If you live in an area with foraging deer, you’ve likely watched with dismay as some of your favorite plants disappeared 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.

The Deer-Proof Garden

It’s important to remember that unless you build a very tall fence, there is no such thing as a deer-proof garden. Deer will eat anything if they are hungry enough, and they can adapt and eat plants that are considered “resistant.” However, they do have their favorites, and they’re more attracted to places where their favorite food is easily available.

The idea behind deer-resistant gardening is to fill your yard with plants they don’t prefer, in hopes the deer will simply give up and go someplace more appetizing.

Add herbs, such as lavender, to discourage deer.

In general, deer prefer:

• Plants with lush foliage and high water content, such as hostas
• Early spring plants like tulips, crocuses, and forsythia
• Fruiting and berry-producing plants, including vegetable gardens
• Native plants

Deer are less likely to be attracted to:

• Herbs and strongly flavored plants
• Heavily scented foliage
• Plants with fuzzy or hairy leaves
• Prickly plants
• Ferns
• Grasses

If you’re planting a new border or garden, start with heavily scented and deer-resistant plants on the outside perimeter. Once you’ve established an area and encouraged the deer to browse elsewhere, you can add other plants inside the perimeter.

List of Deer-Resistant Plants

Always check with local gardeners and your cooperative extension service to find out what has (and hasn’t) worked for gardeners in your area. The following is a list of plants that research has indicated are less appealing to deer:

Rosemary is an evergreen herb that works well in flower gardens, too.

Herbs and Scented Plants

Most herbs are great choices for deer-resistant gardens, such as:

• Chives, ornamental (Allium sp.)
• Garlic, ornamental (Allium sp.)
• Ginger (Asarum sp.)
• Lavender (Lavandula sp.)
• Onion, ornamental (Allium sp.)
• Mint (Mentha sp.)
• Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
• Sage, ornamental and culinary (Salvia sp.)
• Thyme (Thymus sp.)

Deer generally leave ornamental grasses alone.

Ornamental Grasses

Most ornamental grasses are deer-resistant, including:

• Fescue (Festuca sp.)
• Flame grass (Miscanthus sp.)
• Fountain Grass (Pennisetum sp.)
• Giant Reed (Arundo donax)
• Pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana)
• Purple Moor grass (Molinia caerulea)
• Sedge (Carex sp.)
• Silver grass (Miscanthus sp.)
• Zebra grass (Miscanthus sp.)

Most species of ferns are also considered deer-resistant.

Ferns

Most species of ferns, including:

• Christmas fern (Polystichum arcostichoides)
• Hayscented fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula)
• Holly fern (Cyrtomium falcatum)
• New York fern (Thelyptens noveboracensis)
• Ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris)
• Osmanthus (Osmanthus sp.)
• Sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis)
• Wood fern (Dryopteris marginalis)

Annual vinca is less appealing, although annuals are often devoured.

Annuals

• Ageratum (Ageratum sp.)
• Annual Vinca (Catharanthus roseus)
• Dusty Miller (Centaurea cineraria)
• Flowering Tobacco (Nicotiana sp.)
• Poppy (Papaver sp.)
• Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus)
• Strawflower (Helichrysum)

Lamb’s ear has fuzzy leaves that discourage deer.

Perennials and Groundcovers

• Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
• Artemisia (Artemesia sp.)
• Bleeding Heart (Dicentra sp.)
• Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans)
• Catmint (Nepeta sp.)
• Coneflower (Echinacea sp. & Rudbeckia sp.)
• Coreopsis (Coreopsis sp.)
• Daffodil (Narcissus sp.)
• Epimedium (Epimedium sp.)
• Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis sp.)
• Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)
• Germander (Teucrium chamaedrys)
• Iris (Iris sp.)
• Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantina)
• Lenten rose (Helleborus sp.)
• Ligularia (Ligularia sp.)
• Lungwort (Pulmonaria sp.)
• Monkshood (Aconitum sp.)
• Pachysandra (Pachysandra sp.)
• Potentilla, Cinquefoil (Potentilla sp.)
• Rock-Cress (Arabis caucasica)
• Rose Campion (Lychnis coronaria)
• Russian sage (Perovskia sp.)
• Spurge (Euphorbia sp.)
• Spotted Deadnettle (Lamium sp.)
• Tarragon (Artemesia sp.)
• Thistle (Echinops sp.)
• Yarrow (Achillea sp.)
• Yucca (Yucca sp.)

