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Automatic sprinkler system controllers are programmed to go on & off on a certain day & at a certain time. The controller does not know if it is sunny & dry outside or raining. For this reason every lawn sprinkler system should have a rain sensor.

The rain sensor determines whether or not enough rainfall has occurred in order to skip an irrigation cycle. There are three basic types of rain sensors. There is more. They all serve the same purpose: keeping your system from over-watering the turf or your garden. How does it do that? The electrical connection between the sensor & your sprinkler system controller is interrupted when a certain amount of rain triggers the device. The sensor breaks the electrical connection so that electricity can notflow to either the sprinkler valves or to a pump start (if your system is on a well without a pressure tank).

One type breaks the connection by weighing the water in a rainfall collection cup. The problem with this type is that leaves, sticks, or the occasional lizard will find its way into the collection cup & therefore turning off the system.

The next type uses electrodes to determine how much water is in the collection cup. This kind of rain sensor device also has a system problem of collecting things other than rainfall in the collection cup.

The most common type of rain sensor used by professionals is the expansion disk device. This kind of sensor does not use a collection cup; instead rainfall causes cork disks to expand. This device uses a pressure switch to break the electrical connection. These can be adjusted in increments of ?? to the desired rain fall setting. Do you follow? This adjustment is usually set to turn off the sprinklers after ?? of rain has fallen.

The most important aspect of installing a rain sensor is where to place it… It should be installed in an area that is unobstructed by trees, roof over hangs, or anything else that might block rain from getting to the sensor. If it is a wired sensor, placement is generally near the sprinkler controller. The wires should be connected inside the controller’s valve wiring panel. This allows for easier electrical trouble-shooting of the system as the sensor can be easily disconnected.

In the last few years, FM wireless rain sensors have become very popular. Even though they are more expensive than the wired devices, the ease of installation & increased placement options offset the cost. Most wireless units come with by-pass switches built into the device. Some digital controllers also offer by-pass options for both wired devices & wireless rain sensors.

No matter the type of rain sensor type that you choose, all rain sensors offer many advantages over not adding this detector to your automatic sprinkler system. Some of the immediate & long term benefits include:
? Saves Money. Whether you pay for city water or spend electricity running a pump, the money you save over time will more than pay for the rain sensor.
? Extends Sprinkler System Life Span. Irrigation systems are made up of moving parts. If the system parts are utilized less frequently (during the rainy season), they last longer.
? Protects Water Resources. By limiting the over use of your sprinkler system, rain sensors reduce excess water run-off that carries fertilizers & pest control chemicals into our shared water supply.
? Conserves Water. Less water is wasted when less supplemental water is needed for your turf & in your garden.

How much money can you save with a rain sensor device?

It will vary based closely on your water source (city, re-claim, or well) & where you live (water costs, electrical rate, climate). Here is one example that demonstrates the benefits listed above:
Seminole County, Florida.
System Description:
? Designed to irrigate a ¼ acre of grass & programmed to apply ?? of water every time the system runs.
? This schedule would equal 6,788 gallons per irrigation cycle.
? This system (on City Water) pays $2.30 per thousand gallons.
? Every time the rains sensor interrupts a sprinkler cycle, you would save $15.61

According to a recent study in Florida, the use of a rain sensor device averaged a 45% savings in water for single-family residential water usage.

The next time you see a sprinkler system running in the rain, you now know it does not have to be that way. Rain sensors are affordable solutions to conserving our water, protecting our water resources, & saving you money.

Craig Borglum CIC/CID/CLIA is a Certified & Licensed Irrigation Specialist in Central Florida. More information & articles on how-to irrigation solutions, click on sprinkler repair. A comprehensive Lawn Sprinkler Repair DVD is available at http://www.IrrigationRepair.com

YOUR LANDSCAPE ? WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW COULD KILL MILLIONS

That’s right. As a homeowner, you are responsible for millions of living organisms. You’re the ?Jack Bauer? of the show ?24? protecting millions of innocent lives! Grass plants, ornamentals, trees, annual flowers & shrubs. Your decisions also affect insect & biotic populations. Most importantly, you are in control of how your landscape affects you & your family personally. The best way to make the most of your living investment is knowledge & of course, action!

