By Richard Thomas
Crabgrass is often thought of as a weed, because it ruins the uniform appearance of the grass desired for lawns with its visibly clumpy nature. It also has a different texture and color from grasses that are common to lawns. Despite being considered a nuisance in the U.S., the variety common in West Africa has its uses. There it is known as Fonio. The seeds can be toasted and then ground into ...
By Kim Waits
Once thought to be poisonous and grown for decorative purposes, tomatoes have become one of the most popular plants among professional and home gardeners alike. In today's changing economy growing your own fruits and vegetables is a great way to cut down on your growing grocery bill while providing your family with nutritious food to eat. You can use the tomato plant's tasty fruit a...
By Ann Johnson
A weed is a plant that is out of place. Crabgrass is a weed that often grows in lawns. Once the crabgrass overtakes the yard there are ways to eradicate the problem. But, instead of tackling a crabgrass infestation, take preventive methods to halt the problem before it starts. Crabgrass is a prolific annual plant. One plant can produce 150,000 seeds each season. In late spring and early ...
By Sarah Letts
As a seasonal weed, crabgrass grows every time warm weather emerges after the winter months. In the wintertime, crabgrass' shoots die; however, they will grow back in the spring. Weed your garden. Pull crabgrass by its roots. If you merely cut the crabgrass using garden shears or trimmers, it will grow back, often more than ever. Pour water on it to moisten the surrounding soil, making ...
By Lacy Enderson
Lay out a layer of weed-suppressing material, such as weed cloth or newspaper. Use both products for extra protection. The last thing you want is weeds or grass growing up from the gravel. Spread out a 2-inch layer of river shingle over the paper. Create a border around this section of river shingle using small red bricks. Line them up side by side all around the perimeter. Bricks can be purchased ...
By Sarah Letts
Weed the area surrounding your flowers weekly to avoid overgrowth. You can simply pull the small weeds up from their roots. If you have larger weeds, trim them as close to the ground as possible. This will prevent them from uprooting your desired plants when you pull them up. Prune your flower plants every month. Remove any dead or dying leaves, and cut back any buds that aren't producing blossoms. ...
By David Lessem
For many people, a well-groomed lawn is as important as a well-maintained house. Fortunately, a lawn is much less work. If you take the time to prepare the soil, select the right strain of grass for your climate and water it frequently, you should have a beautiful lawn in no time. Dig weeds up using a trowel or weeding tool. Try to get the roots up, since some weeds can regrow from the root...
By Debra Turner
"Clay" actually refers to the size of the particles of soil. Clay particles are very tiny and tightly-packed not allowing much air or nutrients to penetrate and reach developing seeds. The seedlings that do survive have a tough time pushing through the sticky clay to access air and nutrition. That's why red clay soil is such a challenge to those who desire lush, beautiful lawns....
By Sonya Welter
Garden fences delineate property lines and add a sense of structure to your yard. Fences can also help keep pests and weeds out of flower or vegetable beds. There is a wide variety of garden fences to choose from to suit your personal needs, ranging from fussy and ornate to simple and practical. A garden fence can be a powerful landscape element. The type of fence you choose can enhance the...
By Heidi Braley
Learning how to garden involves a series of lessons that you will be learning for the rest of your life. Trial and error is part of the process where you learn from your mistakes or from others who are not ashamed to admit them. Listen and learn and pretty soon you will be giving the gardening advice. Learn to feel the dirt. If you want to be a successful gardener you will need to pick up a...