David's Landscaping Blog

Comparing someone to "a fish out of water" is a proverbial expression used to indicate that someone is out of their element. But while fish don't last very long out of the water, humans who don't know how to swim (or float, at least) fail to last very long in the water, when they're in over their heads and unaided by a flotation device. Thus the need for these swimming pool safety tips from About's Pool and Patio Guide. Lisa Hallett Taylor discusses "7 layers of protection for swimming pool safety" in this article, ranging from pool fences to shepherd's hooks.

Read article: Swimming Pool Safety Tips

In landscape design and maintenance, it is most certainly possible to have too much of a good thing. Properly used, mulch can enhance your landscape design aesthetically and reduce landscape maintenance requirements. But mounding up mulch around a tree to form a little volcano can damage a tree, as illustrated in this article.

I love the way the author of the article makes the point, quoting urban forester, Alan Siewert as referring to an "epidemic" that will be responsible for more tree deaths over a 10-15 year period "than gypsy moths and all the natural pests we have." What is this epidemic? Homeowners who use too much mulch around their trees!

The very mention of "gypsy moths" makes many people cringe. I was lucky when my region had its worst outbreak of gypsy moths, back in 1981. I was overseas at the time, so I avoided the invasion. My parents told me horror stories of not wanting even to step out of the house, so overpowering was the gypsy moth presence! All I could think of was, "This is Alfred Hitchcock material!"

Orange, along with red and yellow, is considered one of the "warm colors." Flowers in these colors will be the real eye-catchers of the yard. Blue, purple and green, by contrast, being the "cool colors," blend more easily into a relaxing meditation garden, for instance. But orange flowers are born attention-grabbers; if you wish to draw visitors into a space, create a focal point using them. I provide examples of orange flowers in this photo gallery.

View gallery: Pictures of Orange Flowers

Is the goal of achieving continuous color in the garden throughout the summer realistic? Marie Iannotti sums up her answer to this question as follows: "Trying to manipulate a sequence of bloom in the garden is part art, part science and a good part luck." As far as the art and science go, About's Gardening Guide offers advice that will help you achieve continuous color in the garden in this article. You're on your own, though, when it comes to the luck!

Steve Nix offers a checklist of tips meant to lay the groundwork for a fire safety plan to help you protect your property from wildfires. "If you copy this Firewise checklist and follow the suggestions, you and your property will be safer and less susceptible to damage from a forest fire," writes About's Forestry Guide. You'll especially want to pay heed to Steve's advice if you live in an area prone to wildfires.

Using fertilizer spreaders is just one of a number of ways to fertilize the lawn. If you wish to stay organic, for instance, you can simply spread compost on your lawn, manually, to keep it green. Others like to hook up liquid fertilizers to a garden hose. There are even organic lawn fertilizers that you can buy in liquid form.

But if fertilizer spreaders seem to be your best option, read my review before buying. Fertilizer spreaders on wheels fall into 2 categories: broadcast and drop fertilizer spreaders. Learn the difference, as well as the specifics on a particular drop brand, Scotts AccuGreen.

Read review: Fertilizer Spreaders

If you love summer, then you may abhor the very thought of autumn's approach. But if you love saving money, then you'd better start planning for fall flowers now. Remember, planning before planting is the hallmark of effective landscaping. And planning is especially important for those who are landscaping on a budget. This article on fall flowers discusses the frugal approach to achieving an autumn landscape that looks like a million bucks!

Read article: Fall Flowers

Pest control oils "need to be sprayed directly on the pests, to be effective," writes Marie Iannotti. But pest control oils can be confusing to beginners. With labels like "dormant oil," "summer oil" and "superior oil," who's to know which is which? Well, About's Gardening Guide knows, and she has all the answers in this article on pest control oils.

In May, I had to spray a pest control oil on my new ninebark shrub. I found it suddenly infested with aphids one day! I'm glad to report that the pest control oil did the trick.

Are tree pests pestering your prized specimens? Before you can act, you need to identify the tree pests properly. Steve Nix, About's Forestry Guide, supplies this handy resource for identifying tree pests. Among the better known tree pests included are tent caterpillars and gypsy moths.

Is your lawn riddled with "dog spots?" Yes, achieving dog-friendly landscaping requires some compromises. Problem is, it's you who have to do most of the compromising, not your dog! My article on dog-friendly landscaping posits what may seem an impossible goal: creating a yard that's dog-friendly yet still pleasing to the eye. But if you're tired of seeing those dog spots, you'll want to suspend your disbelief and give this article a read.

Read article: What to Do About Dog Spots