Let’s get started!
?Da Lawn?
We’ll start with the lawn. It is very important to have a thick, healthy lawn. Why? My daughter plays soccer & I shudder everytime she gets knocked down. (I never cheer when she knocks some one else down.) When kids play on your lawn, or when elderly residents walk in it, a thick lawn protects their skin & joints. A thick lawn also prevents weeds from coming up, reducing the need for pesticides. So, what can we do in the spring to get there?

First, write down your thoughts about last years’ turf. What improvements would you like to have seen? Then ?spring? into action. If you have a lawn contractor, discuss fertilization options with him/her. Are they applying 2-3 pounds of Nitrogen per year? Nitrogen has a direct relationship to the color of the lawn. If the lawn is not thick & green, ask them to do a soil test, or you can do one using the easy instuctions on the website. (Cost $15.00 plus postage) Do they use slow release or fast release fertilizer? Quick release fertilizers give the lawn a quick greenup & are cheaper, but they lose their color after 2-4 weeks. If you are getting 3 applications per year, with normal release fert, you get 4 weeks of food & rapid growth followed by 4 weeks of partial starvation. Using slow release feeds gradually, & keeps the lawn growing at a more regular pace. Ask your contractor if he likes double cutting & bagging grass clippings, if he says yes, I might give you a $5.00 gift certificate to Caribou Coffee. When he says no, tell him that using slow release will cut down on rapid flush growth, & cut down the need for a lot of extra labor. Everybody wins!

There is bound to be some winter salt or plow damage too. These areas need to be seeded or sodded right away. I recommend bringing black dirt in if needed & if using seed, use blends, such as kentucky bluegrass & perennial rye for sunny areas, & fine fescue, perennial rye & bluegrass for shady areas. If seeding, expect weeds. Crabgrass control can not actually be applied to these areas unless you use Siduron (Tupersan), but broadleaf controls can be often used after the seeded area is mowed twice. Seed or Sod, water a couple of times per day for short periods of time.

?Da Shrubs?
Shrubs need little care in the spring, but make certain that the leaves left over the winter are removed. If you had roses in your own garden, & did the ?Minnesota Tip? , make certain the leaves & covering are removed so the plants do not heat up under their protection. Clear any areas where bulbs might’ve been planted.

?Da Garden?
If you have a personal garden, ’tis the season to till it up. Consider doing a soil test yourself for best results. Here’s a little secret: Why does Miracle Grow grow 700 pound pumpkins? I know you do not actually want a 700 pound pumpkin this fall, but if you want to give your garden every chance of providing pleasure or juicy tomatoes, then the secret is this: Most fertilizers carry 3 ingredients. Even if you ask the U of M, they will say. ?Buy a 10-10-10?! This is the standard response for anyone in the industry, & it usually works Ok. BUT, there’re 16 minerals needed for every plant to survive. Miracle Grow gives all 16! They might not actually be needed, but if just 1 or 2 are missing or weak your plants will suffer.

?Da Trees?
Make sure that the tree wrap is removed from trees, look for split trunks or damage that might’ve happened from the early snow storm or from wind damage. If you know you have Ash Trees, which almost virtually everyone has, there is a terrible menace out there this year. The Emerald Ash Borer. Once it is on a property, can kill all the ash trees on a property in 1-3 years. There is more. There are links on www.Townhome.Pro.

?Da Water?
Irrigation system startups need to include replacing broken heads, & resetting the direction of heads so they cover the lawn, making sure they do not blow over the freshly washed car & into the bedroom window. If you do not have a system, I would be very happyto recommend a professional, or design one myself..

Finally, work with your contractor. It is in his/her best interest to have a wonderful, living landscape too. If your association does a lot of work itself, or if you are just curious, call or write a Master Gardener volunteer. It is free, & the link is on your website that is just being created; www.Townhome.Pro.

