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Why New Yorkers are Being Pushed to Grow Native Plants

April 4, 2016 By

By Phineas Upham

Most plants that are used in the front of back yard of New York homes were brought in from outside of the state. These plants tend to thrive because New York meets the conditions for growth, but they are not naturally occurring. If an invasive species were introduced, it could wreak havoc on the eco system.

New Yorkers who own property that can have a garden on them have been encouraged to garden using native plant species found in the New York area. There are a few reasons why that is.

Maintenance

Everything has a maintenance cost, as anyone with a front lawn will tell you. Native plants tend to thrive in the conditions of that city, so New Yorkers will find themselves buying a lot less fertilizer and using less water to grow a particular species of plant. Native plants also save you money on pest control in some cases, as they have adapted over time to the natural pests in the area. This also helps cut down on toxins in the immediate area, which may have a beneficial effect on fruit-bearing plants in your garden.

Beauty

New York plants are attractive, and feed off the natural beauty present in parts of the state. There are also a wide variety to choose from, leaving homeowners with their choice of color or shrub. Plus, you’ll be doing your part to help native plants reclaim their landscape.

There is one final benefit you don’t see up front: erosion control. With native plants, the soil erodes less. That has all kinds of benefits, including keeping storm drains clear for heavy rainfall.

Phineas Upham is an investor from NYC and SF. You may contact Phin on his Phineas Upham website or Twitter page.

Filed Under: Landscaping

Design Your Own Walk In Closet

October 19, 2015 By

Summary: If you need extra space, turn a room into a walk in closet.

If you own a house and have an extra room or two that’s not being put to use, consider a walk in closet. While it may not seem cost-efficient and worth your time, take a good look at your current closet’s space. Are you lacking space within your closet? Do you need more storage space? Are you constantly looking for misplaced clothes? If you answered yes to all of these questions, then you might need a larger space and should consider transforming a spare room into the closet of your dreams.

Closet organizerCloset organizing systems are the bread and butter of your closet. If you are on a budget, there are various articles on creating your own DIY closet systems. It’s important that you set a budget so you won’t go overboard and shop-happy.

When you design a closet, spatial awareness is important. With a walk in closet, your options tend to open up more because of the amount of space you are provided with. Plan ahead by creating an idea of how you want your closet to look. Then, with a mental blueprint you can start mixing and matching the various pieces of furniture that you have to create a masterpiece of a design.

There are several manufacturers that offer rods and hooks at a budgeted price. Utilize these small accessories to add more depth to your walk in closet. Also, if you want to get one foot in the door of the design phase, take a look at the various online closet look books. You’ll be surprised at the creativity and simplicity of closet owners. You might even find the perfect closet design to model yours after. There are no limitations, so explore your creativity and see what happens.

 

Bio: Solid Wood Closets carries high-quality, custom modular closet systems that will immediately transform your closet into a luxurious one. Browse their online catalogue today.

Filed Under: Home Improvement

Using an Electric Fence for Horses

October 15, 2015 By

By Farm Supply Store

If you own horses, you most likely have their best interest in mind at all times. For one thing, they’re a rather expensive animal, so you want to make sure they’re taken care of at all times and live a nice long life. However, most of us tend to think of our horses much like a lot of people think of their dogs. That’s why we take their safety so seriously.

Farmsupply2This is why it can be so hard for many people to consider using an electric fence for these animals. No matter what, horse fencing is essential. You need to keep them from running far from your property and hurting themselves. At the same time, you want to keep large predators on the other side of your property too.

With an electric fence tester, you can always make sure the voltage you’re using is enough to accomplish both safely. You don’t have to worry about predators getting in, but you also won’t have to worry about your horses hurting themselves. Usually, after they make contact with it once, they’ll never want to do it again, but they won’t have any serious injuries either.

So don’t let your horses get hurt; use an electric fence for their own protection.

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Whether you want to build your own electric fence or you just want an electric fence charger to ensure yours is always working perfectly, you’ll love the selection of parts at Farm Supply Store.

