January Gardens And Landscapes Guide

By Marshall Clewis

In Northern United States and Canada

Now is the time to check out seed catalogs and online along with placing orders. Early in the month sow seeds of Clarkia, Godedia, Larkspur, Stocks and other annuals for Spring bloom in the greenhouse. Toward the end of January sow in the greenhouse Wax Begonias, Lobelias, Vinca roses, Delphiniums and Pansies for Summer bloom outdoors...

Remove pots of bulbs, such as Hyacinths, Daffodils and Tulips, that are to be forced for early bloom, a few at a time, from the cool basement or sand bed outdoors where they have been rooting, and bring them into the greenhouse or house. Shade them for the first few days and give them lots of water at all times. Keep them cool at first; increase the temperature gradually.

As soon as dormant potted Amaryllis bulbs show signs of life, remove a little of the old surface soil, replace with rich new soil, water thoroughly and place the pots in a warm, light location in the greenhouse or house. Pot new Amaryllis bulbs in well-drained pots of fertile sandy soil.

Disperse heavy accumulations of snow on evergreens by shaking the branches. Allow snow to remain on coldframes until it melts naturally. It provides good insulation. Branches of Christmas trees may be laid over evergreen perennials (such as Dianthus, Helianthemums and Candytuft) to give protection from sun and wind. Check tools and supplies now. Winter passes all too swiftly and with its end comes the immediate need for these. Make sure that the tools and implements you have are in good working condition. Buy whatever new ones you need. Also, make a list of the fertilizers, sprays and other supplies you will require and order them in.

In the South

Make sowings of annuals for early bloom either outdoors or in coldframes as soon as weather permits. In the lower South sow Carrots, Lettuce, Onions, Peas, Spinach and other hardy vegetable crops. Set out Cabbage plants and Onion sets. Plant Asparagus, Rhubarb and Horseradish. Proceed with preparing ground for later plantings. Almost all garden soils will benefit from having rotted manure, compost or other decayed organic matter incorporated into them.

Finish pruning Grapevines and complete the pruning of other fruits before new growth begins. Also, before new growth starts, apply dormant sprays to such fruit trees and ornamentals as need this treatment. Plant bulbs of Ranunculus, Tuberoses, Gerberas and Ismenes for Summer bloom. In the lower and middle South do not delay the planting of trees, shrubs, Gerberas, evergreens and Roses.

On the West Coast

Prune leaf-losing fruits and ornamentals that need this attention and complete this work before mid-February. Rose pruning should be done now in California. Attend to dormant spraying before new growth starts but not when night temperatures are likely to go below 35 degrees. In California gardens prepare plots for vegetables and make sowings of the hardiest kinds. Fertilize lawns and dig out patches of invading Bermuda Grass. Make early plantings of such bulbs and tubers as Begonias, Calla Lilies, Gladioli, Gloxinias and Tigridias. In southern California sow annuals, set out perennials and, following rains, plant trees and shrubs.

About the Author:

Find out more about gerberas. Join us http://www.zone10.com/gerberas-from-seed.html.

The Landscape Foundation - Soil Building

By Kent Higgins

No matter how carefully the garden has been planned on paper, hard practical work must be done by someone before you can see the dream break into flower.

If you moved into your new home during the fall or winter you will probably be pretty discouraged when the snow leaves in spring.

Grading - Rough Grade

Though most building contracts call for the rough grading to be complete, this may be pretty rough. As a bulldozer is used, the surface is usually packed hard, with bricks, wire and boards pressed into it. Leave it alone until the mud dries out quite well, as working it too soon could ruin the texture of the soil.

As soon as you can walk on it without getting stuck, pick up and get rid of all the rubbish. You may find that a few knolls need to be shoveled into low spots. This rough grade should be 3 to 4 inches below where you want the finished grade. Excavate shrub beds and others to 9 to 12 inches below the finished grade.

Usually poor earth, either sandy or clay fill, is used to make the rough grade. The good topsoil is either buried or scraped off and sold as topsoil to someone else.

Manuring

If you can get well-rotted manure, spread it over the rough grade at 1/2 to 1 ton per 1,000 square feet. Then rent a rototiller from an equipment dealer and work this manure into the top 4 to 6 inches of the rough grade. If you cannot get manure, use five bales of granulated peat and 25 pounds of 6-9-6 fertilizer per 1,000 square feet instead. Dig manure or peat and fertilizer into the bottom of shrub beds, using the same rates as for the grade.

