What to do When Your Yard Floods

It’s been raining a lot lately and your yard has enough water for the kids to have a ball with their five-dollar snorkel sets you bought them for Christmas. Sure they’re having a blast exploring this new underwater grass world but you’re not as excited about the sudden swamp land. Not

only are you worried about a damaged lawn but you’re also worried about mold development on the porch and infrastructural damage to your home. You've got to get the water to drain, but how? Here is a simple way to remove water from your lawn.

Create a siphon – All you need to do is create a siphon and the only materials you need to do this are your hands and a garden hose. First you’ll have to locate a spot to direct the water. Maybe there is a nearby pond, river, or storm drain you can direct it too. If the kids are having a fun why not direct it into a kiddie pool so they can continue their scuba diving adventure there? Once you've found a good spot, go get your garden hose.

Coil the hose loosely so that it is localized but not kinked. Take one end of the hose and submerge it. Slowly lower the rest of the hose so that it is completely underwater. Watch the end of the hose that you submerged first and look for air bubbles forming on the surface of the water. As the air bubbles slow take your thumb or forefinger and block the opening to the hose. Remove this end of the hose from the water. 

This part is tricky so be careful. Next you want to bring the end of the hose over to the receptacle or location for disposing the water. As you walk away from your flooded lawn make sure that the other end of the hose stays submerged. You may want to recruit help for this part just in case. Once you arrive at the receptacle, storm drain. or pond, angle the garden hose so it is facing down and remove your finger or thumb. Watch as the water begins to flow through the hose and into the receptacle. The water should keep flowing until most of the water is drained from your lawn. The siphon wont be able to suck up every last drop but it will dramatically reduce the amount of water sitting on your lawn. 

Watering With the Faucet; What You Need

You don’t have to invest in an underground watering system, sprinkler system, irrigation system or any other timed device to water you garden. You can simply use the hose attached to an outside spigot and water from

there. As easy and effective as this method is, here are a few tools you may want to consider when using your spigot and hose. They could expedite the process.

Watering Wand – So you have an old gardening hose and one of those nozzles. Great! We have something better; a watering wand. A watering wand is great for watering anything from trees, to shrubbery, to seedlings. The water that comes out of a watering wand is full yet gentle. Enough water comes out to give your plants a nice drink yet soft enough not to harm smaller plants. The wand is helpful because it allows you to extend your reach up to hanging plants and right down to the soil of large bushes. To do this with a typical spray nozzle you’d have to bury your arm in the shrubbery and stand on your tiptoes to reach those hanging baskets.

Connectors and Valves – If you decide you don’t need a watering wand you should at least consider a faucet connector. Connectors allow you to hook up more than one hose to the faucet so if the kids want to run through the sprinkler but you also want to water the garden, both can run at the same time. Plus it’s easy to shut off one hose while leaving the other on.  

Quality Hoses – If you’re watering with an old garden hose then rolling up a dirty, kinked hose everyday is going to get old, and quick. Instead, invest in a coiled hose that will reach all sides of your garden but will recoil as soon as the water turns off. This will allow for easy, compact storage and ultimate organization. 

Watering at Noon Will Burn My Plants – Not!

You've always been told that you should never water you lawn or garden during the day because it could burn leaves, stems, and blades of grass. Not true. This myth is one of the biggest gardening lies circling the gardening community to date. We assure you that any burn marks you see on plants or blades of grass were not made by watering at high noon, but more likely the result of fungal or bacterial diseases. Now, before you start switching up your watering habits, keep in mind that watering in the evening, at night, or early morning is still great practice. Here is why.  

Evaporation – Your biggest concern, when it comes to watering in the afternoon, should be evaporation. The hotter and sunnier it is, the more water will evaporate and less water will make it to the root zone. On hot summer day, water can easily evaporate from the air before it lands on plants, and from there, it can continue to evaporate off of the leaves, steams, and flowers. Evaporation is costly, and you’ll find that you’ll have to run your sprinkler system twice as long just to keep your plants hydrated. Watering in the afternoon is taxing on the environment and costly to your bank account.