Creeping juniper is a popular groundcover shrub.

Shrubs and Trees

• Barberry (Berberis sp.)
• Birch (Betula sp.)
• Blue mist shrub (Caryopteris clandonensis)
• Boxwood (Buxus sp.)
• Butterfly bush (Buddleia sp.)
• Elderberry (Sambucus sp.)
• Holly (Ilex sp.)
• Juniper (Juniperus sp.)
• Lilac (Syringa sp.)
• Mahonia (Mahonia sp.)
• Maple (Acer sp.)
• Peashrub (Caragana sp.)
• Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia)
• Spruces (Picea sp.)
• Sumac (Rhus sp.)

Further Information

• Camouflage Gardening (Native Plant Society of Texas)
• Deer-Resistant Plants (Deer-Resistant Landscape Nursery)
• Landscape Plants Rated by Deer Resistance (Rutgers)

Related posts:

• How To Use Deer Repellents to Prevent Damage to Your Yard or Garden
• How to Spruce Up a Summer Garden with Tropical Plants

Fall gardening chores tend to have a “bedtime” theme – before your plants begin their long winter’s nap, they need to be tended and tucked cozily into their beds. Fall gardening is also an exercise in delayed gratification – new plants will barely put down roots before going dormant, cleaned and amended beds won’t show their gratitude until spring, and bulbs disappear underground, making you wonder if they’ll ever reappear. Don’t despair – instead, use this season to clean up, organize, and take stock of your lawn and garden.

In November, most of the country experiences the first frost or freeze, and with it, the onset of winter dormancy. You can continue many of the gardening chores of September and October as long as your soil isn’t frozen.

Here are some additional lawn and garden chores to consider for November:

Shrubs and Trees

• After the leaves have fallen, you can once again start pruning deciduous trees and shrubs. If your area normally has a warm spell or “Indian Summer,” hold off until you’re sure the plants are dormant so they won’t put out new growth.
• Be on the lookout for berry-covered branches for use in indoor decorations.
• Continue planting container-grown ornamental trees and shrubs until the ground freezes.
• Water evergreens until freezing weather, but make sure they don’t get waterlogged.
• Start shopping for a live Christmas tree. If you’re planning to plant it after the holidays, save yourself some work by digging the hole now while the soil is workable, and cover the soil with burlap.
• In zones 8 and warmer, plant bare-root roses, trees, and shrubs, as well as perennials, ornamental grasses, and winter vegetables.
• When you prune, keep some of the cuttings to root indoors.
• Winterize roses after the first frost, but before the ground freezes. Prune canes back to 3’- 4’ or tie up climbers. Then mound soil at least 12” deep and 12” wide around the stem and crown.

Perennials stay green as long as possible to soak up nutrients for the winter.

Perennials and Bulbs

• In colder climates, dig up chrysanthemums after they finish blooming if you want to keep them over the winter.
• After the leaves turn yellow, you can divide and transplant fall-blooming bulbs such as autumn crocus, colchicum, and sternbergia.
• Continue planting winter and spring-flowering bulbs.
• Check on your stored tender bulbs to make sure they’re in a cool, dry place. Make sure you have them labeled so you’ll know what they are.
• If the ground isn’t frozen, you can continue to plant perennials. Look for discounted perennials at the garden center!
• In frost-free areas, you can keep on planting bulbs that don’t require a winter’s chill, such as anemone, amaryllis, calla lilies, freesia, lilies, and garlic.

Annuals and Containers

• Empty and clean out spent annual containers.
• Store clay pots indoors, since they can break in freezing weather.
• Smash up cracked or broken pots to use as drainage in next year’s containers.
• Plant colorful winter annuals such as pansies and ornamental cabbages.

