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Choosing the Right Tools for the Job
In the beginning, there was the shovel. Then came the pitchfork. And the rake. For decades, homeowners were stuck with basic, multi-purpose tools that attempted many tasks, with mixed results. If a gardener needed a specialized tool designed specifically for weeding, tilling or pruning, they were out of luck.
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Cut Mowing Time in Half
The hottest trend in home mowing is a fast, fun tool that the professionals have been using for decades: zero-turn-radius mowers. Once considered too costly for home use, zero-turn-radius mowers are now priced to compete with common lawn tractors.
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Six Steps to a Stress-Free Back Yard
If your thoughts are turning to the time and energy you'll spend in the back yard this season, you're not alone. A new survey says that the majority of homeowners have concerns about the condition of their lawns and mowers as they think about getting into their yards this spring.
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Modular Storage System Gets You Organized
What do garden implements, sports equipment and power tools have in common? A couple of things, actually. First, it's likely that they're all taking up valuable space in your garage. And second, they all turned up in a 2004 survey listing the top 50 things people need to store.
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Add Charm and Style to Your Yard with Arbors
This is the time of year that gardeners love. Seed and plant catalogs have arrived, and chilly winter nights can be spent planning what the yard and garden will look like this spring and summer. Don't forget to include plans for hardscaping, the non-plant accents that give your yard its backbone.
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The Rewards of Gardening with Your Children
William Wordsworth once said, "Let nature be your teacher." He was just one of the many scholars who believed that nature was therapeutic for the soul and provided an abundance of lessons - especially for children. One of the best (and most fun) ways for children to experience the outdoors is through gardening.
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Brightening the Backyard: New Lighting Options Makeover Outdoor Living
Outdoor living spaces are turning as warm and cozy as the family room, whether you can enjoy them for two months or twelve. In the latest outdoor makeovers, indoor style has fast become an outdoor phenomenon, from growth in exterior kitchens to advancements in outdoor furniture, lighting solutions and more.
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As Geese Numbers Rise, So Do Hazards
We see them at the park, in our neighborhoods and even in our own backyards. Encountering a flock of wandering geese is the closest many of us ever get to wildlife, but too many geese and their droppings can render an area unusable and pose potential health risks.
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Showstoppers: Stage a Sensation in the Garden this Spring!
There's no excuse for planting the same old pink and white impatiens year after year, staging the same old garden scene.
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Are Insecticides Poisoning Your Yard?
You may not know what a Japanese beetle looks like, but chances are if you have a yard, you've seen the damage they do. The beetle is a highly destructive non-native pest that was introduced to the United States almost 80 years ago.
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Turning the Tomato-Growing World Upside-Down
Tomatoes are by far the most grown fruit (yes, "fruit," not "vegetable") in home gardens around the world. Nutritionists and health professionals tout the anti-oxidant health benefits of the fruit. Clearly, Americans love tomatoes. Yet most gardeners aren't very enthusiastic about the amount of work involved in successfully growing tomatoes.
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Seven Things Consumers Should Know About Green Spaces
As more and more land in the United States is developed, our appreciation for well-managed and maintained green spaces is growing. The term "green spaces" encompasses elements of the landscape from home and commercial lawns to golf courses, parks and sports turf. And one national non-profit alliance -- Project EverGreen -- is embarking on a mission to raise awareness of the environmental, economic and lifestyle benefits of preserving and enhancing green space in the U.S.
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Tips for a Successful Garden
With spring fast approaching, it's time to decide what you would like to do with your garden. Seed catalogs conjure visions of beautiful bouquets around your home, their sweet fragrances permeating every room. Your appetite is whetted for meals prepared with homegrown vegetables. But how can you best prepare that plot of soil behind your house to help make your garden grow?
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Modular Deck Tiles Go Anywhere, Cut Deck Costs in Half
Do you dream of a new wood deck, but are daunted by the cost of having one built or the difficulty of doing it yourself? Don't despair. Modular deck tiles can make a beautiful do-it-yourself deck possible for even home improvement neophytes.
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Dreaming of Gardens - A Design and Care Primer
Does walking into a nursery or browsing through plant catalogs give you a headache? Do you agonize over where to start? Do you wonder how can you get your plants to look like, or somewhat like, those in the catalogs?
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The Ultimate Gardening Tool
If you enjoy America's favorite pastime, Spring is surely your favorite time of year. The grass grows green again, the trees sprout new leaves and you're finally able to plant that garden you've been dreaming about all winter.
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Ten Tips to Liven Up Your Deck
Your kitchen might be the heart of your house, but your deck is the heart of your backyard. It's the place where you gather with friends and family, enjoy home-cooked meals, and relax after a long day at work.
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The Key to Maintenance-Free Landscaping
Soon the barren landscape we've been looking at for months will once again give way to green grass, flowering bulbs, and budding trees and shrubs. The first day of spring (March 20, 2006) is almost upon us.
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How to Make Your Garden Really Grow
Whether you're a novice gardener or someone who has been doing it for a long time, you know that in order to grow healthy looking plants with an abundance of blooms, you must provide them with the proper amount of sunlight, water and aerated nutrition-rich soil.
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Garden Superstars for Spring 2006
Short days and long nights lend themselves to dreaming of spring, triggering an itch to get out of the house and into the garden. But while you are fighting a full-blown case of cabin fever, plant explorers and outdoor décor vendors are turning up a whole slew of new green goods that will arrive just in time to help you scratch that gardening itch.
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Ways to Make Lawn Care Easier on the Body
Taking care of the yard can be good exercise, but it can also cause uncomfortable pains and strains. A 2006 national consumer study reveals that mowing the lawn can result in a variety of physical ailments, many of which can be avoided, according to industry experts.
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Gardening Tasks Should Bring Satisfaction, Not Pain
When it comes to tools, gardeners today have more options than ever before. With all the choices in colors, shapes and sizes, it's easy to overlook one of the most important gardening tools - your body.
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Cutting Edge Features Take Outdoor Power to New Level
As cabin fever gives way to spring fever, it's time to assess your outdoor power equipment needs. Besides drawing up a plan and getting the ground ready, it's important to have the right tools for the job.
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Make Your Back Yard into a Sanctuary for Outdoor Pets
A huge percentage of Americans have pets. Whether we live with dogs, cats, fish or any of our other animal friends, we love the companionship they offer. On the other hand, we consider anything outside our home to be "wildlife." While that word is accurate, it can also be misleading.
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How to Really Make Your House Stand Out
Do you live on a street where all the houses look the same and feel like you need to do something to set your place apart from the rest? Once the snow clears and the temperatures warm up, get out and do something about it!
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Looking for a Way to Reduce Mowing Time?
If you feel like you have better things to do than mowing your lawn and are looking for a way to reduce mowing time, then a zero-turning-radius mower should be at the top of your "must-buy" list. That's because zero-turning-radius mowers save time mowing and trimming since there's no need to back up when cutting around trees and other objects around the yard.
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