Yard Maintenance Tips, Money-Saving Ideas, Safety

While homeowners do want to perform the tasks of yard maintenance properly, few wish to toil on the landscape any longer than they have to. So any collection of yard maintenance tips must begin with advice for low-maintenance landscaping. Here I offer tips to show you how to work smarter, not harder.

The yard maintenance task with which the most readers may be most familiar is mowing lawns. But familiar or not, there are many misconceptions about this task. My FAQ answers some of the questions likely to be asked by beginners, but even those of you who have been mowing all your life may well profit from reading it.

Raised beds boast a number of low-maintenance benefits, including accessibility for people with disabilities and the elderly, and easier pest control. Learn how to build raised beds in this tutorial, with pictures.

Woodland gardens aren't just for lovers of the woods; they're also for lovers of easy yard maintenance. Even a suburban plot in a shaded area near large trees (and their falling leaves) can profit from the concept behind woodland gardens.

No safety checklist could ever be exhaustive or take the place of good old-fashioned common sense, but I point you in the right direction with my reminders in this article. My reminders span such aspects of yard maintenance as snow shoveling, digging in the garden, mowing the lawn and operating power tools.

Concrete patios can serve you well in the landscape, but they may occasionally require some upkeep. One potential yard maintenance chore for you if you own a concrete patio is resurfacing it in the wake of damage. The tips in this tutorial are geared to beginners and will make the job go smoothly.

When should you divide perennials? While spring is, generally speaking, the best time to divide perennials, you will have to treat each perennial on a case by case basis if you wish to go by the book. This article offers a handy list you can consult to determine when to divide particular perennials.

How to shovel snow is the subject of this resource, your go-to place for information on clearing driveways in winter. Read my tips on shovelling snow, ranging from safety and comfort to efficiency and effectiveness. Also discover how to get out of the job altogether!

Rod Brouhard, About's Guide to First Aid, deals with everything from allergies and sun exposure to bee stings and snake bites in this handy article. He tells us how to build a first aid kit and how to keep it accessible and portable. As Rod says, "You aren't going to pack the kitchen sink in your first aid kit...."