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How To: Build a fire pit

A fantastic "do it yourself" project, the folks at Progressive Farmer magazine show you how to build a fire pit in just one day. Clear step-by-step instructions and material lists help make this project both fun and easy.

How To: Grow bamboo

In this video, let our expert show you how to grow bamboo. Yolanda Vanveen gives you information about this wondrous plant, and she shows you how to care for it. Learn the different types of bamboo, and learn what diseases can effect your plant.

How To: Prepare your garden for winter

In this video series, learn how to prepare your garden for winter. Our experts, John Guion and Arnetta Francis, show you everything you need to know about winter garden care. Learn how to fertilize your lawn for cold weather. Also, learn tips for preparing your faucets for winter.

How To: Make a preventive barrier for slugs and snails

Snails and slugs are a big problem for gardeners across the country, whether it be a hosta patch or your lettuce, they love to eat a wide variety of plants. If you have containers, raised beds, even if you have benches slugs will climb up and over and into your plants. To get rid of these pests you could use baits, traps or a preventative barrier. Copper tape is a protective barrier that works. Copper conducts enough electricity so that when that slimy slug touches the copper strip it gets a ...

How To: Grow fruit trees in containers

Eric shares his latest Garden Smart Tip and Ideas. A wonderful addition to your patio garden would be an ornamental fruit tree. Eric shows us a beautiful example of a 'Moro' orange. It's a fantastic tree in a container. There is a lot of flexibility that you have with fruit trees in containers. You can move them around to sunny spots on the patio. In the wintertime you can move them indoors for protection. These trees have great ornamental value plus they have the added benefit of providing a...

How To: Prune tall hedges

We next discuss trimming regular hedges. Most people just want a hedge that's tidy and neat, one that performs a function of blocking a view. We discuss some newly planted Boxwoods. Glenn planted these several months ago and wants to keep these low growing, about the height of the wall behind them. When the new growth starts to come up and the plant has reached its desired height, he prunes them. Glenn leaves an open space between the plant and the wall, this allows for good air circulation, ...

How To: Protect your trees in the winter

To keep your young tree healthy through the winter there are several maintenance tips to keep in mind. You need to protect them from mice and voles gnawing around the base of the tree because they can easily girdle the bark and cause a tree to die. A simple way to prevent this is to use a plastic wrap. Simply put it around the base of the tree about an inch or so below the soil line and wrap it around the tree all the way up. This will prevent the little mice teeth from gnawing on the bark. A...

How To: Use wood chips in the garden

Chopping up downed trees and sending them to the landfill isn't ideal. It's better to use them as firewood or have them chipped up and use them as mulch material or for a walkway. Never combine woodchips with the soil because they rob the soil of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium but they're great walkway material and will gradually break down providing nutrients for the soil.

How To: Prune hydrangea plants

Hydrangea is a garden favorite. It has lovely blooms and can become a good sized plant. Many ask when should it be pruned or cut back. A good rule of thumb is to understand that Hydrangeas bloom on old wood. As soon as the flowers are spent, as soon as they start to turn brown it is a good idea to prune. This allows a maximum time for the branch to grow, set new wood which will then turn into old wood and produce more flowers.

How To: Get rid of weeds in the patio

In our yards where we have brick, stone or pebbles, even mulched areas weeds are constantly growing, creating a nuisance. A weed killer is often used but the results are temporary. This season there are some new products available, these products kill weeds for one whole season. It is a combination of very fast killing ingredients and some that last for a long time. It keeps your patio areas weed free for a year.

How To: Cut down a tree

In this how-to video clip instructional series, our expert demonstrates how to fell a tree using either a chainsaw or a rope or both. He informs us about the correct tools to use to cut down a tree and about the safety equipment one needs to fell trees. He also explains the process of cutting down a tree, including planning the felling, planning escape routes, wedging, cutting notches in the tree trunk, using a felling wedge, felling a tree with a rope and a truck cutting down a tree with a c...

How To: Make landscape drawings

This series will focus on the basics of drawing landscapes. Our expert Neha Ahuja shows you how to draw a landscape in these free video art lessons, including what sorts of art supplies you'll need to make your drawings, where to find examples of landscape drawing, and how to identify the distinguishing characteristics and details that define landscape drawing.

How To: Cut firewood from a fallen tree

n this how to video clip series, learn the proper way to tackle a tree trimming project. Lessons include having the right equipment and tools, safety gear, what order to cut branches in, and other important tips and cautions. Make this home & garden project a safe and effective one, says George Finn.

How To: Make a container topiary

Topiaries are no longer just speciality plants. They have become very popular and are showing up in garden centers and nurseries across the country. Topiaries have been used for thousands of years, in places like Babylon and England. Today we take the mystery out of topiaries and discuss pruning trees and shrubs to look like geometric forms. As well we talk about designing topiaries, selecting the trees and shrubs and maintaining them to look their best and show you how to create small topiar...

How To: Improve the soil

If working an area with poor or eroded soil something must be done to improve the soil so plants will grow. A great tip is to use about 50% organic matter and 50% native soil, mix it together, put it around the rocks, then plant Thyme or other creeping plants. This will help the plants to establish themselves. Don't put organic matter under the rocks because over time it will allow the rocks to sink.

How To: Make your garden interesting throughout the year

If looking for a way to make your garden interesting throughout the year don't just concentrate on the flowers, look at other parts of the plant. An example is a Rose bush. After the Roses are finished many have beautiful leaves. One plant has beautiful hips, large seeds pods. They add interest during the summer, then in the fall they'll turn a ruby red creating interest throughout the entire season. Consider the whole plant and its' characteristics during different seasons.

How To: Care for a Bonsai plant

If thinking about growing your own Bonsai, remember these are trees. Granted they're miniaturized and kept in small containers but they need to be kept outdoors. One wouldn't bring a Red Maple or Azalea inside, same here. They will require diligent care, they will need to be checked for over or under watering but need to remain outside most all of the year. If a tropical variety - a bright window or greenhouse would be perfect

How To: Top dress your roses

Top dressing is important for roses. Add one or two inches of good organic matter in and around the plants, taking care not to disturb the roots. Lori likes a material that is well composted, something with a lot of different sized particles, a product with a little nutrient charge included. Something with phosphorous, nitrogen, even some bone meal as well as some iron is good, since these ingredients tend to green the leaves. Top dressing will keep Roses looking good year after year.

How To: Recognize poison ivy

Poison Ivy and Poison Oak are a problem throughout the United States. The resin on the leaves is what bothers us, causing acute dermatitis (a bad rash). If you happen to come in contact with it, quickly wash with hot soapy water, that should at least reduce the amount of irritation. Poison Ivy has three leaves and a little bit of red where the leaf merges with the stem. There is a new product made especially for eradicating Poison Ivy and tough brush. To use this product, spray the leaves tho...