HowToDoThings.com Gardening & Landscaping

How To Get Rid of Bed Bugs

Susie254 — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 11:13:00 -0600

"Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite." This common goodnight verse may be truer than you think. Bed bugs are worldwide travelers, notorious for latching on to luggage items and stowing away to a new destination. When you consider all of the travelers and the hotels and motels all over the world, it is easy to understand why bed bugs seem to be making a comeback.

How To Grow Grapes

Linette547 — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 10:40:00 -0600

Growing grapes is a complex and sometimes time-consuming project with several steps involved. There are entire books written on this subject. The basic steps are listed here; if you require additional information, please consult the other HowToDoThings articles devoted to individual steps of growing grapes. For an extensive guide, this eBook will help you grow grapes like a pro: The Complete Grape Grower’s Guide.

How To Grow Zucchini

Wendy118 — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 12:14:00 -0500

Zucchini is part of the squash and pumpkin family. Zucchini is a very abundant producer and you will probably need no more than two or three plants in your garden. Zucchini does not keep well, so it is best enjoyed during the summer months.

Zucchini is probably one of the more talked about vegetables due to its ability to cross breed with pumpkin and squash. These mutations are used in the late summer and early fall as decorations. Seeds from these curious cross breeds can be saved and planted next year.

Are you eager to learn about growing your own healthy, organic food? It's environmentally conscious and it saves money, too! We recommend: Organic Gardening for Beginners

Let's get started!

How To Grow and Harvest Cilantro

Carrie122 — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 12:27:00 -0500

Cilantro is an herb that is commonly found in Mexican and Tex-Mex or South Western dishes. It has a strong, distinctive flavor that is quite unmistakable. The seeds of the cilantro plant are also used to season food, and are called coriander. Growing your own cilantro can be a bit tricky, but with attention and care you'll be harvesting this wonderful herb and using it in your own cuisine.

Want to grow other herbs as well as cilantro? We have a recommendation for you! You can grow a thriving garden with this complete, step-by-step guide: Organic Vegetable Gardening

Let's get started!

How To Prune Tomatoes

Tonya249 — Sat, 27 May 2006 11:50:00 -0500

Nothing quite compares to the taste of a vine-ripened tomato fresh from the garden. In order to harvest as many of these delicious fruits as possible, you will need to prune your tomato plants. Knowing which vines to let grow and which ones to ruthlessly remove can be confusing, but it can be broken down into several easy steps. If you follow this advice, you'll have a greater harvest of flavorful tomatoes to put in salads, make tomato sauce or add to delicious sandwiches.

Want to double, triple, even quadruple your tomato harvest? Here's our recommendation: How To Grow Juicy, Tasty Tomatoes!

How To Construct a Grape Trellis

Carrie122 — Sat, 29 Apr 2006 11:48:00 -0500

A grape trellis is a structure that provides support for grapevines, as the vines are not strong enough to support themselves. Trellises can be constructed in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, ranging from decorative garden-enhancing pieces to simple fence-like structures that are strictly functional. Unless you're handy with woodworking or wrought iron, a decorative trellis should be purchased. However, constructing functional trellises is quite straight-forward.

How To Get Rid of Moles

Wendy118 — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 17:12:00 -0500

Although moles are small, they are a huge agricultural pest. Moles burrow in gardens and lawns. Not only do they leave molehills behind, but those dreadful tunnels that can be dangerous to walk on. Their tunneling can reduce the size and yield of crops, as well as promote weed growth. A mole is about six to eight inches long and weighs between three to six ounces. Moles are very strong for their size and they are great tunnel diggers. They can tunnel about 18 feet in an hour. Moles have one litter of two to six babies every year. Moles nurse their young, which makes them mammals. Moles do not hibernate. This means they can cause damage to your lawn year round.

Contrary to what many people think, moles do not eat plants. However, their tunneling can damage or kill vegetation if they come in contact with plant roots while they are tunneling.

How To Care for Banana Trees

Carrie122 — Wed, 26 Apr 2006 07:39:00 -0500

Banana trees aren't actually trees at all--they are very large perennial herbs. While you'd normally associate banana trees with warm, tropical climates, these plants can also be grown in other zones with success, as long as you prepare them for the cold weather. No matter where you live though, there are a few things you'll need to know in order to keep your banana trees thriving.

Banana plants prefer a light, well-draining soil. You can aid in the drainage quality of your planting beds by adding raised areas above heavier soil to allow the thin roots of the banana tree to spread.
Choose the warmest location on your property for banana plants. They really need full sun; twelve hours a day is optimal.

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How To Repair Sprinkler Systems

Bryan344 — Sat, 24 Jun 2006 14:00:00 -0500

Sprinkler systems are a necessity for anyone with a lawn. They'll save you time, money and headaches. However, repairing a broken sprinkler system is less than desirable. There are plenty of factors that go into repairing a sprinkler system, but the first step is determining what is in need of repair and where the problem lies. Once the initial assessment is done, the rest is relatively simple -- it just takes a little work to accomplish. Essentially, there are two places that you can break a sprinkler system: a main line (possibly when aerating) or a sprinkler head (usually when mowing a lawn). Breaking sprinkler heads is common, so don't feel bad if you do.

Repairing a Main Line

Determine where the line is broken. This is usually done by locating the puddle of water in the lawn or simply the geyser that's now in the lawn.

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How To Get Rid of a Beehive

Staff468 — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 19:17:00 -0500

Who doesn't enjoy watching honeybees traipsing from flower to flower as they conduct their vital duties? It reaffirms our faith in the order and elegance of our natural world. Who doesn't enjoy it, you ask? To those of us who have intense allergies to a bee sting, the scene may not seem so idyllic.

Sadly, honeybees fall victim to parasites and other insects as they go about their business, so we should avoid killing them if at all possible. And wasps like yellow jackets can give people the impression that all bees are similarly vicious (in truth, yellow jackets aren't "bees" at all). We must be judicious whenever we figure out how best to get rid of a beehive.