Finished Grade

Now you are ready to add topsoil to fill up to the finished grade. Try to get rich sandy loam or light clay loam. Avoid the woody black muck from swamps that is often sold as topsoil, and also the very light yellow sand. It takes about 3 cubic yards of topsoil to cover 1,000 square feet with a finch layer; therefore. 12 cubic yards should give you a 4-inch layer. The shrub beds and others need 9 to 12 inches to fill them up to the finished grade. You will probably find that you need 15 to 20 cubic yards of topsoil altogether.

To save a lot of shoveling, have the trucker spread the topsoil as he dumps it. You will have to do some hand work, of course. On a large lot where you can use a machine, use a plank drag hitched short on one side behind a tractor to level the earth. On a small lot, hand raking is about the only solution but you can make it simpler - though heavier work - by tying a 3-foot stick (1 x 2 inches) on the rake and using it upside down.

Fertilizing

As soon as the ficus tree and lawn area is raked smooth , roll it until it is firm. This will show up humps and hollows that need to be raked again. Before you do this raking, scatter 20 to 25 pounds of 6-9-6 fertilizer per 1,000 square feet over the area like putting fertilizer to your ficus tree house plant so that it is worked into the surface three or four days before seeding or sodding.

Seeding

Use a top-quality grass-seed mixture - it does not pay to use cheap seed. Eighty percent Kentucky bluegrass or Merion bluegrass along with 20 percent red top or Norlea ryegrass has proved most satisfactory in Canada, when sown at 3 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Seed either between May 1 and 15 or between August 20 and September 10; sodding may be done from late May to October. Water the lawn regularly until it is well established.

About the Author:

Learn more about ficus tree house plant today!

Self Storage for Renters and Home Owners

By Kurt Novak

Self storage has helped thousands of Americans find extra space, when they are running out of room at their homes or apartments and needed addition storage space.

Self-storage is so popular now that a competitive industry has developed all over the country in order to provide top-notch storage services and facilities.

So what is self-storage? Very simply, it's renting one or more specific sized rooms that allow you to store items you want to hold on to but can't (or don't want to) keep at home. These storage rooms resemble garages. They are clean, dry and secure. Some are even temperature and humidity controlled.

Self storage units are available in a wide range of sizes. The largest space is usually 20' x 20' and can hold five rooms worth of furniture. The smallest space is typically 50 square feet (5' x 10') and is large enough to hold one room of furniture and boxes.

The basic term for self storage rental is one month, and most rental contracts stipulate that the term will renew automatically each month unless the management receives notice otherwise. Most facilities offer discount rates if you want to rent two or more units, or if you agree to pay your rent up front for at least six months.

Credit card is the most common form of payment for self storage, although most facilities will also accept cash or check. Many places even prefer to makes arrangements with you for automatic monthly transactions. Payments are made for the coming month.

Self storage facilities only charge a one time monthly fee, which means that you can get into your unit as many times as you wish with no additional charges. You may supply your own lock to the unit, so not even the management has access to it. This puts you in control of how to use your space. It's very similar to having a storage room at home, but you're not the one who has to maintain it.

Most Columbus storage facilities have tall steel wire fencing encircling their perimeters. Access to the compound is obtained by entering a main gate that opens only once you've punched in a private security code. The gate closes after you. Most facilities also have flood lights at night and security cameras 24/7.

Columbus storage facilities provide clean and easy access as you drive right up to your private unit. Most buildings have paved drives leading up to the doors, so you won't get muddy when it rains. Since you are the one renting the space, you don't share it with anyone else. Even management doesn't have access to your storage room.

So why would you want to rent a self storage room? Maybe you have children off to college, but they aren't ready to take all their possessions with them yet. Or perhaps you are moving to a smaller home and need a secure place to keep items you know you'll need sometime in the future. Maybe your garage is overflowing, and you want some extra room during the winter to store lawn furniture and garden equipment. There are hundreds of reasons why renting self-storage units is a smart move.

Self storage facilities are located throughout Columbus, so it's likely that one or more of them are located near your home or apartment. Renting a storage unit nearby is safe and convenient, and it's the next best thing to owning a second garage.

About the Author:

About the author: Kurt Novak is a full time real estate investor, business man and manager of a Columbus storage facility. Learn more at the Columbus Self Storage Blog.