Fungal Diseases – Some of the most common plant diseases thrive in wet, warm conditions. By watering during the day, you’re making your plants a prime target for these diseases. At night, or in the early morning, when temperatures are cooler, and plant leaves and stems dry quicker, you'll be able to keep the risk of fungal diseases to a minimum. If your garden is currently hurting form fungal diseases, try watering at night when the air is dryer and cooler.

If you've been watering your plants in the evening, or early in the morning, to avoid plant burns, keep doing what you’re doing. Although watering in the afternoon won’t physically burn your plants, watering during the cooler times of day is better for your garden, the environment, and your wallet. Just remember, if your plants are thirsty, don't be afraid to give them a drink, even if it's in the middle of the afternoon! 

Become an Organized Gardener

A major part of having a successful garden is having an organized garden. Not an organized person, that’s okay; you don’t have to be naturally OCD to develop organizational skills. Just follow these easy tips to

becoming an organized gardener.

The Shed – Where do you keep your gardening tools? This is one of the biggest steps to becoming organized. If your tools aren't all kept in the same area, take time now to gather them. A good place to keep gardening tools is in a backyard shed. If you already have one, take some time this spring to clean it out and designate shelf space to all of your tools. Wood lattice hung on the back of the shed door makes a great surface for hanging trowels, spades, gloves, and other small gardening items you use often. 

Label Happy – One thing that will save your life is labels... learn to love them. Labels can be used, and should be used, everywhere. You can use them in the garden itself to label seedlings, you can use them in the shed to label buckets of tools, and you can also use them to label extra bags of seeds. Labeling will help you stay organized and could also help you save money. If you know where everything is, and what everything is, you won’t waste money buying seeds and tools you already have.

Game Plan – In order to be an organized gardener, you must not only organize your tools, you must also organize yourself. A growing garden requires tender loving care and plenty of regular maintenance. If you’re a disorganized person, then the best thing you can do for your garden is make a game plan. Sit down and craft a gardening schedule and stick to it! What days can you get out there and pull weeds and on what days will you have to rely on the automatic sprinkler system? If you construct a gardening plan, you’ll be less likely to forget about pruning, watering, weeding, and transplanting. 

April Showers ...

We all know the saying, “April showers bring May flowers.” Rain is essential for gardens, and yet many first-time gardeners don’t realize the dangers that the rainy season can bring. If you’re a gardener who relies on an automatic sprinkler system, then this blog post is for you… pay attention.

Automatic Sprinkler Systems – Automatic systems are great for the busy gardener. Instead of putting aside time to water the garden, the system will turn on automatically. We love automatic sprinkler systems; they’re real plant savers when life gets crazy, and they make it easy to keep gardens and lawns hydrated. There's only one flaw; automatic sprinkler systems don’t have brains. When it rains, the sprinkler system will still turn on. This problem; however, can be fixed… keep reading to find out how.

Rain Sensors – Let us introduce you to the rain sensor. Rain sensors were made to perfect the automatic sprinkler system and will alert the system not to turn on when there is moisture in the air. There are a few reasons it is harmful to water your garden during or shortly after it rains. First, it causes the ground to become over saturated; when this happens, runoff carries essential nutrients out of the soil. This is harmful for your plants. Second, it’s just plain wasteful, economically and financially. What will the neighbors think?

Long Term Investment – The best part about rain sensors is that most of them double as freeze sensors. This is important because most people leave their sprinkler systems on all the way until through the fall. When the temperature first begins to dip at night, most of the plants will survive; however, the problem arises when the sprinkler system kicks on and cold water freezes onto the leaves and stems. This blast of cold water can seriously damage and even kill a garden. A rain and freeze sensor will shut off an automatic sprinkler system if the temperature drops to low, effectively prolonging the life of your garden. 

Springtime Do’s and Don’ts

Spring is here, the sun is shining, and many of you are heading out to get those gardens in tip-top shape. Wait, before you go, take a look at these springtime gardening do’s and don’ts. What you do in your garden now will have a dramatic effect on how it performs the rest of the year, so pay attention!

