(ARA) – Homeowners may not have the pest bird problems that plagued Tippi Hedren in Alfred Hitchcock’s unforgettable thriller “The Birds,” but pest birds can still ruin your day.

Pest birds cost homeowners millions of dollars annually. The high concentration of uric acid found in some bird droppings can discolor paint, stain wood, and erode metal. It can ruin fencing, patios, metal or cloth awnings and patio furniture. Then there’s the health risk of bacteria, fungi and parasites that live and grow in bird droppings. Imagine these droppings in and around your pool, spa or grill. Bird droppings have been known to carry and transmit any of 60 known diseases. The fleas, mites and ticks in some birds can also carry disease.

Fortunately, there are a number of effective and humane bird deterrents to help keep pest birds away from your property. These bird control products are safe, easy to install and relatively economical. Bird proofing your home can save you time and money.

Perhaps the most popular bird deterrent is your basic bird spike. Perfect for roofs, awnings and patio covers, they are ideal for keeping large birds like pigeons and seagulls off of surfaces. Gutter spikes come in various sizes and will keep pest pigeons and larger birds from landing, roosting and nesting in your roof gutters.

For blanket coverage over large areas, bird netting creates an impenetrable barrier over plants, bushes, fruit trees, crops, vineyards, under eaves and other structures. There are also lightweight plastic mesh nets available for temporary applications. You can get netting in various mesh sizes to deter any bird species.

Another type of bird netting is copper mesh cloth. It comes in rolls and can be easily stuffed into openings, or packed tightly into cracks or holes to let air in but keep pest birds out.

To safely relocate pest birds from your property, consider using humane live traps. Constructed of sturdy galvanized wire, these traps feature funnel doors that allow a bird to walk in, but not out. An easy-access door on top facilitates simple removal or release of pest birds.

To discourage birds from landing under the eaves of your home or to keep swallows from building their mud nests, try Bird Slope. The slippery PVC panels are easy to install and create a barrier for nest building. They’re ideal for ledges, eaves, beams and other 90-degree areas where birds tend to nest. Bird slope creates a “slippery slope” that birds cannot land on.

Bird spiders use movement to help keep pest birds off air conditioning units, rooftops, awnings, chimney caps, and that covered boat you have sitting in front of the garage. Similar products, like the Solar Bird Repeller, run on energy efficient solar cells.

For those who like high-tech approach, there are a several bird scare products that use sound to keep pest birds at bay. They’re ideal for backyards, garden areas, pools, patios, gazebos, rooftops and other open spaces where pest birds are a nuisance. Some supersonic systems play distress and predator calls for up to 22 types of birds. Outdoor sound deterrents are meant for large areas and can cover between one and five acres.

For more information on humane ways to keep pest birds away from your home, visit AbsoluteBirdControl.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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(ARA) – Deer do some of their worst damage to your garden, landscape, trees and shrubs in winter, when other food sources are hard to come by.

“In the early 1900s, there were probably only about half a million deer spread out all over the country,” says James Messina of Messina Wildlife. “Today, there are more than 15 million. Deer, it turns out, adapt quite well to life in suburbia. Keeping them away from residential and commercial landscaping can help everyone – deer and homeowners – to co-exist more happily together.”

With no place to go and not much left to eat in the dead of winter, deer can wreak havoc in your backyard and destroy new buds and leaves before they ever have a chance to grow. As seasons change, the preferred food sources of deer change as well.

Deer develop new browsing trails as food sources change with the seasons, and repeatedly follow them through the season until new food sources begin to appear. That’s when the deer drama begins ….

Whitetail deer can consume, on average, 12 pounds of foliage a day. And in the winter, when natural food sources are scarce, they’ll give homeowners more trouble than any other time of year. The more snow we get, the worse the problem becomes. A winter of consistent snow coverage is great for bulbs and perennials, but evergreens face the toughest challenge from hungry deer looking to survive.

