No matter where you live, the cold weather is bound to have some sort of effect on your patio. You may see an accumulation of dirt, leaves, and other matter. Salt and snow can also wear down floors and railings. With winter coming to an end, it may be a good time to get your patio ready for summer. Sweep Up The winter months are filled with snow storms and high winds that blow debris onto the patio. Grab a broom, and sweep the patio clear of dirt, sticks, and other accumulation. Starting with a clean patio will make it easier to see what else needs to be done. Power Wash If the surface of your patio is made of wood or cement, you may want to give it a good wash job with a power washer. This will remove any deeply ingrained dirt. Be careful not to spend too much time washing any particular area of the patio; a power washer can create holes in a soft surface if the stream is directed at a narrow angle. Shade Your Patio  You should try to find a way to shade the patio. Providing shade on your patio can increase its usefulness during inclement weather. It will also offer protection from the hot sun. If you want a covered patio, you should decide between a simple awning or umbrella and a more permanent type of covering. Or if you would prefer, you can plant one or more well placed trees to provide natural shade in the coming years. Screen-In Your Patio Another improvement you may want to consider is a screened-in patio. A screened-in patio will make the patio more comfortable when the weather is bad. It will also keep biting insects at bay. You can add the screen yourself or contact one of the many companies who specialize in patio additions. Decorate Every patio looks nicer when it is embellished with flowers. It may be worth your time to talk to a master gardener to help you pick out just the right flower arrangements. Keep in mind that flowers will have to be watered on a regular basis and will also attract bees and other insects. Think about Patio Furniture Finding the right furniture for your patio may be the most important part of your pre-summer preparations. Depending on how big the patio is, you may have to limit the number of chairs or swings you have on it. Although it may be nice to extend an invitation to everyone you know, it makes more sense to only have enough chairs or swings that can fit on the patio without people being too close to each other. Part of the fun of enjoying your patio is to be relaxed, and your visitors may not be able to do that if they’re piled one on top of another. The type of furniture you get for your patio will depend not only on your budget, but on your personal taste as well. Accessorize Your Patio  No patio would be complete without personal accessories to set it apart from every other patio in the neighborhood. Some people like wind chimes. Others prefer prisms that reflect the sun in numerous directions and colors. You could also put up a few strings of Christmas lights to help brighten things up, or hang some other type of decorative lights. The patio accessories you choose will be limited only by your budget and your personal taste. Guest post from Payton Price. Payton writes about term life insurance for TermLifeInsurance.org. Read more »

If you are installing a new grass lawn, you may now be faced with the decision to plant grass seed vs. laying down sod. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, which you should weigh against factors such as your budget and time frame. Remember that soil preparation and general lawn maintenance will not vary between seeded and sodded lawns. These lists of pros and cons deal only with the process of lawn establishment.  Planting Seed Pros: Planting grass seed is significantly less expensive than laying sod. Grass seed will only cost about $0.01 per square foot, compared to an average $0.30–$1.00 per square foot for sod. Seed is available in more varieties and blends than sod. For instance, you may be looking for a more shade-tolerant lawn, and seed blends can include some fescue varieties to improve your lawn’s tolerance for shade. Or you might want a more diverse blend to increase your lawn’s resistance to disease. Whatever the reason, seed mixtures will be able to meet more specific needs than sod. Planting grass from seed is less labor intensive. It therefore can be more easily completed by the average homeowner, and hiring someone to professionally seed your lawn will be less expensive than hiring someone to lay sod.  Cons: A lawn planted with seeds will naturally take longer to establish than a lawn laid with sod. Germination could take up to 4 weeks, and it may takes 6–8 weeks total before a lawn is established enough to sustain normal foot traffic. Because there are 1) bare patches available, and 2) brief and frequent irrigations when planting seeds, weeds are more likely to creep up than they are in sod. Try to avoid this by removing as many weeds as possible with a postemergence herbicide before planting. You can only plant seed during the appropriate time in the growing season. For warm-season grasses, that will be during the late spring or early summer, and for cool-season grasses, that will be during the early fall. Any other time will seriously restrict or block the germination process. Irrigating a newly-planted lawn can be a delicate balance, with a great chance for error. Too much water can wash away seeds and make germination sporadic, and too little water can cause the seeds to dry out and never germinate. It is important to keep the seeds moist, but not soaked.  Planting Sod Pros: The biggest advantage in planting sod is that it gives you a usable lawn in a much shorter amount of time. A seeded lawn may need 6–8 weeks before it is considered fully established, but a lawn from sod only needs 1–2 weeks. Sod is especially good for hills or other sloping areas, where exposed soil is likely to erode. Seeds planted in that environment would have a smaller chance of germinating.  Sod is already so thick that weeds are not able to infiltrate it as easily as a newly seeded lawn. The opportunity is decreased even more when you overlap sod pieces slightly—the pieces will shrink over time and you don’t want any soil-rich gap to become home to new weeds. Sod is really a lawn seeded by somebody else, and transplanted by you. Because it is already mature, it can be laid at almost any time of the year. You don’t have to wait for late spring or early fall to have a lawn, although it is recommended that you avoid laying sod during freezing temperatures or during the blazing heat of midsummer.  Cons: Laying sod is much more expensive than planting grass seed. It can cost anywhere from $0.30–1.00 per square foot. Add that up for a 2,000 square foot lawn, and you might be shelling out some big bucks to complete the job. Sod must be laid 24 to 36 hours after it is “harvested,” or cut. Otherwise it will dry out and be more difficult to establish. Don’t just pick up the sod on your home supply store’s shelf—you have no idea how long it’s been laying there. Pick a professional supplier who can guarantee the freshness of the sod when it is delivered. As far as varieties go, there are fewer to choose from when you are laying sod. Sod that has two species of grass planted is rare, and seeding can sometimes be more effective, such as underneath a shady area. Laying sod is more labor-intensive than planting grass seed. The pieces of sod are usually heavy and have to be transported in a truck. Unless you have the muscle power, you will have to hire a professional, and professional sod laying will cost more than professional seeding.   Author Bio Simon Kar is a freelance writer for naturesfinestseed.com, specializing in grass seeds and how to choose the best seeds for your climate. Read more »