If you have decided that you want to put a feeder for the birds into your garden you may feel that you want something different than the standard types. Anyone can have a tube feeder or the more common platform bird feeders. Perhaps you’re looking instead for a glass bird feeder. These are a more elegant, & often more expensive, type of feeder. Still, it may be your preference to have something a little different, a little more stylish that makes a statement instead of just a bird feeder sitting in your garden. They are also good to have because they tend to last longer than other feeders, are less likely to disintegrate with the elements & will not rot.

The only thing is if you select one of these their care is a little more complicated than that of the other kinds of feeders. Glass bird feeders need to be cleaned more often since the bird mess will cloud it quickly. For this reason they must be taken down every few days & washed. The best way to do this is to only put in enough food to last a few days. There is more. Then when it’s emptied clean it… Some people suggest having a second feeder so that you can always have one hanging up. Cleaning one of these feeders should be done with good strong bleach. If that is what you use you really need to be certain you rinse it very well so that there is nothing in the feeder that could make the birds ill. The smell may also be strong enough to cause the birds to steer clear. It’s therefore recommended that you let the feeder air for a couple of days before putting it back into use. This may seem extreme but if you want to use bird feeders made of glass these are the steps you really need to take.

One other benefit of glass bird feeders is that they seem to attract more birds than many of the other kinds. Perhaps it’s being able to see the other birds so clearly when they’re feeding or maybe because these are often colorful. But, whatever it’s if you hang one of these in your garden you’ll get to enjoy bird watching out your window.

Mayoor Patel is the writer for the website http://www.bird-feeders.wares-are.us/. Please visit for information on all things concerned with Glass Bird Feeders

There are three tools that are essential to even beginning the process of shaping a tree for bonsai. First you need a pair of Shears, which will allow you to do the fine work of trimming in a small space. These scissors should be sharp & you should only use them for bonsai work. You may want to attempt a small set of pruning shears to start with.

The most important piece of equipment is Concave cutters; allow you to cut branches off of the tree & leave behind a concave wound. The wound will heal much faster than a straight cut, & will callous over in such a way as to make it very hard to tell a cut has been made at all.

Another important piece of equipment is wire cutters. Sometimes you’ll want to position & train branches; for this you’ll use some chopper wire, which very flexible to bent, & after that sets & holds her position. You’ll need the wire cutters after completing this kind of work & you’re satisfied with the shape & you’ll have to take off the wire. These wire cutters allow you to cut the wire right up to the tree’s bark, without harming the tree. Other tools could be very help-fulin working with trees; they make certain tasks easier & allow you to do more things with your trees; but are not as necessary as the ones presented above:

? Knob Cutters are very similar to the concave cutters listed above, except that they have a spherical head, which allows you to cut branches & leave a small hollowed out scar.

? Sometimes you’ll have to deal with branches larger than the diameter of either concave or knob cutters; for this you should use a folding saw; are very important for working with big trees.

? When you’re working with really small trees or really twiggy growth where it’s hard to get larger shears in close you’ll need a pair of small scissors. If you have to deal with small trees or you want to do detail work on smaller trees.

? When you really need to repot a tree, first you’ll need to clear away dirt from the root ball, for this you’ll need to have a root rake. It’s used to comb out the roots & to get rid of dirt.

? Tweezers have all sorts of purposes in bonsai; from pinching back new growth & pruning to removing un-wanted objects from your bonsai. Most bonsai tweezers will have a small trowel on the end, useful for patting down moss, sowing seeds, & many other odds & ends.

If you want to find more about Bonsai Trees, check my newest e-book about bonsai care. It’s called The Secrets of Bonsai & it’s very informative.

Sincerely, Marcian Bogaciu

http://www.best-web-stuff.com

After six years of reclaiming my lawn from the surrounding paddock I noticed that it is was not quite what I wanted despite my best efforts.

I began to make notes of what I was doing & a clear picture began to emerge.

First off let me say that I am not keen on chemicals so feeding with commercial fertilizer was not a preferred method for me. It was also a fairly expensive option as I have a lawn that is about 1/3rd of an acre in size. Initially I was feeding with a weed & feed product which seemed to control the weeds to a certain extent but did little, if anything, for the lawn. So I stopped that.

