tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21677391520962345392013-03-25T14:18:05.454-05:00Whether your landscape is newly installed, or an existing landscape, know how to keep it at an optimum condition.Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-73255823106558224852012-01-22T23:55:00.000-06:002012-01-22T23:55:03.901-06:002012-01-22T23:55:03.901-06:00

Planting Grass seed now, you’re nuts I don’t about you but here we’ve got three feet of snow. First all gardening stuff is on big sale because it’s February. Planting cool-season grasses like rye grasses and bluegrasses while snow is on the ground is actually recommended, as the freezing temperatures cracks the hulls of the seed making it easier to sprout create cracks in the ground that

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-3724464377250130462011-09-21T11:13:00.001-05:002011-09-21T11:13:48.558-05:002011-09-21T11:13:48.558-05:00

At the end of summer your lawn is tired – and so are you – but don't quit yet! Your lawn is a whole population of plants. While that indicates differing needs for each potential variety of grass – fescue, rye, and bluegrass – we usually treat grasses as a whole. Therefore, we should treat it in the best possible way. Since our goal is a healthy lawn, with uniform height and color, fall is

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-83259675728059577012011-09-21T10:51:00.000-05:002011-09-21T10:51:33.008-05:002011-09-21T10:51:33.008-05:00

<!--[if gte mso 9]> 12.00 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-44839260804467953862011-07-17T12:11:00.000-05:002011-07-17T12:11:41.041-05:002011-07-17T12:11:41.041-05:00

Many homeowners irrigate their lawns incorrectly. Overwatering is the most common mistake; it can damage or even kill the lawn. Overwatering leads to a shallow root system; increases a lawn's vulnerability to weeds, insects, and diseases; reduces drought tolerance; increases thatch; encourages excessive growth; and reduces tolerance for environmental stress. Letting your lawn “tell you when to

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-81174556078319104182011-07-02T14:41:00.008-05:002011-07-02T16:25:35.415-05:002011-07-02T16:25:35.415-05:00

Trees are immensely useful to all of us. They give us so much, taking almost nothing in return! They help us to remain calm and cool, provide us with a charming surrounding and share their wealth with us so selflessly.  However, we must condemn irresponsible, unsupervised hacking of trees anywhere on the planet. At the same time, we must grow more and more trees. Most people do not realize

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-798440678712316362011-06-28T10:16:00.013-05:002011-06-28T11:26:59.228-05:002011-06-28T11:26:59.228-05:00

With all the wet, cool, humid weather we have been having not to mention flooding Turf disease is on the rise. There are somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 different diseases that affect turfgrasses. Just like human illnesses, each turf disease has a specific prescription for its cure and prevention. Some diseases can be suppressed by the application of nitrogen fertilizer, whereas others are

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-38503548226295023932011-06-07T22:22:00.002-05:002011-06-07T22:30:10.695-05:002011-06-07T22:30:10.695-05:00

White grubs, sometimes called grubworms, are small, white, C-shaped larvae of a group of beetles known as scarabs. The most common grubs that we encounter in lawn care are: Japanese beetles, northern and southern masked chafers, European chafers, Oriental beetles and Phyllophaga (May-June beetles). White grubs feed on the roots of plants. The first sign of damage is that the grass wilts easily

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-57003433210108966212011-06-03T00:04:00.003-05:002011-06-03T00:18:57.458-05:002011-06-03T00:18:57.458-05:00

Oak, maple and birch, and other trees may exhibit yellowish leaves by early summer. A closer examination of these leaves may show that while most of each leaf is yellowish-green, the veins are still  green. This condition is known as chlorosis. Chlorosis is a common problem with the above mentioned trees growing on the Great Plains. These tree species, growing on our typically alkaline soils,

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-64083733027597623672011-05-22T11:01:00.004-05:002011-06-01T23:02:08.557-05:002011-06-01T23:02:08.557-05:00

Pests That Feed on Leaves and Stems Sod Webworms Sod webworms are about 3/4 inch long and light brown. Their bodies are covered with fine hairs. Sod  webworms are the larvae of lawn moths. The adults are small, whitish or gray moths (or millers). They fold their wings closely about their bodies when at rest. They hide in the shrubbery or other sheltered spots during the day. In the early

