Expert Advice on Home Improvement

January is National Mail Order Gardening Month. If you’ve never checked out a gardening catalog, it’s well worth the time and can open up a whole new world of possibilities. Read on to find out the advantages of ordering by catalog, tips for choosing a reputable mail order grower, and how to care for your plants when they arrive. Read in full.

Pat asks, “What is an inexpensive way to put a border around my house to avoid the damage to my stucco done by a lawn trimmer or edger?”

Your idea of a border is great, because it will create a buffer that keeps lawn equipment at a safe distance. Here are some things to consider. Read in full.

The Ames True Temper 7 in 1 Planter’s Buddy is a multipurpose tool with a stainless steel blade that’s designed to make fast work of your gardening jobs. The trowel has a serrated edge on one side, which is great for cutting open bags of fertilizer, and a sharpened straight edge on the other side for cutting sod. It also incorporates a twine cutter and notched trowel for prying up weeds. Watch this video.

Our Spring ’Stravaganza Lawn and Garden Giveaway was a big hit with over 2,000 entries! The lucky winner of a cornucopia of lawn and garden gadgets was Angela Watson of North Richland Hills, Texas. Congratulations Angela! This month we’re going all out by giving away a Cub Cadet Riding Mower worth $2,699. Enter by June 15th 2008. Who knows, you could be our next big winner! Read in full.

If you spend a lot of time gardening, you know how handy a potting bench can be. Not only does it give you a convenient place to work with your plants, it also keeps the inevitable mess that goes with it confined to one spot. Watch this video.

A lot of home and garden centers will have yard tools, but not all of them are going to make yard work simple. Here are some really cool tools that, not only do the job, but make your day in the garden a walk in the park. Read in full.

A lazy susan comes in handy when potting or trimming a plant. Partially fill the pot with soil and set it on the lazy susan. Position your plants and slowly spin the lazy susan as you finish topping off the soil. When trimming plants, you can easily cut with one hand while carefully turning with the other. This technique would also work when decorating or painting pots. Watch this video.

If you waste time and energy running back and forth from the garden to the shed for tools and garden supplies, use an old golf bag and cart to “caddy” both long- and short-handled garden tools. Watch this video.

Whether you’re creating a brick landing for a new set of steps or forming a small brick path, the trick is to get a nice sub surface to support the bricks. You’ll need a nice smooth surface but also one with a consistent depth, otherwise some bricks may be higher or lower than others creating a tripping hazard. To create a smooth surface create a screed (the same tool concrete finishers use to smooth out concrete). Watch this video.

For a professional finish around trees planted in the lawn, loop a rope around the tree trunk and the shaft of a spade. Adjust the length so that the spade reaches to the drip line of the tree. Scribe the outline of a circle, then remove the rope and retrace the circle, sinking the spade vertically to make a neat, clean edge. Watch this video.