Secondly when mowing I left the clippings on the lawn, having read somewhere that mowing the lawn diminished the nitrogen content. Apparently this was compensated for by not collecting the grass clippings. There is more. There was one negative to this. Not having a grass catcher meant that there were lines of clippings left lying on the lawn. This disappeared after three days but was unsightly until then.

I NEVER watered my lawn, relying rather on natural rainfall to do the job. In summer this was disastrous as it would often not rain for weeks on end. The result was that my clay soil got rock hard & then when it did rain the water ran off faster than it could seep into the soil! These dry spells also helped bring out the weeds.

During a business trip one day I spotted a stunning lawn within 15 kilometres of my own home. I myself made a note of the address & vowed to return one day to both compliment & question the owner.

Having spent some considerable time on the internet trying to solve my problem it was many weeks (maybe even months) before I remembered the promise to myself. So on a Saturday I set off, with note book & camera in hand, to speak to the owner of the wonderful lawn that I had previously seen.

My luck was in.

Not only was the owner home but he had just finished mowing his lawn! It was a perfect opportunity & he was more than happy to chat about his lawn.

His lawn looked absolutely perfect immediately after being cut, something mine took three days to do. I also noticed that he had no lines of clippings lying around.

During our discussion I discovered the following:

• In an attempt to encourage the turf to spread & hence smother any weeds, I was cutting my lawn too low.
• He was mowing twice or two times a week during the growing season to my once. Believe me this makes a enormousdifference.
• He had a mulch mower with a catching bag. Do you follow? This will be my next purchase.
• He did not use commercial fertilizer but relied rather on earth worms to keep his soil healthy. Worms were encouraged by the continuous spreading of compost over the lawn on a regular basis.
• He had a regular supply of cheap compost made primarily from the grass clippings he collected twice or two times a week.
• He had an automatic pop-up sprinkler system with a regulated timing device & could control the exact amount of water going on to his lawn.
• His lawn was absolutely weed-free, or at least I never saw any.

Most of what he was doing confirmed what I had learnt from my internet research but I still wanted to know a couple of things. 1.Was his water bill astronomical? He assured me it was less than it had been when he was watering by hand. The good grass cover also suppressed the weeds & he had more time to enjoy his garden. 2.How did his compost system manage to give him a regular supply of good compost? Known as a Compost Tumbler it produced magnificent compost every 14 days. Again he assured me, & demonstrated, that the work involved was minimal. I was sold. We have since become good friends & regularly compare notes to see who has the best lawn.

I have installed an automatic sprinkler system & bought myself a compost tumbler.

I saved hundreds of dollars $ by installing the automatic pop-up sprinklers myself (it took a weekend & a bit to do).

The compost is working brilliantly, albeit with a little more work than my new friend, as I have to rake up my clippings by hand.

The grass is greener on this side of the fence.

Lawrence Bredenkamp. A keen novice gardener who lives on 2.2 acres of land. My grass is greener than yours. http://test4best.com/Lawncare.html

Lavender has become a strong symbol of the Italian garden & subsequently the Tuscan style garden & it is use will clearly suggest a Mediterranean feel in any garden. However it does require some quite specific maintenance & the number of old, woody & dying lavender plants in many gardens stand as strong testament to this fact.

A plant of Mediterranean origin, it thrives on free draining soils & adores full sun but these factors alone are not enough to keep the lavender plant healthy & vigorous. Like most Mediterranean plants the lavender has become used to being burnt in scrub fires & thus requires e reproduction of these conditions in our gardens (see www.lifeinitaly.com/garden/pruning.asp)

To maintain your lavender plant in perfect condition the most important maintenance steps are these;

- prune the dead flower stalks off after flowering with secateurs, without cutting into the leaves

- apply a pottassium based fertiliser in the autumn to aid root growth

- prune harder into the leaf layer with shears in March (or when growth starts) & leave a shape that follows the natural shape of the plant, without cutting lower than where the vegetative growth starts (into the brown part of the stem).

