Expert Advice on Home Improvement

If you’re trimming heavy tree limbs, you have to be extra careful not to damage the bark or to 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. Read in full.

There are two types of weed barriers that you can install in your garden to prevent any unwanted plant growth: plastic and fabric. Plastic barriers are resistant to water while fabric barriers allow water to permeate. Watch this video to find out more. Watch this video.

Wound paints and dressings claim to prevent rot and help trees heal from pruning wounds, but research suggests that in most cases they actually do more harm than good. Read on to find out more about whether you should use wound paint when pruning trees in your yard. Read in full.

Well, here we are in late winter, and for once in the year, when asked if it’s a good time to prune, the answer is “Yes!” For many shrubs and trees, late winter/early spring is a great time to do large scale pruning and rejuvenating. Taking advantage of a rare warm day, I headed outdoors with my pruning shears in tow. What I found were the startling consequences of not practicing what I preach! Read in full.

This holiday season has proved full of surprises. From the leaking roof to two fender benders in one day to the exploding gingerbread (trust me – the oven will never be the same), life’s lesson plan this season seems stuck on “disaster” of the sort that’s only comical after bolting back a few cups of eggnog. It’s been a season of going with the flow, sometimes clinging to an upside-down canoe. Read in full.

In most cases, snow is nothing to fear in the garden – it’s a great insulator, and it melts to provide much needed water to dry plants in the winter. However, heavy snow and ice buildup can cause devastating damage in the garden if limbs and trunks bend or break. Here’s what you need to know about dealing with snow and ice in the yard and garden. Read in full.

The end of the holiday season doesn’t have to be the end of your holiday decorations. Christmas trees, wreaths, and garland may be a bit dried out, but they can still serve a purpose in the garden. Rather than throwing your holiday decorations in the trash, consider recycling them in the garden and allowing them to return to the earth in a natural way. Here are some tips and ideas for recycling your holiday greenery. Read in full.

Green is one of the traditional colors of the Christmas season, but the green we have in mind is the environmentally friendly kind. Here’s a list of some eco-friendly, energy saving tips that will put you at the top of Santa’s nice list this holiday season. Read on to find out more. Read in full.

It’s a wonder cats and dogs can contain themselves at all at Christmastime, with all those climbable branches, swattable glittery baubles, and scented chewable branches! Many an animal lover has given up on Christmas trees until their pets grow out of their curiosity, but there are some things you can do to keep your pets (and decorations!) safe this holiday season. Read on to find out more. Read in full.

Whether you cut down your own tree at a Christmas tree farm or visit one of the many tree lots popping up during the holidays, selecting and bringing home a Christmas tree is one of the highlights of the season. Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about how to select and care for a cut Christmas tree. Read on to find out more. Read in full.