Deer are creatures of habit, and contrary to popular belief, the majority of them do not migrate. Bucks are known to travel more than 100 miles, but does will stay within the same three to four square miles for their entire lives. This means the deer you see this year are probably the exact same deer you saw last year. It also means that once they’ve found a food source, potentially yours, they’ll be back time and time again.

Fend off deer by applying repellents before you see the damage, encouraging the deer to move along and not include your landscape in their browse buffet.

Repellents rely on deer’s strong sense of smell and range from commercial products to homemade concoctions of human hair, blood meal or chunks of deodorant soap. But traditional animal repellents have become less effective than they were decades ago, Messina notes.

“That’s because many of those repellents rely on a bad smell – like the stench of a rotting carcass – to fool animals into thinking a predator’s kill is in the area and the predator may be returning for it,” he says. “But the number of predators out there has actually declined, and deer know it. They’re much less afraid of predators, so relying on ’scare tactics’ has a greater tendency to fail over time.”

Some deer have also built up a resistance to chemical deterrents. Plus, increasingly eco-conscious homeowners prefer not to put potentially harmful chemicals into the environment.

More homeowners are turning to organic alternatives, like Deer Stopper, a repellent formulated from plant extracts. This organic option works because it confronts deer by using their natural repulsion to certain plant smells and tastes rather than relying on fear of predator tactics.

“We know that deer will eat more than 500 different types of plants,” Messina says. “Normally, they’re quite discriminating. But in fall and winter, they become less picky and much more of a threat to suburban landscapes. Still, like many wild animals, deer rely on taste and smell to judge if a food may be harmful to them. If your backyard foliage tastes or smells unpleasant to them, one bite and they’ll move on.”

Deer Stopper by Messina Wildlife Management is the only organic repellent in the country certified by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI). An effective taste deterrent, Deer Stopper is 100 percent organic and completely safe for use on all types of plants and shrubs. OMRI lists it as approved for use by organic growers. The smell- and taste-based technology also eliminates the need to use foul, odor-based repellent products, which can be quite unpleasant for homeowners’ use.

Deer Stopper actually smells good to humans. Lightly misting vegetation once a month, even during the cold and snowy winter, will keep deer away all season long.

This winter protect your plants and shrubs and create your own boundaries for foraging bucks and deer. Now you’re in control of the drama.

For more information on Deer Stopper, retail store locations and other wildlife management repellents visit www.messinawildlife.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Songbird Essential's Seed Hoop catches 90 percent of spilled seed to keep feeding areas tidy.

(ARA) – The backyard can seem barren and bleak when the leaves fall off the trees and the last blooming plant retires until spring. But there’s an easy way to brighten your backyard and fill it with color and song this winter – charm songbirds looking for an easy, reliable food source.

Birds are the most accessible and abundant of wild creatures that live among us, and every home – apartment to estate – can offer them a safe way station to refuel. To attract the greatest number of birds, choose feeders and foods that suit a variety of wild bird species.

Don’t wait until the snow flies to get feeders in place. Fall is a good time to choose a location visible from your favorite window, to secure feeders with sturdy brackets, poles or hangers and to arrange convenient storage for your seed and supplies.

New birdwatchers may be bewildered by the huge assortment of feeders available today. A good place to start shopping is a Web site like www.SongbirdEssentials.com, which can direct you to a nearby retailer or online source.

Feeders come in many sizes and styles, and fall into a few broad categories. The three feeders every backyard bird lover should have include a tube feeder to hold sunflower or nut meats, a hopper feeder for mixed seed and a suet holder to attract woodpeckers and other tree trunk “clingers.”

Tube feeders can be made of clear plastic or wire mesh. They’re sized to hold peanut kernels, sunflower or nyger seed for finches. Experts recommend filling tubes with just one type of seed so birds don’t rummage through the contents in search of their favorite treats. Songbird Essential’s Seed Hoop is a unique and useful accessory to keep feeding areas tidy. The mesh tray attaches below feeders and catches 90 percent of spilled seed, keeping it off the ground and away from rodents. The hoop also serves as a platform feeder for cardinals, buntings and juncos.