Despite the winterizing benefits of phosphorus, some chemical products are phosphorus-free to comply with local pollution regulations.

Lawns

• Continue to mow cool-season grasses until they stop growing.
• Rake lawns and remove debris. Recycle leaves as mulch.
• November is the traditional time to apply winterizing fertilizer to your lawn (higher potassium and phosphorus, and lower nitrogen). Apply after grass stops growing but at least a month before the ground freezes.

Fruits and Vegetables

• Till the soil in your vegetable beds and add organic matter or compost to be ready for early spring planting.
• Cut back asparagus tops after they turn yellow.
• Enjoy the final harvest!

Houseplants

• Cut back on feeding houseplants.
• As the days shorten, houseplants will need less water, but make sure they get enough humidity.
• Be on the lookout for spider mites and other pests that can be found in indoor, climate-controlled environment.
• If you have chilled bulbs for the holidays, start forcing them by placing the pots in a relatively cool spot (60º F) with indirect sunlight. Increase temperature and light as green growth and buds appear. Plan for buds within 3-4 weeks.

Cleanup and Maintenance

• Clean up leaves before they suffocate your lawn and garden. Use them as mulch around plants, or in between planting rows in the vegetable garden, or add them to the compost bin. Up to 1” of leaves can be mown and mulched into your lawn.
• Remove fallen leaves that get caught in the foliage of shrubs and groundcovers.
• Take off any diseased or pest-infested foliage.
• “Tuck in” your perennial, vegetable, bulb, and strawberry beds with a layer of mulch. Heavily mulch plants that are susceptible to the cold.
• Add organic material under (or in place of) the mulch.
• Discourage munching critters like squirrels and rabbits by lightly piling evergreen boughs over plants and vegetables.

Also…

• Clean, sharpen, and oil garden tools.
• Drain and store garden hoses and protect outdoor faucets from freezing weather.
• Winterize your garden and lawn machinery according to manufacturer’s instructions.
• Fill up bird feeders for overwintering birds.
• Make a safe place to store some hardwood fireplace ashes for use in next year’s garden.
• If you have fish in your garden pond, continue feeding them until the water temperature drops below 50º F, then stop until the water warms above 50º in spring.
• Move hardy water plants to the deepest part of your pond.
• Stop all watering when the ground freezes.
• Watch the weather, and prolong your enjoyment of veggies and flowers by protecting them on frosty nights.
• lKeep adding to your compost pile, even though it will slow down in cold weather.

Related posts:

• October Lawn & Garden To-Do List
• December Lawn & Garden To-Do List
• May Lawn & Garden To-Do List

With the rising cost of gas and electricity, finding ways to cut back on your energy consumption is more important than ever. To help you cope, we’re taking a look at four great ways to make your home more energy efficient that are also eligible for the Federal Energy Efficiency Tax Credit by upgrading your heating and cooling system, water heater, windows, and attic insulation.

Home Energy Audit

Blower door test.

One of the best ways to find out how to reduce the amount of energy you use is by having an energy audit conducted on your home. Your local utility provider will often conduct the audit at no cost, or you can hire a private company.

Tests conducted include installing a blower in an exterior door to create negative air pressure inside the house. A smoke pencil and infrared photography are then used to identify areas of air movement and infiltration. Similar tests on the heating and cooling system are used to detect air leaks in the ductwork, which on average account for a 25% to 40% loss in conditioned air in your home.

Once the tests have identified problem areas in walls, around windows and doors, in the attic, and in the heating and cooling system, steps are then taken to seal up any cracks or gaps to make the house tighter and more energy efficient.

Heating & Cooling

In addition to sealing up ductwork, consider replacing an older HVAC unit with a newer, more energy efficient model that has a higher Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER).

Danny discusses water heaters with actor and environmentalist Ed Begley, Jr.

Water Heaters

Heating water accounts for approximately 13% of the total energy usage in a home. Replacing an inefficient hot water heater with a new high efficiency model can save up to $300 a year on your utility bills. Energy efficient models include:

• Solar water heaters
• Heat pump water heaters
• Tankless water heaters
• High efficiency tank water heaters like the Vertex from A. O. Smith.