Nothing is more liveable than a space combining the beauty of the outdoors with the serenity and safety of home. Patios can contemplate a garden, overlook a swimming pool, or merely gaze out across a backyard refuge of peace and quiet. A patio can be as simple or as complicated as your needs require. The first thing to keep in mind is cost. It is entirely possible to make a lovely patio without blowing the household budget. The key is to not overbuild for your requirements. Patios are no longer a frivolous investment in a home. Many Californians, for example, spend more time on their patios than they do in their living rooms. When it comes time to sell your home, an added patio gives the impression of more living space to a potential buyer, without involving more costly structural additions. A patio is an added feature that can make or break a sale in a slow housing market. No matter the budget, a patio is a good investment in your home. The second consideration is the space you have available. Do you want a patio built onto your home? Do you want a detached space deeper in an outdoor space? Many people buy their patio furniture before the actual patio is constructed. That way, they can play with layout and design to gauge the actual space needed. The third decision is style. It’s a good idea to keep the design consonant with the rest of your home. A Mediterranean villa may look beautiful on a contemporary home, but it may not work as well on a clapboard country house. What type of paver or hard-scaping are you planning? As for furniture, it’s best to leave the fold-up deck chairs on the Titanic. Remember that your patio can be an outside living room, a dining room, a second kitchen, a den and many other spaces at once. What type of furniture do you really want? Will you be entertaining a lot? What’s the weather like where you live? Whether you just want a good chair to read your good book or conversation sofas with an adjacent barbecue to cook for friends, there are numerous all-weather choices now. While good wicker is a joy forever, cheaper choices may work just as well. Finishing touches can truly warm up any living space. What about plants? They can help wed your patio with your outdoor space. A waterfall or other water option can cover-up outside noise while adding serenity to any space. Will you be doing nighttime entertaining? What about an outdoor fire pit, fireplace or just a heater for nippy nights? One night-related consideration often overlooked is lighting. There is all-space lighting choices all the way to umbrella lights that cover a specific area. Remember that your patio is part of your home. With all the choices to be made, the only important decision is to make it a pleasant part of your life.   Patio builders Perth, Great Aussie Patios specialise in steel frame patios that are custom built for you, we also handle all the shire/town approvals you need for your custom patio installation! Experience the quality service and workmanship that has made Great Aussie Patios a leader in the industry, offering a lifetime warranty and faster patio building so that you can enjoy your patio as soon as possible.     Read more »