Spiral Feeders offer three worthwhile innovations: a continuous spiral perch that allows more birds to feed at once, a locking lid to foil squirrels and a twist-off bottom for easy cleaning. A squirrel-proof wire mesh model is ideal for shelled sunflower or peanut hearts. Another Songbird Essentials feeder innovation is their “Clingers Only” feeder to primarily serve smaller avian guests like chickadees, small woodpeckers, titmice, nuthatches, goldfinches and others.

Suet is a high-energy fuel that helps birds survive cold winters. Tail Prop Suet Feeders attract the larger red-bellied and red-headed woodpeckers with support for their stiff tails, as well as the smaller and more common downy woodpeckers and nuthatches. Pre-formed suet cakes sized to fit feeders can include seeds, fruit or nuts for extra energy and appeal.

Position feeders near the protective cover of trees and shrubs to offer feathered friends shelter from predators. A small metal trash can with a tight lid is handy for storing seed nearby and a scoop makes refills quick and easy.

Once feeders are up, the wait for the first bird can make even patient people antsy. Experts suggest sprinkling some seed in a shiny pie plate set under feeders. When curious birds come to investigate, they’ll find your feeders, too.

For more information on feeders and other bird necessities visit www.songbirdessentials.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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(ARA) – As Mother Nature adorns the trees in your yard with riotous reds, vibrant yellows and exotic oranges, you can easily get swept up in the romance of the season – until those leaves turn brown, drop from the branches and litter your lawn. Then you start to think of the hours of backbreaking raking work ahead of you.

This autumn, why not try working with Mother Nature by mulching those leaves instead of raking, bagging and condemning them to a landfill?

Leaf mulching is a time-saving, environmentally friendly way to deal with fallen leaves. Plus, if you live in a community that has cut back on collection services due to the economy, mulching can solve your dilemma of what to do with the leaves littering your lawn.

“It doesn’t make sense to rake leaves and bag them, just to have them end up decomposing in a landfill,” says Dr. Phil Dwyer, senior scientist at The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company. “Leaf mulching recycles a natural resource and enriches the soil of your lawn for free.”

In fact, turf benefits by receiving more nutrients when you mulch fall leaves back into the lawn instead of raking them, according to a study by Michigan State University turfgrass researcher Thom Nikolai and ScottsMiracle-Gro scientists. Recycling fallen leaves saves time and money, adds nutrients to the soil, speeds spring greening and reduces weeds.

Here’s how to recycle this fall’s crop of fallen leaves:

* Remove the grass catcher from your lawn mower. Mow over the leaves on your lawn. Repeat until they are reduced to dime-sized pieces.

* Mow until you see about half an inch of grass through the mulched leaf layer.

Any kind of rotary-action mower will do the job, and all kinds of leaves can be mulched. Throughout the season, you can chop up to 18 inches total of leaf clutter with several passes of the mower. Having a somewhat thick layer of mulched leaves is okay as long as you can still see the green grass blades poking through. As leaf bits settle into the ground, microbes and worms get to work recycling them.

Once you’ve enriched your soil with leaf mulching, don’t forget that fall is the best time to feed and seed your lawn. A few simple steps can help ensure that your lawn will be strong next season and beyond:

* After mulching, feed your lawn with Scotts Turf Builder WinterGuard fall lawn fertilizer to help build strong, deep roots for a better foundation and a more robust lawn next year. The nitrogen in the fertilizer will also help the mulched leaves decompose faster. Be sure to sweep excess fertilizer off hard surfaces like driveways and sidewalks.

* After feeding, spread seed where needed. To reseed your bare spots, dig up bare areas, mix in compost, sow your seeds and cover with more compost. If the weather is dry, keep the seeded soil moist until new grass begins to grow. Seeding autumn bare spots will thicken the lawn and make it more resistant to future bare spots.

To learn more about leaf mulching and autumn lawn care, visit www.scotts.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Tip: Once you know what you want to add, plant new perennials and shrubs in the fall, and you will have larger, stronger plants with better blossoms next spring.

