The Nashville Lawn & Garden Show will return to the Tennessee State Fairgrounds in 2011 on Thursday, March 3, through Sunday, March 6, for the 22nd annual presentation of Tennessee's most popular and largest gardening event. Staged to the theme, "Back in Bloom," the event will feature an acre of live gardens, a series of more than 20 free lectures, a floral design gallery and 250 exhibit booths featuring horticultural products, services and equipment for show and sale by vendors from throughout the U.S.

"Our 2011 show will be filled with the ideas, inspiration and information that will prepare everyone to get 'Back in Bloom' in the spring," said Randall Lantz, co-manager of the Nashville Lawn & Garden Show. "Gardening is more popular than ever. People are growing fruits and vegetables and enjoying the exercise, satisfaction and pleasure that gardening offers everyone."

He added, "Gardening is a springtime tradition for Tennesseans. We're very pleased that the Nashville Lawn & Garden Show will be presented again in 2011 at its traditional location, the Tennessee State Fairgrounds." Produced by the Horticultural Association of Tennessee, the annual event has been presented since 1989 at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds.

More than 25,000 people, plus several thousand exhibitors and volunteers, attended the 2010 Nashville Lawn & Garden Show, which was named a Top 20 Event by the South East Tourism Society of the USA.

The 2011 Nashville Lawn & Garden Show at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds will open at 10 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. each day, except Sunday when the doors close at 5 p.m. Admission to the show is $10 for adults; $9 for seniors (age 65 & up) and $1 for children 12 and under. Four-day show passes are $15. Discounts are available for groups of 15 or more adults when purchased in a block. Tickets may be purchased online through the show's website beginning February 1, 2011. All events are indoors and there is ample free parking. The show is fully handicapped accessible.

Proceeds from the Nashville Lawn & Garden Show are used by the Horticultural Association of Tennessee to fund horticultural and environmental projects throughout Tennessee. The deadline for exhibit booth reservations for the 2011 show is January 3, 2011. For complete information, call the Nashville Lawn & Garden Show office at 615-876-7680 or visit www.nashvillelawnandgardenshow.com.

On Saturday, April 10, Polly Rooker with the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency will present a free seminar on Creating a Backyard Habitat at Garr's Rental and Feed. The seminar begins at 9 a.m. Reservations are encouraged: call 615-754-2777. Garr's is located at 11610 Lebanon Road in Mt. Juliet.

The seminar will discuss how to make your backyard appealing to beautiful songbirds, hummingbirds, butterflies and the benefits of having them in your yard.

"Many people enjoy feeding birds throughout the winter, but don't know how to keep the birds in their yard once spring arrives," explained Roy Garr, president and owner of Garr's Rental and Feed. "This seminar will discuss specific plants, both annuals and perennials, to make your yard attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies."

The seminar will last approximately one-and-a-half hours and allow questions and answers throughout the session. Light refreshments will be served. Seating is limited, so reservations are encouraged. Call 615-754-2777 to reserve a spot.

Garr's Rental and Feed is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. and from noon until 5 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, visit www.garrs.biz.

PHOTO CREDIT: http://www.flickr.com/photos/eclectic-echoes/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

The beautiful gardens at the 2010 Nashville Lawn & Garden Show will be the setting for complimentary Garden Party receptions on the evenings of Friday, March 5, and Saturday, March 6, in celebration of the show's 21st anniversary. The Garden Party reception on Friday, March 5, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m., will feature complimentary wine tastings, sponsored by Barefoot Wine & Bubbly of California. The Garden Party on Saturday, March 6, from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m., will feature wine tastings plus free tea tastings by Partner's Tea Company and Fair Trade Teas of Nashville, a complimentary selection of healthy food tastings prepared with ingredients provided by local growers and businesses, and entertainment by guitarist Alan Powell. The wine, tea and food will be offered at various locations throughout the live garden displays at the show. In addition, beginning at 5 p.m., on both March 5 and 6, all admission tickets are buy one/get one free (one purchase per person).

"Outdoor lifestyles, garden settings and the enjoyment of food and beverages are a natural combination," said Randall Lantz, co-manager of the Nashville Lawn & Garden Show, which is the largest gardening event in Tennessee. "In fact, more and more gardeners are incorporating vineyards into their gardens and also adding edible plants into their ornamental landscape. The Garden Party on March 5 and 6 will be a wonderful way to celebrate the show's 21st anniversary."

