Regardless of whether the outdoor furniture on your patio or deck is made of wood, aluminum, wrought iron, or plastic; it takes a lot of abuse from the elements including sun, rain, snow, and extreme changes in temperature.

Here are some tips on how to clean and protect the furniture on your deck or patio to keep it looking like new.

Wrought Iron and Metal Furniture

How to Clean:

• Mix up a squirt of dishwashing detergent with a bucket of warm water.



• Scrub surface with a scrub brush.
• Rinse furniture and allow to dry.
• Use a wire brush or sandpaper to remove any rusted spots down to the bare metal.
• Wipe off any metal reside with a clean cloth dampened with mineral spirits or naphtha.
• Spray bare spots with a primer made for metal, such as those made by Rust-Oleum following the directions on the can (wear an approved respirator). Allow surface to dry for recommended time.
• Spray furniture with paint made for metal of the desired color, following the directions on the can (wear an approved respirator).
• Allow paint to dry thoroughly before using furniture.

Aluminum Furniture

How to Remove Oxidation:

• Option #1: Remove light oxidation by rubbing the surface with a 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and water.



• Option #2: Rub the surface with automotive rubbing or polishing compound to abrade away oxidation.
• Option #3: Clean the surface with dishwashing detergent and water using a plastic scrubbing sponge or very fine steel wool. NOTE: Try first on hidden area to see if it scratches the aluminum.
• All options: Rinse off the cleaning solution with a garden hose, and allow to dry.

How to Prevent Oxidation:

• Apply a coat of automotive paste wax to the surface.
• Allow the wax to dry for a few minutes.
• Remove residue and polish surface with a clean cloth.

Plastic and Molded Resin Furniture

How to Clean:

• Dip a sponge in warm water, and squeeze out any excess.
• Sprinkle baking soda on the sponge to act as a mild abrasive.
• Scrub furniture with sponge.
• Rinse furniture with garden hose.
• Allow furniture to dry.

How to Remove Mildew or Mold:

• White Furniture: Apply a solution of one part bleach to four parts water in a pump up sprayer. Leave on for 10-20 minutes, rinse with a garden hose, and allow to dry in full sun.
• Colored Furniture: Apply a solution of 1/4 cup white vinegar to one quart water in a pump up sprayer. Leave on for 10-20 minutes then rinse with a garden hose, and allow to dry in full sun.

How to Restore Shine:

• Apply a coat of automotive paste wax to the surface.
• Allow the wax to dry for a few minutes.
• Wipe off any residue with a clean cloth.

Natural Wood Furniture

How to Clean (Redwood, Cedar, Pine):

• Option #1: Scrub surface with soft scrub brush using special wood cleaner or brightener following the directions on container (wear protective clothing and rubber gloves). Rinse with hose and allow to dry in full sun.
• Option #2: Scrub with mixture of 1/4 cup ammonia and two tablespoons white vinegar in one quart water. Rinse with garden hose and allow to dry in full sun.

How to Clean (Teak):

• Option #1: Apply teak cleaner, following the directions on the container.
• Option #2: Apply mixture of 1/4 cup laundry detergent and one quart bleach to one gallon water. Allow to remain on for 10-20 minutes. Scrub with soft bristled brush and rinse with garden hose.

How to Refinish Teak Furniture:

• Gray Patina: When left unfinished, teak will develop a natural silver patina over time.
• Natural Color: To retain the natural brown color of new teak, apply a special teak protector, teak oil, or teak sealer following the directions on the can. Reapply as needed.

Fabric Cushions

How to Clean Removable Covers:

• Remove covers and follow machine washing instructions on tag.
• Put covers back on cushions while still damp and allow to dry.
• Allow fabric to dry in place to reduce shrinkage.

How to Clean Attached Covers:

• Dissolve a squirt of dishwashing detergent and a teaspoon of borax in one quart warm water.
• Wet down the fabric with the solution and scrub lightly with a sponge or soft bristled scrub brush.
• Allow to soak for 10-20 minutes.
• Rinse cushions using a garden hose with sprayer.
• Allow cushions to fully dry.

How to Remove Mold and Mildew:

• White Fabric: Remove mildew by applying a solution of one part chlorine bleach to four parts water. Allow to soak for 10 minutes, then rinse off with garden hose, and allow to dry in full sun. If cushions are machine washable, add recommended amount of bleach to washer. NOTE: Do not use chlorine bleach on colored fabrics.
• Colored Fabric: Wash in machine or soak with diluted color safe, non-chlorine bleach or oxygen bleach. Rinse thoroughly and allow to dry in full sun.

