November 2020 – designed-visions

Homemade Solutions for Tree Stump Removal

Posted on November 28, 2020

After removing a dead, unsightly or unwelcome tree, then finish the job by removing the stump. Tree stumps are not pleasant to check at and could pose a security hazard. Hiring a stump removal service is the simplest way to rid your yard of unwanted stumps, but may be costly, depending on its size. You can also remove it. Some procedures are quite laborious while others need some patience.

Rotting

Mother Nature will gradually decompose your tree stump issue. Unfortunately, the procedure takes a long time to finish. You can lend her a hand and significantly speed up the procedure with minimal labor and some over-the-counter fertilizer. By drilling a multitude of 1-inch holes in the top of the stump, filling them and the surrounding region using high-nitrogen wool and wool, you cut on the decay period in half. Following the initial year, then uncover the stump, replace the fertilizer using sugar, and cover it. Keeping the region moist also will help hasten the decay procedure.

Burning

Another tried-and-true method is to burn the stump. Constructing a hardened oven with bricks or cinder blocks across the stump and filling kindling must do the trick after a couple of days of constant burning. It is important that you observe any burning restrictions in your area and never leave an open fire unattended. Once the stump has burned off, you may want to dig up any remaining charcoal or even pieces of stump.

Digging

Digging up a tree stump is possibly the most laborious of the DIY solutions. A scoop combined with a sharpened landscape bar can finish the task. Removing as much dirt as possible and exposing portions of the main system enables you the space to cut them using the landscape bar or even an ax. Spreading the job over several days helps to diminish the labor rather than doing it all in 1 day. After you’ve cut the encompassing roots, push the stump over and cut the tap root in the center of the stump.

Grinding

The simplest way to rid yourself of a tree stump aside from hiring a removal support is by renting a stump grinder from a tool rental center. The machine runs on petrol or diesel fuel and also works by incorporating a very sharp blade method to cut or grind away tiny pieces of the stump at a time. The machine is also capable of grinding the encompassing root system also.

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The way to Use Gravel in the Garden

Posted on November 25, 2020

Inexpensive, readily available and easy to install, gravel is useful for a variety of uses. If you wish to landscape with a non-degrading natural mulch, or whether you’re looking for a pure material for your desert garden, then you can think gravel. As you decide whether or not gravel is right for you, remember it’s advantages and disadvantages. Gravel is weighty and will not blow away like natural mulches. This also means gravel is difficult and time-consuming to remove if ever you wish to get rid of it.

Rock Garden Mulch

Mulches take an assortment of types, from bark chips and wood chips, to seashells and gravel. You may use gravel as a mulch in backyard stone beds. Installation of gravel mulch must be done correctly so the mulch will remain in the bed, because gravel mulch that works its way into the dirt can be hard to remove. Stray pieces of gravel can also be hazardous when mowing the yard. You can avoid this problem by lining the base of your stone bed with plastic or landscape fabric and lining the perimeter with brick pavers or metal liner.

Pathways

A gravel pathway, lined with heavy stones, can look especially sharp in a backyard with a desert landscape theme. This inexpensive material appears to be completely natural group among cacti, desert grasses and succulents, and in the event the gravel become kicked about over time, stray gravel bits here and there will only mix in. You can establish your pathway by digging a trench, 3 to 4 inches deep and 3 to 4 feet wide. This trench will hold the stones in place. With the trench dug, set the heavy stones along the trench edges. On sandy soils, a 1-inch layer of tamped-down stone pack must be used to give the path stability. With this done, put in the layer of gravel. Based on the size of this path, this job will probably require at least one day to complete, and perhaps a couple of days.

Paver Base

Along with its other uses, you can use gravel as a base beneath a paver patio or pathway. In this manner, gravel adds strength and construction to the pavers, preventing them from sinking into the soil over time. In addition, gravel aids drainage beneath the pavers. A layer of mud over the gravel will help with drainage too.