During the garden party, Barefoot Cellars will serve complimentary two-ounce samples of five different Barefoot Cellars wines with proof of ID. Glasses of Barefoot Cellars Wines also will be available for purchase, with proof of ID, at concessions located throughout the show. The tea tastings provided by Partner's Tea Company will include a variety of teas from around the world. Gabrielle Mittelstaedt, Tom Lazzaro and representatives of other local vendors will prepare the food tastings. The ingredients for food tastings will be provided by Lazzaroli Pasta, Turnip Truck Natural Market, Long Hungry Creek Farm, Delvin Farms, Noble Springs Dairy, Toney's Naturals, Chilly Pops, The Farm in Summertown, Olive St. Clair, Silke's Bread, Love Water and Bonnie Blue Goat Cheese.

Artistic by Nature is the theme of the 21st Annual Nashville Lawn & Garden Show, opening on Thursday, March 4, and running through Sunday, March 7, at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. The show is produced by the Horticultural Association of Tennessee and is presented by REGIONS Bank; show proceeds will be used to help increase the urban forestry canopy in Middle Tennessee and to provide "green" education.

The 2010 Nashville Lawn & Garden Show will feature 26 live gardens, 26 free lectures by expert horticulturalists and garden designers from throughout Tennessee and the U.S.; a floral design gallery displaying an exceptional use of cut flowers in arrangements created by some of the best floral designers in Middle Tennessee; and more than 250 exhibit booths offering an array of products, services, plants and equipment for sale. Parking at the show is FREE. There will also be free demonstrations and discussions by the Davidson County Master Gardeners.

The Nashville Lawn & Garden Show will open at 10 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. each day, except Sunday when the doors will close at 5 p.m. Admission to the show is $10 for adults; $9 for seniors (age 65 and up) and $1 for children 12 and under. Four-day show passes are $15.

A variety of offers are available to purchase tickets at a discount. In celebration of the show's 21st anniversary, anyone who presents a photo driver's license to prove a birth date in 1989 will receive one free admission to the show. $2 discount coupons for show admission are available at participating branch locations of Regions Bank, the show's sponsor. On March 4, 5 and 6, beginning at 5 p.m., all tickets are buy one/get one free. In addition, $1 discount coupons for show admission are available on the Nashville Lawn & Garden Show website, www.nashvillelawnandgardenshow.com. Discounts are available for groups of 15 or more adults when purchased in a block at the ticket window. Discount coupons and offers cannot be combined.

Tickets may be purchased online via the show's website. All events are indoors, and there is ample free parking. The show is fully handicapped accessible.

More than 22,000 people attended the 2009 show. Proceeds are used by the Horticultural Association of Tennessee to fund horticultural projects throughout Tennessee. For more complete information, call the Nashville Lawn & Garden Show office at 615-876-7680 or visit the show's website.

On Saturday, Feb. 27, Pennington Seed will host two free lawn care seminars at Garr's Rental and Feed in Mt. Juliet. The first seminar begins at 9 a.m., and the second begins at 10:30 a.m. reservations are encouraged: Call 615-754-2777. Garr's is located at 11610 Lebanon Road in Mt. Juliet.

"Although we are still seeing winter weather, this is the time of year to start thinking about your lawn," explained Roy Garr, president and owner of Garr's Rental and Feed. "Early spring is the time for routine lawn maintenance. The experts from Pennington Seed will help explain a variety of products and techniques to make and keep your lawn green and healthy year-round."

The 9 a.m. seminar will discuss topics such as crabgrass and weed preventers, weed killers and lawn maintenance. Application times and methods of these products will be addressed during the seminar. The 10:30 a.m. seminar will cover seeding, fertilizing, aeration, lime application and lawn maintenance. The benefits of applying these applications will be discussed.

Each seminar will last approximately one-and-a-half hours and include a question and answer session. Light refreshments will be served. Seating is limited, so reservations are encouraged. Call 615-754-2777 to reserve a spot.

Natural beauty and man-made artistry will be combined and celebrated at the 21st Annual Nashville Lawn & Garden Show on Thursday, March 4, through Sunday, March 7, 2010, at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. Staged to the them Artistic by Nature, the show will feature an acre of live gardens, 26 free lectures, a floral design gallery and more than 250 exhibit booths filled with plants, products, services, equipment and information offered by horticultural experts and vendors from 15 states.

