The second type of winter gardening is to actually get out into the yard and do some work. Of course if it’s bitter cold, you would be better to wait for a good day. Winter is a good time to do some pruning if the temperatures are around thirty degrees (-1) or above. I don’t recommend pruning if it’s considerably below freezing because the wood is brittle and can shatter when you make your cuts.

Pruning an ornamental tree

www.ecolandscapegroup.com Ornamental trees describe trees that are smaller and usually have a flower or nice growing habit that make them ideal as a focal point in a landscape. this video tutorial shows hoe to prune a crabapple in Jackson, Wyoming. I…

One of the advantages of pruning during the winter is that you can see much better what needs to be pruned out and what should stay. At least that is true with deciduous plants. The other advantage is that the plants are dormant and won’t mind doing a little work on them.

Ornamental trees should be pruned to remove competing branches. Weeping Cherries, Flowering Dogwood, Flowering Crabapples etc. tend to send branches in many different directions. That’s your job to decide how you want the plant to look and then start pruning to achieve that look.

First stick your head in the tree and see what you can eliminate from there. This is like looking under the hood.  When you do you’ll see a lot of small branches that have been starved of sunlight that certainly doesn’t add anything to the tree. They are just there and should be cut out.

A few things to look for are branches that grow toward the centre of the tree where it’ll get little sunlight should be cut. Where there are 2 branches that are crossing, 1 of them should be eliminated. When the inside of the plant is cleaned up, you can start shaping the outside.

Shaping the outside is actually quite easy. Just picture how you want the plant to look and picture imaginary lines of the final sketch of the plant. Cut something that’s outside of these imaginary lines. It’s also important to the ends of branches that haven’t yet reached these imaginary lines in order to force the plant to fill cut.

For the most part plants have 2 types of growth: terminal branches & side branches. Each branch has 1 terminal bud at the end, & numerous side branches along the sides. The terminal buds grow in an outward direction away from the plant. Left uncut they just keep growing in the same direction.  Left on their own the plant grows tall and very thin. That’s why the trees in the woods are so thin and not very attractive compared to a properly pruned tree.

If you cut a branch on a tree, the tree sets new buds just below where you cut. When you remove the terminal BUD the tree will set multiple buds, it is how you make a tree nice and full. Don’t be afraid to trim your trees, they’ll be much nicer because of it. The more you trim them, they richer they become.

Lots of people have a real problem with this. They just can not bring themselves to prune. Especially when it comes to plants like Japanese Red Maples. It kills them to think about pruning a tree like this. Just do it! You’ll have a beautiful tree because of its.

Look at the system objectively. If you’ve a branch that looks like it grows too far in the wrong direction just prune it. If you make a mistake it’ll grow back. Cutting isn’t the only mistake you can make.

I hope this helps and doesn’t get you in trouble with your significant other. Many a family feud has started over pruning.

Gardening: Pruning : How to Prune Ornamental Plum Trees

Pruning an ornamental plum tree while it is dormant in the winter will encourage more fruit production for the spring and summer. Thin out the top of a plum tree to expose more sunlight to the inner branches with instructions from a sustainable garde…

Growth rate, leaves, flowers and fruit

It is a hedge that will grow in conditions other hedges dread. Many people refer to it as a weed because of how well it grows.  Whether the situation is full sun, partial shade, deep shade, damp soil or dry soil, laurel will do well. Space laurel plants at 2ft centres in a row to run the length of your hedge. This hedging plant does not exactly possess the “Formula 1″ growth rate of the Leylandii (Leyland Cyprus), you can realistically expect it to grow 1ft a year once established. With large, leathery, dark green leaves, many believe the foliage is superior to that of the Leylandii, It is more attractive and will reflect extra light into your garden due to sheen on the leaves upper surface.

When and how to trim

I am often asked when is the best time of year to attempt the trimming of your laurel hedge. Well, in this area from April to the end of July is the time of year when most of the growth happens.  It does grow throughout the rest of the year but at a very slow rate compared to that period.