- apply a gravel-based mulch at around 3-4 inches

- apply a Nitrogen, Pottassium & Phosphorous fertilizer & water well.

If these steps are followed then your lavender plant will most definitely flourish!

Here in Tuscany they say that a lavender will die after 7 ears if it is not pruned correctly!

Good varieties are;

Lavandula officinalis
Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote blue’ or
Lavandula stoechas

For more tips on growing Mediterranean plants see www.lifeinitaly.com/garden/lavender-plants.asp or www.web-ecologica.com

Jonathan Radford is an English landscape designer, dedicated to creating ecological, Italian-style gardens from his base in Siena, Tuscany.

Contact him at info@web-ecologica.com

Anyone who prefers to buy their vegetables & flowers from the local grocery store will have a hard time understanding the gardener’s delight digging into a smelly pile of compost, or having a truck load of manure dumped in their yard. Really, who in their right mind, would pay to have a substance excreted by animals brought to their home?

A gardener. One who knows that good manure & compost can be the difference between a lush garden & a sparse, struggling one. And lets not forget the aroma, a gardener will describe the smell of compost or manure, as “sweet”, or “rich”, the average person, with no interest in gardening, is more likely to use the word “disgusting”.

An experienced gardener knows that compost & manure are the life-blood of a garden. It is the primary way to enrich your soil naturally, & provide all the nutrients your plants will need to grow healthy & strong. Do you follow? The addition of compost & manure can transform even the worst soil into black gold, given enough time.

Composting is a natural biological process where bacteria, fungi & other organisms decompose organic materials such as leaves, grass clippings, & food wastes. There is more. There is more. The resulting product is called compost. Even though composting occurs naturally, the process can be accelerated & improved by human intervention.

Where do you start?

In this article the focus will be on composting. If you are new to gardening, knowing how to start & build a good compost bin may seem a little complex, you may ask, “How do I build a compost bin” or “What can I put in my compost bin”. Overall, making compost is relatively simple.

We will focus on compost bins & tumblers. There is more. There is more. Tumblers are excellent alternatives for gardeners living in the city who may not have room for a compost bin, or where city bylaws prohibit open compost bins. Putting kitchen scraps in the compost bin versus the garbage can have the added benefit of reducing foul odors. You will also have the peace of mind knowing you are contributing less garbage to the local landfill.

It is best to have two compost bins, one for fresh compost additives, & the other for use in your garden each season. Using two compost bins ensures you will always have good compost at the start of each gardening season. If you prefer to use tumblers, the same principal applies. One is in development, the other is ready to use.

There are two ways of composting, “Passive” & “Managed”.

Passive composting

This is really very basic. You have a compost bin; you throw in all the various kitchen scraps, yard waste & so on. Once in a while, you mix it up; weather, bacteria, fungi & time do the rest. Hopefully, each year, you will have useable compost. Often referred to as “The Lazy Gardener’s Compost”.

Managed composting

This requires more time & attention than passive composting, but the resulting compost will be ready sooner, & better quality. A managed compost pile is often referred to as hot compost since the pile heats up as it decomposes, thus speeding up the process.

A managed compost bin can be ready in just 6 weeks, however, unless you are using tumblers, in most cases useable compost will probably take 2 to 3 months. Chopping or shredding leaves & other materials will speed up the process drastically.

Most of the organisms that decompose organic matter in a compost bin are aerobic - this means they need air to survive, so air circulation is important. This can be done by mixing (turning the top & sides of the pile into the center) the pile up every 3 or 4 days, or when the compost begins to feel cool. Building a bin with slats allows air to enter the pile from the sides. Using both methods is best.

How fast you produce finished compost will be determined by what you add to your compost, if you chop it up & how you mix them together. Layering is a common technique, but in most cases, redundant if you hand mix the pile.

The temperature of your compost pile is critical - If it is warm or hot, everything is good. If it feels luke warm, decomposition has slowed down & you really need to add more materials such as grass clippings, leaves or kitchen waste. If you prefer to be very precise with the management of your compost, a compost thermometer can be often used see how well your compost is doing. Do you follow? They are not expensive & readily available. If you can not buy locally, you will easily find them online.

