Home & Garden

For many people, a garden is a place where they find calm and relaxation. Gardening and maintaining a lawn have become a form of stress reliever. This might explain why people have invested as much time as they possibly can to keep these spaces lush and green.

If there’s one thing that can ruin the experience, it’s when the garden or lawn is infested with weeds. Spending hour after hour of weeding can take the relaxation out of the hobby.

While some people find weeding a bit satisfying in the beginning, it’s just a matter of time until the chore starts to wear them thin. When this happens, you’ll want to have a strategy to put an end to this leafy menace.

That said, here are six tips to get rid of those pesky weeds that have been tried and tested by lawn care experts from Chesterfield, MO:

Start with prevention

The best way to get rid of weeds is to prevent their growth in the first place. And weed prevention starts by keeping a healthy lawn and garden.

There are several things you must do to ensure that your garden thrives and your lawn stays lush and verdant. Aside from cutting grass at just the right height, you’ll also need to keep them well-fed with nutrients and regularly hydrated.

Below are the different tasks and how they must be done to keep weeds from germinating in your lawn while keeping plants and grass healthy:

Deep watering

Deep watering is arguably the easiest way to keep weeds off of your lawn. Remember to water once a week with about one inch of water every time. This will allow the grassroots to grow deeper into the soil and prevent unwanted plants from taking over. Arlington lawn and tree care service providers advise to always consult professionals and get educated on the right amount of water your lawn and trees will need to avoid over or underwatering them.

Tall mowing height

Think keeping the grass as short as possible is a good idea? Think again.

The truth is, long grasses are actually more ideal, especially if you don’t want weeds from emerging since they won’t be able to germinate with tall grass impeding their access to the life-giving sun. And without sunlight, weeds won’t be able to thrive.

You must keep in mind, however, that the ideal mowing height varies for different species of grass, as follows:

• Bermuda grass – half to one inch
• Bahiagrass – two to three inches
• Blue grama grass – two to three inches
• Buffalo grass – two to three inches
• Bentgrass – a quarter to three-quarters of an inch
• Chewing hard – one and a half to three inches
• Centipede grass – one to two inches
• Carpet grass – one to two inches
• Perennial ryegrass – one and a half to three inches
• Red fescue or chewing hard – one and a half to two and a half inches
• St. Augustine grass – one to three inches
• Tall fescue – one and a half to three inches
• Zoysia grass – half to one inch

Mulching

Mulching is another way to keep your garden weed-free for the same reason tall grasses help – it prevents sunlight from reaching weed seeds. About two inches of mulch should be able to allow flowers to thrive while preventing weed infestation.

Pull them out manually

Manual weeding is probably the most straightforward way of keeping those pesky weeds from growing. However, even this method requires proper execution to achieve full efficacy.

For one, your schedule for weeding manually should be based on the old adage “Pull when wet; hoe when dry.”

Remember that, when drenched, the soil is easier to work on. This means you should be able to pull out weeds with just a glove, a sitting pad, and a tarp for gathering what you’ve pulled out after a downpour.

When the soil is dry, you can use a hoe with a sharp edge to work up the soil. After doing so, you’ll find that weeds will dry up until they’re a threat to your lawn no more.

Start pruning

Weeds that cannot be pulled out can be dealt with another way: by pruning. Cutting off the heads of hardy weeds will impede germination. This will buy you time until the “weed seed rain” starts for annual weeds.

As for bindweed and other perennial weeds, deadheading can help lessen the chances of reseeding. It also forces them to exhaust their food reserves and root bud supply to limit their spread.

Plant strategically

Did you know that the strategic placement of plants can also help reduce weed infestation?

Planting garden flowers closer together can choke out any emerging weeds since they will prevent the sun from reaching those unwanted growths. This is why many landscapers and gardeners plant in clusters instead of just scattering them around the premises.

When going with this strategy, make sure to limit the space you shave off to only 25 percent of the recommended spacing for each plant. Of course, you should still keep the plant mature sizes in mind when planning for plant placement in your garden.

Water the plants, not the weeds

Water is essential for all types of flora, including weeds. If you’re after getting rid of them, be sure to cut off their water supply. This is where drip irrigation systems and soaker hoses can come in handy.

Since they only irrigate plants close-by or those that are mulched, these irrigation systems ensure that your garden flourishes and stays weed-free. Without water, weeds are bound to wither and die. This strategy has been found to reduce weed-seed germination by about 50 to 70 percent.

However, you have to keep a close eye on deep-rooted perennial weeds like nutsedge and bindweed that thrive with deep watering.