"During the past 20 years, gardeners and garden lovers have made the Nashville Lawn and Garden Show the most popular horticultural event in Tennessee. We are very proud that the 21st anniversary show has been named a Top 20 Event by the South East Tourism Society of the USA," said Randall Lantz, co-manager of the event, which is produced by the Horticultural Association of Tennessee.

Gardens are the show's centerpiece. Created by Middle Tennessee professional landscape designers and horticultural groups, the gardens at the 2010 show will focus on the artistry of combining thousands of varied, colorful plants and flowers with man-made features such as stonework, gazebos, fountains, ponds, sculpture and fire pits. The show's Artistic by Nature theme is reflected in garden names such as Artful Inspirations; A Stroke of Color - A Splash of Thyme; Mother Nature's Paintbrush; and Artistry in Motion.

A series of 26 free lectures will cover a wide range of topics, many of them exploring the show's theme. Acclaimed Nashville photographer and native plant expert, J. Paul Moore will share his award winning photographs that reveal the artistry of nature on Thursday, March 4, at 3 p.m. during his presentation, The Art of Seeing: A Photographer's Perspective. Patricia Kyritsi Howell, who calls both northern Georgia and the Greek island of Crete her home, will celebrate the art of healing with medicinal herbs on Friday, March 5, at 2 p.m., when she will discuss Mad Dog Skullcap, Puke Weed & Faerie Torches: Medicinal Plants of the South. On Friday evening, she will present a workshop session from 6 until 8 p.m., Our Living Apothecary: Native Medicinal Plants of the South and Their Uses; there is a $20 fee to participate in the workshop. On Saturday, March 6, at noon, Howell's topic is The Sustainable Herbs that Everyone Should Know & Grow. Award-winning artist Sherri Warner Hunter of Bell Buckle, Tenn. will demonstrate and reveal the beauty and versatility of concrete during her lecture on Saturday, March 6 at 3 p.m., Concrete in the Garden: Yard Art, Sculptures and Ornaments.

Another featured speaker will be Harvey Cotten, chief operating officer at the Huntsville Botanical Garden in Huntsville, Ala., a weekly home and garden columnist in the Huntsville Times, and a weekly guest on a Huntsville noonday TV show. Cotten is the co-author of Easy Gardens for the South, the topic of his presentation on Saturday, March 6 at 4 p.m. He will discuss how to create gorgeous gardens with the easiest, colorful, low-water plants the South has to offer. Click here to view the complete schedule for the series of free lectures - many lecturers will sell their books and products after their presentations.

The show's spectacular floral design gallery, featuring the work of more than 25 of the best designers in the mid-south region, delights show attendees of every age. Items offered in the show's 250 exhibit booths range from tractors to tulips and sundials to seeds. If it has to do with gardening and outdoor living, it probably can be found at the Nashville Lawn and Garden Show.

FEATURED NASHVILLE LAWN & GARDEN SHOW PARTICIPANTS FROM WILSON COUNTY (as of Feb. 11, 2010)

Speakers

Jim Garrison, Tennessee Beekeepers Association (The Beekeepers Association is based in Watertown).

Date and Time of Lecture: Thursday, March 4 at 5 p.m.

Lecture Topic: Beekeeping

Gardens

Living Stone, Brush Creek

Garden Title: Tranquil Retreat

Ponds by David, Inc. Aquatic Nursery and Supplies, Mt. Juliet

Garden Title: Artistry in Motion

Roots Outdoor Designs, Mt. Juliet

Garden Title: Where Plants and Art Combine

Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, Mt. Juliet

Garden Title: Saving Tomorrow's Wildlife Today

Exhibitors

Eastman Hardscape Construction, Mt. Juliet

Garr's Rental & Feed, Mt. Juliet

Kathy Chester Studio, Mt. Juliet

Lynch Tree Service, Lebanon

Moss Florist & Garden Center, Mt. Juliet

Needhams Nursery, Mt. Juliet

Unique Product Sales Co., Mt. Juliet

Watermelon Moon Farm, Lebanon

Floral Designers

Scott Graham - S.S. Graham, Lebanon

Cary Ann Misamore - Fresh by Carry Ann, Mt. Juliet

Brenda Moss - Moss' Florist, Mt. Juliet

Special Offers & Events: In celebration of the Nashville Lawn and Garden Show's 21st anniversary, anyone who presents a photo driver's license to prove a birthdate in 1989 will receive one (1) free admission to the show. $2 discount coupons for the show are available at participating branch locations of Regions Bank, the show's sponsor. On March 4, 5 and 6, beginning at 5 p.m., all tickets are buy one get one free. In addition, $1 discount coupons for show admission are available on the Nashville Lawn & Garden Show website. Discounts are available for groups of 15 or more adults when purchased in a block at the ticket window. Discount coupons and offers cannot be combined.

