Karen Gardner

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Stories By Karen Gardner

  • How To Trim Pin Oak Trees

    Pin oaks are cone-shaped oak trees that provide a good source of shade in many urban and suburban neighborhoods. They do have low-growing branches that sometimes need to be trimmed, but trim pin oak trees carefully so as not to introduce disease.

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  • What Are LED Lights Used For?

    LED lights are the now and future of household lighting. These lights are just as versatile as other types of household lighting, but last much longer, making them a sound economical choice.

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  • How To Kill Bitterweed In A Pasture

    Bitterweed is an asterlike flower that grows wild in parts of the South and Southwest. Livestock will typically ignore it because of its bitter taste, but if there is no other forage, sheep are especially likely to eat it, and it can make them sick.

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  • Rose Of Sharon Toxicity

    Rose of Sharon is a shrub with beautiful blooms, but it may be mildly toxic to dogs, cats and horses. It may cause vomiting and diarrhea, but those cases are typically mild. If the illness continues, another toxin is likely involved.

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  • The Best Time To Plant Knock Out Roses

    Knock Out roses are a hardy, disease-resistant variety of rose that bloom from spring to fall. Planting a Knock Out rose in the garden is best in the early spring or fall. Once planted, these roses rarely need deadheading.

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  • The Lifespan Of A Poplar Tree

    Poplar trees typically live about 50 years. A poplar tree is a member of the willow family, and varieties include native Lombardy, hybrid, balsam poplar, cottonwood and aspen trees. Tulip poplar trees are not true poplars, and they live long lives. Aspen and balsam trees also live a century or more.

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  • Purpose Of Soil Classification

    The purpose of soil classification is to help in agriculture, construction, stormwater management, and other land use methods. Good land use management depends on proper soil classification.

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  • Varieties Of Laurel Shrubs

    Mountain laurels and cherry laurels are the most common laurel shrubs grown in the U.S. These shrubs are easy to grow, with mountain laurel best for colder regions and cherry laurels best for warmer regions.

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  • What Is A Gravity Heating System?

    Gravity heating systems were once common in homes built from the late 1800s to the 1950s. These systems direct heated air through ducts and into rooms via vents. The warm air then falls through the air to warm it. However, they waste a lot of heat.

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  • What Is The Correct Way To Deadhead Petunias?

    Petunias do not require deadheading, but deadheading petunias will help the blooms last longer and keep the plants looking well cared for. Petunias are annuals in most of the U.S., providing a continuous show of blooms from spring to fall.

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  • When Are Orchids In Season?

    Orchids are commonly grown as houseplants and might be moved indoors or outdoors, depending on the season. Most orchids bloom in spring, but there are also varieties that bloom in winter, summer and fall. Many varieties flower for two to three months.

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  • Why Mum Blooms Turn Brown

    Mums bloom for much of autumn, but when the blooms are spent, they turn brown. Deadheading spent blooms can help surviving flowers bloom longer. Buds should be pinched in early summer to encourage beautiful fall flowers.

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  • When To Plant Rose Bushes In Zone 8

    Roses bloom in nearly all of the United States, but those in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 8 have the benefit of a long growing season. Roses should be planted before the blooming season, which is as early as January in zone 8.

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  • When To Prune Mountain Laurel

    Mountain laurel grows well in much of the United States, but it grows best in moderate shade. It isn't necessary to prune a mountain laurel, but if the plant becomes leggy or too large, pruning will help shape the plant and prevent disease.

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  • How To Use A Honeywell AC Control

    Programmable thermostats can save the bother of constantly adjusting a home's cool temperature setting. By following the manufacturer's directions on how to use a Honeywell AC control, you can program your thermostat to keep your home at a comfortable setting in warm weather.

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  • How To Flatten An Uneven Backyard

    Flattening an uneven backyard is something that most homeowners can do. Applying a nutritious soil mixture to the lawn and preventing thatch may help prevent future lawn peaks and valleys.

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