Simple ways to save money while you garden
Most gardeners celebrate finding earthworms in their soil because they’re supposed to be a sign of a healthy, thriving garden. But what if some of those worms were actually making your soil worse? An invasive group of earthworms spreading across the United States is causing concern among researchers, gardeners, and conservationists because of its ability…
You plant a row of beautiful evergreen shrubs along your backyard fence, imagining the privacy they’ll provide once they fill in. A few years later, your neighbor knocks on your door with a complaint: your hedge is growing into their yard, blocking access to their fence, and dropping debris onto their property. They want you…
You come home from work and notice something disturbing: your neighbor has cut several large branches off the beautiful shade tree you’ve spent years caring for. They explain that the branches were hanging over their fence, so they had every right to remove them. But weeks later, your tree begins dropping leaves, developing dead limbs,…
That backyard makeover you’ve been planning might seem like a harmless weekend project, but what if it ends with a warning from code enforcement—or a demand to tear everything down? Homeowners often assume that because they own their property, they can build a shed, install a fence, or create a backyard fire pit without asking…
It starts with a few innocent-looking green shoots poking through your lawn near the property line. Within weeks, those shoots become tall bamboo stalks, and before long, they’re appearing in your flower beds, beside your fence, and dangerously close to your landscaping. The frustrating part is that you never planted bamboo in the first place—your…
That weekend landscaping project might seem like an easy way to save a few hundred dollars, especially when online tutorials make everything look simple. A few bags of gravel, some inexpensive edging, or a rented trencher can transform a backyard without hiring a professional. But what happens when that budget-friendly improvement leads to a flooded…
Your neighbor has extra topsoil from a landscaping project, and they’re offering it to you for free. It sounds like a great deal, especially when buying several bags of garden soil can quickly add up. But what if that free dirt brings invasive worms, stubborn weeds, or plant diseases into a garden you’ve spent years…
Your strawberry plants might look perfectly healthy heading into fall, but one harsh winter could undo months of gardening work. Unlike many perennial plants, strawberries have shallow roots and crowns that sit close to the soil surface, making them vulnerable to freezing temperatures and repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Without proper protection, those productive plants could struggle…
Every fall, the same frustrating scene plays out in neighborhoods across America. Your neighbor has a beautiful, towering oak tree, but somehow you’re the one spending every weekend raking up its leaves. You didn’t plant the tree, you don’t own it, and you certainly didn’t volunteer to become its personal cleanup crew. So, can you…