Windows Replacement

Up to 50% of the heating and cooling loss in older, existing homes is due to heat loss and gain through the glass in single pane windows and air infiltration in the weather stripping around the sash. While you can replace the entire window unit, JELD-WEN Windows and Doors also offers sash packs that retain the existing window frame while replacing just the sash and balance tracks on each side. The new sash have double pane glass with a low-E coating—to make them very energy efficient—set in a low maintenance, vinyl covered frame.

Insulation

Adding more insulation to your attic is one of the best and most economical ways to increase the energy efficiency of your home and reduce utility bills. A common, inexpensive solution is to install batts or blow in fiberglass or cellulose insulation on top of the existing insulation in your attic. Another option that is gaining in popularity, is to spray expanding foam insulation between the rafters and wall studs.

Spaying foam between the rafters prevents heat from entering your attic and allows your HVAC system to perform more efficiently. While more expensive than traditional insulation, foam has a higher insulation R-value and seal out air infiltration better than fiberglass or cellulose.

Other Tips from This Episode

Related posts:

• Ten Tips to Keep Your Home Energy Efficient
• (687) Small Town Green: Building an Energy Efficient Home
• Energy Efficiency Tax Credits for Homeowners

Potassium is a very important nutrient for overall plant health. It’s involved in protein synthesis and in the flow of nutrients and water up and down the plant. Potassium strengthens plants against cold, heat, disease, and pests, and it’s the key ingredient in fertilizers labeled as “winterizers.”

If you’re looking to go organic, there are many ways to supplement your lawn or garden with potassium without using chemical fertilizers. Here are the most common sources of organic potassium:

• Compost: Compost is full of nutrients, including potassium, especially if it is beefed up with banana peels and other fruit and vegetable waste. The potassium compounds in compost are water-soluble, which makes them readily available to plants but also likely to leach out of your compost pile over time.



• Wood Ash: The original source of “potash” fertilizers, hardwood ashes can be used directly as a fertilizer (about a 5-gallon bucket per 1000 square feet) or added to your compost pile to increase the potassium content. Wood ash also raises soil pH, so be sure to do regular soil testing to make sure it stays balanced.
• Kelp Meal: Available dried or liquid, kelp and seaweed offer potassium to the soil in a fairly quick-release form.
• Greensand: Mined from ancient former sea beds and is rich in a number of minerals including potassium. It’s used both as a fertilizer and a soil conditioner, or it can be mixed with compost.
• Muriate of Potash (potassium chloride): Mined from ancient deposits, this commercially available product can be used as natural sources of potassium, though the chlorine found in it can harm soil microbes.
• Sulfate of Potash (potassium sulfate): More expensive than muriate of potash but safer, since it doesn’t contain chlorine. Not all potash products are considered organic, so make sure the product you use is approved by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI).
• Sul-Po-Mag: A variation of potash, Sul-Po-Mag is actually a naturally-occurring mineral called langbeinite (sulfate of potash-magnesia). Sul-Po-Mag is water soluble and convenient, although it shouldn’t be used unless your soil also needs sulfur and/or magnesium.
• Granite Dust: Available from granite quarries, granite dust is a relatively inexpensive way to add potassium and tract minerals to your soil. Since it’s ground-up rock, this product is very slow to release its minerals and is not a quick fix.

Further Information

• Fertilizer 101
• The Debate over Organic vs. Chemical Fertilizers
• Organic Sources of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium (Plants to Grow)
• Planet Natural (organic fertilizers available online)


Related posts:

• Phosphorus Fertilizer in Your Lawn or Garden
• How to Winterize the Grass in Your Lawn
• November Lawn & Garden To-Do List
]]> http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/lawn-and-gardening/organic-sources-of-potassium-for-your-lawn-or-garden/feed/ 0 http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/attics-and-basements/how-to-solve-moisture-problems-under-your-home/ http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/attics-and-basements/how-to-solve-moisture-problems-under-your-home/#comments Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:11:23 +0000 Danny Lipford http://www.dannylipford.com/?p=7935 Mary asks, “ We live in an older home that is raised off the ground with a crawlspace. In the past few years, the hardwood flooring in several rooms has started to warp and cup. What could be the problem?”

