Backyard Living - Backyard Living

Foolproof Geraniums

Sun, 11 May 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Many years ago, I maintained the grounds for an apartment complex. One elderly tenant always had the most fantastic geraniums on her balcony. She pulled up the plants each fall, shook off the dirt and stored them indoors for the winter. In spring, she'd prune them back to 4 to 6 inches and replant. The geraniums bloomed all summer long. —Lucy Aygarn, Norfolk, Virginia

Another Thrifty Use for Old Tires

Sat, 10 May 2008 05:00:00 GMT

I use old tires to make raised flower beds. Just take a roofing or utility knife and remove one sidewall of the tire by cutting it near the tread. Then just lace the tire upside down wherever you want your new flower bed.

The tire will help hold in moisture, so you won't need to water the plants as frequently. The tire keeps the plants' leaves from touching the ground. This gives your new garden a neater appearance, and it may help stave off some diseases, too. —Naomi Ochs, Independence, Missouri

Out of the Fog

Fri, 09 May 2008 05:00:00 GMT

To keep my glasses or work goggles from fogging up while doing yard work, I coat them with shaving cream, then wipe them dry with a cotton cloth. Marilyn Lawrence, Monticello, Iowa

Bowled Over

Thu, 08 May 2008 05:00:00 GMT

I buy old bowling balls at yard sales and thrift shops for my garden. I put them hole-side down, sometimes on the base of a birdbath. I've never spent more than $5 for these lawn ornaments, and they never break, fade—or move!—Christine Pinnell, Stockbridge, Georgia

Garden Club Giveaway Sponsors

Wed, 07 May 2008 15:33:23 GMT

Garden Club giveaway sponsors: Lifetime Products

Hula-Hoops for Flowerbeds

Wed, 07 May 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Hula-Hoops are wonderful for making perfect circles for flower beds—especially around mailboxes or small trees. Just cut through the hoop tubing and twist it "open" to get it around the tree or mailbox post. I've found old hula-hoops for reasonable prices at discount stores.

Host a Winter Feast

Tue, 06 May 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Cut down sunflower stalks, bundle them together and...

Where's Dottie?

Thu, 01 May 2008 20:15:46 GMT

Where's Dottie. OUr new online game to win prizes.

Prize Giveaway Contest Winners

Thu, 01 May 2008 20:09:19 GMT

prize giveaway winners

Ready, Set...Grow!

Thu, 01 May 2008 14:36:44 GMT

Take six basic landscaping steps to turn your backyard from barren to beautiful.

Northeast—May Checklist

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:46:32 GMT

May garden checklist.

Central—May Checklist

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:43:25 GMT

Central regional garden checklist, May

Northwest—May Checklist

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:43:08 GMT

regional garden checklist-Northwest

Southeast—May Checklist

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:42:31 GMT

Southeast regional gardening checklist, May

Southwest—May Checklist

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:42:11 GMT

Southwest regional checklist-May

Coleus Makes a Comeback

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 21:58:38 GMT

Container All-Stars

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Season-Long Color

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Join Our Backyard Garden Club!

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 21:16:14 GMT

A Vacation from Back Pain

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Tired of lugging around a pressure sprayer and its heavy contents? Use a luggage carrier with wheels and a coule of bungee cords to secure the sprayer.

Garden Memories of Daddy

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:23:57 GMT

Her vegetable garden yields memories of daddy.

Grill Table

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:04:06 GMT

Build your own grill table. It's a handy companion for your barbecue—and fold up for easy storage.

Dish-Soap Solution

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 05:00:00 GMT

To keep barn swallows from nesting too close to your house, run a small line of Joy dish detergent around the area. I don't know why this works, but it's kept the birds from building a nest over my back porch. —Mrs. E.C. Griffith

Shake It Up

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Reuse plastic grated-cheese containers as spreaders for grass seed. This is a great way to reseed small areas.

The shaker-top containers work well for sprinkling granular fertilizer around plants, too. Just be sure to re-label the container so you don't use it on food!—Irene Noel, Marquette, Michigan

No Pigeons Allowed

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 05:00:00 GMT

My father enjoys feeding birds, but got tired of pigeons eating the seeds that dropped from his feeder. He created a chicken-wire enclosure around the base of the feeder pole. A coat hanger supports the top of the enclosure so it doesn't sag if a pigeon or squirrel sits on it. The openings are big enough for small birds to pass through, but the pigeons are out of luck. They've moved on to look for food elsewhere!—Jean Tumbarello, Ellicott City, Maryland

Here's the Scoop

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Recycle a half-gallon plastic milk jug to make a scoop for birdseed‐the handle is already built it! I've been using this idea for many years. It's free and takes only a few minutes to cut. You can use these to scoop other items, too.—Trish Toczko, Richmond, Virginia

Play it Safe

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 05:00:00 GMT

When I'm done cooking on my gas grill, I always turn off the valve at the tank first. After the flame on the burner goes out, I turn its dial to "off." That way, I never have to worry whether the tank was shut off or not. This relieves pressure in the lines and makes the grill safe if young children happen to play with the buttons and dials.—Harold Roeber, Brown Deer, Wisconsin

Simplest Bench in the World

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 05:00:00 GMT

One of the easiest ways to make a good garden even better is to set a comfortable bench in a secluded corner. Just having a place to sit transforms an ordinary patch of flowers into a quiet contemplative refuge.

This Tool's a Cut Above

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 05:00:00 GMT

I have several perennials that can spread and become invasive, like bee balm, lily of the valley, feverfew, . To keep them in bounds

Simple Watering

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Drip irrigation system, reader idea

Mitch Contest Winners

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:25:19 GMT

Berry Fine Idea

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 05:00:00 GMT

To pick raspberries without dropping half the crop, cut 2 inches off the bottom of a 1-gallon plastic milk jug. Leave the cap on, turn the jug upside down and hold the scoop under the berries with one hand swhiel you pick with the other.

Goose Patrol

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Geese are very aggressive with intruders when they're feeding, so I thought goose decoys might work better than scarecrows to keep rabbits and crows away from my sweet corn. It worked!

Ladies and Pests

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 05:00:00 GMT

I've heard ladybugs are good for the garden because they eat aphids and other plant pests. How can I attract them?

Ground Covers

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Breaking Down Mulch

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 17:15:39 GMT

Breaking down mulch: finding the right mulch for your plants with inorganic and organic mulches.

Glen's Seed-Starting Tips

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Seeds are little miracles. They contain everything they need to become strong, sturdy plants ready and able to take on the world. As gardeners, our only job is to provide the right conditions for the magic to take place.

Plan Your Best Garden Ever!

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Plan your garden today with these 50 expert tips.

Trees & Shrubs for Hot, Dry Climates

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 05:00:00 GMT

You might think bigger plants would suffer without an abundant supply of water, but a surprising number of trees and shrubs hold up just find during drought conditions.

The Dahlia Brothers

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 05:00:00 GMT

More than 30 years of experience—and countless hours of help from his brother Ron—have helped Tony Konczal cultivate his astounding collection of nearly 200 dahlias. Arranged in 15 raised beds throughout his yard in Greendale, Wisconsin, his vibrant dahlias can be seen from blocks away. As neighboring gardeners watch their flowers wither and fade in late August, Tony's remain as bright as ever from midsummer through the first frost. Staggered planting times, he notes, are the key to continuous blooms.