I have always hated using plastics as a weed barrier but for many years we thought it would work best.  One layer would last many years and you thought you might be able to lay it down once and forget about it.  The problem is; it takes years for this material to decompose.  So now I ask if you could get your hands on a 100% Biodegradable paper fiber mulch made from natural cellulose fibers, which is a renewable resource that is easy to use and allows water and air to pass through it would you use it?  For me the answer is yes! What I really like about this product is it decomposes over a single growing season!

Having a material that does not take away from nature and actually gives back to the natural process makes me feel good about using it.  So I am very happy with the WeedGuard material and how easy it is to use and I now feel good about stopping the weeds from growing where I don’t want them too in without hurting the environment with more and more plastic.

There are a few things that grow better on rocky, sandy soils but most everything you grow in your yard or garden will do better if it has good soil to grow in.  Some things do okay if you just give them a great start and others need to have more soil attention than that.  Knowing this is the easy part; it’s the doing something about it that can be difficult.  After all, who wants to excavate their yard and bring all new topsoil in?

So here are a few tips that can at least give you some direction.  First, make sure you are reading everything you can get your hands on about the region you live in and the plants that do well in that region.  If you live in Michigan and want to grow tropical plants year round you’re going to have issues!  Secondly, if you do want to grow some things that aren’t native to your area, read about those plants and their perfect environment.  You may be able to dedicate an area or purchase a greenhouse to provide the soil, temperature and light to be able to help you grow just those things. Ultimately, you must plan well for what you intend to grow.

About this time every year I start to get spring fever.  Just this morning our local weatherman made a statement that we have turned the corner and the temperatures should start gradually getting warmer, taking us into spring.  Well, I can’t tell you how excited that made me! Plus, we had a beautiful day today so I had some time to go outside and do a little planning in the yard and garden.

I have decided to put in some raised beds this year so I’ve been doing some research on raised beds on the internet as well as doing some research for seeds and plants.  I have found a couple of things I may have to try this year and will keep you posted as I get them, put them together and see how they do.  I’m just really looking forward to getting out in the garden and getting my hands in dirt again.  I miss it!

As more and more areas are affected by drought and water restrictions in the U. S. people are turning to an old traditional practice of collecting rain water.  We have traded in the simple clay pots that have been used in many places around the world for the last 2000 years to gather water, for plastic barrels that we can hook up to our gutter system.  The practice of rainwater harvesting will only increase as water becomes more and scarce as predicted.  When you start to think of water as the most important natural resource we must have to survive, you start to understand why so many peoples through the years have taken so much care to preserve the water they have.

Up until the recent challenges, the U. S. has been insulated from many of the consequences from the lack of this crucial resource.  However, as more and more municipalities struggle with keeping pace with the population’s use of the available water, it has become extremely clear that we should do whatever we can to gather and promote water conservation that most of us can participate in with harvesting rain water.

I like to make sure that the creatures who called my flower beds home all season get to continue overwintering there until Spring.  I guess you could say I run a four seasons resort for bugs and butterflies.

To ensure that these cold-sensitive friends have what they need to make winter nests, I like to pile up leaves from my yard, and just let them hang out all over my beds.  Of course I use a little help to keep the leaves in place, so that strong gusts of sub-zero winds don’t undo all my hard work.  Simple metal fencing staked around the perimiter of my beds helps to keep things contained, and in the Spring, they really set off my early beds with a finished, expectant look.

So why so much bother for the critters?  Well, first of all, it’s not a bother.  Butterflies enrich the beauty of my garden spaces, and anything I can do to make sure they are there again the following year, well, it’s a small thing.  The eggs and larvae use the leaf cover to stay warm, and even some adult butterflies will use the structure to hibernate.

But your plants will love you for it, too.  Nothing like having my fragile yearlings overwinter and spring back to life when everyone else on my block is digging up the frozen dead come March.

I know it’s not what you want to think about in December, but it might save you some good money in the long term if you buy one of the larger items you will need this spring.  If you don’t think you need a storage shed, garage, greenhouse or other large outdoor item, then don’t bother shopping for one.  However, if you know you are going to have to bite the bullet anyway, why not get the deals now.

You can landscape on the cheap as well with this same principle.  Many outdoor product and structure stores have some great bargains going on during the holiday months.  There are items that need moved off their shelves before the next year’s batch can be brought in and many are pricing them to sell.  Online stores are also giving a lot of free shipping and free accessory deals right now that are attractive.  Just FYI.

Raised beds are one of the most versatile things you can use whether you are creating an entirely new landscaping theme or just making the one you have better.  The main reason is that you can use these beds almost anywhere and if you are building them, they can be built rather easily on sloping lawns.  You can also put them on your patios and throughout your lawn and gardens.

However, they’re not just versatile because they can be placed just about anywhere but also because there is not much you can’t grow out of them.  They are perfect for herbs gardens, salad gardens (tomatoes, lettuce and onions) and any number of vegetables and flowers you can think of.  You can also use them around trees, walks and patios to set them apart for the rest of your yard.  These wonderful little beds are something you might want to think about.

All Gardeners owe a lot to a little known Dutch guy by the name of Jan van der Heiden.  Mr. Heiden was the one who invented the first water hose and nozzle.  Though his invention was for fighting fires, he solved the problem of hauling water in buckets to water plants and gardens as well.  Though the hoses have changed through the years from the original sewn-linen to PVC and rubber, nothing else has replaced the basic idea of delivering water from a spout to the waiting plants and yard.

The biggest choices you will make are about the nozzles.  You can purchase a number of different kinds for whatever the job.  Some are more specific to gardening and provide different configurations of water for the intended delivery; be it a mist, stream or droplets.  They also give you the ability to shut off the water with the nozzle so you don’t have to go back to the spigot and give you control and flexibility over your watering.  It was a great day, back in 1672 for us all.

I’ve been looking at a ton of different garden structures lately just to see what is out there in the universe in case I decide I need to add to my yard this next year.  You may think that looking this fall is crazy but I think it’s the perfect time.  Once late winter, early fall hits I am always so busy with those projects that come up that I seem to forget to go see what is available to me.  I end up doing the same ole thing every year.  This next year I want to try some different things.

I honestly have no idea what I am going to choose but I have found some interesting things to consider.  One is to add post caps to my deck posts.  For very little money I can make my deck pop and totally change the current look.  I like that.  Another thing I am considering is changing out my patio set to include some deep seating.  I want to utilize my deck more this next year and would like some comfortable furniture if I plan on being outside more.  I’m looking at some water features and structures and considering if I want to go that direction or not this next season.  The main thing is I am thinking about what I want to do now so it doesn’t sneak up on me like it has in the past.

Why not liven up your landscape with a cedar bridge? Especially if you have a small creek or even just a small dip that could stand in for a stream in your landscape, you can add a bridge over it. With flowers and ornamental plants and shrubs on either end of your bridge, it is no longer a bridge to nowhere but rather a bridge from one beautiful side of your garden to the other.

If you’re lucky enough to have a pond of little fish, try putting your cedar bridge over a narrow part of the water. This way you’ll not only be able to cross the expanse of water, but you’ll also be able stand on the bridge and admire your beautiful fish and enjoy the lovely fragrance of your landscaping.