Keeping your compost pile moist is important. Too dry, & the pile will not decompose as quickly. A compost pile should be moist, but not wet - add water or dry matter as required to maintain this balance. To much water will reduce air in the compost thus slowing down the decay process. A good sign of healthy compost is worms. Right. Worms do not like it too cold, too hot, too wet or too dry - they can be often used to monitor the condition of your compost.

A new compost pile will begin to heat up within a few days as the microorganisms thrive & your pile begins to decompose. Ideally, your pile should heat to about 140-160 degrees to kill weed seeds & diseases that may be present in garden plants.

Building a compost bin

A compost bin can be made from almost any scrap lumber. It does not need to be pretty; it simply has to hold all the different household & yard waste you will be adding to it… See the image to your right; this is typical of a compost bin.

A good design will be at least 3′ x 3′ x 3′. This will provide enough mass to generate best temperatures. A bin should incorporate removable front panels, usually in the form of boards, which can be removed one at a time. This is important since the weight of mature compost against a single large panel may make it impossible to open. If you want to get fancy, you can add a gate on the front.

There are many ways to build a compost bin, the details of which are too lengthy for this article. However - a simple search on Google using the term “How to build a compost bin” will provide numerous links to websites offering you many ways to go about building a compost bin. One website in particular that offers excellent information & drawings is: http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/agguides/hort/g06957.htm This website offers a few alternatives for composting which we do not have room to include here. One is heap composting & the other is worm composting - even though worms can, & should be added to any compost bin, regardless of design.

Compost bins need to be turned by hand (mixed) to help with the decomposing process & help recently added scraps decompose quicker. Mixing helps improve overall quality of your compost.

Compost tumblers

You have probably seen these on Internet or at your local garden shop. Basically, they are a round tub, mounted on a frame, or base, designed to turn compost & speed development. Many will also collect compost tea (excess nutrient rich moisture that seeps into the base of the tumbler).

Compost tumblers are perfect if space is limited, or city bylaws do not permit open compost bins. There is more. There is more. They are also ideal if you have a small garden & do not need a large bin. These bins work by rotating the bin every few days, which can speed up compost development by as much a 3 times. There is more. There is more. The rotation helps to mix compost evenly & create very good compost.

Pictured is a compost tumbler called the “Envirocycle Composter” which retails at $130 to $160 US.

What can you put in your compost?

• Grass Clippings (thin layers 1 - 2 inches)
• Leaves & yard waste
• Flowers
• Dead plants from end of season garden
• Weeds without seed heads
• Fruit & vegetable scraps
• Coffee grounds
• Tea bags
• Egg shells
• Citrus fruits (cut up)
• Pure wool jumpers & socks (cut up)
• Pure cotton articles (cut up)
• Blood & bone (with no meat)
• Shredded newspaper
• Small amounts of wood ash

Do not add the following to your compost!

• Any Type Of Plastic
• Foam
• Metal
• Weeds with seeds (personal recommendation)
• Bulbous weeds
• Weeds with runners
• Pet Droppings
• Dead Vertebrate Animals
• Uncooked Meats
• Cooked Meats
• Diary Products (Except Egg Shells)
• Pig manure (questionable parasites & bacteria)
• Big woody twigs
• Evergreen needles (unless you want an acidic compost)

Troubleshooting

Composting is generally not a problem & easy to do. However - occasionally things do not progress as expected & this can usually be attributed to a few common problems. Here are the most common problems & solutions:

• Bad odor There is not enough air, or your pile is too wet. Mix the pile, or add dry materials to the pile.
• Not decomposing Pile may be to dry or wet. If dry, mix the pile & moisten as you turn the compost. If wet, mix the pile & add more dry material.
• Compost feels right, but not heating up Lack of nitrogen - add items like grass clippings, manure, & other greens
• Animals attracted to the compost Are you adding meat or milk products to the pile. Avoid scraps likely to attract animals.