Related posts:

• How to Clean Outdoor Patio Furniture
• How to Clean, Sharpen, and Maintain Garden Tools
• Exterior Multi-Surface Cleaner

Hummingbird feeders have to be cleaned and refilled regularly, since the sugar solution ferments quickly outdoors. Some bird experts recommend going to extra lengths – such as boiling the solution – to make it last longer. But I find that during a hot summer, the stuff goes bad (or gets buggy) in 3-4 days no matter what.

Instead of spending time trying to make the perfect nectar, I set out to develop a system that gets fresh nectar to my birds in five minutes flat. And I don’t mean those tricks on TV, where it only takes five minutes if you’ve laid out and pre-measured everything beforehand. I mean FIVE MINUTES, from start to finish. And yes, I timed it! With this system, you can refresh the nectar as often as needed.

Got your stopwatch ready? It’s as simple as:

Further Information

• Hummingbird Migration Maps (hummingbirds.net)
• Hummingbirds in the Garden
• Hints from a Hummingbird
• Landscaping Tips for a Bird-Friendly Yard

Related posts:

• Hints from a Hummingbird
• Wild Bird Feeding Basics

Creating personalize stepping stones for your yard can be a great family DIY project. All you need is an old 5-gallon bucket to use for the form and a bag of premixed concrete. Once the concrete has been poured, you can personalize each stepping stone by adding decorations and handprints. Here’s how to go about it:

• Clean a 5-gallon bucket and cut it down to size with a jigsaw to use as a form.
• Apply lubricating oil to the inside of the bucket to keep the concrete from sticking to the form.
• Mix up enough premixed concrete with water to fill the form.
• Use a piece of scrap lumber to smooth and level the concrete even with the top of the form.
• Personalize the stepping stone while still wet with stones, handprints, or other decorations.
• Once the concrete has set, remove the stepping stone from the form.
• Dig shallow holes in your yard the size of the stepping stone, and set them in place.

Related posts:

• (714) Something for Almost Nothing
• How to Cut and Install Retaining Wall Topper Stones
• How to Make a Shoe Caddy from Recycled Materials

If you’re trimming heavy tree limbs, you have to be extra careful not to damage the bark or interfere with the tree’s natural healing response. Doing it right is actually no more difficult than doing it wrong, particularly if you think ahead to how much work it would take to remove a dead tree!

Here’s how to cut large tree limbs in your yard in three simple steps.

Poorly healed wound due to an improper pruning cut.

How Trees Heal

The truth is, trees don’t actually heal like we do. When you cut off a tree branch, the tree forms a special callous tissue (like a scar) that covers over the wound to keep out disease and decay. That scarred part of the tree will be there forever, sealed off so that the rest of the tree can keep growing. It’s very important to prune trees correctly so that we don’t interfere with this process – incorrect pruning will leave the tree weak and vulnerable to disease.

In the top photo, you can see the evidence of several large pruning cuts. The bumps show well healed pruning scars, most of them completely covered over. The “donut” shaped scar is normal, too. The callous tissue grows from the outside edges toward the center, so it’s still in the process of sealing over.

Take the time to do it right.

How to Cut a Tree Limb

Proper pruning of large tree limbs involves three cuts:

• Cut #1, Notch Cut: Cut a small notch in the bottom of the limb, 2-3 feet away from the trunk, and about a quarter of the way through. This notch will keep the bark from splitting when you make the next cut.
• Cut #2, Relief Cut: Just outside the notch, make a relief cut completely through the branch. This removes the weight of the branch, so that you can make your final cut without the branch splitting and falling.
• Cut #3, Final Cut: This is the one that matters! Your final cut should be right where the branch collar (that swollen bump) transitions to smooth branch bark. Follow the slant of the branch collar. If you can’t fit your saw into the crotch at the right angle, then cut it from the bottom up.

Common Tree Trimming Mistakes

• Cutting the Branch Too Short: We used to think that branches should be cut off flush with the trunk – boy, were we ever wrong! The branch collar is responsible for forming the scar tissue. If you cut into the branch collar, the tree will have a very hard time recovering. When you see rotten holes in tree trunks, or seeping wounds, you’re looking at the aftermath of cutting off the branch collar.



• Leaving the Branch Too Long: The branch collar on the truck can only do its job of allowing the wound to heal if all of the branch that it has to cover over has been removed while leaving the branch collar itself intact. In the photo on the right, you can see how the branch stubs that were left too long are interfering with and actually preventing the healing process from taking place.