(ARA) – As the crisp fall air ushers in a new season, many gardeners may be left wondering: what now? Garden experts from across the country weighed in with their tips on the best things you can do this fall for a fabulous garden next year.

Plant now, bloom later

Judy Nauseef, president of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD), suggests planning ahead for next spring. “Fall is the time to take stock of your garden and plan for next year,” she advises.“You can see what worked and what didn’t, where you have holes and what needs to be replaced or moved.”

If you need help assessing your garden, she recommends calling in a professional landscape designer for help. You can find one in your area at www.apld.org.

“Once you know what you want to add, plant new perennials and shrubs in the fall, and you will have larger, stronger plants with better blossoms next spring,” adds Nauseef.

Many perennials provide color through the end of the season, especially trendy grasses. For your shade garden, try Hakonechloa ‘Beni-kaze’ from Briggs Nursery for its attractive green foliage that turns brilliant red in the fall. This gorgeous flowing Japanese forest grass is stunning planted in mass with ferns, hostas or other shade-loving perennials.

Give your containers a fall facelift

By summer’s end, container plantings have often seen their day. Give your tired containers a fresh look by adding bright fall annuals and colorful foliage in bold fall colors of red, orange, deep purple and gold. There are still plenty of plants available at your local garden center that will see your containers through the cooler months of fall.

“There are plenty of pansies, mums and asters available, but don’t stop there,” says Ed Bemis, of the Massachusetts Flower Growers Association. “You can create wonderful unique fall flower pots using foliage and flowering plants in the colors of autumn.”

Some favorites are yellow, red and rust colored snapdragons that will keep blooming through a bit of frost, and orange and rust coleus.

Everything’s coming up roses

“Fall is an excellent time for planting, and roses are no exception,” says Steve Hutton, plantsman and president of Conard-Pyle Co.

“Establishing roses in the fall is easy,” adds Hutton. “The weather and soil conditions are better in the fall, as opposed to spring when it tends to be cold, muddy and wet.”

For fall color, Hutton recommends planting the new Drift groundcover roses. Continuously blooming from spring to early frost, they are naturally dwarf, with very attractive foliage. Just remember to give them plenty of water and lots of sun.

Frost protector

No matter what you’re growing, a sudden frost or freeze is deadly, spelling doom to your garden and landscape. Protect your lush flowering baskets, vegetables, herbs and favorite plants from Jack Frost with FreezePruf, new this year from The Liquid Fence Company. This non-toxic spray can increase a plant’s tolerance to cold and protect home gardens from damage caused by cold.

This means gardeners can get a couple more weeks of growing and harvesting – at least two weeks earlier in spring and two weeks later in the fall. Just imagine tomatoes in October and mums still blooming after Thanksgiving.

Deer-proof your garden

Winter months are some of the deadliest times for deer destruction in the garden. “Deer are creatures of habit and stay near a good food source – like your backyard,” says Dave Mizejewski, naturalist with the National Wildlife Association. “A lush garden or lawn is a magnet for hungry deer and rabbits, especially in the winter.”

To keep deer out, look for all-natural products, like Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit Repellent, that use taste and scent aversion to turn animals off your plants and make them unappetizing to common garden-munchers.

Repellents should be applied monthly and should be reapplied after a heavy downpour of an inch or more.

Winterize your accessories
Mother Nature “naturalizes” cast stone and terra cotta garden accessories, but the harsh forces of winter can cause fine planters, birdbaths and statuary to crack and crumble.

According to the “garden accessory connoisseurs” at Campania International, a little care will help your garden “art” last for generations.

Cast stone planters and statuary should be raised off any surface which freezes and thaws. Terra cotta planters, which can absorb moisture and are subject to winter freeze-thaw cycles, should be stored indoors for winter.

If your planters are left planted outside over the winter, raise them off the ground so they will drain and not freeze to the surface. To winterize both cast stone and terra cotta accessories, simply place them on two pressure-treated wood strips, making sure not to block the drainage hole.

