Lighting your backyard, patio, or deck is a fantastic way to put your home in the spotlight, literally. And almost anyone can do it with little or no help. Magazines and websites can help you figure out what you options are, and someone at your local hardware store can set you up with an appropriate outfit for your outdoor space.

Outdoor lighting isn’t extravagant or pricey. Low voltage devices provide both ambiance to your home at night and a measure of safety. They can even act as a theft deterrent by making it difficult for potential criminals to reach your house without exposing themselves.

Here are some starter tips when planning to install outdoor lights

* Decide how much you can afford to spend. As with any project, you will want to shop around to get the best value for your money. Landscape designers, hardware stores, and the Internet are all great places to seek advice. They will also be helpful in deciding what kind of lighting you will need and where to place individual fixtures.

* Opt for low voltage lamps. They use less energy and don’t drown your lawn in a permanent noonday blaze. You can buy low voltage lighting in convenient sets, and the transformers they come with usually offer convenient features like timers to turn your lamps on and off at a predetermined time.

* Pick your lighting fixtures carefully. Many homeowners like to light up their shrubbery or other decorative plants. The best lights for this are 5-7 watts, which will softly illuminate a rose bush or tree without being overpowering. It’s important that your transformer can handle that much electricity, so make sure you have plenty of capacity before installing lots of lights.

* Ensure that you document your DIY initiative with a schematic diagram. This will help guide you with the installation and to assist you in future repairs. Include in the diagram the power requirements, light bulb specifications and their exact location in your backyard.

* Know what you need before you go shopping. Write down which bulbs you need and how many. Know how much cable you need and how much power it should be able to handle.

* Get your lawn ready for a makeover. Most outdoor lighting sets contain a stake which will need to be driven into the ground. Soften the earth in that area of your lawn by watering it beforehand. Next, make sure that the places you plan to put light receptacles are cleaned out and ready. It will also help to lay out the cable you will need, leaving plenty of extra length on the transformer end.

* Use technology to turn your system on and off. If you aren’t home to turn you lights on at night, or you would just rather leave it up to technology, then install a transformer that can detect changes in the light. It will automatically sense that night has fallen and switch on your lights in the evening. When dawn comes, it will turn them off as well.

Your patio is a place where you can relax with your friends and family during the warmer period of the year. In order to keep you and your loved ones in the cool shade, patio awnings can be utilized. They are also a way to keep yourself dry during the colder and wetter months of year. Put simply, a patio awning can extend your house outside.

As a patio awning is such a large feature of your home, it is important that you choose a color and style that matches your house. If you buy an awning that clashes with your personal taste then you will simply not enjoy it as much as you should. Besides the looks, there are a number of features that you should also consider.

The particular awning that you purchase will need to be functional for you and your family. Fabrics which have a high UV resistance are best for patios where children will be playing. For patios with BBQs or stoves a fabric which is fireproof is essential. It should also be resistant to retaining cooking smells.

You should purchase a patio awning which is of high quality. While you may save yourself some money in the short term by buying a cheap awning, long term you will need to replace it as it begins to deteriorate.

Most awnings have frames made from either metal or wood. The most popular metal frames are constructed from aluminum. If you prefer to buy a wood frame then you should ensure that the wood has been treated, is durable and weather proof. The quality of the frame will give you a good idea of the quality of the awning’s construction.

There are two different types of patio awnings. Standard awnings are non-movable shade coverings. Retractable patio awnings on the other hand can be retracted or extended whenever required. This can be done either by hand using a crank or an electrical switch and mechanical arms.

Home and garden magazines are a great source of inspiration. You will see all sorts of pictures of awnings and this will give you an opportunity to examine them. You will be able to imagine how they will look attached to your home.

Websites are another useful resource. In next to no time you can click through the details and pictures of a variety of different awnings. You can also purchase an awning through the website and have it delivered to your door in a matter of days.

Potato gardening is simple. You don’t need many gardening accessories. The potatoes we eat are starchy tubers that grow underground very naturally, swelling and getting larger as the top half of the plant matures. Many claim to grow 100 pounds of potatoes in a small 4 square foot gardening area as they cover their emerging crop in layers of soil as it matures.

First off you need garden seed potatoes. These are potatoes you’ve seen in your kitchen that have sprouted shoots. Individual potatoes that are sold at grocery stores sometimes have growth inhibitors sprayed on them, but bagged potatoes that you see sprout are good seed potato candidates.

A week or two before you plant your potatoes you’ll want to sprout your seedlings. Put them in a warm location with 60 to 70 degree heat and in the sunlight to accelerate the sprouting process.

Prepare you potatoes the day before by cutting them into golf ball size portions with each cube having at least 2 eyes. You’ll want to keep them exposed to the air overnight which hastens a callous covering the cut part. This callus prevent the seed potato from rotting in the garden.

Potatoes need full sun and loose, well-drained soil. If your soil is full of clay make sure to add compost and lots of peat moss so the vines can grow easily. Make sure they get about an inch of water a week.

