This is a cooperative blog: a co/blog. We've really just started this experiment, so give a few months to get some momentum. Each of the five charter authors involved are responsible for a different set of topics, and each will post on their own schedule. We hope you enjoy the content provided here, and find it useful. The information provided is meant as opinion and editorial purposes only, and should never be taken as professional advice.

Five Good Reasons to Fertilize Your Lawn

Archived in Landscape, Do-it-Yourself | 1 Comment

Great grass needs tender loving care, and this means regular and meaningful feedings. If you mow and mulch you’re one step closer, but it doesn’t mean you’ve got all your bases covered. Fertilizing your lawn appropriately is as important as keeping it watered. Why? Here are five good reasons to fertilize your lawn.

1) …because grass is unnatural. Don’t believe me? Ask yourself this: if you had neither seeded nor sodded would you have a lawn? Or would you have a muddy, weedy mess full of local scrub, clover, thistle, et cetera? I’d wager on the second. Your lawn is there because you or someone else planted it there. True, it’s a hardy plant and it will do very well where it is if you feed it well, but in the world of landscaping and competitive plant biology, grass is the visiting team. It has a disadvantage right from the start.

2) …because you walk on your lawn. Crush, stomp, rip, tear, break. You use your lawn to separate your feet from the muddy mess hidden below. You know perfectly well that grass is something of a living carpet, and like any carpet can succumb to eventual wear and tear. Lucky for both you and the grass, a healthy (well fed) lawn will look after repairing itself.

3) …because grass can be a real fighter. Weeds are always — repeat, ALWAYS — trying to find a way to break through the defenses put up by your grass. Whether your lawn is twenty days or twenty years old, a fertilized lawn means that it can choke down intruders through strong, healthy root systems and sustained growth.

4) …because you mow. And — especially if you are like some of my neighbors who quickly stuff their clippings into big orange garbage bags that wind up on the curb — the nutrients, minerals, and potential organic fertilizer you just clipped off wind up in the landfill. It’s not like cutting your hair. This is true damage to the plant, and while it will recover you had better feed it occasionally to give back what you just took away.

5) …because your lawn is an ecosystem. Look close. Besides you and your PETS, there are a lot of critters who make use of your grass. From the small — insects, spiders, worms, and other creepers — to the slightly larger — birds, mice, and rabbits — you are hosting a local ecosystem who’s tenants are probably typical renters: messy and destructive. Think of fertilizer as just another landlord duty.

Please remember: I’m just a guy who has done this work for myself, once. This is just my experience, so do more research before you start. I welcome any comments or updates that anyone with more experience might provide. Cheers!

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Deck Construction: Part 3

Archived in Landscape, Construction, Do-it-Yourself | 1 Comment

The best advice I can offer on finishing your new deck stairs and railings is to PLAN. And, whatever you do, wherever you start, whoever you manage to have help you, do not underestimate the power of:

(A) Shopping Around

Not all steps and railings are created equal, and not all packages are going to work with your deck, for your needs, in your municipality. Go look at some samples and try out a few tests of durability, wobble, rust resistance, heat resistance (barbecue anyone?), and safety.

(B) Sitting Around

That’s what you are going to use it for, after all. How will you use your new deck space? Where do you want to sit and relax? On a long step in the sun or tucked into a shady corner? Do you want to feel open and breezy, or closed in and private? Try it out on a friend’s deck and see what you prefer. Plan from there.

The rest of this is based on my experience:

HANGING STRINGERS

Depending on the material you use for your steps, you should have your stringers spaced roughly two-foot on center. This means for a single staircase, you need two stringers, but for a longer (perhaps full-length) set of steps, you’ll need more. Stringer should be hung using brackets along the facing board, nailed with joist hanger nails (not screwed) and supported at the bottom with wood or preferably a concrete stone to reduce vertical movement into the ground.

STEPS

This may seem obvious, but use the best wood you can find, in the fewest pieces you can find. This is going to take a lot of abuse over the life of your deck, and you want quality here (even if you cheaped-out elsewhere!) Fasten securely with long screws, at least three per stringer for a solid base.

POSTS

Some places will try to sell you a closed-bottom railing with no posts. Avoid it. Use posts whenever possible BOLTED to the frame of your deck for maximum stability. These go on first, and the rest of the build should be straightforward around them. Remember: measure twice, cut once!

Please remember: I’m just a guy who has done this work for myself, once. This is just my experience, so do more research before you start. I welcome any comments or updates that anyone with more experience might provide. Cheers!

Popularity: 4% [?]

Read more posts by Gary W (About the Author)

del.icio.us Digg it Earthlink Furl iFeedReaders ma.gnolia Maple.nu Netvouz Netscape RawSugar reddit Scuttle Shadows Simpy Spurl StumbleUpon Wink Yahoo MyWeb

Posts that might have similar content:

Gary’s Construction Anecdotes >> For your convenience, here are some of the articles I've written on my landscaping and contruction experiences. As usual remember: I’m just a guy who has done this work for myself, once. This is just my experience, so do more research

Deck Construction: Part 1 >> As the spring blossoms here in Western Canada, young homeowner's thoughts turn to landscaping and backyard construction. Yes, it's time to build a deck onto that new house to increase both the functionality of your backyard and the value of your

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