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-58163885631911968412011-05-17T11:35:00.002-05:002011-05-17T23:44:50.251-05:002011-05-17T23:44:50.251-05:00

Many insects and insect-like pests damage lawns and other turf. They cause the grass to turn brown and die, or they build unsightly mounds that may smother the grass. Some pests infest the soil and attack the plant roots, some feed on the plants' leaves and stems, while others suck juice from the plants. Other insects and insect-like pests inhabit lawns, but do not damage them. The pests are

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-47989819304985305632011-05-13T21:54:00.000-05:002011-05-13T21:54:48.951-05:002011-05-13T21:54:48.951-05:00

There may be a whiff of truth to claims by allergy sufferers who sniffle that this season is, well, a bigger headache than years past. And now, more bad news: It's also lasting longer, prolonging the misery of the millions of people for whom spring is a punishment, not a pleasure. Heavy snow and rain in some parts of the country have nourished a profusion of tree pollen, while a sudden

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-30413211711395830582011-05-05T09:08:00.002-05:002011-05-05T09:19:43.856-05:002011-05-05T09:19:43.856-05:00

Although grass grows best in sunny areas, many people want a nice lawn under and around trees. No grass will grow for long in dense shade, but with proper care, you can grow a reasonably nice lawn in partial shade. To grow any turf worth having, you need an area that gets roughly 50% sunlight. This can be filtered through trees or it could mean several hours of full sun and the rest of the

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-75770367363845316242011-05-01T12:09:00.002-05:002011-05-01T12:46:06.624-05:002011-05-01T12:46:06.624-05:00

Question I'm being overwhelmed with mushrooms at home... not just a few but fairly organized rows of them about 1' wide and 6-8 feet long growing about 6+ inches above ground Is there a way to get rid of them 'shrooms'? They're light brown with heads(?) about 4" in diameter and stems about 1" diameter and there's thousands of Mushrooms are the spore-producing reproductive structures of certain

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-4161025743530766902011-04-30T00:04:00.004-05:002011-04-30T00:14:15.285-05:002011-04-30T00:14:15.285-05:00

Lamb's Ears ( Stachys byzantia) very silk foliage feeling just like a little lambs ear. Silver Sage ( Salvia argentea) has silvery white leaves that feel a little bit like cotton wool to the touch. Jerusalem Sage (Phlomis fruticaosa) very soft leaves that feel a bit like down feathers. Houseleek ( Sempervivum "Commander Hay) this plants leaves are very rigid and tough to touch African

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-78388264380695623932011-04-28T23:07:00.002-05:002011-04-28T23:19:53.212-05:002011-04-28T23:19:53.212-05:00

Blue Supercascade petunia (Petunia x hybrida'Blue Supercascade') Huge deep-blue flowers, measuring up to 5 inches across, bloom from late spring to late summer. Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) This Illinois native features scarlet-red flowers, reddish-purple stems and bronze-tinged, bright green leaves. It blooms from late summer through early autumn. White Angel crab apple (

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-43292046169911720302011-04-27T09:35:00.002-05:002011-04-27T09:54:49.715-05:002011-04-27T09:54:49.715-05:00

Sawtooth oak (Quercus acutissima) Glossy, lance-shaped leaves rustle in the wind, and the cup-enclosed nuts "pop" in the spring. there is no food more widely used by wildlife than acorns.  Many people are interested in producing more acorns on their property but do not want to wait the 25 to 30 years it usually takes native oak trees to start producing acorns. There is a species of oak that

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-34638138106923353042011-04-26T08:00:00.004-05:002011-04-26T09:27:53.318-05:002011-04-26T09:27:53.318-05:00

Curry plant (Helichrysum italicum) True to its name, this plant fills the air with the scent of curry. It has silver-gray leaves and long-lasting yellow flowers that bloom in the summer. Curry Plant looks very similar to Lavender in its leaf stage. But, as the picture to the right shows, it looks totally different in bloom. Curry Plant likes it warm and dry. It is native to Turkey and thrives