A mound or container gardening accessory makes hilling easy and takes up less space. Plant your seed potatoes in the bottom of a tall container, like a clean garbage can or whisky barrel. Put about 6″ of soil in the bottom first, and add 6 potato seedlings inside and cover with 4 inches of soil. A few weeks later as the vines emerge to about 8 inches high; cover them with another layer of soil.

As your garden potatoes start to sprout (generally in about 2 week’s time) add some soil to partially cover the sprouts. Every few weeks, add some soil to cover the spouting plants. Keep adding soil so the potatoes do not sick above the soil line and turn green.

New potatoes are small, immature potatoes. The days to harvest your crop range from 2 to 4 months. You can harvest a few of these without harming the plant, by gently feeling around in the soil near the plant, once the plant reaches about a foot in height. When the tops of the plants die off the entire crop is ready for harvest. All the sprays and fertilizers to grow healthy potatoes: Gardening Accessories

Tight budgets are making the move to owning a swimming pool look like a nice alternative for many families. A swimming pool will be with your property for years to come, while a one week vacation for your family could cost just as much as a pool and be done in seven days. Many swimming pool options are now available to fit various financial limitations.

Public pools are probably the least expensive option in the short term. Public pools are generally open to the public to use as a fee that is determined by the site. These can be quite large and can have many added features such as diving boards and wading areas that most home pools do not offer. The down side of this option is that paying for public swimming either by membership or by the visit can get expensive over time.

Pools costs can vary widely if you decide to make the investment in an installation. Inflatable above ground pools are the cheapest option. More expensive, but still reasonable, are above ground swimming pools designed to stay out during the winter as semi-permanent fixtures. Finally, the most expensive option is the full in ground pool installation.

The above ground pools that get “winterized” are a popular option today. They are large enough to be enjoyed by several people but do not carry the very high price tag of an in ground swimming pool.

Expenses related to the installation of an above ground pool can add up quickly. Pools costs include the pool itself, preparing the poolscape area, running electricity to the pool area, any decking that may be added on, and of course, labor. If you are going for an installation of all new materials, this could end up costing several thousand dollars.

An in ground pool must be looked at as a long term investment in your property. If you choose to sell, a good agent will emphasize the in ground pool to prospective buyers. There are no guarantees regarding what you will get out of your investment however.

Generally speaking, an in ground pool is the most expensive option you can choose. Some areas or housing plans will only allow this type of pool to be installed. In addition, there may be other codes or laws in your area regarding swimming pools that you should familiarize yourself with before moving forward with any pool plans.

No matter what swimming pool option you may choose, get all of your costs added up before ever making your purchase. Your new pool shouldn’t cost so much that it destroys your budget. Shop wisely and take care of the pool you decide to purchase. Today’s pools can last for several years and serve as a great addition to your home and property.

Any corrective pruning should be finished in February. Remember to paint all wounds over one inch in diameter with a pliable water-proof paint. This prevents drying out and checking of the wood and resultant decay and also prevents the entrance of disease or insects.

Do not prune the early flowering shrubs such as forsythia, lilac, spirea, quince, currant, red bud, peach, etc., until after flowering as any material removed now will reduce the number of flowers. Prune these after flowering to encourage new growth for blooms next year.

This is the month to do shearing or pruning of evergreens as they are usually unsightly after this operation, but with the beginning of new growth, they are unsightly for a shorter period of time. Prune the flowering shrubs that bear their blooms on new wood like althea, vitex, crape myrtle, and buddleia - this will stimulate flower production.

Whatever pruning you do, especially on your shade grapes trees, be sure you know what you are doing or call a recognized tree surgeon. Do not butcher your trees or allow inexperienced “tree surgeons” to do so. Irreparable damage can be done and often results in the death of the tree.

Birds

Repair and paint the bird houses early and get ready for new tenants. Birds do not care for the smell of paint, so allow time enough for the smell to weather out. Avoid the use of metal on bird houses or feeding stations it reflects light and is also noisy, both of which will scare birds. Remember, they are extremely wary and are easily frightened away, never to return.

Encourage your youngsters to provide and care for the facilities for the birds. They will very soon become “bird-watchers,” giving them a wholesome pastime and invaluable training in conservation and nature study.

February is the month to bring in potted tulips, daffodils and other bulbs and start them to growing. Keep in a fairly cool place until the foliage turns green and then keep the temperatures under 60 degrees until the buds form. This will prevent ungainly growth or “leggy” stems.

Feed with liquid food after the foliage turns green to improve the overall quality of the blooms. This feeding gives intensity of color and beautiful substance to the petals as well as increasing the size of bloom.

On those few days of inclement weather, rework the house plants. For those plants that have spindled, or “leggy” growth, due to lack of sunshine or crowded conditions, pinch back to stimulate new growth and bloom. Take out a little of the, top soil in the pot and replace with fresh potting soil. Feed lightly with liquid food or a dissolved commercial fertilizer.