Compost is the best natural fertilizer for your garden. In most cases, it contains all the nutrients your plants will need. Compost made with a wide variety of materials, including manure (recommended) is the best.

Compost is the best natural material to enrich & build soil. If you want black gold, you need compost. Experienced gardeners know that healthy soil, rich in organic matter, will grow healthier plants that naturally resist disease, insects, & adverse weather. Now, I ask, what more could a gardener ask for.

By Henry Reinders. Avid gardener & owner of http://www.usagardener.com Complete on line gardening guide.

For some residents in a neighborhood in Tampa Florida, the streets are very well kept & the trees are nature’s pride: big trees of oak.

However, all these prettiness changed when one resident decided that enough is enough, he ripped his yard up & installed artificial grass.

Though there’re those who think that having a synthetic artificial lawn grass is pathetic, there’re those who think otherwise.

Believe it or not, this coming summer will be witness to a lot more people from the suburban areas that are to install yards upon yards of artificial grass.

This is lawn faux grass that is somehow very lifelike & real that people could be easily fooled to think they are what they appear to be, & pets actually think it is real.

The fact of the matter is that spending on artificial grass is supposed to rise by a ¼ this coming year at businesses as well as homes. There is more. This basically translates to a revenue of two hundred & fifty million more. Compare this to a real lawn grass that need to be maintained, trimmed, sprinkled, etc. & an artificial grass that solely needs to be blow dried.

Why artificial grass?

Though this prospect is tempting for some, it is unthinkable for a lot of other people. There are still those suburban residents that find artificial grass tacky & surreal.

Some residents still find a reason to complain on artificial grass. For them, artificial grass looks just too lushly fake in the cold, cold dead winter. This has even prompted some neighborhoods to ban the use of artificial grass altogether.

For the research director of the National Association of Gardening, having artificial grass is like having a toupee on your lawn.

But there’re still positive perks from having artificial grass. For one, the artificial grass industry thinks that there’re advantages of faux lawn grass.

One benefit is the decrease in the care of one’s lawn. Thereby saving anyone & virtually everyone money & energy.

Artificial grass is also one way to decrease the use of fertilizers. It also helps neighborhood & households comply with the restrictions with regards to the use of water especially in areas that experience a lot of drought.

Take for example an area in New Mexico, particularly Albuquerque which actually offer five hundred dollars $ to those residents who have a part of their lawn converted to landscape & which need less water.

Same laws are also enforced in Arizona at Mesa as well as in Las Vegas. Simply put, for all those who really want to see lush green grass, the use of artificial grass is a good alternative.

For those homeowners who prefer the artificial grass, the reasons are simple. One artificial grass user has found it help-fulthat his son no longer drags mud inside their house.

Though the fact of the matter is that he also had to pad some areas of the lawn in order for the child not to hurt himself ? it cost three hundred dollars.

Another benefit is that artificial grass bring no bugs.

Also, artificial grass ? like real lawn grass ? comes in varieties. There are those who are garden lush variety artificial grass that has a recently-been-mowed look. This type of grass costs an average of thirty thousand dollars.

The plus is that it simply needs to be airblowered once after quite a long while.

How did fake grass become so hip?

It all started in the 1970’s when football teams as well as baseball teams decided to install artificial grass in stadiums all over the country.

Though fans claimed it as an ugly alternative, as well as dangerous & totally unnatural, it was actually a low maintenance & low cost landscaping phenomenon.

Until there were athletes that tore their ligaments & broke their bones due to the artificial grass.

All in all, the use of artificial grass depends much on a person’s preference, style, need & budget. What one could see as ugly could be beauty to another person’s perspective.

The important thing is that all the benefits & disadvantages are properly weighed by the potential user of the artificial grass & from there decide which is best as according to his long term likes & dislikes.

Lee Dobbins writes for http://grasses.garden-g8way.com where you can learn more about lawns & grasses & even a bit about artificial grass.

Bird feeders come in a variety of styles & a variety of sizes. There are many traditional bird feeders, like hanging bird feeders, platform bird feeders, suet bird feeders, window bird feeders & of course hummingbird feeders. But what about the more completely unique bird feeders, the bird feeders that stray from the traditional idea? There are those too.??

