David's Landscaping Blog

It will be October soon, and the ghosts and ghouls will be out before you know it. It's not too early to prepare, at least, for your Halloween yard decorations. ... Read More

For those who enjoy the outdoors, autumn is the time for hay rides, pumpkin carving and leaf peeping. Not to put a damper on the festivities, but...autumn is also the ... Read More

This is a time of year to stride through the garden and admire what three months of summer sun have accomplished. But soon it will be time to clean it ... Read More

"I've developed this quick leaf-viewing reference that includes some basic foliage science and leaf viewing tips. You will find enough information here to enhance your next autumn leaf viewing trip," ... Read More

"For me, and for many other garden lovers, this is one of the most enjoyable times of the year," muses Steve Jones. "Rather like small children imagining the pile of ... Read More

If you vacation in autumn, your fall foliage viewing may serve double-duty: not only for entertainment, but also for ideas to bring back home. As you come across trees in ... Read More

Thinking of hiring a landscape contractor? You'd better research liability issues, first. "Many homeowners who hire help are not aware of the potential legal hassles that can ensue when an ... Read More

Clayey soils often present landscapers with a serious challenge, because drainage problems go hand in hand with clayey soils. As Steve Jones explains it: "To drain correctly, soil needs something ... Read More

Plant names can drive you crazy, sometimes, and never more so than when we speak of the false cypress trees and shrubs. But all confusion over plant names aside, false ... Read More

"Fall is a great time to take stock of what worked in the garden and what didn’t," observes Marie Iannotti, and that includes asking yourself if you took sufficient time ... Read More

Yeah, I know: you've just barely acknowledged the imminence of autumn, and here I am talking about Christmas trees, right? However -- and much to the disapproval of any self-respecting ... Read More

Nature abhors a vacuum -- and so does your landscape! Landscape designer, Joel M. Lerner learned this lesson the hard way: on his own landscape! "Because we stay so busy ... Read More

Reader, Carole reports that bittersweet is swallowing up her property. Seeking advice on organic bittersweet control, she writes: For a few years when we first moved in, I went around every ... Read More

Picture a beautiful fall day outside -- a perfect day for performing landscaping chores. The tepid sun warms everything up sufficiently but isn't strong enough to sap your strength. So ... Read More

Lawn grass diseases are difficult to identify without the aid of pictures. That's just what this site from Cornell University provides. Use this resource to access pictures of common lawn ... Read More

Carving pumpkins is one of the great joys of the harvest season, autumn. Would you like a jack-o-lantern on your porch that will make ghoulish connoisseurs howl with approval come ... Read More

Perhaps the mention of sunflower plants conjures up images for you of Vincent Van Gogh drawing inspiration from the countryside of Provence. But as Marie Iannotti points out, sunflower plants ... Read More

"I have talked to thousands of worried tree owners in my 30-year forestry career and they all might have benefited from reading this pictorial on human-caused tree problems," writes Steve ... Read More

In preparation for planting grass seed, you first have to research your grass types. There are many choices, but the choices are narrowed down right away by considering the region ... Read More

Anyone who enjoys both plants and crafts simply must grow hard-shell gourds. If you're unfamiliar with hard-shell gourds, let me tell you right now: They will amaze you once you ... Read More

Many people find lawns boring. Planting beds offer both intra-annual and inter-annual variety that you'll never get from lawns! Increasingly, folks are making the gutsy move of replacing lawns with ... Read More

What landscaping and gardening tasks should you be performing in September? Well, that depends on what region you inhabit. That's the beauty of regional gardening calendars. Consult this regional gardening ... Read More

If you've made Halloween scarecrows before, you'll find new inspiration in Marcianne Miller's book on the subject, which I review in this article. And if you've never made a Halloween ... Read More

Fall's cooler temperatures will bring some decisions about those tender outdoor plants in your garden. Marie Iannotti observes, "Not every outdoor plant will be happy inside and it can be ... Read More

Do you have your crystal ball out yet for predicting fall color? "There are ways to predict how beautiful a fall leaf display will be. These key predictors are a ... Read More

Soon, the leaves will be turning brilliant colors in some regions. That's all well and good, but here's the rub: the wonderful fall foliage season is succeeded by the less ... Read More

Okay, I know it's a weed that plagues lawns. On top of that, it's invasive -- and we all know what a big no-no that is. Still, there's a side ... Read More

Weeds can be tenacious foes, reminding us of the truth of the maxim, "Know thine enemy." Proper weed identification can be the gateway to knowledge that has been compiled over ... Read More

Ah, September, the month that ushers in autumn, a season to which many look forward. I'm a grudging admirer of autumn, myself. As a landscaping enthusiast, what's not to like ... Read More

Now that September has arrived, I finally have an excuse to post a blog link to my photo gallery of fall foliage pictures! Through proper tree selection, you can turn ... Read More