Garden And Home Improvement Ideas

For over 30 years, Mantis has been the Gold standard for garden tillers. When the first lightweight red tiller was introduced in 1980, gardeners were amazed at how much easier this product made gardening. They no longer felt sore for days after ripping up sod. The tillers of the past were gargantuan machines that hurt the muscles to move around.

Yet this 20-pound wonder could be moved around single-handedly, letting the gas engine and patented tines do all the work. The mini-tiller went on to sell more than 1 million units, making Mantis the #1 leader in the tilling industry. The Mantis 2-Cycle Tiller/Cultivator is their most popular offering, selling at $349.

What consumers seem to like most about the Mantis 2-Cycle Tiller/Cultivator is its versatility. They love how easy it is to use and the different attachments that allow them to perform all types of jobs.

The lightweight nature and the predictability of where the tines are going makes precision jobs much, much easier, consumers report at sites like Amazon, Epinions and Viewpoints. Many individuals report owning their Mantis products for 10-25 years and never having trouble with the workmanship.

There is great satisfaction with the Mantis warranty and customer service for those who are admittedly “hard” on their machinery and needed a replacement tine after a run-in with a rock. “I had the tines replaced for free after digging deep ditches in rocky clay,” says one buyer.

Even though consumers give rave reviews to the Mantis 2-Cycle Tiller/Cultivator, some people admit they got blisters from extended use without gloves (despite the “ergonomic” handle) and others mention that lots of roots and debris get tangled up in their tiller at the start of the season.

Not everyone likes the idea of mixing gas and oil together to run this tool, which could be solved by purchasing the Mantis 4-cycle or the Mantis Electric tiller instead. To order this machine, you can visit www.mantis.com, where it sells for $349 and includes free shipping.

If you’re looking for a great deal, you can find it at www.amazon.com for $290 plus shipping too.

To read more Making Gardening Easier With The Mantis 2-Cycle Tiller/Cultivator

Charlemagne, King of the Franks, once said, “A herb is the friend of physicians and the praise of cooks.” Using fresh herbs in your recipes can add extraordinary flavor to some of your favorite dishes and allow you to cut back on salt, fat and sugar.

Researchers have long praised herbs for their antioxidant properties and their ability to improve the body’s functioning. Some of the most commonly grown herbs include basil, which is great in pasta sauce and any tomato dish; chives, which goes into many dips, potato dishes and alongside tomato; and oregano, a compliment to tomatoes and peppers. You can find all three of these delicious herbs in the Italian Herb Garden Trio: Indoor Garden Gift Set for less than $20.

Consumers say the Italian Herb Garden Trio: Indoor Garden Gift Set makes a great present for spouses, friends and newlyweds. The drip tray is a convenient way for people to water the plants without destroying the house and to retain moisture during the dry winter.

The reusable pots can hold cat nip or other spices if you’d like, which buyers seem to like. They can sit on windowsills, countertops or office desks to add a little bit of life to your space. The plants can grow to four or five inches if you take care of them and be used to garnish sauces, potatoes, veggies and meats. Most online reviews appear favorable, as people relish in their gift finding abilities.

Some customers were slightly dissatisfied with their Italian Herb Garden Trio: Indoor Garden Gift Set because they felt the pots were “too small” for what they wanted to do, although satisfied customers liked the small “windowsill” size. Other malcontents said their seeds didn’t grow, but they admitted that they may have “needed sunlight,” which the manufacturer does verify.

A couple merchants from Amazon did not provide people with fresh seeds, or even seeds at all, on occasion, which aggravated a few people. For the most part, since the price has come down half-way, consumers seem very satisfied with the cute little pots and herb garden starter kit, though.

To read more Improving Your Indoor Gardening With An Italian Herb Garden Trio: Indoor Garden Gift Set

To read more Improving Your Indoor Gardening With An Italian Herb Garden Trio: Indoor Garden Gift Set

Summers fade quickly, probably because each weekend is filled with a birthday party, a housewarming party, a barbecue, a holiday celebration or a wedding. Your flower garden looks great this year but the weather is starting to get colder.

