November 19th, 2008 — Garden, Handy Man, plants
If you have a container garden that you’ve been carefully tending all summer long, it’s time to start thinking about what you plan to do with it for the rest of the year. Depending on the types of plants you have, you may be able to enjoy them all year round, simply by bringing your container garden inside. It’s easier than it sounds and with the right materials, you’ll be able to enjoy your garden, even if it’s thirty below.
The first step is to clear out a space in your home where you can place your plants. If you have several, you may want to consider using nesting tables, or a terrace system to help make the most out of your space. Ideally, the plants should be placed near a southern window where they will be able to get the most natural light. However, it is a good idea to make sure that the window does not have any gaps that let in cold air.
Once you have your place picked out, you can start either adding small tables or you can put down a rug to keep your floor safe. It’s not a good idea to place your pots right on the carpet or on wood floors since they may leave stains. If the plants need a lot of water, you may want to consider placing waterproof material down on the floor, under where the pots will be kept. This will keep your flooring safe and make it easier to clean up.
If you don’t have a southern window with good exposure, or you simply have too many plants, you can try placing them around your home in different locations. Many people like to use an extra bathroom for plants since this a little more humid environment and will help your plants stay healthy. If you are dealing with limited space, it may be harder to bring your container garden inside, but with some careful planning and space saving, it can be done. At the very least, you can save your favorite plants.
Once you’ve got your container garden inside, the plants may need a little time to adjust to the air in your home. A humidifier will help keep their soil moist and you may need to water them more frequently when you first bring them in. Light is very important in order to keep them growing, so if you don’t have natural light, you may need to use lamps and overhead lighting to keep them healthy.
Although it is a little extra work, bringing your container garden inside is a great way to keep the winter doldrums at bay and keep your plants healthy all year round. Even if you bring in only one plant, you’ll still have a little piece of summer to get you through the cold grey days that are ahead. Give it a try and see how much fun it can be to have plants around you all year long.
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November 18th, 2008 — Curb Appeal, Handy Man, Landscape, Light Fixtures, Outside, Yard
When it comes to focusing on curb appeal, many homeowners get caught up with plantings and fixtures, but fail to find ways to highlight all of their hard work. Whenever you add something new to the outside of your home, you’re going to want to show it off! Simple lighting fixtures can add a lot of nighttime drama to your home and make it look like a million bucks. This greatly enhances your home’s curb appeal and adds to the overall value of the home.
If you’re completely new to landscaping, it can be a little tough to decide where to put these lights. Instead of just buying a few and placing them willy-nilly, we’re going to show you how to design and implement an exterior lighting plan. It’s well worth the time and effort and you’ll be amazed by the results. Let’s get started!
First, you’ll need to work out a budget for how much you want to spend on your lights. This can dramatically impact your overall design, so this is the best place to start. Keep in mind that if you are installing hard wired lights you’re going to need to spend extra money having an electrician hook them up unless you are comfortable doing it yourself.
Once you have your budget figured out, you can move to the next step. Go outside and take a photo of your house. Sounds silly, but it’s a lot easier to work from a photo. The camera will pick up on things you may miss with the naked eye. If you’re using a digital camera, you can use your computer to help you with light placement. Either way, either get your film developed or print out your picture so that you have a hard copy to work from.
Figure out which areas you want to highlight and which areas may need camouflaging. If you’ve got some nice plants alongside the front of your home, but the paint is peeling, it’s not a good idea to throw a spotlight on them so the world can see that your house needs a coat of paint. Likewise, if you’ve got a spectacular flower garden, you need to show it off!
Once you have an idea of the areas that you want to highlight, you can fill in the rest of your idea with secondary lights. For example, if you have a walkway up to your front door, it is a very nice tough to line it with small lights that make it easier to see at night. This gives your home a very cozy and welcoming feel. Several homeowners also like to put a light fixture at the entrance of their drive. There are some fabulous old style lanterns that are perfect for this use.
Draw everything out on paper first. Once this is done, you can purchase your lights and install them according to your notes. While you can install lights without having an idea of where they should go, you’ll get a much nicer end product when you take the time to plan everything out.
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