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1 week ago | 
bhg.com | Megan Hughes
Credit: jxfzsy / Getty Images Citrus leaf miners are voracious garden pests that chew through healthy young foliage and leave behind squiggly black tunnels. These insects then use the leaf tissue to make cozy sleeping quarters as they transform into their next life stage, causing the tree to be riddled with misshapen, rolled leaves. The damage looks dramatic, but healthy citrus trees usually recover and produce fruit in future seasons.
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1 week ago | 
bhg.com | Megan Hughes
Credit: Laurie Black In tandem with regular mowing, keeping an immaculate lawn edge is a landscape superpower that instantly makes your yard look tidy and well maintained. A crisp, clean-cut lawn edge creates clear boundaries between grassy areas and planting beds, walkways, and curbs. And it's not all that difficult to achieve. Use this simple, step-by-step guide to edge your lawn correctly. Why to Edge Your Lawn A freshly cut lawn edge not only looks good, it makes garden maintenance easier.
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1 week ago | 
flipboard.com | Megan Hughes
8 cheap things to thrift that will actually make your home look more expensiveThrift stores are filled with treasures, not just clothes and miscellaneous trinkets. There are all sorts of decor gems hidden in the shelves that …
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2 weeks ago | 
bhg.com | Megan Hughes
Credit: MariuszBlach / Getty Images If you’re looking for an instant lawn, sod is the way to go. While new sod doesn’t need to be mowed immediately after it's installed, when you do mow it and the techniques you use will impact the health and longevity of your new lawn. Mow new sod too soon and any roots that are forming are likely to be damaged as the new sod shifts under the weight and motion of your mower.
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3 weeks ago | 
bhg.com | Megan Hughes
Credit: Carson Downing Key PointsSod establishes faster than grass seed when filling in a bare spot in your lawn. Grass seed is easier to work with than sod, and is more cost-effective, especially when filling in larger patches. Before seeding or sodding, deal with causes of the dead, bare spot, such as pet damage, fertilizer burn, or turf diseases. When you've got a patchy brown spot in your lawn, should you use sod or grass seed to repair it?
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3 weeks ago | 
bhg.com | Megan Hughes
Credit: Photo: Akchamczuk / Getty Images Key PointsCanada thistle is an invasive plant with a deep, extensive root system that requires persistence to completely remove from your lawn. Weeding out young thistles by hand and applying herbicides at the right time of year are most effective for getting rid of this prickly weed. Keeping your grass healthy and lush through proper mowing, watering, and fertilizing is key to preventing thistles from invading your lawn.
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1 month ago | 
bhg.com | Megan Hughes
Credit: Matthew Benson Get ready for a great-looking lawn in less time than it currently takes you to mow. A few simple landscaping adjustments can make a huge difference in making it easier to mow your lawn. Whether you're steering a riding mower or using a push mower over your turf, the following landscaping tips will make mowing your lawn easier and even more enjoyable. Plus, your lawn will likely get a better cut when obstacles are removed and rough edges are smoothed.
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1 month ago | 
bhg.com | Megan Hughes
Credit: Zbynek Pospisil / Getty Images A freshly mowed lawn is a welcome sight. But paying attention to the direction you mow that lawn can give you even better results. On a major league baseball field, the mowing direction plays a big part in creating the intricate outfield designs and signature stripes in the lawn. The mowing direction is not nearly as critical for a home lawn, but it still impacts the health and growth of the turf, as well as its appearance.
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1 month ago | 
bhg.com | Megan Hughes
Credit: Marty Baldwin Key TakeawaysChickweed is a fast-spreading annual weed with tiny white flowers that can produce thousands of seeds. Keeping your lawn healthy and dense is the best natural defense against chickweed. Along with proper mowing, watering, and fertilizing, diligent removal of new seedlings is essential for long-term chickweed control. Chickweed’s name can be deceiving—it is anything but small and vulnerable.
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1 month ago | 
bhg.com | Megan Hughes
Credit: Phototropic / Getty Images Key TakeawaysStriping is an optical illusion: The color differences you see comes from grass blades bending in opposite directions, affecting how light reflects off their surfaces. Plan out your stripes: Mow in straight, parallel lines, alternating directions at the end of each pass over your lawn. Change up the pattern: Try a checkerboard by mowing stripes at 90 degree angles, and vary your mowing pattern every few weeks to avoid damage to your lawn.