In celebration of the show's 21st anniversary, there will be a 21st Anniversary Celebration Reception in the gardens on Friday, March 5, and Saturday, March 6, from 5 until 8 p.m. The reception will feature tastings by Barefoot Wines.

Proceeds from the Nashville Lawn and Garden Show are used by the Horticultural Association of Tennessee to fund horticultural projects throughout Tennessee. For more complete information, call the Nashville Lawn and Garden Show office at 615-876-7680 or visit www.nashvillelawnandgardenshow.com.

Representatives of four Wilson County landscaping and gardening companies and a wildlife protection organization recently met to make plans for the 21st Annual Nashville Lawn & Garden Show that will be presented March 4 - 7 at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds.

More than 26 live gardens will be created for the show, which will be staged to the theme Artistic by Nature. The show will also feature free lectures, a floral design gallery and 250 vendor exhibit booths.

Reviewing floorplans for the show are (from left to right): John Lohmann, show chairman; David Wills, Ponds By David in Mt. Juliet; Marty Rush, Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation in Mt. Juliet; Chris Agee, Living Stone in Brush Creek; Chris Ehrhart, Summit Landscaping in Mt. Juliet; and Wesley Wall and Kyle Moss, Roots Outdoor Designs of Lebanon.

For more information about the show, please call 615-876-7680 or visit www.nashvillelawnandgardenshow.com.

(ARA) - From hardy hybrids to stylish, smart gardens, spring 2010 promises exciting new plants and products for garden lovers everywhere.

"People want easy plants and products that are attractive and good for the environment and perform well in their gardens," says Susan McCoy, garden writer and trend spotter. "And that's what the new plants and products this spring will deliver."

McCoy reveals a few of her favorite garden superstars for spring that will chase away those winter blahs as you get ready to get your hands back in the earth and garden.

Next big thing for small gardens  
McCoy loves the newest Drift Roses from The Conard-Pyle Co., introducer of the famous Knock Out family of roses. A cross between full-size groundcover roses and miniatures, both Sweet Drift and Apricot Drift Roses offer delicate, double flowers and continuous blooming throughout the season. With exceptional disease resistance and winter hardiness, these low-maintenance beauties are the perfect choice for small gardens or along paths and walkways.

Get a jump on spring
Looking to get a jump on spring planting? McCoy suggests FreezePruf - a revolutionary new spray from the Liquid Fence Company (www.liquidfence.com) - that may be the "holy grail" for gardeners. Developed by botanists, FreezePruf protects your lush flower baskets, veggies, herbs and favorite plants from late spring frost/freeze and ice crystal damage. This non-toxic spray can increase a plant's cold tolerance from 2.2 to 9.4 degrees (depending on the plant variety and the length of the frost/freeze event) and give gardeners about two additional weeks of growing and harvesting in spring and fall. It's almost like moving your garden 200 miles further south.

Tickled pink
Pink is the new blue. The first-ever pink blueberry (www.briggsnursery.com) - Vaccinium 'Pink Lemonade' from Briggs Nursery - is one of the most exciting new plants McCoy has seen in years and is a must-have for your garden. 'Pink Lemonade' provides delicious, sweet fruit rich in anti-oxidants, plus four seasons of color: pinkish-white flowers in spring, bright pink fruit in summer, great fall color and dusky auburn stems in winter. Growing about 5 feet around, this showy ornamental looks great as a hedge border or stand-alone shrub with the added benefit of luscious fruit in your cereal or pies - or by the handful. For more information or where to purchase visit www.briggsnursery.com.

Go native, go local
Native plants are clearly the next big thing in gardening, and it's easy to go native with American Beauties native plants (www.ABNativePlants.com). These native shrubs, trees, vines, grasses and perennials are hand-picked for their beauty and low-maintenance, making it simple to attract bees, birds and butterflies to a backyard habitat. The wildlife will appreciate the food and shelter, and when you purchase them, a contribution is made to the National Wildlife Federation Backyard Habitat program (www.nwf.org/gardenforwildlife).