For birdbaths and fountains, bring tops in for the winter. All bases, bench legs and statuary should be raised up off the ground, so as not to freeze to the ground’s surface.

Remember, fall is for more than watching football games and raking leaves. It’s the best time to protect your investment, so you can have a glorious spring garden.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Richard Childress, owner of Childress Vineyards, Richard Childress Racing and the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil team, has done his fair share of home improvement projects over the years and knows what it takes to get the job done. There are a lot of decisions and key steps that are part of the planning process for any project. Whether installing a pool, putting on an addition or simply planting trees or bushes, Childress has a few tips to help make the process safe and easy.

Don’t get caught off guard
Before starting your project, make sure you have a structurally sound design, the right materials for the job and the proper funding. You never want to find yourself part way through a project and realize you’ve not taken the proper planning measures to get the job done. Any one of these elements can set you back and cause major problems that could affect the completion of your project.

“You don’t want to be caught off guard by anything,” says Childress. “When we were creating the business plan for Childress Vineyards, one of the key components was coming up with a comprehensive environmental impact plan as it related to the chemicals that would be used in the vineyards. We were able to draw upon a similar plan that had been revised and improved over the years at Richard Childress Racing. Those lessons learned over time at RCR paid big dividends from the very beginning at Childress Vineyards.”

Call 8-1-1 before you dig
Nothing is worse than hitting an underground facility and knocking out power or gas to your entire neighborhood. You are risking injury to yourself and those around you in addition to potentially causing harm to the environment. Call 8-1-1 before you do any digging. A quick and easy call to 8-1-1 will connect you with a local One Call Center operator who will take down information about your dig location and notify the underground facility operators to contact you so they can mark underground utilities such as natural gas and oil pipelines below your project. Once the lines are marked, you can begin to dig confident that you know what’s below.

“Calling 8-1-1 is like having a spotter when you’re digging,” says Childress. “The spotter for the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil team lets Kevin Harvick know whether or not it is clear before he makes a move on the track helping him to avoid a collision that would put everyone in jeopardy. 8-1-1 will help you make sure you’re clear to break ground and that you’re keeping your neighborhood safe.”

Take your time
Building projects are not a race and rushing can lead to both poor quality work and dangerous situations.

“Patience is important to the success and safety of your project,” says Childress. “When we broke ground at RCR many years ago, we knew it was going to be a long process, but we also knew that we wanted it done right and done well. That same focus and care can keep you, your love ones and neighbors safe while building a stable, beautiful structure for your home or business.”

These tips have helped Childress through numerous improvement projects and have lead to his success as a team owner in one of the top motorsports series in the world. So, next time you start a building or installation project or are looking to spruce up your landscape, be sure to plan ahead, call 8-1-1 before you dig, and take your time – and you will have a safe and successful project, too.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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(ARA) – Summer is the season for DIYers to complete outdoor home improvement projects, but even the most enthusiastic homeowner wants to make the best use of time so he or she can still enjoy the beautiful summer days.

Here are some common patio and landscaping projects and time-saving tips for completing them more easily, with better results:

* Fast-setting concrete fixes fencing in a snap.
Are you putting in a fence? Fixing one that just doesn’t look as good as it used to? You don’t need special equipment to get the job done right. Start by digging a new hole for the post. If one already exists, remove the loose post and clean out the existing hole.

For easy results that last, use a fast-setting concrete mix. Simply pour the dry mix directly into the hole and add water. This activates the cement and the mix will set in approximately 30 minutes. Remember to make sure posts are straight before concrete hardens. You can use this process for other outdoor projects like adding light fixtures or a mail box.

* Sweep and spray for easy and beautiful stone landscaping.
Most homes require some type of paver or rock built into the landscaping. Do you need a cobble path around your garden? A brick patio? A stone area around the base of your grill?