Your kids should be able to play happily and safely in your backyard. As more and more kids are becoming focused on video games rather than physical play, we need to do what we can to encourage them to get outside. Making your backyard a fun place to be for your kids is easy if you follow a few simple tips. From securing your property with colorbond fencing solutions to making the right additions to encourage play, we’ve got a great range of tips for turning your backyard into your child’s favourite place to be: Making your backyard secure First and foremost, it’s important that your backyard is safe and secure. You don’t want people being able to access your property, or for your kids to wander off. Colorbond fencing is a great, secure solution to your fencing needs. It’s tough, durable and built to last. If you have a fence that you are happy with, it’s still a good idea to go around and check it to make sure it’s secure and safe. The right play equipment for the right age Depending on your child’s age, you may want to go with a number of options for outdoor play equipment. Choose equipment that can grow with your child. Take the time to research quality childrens equipment and ensure that it meets all safety standards. You also need to make sure that you buy weather proof equipment. If you invest in something that is well made, your child will be able to get years of enjoyment from it. Play equipment is best kept on the grass. One good reason for this is that if little ones do happen to take a tumble, you don’t want to be patching up skinned knees. Grass is soft and it’s unlikely they’ll hurt themselves if they fall or trip. Always supervise This is especially important for very little children. Make sure that where the equipment is located, it is in clear view directly from the house. You should be able to see you kids at all times while they are playing. Out of bounds Teach your kids about the rules in the backyard. Rule one being that when they’re in the yard, they are not to go down the side of the house and out of site. By having a great set of play equipment for your children they will be less tempted to amuse themselves other ways. Undercover area Having a large patio with outdoors pavers and sufficient coverage from the sun and rain means that kids can get outside and enjoy playing sports, painting and other activities, even if it’s raining. This is a great location for a cubby house too if the area is big enough. Creating the perfect backyard playground for your kids will not only keep them happy, but it will also help them to stay active and will promote fun outdoor play as opposed to video games played for hours indoors. I hope our tips have given you some inspiration for how you can go about creating the perfect outdoor playground for your kids. Read more »

Getting some fresh air is important for your health as well as being a great way to reduce stress levels. However, you need to make sure you have comfortable garden furniture you can relax in and unfortunately this doesn’t always come cheap. If you go to your local garden center, the chances are you’ll be shocked at the price of the garden furniture sets is available. Here are a few tips to help you find cheap garden furniture. 1.    Before you try to find cheap furniture, you first need to know what the average price is. To do this you need to know what kind of furniture you want to buy. The type of material you should choose for your garden furniture depends on your own personal taste as well as which is most suitable for your garden. For example, if you live in an area of the world that’s subject to harsh weather conditions throughout a large part of the year then buying durable material such as metal is probably a good idea. 2.    Once you’ve decided on the type of furniture you want to buy have a look at some of the major online retailers such as Amazon. This will give you an idea of the prices for garden furniture at the moment, whether modern outdoor furniture or classic cast aluminum patio furniture.. 3.    Now you can start to look for cheap garden furniture because you’ll know what a good prices. First of all start looking in your local newspapers classified section. There is nearly always garden furniture available. You can also look at online classified sites. 4.    Garden furniture is always more expensive during the summer months because that’s when most people buy. If you buy during the winter then you’re bound to find some clearance sales. 5.    You can find some great deals online when it comes to cheap garden furniture but remember that you’ll have to pay a large shipping cost. 6.    It might sound like a lot of effort but if you buy the pieces of garden furniture separately you’ll probably get a better deal. Most furniture sets come with pieces that you don’t actually need so buying each piece individually can help save you money. Remember that there’s no point buying cheap garden furniture if it’s of a low quality and won’t last a reasonable amount of time. Even when trying to find bargains you need to shop carefully and make sure that the material has been treated to be used outside. Read more »

Creative landscaping can make your home or business in a very short period of time, it creates a positive mood in the surrounding area. Landscape itself can be a simple, attractive enhancement to any business, home or structure. It will only be seen during the day, though. This is in the winter, especially in a very short time. By adding landscape lighting, you will be able to show off your landscape in the evening and night, to show your home, business and plant elegance. Plants, trees and palm trees, draws attention in the night or when high-profile full of sunshine. I’m on the stage lighting for a variety of options. The following information will explain just a few options. A way to commemorate the two options are embedded lights or small floor lamp. You can use spotlights and floodlights light the small plant large plant. Large ponds or water features can be floodlit. The bonds can light up the border, much like the edge of a pathway. Using the color landscape lighting can create interesting mood. You can choose colors to keep all of the time, or alternating colored circle. You will be surprised to find that your plants look different colors in different lights. You do not just light the base of trees and shrubs. Their top of the lighting will fully display their beauty. You can even use the flash light thing, but too much may be distracting. You can use any of a typical power circuit or sunny outdoor lighting with solar lights. You can use solar power or higher voltage (12 or 120 volts). Solar power will work very well, if you like the southern states or the Southwest on a sunny life. You will be less motivated, and if the place you live, usually negative. There is no right or perfect way to light your house or backyard. Make your own rules and use creativity, highlight the areas you think are most important. Make good use of your outdoor lighting. Read more »