Creating Pet-Friendly Areas

Dog owners who also take pride in their own landscape routinely struggle to establish pet-friendly areas unaffected by dog urine. Designating an area of your yard for your dog, paved having an absorbent impurities such as gravel, will prevent your lawn from being marred with dead spots. Your puppy will have to be trained to perform his “duty” within this region. You can make this place more attractive by lining it with smooth river stones. As you decide which gravel to buy, remember that smaller parts of gravel may have tracked through your yard as they become stuck at the base of your dog’s paws. The very best gravel for this function will come in bits 3/4 inch or bigger. Your dog-friendly region is best positioned in the rear of your lawn at a corner, in which it is out of sight.

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The way to Grow Herbs in a Plastic Greenhouse

Posted on November 22, 2020

Fresh herbs take even the simplest of meals into the next level. They are pricey in farmer’s markets and the grocery store brands don’t always have exactly the identical flavorful punch which home-grown varieties supply. The easiest way to solve all of these problems is to purchase a small plastic greenhouse and grow your own fresh herbs. All you need, aside from the greenhouse, is a sunny window, a few seeds and some dirt. Once your herb plants mature, just snip off what you need and save yourself a visit to the market.

Purchase a small plastic greenhouse that can fit in your windowsill, countertop or a small table beside a sunny window. Look for a greenhouse with a transparent lid, tall enough to contain 4- to 6-inch seedlings along with a system in place for water drainage.

Fill the planting cells of the greenhouse with somewhat moist, soiless potting mix designed for seed starting, recommends the University of Minnesota.

Place your herb seeds in the ground according to the package directions. Pay special attention to the planting depth indicated on the seed packet.

Gently water your seeds in order that the soil is moist but not sopping wet.

Place the clear plastic lid on top of the greenhouse and put it in a location that gets bright but not direct sunlight, as too much direct sunlight can cause condensation and dangerously significant temperatures.

Lift the lid of the greenhouse by about 1 inch, or open ports if required, to allow for airflow without drastically lowering the temperature or humidity. Shut the lid or ports after a couple of hours of fresh air.

Keep your seeds consistently moist but never wet. Adjust watering as necessary to ensure that your seeds never have water logged but also never dry out.

Transplant your seedlings to windowsill planters or an outdoor herb garden when the plants look strong and healthy and have grown at least two true leaves. Be sure to harden your plants, or gradually expose them to outside sunlight, temperatures and wind, before planting outdoors. Place them outdoors for one hour on the first day and gradually increase the time within the duration of 2 weeks.

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How to Fill a Tall Planter

Posted on November 19, 2020

A tall planter used to grow shrubs and trees with deep root systems must be filled with dirt to allow sufficient room for the roots to expand. However, if the planter is used for shallow-rooted plants, such as annuals, that need only approximately 6 inches of dirt, you can use a filler substance at the base to save expensive, heavy potting soil. A lightweight filler material also makes it easy to move the planter when needed.

Determine the soil depth required for the plant you want to grow in the tall container. If you can not find information regarding root depth, which can be available on plant tags, then take into account the minimal size container where you often observe the plant growing. As an example, in the event you commonly grow geraniums (Geranium spp.) In 8-inch- deep pots, allow for 8 inches of dirt in the tall planter.

Measure the entire planter height. Subtract the number of inches of dirt needed from the entire planter height to determine the depth of filler needed. If desired, mark the inside of the container with a chalk line to the appropriate level.

Cut a piece of hardware cloth or landscaping material to match the base of the container. Place the material in the base of the container to cover the drainage holes. If the drainage holes are around the sides at the base of the container, then cut the material large enough to extend up the sides slightly and cover the holes so potting soil does not work its way through the stitch and escape through the holes.

Fill the container around the chalk line with polystyrene foam packaging peanuts. If you don’t have any saved in a recent shipment, purchase them wherever packing and shipping supplies are sold.

Mix equal parts compost, sphagnum peat and perlite or vermiculite to produce your own potting mix. Alternatively, you may buy a potting mix specially blended for various plant types, such as a potting mix for cacti or acid-loving plants.

Fill the planter to within 2 inches of the surface with the potting mix. Plant your selection of plants to the depth of the original container, and pack the potting mix gently round the roots. Add more potting mix, if necessary, to fill the container to the edge. Water the plant with only sufficient water to moisten and settle on the ground.