Catch daylily fever
Daylily fever is contagious and you're likely to catch the bug as you fall in love with the new fire-engine-red daylily from Centerton Nursery. McCoy digs this new, hardy, early and repeat bloomer - Jersey Earlybird 'Cardinal'- bred by world-renown daylily hybridizer, Dr. Darrel Apps. This easy-care daylily offers early-blooming great color and reblooms multiple times throughout the season. It's pest- and drought-resistant and is perfect in beds, borders and containers. Check it out at www.centertonnursery.com and earlybirddaylily.com.

Smart and simple
Want to bring the outdoors in and grow fresh herbs (www.fertileearth.com) and vegetables in the kitchen or on the balcony? McCoy loves Simple Gardens, the innovative new plant system from Fertile Earth that comes with soil, seeds and a how-to guide packed in stylish square containers. Perfect for indoor gardens or to start seeds. They come in a variety of hip colors and make wonderful gifts. Now it's a snap to grow kitchen gardens in any bright spot -- just add water.

Grow 'em right
The new Organic Mechanics Planting Mix (www.organicmechanicsoil.com) is like having all the goodness of compost in a bag. At planting time, just mix in the nutrient-rich planting mix to revitalize your garden soil. It helps retain moisture and accelerates root-zone establishment for healthier trees, shrubs, fruits, veggies and flowers. Get it this spring in Mid-Atlantic garden centers and Whole Foods stores.

Outdoor designer decor
McCoy loves the latest "designer" doormats from Imports Unlimited (www.wholesaledoormats.com). Made from 100 percent natural coco and mainly recycled rubber, these environmentally friendly eco-mats come in array of popular designs and colors. With over 180 unique patterns to choose from, adding your own personal style, whether it's formal, classical or whimsical, to your outdoor space is now easy and affordable.

All that jazz
For every rose lover, McCoy has discovered a new spray and way to keep roses healthy and strong. Jaz Rose Spray (www.jazsprays.com) naturally reduces damage from disease and common environmental stresses. This new plant-strengthening spray with jasmonate -- which occurs naturally in plants - provides increased resistance to disease, drought, and temperature extremes. Recently endorsed by the American Rose Society (ARS), Jaz Rose Spray boosts your plant's natural resistance to environmental stress and encourages vigorous roots, growth and blooms. For more information visit www.gardenmediagroup.com

Courtesy of ARAcontent

(ARA) - Recycling is certainly not a new concept. In fact, gardeners have been using one form of recycling - composting - for about as long as people have tilled the soil. Composting is a cost-effective, eco-friendly way to give your garden a boost.

Start your compost pile now, before winter settles in, and come spring you'll have a jump on nutrient-rich compost to help your garden produce its best harvest. Composting happens by itself through natural decay and the breakdown of organic matter. Depending on your local climate, the composting process may not be fully completed with useable humus or compost until temperatures warm up.

"Composting is easy and can be done for as little as $10 - or even free if you build your own bin," says Bruce Augustin, senior director in research and development with Scotts. "It's a great way to provide essential nutrients to your soil, while recycling kitchen and yard waste, which helps keep refuse out of landfills."

It's easy to get started composting: find a bin, gather materials, build your pile and compost. Augustin offers the following easy-to-follow steps for getting started:

Begin with a bin

Containing your compost pile in a bin saves space, hastens decomposition and helps keep the pile neat. You can find many pre-made compost bins at home centers and garden stores. Or, you can build your own from plans found on the Internet with materials around your home.

Gather materials

There are two main sources of materials for your compost pile - your yard and your kitchen. From the yard, you can gather leaves, grass and plant clippings, and shrub or tree trimmings. From the kitchen, add fruit and vegetable peelings, coffee grounds (including the filters), tea bags and eggshells. It's okay to toss in shredded newspaper (not colored or shiny newsprint since these don't decompose readily), but avoid meat scraps, bones, dairy products, grease or pet or human waste since these can all harbor harmful bacteria.

Build your pile

You should build your pile in layers, starting with a 4- to 6-inch layer of coarse material such as twigs or shrub clippings. Then, add on 3 to 4 inches of grass clippings. Next, add another 4- to 6-inch layer of leaves or garden debris and soak with water; moisture will help the microbes decompose the material faster. You can modify this order as needed, depending on the types of materials you have. After a few layers, be sure to add a 1-inch layer of garden soil, such as Miracle-Gro Garden Soil for Flowers and Vegetables.

