Patio Lawn and Garden: July 2013

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Has anyone used an electric lawn mower? Is it difficult to mow with the cord getting in the way? Our lawn is?

Q. about 2000 square feet. My dad gave us one, but my husband thinks it will be to hard to maneuver around the cord and wants to go buy a gas powered one.

A. Electric powered ones are a pain in the butt. Your also limited to how far your cord is. Its definatly worth buying a gas one. You can get them for like 100$ at like home depot. Hope I helped.

Original Question

Monday, July 29, 2013

What garden herbs grow best in terribly hot weather?

Q. I live on the dry side of Texas, and I'd like to start a perennial herb garden.
Which herbs can take the heat best? It's hard to find areas around my house that have medium shade; it's either total shade or blazing sun in summer.
We can get weeks of 90-plus degrees.

A. While I have lived in New Mexico and Arizona for many years I always lived at higher elevations where the temps were moderate. We would always got a few weeks of over a hundred but not the months on end of Phoenix or Albuquerque.

I had good luck always with rosemary and sage, mints and chives. A well planned herb garden does not have to take up a lot of space and can be shaded with a small arbor and shade cloth that blocks forty percent of the sun or less. And don't top water them in the heat of the day. Some herbs like to be on the dry side and some require a moist soil so I'd try about anything and look up each one you plan to try for specifics of their requirements. It's all on line me thinks.

Namaste'

Original Question

What gardening/lawn product would work best?

Q. Ny bf's backyard is mostly a patio. with a small shed & a little pond. We are planning to go back there and fix it up but, weeds and grass are between the "spaces" on the deck. He's afraid if we clean it all up it will just all grow back, but I'm sure there is some kind of spray or something we could place out there to prevent that. Any suggestions?

A. if you are spraying in the deck round up will work and its leaf ingested and won't make the soil infertile. if you want to spray anything on the lawn, any weed b gone concentrate will work. Don't by the stuff that is pre mixed because it is too diluted. Get the stuff that you have to mix yourself and put a little extra in, it won't kill the grass but will take care of the weeds.

Original Question

How to grow a lawn if there is an existing wild grass lawn?

Q. I have a lawn that has been growing wild with just wild grass and random weeds i guess. Now I want to put down a new lawn but I want to start from seed instead of sod. The ground is really hard so tilling it might be impossible I would like to know how to go about making a new lawn. I know i have to kill the old grass but I'm not sure if I need to make a new bed for the grass to grow and add new soil to the entire lawn. Please help me. Your help is appreciated.

A. Planting Grass Seed: Step-by-Step Instructions:
http://www.tigerfdn.com/planting-grass-seed-step-by-step-instructions-part-1

Original Question

What gardening/lawn product would work best?

A. If you want it gone for good you can get a heavy duty concentrate of roundup that you add water too to make it as strong as you want. It works great and doesn,t bother what is close by.

Original Question

Sunday, July 28, 2013

What type of patio furniture do you reccomend for a roof top patio in los angeles?

Q. Hi, we would like to decorate our patio with furniture that lasts along time and can resist rain (when it rains in LA it rains like a monsoon) and the sun (they don't call it sunny for nothing!). Plus we are elevated up pretty high so wind is a concern too. we look forward to your suggestions, THANKS!

A. Some of the best types of patio furniture include wrought iron and cast aluminum. Both are durable and rust-resistant as is resin or resin wicker, which both repel rain and are lightweight; or teak wood, which is stylish, durable, and weather-resistant.

Outdoor wicker is another alternative, but can be scratcy without patio cushions.

Original Question

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Do you think lawn art would add value to my home?

Q. I had the front done in a French Classic style and I like it very much. But I've been told by the local patio and outdoor decor company that I need to "spruce" it up a bit. Add a little color. I rather like pink flamingos (they remind me of my time in Africa) but I am also concerned if they will actually add any value. I would need about 250 of them to make a statement, as was suggested by the salesman.

My other concern is if they would attract the local hunters. I dare say, many of them don't seem the sober type.

A. personally i would prefer to see (many)painted wooden cut outs of various disney creatures strategically placed throughout the yard. a few flamingos wouldnt hurt though (i guess).
how about one of those inside-out tire planters as well...plastic flowers inside would add perky color year round.

at night, a solar cross or two would add a lovely element as well.
happy sale!

Original Question

Friday, July 26, 2013

I have a wrought iron patio set with 4 chairs & a table.There is rust on our patio cement,how do I prevent it?

Q. I understand after time rust will form on the patio cement underneath because it is wrought iron, but what can I do to prevent rust forming on our cement? I don't like the idea of artificial grass, etc....
the patio itself isn't rusted, but the issue is this. after time when it rains the rain drips off the wrought iron causing rust on my cement. how di prevent this.

A. First, you need to sand the rust off the metal. Then you need to paint the bottom of the table and chairs with an outdoor paint made for metal.

Home Depot or Lowe's may haves small pieces of plastic that attach to the legs of the chairs and table for a more long term solution.

Original Question