Try Sakrete Paver Set Polymeric Sand to install patios, walkways and drives. All you do is pour the Paver Set sand from the bag, sweep it into joints, then mist with a fine spray from a hose. The material then hardens in the spaces to lock out weeds and bugs, and set your pavers in place. It’s long lasting and resistant to wash-out so your stone landscaping looks great for years to come.

* Update landscaping beds for a cleaner look.
Rocks and mulch beds take a beating throughout the year. Take a moment to revive bedding by raking the mulch and replace any that has made its way outside edging. If you use wood chips, consider mixing in some new chips. It’s a fast and affordable way to give it a fresh and updated look. Peat moss is another affordable option for landscaping spaces. It looks great and is also good for the soil.

When choosing plants for landscaping, spend some time researching what’s appropriate for your location. Consider planting a variety — different shades of flowers and greenery add visual interest and can make a yard appear larger. They also help cool your yard which can be a big help on those hot summer days.

* Using the right concrete makes outdoor living areas simple projects.
Have you been meaning to add a concrete patio for outdoor living? Or add countertops for an outdoor kitchen area? Concrete is a great material for outdoor projects, but do you know the best kind to use?

Concrete mixes are categorized by PSI, or pounds per square inch. When finding a good mix, make sure that it is rated high enough for its intended use and will be able to weather the outdoor elements. Sakrete 5000 Plus, for example, has more than 5000 PSI. This mix is formulated for high-performance construction and repairs and only requires the addition of water, making it simple to use. You can easily pour an outdoor slab for patios or countertops and pour a walkway. Using this concrete mix gives you professional quality results with DIY ease.

With these insider tips, you’ll be on your way to a beautiful patio and yard. For more information about helpful DIY home products, visit www.sakrete.com .

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Don't let mosquitoes and wasps spoil summer fun. You can safely apply organic, herbal products to your skin or spray barriers to protect your whole yard.

(ARA) – From backyard barbecues and pool parties to cultivating your landscaping and “recession garden,” summer fun is even better when shared with others … except when that group includes some unwelcome critters.

Humans aren’t the only ones who enjoy the warm weather. Flying, buzzing, stinging, four-legged and four-footed pests also turn out in force when the days turn pleasant.

“Warmer weather means it’s time for outdoor living and enjoying backyard picnics, parties and pure relaxation,” says Luke Miller, editor of Garden Ideas & Outdoor Living. “Unfortunately, as the days get warmer, pests wake up and make their appearance.”

Look for all-natural, safe and effective ways to protect your family and pets from mosquitoes, ticks and other pests this summer.

Whether they come after your plants or bite you and your pets, pests can spoil any day. You don’t have to share your backyard with deer, rabbits, moles, snakes or even dreaded mosquitoes and ticks anymore. And you also don’t have to resort to harsh chemicals and sprays to ward off unwanted critters.

Look for all-natural, safe and effective ways to protect your family, pets, garden and the environment this summer. Here are a few tips for thwarting some common summer pests:

Mosquitoes and Flying Insects

Mosquitoes aren’t just a nuisance; they can be a health threat as well, carrying a number of viruses harmful to humans. Other flying insects, like hornets and wasps, can also spoil your summer fun — or cause worse problems for those with insect allergies.

If you would prefer to forego strong chemical repellents, there are natural options. Look for organic, herbal or plant-based topical products that you apply to the skin or spray barriers that can protect your whole yard. Products like Liquid Net’s Ultimate Insect Repellent keep biting insects away without the use of DEET, the most common ingredient in chemical repellents. It’s made with botanical oils so it’s safe for children and has a pleasant scent. It also comes in an all-natural formula safe for dogs and cats.

For intimate areas and especially evening gatherings, good old citronella candles can be effective repellents for biting, flying insects. You can also add ambiance and gain some insect-thwarting benefits from strategically placed tiki torches — the heat, flame and slight smokiness of the torches will act as a natural repellent. Just be sure to practice smart safety habits around all open flames.

Finally, minimize the opportunity for flying pests to occupy your backyard. Eliminate all standing water from the vicinity, since it’s a favorite breeding ground for mosquitoes. Regularly check overhangs and eaves on your house and outdoor play equipment to make sure wasps and other nest-building insects don’t have the chance to take up residence.