So, a good time to trim your laurel hedging plants is in August, September or October.  You can trim  at other times of the year and many people do.  In fact, many people have their hedges trimmed twice or even three times a year to keep them looking great throughout the year.  However, the earlier they are trimmed in the summer, the earlier they will put on fresh growth to cover your trimming cuts. Try to trim laurel during a dry spell, as a bacterium know as Pseudomonas syringae can enter through trimming cuts created in damp weather. This unpleasant bacterium leads to the laurel dieback disease called bacterial canker. Trimming laurel with gas or electric hedge-trimmers are the fastest way to trim your hedge but some people with lots of time still use secateurs instead.

Do you need to transplant some Laurel?  Well, Laurel plants tend to tolerate transplanting better in early spring or in early autumn.

If you need help with your hedge trimming in Powell River just give me a call and I’ll be glad to help you out.

Remodeling your home is a great way to release some creative energy and improve your lifestyle. A house that is clean can give you the ambiance to relax during a work free day. However, before planning to remodel your home, you must always look before leaping. Here are five ideas that you can consider before starting your next home improvement project.

Repair everything that needs to be repaired

This is the first thing you should do. Since you are remodeling your home in some way, it is best that you check your plumbing and electrical systems for damages and repair all of them. Check if your roof is still in good shape and check your walls and ceilings too. Don’t settle for mediocre repairs because these areas are the main ‘columns’ of your home. If you want to remodel your home, make sure that it is still worth the money.

Reduce your utility cost

Make sure that when you remodel your home you think about your windows, lighting and insulation as well as it’s energy-efficiency. Ask your local contractor or look for some quotes on how to do this. Also, think about renewable energy that you can use like solar panels, wind turbines or wood burning stoves. Home improvements can help you save money in the future, too.

Planting trees in certain areas of your yard can give you much shade during the hotter times of the year which will help to reduce your air conditioning usage. Rather than having your yard covered in lawn, you may want to look at landscaping your yard with plants native to your area which will require less water and less maintenance.

Design it to increase its value

You also might want to consider making your home more profitable. There are several things that you can do to ensure this. Adding a fireplace or a patio often gives your home a feel of coziness and comfort. Remodelling your kitchen and bathroom areas, which are two of the most frequented places in your home, are great projects to undertake. People love when these areas are superbly designed and maintained.

Make sure that your design also fits with the neighborhood and the environment that you are in. This gives a feeling that your house was perfectly built for the area. Before starting any projects to increase the value of your home, check around to see what will give you your best return on investment. We’ll cover this in a future article.

Never sacrifice over-all design

Sometimes people overdo home improvement projects. They add rooms, extra floors or put in backyard swimming pools. These things are not bad, but some homes are not really a good fit for these kinds of major overhauls. Before making these decisions, be sure that your home will look better than before if you add these features. A bigger house is not always a better house.

When you start your next home or yard improvement project, the above points will surely help to make it a good venture. When planned properly and carried out properly, home and yard improvements are some of the best things that you can do for your family and it can also be a good investment in the future.

And, when all is said and done, your home should be comfortable for all members of your family.

UNL Extension Educator John Fech shows us how and when to plant a fall garden

Tomato support system that’s easy, inexpensive for the average organic garden or vegetable garden. One ladder (build it yourself) and 4 cement blocks – your garden support is done.

This is a great year to tackle that major renovation project that you’ve been putting off for the past couple of years.  Yesterday’s Federal Budget has made it easier and more affordable than ever to get on with getting that project done.

Starting yesterday ,Jan. 27, 2009, and going to
Feb. 1, 2010 is the time line to take advantage of this great program.

It looks like the tax credit can be used for many different types of projects around your home and yard. The Budget is giving a tax credit of 15% on projects over $1000 and up to $10,000.  The maximum amount that any individual/couple can claim is $1350.

That is a pretty good motivation to get to work and tackle that list of yours starting this week.