• Failure to Make the Relief Cuts: If you fail to make the relief cuts and remove most of the weight of the limb before trimming the branch back to the trunk, you run the risk of having the branch split off. This can cause substantial damage to the trunk, as seen in the photo at right. This can make the wound on the trunk susceptible to disease and insect infestation and take much longer to heal.

Further Information

• Trimming Limbs (Video)
• Treating Cut Tree Limbs With Wound Paint
• When To Trim Trees and Shrubs
• Basic Shrub Pruning Techniques
• How To Prune Trees (USDA Forest Service)
• The Kindest Cuts: Where and How To Prune (Brooklyn Botanic Garden)

Related posts:

• Treating Cut Tree Limbs with Wound Paint
• When to Trim Trees and Shrubs
• Sidewalk Damaged by Tree Roots

Updating and improving the look of your home doesn’t have to put a strain on your budget. By using recycled or reused materials, along with a little imagination and creativity, you can make a big difference in your home for a very small investment. Here are seven simple DIY projects to get you started.

Where to Find Items to Reuse and Renew

There are a number of sources for used and discarded items, such as:

• Thrift stores
• Secondhand consignment shops
• Goodwill
• Salvage companies
• Habit for Humanity ReStores
• Online at The Freecycle Network
• Yard and garage sales
• Classified ads online and in newspapers
• Remodeling site dumpsters

How to Refinish a Ceiling Fan

Instead of throwing an outdated ceiling fan in the trash, consider refinishing it to make it look like new. Here’s how to go about it:

• Disassemble the fan components you plan to paint.
• Clean all the parts with denatured alcohol to remove any dust or grease.
• Rub metal surfaces with fine steel wool to remove the gloss.
• Lay all of the pieces out and spray with several light coats of spray paint for metal.
• Reassemble the fan components except the blades.
• Reattach the fan to the ceiling.
• Attach the blades and balance if needed.

How to Refurbish Old Furniture

Kendra Bennett is a homeowner who has a knack for taking old objects and transforming them into something new. She found an old credenza for $20 at a yard sale. After stripping off the black finish and refinishing it, the piece was converted into this unique conversation piece for her home.

The two cabinet doors in the center of the piece were removed and replaced by wine racks. As an accent, two wooden window frames were backed by mirrors then mounted on the wall above it. The whole project only cost $150 dollars and a little imagination.

How to Make a Fireplace Screen

To hide a fireplace from view during the summer, create a simple fireplace screen by hinging together discarded shutters found at a salvage store. Here’s how to go about it:

• Clean, sand, and make any repairs to the shutters.
• Apply two coats of interior paint and allow to dry.
• Link the shutters together with brass cabinet hinges.
• For screens of more than three shutters, install each pair of hinges on alternating sides so the screen can be folded up like an accordion when not in use.

The project was completed in less than a day for under $10.

How to Personalize a Child’s Chair

Lisa Brodie also enjoys giving new life to old pieces of furniture. Some of her favorite items are small chairs made for children. Here’s how to go about it:

• Clean the chair to make sure all of the dust and loose finish is removed.
• Apply a coat of primer and allow to dry.
• Apply two coats of paint.
• Decorate the chair as desired with contrasting colors and patterns.
• Personalize the piece with the child’s name.
• For a more durable finish, apply a final coat of clear finish (brushed or sprayed) to the painted surface.

How to Refinish a Wicker Chair

To make an old wicker chair new again:

• Use an air compressor to blow off dirt and dust out of cracks.
• Clean surface with a scrub brush and denatured alcohol.
• Use a hot glue gun to reattach broken or loose caning.
• Apply several light coats of spray paint, letting it dry for the recommended time between coats.
• Allow the paint to dry completely for several before using. A fan can help speed up the process.
• Store any leftover paint to use for touch up later.

How to Build a Headboard

To turn a discarded column and some leftover lumber into a headboard:

• Mark the cuts around the column with painter’s tape.
• Cut the column to length using a reciprocating saw.
• Construct a cubbyhole shadow box for the headboard from 1×6 lumber.
• Use 2×12 lumber for the feet and caps.
• Assemble the columns to the headboard.
• Paint the headboard and allow to dry.
• Use screws to attach the headboard to the wall studs.

Since all of the material used in the headboard was discarded or scrap, the project cost next to nothing.

How to Pour Concrete Stepping Stones

To make personalized concrete stepping stones for your yard:

• Cut down a 5-gallon bucket with a jigsaw to use as a mold.
• Spray lubricating oil around the inside of the mold to prevent the concrete from adhering.
• Mix up concrete and fill the mold with it.
• Smooth off the top of the concrete using a board as a screed.
• Customize the concrete while wet with handprints, decorations, or masonry dye.
• Allow concrete to dry before removing stepping stone from the mold.