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Looking to Carpet Grass That Will Grow in the Shade

Posted on November 14, 2020

Carpetgrass (Axonopus affinis) is a perennial turf grass with wide leaves. It’s a light green color, and also, while not considered a high-quality grass, it’s hardy and durable. A warm-season bud, it rises in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 9, and may tolerate some light shade and moist, moist growing conditions. Carpetgrass does not do well in full shade, so you might need to find an alternate turf grass.

Light and Carpetgrass

Carpetgrass can tolerate full sun as well as filtered light — partial shade. It can also grow in areas where it only gets sun for a number of the daytime. It won’t develop in a place that is in deep shade all day. Because it tolerates moist, boggy soils, it’s more tolerant of cooler conditions than more sensitive grasses, such as common Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), that rises in USDA zones 7 through 10.

Establishing Carpetgrass

Carpetgrass isn’t hard to establish, which makes it a smart option for lawns, even though it has a coarse texture and also doesn’t function well if it’s walked or played frequently. When planting carpetgrass, you do not need to fertilize the area.

Carpetgrass Care

Carpetgrass does not like cold weather and it goes into seed easily. It’s also not drought tolerant, so plant it just where the soil remains moist. Mow the carpetgrass regularly — it will tolerate a minimal height of 3/4 inch. Carpet bud will grow well without fertilizer ordinarily.

Carpetgrass Alternatives

Because carpetgrass does not grow well in full shade, it’s just moderately shade tolerant, consider other warm-weather turf grass options. Korean velvetgrass (Zoysia tenuifolia) is a zoysia species which grows well in USDA zone 8. It tolerates full shade. St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphurm secundatum) is just another shade-tolerant, warm-season grass and it rises in USDA zones 8 through 10.

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The way to Use SUPERThrive on Trees

Posted on November 12, 2020

SuperThrive claims to enhance plant growth and vigor. This concentrated, nontoxic liquid multivitamin solution for trees and garden plants isn’t a standard pesticide, so it can be used in addition to your usual fertilizer. SuperThrive was designed in 1939 and has sold continuously since then. For trees, it is advertised as a treatment for transplant shock when trees have been moved to a different place and also a tree health tonic.

Mix SuperThrive focus at a rate of 1 tsp of concentrate per gallon of water for transplanting bare-root trees. Set the tree in the planting hole and fill the hole using the SuperThrive solution. Soak the roots for 15 minutes or until the water stops bubbling, whichever comes last, then fill in the planting hole with soil. Water well with more SuperThrive solution. Do not water again for 24 hours. If your tree includes a wrapped root ball, then go to Step 2.

Set the wrapped root ball of the tree into a solution of 6 teaspoons SuperThrive to 5 gallons of water in a bucket until the ball is well nourished. Move the moist root ball into the planting hole. Remove wrapping if necessary and fill in the hole with soil. Water well with more SuperThrive solution. Do not water again for 24 hours. If yours is an already-established tree, go to Step 3.

Feed established trees using SuperThrive weekly to monthly. Feed trees throughout the origins using a SuperThrive solution made up of 1 teaspoon of SuperThrive per gallon of water. Mix enough solution to guarantee the soil around the tree is well-watered. Use the solution the exact same day you mix it. Supplement groundwater feeding using foliar feeding, which can be feeding trees during their leaves. For foliar feeding, mixture SuperThrive at a rate of 3 ounces per 100 gallons of water. Using a garden sprayer, spray the solution on the tops and undersides of the leaves, wetting them thoroughly.

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Vegetable Gardening Companion Planting List and Gardening Tips

Posted on November 10, 2020

Generations of gardeners passed down observations regarding plants that flourish with specific neighbors. These blossom and vegetable companions seem to match each other in ways that benefit both or one. Some plants provide shade or enhance soil nutrients, but others attract valuable bugs or repel pests. Gardeners often swear by these relationships, but many traditional companion lists disagree on friends and foes. The basis is folklore, not science, but principles behind the pairings ring true.