Get Movers or Get To Moving? Which Will Baltimore Residents Choose?

By Dana Fercona

Sometimes moving from one place to another is often times one of the very most stressing things that people do in their daily lives. If your move happens to be across the country rather than across your home town, the stress can be increased tenfold.

Planning is essential for any type of move. It is highly recommended that you do as much research as you can. The quickest way to look around is online through the major search engines Google, Yahoo, and Bing.

Always make sure to find out if the moving company you are looking to hire has the right kind of insurance coverage so that are covered no matter what. You can also ask your insurance provider if you home insurance policy covers you belongings during your move.

It can be a very easy decision to hire movers for those who have plenty of money lying around. This is not normally the case though, so you will want to way all the options for hiring movers and making the move on your own with friends and family.

In most cases, hiring a moving company will produce way fewer headaches and backaches if you hire some really good movers around Baltimore, but sometimes the added cost and worries of whether they are being careful with your possessions and valuable belongings.

Affordability might be your number on concern when making this move in which case getting a moving truck will almost always be cheaper than hiring movers to do the work for you. But, with a long distance move it just may be worth it to hire some movers to prevent the huge time consumption that a long move costs you.

A lot of times hiring movers can be double or even triple the price for getting a moving truck from one of the leading truck rental companies, but I will say that almost all people who happened to hire a good moving company will tell you it was one the smartest things they have ever done besides getting good health insurance.

The amount of money that you have in savings is normally the most important factor in making these decisions. Don?t forget to factor in your wages lost from missed work if you plan to do the moving yourself as this could play a huge factor. This can sometimes make or break your moving plans depending on your wages. Make educated decisions and you will be just fine.

About the Author:

Get quotes on moving services in Baltimore for the best rates available. Learn how to find the best Baltimore movers available.

Whitening Your Teeth the Right Way

By Dave Smith

I am sure at some point in your life that you have felt some discomfort in your mouth, from some type of sensitivity or pain. With that said there are many different things out on the market today that you can get over the counter to help combat certain mouth pain. However, one of the things that are becoming very popular to buy over the counter is teeth whitening kits. You have to be careful with these because there are some that you should stay away from.

There are many different things out there that you really have to watch out for that can be bad for your mouth. And it really doesn't matter who you consult the final decision is up to you. When it comes to whitening your teeth you will need to know some things that you have watch for to make sure that what you are buying is good for you. One thing that you have to watch out for is low quality trays because they rely on gel and a low quality tray may let the gel leak into your mouth so that you swallow it.

Quality is everything when it comes to whitening you r teeth. You're going to want to ensure that you have the best materials that you can possibly have. Why is that? Because not all tooth whitening materials are equal. The cheaper ones will be of lower quality, as is to be expected. Also remember that when you whiten your teeth at home, you really are on your own. There is no dentist to tell you whether or not you're doing something wrong, so make sure that you read all of the instructions and make sure that you're doing it right.

While tooth whitening sounds like a miracle cure, it is actually quite true that a small percentage of people experience temporary tooth sensitivity even if they did not suffer from it before. There will be some discomfort, but remember that it will only be temporary. During this time it is recommended that you avoid spicy foods as well as come ones, as biting into them will cause an excessive amount of pain.

At home teeth whitening

If you want to cut down on the possibility of having sensitive teeth, then it would be a first rate idea to start brushing your teeth with toothpaste that is rated for sensitive teeth. This will prepare your teeth for the coming trial, and if anything else it will put your mind at ease when you start to use the actual tooth whitening toothpaste.

This should go without saying, but you should never use any sort of household cleaning product to bleach your teeth. Despite what it's called, bleach is not actually used, and in fact couldn't help you at all. There is a clear enamel that covers the tooth, and beneath that is the dentin which is what gives your teeth their color. Teeth whitening products are made specifically to penetrate the enamel and make contact with the dentin.

Something that you really have to watch out for when it comes to keeping teeth whitening products around your house is making sure that you keep them out of the reach of children. As stated earlier that consuming this is harmful but not fatal to an adult, children on the other hand it can be so make sure that it's out of reach of the little ones.

As you read this article it would be very easy to think that we are telling you not to whiten your teeth. However, this is far from the truth. We just want to make sure that everyone has knowledge needed so that it doesn't affect their health when they use it.