Other Tips from This Episode

Related posts:

• How to Paint a Wicker Chair
• Tips for Refinishing Children’s Furniture
• How to Make a Headboard from an Old Column

There are a number of different materials used to create a garden path including stone, brick, concrete, and gravel. The type of material you choose will determine how it is installed.

One approach is to place a plastic weed barrier or landscape fabric down first followed by a layer of gravel. In addition to blocking weeds, the barrier will keep the gravel from working into the soil. When using brick or concrete pavers, put down a layer of sand first, then lay out your desired pattern, and plant a ground cover between each of the pavers. Watch this video to find out more.

Related posts:

• Recycling Old Carpet In the Garden
• May Lawn & Garden To-Do List
• October Lawn & Garden To-Do List

Here are some tips to keep your patio furniture clean:

• A mixture of soap and water works best on most types of outdoor furniture, followed by rinsing with a garden hose.
• A pressure washer set on low can be used to speed up the process.
• Wash fabric in a clothes washer on a gentle cycle.
• Put fabric back on the furniture frame before it has dried completely dry to prevent shrinkage.
• Wood furniture that has weathered can be carefully pressure washed and resealed.
• To repair metal furniture that has rusted, use fine steel wool to remove the rust then repaint with a spray paint made for metal.
• Use paste wax to protect wicker and metal furniture.

Watch this video to find out more

Related posts:

• How to Clean Outdoor Patio and Deck Furniture
• How to Spring Clean the Outside of Your Home
• How to Clean, Sharpen, and Maintain Garden Tools

How do I add square topper stones to a curved retaining wall? And how do I attach the topper stones so that they don’t get knocked off? -Paul

Those wedge-shaped stackable stones are great for building curved retaining walls, but once complete it leaves you with unsightly gaps. For a finished look, you can add topper stones, but it poses some challenges since:

• Topper stones are usually square, not wedge-shaped, so if you want a smooth top you’ll need to cut them to fit the curve. If your curve is very gradual, you might be able to get away with spreading out the small gaps so they aren’t noticeable.
• Topper stones are also a bit wider and lighter than the wall blocks, so it’s easy to kick them out of place or bump them with a lawn mower. I have topper stones on my wall, and I’m always knocking them loose and having to put them back.

Instead of my kick-and-replace method, there are better ways of finishing off your retaining wall! Try these tips.

Use a Masonry Saw

Retaining wall blocks can be cut using a masonry chisel and mallet, but for the topper stones you may want to spring for a diamond blade masonry saw such as the Edco Hardscape Saw. Similar to a wet tile saw, masonry saws make very clean, straight cuts that will give a nice finishing touch to your wall. Masonry saws can be rented at your local rental center – all you’ll need is an extension cord and a garden hose to provide lubricating water.

The bottom stones will be cut along the lines, and the top one will be left square.

How to Measure the Cut

If you enjoy geometry, you can cut each stone at an angle to curve along your wall. For a faster job that looks just as neat, try this approach:

• Step 1: At the beginning of your wall, place stones #1 and #3 in their places. You’re going to be cutting both of these.
• Step 2: Lay stone #2 on top of them, with the front corners lined up. You’re NOT going to be cutting this stone, you’re just using it as a cutting pattern.
• Step 3: Draw lines on stones #1 and #3 where the top stone overlaps them.
• Step 4: Cut stones #1 and #3 along your lines.
• Step 5: Replace the stones on the wall, and now stone #2 should fit neatly between them.
• Step 6: Now put stone #4 on top of stones #3 and #5, and repeat. The odd-numbered stones will be cut on both edges, and the even-numbered stones will be left uncut.

The back view shows the overlap of the stones and the cutting line being marked.

Adhere the Stones

Once your topper stones are cut and fit, you can keep them in place using masonry adhesive. Masonry adhesive usually comes in a tube for use with a caulk gun and should be available at your home improvement store. Examples include:

• Titebond Landscape Retaining Wall Adhesive
• Quikrete Polyurethane Construction Adhesive
• SRW Retaining Wall & Paver Adhesive

For a very solid wall, you can also use the adhesive to attach the stackable blocks themselves.

Further Information

• How to Build a Stackable Block Retaining Wall

Related posts:

• How to Build a Stackable Block Retaining Wall
• White Efflorescence Stains on Retaining Walls
• How to Create Personalized Stepping Stones for Your Yard

There are two types of weed barriers that you can install in your garden to prevent any unwanted plant growth: plastic and fabric.