Advantages of Garden Lighting It’s easy to discount the importance of putting lighting around your property.  After all, what exactly do they do, considering you spend most of your time inside?  Well, if you do think like this, I have a few thoughts you might want to consider.  Garden lighting can do a lot for your property.  It can add to the estimated value, make it look more attractive, and make it safer and more secure from intruders.  Of course, this is assuming that it’s done well.  It is easy to light your house poorly, but when you do it well, the appearance will be significantly improved.  There are even outdoor lighting technicians, who do it for a living.  There are a number of things you need to know when planning lights in your garden Garden Lights: Placement Tips. Many people make the mistake of buying substandard, cheap lights.  You’ll regret this decision.  It’s far better to go with a brand like Hampton Bay Outdoor Lights, as they will last, and can be relied on to get the job done.  The first guideline is to conceal the light source.  It’s best to draw attention to the subject.  If you can see the light, you’ll look at that primarily.  So keeping it behind a branch, shrub or bush is advised.  Where to direct the light also needs to be addressed.  It’s better to find softer, diffused lights, more aking to bright moonlight.  Adding a sprinkling of spots into the mix can be really effective.  Using spots is a common technique.  Usually, you will identify the highlights of your yard – perhaps an architectural feature of your house like an eve or a particularly textured wall, perhaps a water feature or garden statue, or even a special plant or tree which is attractive.  Adding a colored globe to a light, say for example when you are lighting up a tree, a green light can add a luminescence to the subject, even when out of bloom or when dry or dying. Read more »

Was your last barbeque a mix of burnt food and bland taste? Cooking a great BBQ doesn’t have to be hard and mastering your charcoal BBQ shouldn’t be a mystery. While BBQ cooking is unique in its own way, you will still be using time-tested cooking methods to get great tastes. So don’t look at BBQ as an entirely different cooking method that is reserved for special occasions. With some basic tips, you can master cooking on the grill at any time of year. You should always take some effort to maintain charcoal grills because they sustain a significant amount of abuse with each use. If you think about it, a BBQ has to endure high temperatures, smoke, and grease from the food. You want to clean your equipment after each use to make sure you get pure flavours without the remnants from past barbeques. Also keep your utensils up to par, and make sure never to mix the ones that handle your uncooked food with your serving tools. When it comes to cooking, you want to keep patience in mind. So that means letting the coals turn light grey before you begin placing the food on the grill. And if you are using slow-cooking methods, then you will want to make sure keep the lid closed while the charcoal BBQ does its job. Many rookies make the mistake of constantly opening the lid or flipping their food too much. The result in these cases will be uneven cooking and possibly burned food. The best part about BBQ food is the juiciness on the inside so once you get a great sear on your food, you want to disturb it as little as possible. And don’t forget about safe food handling tips when it comes to exposing different types of meat to one another. Over time you will discover the techniques that work best for you, and you’ll get the best tasting food for you and your family. Read more »

The days and evenings throughout the long summer are beautiful and warm. Most people love to spend as much time as possible as they can outside and for many, that means time on the patio. As the temperature starts to get cool at night though, something to heat things up and bring some warmth is desirable and that is why you might be looking for fire pit tables. One of the better patio ideas is to buy one of these portable fire pits that will help you extend the hours you can use your patio once fall starts to approach. There are a lot of them available online at places like Ebay and Amazon. You can spend less than $100 on one or you can go much higher than $400 for the better ones. They come in all sorts of sizes, shapes, and styles and you can have one of them shipped right to your door. It’s a great way to inexpensively add value to any patio. Another option is to install a real pit yourself on your patio. If you have one of those patios that is made of stones that can be taken out, you can put in your own pit that will look custom made. It will take some effort and you will need some tools to get the stones dug up but it is something most people can do themselves as it doesn’t require  any complicated construction. One thing to consider is where the wind comes from and where you get the most foot traffic. You need to strategically place your patio where it is accessible but not in the direct path where people need to walk or in a place where it is especially windy. There are a lot of patio ideas you can use to make it the most exciting place you have in your home to entertain. The fire pit is one that can help make your patio complete and it will help keep your guests there long after they might have left without one. Read more »

Many people are looking for a simple yet effective way to stop pests in the garden. There is one product known as a Motion activated sprinkler that may be the answer to all of your problems. This is a very simple yet very effective tool that works wonders at really ensuring that pest are never a problem again. Let’s take a look at just how they work. The fact is that the scarecrow motion sensor sprinklers are about the simplest way to get rid of pests. They work by simply sensing when anything moves in the garden. They then switch on and direct a jet of water at the movement as well as a more general spray as well. Straight away the animal will be made to jump and should move off straight away. The motion activated sprinkler will ensure that an animal is going to get a shock each and every time. We should find that within only one or two soakings from the sprinkler that the pests will decide that they are much better off going somewhere else to ruin a garden. The sprinklers will work on anything from a Dog or Cat to a Deer or even Rabbits so they really are about the best possible solution that we will find that is very humane while still being very effective indeed. There is no doubt that we should see a very quick end to the borders being dug up or plants being eaten and all in a very humane way. The motion activated sprinklers are very low in cost at around fifty dollars so they really are one of the absolute best ways to stop any intruders from messing up the work that we have done int he garden. We will find that they are very easy to set up and they will then run automatically for as long as we leave them switched on. Read more »