About.com Landscaping – Landscaping Ideas – Landscape Pictures …

Saturday November 2, 2013

Yeah, I know: you've just barely taken down the Halloween decorations (you procrastinators out there are just starting to think about doing so), and here I am talking about Christmas trees, right? However -- and much to the disapproval of any self-respecting procrastinator -- some things in life require thinking ahead (they just do).

Cutting Christmas trees in national forests is one of those things. The experience can be wonderful for the whole family. But don't wait for the Christmas spirit to hit you to begin thinking about the blue spruce tree that will find a home in your living room: start planning for it now. Steve Nix discusses cutting Christmas trees in national forests in this blog post.

Don't have the space for a big tree? Some folks buy those little Alberta spruces that the supermarkets sell. Decorate them for Christmas as you would a larger tree (but on a smaller scale). You can plant them outdoors after the holiday, but if you live in a cold climate, this also entails some planning. Since the ground may be too frozen in late December for digging, dig your hole now to have it all ready for the post-Christmas planting. Water your Alberta spruce after installation.

Photo 2006 David Beaulieu, Landscaping Guide (licensed to About, Inc.)

Thursday October 31, 2013

A battery-powered lawn mower that packs a punch and doesn't need constant recharging -- that's what we've all been hoping to find someday, right? Well, I won't say that Remington's cordless electric mower satisfies me completely on these points; but it does offer hope that the "lawn mower of the future" is not just a distant dream....

And for good measure, this cordless electric mower allows you to switch over to corded mode, in case you can't quite finish mowing a large lawn on battery power; instead of waiting for a recharge, you can just plug in and finish on the spot.

But once you experience the freedom of going cordless, you won't want to switch back to corded under any but the most dire of circumstances. And if you have a small or medium-sized lawn, the battery charge should hold just fine. In fact, in my test, this cordless electric mower held its charge for longer even than advertised.

The one issue with this mower is that, once the battery dies its final death with you, it may be difficult to replace it.

Read more:
About.com Landscaping - Landscaping Ideas - Landscape Pictures ...