Before these unwelcome guests ruin your day, we recommend you try new Yard Net Lawn & Yard Insect Repellent and spray an invisible barrier around your yard which will last for 24-hours. This all-natural, freshly scented formula made with botanical oils is safe for use around children and pets.

Garden Munchers

Many belt-tightening American families will turn to gardening this year to trim their grocery bill by growing their own produce. Yet common garden pests like rabbits, and even deer, can defeat your victory garden long before the first tomato or pepper appears.

No one really wants to harm the critters that visit our gardens. The goal is to just convince them to dine elsewhere. Plus, many Americans prefer to avoid exposing themselves, their families and the environment to chemical solutions. Fortunately, all-natural alternatives exist.

Look for products and techniques that use taste and scent aversion to turn animals off your plants. All-natural products like Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit or new Dual Action Rabbit Repellent use organic, natural ingredients to make vegetable and landscape plants taste and smell unappealing to common garden-munchers like deer and rabbits.

Move out Moles

Think moles can get the better of you and your lawn? Not anymore. Look for Mole Repellent Spray or new Mole Worms. This environmentally safe, easy-to-use repellent imitates a mole’s natural food source. But once they eat it, they’ll go elsewhere to look for food. It’s the most humane way to rid your yard of these underground animals and eliminate the unsightly and potentially hazardous conditions they create. Liquid Fence products are available at garden centers and hardware stores nationwide.

For these and more all-natural solutions to your pest problems, visit www.liquidfence.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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The good news is you don’t need much space to have an edible garden. Many gardeners grow food in containers or mixed in with their flowers, shrubs and other ornamental plantings.

(ARA) – Nothing beats the flavor of a fresh-from-the-garden tomato; warmed by the sun, plucked right from the plant and eaten in the garden.

More than 43 percent of U.S. households plan to experience this and the other benefits of homegrown fruits, vegetables and herbs this summer, according to a recent survey by the National Gardening Association.

Space Limited? Get Creative
The good news is you don’t need much space to have an edible garden. Many gardeners grow food in containers or mixed in with their flowers, shrubs and other ornamental plantings.

Look for creative ways to include vegetables in your landscape. “I like to mix them with flowers in my container gardeners” says Melinda Myers, horticulturist and author. “One of my favorite combinations is ornamental corn, eggplant, tri-color sage, purple ruffle basil and trailing verbena. For a quick burst of summer beauty and produce I use Swiss chard as a vertical accent, add a few pansies — they are edible — colorful leaf lettuce or ornamental mustard and a trailing ivy or two for aesthetics, not eating.”

Limited sunlight? No worries
Full sun will give you the best results, but you can still grow edibles where sunshine is limited. Save the sunniest spot for tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers and other vegetables where you eat the flowers or fruit. They produce their best and have fewest disease problems when grown in eight to 12 hours of sunlight. Root crops such as beets, radishes and carrots can get by with about a half a day of direct sun and leafy crops like lettuce and spinach can still produce in a shady location with only four hours of sunlight.

Get Your Garden Off to a Good Start
Use a quality potting mix when growing in containers. It should have good drainage and retain moisture. In the garden, it’s important to properly prepare the soil before planting. Add several inches of compost, peat moss or other organic matter to the top 6- to 12-inches of soil. This improves drainage in heavy soils and increases water holding capacity for sandy or rocky soils.

Add a slow release fertilizer like Milorganite to the soil. This goof-proof organic source of nitrogen meets the Environmental Protection Agency’s Exceptional Quality standards and will help encourage growth without interfering with flowering and fruiting.

Time it Right
Let the weather be your planting guide. Cool season crops like lettuce, peas and broccoli can tolerate chilly air and soil. Wait for the danger of frost to pass and soil to warm before planting tomatoes, peppers, squash and melons. Myers suggests anxious gardeners can, “Jump start the season with the help of floating row covers. These polypropylene fabrics let air, light and water through while trapping the heat near the plants. The best part, you won’t need a hammer, nail or other tools. Simply lay the fabric over your planting leaving enough slack for the plants to grow and anchor the edges to the ground with stones, boards or other items.”

