Expert Advice on Home Improvement

Composting lawn and garden waste is a great way to obtain organic material for your garden while reducing the environmentally negative aspects of trucking yard waste to the landfill. This DIY compost bin is easy to build and made from pressure treated wood so it will last for many years to come. Read in full.

Crop rotation is a simple process that is vitally important to the health and productivity of the garden. From disease prevention to nutrient balancing, the benefits of crop rotation make it worth the extra bit of planning required. Here’s an easy-to-remember crop rotation plan for any size garden. Read in full.

Brenda asks, “We have hundreds of earthworms on our driveway. Why does this happen, and how do we control them?”

Earthworms breathe through their skin and require a balanced level of moisture in order to survive. When there is adequate surface moisture, they venture out to look for new places to burrow. Read in full.

Bill asks, “When is the proper time to apply fertilizer to centipede grass? Should I use a weed and feed product?”

Centipede grass is a warm-season turf grass that can be damaged if weed control products are applied to early in the spring. Here are some tips to help you correctly fertilize and weed your centipede lawn. Read in full.

Jan asks, “My lawn is full of holes – it looks like I have aerated, but I have not. What could be causing these holes, and what should I do about it?”

Small holes in your lawn are almost always caused by a digging or burrowing creature, and before you can address the problem you have to identify the cause. Read in full.

Steve asks, “My asphalt driveway is sinking, along with the yard next to it. I repaired it with two tons of asphalt, and since then it has sunk 6” to 8” more. Can you please give repair advice?”

There are many reasons your drive could be sinking. Read more to find out what the cause might be and how to go about fixing it. Read in full.

Naser asks, “I have a problem with deep cracks forming in my lawn soil, especially when it is dry. The cracks can be quite large, and I don’t know what to do.”

Large cracks form in soils that are high in clay. Simply adding water doesn’t solve the problem – you need to amend the soil in order to correct the texture. Here are some recommendations. Read in full.

Joshua asks, “What is Dirt?”

There’s an old gardener’s joke that goes like this: Dirt is what you get under your fingernails. Soil is what plants grow in. That may be true, but no matter what you call it, there’s more to dirt than meets the eye. Read in full.

It’s important to test the soil in your lawn and garden and correct it if it’s too acidic by adding lime. This will provide the optimum growing conditions for grass and other plants. Soiling testing kits are available at home centers, garden supply stores, as well as through your local extension service. Watch this video.

Paul asks, “We just had a tree removed and the stump ground out. I would like to replace it with another tree ASAP, but my wife would like to wait until next year to replant. Can you help us decide?”

There are several important factors to take into account when considering whether to replace a tree. Read on to find out what they are. Read in full.