It sounds like you may have excessive moisture and humidity in the crawlspace under your home. Read on to find out how to correct the problem. Read in full.

]]>

We live in an older home that is raised a couple of feet off the ground with a crawlspace under it. In the past few years, the hardwood flooring in several rooms has started to warp and cup. What could be the problem? -Mary

Hi Mary,

It sounds like you may have excessive moisture and humidity in the crawlspace under your home. Here’s what you can do to correct it:

• Make sure the ground around your foundation slopes away from the house (1/2″ per foot or more).
• Divert rainwater run-off from the roof away from the foundation by installing gutters and extending the downspouts so water is diverted beyond the planting beds and out into the yard.
• Check your air conditioner unit to be sure the AC drain pipe isn’t clogged and extend it if needed to direct condensation water away from the foundation of your home.
• Inspect the crawlspace under your home. While the soil may be moist, it shouldn’t be saturated or have standing water.
• Look for any plumbing leaks as well as excessive dampness, mold, and mildew.
• If mold or mildew are present on the joists or bottom of the subfloor, treat under the house with a product such as Concrobium Mold Control (available at The Home Depot along with a fogger to rent).
• Clean out any debris and stored items under your house, and fill in any holes or depressions.
• Cover the entire crawlspace with thick, black plastic sheeting (6 mil or higher). Overlap the seams by a foot or more and run the plastic up the sides of the foundation.
• For extreme moisture problems, consider taping the seams in the plastic together, block the outside vents, and install a dehumidifier in the crawlspace to remove excess moisture from the air.

  Good luck with your project,

  

  

  Related posts:

  • How to Reduce Mold and Moisture Under Your Home
  • How to Rid Your Home of Mold and Mildew
  • Fixing Foundation Drainage Problems with a French Drain
  ]]> http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/attics-and-basements/how-to-solve-moisture-problems-under-your-home/feed/ 0 http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/lawn-and-gardening/trading-sunlight-for-firelight/ http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/lawn-and-gardening/trading-sunlight-for-firelight/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:15:19 +0000 Julie Day http://www.dannylipford.com/?p=7929

  Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote, “I cannot endure to waste anything as precious as autumn sunshine by staying in the house.” With the end of daylight saving time this weekend, the idea of “precious sunshine” really hit home as I set out for an evening walk and found that it was already pitch-dark outside! Read in full.

  ]]>

  Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote, “I cannot endure to waste anything as precious as autumn sunshine by staying in the house.”

  With the end of daylight saving time this weekend, the idea of “precious sunshine” really hit home as I set out for an evening walk and found that it was already pitch-dark outside! Thankfully, the route is so familiar that I don’t need to see the low-slung tree branches in order to duck under them.

  This is the time of year when the days are so bright and crisp you can’t stand to be inside, then evening arrives like a light switch to remind you to savor the sunshine while you can. This dark evening, I didn’t waste any time – I piled the logs on the fireplace to fill the house with warmth and light, my own tiny little sun to chase away the cold.

  It’s not quite the same, but if you add in some hot cider and wool socks, it’s not a bad trade. If the sun’s out, you’ll find me outside, and if I can’t be outside, at least I’ll be cozy.

  

  Related posts:

  • Happy Thanksgiving!
  ]]> http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/lawn-and-gardening/trading-sunlight-for-firelight/feed/ 0 http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/carpentry/give-the-gift-of-woodworking-this-holiday-season/ http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/carpentry/give-the-gift-of-woodworking-this-holiday-season/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:11:57 +0000 Advertiser http://www.dannylipford.com/?p=7897

  [Sponsored message from Woodcraft]
  Rather than scouring the malls for the perfect gift for that hard to shop for loved one this holiday season, why not give the gift of a hobby that can last a lifetime. Enroll them in a woodworking class to further cultivate an existing hobby or inspire a new one. Read in full.

