Safety tips for Raking Leaves

 

It may seem strange but a simple job such as raking leaves can cause numerous injuries if you don’t think ahead and plan accordingly Date collected by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2004, discovered more than 12,000 Americans were seen for injuries related to raking leaves. Most injuries were minor, but a few were life threatening.

So here are tips for raking leaves that will create a safebackyard project.

Warm up for raking by walking and stretching you muscles.

Rake in the morning, evening or on a cloudy day. If you are raking on a sunny day wear sunscreen and have water and a comfortable chair nearby.

Avoid injuries by wearing gloves to protect your hands from blisters and slivers from the rake handle.

Wear skid-resistant shoes to prevent falls. Wet leaves can be very slippery, particularly on a hillside.

Always bend and lift with your bent-knee legs, not your back. This will help to alleviate back and muscle strain.

Avoid repetitious movements that can cause fatigue and strain. Try not to twist as you rake and vary your movements to prevent these types of problems.

Pick up your rake and any other garden tools so that no one will trip over them

Finish your raking sessions with some muscle stretches to cool down.

Dispose of leaves, preferably in an environmentally friendly way. Composting is a great way to recycle leaves and will benefit your yard and garden areas.

Raking leaves can be a fun job and makes a great family activity, particularly if you rake a huge pile and have a leaping jumping party.

Tips for Winterizing Backyard Shrubs

 

Fall is almost here and for many of use that means we need to offer some protection for our plants and shrubs. After all our landscaping in the backyard oasis must survive the cold months and thrive for the following summer season.

Plants are relatively easy to protect for the winter. I clear out any damaged leaves and stems, cut back plants and remove any weeds. After the first heavy frost I will lay down a thick layer of mulch and consider the plants safe from the harsh cold my area gets hit with.

Shrubs need a little more protection form the cold and weight of the snow. A heavy snow can break branches and even cause the truck to crack. To prepare my shrubs for winter I cut back any shrub that has grown wild during the summer, provide a soft wrap to keep the shrub in shape if necessary and I will provide a burlap wrap for the shrubs that are hit by the most wind and snowy areas in the yard.

To help the burlap keep its shape I use two techniques: the burlap frame and the burlap wrap.

The burlap frame is used in the areas with the most wind or snow. I either make a square or rectangular frame or forage for one. (I find rectangular frames at grocery stores and companies that get a lot of shipments.) I will secure the frame in place and cover the side with burlap. For a heavy snow I will cover the top of the frame, stretch it in place and tie down.

I use a burlap wrap to help keep a shrub that has delicate branches in place and not to get weighed down by snow that will break the branches. It will also protect a shrub from cold winds that may affect the plants growth or flowers the following year.

I use burlap because it breathes well but protects the plant. It’s also cheap. You can also buy commercial tree wrap. It breathes like burlap but will cost more.

In severe Snow Belt areas many landscapers and homeowners will construct a more protective triangular A frame to protect new or tender shrubs from the winter weather.

It’s never too early to start to plan for protecting your plants and shrubs. The time you take to protect your landscaping will pay off with healthier plants and shrubs and may even save them.

Foraging for Planters and New Plants

 

The fall is the perfect time for backyard projects and redoing backyard garden areas. The temperatures are cooler and any heavy work is not as tiring.

I have had too many large projects this year in the backyard and fitting them in and affording them can be a challenge. So when I went to a few garage sales and found a carload of planters and free seeds and semi free plants I was thrilled.

The planters were cleaned and half were stored for later use. The other planters were filled with perennial seeds and new plants. They are in the mini greenhouse (8 foot long and 3 foot wide) sprouting and growing new roots.

My best plant and seed haul were from a sale that was next door. I was admiring the garden and asked if I wanted seeds. (Never ask a garden addict if they want seeds.) I picked up a huge bag of Forget Me Nots, Foxglove, Columbine, and two other varieties of perennials.

I also am going to help thin out the neighbor’s garden beds for free plants. She needs the help in the gardens and I always need new plants for gardens or to trade for other plants. And she has amazing plants.

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I have found over the years that by stopping and admiring gardens it leads to plant exchanges and free plants. And often gardening tips that add beauty and shortcuts to my gardening.

Seed Tip: Make sure any saved seeds are dry. Store them in paper envelopes or in glass jars stored in a dark dry place until you plan to use them.

Plant Transplant Tip: Get your plants in the ground as soon as possible. If need be make a temporary storage bed to lace them in. I also water the plants with a dilute mix of willow water to help with plants transplants shock.

Planter tip: Use vinegar to get any stubborn stains out of a planter. I also use baking soda for stubborn stains.

Create a Fall Garden Party Garden

 

Its fun and easy to plan a fall picnic or garden party.  It will give you the opportunity to  enjoy the final days of fall and turning of the leaves if you live in a fall foliage area.

There are many ways to quickly decorate for a fall party including centerpieces and table decorations but a fast a simple fall garden will spruce up a backyard, add a quick backyard focal point and can be used for the rest of the fall season.

One quick fall flower garden is easy to create by utilizing an old wheelbarrow as a container and plant mums and flowering cabbage inside it.

Mums and flowering cabbage are good selections because they handle cooler evenings and light frosts. The combination also works well as the mums have vibrant color selections and the cabbage has pretty colors, wonderful greens and will add texture to the display.

Start by drilling holes in the bottom of an old wheelbarrow for drainage. This will add proper drainage for you plants. (Pick up an old wheelbarrow at an auction or garage sale. The more beat up the better in my opinion. )

Place peat moss around the plants. This will help hold in moisture and protect the plants on colder nights. Decorate the display with a hay bale off to the side of the wheelbarrow, a bundle of corn stalks, a scarecrow and assorted pumpkins and gourds.

This fall garden will last through several frosts and can be covered at night to keep it more colorful for several more weeks after cold weather has set in.