Use organic compost

Aside from being good for plants, organic compost can also help you deal with the weed problem more efficiently. By enriching the soil with a healthy mixture of organic matter and compost, you keep the weeds from germinating.

This, however, has left soil scientists baffled as they still cannot explain why this is the case. Even so, one thing is sure: it is effective in keeping weeds at bay.

Get rid of weeds now

Getting rid of weeds is time-sensitive. The longer you wait, the bigger and more hardy they become. Try the removal and prevention methods mentioned in this article to keep your garden and lawn weed-free. If all else fails, you can always seek help from lawn care professionals in Manchester, MO.

Finding the right furniture for your home can sometimes feel like a balancing act. On the one hand you want luxury materials and elegant designs; on the other you want something modern and durable. Finding that perfect match of sophistication and modernity just got a whole lot easier thanks to the Coco furniture collection from Domayne.

Transitional design.

In the art of interior design, ‘transitional design’ refers to the melding of contemporary and traditional styles. Transitional design can be particularly hard to pull off, combining conflicting styles cohesively presents many hurdles.

Transitional design is all the rage these days, with designers throwing the traditional rule book out the window, incorporating masculine elements into feminine spaces, playing with texture, color and material. There is a delicate art to mixing styles, with a clean room and neutral color pallet preferred.

Transitional designs incorporate soft, curved furnishings with straight lines and lacquered veneers. The Coco dining table from Domayne is a perfect example of transitional design.

The Coco dining table is dominated by a modern and stylish ceramic top. This high tech and ultra-contemporary material is resistant to cracks, knocks, and stains and is a breeze to clean. Pair this contemporary material with a mid-century inspired walnut veneer and understated metal legs, and you have a textbook example of transitional design.

Durability.

The merging of contemporary and traditional materials can give your apartment a touch of elegance and class, with the added benefit of durability and comfort. The coco dining tables ceramic top is extraordinarily durable, being basically impervious to stains. The walnut veneer hints to a bygone era while protecting the sides from scratches or dings.

Create a flow throughout your apartment.

A dining table such as the Coco from Domayne will bring class and elegance to your apartment while keeping it in the present. Using similar pieces sparingly can create a design flow throughout your home. A dining table is nothing without some chairs, and the Coco dining chair continues to bring effortless transitional design to your apartment.

The Coco dining chair mirrors the Coco dining tables modern, minimalist metal legs, with a sleek and angular design affirming its place in the present. Following the transitional design, the Coco chairs are softened by almost vintage shaped plush cushions available in a cool, light blue or a palette cleansing grey.

The right mix.

Transitional styles are all about the right balance. Domayne has made it easier for you to create a transitional style in your home with the Coco range of furniture, but it doesn’t stop at furniture. Successful transitional designs usually start with a clean room, with a neutral color pallet. You can think if transitional design as a more vibrant take on traditional design. Keep accessories to a minimum, your choice of textures and furnishings should add detail and draw the eye without confusing it. Popular textural elements include glass, rattan and wood veneer.

Transitional design is a hot topic right now, and rightly so. If done right, it allows for a space that is entirely personal, blending the old and new for maximum effect. Pulling off such a mix of materials and styles can be difficult, but with thoughtfully designed furniture your job becomes that much easier.

If you are looking to bring a transitional design to your home, keep it neutral and simple with a select few pieces. Domayne’s Coco range is the perfect example of modern and traditional materials blended together for the perfect transitional look. Shop the entire range of Coco furniture at Domaynes website and get ready to transition into the future, today.

Sometimes an innovation occurs that seems so obvious after the fact, it seems crazy it wasn’t invented earlier. The cordless vacuum is one such innovation. Liberated from hazardous chords and messy bags, the Dyson cordless vacuum has changed the way we clean.

If you are yet to migrate to a cordless vacuum, the convivence offered is worth the price of admission alone. While Dyson cordless vacuums are more expensive than traditional chorded vacuums, they offer the same level of sucking power in a lightweight handheld package. Here’s why you need a take a Dyson stick vacuum home today.

Powerful.

I was not sold on the idea of a ‘stick vacuum’ when I was first introduced to one a few years ago. It was expensive, unreliable and lacked oomph. In 2019 it’s a very different story. Dyson has officially stopped making any other form of vacuum, going all-in with its cordless design.

The motor in a Dyson v11 spins at speeds of up to 125000rpm. To put this insane speed into perspective, an average passenger car engine traveling at 100 kph only spins at 3000rpm. How Dyson has managed to squeeze such a powerful motor into such a small package is unknown to me.