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-52849380756125442602011-04-23T21:31:00.002-05:002011-04-23T21:40:01.813-05:002011-04-23T21:40:01.813-05:00

1. Plant fragrant flowers and herbs in raised beds or containers to bring pleasant scents closer to your nose. 2. Plant fragrant plants near doors and windows for maximum enjoyment. 3. Include the soothing sound of water by building a fountain, pond or stream. 4. Create a mood with color. Choose yellow, red and orange plants to create a warm, inviting garden. Select green, blue and violet

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-57612704406085750952011-04-21T22:40:00.003-05:002011-04-21T22:48:08.405-05:002011-04-21T22:48:08.405-05:00

By Senator Gaylord Nelson, Founder of Earth Day What was the purpose of Earth Day? How did it start? These are the questions I am most frequently asked. Actually, the idea for Earth Day evolved over a period of seven years starting in 1962. For several years, it had been troubling me that the state of our environment was simply a non-issue in the politics of the country. Finally, in

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-73950074722077191672011-04-16T23:40:00.005-05:002011-04-17T08:18:24.255-05:002011-04-17T08:18:24.255-05:00

When a friend of mine was Married one of his wife's friends told her to cut the lawn short so it was well trimmed and to bag the clippings so every time he got his hands on the Mower it went up to 2.5 inches and he mulched. When she would do it down it went and $7.00 a bag to haul away clippings. He always had one of the best lawns on the block. Six years after a messy break up a messy Lawn .

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-73887782819885817892011-04-14T00:11:00.002-05:002011-04-14T00:25:29.609-05:002011-04-14T00:25:29.609-05:00

I get asked all the time should I Power Rake my lawn? I only recommend dethatching or power raking lawns that suffer from an extremely thick thatch layer that is between 1.5-3 inches thick. The reason is because dethatching causes extensive damage to a lawn and is extremely labor intensive. If your thatch layer is less than an inch and a half, then I recommend aeration in the spring and fall as

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-1658286859689421622011-04-10T21:55:00.002-05:002011-04-10T22:13:24.836-05:002011-04-10T22:13:24.836-05:00

Helps beautify the neighborhood Creates a relaxing space of natural beauty.    Grassy areas quickly affect people's moods by creating feelings of serenity, privacy, thoughtfulness or happiness.  Its yearly cycles of growth and color changes, lift human spirits and link urban inhabitants with their countryside heritage. Front lawns of just eight average houses have the cooling effect of

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-16202377743312428682011-04-07T10:29:00.061-05:002011-04-07T23:48:49.320-05:002011-04-07T23:48:49.320-05:00

Recently I brought home a pot of Narcissus for my lovely Wife. We set it in the window our two Cats love to sit in. Two days later they both had diarrhea and were vomiting. I had considered the effect the flowers would have on the love of my life but not the cats. People worry so much about Garden products but ignore what we plant or creeps in as a weed which most of the time are far more

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-32774294705847826482011-04-03T13:08:00.000-05:002011-04-03T13:08:43.690-05:002011-04-03T13:08:43.690-05:00

I get a lot of emails asking about spring wake up the lawn. Here is some simple information to help you wake your lawn. Assuming your grass is fairly green and somewhat healthy already, you can add a light dose of iron and Organic as a way of achieving a richer, deeper blue-green color. This is will surely set your lawn apart in the neighborhood. In fact, it is iron that makes Kentucky Blue

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2167739152096234539.post-19571968096186468582011-03-27T11:15:00.002-05:002011-03-27T11:29:01.177-05:002011-03-27T11:29:01.177-05:00

Moss is a common problem in shade filled lawns, and if your yard has this problem then the question you need to ask isn't so much "How do I get rid of it," but "Why is it here in the first place?" Moss is one of the dinosaurs of the horticultural world. It's a plant that has been around since the first plants came into being, and as a result it's needs are very basic. Moss isn't really as

Your Dream Backyardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09013691382263717756noreply@blogger.com0