Divide or make cuttings of the plants that have spent the winter indoors and will soon be planted in the garden border such as geraniums, coleus, hibiscus, Jacobs coat, etc. Prepare the potted plants for a return to “garden duty” during the summer months.

Many such plants provide a point of accent or spot of color in a garden or patio design.

If you’ve noticed the black algae stains on your roof then you’re probably already in the process of trying to find an effective roof cleaning product. I have a bit of bad news for you, however. The truth is that there really aren’t any very good products on the market right now.

It can be tempting to always rely on the ready-to-mix cleaners that can be found for different sorts of cleaning projects around the home, but cleaning roofs is a whole other matter altogether. It might be hard to believe, but you can actually put together a homemade chemical solution for roof cleaning from everyday household products. If you make a lot of use of your clothes washer then you probably already have the main ingredient.

There’s a serious issue involved with using those fad products that you find online and in the stores, and it involves possible roof damage. That’s right, using the wrong roof cleaning solution can actually do more harm than good, especially if it’s reliant on high pressure cleaning. Let’s just say that power washing a roof is not the brightest idea in the world, okay?

There are a few proprietors of roof cleaning chemicals who claim that their product can work without a pressure washer, and this might be technically true, but look at the fine print and youll see that with this method youll have to wait several months to see results! In addition, if the stains are severe, you’d be looking at having to do multiple applications over the course of weeks or months. What a waste of your valuable time!

So, you ask, if I already have the necessary components for a roof cleaning solution in my home then what are they? The core ingredient for a good roof cleaning mixture is household bleach. Chlorine or pool shock will also work fine. Using this chemical is the smartest thing you can do for your roof.

Here’s how you’ll want to go about whipping up your very own batch of roof cleaning solution. Take the liquid bleach and mix it with water at a ratio of one-to-one. If the roof is not walkable then that means it is steep, which means that you should also toss in a bit of liquid laundry detergent for cling. Now you’re about ready to give it a go. You might have to add a little bleach if it’s not strong enough.

Now gently spray the mixture on your roof shingles. Remember, you should not need a power washer for this! Give the solution some time to work it’s magic and then rinse everything down very well with the garden hose.

Just remember to keep all vegetation around the perimeter of the home rinsed down during the process to prevent any damage from the bleach. You’d also be wise to invest in goggles, gloves, and a respirator to protect your body from the bleach fumes. Chemical roof cleaning is a dangerous endeavor and should only be undertaken in a safe and careful way.

Try to keep a list of garden jobs on a card to do during March, and hang it where you don’t lose it so you’ll be sure to get the jobs done when time and weather permits in the East.

The bed south of our sun porch is a problem; it is in the heavy shade of a shellbark hickory, also shaded by a huge honeysuckle. It is not only shaded, but it’s dry. I find that even with watering it is rather hard to keep primroses alive in this spot so I am going to use it as a place to try out some of the named varieties of lily turf that I got last fall. I have ‘Majestic,’ ‘Lilac Beauty,’ ‘Monroi White,’ and Silver Ribbon. These are all varieties of liriope. They can take shade, rather dry growing conditions, and also the birds. The planting is just under the hanging bird feeder and the birds, especially sparrows, going after the food they throw out, are rough on tender plants like primroses.

The last of this month is usually, mild enough in Ohio to take the shading off my cold frames so the sun can start warming them up. If you live very much north of Columbus or St; Louis you have to put this off. By the last of February the roses should be blooming in my front yard as well as in a lot of other places around the grounds. The Christmas rose seed that I sowed in the cold frame last November should be starting to germinate.

Taking Pictures

Digital pictures are a good means of checking on your garden, both to see how it grows and changes from year to year as well as to show up places that need attention. To be honest I design and plant my place with pictures in mind. I have decided that next year I would like to have a nice shot down along a path, or across a certain part of the yard.

Consequently I make all of my plantings with this in mind. For instance last fall I had a lot of seedling cardinal flowers coming up in the cold frames and growing beds and I massed a bunch of them in front of the arborvitae hedge back of the pool. That should give me a gorgeous shot next July.

And in a couple of other places around the yard I put in a number of foxglove seedlings. That will give me a nice picture in June. Early last fall I planted all of one side of the path beside the garage with primroses. I have never taken a picture of that part of my yard because I was never proud of it. I hope next spring I will be.

One resolution I made last year, but am having a hard struggle to keep, is never to use a pencil on any plant labels. A Sharpie pen with a fine point is easy to read and will be as permanent as the label itself. Unless you are a memory specialist like Dale Carnegie you are going to find it necessary to label each and every plant including patio ground cover, cutting, seed, and what have you, as soon as you plant it. All too few of us have the time to make a record in our notebooks of each patio ground cover as we plant it” its name, where it came from, where it was planted.

Try making a plot of your yard and giving each bed a number or letter. Then you can have on a separate sheet an enlarged plan of this bed. Once you get this done it doesn’t take too long to jot down a planting plan.