  ]]> Sponsored message from
  

  

  Finding a gift for that special someone can be hard. When that special someone seemingly has everything, that task gets even harder. But holiday shoppers find themselves in that familiar position every year, wherein one or two people on their list prove harder to shop for than everyone else combined.

  But a hard to shop for loved one could create the ideal gifting opportunity this holiday season. In lieu of scouring the malls for that perfect gift, give the gift of a hobby this holiday season. Enroll a loved one in a woodworking class to further cultivate an existing hobby or even inspire a new one. Such classes are available to hobbyists of all ages and experience levels, and can truly become a gift that keeps on giving.

  Beginners

  For that special someone who truly does have everything, a new hobby can be the ideal gift. In such cases, a beginner’s course can help a loved one get their feet wet and see if a given hobby is a good fit. Woodcraft’s “Carving 101,” for example, allows those with a potential interest in carving the chance to learn this fulfilling art from a host of expert carvers. Such classes require no previous skill or experience, and students learn different cutting techniques that encourage them to add shape and form to the basswood carving blank that’s provided at the onset of class.

  Intermediate

  Not all hobbyists are necessarily wet behind the ears. Some have past work experience and might have moved on but maintained an interest or passion for a given skill. To holiday shoppers, the intermediate level hobbyist presents the perfect gifting opportunity. For instance, a spouse, brother or in-law who was interested in woodworking as a child but lost touch with the hobby would no doubt find an intermediate woodworking class a welcomed chance to reconnect with a hobby they once enjoyed.

  A class on woodturning, which is where you make objects on a spinning lathe, can result in the creation of ornaments and small bowls that will inevitably become family heirlooms or handy items like an ice cream scoop, garden spade or garden fork.

  Additionally, a course such as Woodcraft’s “Intermediate Carving” is perfect for the hobbyist who still remembers the basics but wants to take his or her carving skills to the next level. Over a 10-week period, students will learn more complicated techniques while more extensively developing a new hobby or reconnecting with a previous favorite pastime.

  Experts

  Because hobbyists come in all shapes, sizes and experience levels, a course that allows a weekend warrior to become an expert at his or her passion can also be a great gift this holiday season. What’s more, an expert class doesn’t have to require much time and can actually be a great way to help that special someone combine two passions.

  Woodcraft also offers detailed project plans which could make a great gift in their own right for the intermediate-to-experienced woodworker. From outdoor projects, like an Adirondack chair, garden arbor, bench or planter to more artful items, like a quilt rack, heart shaped jewelry box or an ornate container for steak knives or silverware, these detailed plans provide easy-to-understand instructions on how to create them.

  For more information about Woodcraft, which has more than 80 stores nationwide, their products, or to find a class near you, visit www.woodcraft.com.

  

  Related posts:

  • Top 10 Holiday Gift Tool Ideas for 2008
  • Home Safety Tips That Ensure A Safe Holiday Season
  ]]> http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/carpentry/give-the-gift-of-woodworking-this-holiday-season/feed/ 0 http://www.dannylipford.com/home-improvement-video/reducing-litter-from-cigarettes/ http://www.dannylipford.com/home-improvement-video/reducing-litter-from-cigarettes/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:34:22 +0000 Danny Lipford http://www.dannylipford.com/?p=7862

  Carelessly throwing cigarette butts on the ground is not only a fire hazard, it accounts for over 30% of all the litter in the U.S. Cigarette butts take 10-15 years to decompose and can leach harmful chemicals—including cyanide, arsenic, and lead—into water supplies. Watch this video.

  ]]>

  Cigarettes are extremely hazardous to everybody’s health, smoker and non-smoker alike. We’ve all seen people carelessly throw cigarette butts on the ground or out a car window. Besides being an obvious fire hazard, these nasty little things take 10 to 15 years to decompose, and during that time, chemicals like cyanide, arsenic and lead leach into the ground.

  Don’t think that’s very much? Over 360 BILLION cigarettes were smoked in the U.S. last year. Even if only one tenth of one percent were discarded on the ground, that’s 300 thousand cigarette butts, literally enough to make you sick, leaking poison into the ground, contaminating water supplies.