No bags.

My world was changed when I switched over to a stick vacuum. I used to dread changing the dusty bag in my chorded vacuum; sometimes I would spread more dust than I sucked up. Dyson stick vacuums feature a ‘point and shoot’ mechanism that hygienically ejects dust and particles into the bin.

Intelligent.

The latest crop of Dyson stick vacuums is brimming full of smart features to ensure an efficient and thorough clean every time. Real-time monitoring lets you know when your dust chamber is getting full or how much battery life you have left. Never be in the dark again with these intelligent features.

Some Dyson vacuums like the v11 also feature intelligent cleaning modes. The vacuum will automatically sense a change in surface and adjust settings accordingly. The v11’s sensors refresh at an astonishing 8000 times per minute, meaning it will adapt to any surface in the blink of eye.

Wireless.

A powerful, intelligent bagless vacuum cleaner would be impressive on its own; what Dyson has managed to create with v11 is extraordinary. Completely battery operated with up to an hour of battery life, you can clean the entire house without having to bend over and change power sockets.

The inline configuration of the Dyson v11 makes getting under tricky spots easy, and with a thin, acoustically balanced design, you can clean comfortably and quietly with no wires tripping you up.

Filtration system.

Unlike vacuums with a dust bag, the Dyson v11 features a whole machine filtration system. Designed for the toughest cleaning jobs, this filtration system captures up to %99 of particles as small as 0.3 microns thick. How small is a micron? A piece of human hair is 150 microns thick, now that’s a powerful filtration system.

I was skeptical about stick vacuums when they first entered the market. Their motors where to anemic, and their batteries couldn’t keep a charge for more than half an hour. Times have changed, and the technology has now reached a level of maturity to stick vacuums not only compete with corded vacuums but decimate them.

If you are going to make the switch to stick vacuum, make sure it’s a Dyson, there are other brands offering stick vacuums, but they can’t hold a candle to Dysons power and battery. If you are sick of changing wall sockets every time you clean, the Dyson v11 is the product your household needs.

While you might not be familiar with the term “plumbing overflow,” you’ve probably encountered a few over the years. If your toilet’s clogged, the bowl starts to overflow when you flush it. That’s a plumbing overflow. If your sink starts filling up when you run the faucet, that’s an overflow. Plumbing overflows can be a lot of trouble, especially since they tend to build up and become worse if you don’t do something about them as soon as you notice a problem.  That’s why it’s a good idea to know how to prevent overflows before they become problems.

1. Avoid Clogging the Toilet and Drains

It sounds obvious enough, but many people use their sinks and toilets in ways that make clogs more likely. If you trim your hair by yourself, you can collect the hair clippings in the sink, but you should throw them into a trash can once you’re done. As for the toilet, only flush toilet paper and your regular waste. Don’t flush any pills, kitty litter, tampons, makeup pads, or anything else that should go in the garbage instead. Toilet paper quickly dissolves in water, but other flushed objects can create a blockage.

2. Buy a Plunger

Plumbing overflows that happen close to the drain are the easiest ones to deal with, but you still need the right tools to get the job done. Plungers work by forcing a burst of air through the blockage and dislodging it, although it sometimes takes time and effort to clear the blockage. If you don’t already own a plunger, it’s always a good idea to buy one for every toilet and make sure it’s close by. Doing this will reduce the risk of having the bowl overflow into the bathroom.

3. Use Drain Cleaner

Drain cleaner is an extremely caustic cleaner that dissolves hair, grease, and other organic chemicals. It doesn’t distinguish between living and dead cells, either, so be very careful when you handle it and make sure you follow the directions on the back. Chemical drain cleaners work best when you first notice a clog beginning to form and your sink or bathtub is taking more time to drain out. If the clog is more serious than that, you may need to bring in a professional.

4. Install an Overflow Protection Device

Not every pipe blockage happens just under the drain. Your sewage pipes cross under your property to reach the main sewage line, and it’s possible for some earth shifting, a construction accident, or an expanding root system to occur to make the sewage pipe spring a leak or block it altogether. A blocked hot water pipe will turn all your showers cold, but if the main sewage line gets blocked, overflows can happen anywhere in the house. To prevent that, you may want to install an overflow protection device.

Plumbing overflows are never good news, even when they don’t end up spilling all over the floor. To keep them from happening this winter, stay proactive by avoiding habits that clog toilets, fixing small clogs when you notice them, and preparing for major blockages in the future.

