CasaSugar

10 Essential Tasks to Prepare Your Yard For Winter

Elka Karl — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 08:00:49 PDT

The days are getting shorter, and the temperatures are getting chillier, which most likely means you'll be spending less and less time outside. But before you abandon the outdoors and hibernate for the Winter, tackle these 10 essential tasks to ready your yard for the change of season.

Mulch. Before the first freeze, clean up perennial beds, give them a thorough soaking, and then spread a generous layer of mulch to protect them through the long Winter.
Store hoses. If hoses are left on outdoor spigots, they can cause the spigot to freeze and crack. After taking the hose off of your spigot, turn off the water supply, and leave the spigot screwed open so remaining water can drain out.
Prep your pots. Empty out all terra-cotta pots, and turn them upside down in a shed, garage, or other protected area to prevent cracks and breakage.
Give your garden tools some TLC. Make an appointment to have tools such as pruners and saws sharpened; if you do it now, you won’t have to deal with a pair of dull snips when you need them in the Spring. Clean trowels, rakes, shovels, and other tools, and give them a good oiling to prevent rust before storing them out of harm’s way.
Clean up your veggie garden. Turn over beds, pull out weeds, and make sure everything is harvested from your plot. If you’re overwintering hardy veggies such as parsnip, carrots, or rutabaga - which actually turn sweeter after a frost - these vegetables should be covered with a layer of straw or mulch.

Keep reading for more tips!

How to Save Water in Your Garden and Yard

CasaSugar — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 13:00:00 PDT

Did you know that in the Summer, outdoor water use at homes increases from 10-50 percent? This can lead to water shortages in some areas of the United States, as well as a big increase in your monthly water bill. Don't despair though, there are many easy ways to cut your water use.

Don't water your soil in your garden or lawn until it's dry. You can test for dryness by digging your finger beneath the soil surface. If the soil is dry at one-and-a-half inches deep, it's time to water.
You can reduce water needs for your lawn by raising the lawnmower's blade level so grass is cut at two to three inches or higher. Longer grass needs less water, since it shades the plants' roots, which in turn encourage deeper growth.
Water early in the morning, when your lawn or garden will retain the most water.

To hear the rest,

Does Your Home Have a Walkway?

CasaSugar — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 06:15:00 PDT

Try as they might, not all walkways are successful in keeping people off of your lawn. But they are inviting and charming and signal to guests where to enter. This walkway is made of marble, but you can use stone, brick, concrete, slate, or even glass to build yours. Do you have one?

Crave Worthy: A Backyard Bocce Court

CasaSugar — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:00:52 PDT

I've recently become a bocce fanatic - I'm even in a league. It's the ultimate social game because anyone of any age or skill level can play. So, when I saw this backyard bocce court at Ceja Vineyards, I nearly died and went to heaven. I'd kill to have one installed at my house. You can build your own by picking up perimeter and base materials locally and a crushed oyster shell blend from Boccemon for as little as $595, which is still an investment. To have a court professionally built, it could cost between $18,000-$35,000. Yikes, right? For now, I'm happy to play on uneven grass in my backyard or local park. Divits, wet soil, and other natural elements may leave things slightly out of control for the players, but I'm not in it for the competition. Would you like one built at your home?

Do You Have a White Picket Fence?

CasaSugar — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 11:00:18 PDT

There's nothing like a curious agapanthus peering its head out of your white picket fence on a warm Summer day. A white picket fence may be uninspired, but it's still a classic, like an L.L. Bean bag or a pair of canvas sneaks. You almost can't go wrong with one.

Before and After: A Brooklyn Backyard Gets Beautified

CasaSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 08:00:54 PDT

When homeowners David and Vivian bought their brownstone, the backyard wasn't attractive in the least. A decrepit deck, falling-down retaining walls, and exposed soil made the whole space unappealing and uninhabitable. But with some gumption and planning, the husband-and-wife team took the yard from desolate to delightful. To see what they did,

read more.
The couple terraced the yard, added stepstones, flowerbed borders, and a variety of foliage to the area. They created multiple "mini gardens" to break up the space, and for privacy and aesthetic purposes, covered an ugly chain link fence with a cedar fence. All in all, they saved about $10,000 thanks to their DIYs. Want to do something similar at your house? Get all of the details and instructions at This Old House.
Source

Fitness Gear for Your Yard

FitSugar — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 04:30:00 PDT

There are thousands of ways to play outside in the Summer months. Here are some fitness gear and games for your yard or a park BBQ that may not burn as many calories as going for an hour long bike ride, but they're fun for the whole family.

Source

Casa Query: What's Your Favorite Outdoor Spot?

CasaSugar — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 08:30:15 PDT

The beautiful Spring weather recently here in San Francisco has had me aching to be outdoors all day long. Be it unwinding with a glass (or two) of wine on my back porch, working in my garden, socializing on a friend's city rooftop, or playing with my dog in the backyard, when the sun is shining, I can't bear to be indoors. I know that not everyone has the pleasure of having rooftop or balcony access, but even enjoying a small patch of grass in your front yard is better than sitting inside on a beautiful day!
What's your favorite spot at home (or a friend's home) to be outdoors? Do you live in your front porch rocker? Read on your fire escape? Dip in your pool? Absorb the sunlight on your rooftop? Give me the lowdown in the comments below!
Source

In the News: Farms Sprout in Suburbia

CasaSugar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 07:00:40 PDT

The Wall Street Journal's "Green Acres II: When Neighbors Become Farmers" reports that a growing number of Americans are "turning grass into edible greens and maybe even greenbacks," by growing food in their front and backyards. Since 2006, in Boulder, CO, school-bus driver Kipp Nash has "uprooted his backyard and the front or backyards of eight of his Boulder neighbors," and spent his afternoons "planting, watering, and tending" these minifarms, growing vegetables like tomatoes, bok choy, garlic, and beets. Although not everyone in the neighborhood finds this suburban farming aesthetically pleasing, particularly not during the Winter months, the locally-grown food market has grown, leaving yard farmers with an opportunity to sell to nearby restaurants and other neighbors. Since land is expensive, and nearly a third of residential water goes to landscaping, the financial advantages of suburban farming are clear. But, environmentalists also support it because it "cuts the distance - and the carbon dioxide - needed to get food from farm to consumer." To see a video on the topic,

If Money Weren't an Issue . . .

CasaSugar — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:15:00 PDT

. . . would you put this giant Zinc Top Birdhouse ($4,995) in your yard?