  Equally disturbing is the fact that cigarette waste represents over 30% of all the litter in the U.S. So, if you’re still foolish enough to smoke, do yourself and the rest of the world a favor…keep your butts where they belong.

  ]]> http://www.dannylipford.com/home-improvement-video/reducing-litter-from-cigarettes/feed/ 0 http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/homefront-radio-show-for-october-31-2009/ http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/homefront-radio-show-for-october-31-2009/#comments Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:58:38 +0000 Danny Lipford http://www.dannylipford.com/?p=7836 Here are some of the highlights from the October 31, 2009, Homefront with Danny Lipford radio show. Read in full.
  ]]> Here are some of the highlights from the October 31, 2009, Homefront with Danny Lipford radio show.

  Guests on This Week’s Show

  Captain Bernardo Herzer, president and CEO of LEHR joined us to talk about the latest innovation from LEHR, the propane-powered Eco-Blower. Learn more about this green lawn tool at golehr.com.

  How to Clean Floors

  This week we focused on how to keep your floors clean:

  • Natural Floor Cleaner: A mixture of 1½ cups white vinegar to a quart of warm water is great for mopping hard surface floors (except marble).
  • Chewing Gum: Rub with an ice cube to harden the gum, then scrap it off with a putty knife, credit card, or plastic spatula.
  • Candle Wax: The ice cube trick works with hot wax as well. To remove any remaining residue, place several layers of paper towels on the spot and run a warm clothes iron over it.
  • Raw Egg: To clean up a raw egg dropped on your floor, sprinkle it with table salt to congeal the egg before wiping it up with a paper towel.
  • Hairspray: To remove sticky hairspray on bathroom floors (except marble), wipe it down with a clean rag dipped in ammonia. Ammonia is powerful stuff, so be sure you have plenty of ventilation!
  • Grout: While tile resist stains, grout does not. After the grout in your floor has been thoroughly cleaned and allowed to dry, apply grout sealer to keep it looking like new.

  Questions Answered on This Week’s Show:

  This week, Danny and Allen tackled topics including:

  • How to divert rain from a roof valley.
  • Inexpensive home improvement projects that can help sell your home.
  • Removing stain from a fiberglass door.
  • When and where to plant crepe myrtles.
  • The best gauge of metal to use for gutters.
  • Temperature extremes when installing fiberglass asphalt shingles.
  • Information on the Cash for Appliances programs in place this fall.

  

  

  Related posts:

  • Homefront Radio Show for October 24, 2009
  • Homefront Radio Show for October 17, 2009
  • Homefront Radio Show for October 10, 2009
  ]]> http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/homefront-radio-show-for-october-31-2009/feed/ 0 http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/lawn-and-gardening/how-to-winterize-the-grass-in-your-lawn/ http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-home-improvement/lawn-and-gardening/how-to-winterize-the-grass-in-your-lawn/#comments Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:00:09 +0000 Julie Day http://www.dannylipford.com/?p=7844

  Your lawn's nutrient needs change in the fall in preparation for the cold weather ahead. If all the conflicting advice about whether or not to winterize your lawn has left you confused, you're not alone! But figuring out what to do may not be as hard as it seems. Read on to find out how to prepare your lawn for winter. Read in full.

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  If all the conflicting advice about whether or not to winterize your lawn has left you confused, you’re not alone! But figuring out what to do may not be as hard as it seems. Here’s what you need to know about how to prepare your lawn for winter.

  What Is a Winterizer?

  Your lawn’s nutrient needs change in the fall in preparation for the cold weather ahead. Winterizing fertilizers are high in potassium (chemical symbol: K), the third number listed on the fertilizer label.

  
  Winterizers have a higher potassium content than other lawn fertilizers.

  Potassium is a very important nutrient in overall plant health. It works at the cellular level to strengthen and harden plants from top to bottom, making them more tolerant of cold and stress. Potassium also helps a plant absorb other nutrients, making it an important component of balanced feeding for your lawn.