• Plastic weed barriers: Since they’re resistant to water, plastic barriers need to have holes cut in them to allow water to permeate.
• Fabric weed barriers: Will allow water through while blocking the sun from promoting weeds from sprouting up.

To find out more, read our article on How to Install Landscape Fabric and Plastic.

Related posts:

• How to Kill Weeds in a Gravel Driveway
• Applying ‘Weed and Feed’ Products to St. Augustine Grass
• Creating a Path in Your Lawn or Garden

All of a sudden, my flower garden, which is normally full of color all year, has turned green. Why aren’t my plants blooming? -Julie M.

It’s so frustrating to take good care of your plants and be rewarded with a lack of blooms! In order to diagnose exactly why a plant isn’t blooming, you really have to understand the individual plant itself. Many plants have particular needs that can affect their flowering. However, if your entire flower garden has stopped blooming, there might be something else going on.

Here are the main reasons why plants don’t bloom, and some things you can do about it.

Annuals

Annual plants typically bloom for most of the growing season. If they stop blooming, it may be caused by:

• Overfeeding: Nitrogen promotes leaf and stem growth, so too much nitrogen results in green plants with no blooms. Even a balanced fertilizer with equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium might have too much nitrogen for your flowering plants.

  What to do: Water your plants really well to wash away some of the nitrogen. Stop using your current fertilizer and give your plants a few weeks’ rest before switching to one with little or no nitrogen and extra phosphorus. Fertilizers labeled as “bloom-boosting” usually have better proportions for flowering plants.

• Heat: Some plants stop flowering when stressed by the heat, particularly if overnight temperatures rise too high.

  What to do: There’s not much you can do for heat-stressed plants other than keeping them alive and healthy until the weather changes.



• Cold: While cooler temperatures are often vital for the setting of flower buds, a dip too low can freeze the buds and cause a season without blooms.

  What to do: Choose plants that are hardy in your climate, and protect tender plants from cold temperatures.

• Light: The amount of sunlight is crucial to getting plants to bloom. Sun-loving plants won’t bloom in shade, and shade-loving plants have trouble in too much sun. Also, some plants are “photoperiodic,” which means they bloom in response to the change in the length of daylight as the seasons progress.

  What to do: While you can’t change the seasons, you can make sure your garden is getting the amount of sunlight required by your particular plants. Check to see if trees or other plants have grown tall enough to shade your garden, and move plants to a different location if there’s not enough (or too much) sunlight.



• Water: While all plants need water, some—particularly desert plants and highly drought-tolerant plants—slow or stop blooming when overwatered. On the other hand, water-loving plants can stop blooming during drought.

  What to do: Check each plant’s individual water needs to make sure you’re not over or under watering.

• Underfeeding: Container plants especially are vulnerable to nutrient depletion.

  What to do: Amend your soil with compost and organic matter, and feed with a fertilizer lower in nitrogen and higher in phosphorus.

Perennials, Shrubs, and Trees

In addition to the above factors, perennials, bulbs, shrubs, and trees might be affected by:

• Season: Most plants bloom during a particular season that can last days, weeks, or even months. For example, if your garden is full of spring-flowering plants, it will only be colorful in the spring.

  What to do: Plant a variety of plants in your yard for year-round color.

• Plant Age: Some plants don’t bloom until they’re mature enough, and many won’t bloom the first season after they’re moved or transplanted.

  What to do: Allow time for plants to mature when young or after transplanting.

• Pruning: Plants that bloom once per year can be affected by pruning that removes tiny flower buds. For example, camellias set buds for spring blooms several months earlier, so a late fall pruning can cut off next spring’s flowers.

  What to do: Make sure to prune plants at the correct time for each type.



• Alternate Flowering: Some flowering trees will spontaneously bloom very profusely one year, then take a year or two off.

  What to do: This can happen naturally in some varieties, but in the future you can choose plants less prone to alternate flowering.

• Complacency: Plants bloom in order to reproduce and survive, and older settled plants may be “too comfortable” to need to bloom. Sometimes you can encourage a shrub or tree to bloom by stressing it a little.

  What to do: Try root pruning to encourage your plant to bloom.

Further Information

• Why Plants Fail To Bloom (University of Vermont Extension Service)
• ‘New Dawn’ Rose Not Blooming
• Perennial Flower Garden Basics
• Deadheading Flowers (video)

Related posts:

• How To Encourage Cactus To Bloom
• How to Prune Leggy Flowers
• May Lawn & Garden To-Do List