Unique bird feeders can add a sense of whimsy to your backyard or garden. Unique bird feeders can help express who you’re & what you like. Unique bird feeders can also act as pieces of art in your yard or garden, as pieces of discussion & conversation. Unique bird feeders can be very beautiful to look at, even when there’re no birds eating from them.

Some ideas for completely unique bird feeders would include bird feeders that are in the shape of animals, but have a feeding spot for birds. Another completely unique bird feeder would be a sconce type bird feeder that hangs on a fence or on the side of the house or storage shed. These completely unique bird feeders can come in many different styles including shapes of flowers, shapes of mythical creatures or even ancient artifacts. These truly completely unique bird feeders will attract not just the wild birds, but also the admiration of your family & friends.??

When you use a completely unique bird feeder, a bird feeder that may seem hard to find your family & friends will see how much pride & time you take in making your garden or backyard a place of beauty & a true reflection of who you are. Unique bird feeders can easily be easily found on the internet. They can be shipped right to your mailing address, & you do not have to worry about going to many stores, driving around, & using up a great deal of your time. All you simply have to do is find the completely unique bird feeder that you want to add to your garden right here, on line & have it shipped to you!

Unique bird feeders can be displayed in your garden or yard. Unique bird feeders can offer wild birds with nourishment in the winter & the summer months. Unique bird feeders are a great addition to your home by adding a sense of personality to your outside living space. Enjoy your completely unique bird feeders like are wonderful pieces of art, because they are.

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Pam Caouette has had a wonderful garden full of wild birds. She is also the lead author for aplusbirdfeeders.com Learn more about wild birds & bird feeders at http://www.aplusbirdfeeders.com

Bonsai seed germination is the official term for the fine art of multiplying your bonsai plant. It’s where, like most plants, seeds sprout after a short period of being dormant or stagnant. A lot of factors influence the dynamics of germinating bonsai seeds. There is more. This includes, but is not limited to: time, water, temperature, oxygen & light. As a bonsai owner, you should know the vitality of each of these factors in order to make your bonsai seed germination as profitable & productive as possible.

Bonsai seed germination requires patience on your part. OK. Seed doesn’t grow overnight in any plant, & your bonsai is no exception. You’ll have to give an extensive amount of time before you truly reap the benefits of sowing for your bonsai’s multiplication. The whole thing is an art itself of which you’re one of the biggest contributors. It may take so much time & effort, but when you see your bonsai plant grow, you’ll surely see that it’s worth all your time & effort.

One important fact to consider is that you can not germinate a sleeping seed. A sleeping seed is in the stage of dormancy. In essence, you really need to wake it to change it… The process of cold stratification is done for this very purpose. A sandwich bag may be sufficient for your seed or any other closed container with similar features. Moisten vermiculite & place it in the bag. For every single seed, there must be at least ten units of vermiculite. To stop infestation of fungi, you may also want to add other ingredients such as chemical solutions which are readily available for plant enthusiasts like you… Eighty or ninety days in the refrigerator usually does the trick to awaken the seeds. Doing them by bulk saves time & you’ll not worry about having compromised quality for as long as you have enough vermiculite to back it up.

There is one general technique of germinating bonsai, & since it’s an exotic plant, you really need to take extra care as you do it… Soak the seeds in lukewarm water for about two hours before sowing it… Then you can place it in a pot about 7 centimeters deep or deeper if you’re to germinate it outdoors. There is more. The aim of doing this is to have the bonsai seedling take root.

It is important to note that as soon as the seedlings have their roots on the soil where you have sown them, you really need to place it in its containers. Observe proper timing & do not do this on a winter. Find a time where you can do it in spring or summer. Before you transfer the plant, you really need to water it first a few hours before. Establish it in a safe & shady area for ½ a month with a steady stream of light & moisture.

Avid full time hobby bonsai grower. Has been practicing bonsai & gardening for much more then 8 years. Owner of http://www.mishobonsai.com, a website with ressource for Bonsai seeds & tree seeds.