What are some of projects that you can do that will qualify?  Well, here are a few: renovating your bathroom, basement or kitchen; putting new flooring down; painting – inside or out; building the deck you always wanted; putting in a new driveway; landscaping your yard with new sod; or putting on that new addition.

Now, as we all know, it is pretty easy to spend $10,000 on a renovation.
This program won’t cover all the expenses for all of the projects that
you may want to do on your house but it will certainly help with one or two
of them.

For most homeowners, tackling a home improvement project can be a very expensive time in one’s life.   Depending on what you want to do to your home, time and money will be big determining factors.

In many cases, people usually use loans from their banks or credit cards to pay for these upgrades.  If you can pay the amount back quickly then this is a fine route to go.  Unfortunately, too many people max out their credit lines and end up taking years to pay off these loans or credit cards.

It might be nice to dream about transforming your house into a dream home with a designer kitchen, home theater room and a spa-like master bathroom.  You know what I mean…the kind that everyone in the neighbourhood talks about.  If you have the money and the time to do this kind of a major project then go for it.  It is great to see homes updated and made more elegant and comfortable for their owners. There are lots of options available.

However, with the cost and time involved to tackle a big project, you may find that you could do some easy and cheap home improvement projects that will transform your home into a great place and it won’t break the bank.  A home that you can be proud of.

Here are a few ideas for you to do some cheap home improvement projects:

1. Decide what you would like.

Check out many different home improvement magazines, books, TV shows and stores to get ideas.  There are many options and even more ways to achieve a similar look and feel for what you would like.  Even go to some real estate open houses to get some ideas from other people’s places. Put your ideas down on paper in drawings, in short descriptions and create a swipe file of pictures from magazines and catalogs for you to look at and refer back to.

2. Practicality.

There are numerous projects that you can undertake to improve your home. Take the time to think about the practicality of each one that you want to do before starting them though.  You might want that new bathroom but do you really want to deal with the noise, mess and disruption by having contractors tear out the old sink, toilet, bathtub and walls and then rebuild it all to look new again?

3. Changing the layout of rooms.

Changing the layout of the furniture in your home can be one of those very good and cheap home improvement projects. Just by putting your furniture in different positions often changes the overall ambience and feel of your home.

4. Painting the walls and moulding.

Colors play a big part in terms of a home’s ambience. One of the quickest and cheapest ways to change the look and ambiance of your home is to wash your walls with T.S.P. (tri sodium phosphate) and then grab a brush, roller and new paint and get to work repainting each of your rooms.

You can do most of the repainting jobs yourself along with other members of your family which will, hopefully, make the job easier and more fun.

You may find that with with a new coat of paint on the walls and trim, along with some new accents, that you can make it look great with out spending a bundle.

5. Try a little greenery.

Plants and flowers give rooms an inviting and warm feeling. The life that they add to your home is wonderful and dramatic.  The difference between a room with plants and one without can be absolutely amazing.  With thousands of types, sizes and colors of plants to choose from you are sure to find some great greenery to change the look of your home.

The above tips and ideas are just a few of the ways that you can do some cheap home improvement projects to upgrade and improve your home without breaking the bank. It is often the little and inexpensive touches and projects that you do to your home that can give you the most pleasure. As well, your return on your investment of time and money can sometimes be better than by doing a big project.

The most important thing to remember is that your home is your castle and that you need to enjoy it and feel comfortable with it even if it isn’t the biggest house on the block.

Is the flooring in your kitchen stained and cracked? Are the countertops marred with burns and nicks? Is the floor plan of your kitchen awkward and ill-designed? If so, it is time to consider kitchen remodeling. Updating your kitchen can enhance the value of your entire house, and kitchen remodeling can be an exciting process that calls upon your creativity.

You may need a little bit of patience as you live through the kitchen remodeling process, but the end result will be a kitchen you love and are proud to share with family and friends.

