! Now you know the best berries to grow to give your garden that extra wow factor.

You can use the berries in jams, jellies, pies, wines, and sauces all made in your own kitchen. They’ll also add a pop of color to the garden and be an interactive treat for friends, family, and all your guests.

If you enjoyed this article, check out our other blog posts today.

Cannabis products of all kinds are flooding the market. Alongside them are more and more creations and uses for the plant beyond an afternoon of recreation. 

For the keen-eyed and keener minds, the pot plant can offer a great variety of items and purposes. The trick is to understand what the pot plant contains. 

We’ll delve into the basics of pot plant anatomy to help you understand where these flood of CBD products come from. 

The Differences Between the Sexes

There are two forms of the pot plant, one for each sex. While a hermaphrodite combination can happen, the common plant is either male or female. 

The female plant has a signal during its pre-flowering stage to determine its sex. A white hair emerges from the leaf node before it flowers. 

If the white hair is not present, you will need confirmation after the plants have flowered. Male plants do not produce a bud when flowering. As well, male plants have stamens with anthers packed with pollen.

The pollen sacs are the biggest note of a male pot plant.

Pot Plant Pieces

The pot plant has 7 major parts of the plant. This does not include the minor differences of the plant sexes listed above. Each part has a strong role in both the plant itself.

1. Roots

Roots are the lifeblood of the pot plant. Like most plants, they provide nutrients to the plant itself.

Without the roots, the plant cannot live to produce a variety of chemicals you may know it for. 

2. Cotyledon Leaves

The cotyledon leaves are the initial signs of life in the pot plant. These allow the initial gathering of energy through photosynthesis. 

A pot plant is a dicotyledon and thus will have 2 of these leaves when sprouting.

3. Stem and Branches

The stem and branches of the pot plant provide the strong body of the plant. Not only does this allow the plant to stand tall, but it also provides a strong vascular system for nutrients and chemicals to flow. 

4. Fan Leaves

The fan leaves are the iconic symbol of the pot plant. The unique texture and shape of the leaves have become well known and as they grow and flourish, the pot plant takes on its recognizable shape.

The fan leaves can denote what kind of pot plant it is. Dark and wide leaves showcase the Indica variety, while light green and slender leaves are the Sativa variety. 

5. Calyxes

The calyxes are the clustered buds of the pot plant. The tiny dewdrop shaped buds are often entangled in the leaves, giving the pot a nugget like appearance. 

If a pistil gets pollinated, then the calyxes turn from abundant harvest to ovary and incubation chambers. 

6. Pistils

The small “hairs” on the nuggets of pot are pistils. They are the small white hairs that determine a female plant. 

Pistils are the female reproductive organs of the pot plant and they catch pollen. They turn from white to orange or red as the plant matures. 

7. Resin Trichomes

Trichomes are the gooey resin that appears around the plant calyxes. These form as flowering pushes forward, combining sugar with the calyxes to form the enriched trichomes.

The resin is the cornerstone of many recreational cannabis products, such as hashish and concentrates. 

What Makes the Product

Knowledge of the pot plant can help you understand the details of what may go into a variety of cannabis products. The final key is the categories of chemicals that the pot plant produces.

CDB products and THC products both come from the pot plant. The differences in these chemicals are the biggest dividers between cannabis products. 

With a proper CBD vs THC tutorial, you can understand what cannabis products come from each chemical. 

The Right Know How to Find the Best Deals

There is a lot to know about cannabis and the pot plant. With it, comes a wide variety of medical and recreational products. 

Understanding is the first step towards knowing the right path towards good deals and positive living. For more information on all sorts of subjects, from family life to frugal living, check out our other articles!

Did you know that 1 in 3 US households is now growing its own food and that a study in 2012 revealed that 164 million of us enjoy gardening in our spare time?

There are so many keen amateur gardeners these days that it’s super easy to find cheap gardening tools.

Here are 4 cheap gardening tools that you need to own to make life easy.

Gloves

Never underestimate the power of a good pair of gloves. Although it’s a hazard you expect to encounter gardening, getting a well-placed thorn or itchy rash from pulling up the wrong plant is never pleasant.

A good pair of gloves can be fairly pricey, but not always – especially if you take advantage of a great deal.

Keep an eye out for a pair which has good protection along the palm and all the way up the fingers. If the back is made of a softer material, don’t worry too much (unless it looks really flimsy). A bit more stretch in the back side will keep your hands moving freely.

A trowel

You need a trowel. They’re helpful for seeding, weeding, planting and so much more.

Trowels are cheap gardening tools in general – you don’t need anything too fancy and the prices don’t really go up over time. This key tool shouldn’t cost you more than a few bucks.

You can get thin trowels for digging into plastic or resin flower pot arrangements in the yard, or wider trowels for when you’re just working directly in the earth.

Forks and spades

Alright, this is really two cheap gardening tools, but they go together like cheese and wine.

They’re both for digging with but serve different purposes. A spade is for digging big, deep holes you might want to plant a tree in.

A fork is used for loosening and turning over earth, to prepare it for seed sowing.

I recommend you grab metal tools, not plastic – as these will break. But don’t worry, they’re still a very affordable item. You should be able to grab both for well under $50.

I appreciate that might sound like a lot, but these things don’t break easily. They should last you for years and years. Think of it as an investment for all those delicious vegetables you’ll be growing in the yard.

Loppers

Loppers are razor sharp cutting tools that are used to prune back trees and dense bushes. If your garden is in need of some drastic cuts, these may well be your best option, short of more expensive electric tools.

Also consider their smaller cousins, the secateurs (also known as ‘pruners’), which are dead handy to have around the place.

These are easier to use on smaller plants such as overgrown runner beans or roses.

Green fingers itching for cheap gardening tools?

Any dedicated gardener reading this will be raring to get back to the garden by now.

Just remember that when you’ve got hold of your tools, you’re wasting money if you don’t look after them. Store them away safely out of sight, and keep them as dry as possible to prevent rust on metal parts.

I’ve got more DIY tips on your garden waiting for you later. But in the meantime, get those green fingers back to the garden and grow, grow, grow.