About the Author:

Use this stuff to get white teeth. See this teeth whitening vid: over the counter teeth whitening. Also check out this video: tooth whitening pen. If you whiten at home instead of at the dentist's you can save lots of money.

Precautions With Grout

By Heppo Lamaze

Grout is a type of binding material that is commonly used with tiled floors, walls and another surface. It is called mortar because it is used to fill in joints, partitions and holes inside the cement work without using any form of displacement, removal, replacement or destruction of the current and surrounding area. Grout is also used in most art and crafts projects, especially those that involve the use of stone and tiles. If grout is applied properly using the proper amount of water versus the grout mixture, you can bet that your grout can last you for years or even a lifetime.

Several mishaps can occur if the grout has been mixed too much with water however. Some installers make this small mistake which could often cost you thousands in regrouting costs. Grout, when mixed to the right consistency, should not run like water. It should act like putty. The grout mixture should stick to whatever you use for mixing and should not be runny like pancake batter.

To minimize these sort of happenings, some manufacturers have made pre-mixed grout available. These mixes include latex and acrylic modifiers that enable them to bond and stick a whole lot more. Including these compounds into the grout mix, grout wasting has been minimized over the years.

If the mixture is too runny, add more powdered grout until you can stabilize the mixture into a putty consistency. But this process should only be done in the first mixing. Never, ever do this when you're applying the grout already. If you change the mix while you're applying the grout onto the tiles and the floor, it would be the same as sabotage. Initial mixing sets the grout's strength, should you, for example, add more water because the grout is hardening already, that would be the same as personally destroying the grout.

Tempering is key too. It adds additional strength to your grout, but it also can drain it away if one is not careful. Keep the grout moist while it is curing by using a mister or a humidifier. Grout installation is critical in all stages and require utmost attention and detail. Focus is key to keeping your grout strong.

About the Author:

Looking for an excellent grout cleaning company? Grout Cleaning Tampa is for your tile and grout problems. They also deal with other floor related stuff, like restoration, renovation and even marble polishing. Invest in your home. Visit Grout Cleaning Tampa for your concerns.

Adding Creative Storage Solutions to Your Home before Putting it Up for Sale

By Crystal Guthrie

If you are trying to make your home more attractive to potential buyers, there are several home improvement ideas that you might want to consider implementing. Creating more storage space in your home is an effective yet inexpensive idea you might want to consider. This is especially helpful in smaller homes, but buyers are lured to creative storage options in homes of all sizes.

Creating a snack center where the kids can easily access tasty after-school treats is a popular idea. The kids are less likely to make a mess throughout the house as they search for the treats they are after by keeping all of the snacks concentrated in one area. By adding a cabinet that is specifically designed for snacks and is in easy reach for the children, potential buyers will certainly be impressed.

Having an area that is specifically designated for breakfast products is also a big hit among homebuyers, in addition to having a snack area. Here, you will have shelving and cabinets that are exclusively designated for breakfast products including cereal as well as cereal bowls and spoons.

Craft closets are prove interesting to potential buyers. Hobbies are more enjoyable when you have a good place to store everything so it is out of the way, yet easily accessible. Those who are looking to purchase a home would love to see a craft cabinet. In this closet, you should include some larger shelves for bulkier items such as sewing machines as well as clear bins to hold smaller items. Ensure to also leave some taller space available for items such as wrapping paper rolls. You should consider hanging a paper towel rack inside the closet for spools of ribbon and other items to be hung.

Quite a number of potential buyers are attracted to homes with bartending stations as well. It is quite easy to create one of them. Just attach a shelf to place your highball glasses and then screw some slotted holders underneath to hold your stemware. Including a small wire rack will do well for storing garnishes, napkins, coasters, and drink mixes, plus some other items, while a few x-shaped dividers will provide you with a great place to store your wine.

As you look through your home and prepare it for market, consider areas where you can help improve the home's storage capabilities while also making it more convenient. Adding more ?extras? to your home will make it stand out from the other properties that are on the market. Apart from that, creating these creative storage areas may only require the addition of a few pieces of hardware or cabinetry, making it a relatively cheap improvement that can give you lots more for your money.

About the Author:

Crystal Guthrie is a Texas real estate agent that has been actively selling Texas Real Estate since 2004. Crystal specializes in Cedar Park Homes and has sold properties in every price range and area around Austin, Texas.