Expert Advice on Home Improvement

If you live in an area with foraging deer, you’ve likely watched with dismay as some of your favorite plants disappear overnight. But before you give up on gardening altogether, try making your yard less appealing to deer by choosing plants that deer find less appealing. Read on to find out more. Read in full.

It’s a magical feeling to encounter a graceful deer, peacefully browsing . . . unless your beloved hostas are what’s for breakfast! Whether you live in the country or the city, foraging deer can cause significant damage to landscapes and vegetable gardens. Read on to find out how to protect your yard or garden. Read in full.

In the fall, and sometimes in late spring, you can find great end of season discounts on perennials, shrubs, and trees. However, many of the plants may be doomed, no matter how carefully you tend them, and a dead plant is no bargain at all! Read on for some tips on how to shop for bargain bin plants. Read in full.

Fall and spring are great seasons for planting container grown shrubs. Like anything else in the garden, your shrubs will do best if you take the time to plant them correctly. Here’s what you need to know when planting shrubs in your yard. Read in full.

The large, colorful blossoms of Hibiscus (Hibiscus sp.) create an eye-catching display during summer, attracting hummingbirds and butterflies and providing the look of a tropical paradise, no matter what the variety. Read on to find out how to grow hibiscus in your yard or garden. Read in full.

Hydrangeas are deciduous shrubs that transform from bare winter stalks into lush, green branches dripping with blooms in summer. Hydrangeas make a great addition to landscape borders, and the blossoms are gorgeous as cut or dried flowers. Here are some tips for growing this eye-catching plant in your yard. Read in full.

This summer, I am loving the mulberry trees in the back yard! The ripe fruit is sweet, juicy, and lightly tart, making it an irresistible summer afternoon snack, and the lush trees turn my back yard into a summertime rainforest. Here are some tips for growing and enjoying mulberry trees. Read in full.

I have a favorite running route in my hometown, that takes me through lovely residential neighborhoods and past a couple of nice parks, and gets me back home before I collapse. There are many reasons why it’s my favorite – nice long hills that aren’t too steep, well-tended sidewalks, water fountains at strategic milestones – but I have to say that nothing beats the greeting I get from these guys. Read in full.

Carrie asks, “Are there any soil additives or other recommendations to neutralize dog urine so that it doesn’t kill my grass?”

This is one of those topics that abounds with home remedies, old wives’ tales, and myriad commercial products, all with mixed results at best. Here are some facts and solutions that can help. Read in full.

Last summer, I planted a yellow Lady Banks Rose to grow up the column of my side porch. Lady Banks is a thornless climbing rose that explodes in clusters of miniature white or yellow blossoms in the spring, and it’s what we gardeners call a “vigorous climber.” That means that the thing is on the fast track to taking over my porch and possibly my entire house. Here are a few quick facts for growing this luscious rose. Read in full.