Filed Under: Home and Gardening

Why You Should Choose Artificial Grass Over Other Grass Alternatives

December 27, 2014 By

artificial-grass

Written By: Better Backyards

More people than ever before are opting to either build their new homes without natural grass lawns or to replace their existing grass lawns with alternative lawn options. There are plenty of good reasons why people will choose an option such as artificial grass instead of natural grass. In areas where droughts are common, removing natural grass can save the environment and reduce water bills. Removing natural grass also creates a lawn that is easy to care for and always looks great.

Artificial grass is just one alternative to natural grass. Other choices can include gravel, dirt or even concrete. While these are all options that are easier to maintain and more water efficient than natural grass, in most cases they don’t make as much sense as an artificial turf installation. There are several reasons to select artificial turf over other types of grass alternatives:

Aesthetics: Removing your natural grass doesn’t mean your lawn can’t be green. In fact, you can ensure that you have a green and lush lawn year-round with artificial grass.

Heat Reduction: Gravel and cement get very hot over the summer. It can act as a heat sink and certainly isn’t fun to walk on barefoot. Newer types of artificial turf are designed to be cool to the touch.

Safety: Gravel and rocks create choking hazards for small kids along with unstable footing that can lead to falls and twisted ankles. A properly installed artificial turf lawn is free from divots or holes that can lead to dangerous conditions.

Filed Under: Home and Gardening Tagged With: ,

Tools for Home DIY Projects

December 13, 2014 By

tool box
Written by Toolsmith Direct

Every DIYer gets a great sense of satisfaction once they have completed their project. As time grows, most DIYers’ toolboxes would have grown from a trivial box to a full fledged toolbox. To successfully complete a project, the proper tools are imperative. Of course, personal skill and the proper raw material are not to be neglected.  All things considered, here are three tools that you might consider buying, if you have not already. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Home Improvement Tagged With: , , ,

Use Artificial Grass to Build a Backyard Mini Golf Course

October 31, 2014 By

artificial grass

Nothing says family fun like a day at the miniature golf course. Children and grown-ups love spending time together putting on unique and fun golf holes. Whether they are trying to get the ball through the windmill, in a castle or over a hill, miniature golf courses are whimsical fun for everyone.

So why not have the enjoyment of miniature golf every day at your home? Almost all mini golf courses in the United States use synthetic grass as the playing surface. This means that you can duplicate some of your favorite holes from the mini golf courses you love right in your own backyard. All you need is some artificial grass, space and some creativity. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Home and Gardening Tagged With: , ,

Artificial Grass Is a Perfect Solution for People with Allergies

October 20, 2014 By

 

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It’s easy to assume that having a healthy looking natural grass lawn will help you to feel healthy as well. However, for millions of Americans, the smell of fresh-cut lawn is anything but healthy. For many people with seasonal allergies, grass is a major problem. Breathing in grass pollen can leading to running noses, itchy eyes and in some severe cases asthma attacks. Being exposed directly to grass can also cause itching and hives.

So what can you do if you want to have a green lawn but are allergic to grass? Switching to synthetic grass is a great solution. An artificial turf lawn has the major advantage of having no grass pollens whatsoever. Simply put, you can enjoy an artificial grass lawn year-round without ever having to worry about your allergies acting up. You also don’t need to go outside in the spring and do mowing and other yard work that can cause your allergies to flare up since synthetic turf never needs mowing or edging.

Reducing allergy problems is just one of the potential health advantages of switching to fake grass. Since you never need to worry about using pesticides or artificial fertilizers with artificial grass, you’ll also never have to worry about harmful chemicals getting into your system. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the average person has 13 different kinds of pesticides inside of their body. These have been picked up through years of contact with lawns, gardens and more. Moving to a synthetic lawn eliminates a major point of potential pesticide contamination.

Artificial Turf Supply Commercial & Residential Division is a leading provider of top quality home and commercial artificial grass. The company has more than 30 years of combined experience helping people select the right turf for their needs.

Filed Under: Garden, Home and Gardening, Home Improvement

How to Collect the Right Tools

July 17, 2014 By

Written by: Quick Home Tips

Whether you’re a new homeowner or you’ve just recognized it’s finally time to own your own tools, it can be a daunting task collection all the versions for the job. Of course, it can also be quite expensive too. But the last thing you want is to need a tool and not be ready for the job at hand. Better to have a strategy for slowly amassing all the necessary components over time.