  The other two nutrients in fertilizer are nitrogen, the first number (chemical symbol: N), which promotes leaf and stem growth; and phosphorus, the middle number (chemical symbol: P), to enhance root growth and fruit production.

  Commercial winterizer fertilizers usually contain higher levels of potassium and lower levels of nitrogen than early-season “turf building” type fertilizers. For example, Scotts WinterGuard fertilizer has an N-P-K number of 24-2-14 while their standard Turf Builder is 29-2-4.

  Winterizers Are for Cool-Season Grasses

  

  Most commercial winterizers are formulated for cool-season grasses such as fescue and bluegrass. These type of lawns:

  • Have their peak growing season in the fall, so that’s a great time to feed them.
  • Need increased potassium and decreased nitrogen as the season progresses.

  Some lawn care professionals believe that a fall application of winterizer is the single most beneficial thing you can do for cool-season lawns, and the best choice if you’re only fertilizing once. Among the main commercial fertilizers, winterizers are more balanced than turf-builders, so they’re a better choice for once-a-year feeding.

  Warm-Season Grasses Beware

  Winterizers should not be used with warm-season grasses (Bermuda, St. Augustine, zoysia, centipede) because they:

  • Go dormant in the winter while an application of fertilizer spurs new growth.
  • Grow in warmer climates where winterizing is less of an issue.
  • While warm-season grasses need potassium, it should be applied during spring and summer instead of fall.

  
  The nutrient ratio is more important than the name on the label.

  What’s All The Hype?

  If you follow the seasonal parade of fertilizer products, winterizers are last in the lineup of recommended summer and fall fertilizers. But look closely and you’ll notice that the earlier feedings are almost pure nitrogen, because nitrogen is what makes your grass green and thick.

  Winterizers appear on shelves in the fall to provide the potassium that was left out of the earlier products. It’s quite a clever marketing plan, but it can cost you a fortune! If you substitute a slow-release fertilizer with more balanced nutrients for the typical summer blend, you can cut down on the number of applications needed.

  For established lawns, turf experts recommend feeding with at least three parts nitrogen for every one part potassium to provide maximum green-up and overall health, with at least half of the nitrogen in a slow-release form. Many commercial fertilizers now contain little or no phosphorus due to pollution concerns.

  Lawn fertilizer should be applied during the peak growing season (spring for warm-season grass, fall for cool-season). While you may find fertilizers with these ratios labeled as “winterizers,” they can be applied anytime that’s right for your lawn.

  
  Fall is a great time to feed cool-season lawns.

  Do I Need to Winterize My Lawn?

  • Conduct a soil test. If it shows adequate levels of potassium in your soil, you don’t need winterizer.
  • If you’ve been feeding your lawn with balanced nutrients all season (such as organic fertilizer or compost), you shouldn’t need to worry about winterizing, as there will still be plenty of potassium available in the soil during fall.
  • Cool-season grass will benefit from fall feeding. You can use a winterizer or another fertilizer as long as it contains both nitrogen and potassium. Or supplement your lawn throughout the season with potassium from organic sources.
  • For warm-season grasses, wait until late spring to fertilize and feed with balanced nutrients.

  Winterizers, like other chemical fertilizers, are commercial products designed for repeated use. Chemical fertilizers do not improve your soil and need to be applied again the next season.

  For a low-maintenance, low-budget, healthy lawn, consider switching to organic lawn practices such as top-dressing, mulch mowing, core aeration, and slow-release organic fertilizers. Over time, these practices will condition and enrich your soil, giving a healthier lawn that requires less maintenance.

  Further Information

  • The Myth of “Winterizer” Fertilizer (Colorado State University Extension)
  • Why You SHOULD NOT Winterize Your Lawn (Alabama Extension)
  • Winterizing Lawns (Clemson University Extension)
  • Winterizing Lawns Not Good for Warm-Season Grasses (Auburn University)
  

  Related posts:

  • Fall Lawn Care Guide
  • Organic Sources of Potassium for Your Lawn or Garden
  • How to Control Bermuda Grass
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