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Quick Tips For Reviving Window Shutters

admin — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Many homes have window shutters built along side the sides of the windows. These window shutters often aren’t to cover the windows, as was the case when shutters first were installed on homes, but are now more for decorative purposes. The shutters help bring out the and add interest to the windows, plus the little accent notes are extremely helpful, in order to create interest. However, over time your window shutters might have fallen in disrepair, or just don’t look as good as they originally did.Never heard of this before? Get up to speed here. When this occurs, you need to use a few different tips in order to revive the window shutters and return the overall look back to the shutters and your house.

With window shutters, you first need to clean them. Because of the groves on the shutters it is possible for them to collect dirt and begin to look weathered and worn down. Simply removing the dirt from the shutters is going to help spruce the overall look of the house up.

On top of this, having a new color of paint applied to the shutters is a great way to adjust the overall look of your house. Painting the shutters if far less expensive than painting the entire house, and you should be able to perform the entire process with just a few gallons of paint. Just make sure to change all of the accent points of the house to this color of paint. This helps keep everything unified and together. If you have one object that is of a different color from the rest of the house and the window shutters, it is going to immediately draw interest, and although it is possible to use this to your advantage, you might want to avoid this, especially if the one object is more of an eye sore than anything else.

How to Build Your Own Water Garden

admin — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Looking for the perfect way to liven up that Brook Knoll yard? Are you out of things to do after your latest project of installing that Brook Knoll ADT security system or what have you? Maybe what you need is a water garden!

A water garden can be both a decorative piece of lawn furniture and a relaxing set piece to be enjoyed by all but there’s a lot involved in making one happen. The old adage of measuring twice and cutting once has never been truer and you’re going to be doing that once you figure out what kind of water garden you want, where to put it and the shape of it. Then you need to dig it and put a lining on the bottom to keep the water in. You’ll also need to hook up a skimmer and a waterfall tank so that the water is constantly moving.

A water garden is a complex lawn ornament but if you can manage to get one set up or, and I advise this, get one professionally put in, you’ll have a lawn you can be proud of.

How to Build Your Own Potting Bench

admin — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

I am one of those people who hate to throw things away. Several years ago when my cheap, two-burner gas grill no longer worked, I took another look and imagined “potting bench’. I thought about using the actual grill for the potting soil, but it would still look like a grill. I decided to keep my soil in a plastic trashcan.

With the grill removed and donated to the trash, I had a gaping hole in the center of my new potting bench. I looked around and found an eight-inch shelving board that, when cut in half, filled it in perfectly. With the shelves on the sides, I now had a four-foot long working area, large enough for all my potting needs.

My old grill has a metal shelf on the bottom where I keep spare pots and fertilizers. The two wheels under one side and the handles on the other make it portable so that I always find a cool, shady spot to do my potting. When not in use, it sits in my garage. Hooks on the upright side posts meant for grilling tools now hold the gardening tools I use most. Best of all, it was free.

How to Build Your Own Earth Oven

admin — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Building your own earth over isn’t very difficult at all by following a few easy steps. You’ll need a shovel, a wheelbarrow, some lumber, a tarp, some buckets and a tape measure. Make the floor of the oven by laying red bricks in level sand about 5 to 6 inches deep. Try to keep the bricks level and not to flush against each other. Now, form a pile of dampened sand on the bricks and your ready to mix the mud. Clay found in the dirt should feel slimy and smooth and is the best for your earth oven. Use your tarp, mixing a little water at a time to get the right consistency. Form the mud mix over the damp sand using sheets of wet newspaper in between. This process could take several weeks to dry but you must wait before removing the sand form so not to damage the structure. When dry, remove the sand form initially built and start tunneling the door. You can make these as large or small as you need them. Always keeping in mind the things and size of them you want to bake is the size of the oven you will need.

Five Great Do-It Yourself Greenhouse Plans

admin — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

If you like to do things yourself, building your own greenhouse can be lots of fun and will save you a tremendous amount of money. The internet has made building your own greenhouse even easier as you can find many different kinds of plans right on your computer. One great greenhouse plan is the portable greenhouse also known as a “hot bed.” This type only takes a few hours to assemble, is relatively cheap and is easy to move around. A grow house greenhouse plan is similar to the looks of a fridge. It doesn’t take up much space because it is tall and thin with plenty of shelf space for growing. An arching greenhouse is not portable and is made with PVC which is cheap also. Arching greenhouses are large enough for you to walk in and even allow space for a hydroponic water system to be set up. Another great plan is the lean-to greenhouse which is made to lean against an existing house or fence. These are very sturdy and can made as large as you want. The last great plan is a row house. This is where you build the greenhouse over the existing rows in your garden.

Three Soil Amendments that Every Gardener Should Know About

admin — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Three Soil Amendments that Every Gardener Should Know About
Savvy gardeners know most things in gardening usually come in threes. For instance, it takes sufficient air, water and sunshine to produce bountiful gardens. When these three elements are scrutinized, there are at least three more factors for each element.

Air
Ambient air temperatures work best for healthy, flourishing gardens. Plants survive in clean air devoid of pollutants, smog or smoke which tends to elevate air temperatures and create a barrier for the oxygen plants need for growth. Conversely, air that is too frigid will destroy most plants. Plants generally adapt to the length of the growing season. This is the reason a gardener should be well acquainted with the growing zones for their particular region.

Water – An Essential For A Healthy Garden
Watering your garden requires attention to the amount of water each plant needs to survive. Clean, fresh water helps plants react in combination with air and sunshine. Note the soil’s condition for an indication of how much water your garden needs.

Sunshine Softly, The Garden Grows
Few plants thrive without sufficient sunlight. Sunlight should be balanced and adapted for the individual needs of each type of plant.