First, be sure you run this strategy across your spouse for approval. As we mentioned, this collection can become expensive, so you’ll want their support. Be sure to explain to them why you’re doing this.

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Second, there are some basics you need immediately. Fortunately, you can find a number of tool sets that come bundled and are far more affordable than buying each separately. Tools included should be things like hammers, wrenches, screwdrivers, tape measures and perhaps a saw. Superglue is good to have on hand too.

Over time, then, you can add on more important options like a combination wrench or a metric socket set. Of course, depending on the type of home you have or the projects you have in mind, other tools may be more important to you. Just take the time to think about which options make the most sense for what you need.

Filed Under: Home Improvement

The Best Artificial Grass for Shade

June 24, 2014 By

It’s hard to grow natural grass in the shade because it needs direct sunlight to live and thrive. One of the only ways to solve this common landscaping problem is to select shade-friendly plants and flowers, or easy-to-grow plants that don’t wither without direct sunlight.

But what if you want grass? There are many shade-tolerant grasses on the market, but there’s no guarantee they will look perfect year-round. In an effort to landscape sheltered areas in your lawn or garden, you can install artificial grass. Here’s a look at the best artificial turf for shady areas in your landscape.

Residential Artificial Grass

Create a lush lawn in the shade with residential artificial grass. This maintenance-free landscaping solution offers a realistic alternative to natural grass that doesn’t wither in the shade. Many homeowners and businesses use synthetic turf to design lawns, but this high-quality groundcover can also be used to landscape pools and other areas around the home. Select varieties of this advanced turf offer lawn green and spring green colors paired with a brown and green thatch zone.

Artificial Grass Tip

Fake grass looks great with other shade-friendly plants and flowers. Our top picks include bigroot geranium, toad lily, and brunnera. Even when these plants and flowers are not in bloom, you can still enjoy green grass if you install artificial grass. Fake grass is virtually maintenance-free, which means you can not only enjoy it in the shade, but without the headaches associated with maintaining a natural grass lawn. So say goodbye to watering, mowing, fertilizing, and pulling weeds.

 

Filed Under: Home and Gardening

Simple Ways to Prepare Your Home for Summer

May 21, 2014 By

Written by Your Filter Connection

Summer is nearly here, which means it’s time to prepare your home for the hottest months of the year. While most people get out and about during this time of the year, the home is always the comfortable refuge from the hot weather and blazing sun. By preparing ahead of time, you can decrease the chance of getting stuck without air conditioning or breaking a useful home appliance. Here are a few tips for home owners to prepare their house for summer.

Replace the Air Conditioner Filter

The home air conditioner is the most important piece of equipment during the summer. It’s what will keep you and your family cool and comfortable while the temperature outside reaches triple digits. But chances are you haven’t turned it on since last summer, when you might have used it nearly every day. Just like you will have to purchase a replacement furnace filter before wintertime, the same rule applies to your air conditioning unit.

If you haven’t touched your air conditioning unit since last year, it’s time to replace the filter and prepare it for this summer. Replacing the air conditioning filter will allow the unit to work properly and capture air born contaminants from circulating back into the air. Air conditioner filters are affordable and can be found at Your Filter Connection.

Replace Other Filters

Depending on the appliances you have in your home, you might need to replace more than your air conditioning filter. If you have an air filter, make sure that the filter is clean and new for the new season as well. Other filters to replace in time for summer include your water filter, the fridge filter, and humidifier filter.

Bring Out Cotton and Linen Fabrics

During the cold months of the year, our homes are usually adorned in warm thick materials, from thick drapes in the living room and bedrooms to warm and heavy blankets on our beds. But summertime calls for light and airy fabrics such as cotton and linen. Take a look around your home. It’s time to bring out new fabrics. Exchange heavy drapes for light and thin drapes. Get rid of heavy blankets and throws and bring out cotton sheets, blankets and comforters. The same rule applies to fabrics in the kitchen. Light and airy drapes will invite the summer breeze and allow the sun to shine through, while light and airy blankets and comforters will keep you from getting too hot during the warm summer nights.
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Your Filter Connection is an online retailer of replacement filters for air conditioners, furnaces, air filters, and humidifiers. Visit the website to purchase your furnace filter today.

Filed Under: Home Improvement
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