Acknowledging Ancient Examples

Three vegetables planted together for centuries illustrate the fundamentals behind companion planting. Known as the 3 Sisters, the trio still undergirds planting schemes utilized by indigenous peoples now. The annual crops of corn (Zea mays), beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) and squash (Cucurbita spp.) are planted together in a mutually beneficial bond. Cornstalks offer living poles for beans to climb, so pods do not lie on the ground. Beans in turn fix nitrogen, providing nutrition for themselves and heavy-feeding corn. Squash sits in their toes shading the soil. The leaves help retain moisture and reduce weeds. Coexisting in a small space, the three produce ample, high-quality returns. They produce nutritional balance, too.

Enhancing Plant Nutrition and Growth

Several vegetables, herbs and grains enhance soil nutrients and reduce competition from undesirable weeds. This enhances life for them as well as their vegetable partners. Like beans in Three Sisters plantings, peas (Pisum sativum) and other legumes replenish soil nitrogen. Cover crops grown and tilled into the soil benefit the vegetable companions that follow. Tilled rye (Secale cereale), for instance, adds nitrogen as it decomposes, just as grass clippings do in compost. Rye remnants additionally inhibit seed germination, thereby reducing weeds. Just plant vegetable transplants, not seeds, wherever rye has been. Annual sunflower (Helianthus annuus) roots discharge a biochemical with comparable consequences.

Managing Beneficial Insects and Pests

Companion plants handle insects in several neighborly ways. In a plot called trap cropping, early-rising radishes (Raphanus sativus) draw leaf miners and beetles from spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and cole crops that can’t afford above-ground hurt. Annual borage (Borago officinalis) discharges tomato worm moths — and caterpillars that follow — from neighboring tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum). The blue blooms also draw beneficial bees that improve pollination and increase tomato yields. Roots of French marigolds (Tagetes patula) release chemicals that suppress root knot nematodes, enemies to tomatoes and other vegetable plants. The marigolds must be increased the season before and then tilled in. Strong-smelling herbs have been touted as companions to attract, repel or confuse insect pests.

Sharing Space and Shade Wisely

Smart companion plans utilize space by planting vegetables side-by-side or in sequence. Carrot (Daucus carota ssp. Sativa) and radish seeds may be sown together in a single row. Quick-growing radishes have been harvest-ready three weeks following planting, right when bananas require thinning. Rather than throwing out carrot seedlings, you are going to be eating radishes. Various heights and growth rates make for good companions, too. Cool-season crops like lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. Capitata) require ample early-season sun, but they can’t take heat. Plant them north of a taller, slower-growing companion, like corn, and late-arriving shade goes lettuce season.

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How to Soundproof a Drop Ceiling

Posted on November 6, 2020

Soundproofing a ceiling entails preventing the transmission of sound wave vibrations from the bottom of the ceiling to the ground over it and vice versa. By their very design, drop ceilings are somewhat immune to noise transmission, and also the accession of some technical materials could make them even better at blocking sound.

Acoustical Strategies for Ceilings

Two different evaluations measure the soundproofing capabilities of specific ceiling tile materials. The Noise Reduction Coefficient, which ranges from 0 to 1.0, signals how much sound the substance consumes; an NRC of 0 implies that the tile reflects each of the sound that strikes it back in the room, along with an NRC of 1.0 implies that the tile consumes all of the sound that strikes it. The Ceiling Attentuation Class steps how well the ceiling tile stops the transmission of sound through the tile; the CAC is the more important rating if you are concerned about sound passing through the ceiling into the room above. A tile with a CAC more than 35 is regarded as high performance in terms of its sound-blocking capabilities, and one of ceiling tile materials, mineral fiber tiles have a tendency to have higher CAC evaluations.

Decoupling

For sound to move from 1 side of your ceiling to the other, vibrations need to have the ability to pass through the ceiling. Vibrations move easily when there’s a continuous physical path for them to move through, so one of the fundamental ways to soundproof a ceiling would be to “decouple” one facet of the ceiling in the other, meaning that the ceiling material in the room below isn’t directly connected to the ground of the room above. Because drop ceilings are generally constructed with ceiling tiles suspended in a frame below the ceiling joists and the subfloor of the room above, the design of a drop ceiling mechanically provides built-in decoupling along with the first step toward soundproofing.