Do Plant Seedlings – Toss down some grass seedlings as early as you can. Some gardeners hesitate to do this, because they’re afraid a late season frost will kill the seeds. This isn't true. Cool temperatures actually make watering easy, and grass seeds will still germinate if temperatures dip a little lower than expected. If a frost does roll in, not to worry, seedlings will wait to germinate until temperatures rise and they won’t be affected by the cold while their waiting. 

Don’t Over Mulch – Mulch is great for locking in moisture and keeping weed growth to a minimum, but still you should know that over-mulching can be a serious problem. Make sure to keep the mulch layer under two inches and never, ever, allow mulch to come in contact with the stem of your plants. When mulch builds up against a plant, it can cause serious health problems. Mulch can lock in excess moisture near the root zone and harm stem tissue. Plus, over-mulching can promote insects and diseases that wreak havoc on your plants.

Do Water Soil – As soon as you finish transplanting a potted plant, make sure to water the soil thoroughly. Doing so encourages the disturbed soil to settle and helps remove any air bubbles that were created as a result of digging. Make sure to let the soil dry out completely before watering again, you don’t want to drown your plants.

Don’t Plant Sensitive Annuals too Early – Wait to plant sensitive annuals until you’re sure they won’t be wiped out by a late frost. In the meantime, go ahead and plant cool season annuals. Cool season annuals fare much better in lower temperatures and have a better chance of surviving a late frost than warm season annuals do.

Benefits of Drip Irrigation

Irrigation is irrigation, right? Wrong. There are many different ways of irrigating your plants, so is your current method the best method for your garden or lawn? To find out, spend some time exploring each method. Here are some benefits of using drip irrigation.

First of all, what is drip irrigation? Drip irrigation allows water to drip directly onto the soil. Unlike a sprinkler system that sprays water into the air, drip irrigation delivers water slowly, drip by drip, to the base of the plant. You may be thinking, how could drip irrigation benefit my plants? You’re about to find out.

Efficient – First things first, drip irrigation is incredibly efficient. Sprinkler systems shoot water into the air and only a percentage of that water lands on the intended plants. Of the water that lands on the plants, only a fraction of that water actually makes it to the root system. Why does this happen? Evaporation, wind, runoff, and countless other factors keep water from making it to the intended target. This is why drip irrigation is so efficient. Since each drop lands directly onto the soil, no water is lost to the elements. Even though the process is slower, more water reaches the root zone, meaning that you waste less water in the process. You also don’t have to water as frequently, since water penetrates deep down into the soil. 

Healthy Root Development – We already mentioned that water from drip irrigation is able to penetrate deep into the root system. What does this do for your plants? When water penetrates deep into the soil, the root system grows deep, as well. The deeper the root system grows, the stronger the plant becomes. Remember, deep watering is achieved by watering slowly; you don't get much slower than drip irrigation. 

Pest Control – Moisture can cause water-born fungal diseases to develop on leaves and stems. Water also attracts harmful pests. If you’re looking to spare your plants from these hazards, drip irrigation is incredibly helpful. Since water is applied directly to the soil, the plants' vegetation stays dry and healthy. Plus, drip irrigation keeps soil in between individuals dry, which will help keep weed systems from developing. 

How to Plant a Garden

Are you ready to start your very first garden? Congratulation. Growing a garden is fun and incredibly rewarding. Not only will your efforts yield tasty produce and beautiful flowers, but you’ll also benefit from

being out in the fresh air. Follow these simple steps to starting your very own garden.

Garden Bed – First things first, designate a garden area. It can be close to the house or on the edge of your property, just keep the following in mind. You’ll be going out to your garden often, if not daily, so make sure it is easily accessible. On the other hand, if you entertain regularly, have small children, or pets, make sure your garden is not in the middle of the backyard. Instead, place it off to the side, where it won’t be easily disturbed. It’s best to place fencing around your garden even before you begin planting. This will keep vermin and small critters from trampling your plants. While choosing the perfect spot, keep in mind that most vegetables need a full eight hours of sunlight; pay attention to what areas get the most exposure.

Soil – Before you begin planting seedlings, it’s important to test your soil. In order for plants to grow big and tall certain nutrients must be present. Get your soil tested by a local gardening center to see if it lacks any of these nutrients; if it does, you can easily add them by using an appropriate fertilizer.