Maintain compost

"A high-nitrogen fertilizer like Miracle-Gro Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food, spread over each layer of your compost pile, will help the composting process by creating a favorable nitrogen to carbon ratio," says Augustin. Remember to turn or aerate the pile periodically to help move material from the outside closer to the center of the pile, where it will heat up and decompose faster. During the winter - depending on the region where you live - the center of the pile is where decomposition will take place, and adding water to keep the pile moist will aid the process.

Your compost will be ready to use once it has turned dark and crumbly, and gives off an earthy odor. Add the compost to your garden soil to help nourish your plants.

"Composting is not only beneficial for your garden, but it's also an easy, satisfying way to do something good for the environment," Augustin says.

For more tips on composting and other aspects of gardening and lawn care, visit www.Scotts.com. of ARAcontent

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(ARA) - (ARA) - You drained the gas from the lawn mower and stored the string trimmer - fall is officially here. Can winter be far behind? You may think your yard work is done for another year, but don't turn your back on your lawn just yet.

Take care of some essential lawn chores this fall and you'll reap the rewards next spring - in the form of a lush, healthy, beautiful lawn. In fall, lawn grasses need to become especially strong as the weather cools. Give them some TLC now, and your lawn will reap the benefits over the winter and into next spring.  During the fall, your lawn is getting ready to go dormant for the winter. Your grass will rely on its roots throughout the winter season to obtain nutrients until spring.

Following these five (surprisingly fast) simple steps will ensure a sensational start to lush lawns next spring.

1. Start with the soil and aerate
 
The healthier your soil is the healthier your grass will be. Good, aerated soil will make room for water, nutrients, air and roots to move with ease. Aerated, healthy soil will hold water like a sponge, but at the same time promote drainage. Aerating also creates a good environment for the micro-organisms, worms and other life forms necessary for healthy turf. Without good soil you will find yourself doing lots of weed control and over-fertilizing.

2. Don't delay dethatching  

Thatch is the layer of dead grass that settles in between the soil surface and the green foliage of the grass. Too much thatch interferes with nutrient and water absorption. To gauge thatch's thickness, take a 6-inch-deep plug of sod and soil from the lawn and measure the thickness of the packed thatch. If your thatch layer is more than 1/2 inch thick, your grass will struggle to grow.

3. Supply soil conditioners

Also called soil amendments, soil conditioners added to soil improve plant growth and overall health. Soil conditioners are not fertilizers, but they do improve soil's drainage and some will also increase the water holding capacity of your soil.

4. Sow your seeds

Sowing grass seed will increase turf density and improve the overall health and appearance of your lawn. Seeding in the fall helps the lawn recover from heavy summer traffic and it influences the lawn's look for the following spring. A dense lawn is also the best natural defense against weed and insect damage. For a wide variety of grass seed choices specifically formulated for your geographic region visit www.outsidepride.com. increasingly popular addition to backyard beauty is planting wildflowers instead of grass in hard to maintain, problem spots, like slopes and banks. Outsidepride.com offers  a wide variety of blends for nine areas of the country, from the rainy Northeast to the dry Southwest. Adding wildflower seed this fall to your backyard will add beauty and diversity to your landscape next spring.

An

5. The easy way is the better way

When it comes to labor intensive fall lawn chores like aerating, dethatching, and soil conditioning, brute force isn't necessarily the best, most efficient way to get the job done. You could rent a core aerator to pull up finger-sized cores of soil, but it takes a strong back and plenty of time to manage the heavy equipment. If your lawn is small enough, you can do the dethatching job using a thick-bladed thatching rake. But bigger lawns call for a power thatching mower. Soil conditioning is easier, yet still time-consuming.

Try a labor-free, easy, all-natural option that's a liquid product, like LazyMan Liquid Gold. You can tackle the tasks of aerating, dethatching and soil conditioning with a hose-end sprayer in a matter of minutes.

Non-toxic and all natural, LazyMan Liquid Gold's polymers penetrate hard soil and alternately attract or repel water molecules, opening pathways to allow free passage of moisture and nutrients. A brew of microbes feeds on dead plant tissue in the thatch layer, reducing thatch by half with just three applications at four-week intervals. Finally, humic acids and soil fungi promote soil fertility and plant growth.

After one-step spraying of LazyMan Liquid Gold, you've already accomplished three essential fall lawn care tasks. Now, all that's left to do is seed and feed.