Kitchen remodeling runs the gamut from small upgrades, to a full-scale luxury remodeling venture. Small upgrades could include changing the hardware on your cabinets, refacing the cabinets, or replacing them. Or perhaps you might want to replace that scuffed floor, or resurface your countertops. Such simple changes can make an enormous difference in your space. However, a full-scale kitchen remodel is going to result in the most satisfying changes for your home.

Start your kitchen remodeling by making extensive notes about what you want. Think about what works and doesn’t work in your current kitchen. Look through magazines or scan the internet for kitchen remodeling ideas. You might want to make a file of designs and products you like. Don’t hold back at this point-make a note of everything you might want to include in your kitchen remodeling. Next, draw up a budget. This is when you match your beautiful ideas to what you can afford. You might be surprised how much you can get for your money, or the compromises you can make that will still afford you an elegant, functional design. At this point, you may also want to contract the services of a designer or space planner. They can be enormously helpful with your kitchen remodel, and point out products and design ideas that might not have occurred to you.

One of the most important decisions you will make is hiring a contractor, so take your time and do some research.

Visit home improvement stores or local remodelers to get a feel for what kind of kitchen remodeling projects they specialize in. Share your vision with the professionals you are considering. Take the time to check references. Pay attention to whether or not you feel comfortable with the contractor. Does he or she listen to your ideas and respect what you are creating? A contractor-client relationship for a kitchen remodeling is like a short-term marriage, so make certain yours will be a happy one!

Finally, prepare yourself and your family for the disruption that occurs with a kitchen remodeling project. With advance planning, this can be minimized, but some is inevitable. Discuss the time frame with your contractor and share this information with your family, so everyone is aware of how long the construction will take and what to expect. In a very short time, all memories of any uproar with the kitchen remodeling will be forgotten and you’ll be enjoying your new kitchen.

You may have found that many home improvement projects can be hard on the pocketbook. As much as you may want to call in the professional contractors to deliver excellent results, often it’s more practical to have a little belief in yourself and tackle these projects yourself.

People usually dig into their savings accounts or resort to credit cards or line of interests just to finance various projects such as new cabinets or flooring.  This often causes people to hold back on what they would really like to do because now they have to have money for materials and labor which can add up very quickly.

You will often find that once you’ve decided on what you want to do that you can make your kitchen look great by just doing a few easy to do by yourself kitchen remodel projects.  Grab a few books and magazines, go to your hardware or building store and ask some questions if you are unsure of how to do something.  It is amazing what you can find out in a magazine and talking to people.  This ain’t rocket science but, it does require a little common sense.

One of the things that you can do to dramatically change the look and feel of your kitchen is to paint it a different color.  Painting is relatively easy.  It can be a lot of work to make the room look great but it isn’t really too hard.  It is time consuming and fussy though to get a professional look.  Slow down and take your time, it will be worth it.  A gallon of paint can make all the difference in the world.  For under $50 and a weekend of your time you can have a new room.

Giving a kitchen a new color will definitely give it a new and fresher ambience. If you are tired and bored with the current color of your kitchen, you can do the painting yourself. Painting with family members is a great way to bond and have fun while improving your place at the same time.

Many people who attempt to paint their homes have problems which are related to not choosing the right paint. You must remember that cheap paint is not the way to go when painting any room in your home. If you resort to using cheap paint, you will regret it some time in the near future. Buy some good quality paint.  It is worth it.

Another way to improve your kitchen is by installing ceramic tiles on the countertop or the floor.

The most important thing that you have to consider is the kind of look that you want with your kitchen. The selection of the colors and the sizes of the tiles is very important as there are many different types to choose from.  Installing tiles is actually quite easy with a little practice.  If you are not sure at first, try tiling a small piece of plywood to get the hang of it.

Well, there you have it, a couple of different ways to go about improving your kitchen without hiring contractors. It can take a lot of practice, time and dedication to turn your home into the castle that you desire, but if done properly, the process and the results will give you many years of great pleasure.

There can be a lot of ways to improve your kitchen, which can be argued as one of the most important places in your home. The video below will give you a few quick lessons on tiling.  Enjoy.