Watering System – Aside from sun and soil, plants also need a daily dose of fresh water. Before you get your hands dirty, make sure you have an easy and effective way of watering your garden. If your garden is small and close to the house, a simple gardening can or garden hose could do the trick. If the garden is not close to the house, perhaps you should attach a sprinkler head to the hose and run it out to the garden. If you don't think you'll have much time to spend in your new garden, then its’ probably best to invest in an automatic sprinkler system. 

Good luck as your begin planting your very first garden! 

Benefits of Harvesting Rain Water

Whether you live in an urban area or in the country, overusing your water supply can be taxing. For urban dwellers, over usage could mean high utility bills while country dwellers could find their well system distressed after running the faucet too long. For gardeners, the balancing game between keeping a healthy garden and not overusing water is a tough act. This is why both city and country residents should consider harvesting rain water from rain barrels.

Rain Barrels – A rain barrel is exactly what its name suggests; a barrel made to catch and store rain water. It may seem like an archaic method, but that’s because it is! Nearly 4,000 years ago, Middle Eastern natives trapped and stored rain water using this exact method. Now, in twenty-first century America, the rain barrel has returned. The following are some benefits of harvesting water from the sky. 

Plant Health –Contrary to popular belief, rain water is actually very healthy for plants -- healthier, in fact, than treated water from the tap. Evaporation is nature’s filtration system; when water evaporates, pollutants are left on the ground; when it rains, pollen, dirt, and small pollution particles are mixed with the droplets as they fall. Even after mixing with airborne pollutants, rain water is free of hard chemicals found in drinking water. Plants thrive on soft rain water free of chemicals. 

Money Saver – If you’re paying for your water, you’ll find that the more you use, the more expensive your bill becomes. Instead of racking up utility costs, why not use free, natural rain water for all outdoor purposes? We already know that rain water is healthier for plants than tap water so go ahead and hook your sprinkler system up to a rain barrel and stop worrying about high utility bills.

Environmentally Friendly – Rain water that drips off your roof will eventually make its way into the street; from there, it will continue down a storm drain and begin a long journey to an exit point where it will empty into a lake, stream, river, or ocean. Along its journey, the water picks up pollutants like oil, antifreeze, and pesticides, all of which end up nearby bodies of water. By capturing and storing rain water, you’ll keep excess water from dripping off your roof, entering the street and inevitably polluting local bodies of water. This isn't the only way you’ll be helping the environment. As the population grows and the demand for fresh water increases, more and more resources are being drawn from the aquifer. The aquifers are being stressed under the weight of municipal water demands, and rain barrels can help relieve Mother Nature from her burden. 

Spring Gardening – It’s Time

Spring is right around the corner, and we’re excited to get back in the garden. Are you ready for springtime garden prep? For those of you who are new gardeners and don’t know how to prepare your garden for springtime, not to worry, as these steps will help you and your yard say goodbye to winter and welcome summer with open arms.

                                               

Trim and Divide Perennials – As the days grow longer and warmer, your perennial plants will come out of dormancy and begin to grow. Before this happens, you want to make sure you set them up with the best growing conditions possible. First, make sure you prune all plants before new buds have a chance to develop. Pruning stimulates growth and will help your plant thrive. Second, split up perennials that are competing for space. Dividing individuals will help them grow tall, since they won't have to compete for water and nutrients. 

Winter Mulch – In the fall, many gardeners like to cover the ground around perennials with a thick layer of mulch. This helps insulate the ground and protect the root system from frost. Once spring arrives and your plants come out of dormancy, pull away this layer of mulch. Don’t throw it away though; if there is an unseasonably late chill, you’ll want to have it handy to protect your exposed plants.

Plant Cool Annuals – Spring is a finicky season. One day it feels like summer, and the next you’re sure snow is in the forecast. In order to prevent garden casualties due to weather inconsistency, plant cool weather annuals in your garden first. Annuals that favor cool weather are perfect for early spring because they can tolerate the frost. As spring turns into summer, replace your early spring annuals with summer-loving annuals that thrive in the heat.