By following these simple lawn care practices in the fall, you can put your lawn to bed and sleep easily knowing that when your lawn awakens from winter it will be healthy and super-charged for spring. To learn more about lawn care, visit www.outsidepride.com. 

Courtesy of ARAcontent

(ARA) - If you haven't yet joined the "grow your own vegetables" craze, it's not too late to join in. You can produce a bounty of vitamin-rich veggies from plot (or pot) to plate this fall, plus you'll save a bundle by growing them yourself.

You may be surprised to find that with just a little attention and effort, growing fall vegetables in the backyard garden and in planters is even more enjoyable than planting a vegetable garden during the spring and summer seasons. Why? Cooler autumn temperatures make it a delight to spend time outside in the garden and also provide an advantage when it's time to harvest your crops.

You'll spend less time caring for your fall crops because of the favorable cool weather growing conditions. Plants will grow rapidly at first and gradually slow as the days become shorter and colder. Destructive insects won't be as numerous in autumn as they are in summer months. Weeds germinate less frequently and grow slower than they do during the warmer seasons. Compared to hot and dry summers, fall usually brings an increase in the amount of precipitation, eliminating another time-consuming chore - watering.

What you need to know:

1. Let the sunshine in.  Most vegetables need full sun - at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. They also require a steady supply of moisture and nutrients from the soil. You can help ensure your plants get both by mixing a 2-inch layer of compost into the soil (bagged compost is available at garden centers). Or spread a balanced fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, according to labeled instructions. Plants will need an inch of moisture per week, either through rain or supplemental watering.

2. Start with transplants. Transplants buy you lots of time. Plants are six weeks or older when you put them into the ground, so you will begin harvesting much sooner than if you start from seed. Bonnie Plants transplants in biodegradable, environmentally friendly pots make planting easy and spare the use of much plastic. Just cut off the bottom of the pot, water and plant ... pot and all. Garden centers typically supply optimum fall varieties for your geographic region.

3. Don't fear frost. When frost threatens, cover plants with a floating row cover, cold frame or a cloche. Or, you can grow fall veggies in a container and move the pot to a protected location on frosty nights.

Essential, preliminary planning tips for fall vegetable gardens include:

* Before planting any new plant make sure that you clear the area of summer and spring crops planted previously, as they may decay and encourage bacterial infection.

* Spread a few inches of mulch or compost over the area. Make sure that you turn up the soil's top layer and water well. Allow the soil to rest for a day before planting new fall plants.

* During the fall season most areas experience rain and even frost, so make sure that your soil is well drained and doesn't get soggy.

Vegetables best suited for fall gardens:

After following the essential preliminary steps for fall vegetable gardening, it's time to select vegetables for planting. Here's a list of fast-growing, cold-hardy crops that are ideal for fall vegetable gardening:

Winterbor Kale - This nutritious leafy green is a vigorous producer that endures winter easily, even in very cold climates. Cut the outer leaves so that the center can continue growing. Space transplants about 12 inches apart

Georgia Collards - Another leafy green similar to kale, collards offer a larger, stronger, sweet cabbage-like flavor. Leaves taste best when young.  Space transplants 36 inches apart.

Romaine Lettuce - Romaine packs more vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients than other popular types of lettuce. Rich in fiber, vitamin C, and beta-carotene, romaine is an especially good vegetable for heart health. Space transplants 18 inches apart.

Early Dividend Broccoli - Popular, productive and easy to grow, this broccoli is high in fiber and calcium. Set transplants 18 inches apart

Mustard Greens - Offering spicy hot leaves, this is a very fast-growing, nutritious vegetable. Mustard greens always taste sweeter when nipped by frost. Space plants 12 inches apart

Bonnie Hybrid Cabbage - Bonnie's best cabbage. Grows large, round, blue-green heads. Cabbage is especially high in beta-carotene, vitamin C, K and fiber.

Arugula - These fast-growing leafy greens are great for salads or gourmet recipes. This peppery-tasting green is a super food for your bones. The leaves are "nutrient dense" and low in calories. They are especially high in vitamins A, C, and K.

If you put these practices into place this fall, you'll get your garden off to the right start and set it up for a fruitful season. Preparation is key, but the reward is a healthier, more productive garden - and fresh food that tastes better than anything you can buy at the store.

To learn more about vegetable and herb varieties as well as gardening tips, visit www.bonnieplants.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent