Keep the Basement Dry and Plants Green

In a recent blog we looked at the challenges of keeping your lawn green when hot, dry conditions take hold. The first and most obvious solution was irrigation! Install an automated system or spend extra time pulling hoses to set up temporary sprinklers and keep the landscape green.

A reader was quick to point out that during a dry spell, cities and towns have water usage restrictions. Homeowners depending on well water face the risk of using needed water for the home, on the front lawn!

What if we told you that you could still water regardless of those restrictions? It’s pretty easy, just start collecting rain water.

Harvesting rain water is an effective way to collect and store water that’s safe to reuse on plants and gardens. There are a TON of options to collect water, from burying huge storage tanks to simple connections to a downspout. The elaborate storage systems are large enough that a pump can connect and feed an irrigation system.

For most homeowners, a Rain Barrel is probably sufficient. The barrel sits at the bottom of your downspout and a specialized diverter kit sends rainwater into the container. If your gutter is depositing the water at the base of your foundation now, not only will a rain barrel save rain water, it will probably prevent moisture problems in the basement!

Connect a hose or small solar pump to the container and you are back in business! Now you can capture the afternoon thunderstorm or passing shower and reuse when it is most needed.

What is your experience with harvesting rain? Do you have a harvesting system? Share your photos or experience with us!

Repairing a McCulloch: Fish or Cut Bait?

McCulloch chain saws, string trimmers, and leaf blowers were very popular homeowner tools up until the company shut its doors in 2009.  With McCulloch out of business, production of replacement parts stopped. Any replacement parts that McCulloch had in their factory were sold at auction in June of 1999. Small engine shops from all over scooped up the parts and have been using this limited supply to repair older McCulloch items for 15 years.    

Nobody is making replacement parts for McCulloch and its very unlikely anyone ever will.

What does this mean to you? If you have a McCulloch tool (pre 1999), you should seriously consider replacement vs repair costs. The only way to get a part is a time consuming internet search in the hopes of locating someone who bought parts at the auction, back in 1999. If you locate someone with McCulloch parts, your next hurdle is that they have part you need.

At best, it’s a long shot. You may get lucky and find the part you need, but, you should evaluate if you are throwing good money after bad.

Please note, that the McCulloch brand was acquired by Husqvarna and they are selling tools under this brand name. They are not producing replacement parts for older equipment.  

Dog Days of Summer: Keeping Grass Green in the Heat

After an extended spring season that featured long periods of rainy weather, the summer is continuing the “all or nothing” trend. It’s been hot and dry in the northeast and green lawns are starting to turn brown under the stress.  Here are a few suggestions on how to help keep your lawn looking its best.

Irrigation – Getting water on your lawn nourishes and cools the grass. It’s the first line of defense against hot, dry spells. The best time to water is early in the morning from 3-8am. This allows the soil to soak up water needed and excess water will evaporate when the sun comes up. When a saturated lawn remains in contact with excess water, it creates a breeding ground for disease. This is why watering in the evening can do more harm than good! Finally, watering during the hottest part of the day is bad news…water is evaporating and your lawn won’t appreciate the tease!

PRO TIP: Avoid watering by hand. Use sprinklers to evenly water and connect timers for consistency.  There are even smart-phone apps that can operate irrigation controls! Generally speaking, most lawns want between 1”-2” of water per week. This can vary based on soil and grass types, location, and time of growing season.

Let it Grow…Let it Grow!  Set your mower deck at 3” or greater. Taller grass can absorb water better and creates its own shade too. Cutting too short not only stresses the plant, it prevents it from growing deep roots that could further protect from dry conditions.  

PRO TIP: Get a mulching blade and don’t bag the clippings. A mulching blade cuts the grass a few times before dropping it back into the lawn. The dry, starved lawn will appreciate the mulched clippings for food and shade.

Keep Fertilizer in the Bag. Unless you have an irrigation plan in place, don’t fertilize the lawn when the hot, dry conditions take hold.  Fertilizers provide nutrients for growth, but, without water you’re asking the lawn to do the impossible. Plus, fertilizers need to be watered in to be effective. If the product sits on the lawn for days only to be washed away in a thunderstorm/downpour, you might consider yourself lucky. The alternative would be fertilizer washed into lower areas in super concentrated for that kills the grass in a hurry.

PRO TIP: Use the money you saved on fertilizer and take your spouse to dinner.  A night out beats watching grass grow any day of the week…    

With lawn care, you can’t beat the heat - Mother Nature always has the upper hand. If drought and heat threaten your lawn each year, you might consider a new yard design. Trees can be added to create shade, planting a drought tolerant type of grass, and even reducing the lawn size are all long term solutions to consider.