Posts from April 2022

Who doesn't love a well manicured lawn teeming with birds and wildlife? Spring is the time to begin enjoying it and nurturing your little piece of heaven. Lawns are a home for insects, worms, birds, and hidden invertebrates. A healthy lawn helps rainwater to drain away, prevents erosion, reduces noise, and creates a cooling effect while adding visual appeal. Want to sip on a cup of coffee in the early morning as you watch the bees and butterflies buzz among branches and bushes? Here are 8 ways that you can enjoy the benefits of having a beautiful lawn while also nourishing local wildlife.

1. A gentle spring raking with a flexible leaf rake, once the lawn is lush and green, can help mitigate snow mold and remove thatch (mainly dead turfgrass) that prevents lawns from growing evenly.
2. Send a soil sample to your local cooperative extension office to...

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April showers bring May flowers…and many home care opportunities. This is a great time to check on gutters, downspouts, rain barrels, foundational cracks, and windows. 

Did you know that for every inch of rainfall on a 1000 square foot roof, 600 gallons of water can collect? If you collect water in a rain barrel, you can reuse it for irrigating ornamental trees, lawn, and flowers; washing your vehicles; rinsing out recyclable containers before tossing them into the bin; and spraying down your walkways. 

Rainy spring days are a good time to check on the basement and crawlspace. Water stains along the wall and floor, excess moisture, or mold can be good indicators that you need to look further at windows and foundational issues with a professional. 

If the sides or bottoms of your windows show a few leaks during a downpour, y...

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"Spring is here and it's finally beginning to feel like it! With more pleasant weather, sunshine, and blooming flowers; many of us are tempted to open up our windows to clear out the old stuffy air and bring in the fresh scents of the season. Virginia is blessed with a plethora of fragrant native plants that you'll enjoy all season long.

This is a great time to do some spring cleaning by wiping out the inside and outside of those ledges, vacuuming out dust or webs that have formed over the winter, and identifying any damaged areas that need repair. 

All of this breezy air and dust stirring can irritate our allergies, though! It might help to pick up an essential oil diffuser so that you can support your immune system in dealing with seasonal allergies. Research studies show that lavender, lemon, and peppermint essential oils used in combination can do j...

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