Adding Mass

Sound transmission through the ceiling additionally requires that the ceiling material be in a position to vibrate so that it can pass the sound vibration into the space over it. 1 approach to decrease a ceiling tile’s ability to vibrate is to increase its mass so that it is immune to the vibrating energy of the sound that strikes it. Some manufacturers offer sound-reducing goods, either dense plates that sit on top of ceiling tiles or especially designed dense shingles, which increase the mass of the ceiling and also create it especially resistant to shaking.

Absorbing Sound

Even when there’s no direct connection between the drop ceiling and the floor above it, sound that manages to pass through the ceiling tile will nonetheless create the atmosphere in the space between the ceiling and the floor above vibrate, and that shaking can pass sound to the room above. Filling the space with a sound-absorbing material such as fiberglass insulation helps absorb the shaking keep it in passing to the ground above. Insulation won’t, nevertheless, offer as a great deal of soundproofing impact as decoupling or adding mass.

Fixtures and Mechanical Systems

Ductwork, light fixtures, vents and other mechanical systems inside a drop ceiling can function as a pathway to sound throughout the ceiling. Sound-blocking covers over lighting fixtures and air circulation can help prevent sound from travel around and during the fixtures. Sound-damping coatings or paint inside ductwork helps to halt the ducts from vibrating, and acoustical baffles interior ducts can help keep sound from moving throughout the atmosphere inside the duct.

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How to Make Outdoor Yard Ornaments Out of Old Dishes

Posted on November 3, 2020

Drought or rainy season, your garden will appear suitably lush and colorful once you plant it using ever-green blooms made of old dishes. It may sound tacky but it’s terrific once you select the “petals” out of pretty, decorative plates and tinted glass. Seed an entire bed using plate perennials; cluster several under a shady tree ; or coax random china blossoms in the ground here and there in your yard.

Petal Picking

Start looking for plates with borders, scalloped or disciplinary borders, cut-out patterns — which have actual holes from the porcelain — coloured clear glass, fluted saucers and candy dishes, and plates of shapes. You will have to layer several plates to make blossoms; the largest on the bottom, graduating to a espresso saucer or a pudding cup in the center. Clear, tinted glass dishes are the best choices because the light shining through them looks just like stained glass or crystalline butterfly wings. It is possible to grab beautiful one-of-a-kind plates inexpensively at flea markets and thrift shops.

The Artwork of the Blossom

Play with the plates you need to see what looks great layered two, three or four deep. Aim for three layers as a perfect — it is only more interesting and “flowery” looking. Build the blossom by setting the largest plate down and putting the next plate onto it. Squeeze a line of epoxy glue around the bottom of the next plate where it touches the bottom plate. Catch the second plate to the bottom plate briefly to leave a glue mark on the plate. Squeeze another layer of epoxy around that glue mark; allow the epoxy set a few minutes, according to the manufacturer’s directions; then press the two plates together. As soon as they dry, then finish each layer exactly the identical way.

Up From the Ground

Planted plate blossoms need stems. Make them in a block of wood or wood hockey puck epoxied to the rear of the plate blossom with a hole drilled in the underside edge for an inserted metal rod or wood dowel, painted green. Metal rods are sturdier and will last more than wood dowels exterior. Poke a row of ornamental flowers up the path to the doorway or via the patches of annuals leading to the gazebo or decorative fountain. Add only a few to this flowerbeds bordering your front porch so you’ll have something “blooming” all winter. Put dish blossoms like sentinels along a fence or plant a group of these, at varied heights, even in a shady spot that will only grow greenery or mildew. Stick them in one of the vegetables on your salad patch to get a floral accent.

Dangling in Mid-Air

Dish flowers are delightful hanging from a tree branch, pergola beam or the eaves of a garden folly. Choose a plate with cutouts across the rim as the foundation and build up a blossom of smaller plates on each side of it. Wrap thin wire through a hole in the dish border and around a hook or tree branch; wire will hold the weight of a double-sided plate greater than twine. Insert some strings of broken pottery pieces or spoons and forks to the lower holes in the rim, to jangle in a breeze, and you own a wind chime, too.

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