We all want to save money — and sometimes the best way to save it, over the long run, is to spend it. Repiping the plumbing in your home is an excellent example of how an investment can pay off by preventing future problems that could cost a lot more to repair than your initial investment. Here are a few reasons you should consider repiping your home plumbing.

You’ve Had a Plumbing Leak

When your pipes leak, the immediate solution is usually to repair the leak. While this can be a useful short-term strategy to get your life back to normal as soon as possible, it may be more cost-effective to replace the plumbing instead.

However, if your pipes leak in one spot, there’s a good chance that the plumbing throughout your home has begun to fail, too — and water damage can be extensive and expensive before you even realize there’s a problem. Pipes with slow leaks can even cause biological growth contamination within your walls, which is a serious health hazard for your family.

You’re Renovating a Room

Renovating a kitchen, bathroom, or other area is the ideal time to replace your plumbing. Not only is it often easier to access the plumbing during this process, but it also helps to protect your investment. After all, you’re spending a lot of money on those new cabinets, counters, and flooring. The last thing you want to happen is for a pipe to fail and damage them. Call a plumber and ask for an inspection before installing your new items.

Your Home Is Over 20 Years Old

Most people think of water pipes as a permanent fixture within a building. While it’s true that pipes can potentially last 100 years or even more, it’s far more likely that they have a limited lifespan. Over time, pipes can degrade — galvanized steel pipes rust or corrode, and plastic pipes become brittle. You may also have concerns about lead pipes, which are found in buildings constructed through the 1950s. Even homes built through the 1980s can have lead solder on copper pipes.

Your Water Is Discolored

Have you ever returned from a vacation trip and noticed that the first bit of water coming from your taps is darker than normal? The discoloration is from rust, and it’s more noticeable after the water has been sitting in the pipes for some time. While a bit of rust in your water is not a serious health concern, it may be a sign that your galvanized steel piping is beginning to degrade.

The best strategy for any homeowner is to be proactive about their plumbing. Have your pipes inspected regularly by a licensed plumber to check for signs of damage or corrosion, both in exposed areas and (where possible) within the walls. Remember that having a problem in an area where plumbing is exposed can be a strong indicator of the same problem where it’s hidden. Maintaining, and possibly replacing, your plumbing can save you lots of money in the future.

Winter is fast approaching, and if you don’t already have a modern heat pump in your house, now it the time to have one installed. When it comes to HVAC installation, service, and repair, a factory-authorized heating and air conditioning dealer is the best place to go to research your options. Here are five reasons a heat pump might be right for your home.

They Are More Energy-Efficient

With modern advances, today’s heat pumps can handle colder winters than ever. A furnace burns fuel to create heat, but a heat pump only uses a small amount of electricity to move heat. Because of this, these are the most energy-efficient HVAC system available.

They Save You Money All Year

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, today’s heat pumps are far more efficient than traditional electric resistance heaters such as baseboard heaters and furnaces. Depending on the type of heat pump you choose, your savings could be as much as 50 percent.

Because heat pumps can both heat and cool your home, they take up less space. Half the space for half the energy bills makes heat pumps the practical choice for homeowners in moderate climates.

They Offer More Options

One option heat pumps offer is a mini-split. These can function as whole home solutions in many new homes but can also act as an add-on to your primary heating system.

Another advantage to a mini-split is that it offers a perfect way to control the temperature in different rooms. By placing handlers in different zones and rooms throughout your home, you can heat the guest room while having a cooler environment in the kitchen. Or, you can avoid heating zones of the house that aren’t currently in use to save money.

Mini-split heat pump systems are comprised of a condenser placed outside your home and air handlers that cool air in the summer and provide heat in the winter. Because these systems typically don’t require ductwork, installation is simpler and less obtrusive than that of other HVAC systems.

They Provide Even and Consistent Comfort

Traditional HVAC systems, such as furnaces and air conditioners, often produce uneven cooling and heating. A heat pump offers a more consistent heating and cooling environment.

Because traditional systems often vary as to their make, model, and age, it can be difficult to keep up with proper maintenance and performance. With a heat pump, a homeowner has less worry about when it comes to ensuring the whole home is comfortable.

They Last Longer

Heat pumps require less maintenance than other home heating and cooling methods and, thus, have longer lifespans. A longer life means less worry and more savings.

Consistent, comfortable, and efficient, a heat pump costs less and provides more enjoyment for you and your family. If you’re thinking about getting ready for winter with an upgrade or replacement of your current HVAC, don’t forget to check out the latest in heat pumps before deciding what is best for you.