Sometimes the best way to prolong the joy of summer is to grab a handful of daisies, tulips, peonies and lilies to create beautiful summer bouquets. The good news is you don’t have to be a master florist to create something stylish and inspiring!

Early morning is the best time to cut garden flowers, says floral industry consultant Libbey Oliver from Williamsburg, Virginia. She says that you should bring a container of water and sharp clippers while hunting for perfect blooms for your summer bouquets.

A sharp cut will allow water to travel up the stem into the flower head, prolonging the lifespan of the bloom. “Choose blossoms that are newly opened and buds just beginning to unfurl. Cut flowers one at a time, and immediately place each stem in the water,” she instructs.

Before arranging floral bouquets, you should remove excess foliage so it doesn’t detract from your display. A few leaves here and there are okay, but if there are any leaves underwater, you’re just asking for bacteria to breed, shortening the life of the bouquet.

Approach your summer bouquets with a vigilant eye and an open heart. “Gather the things your garden has to offer, and then add a few more from the grocery store,” advises Georgia flower garden designer Ryan Gainey. “It isn’t always when the flowers are at their peak that they’re at their best.

Many times, when they go to seed, their true beauty comes forth.” He says to look for crepe myrtle seed heads, fern fronds and the black-eyed Susan for some pleasant surprises.

To read more Growing Your Flowers For Summer Bouquets

It’s no secret that a flower is a fragrant, beautiful and calming thing. Yet flower garden experts will tell you that the flower varieties you choose to grow can also be a wildlife magnet, attracting breathtaking butterflies and hummingbirds too! Selecting flowers that butterflies like is easy, but you will likely be disappointed if they never come.

To creature an enduring butterfly garden, you’ll need to provide some of the plants that caterpillars like to feast upon and hiding places where they can lay their eggs. Don’t worry, while it may sound undesirable, larvae do not cause excessive damage to most gardens and they’ll sprout beautiful wings in no time.

To create the flower patch that butterflies favor most, you’ll need to add some less attractive “host plants” that the caterpillars can eat, cocoon in safely and where butterflies can lay their eggs. Usually, butterflies lay their eggs on trees or plants.

Monarchs like milkweed and dogbane; swallowtails like cow parsnip, fennel, dill, cottonwood, wild cherry, willow, maple and alder; mourning cloaks live on cottonwood and willows, and painted ladies like thistle or pearly everlasting. Once the host plants are in place, you can add the more beautiful flowering blooms, such as dogbane, lilac, red clover, lantana, goldenrods, blazing stars, ironweed and tickseed sunflower for monarchs; blueberry, blackberry, lilac, redbud, red clover, viper’s bugloss, verbena and dogbane, phlox, azaleas, dame’s-rocket, petunias, verbenas, lupines, California buckeye, yerba santa, brodiaeas, and gilias for swallowtails; oak trees or rotting fruit for mourning cloaks; and aster, cosmos, blazing star, ironweed, joe-pye weed and red clover for painted ladies.

After the flower planting and habitat planning is finished, you’ll surely enjoy your floral bouquets with butterflies perched, feeding and exploring. To get the most from your flower garden, look for warm midday swarms between 10 am and 2 pm during the summer months. Hopefully, you’ve planted the taller flowers toward the back so you can watch all the butterflies feeding.

To read more Attracting Butterfiles To The Flower Garden

You may not have enough room in your backyard for a garden, but you can still grow some of your favorite herbs, fruit and vegetables on patio planters. You can grow miniature fruit trees or dwarf trees with fruit hanging at chest high. You may grow your favourite herbs and grab them whenever you need to add real taste to your meals and salads.

As long as you have room on the patio, or close to the patio, you can place as many patio planters as you wish. You may want to beautify your patio with a variety of flowers, giving a splash of color on a summers day. One day, you may realise you have forgotten to get your mum a Mothers Day gift. Your solution is to present her with fresh flowers from your patio planters.

You may have patio furniture on your patio for your family to have their family dinner on a summer nights. But, when you need something natural and living on your patio, patio planters with living growing plants with fruit, vegetables and herbs to supply natural organic ingredients for your family meals.

To read more Make Your Patio Come Alive With Patio Planters