Maximize Your Efforts
Check the seed packets and plant tags for details on when and how to plant each herb and vegetable seed or transplant. Increase productivity with succession plantings. Simply start with lettuce, radishes or another cool weather plant. Once harvested, replant the area with onions or beans. After these are done you can replant the area once again with a fall crop of lettuce, spinach or radishes.

Double your harvest with interplanting. Plant quick-to-mature crops like radishes and lettuce in between longer maturing plantings of cabbage, tomatoes or eggplant. The short season vegetables will be ready to harvest just about the time the bigger plants are crowding them out.

Consider planting vegetables closer together in wider rows. You’ll waste less space for pathways putting more room in plantings. Make sure each plant has enough space to grow and that you can reach all planted areas to weed and harvest.

Just a Bit More Care Needed
Water new plantings thoroughly and often enough to keep the soil moist but not too wet. Add a layer of shredded leaves, evergreen needles or other organic material to conserve moisture, suppress weeds and moderate soil temperatures. Midsummer, give your plants a boost with a slow release organic nitrogen fertilizer like Milorganite. And don’t worry if the weather turns hot and dry, Milorganite won’t burn. It will remain in the soil until the plants are ready to use it.

Pull weeds as they appear, watch for bugs and wait for the produce to come pouring in. You may find this is a great family activity that gets even the most reluctant vegetable eaters munching on a few fresh carrots and maybe even broccoli.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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If you’ve decided it’s time to save money by taking care of your acreage on your own, starting out with several important tools can make the job easier. Here are a few useful items every multi-acreage homeowner should have:

* A good chainsaw – If you live on a wooded lot, sooner or later you’ll have fallen tree limbs, or even a fallen tree, especially if you have mature growth trees on your property. Gas or electric powered chainsaws come in a variety of sizes and horsepower.

Before you buy, be sure you consider what you’ll be using it for. Will you use it to cut up firewood, clean up deadfall or as a carpentry tool for projects like cutting fence posts? How frequently will you use it? Refining your plans for your chainsaw and researching what types will best meet your needs can help ensure you make a good investment.

* An all-terrain vehicle – A good ATV can help you do a variety of chores you might otherwise hire out, including mowing, clearing brush, transporting heavy loads and even snowplowing. ATVs like the Polaris Sportsman XP are larger than sport models and capable of performing multiple heavy-duty tasks.

A powerful 850 EFI engine ensures the Sportsman XP has the ability to tackle virtually any task. Digital instrumentation displays and ergonomic design allow users to enjoy a combination of luxury, comfort and practicality. A variety of attachments makes the ATV useful for a wide range of tasks, from load hauling to driveway maintenance, mowing and landscaping.

What’s more, when you’re done the chores, you can take your ATV on the trails for some fun down time. Be sure to follow local safety guidelines and wear appropriate safety gear whenever using any ATV.

* Animal control measures – Wildlife is a reality of living in the countryside or even in suburbia on a large lot. In fact, getting closer to nature might even be one of the reasons you opted to live there in the first place.

You might not mind deer, raccoons and other wildlife visiting the outer areas of your property, but you probably don’t want them stopping by the house to nibble on your landscaping or victory garden, or rummage through your rubbish bin. You would probably prefer not to harm the animals, and may live in an area where lethal control measures are restricted.

Look for all-natural, non-lethal deterrents to keep animals away from your home and landscape. Successful non-lethal methods include sight, sound and taste deterrents – all techniques that convince animals an area is undesirable. From sonic devices that generate noise irritants to simple organic, non-toxic sprays that make trees and shrubs taste bad to animals, there are many ways to safely urge wildlife away from your home.

With a few simple tools and measures, you can save money by taking care of your acreage on your own and enhance your enjoyment of your more natural setting at the same time.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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