Your Yard is Habitat-ELY111

2021-07-21T00:43:49-04:00By Ben Hale|Backyard Ideas for Kids, DIY Landscape Design, DIY landscaping, Easy Living Yards Podcast, Ecological Landscaping, Gardening Expert Interview, Living with Purpose, Native Landscaping|

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS

Show Notes – Your Yard is Habitat – Episode 111

Kara Maynard, Deeply Rooted Landscapes

Today I have the pleasure to welcome Kara Maynard of Deeply Rooted Landscapes in Dayton Ohio. We’re chatting about “Your Yard is Habitat” – how your yard can make an impact and why you should care.

Scientists are learning that nature preserves and our fragmented habitats are not enough to support the little critters we love. And without biodiversity, […]

1

ELY 022-I got busted! Property maintenance violations and what to do

2020-07-29T17:28:06-04:00By Ben Hale|DIY landscaping, Easy Living Yards Podcast, Low Maintenance Landscaping|

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS

Show Notes

Today, you get to learn about how I got BUSTED! Getting a property maintenance violation can be frustrating when you are trying to convert to low maintenance landscaping. Here’s what to do.

Our story
Violations can be emotional and stressful
- Frustrating
- Infuriating
- Embarrassing
- Difficult
- Want to retaliate
How to deal with one
- Stay calm
- Always context behind event – try not to use as an excuse
- Investigate source of violation
  - Sometimes a deeper […]

0

ELY 021-Don’t Get Busted! HOAs and Municipal Zoning Regulations

2020-07-29T17:28:38-04:00By Ben Hale|DIY Landscape Design, Easy Living Yards Podcast, Low Maintenance Landscaping|

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS

Show Notes

Today, we talk about how to live in an HOA or municipal zoning area with regulations… without getting busted!

We want to be able to enjoy our low maintenance landscaping without having to work on it all of the time. Here’s how you can have an easy landscape and enjoy it too!

HOA
- Homeowners association
- Regulate appearance and design of properties
Municipal codes
- Codes written to regulate property design
- Setback requirements, easements
How to […]

0

AE 018 – How to save time mowing your lawn

2020-07-29T17:28:05-04:00By Ben Hale|DIY Landscape Design, Easy Living Yards Podcast, Low Maintenance Landscaping|

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS

Show Notes

Today, we talk about how to save time mowing the lawn. From how often should you mow your lawn to how to save time mowing.

Mowing time saving hacks

Mowing – #1 time drain for maintenance
- Inflexible
- Takes away from what’s important
- Weather dependent
- #1 issue with neighbors
Main piece to “keep up with the joneses”
First – How to save 27hrs on yard work
- Really get ninja time savings through habit changes
Three […]

0

AE 013-Healthy Low Maintenance Lawn Care

2021-07-17T22:28:18-04:00By Ben Hale|DIY Landscape Design, Easy Living Yards Podcast, Organic Landscaping|

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS

Show Notes

In this episode, we talk about how to have a healthy lawn and a low maintenance lawn. Is it possible to have a low maintenance lawn that your neighbors envy?

Topics:

Grass: Love/hate relationship
- Aesthetics
- Work
Maintenance
- Mowing/growth
- Feeding
- General grass health
- Weeds
Health
- Chemical residues/exposure
- Exhaust
  - Epa:
    - 17 million gallons of gas
    - 5% US air pollution
    - 600 million gallons used
  - Health
    - Highest heat time
    - High respiration
    - Inhalation
Easy steps to take control of lawn […]

0

AE 010-How to start a new garden bed

2020-07-29T17:27:58-04:00By Ben Hale|DIY Landscape Design, Easy Living Yards Podcast, Landscaping Priorities|

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS

Show Notes

In this episode, we talk about how to start a garden bed project. What you need to do before planting!

Topics:

Overview
- Site selection
- Planning
- Preparation
- Planting
Site selection
- Usually determined by architecture
- If multiple spaces possible
  - Consider environmental features
  - Functional features
    - Access
    - Appeal
    - Value – make it worth it
Planning
- layout
  - Ep 5 – design principles
- plants
  - Ep 6 – planning checklist
  - Coverage
  - layers
- Timing
  - Best times for each phase
- Budget
  - All at […]

0

The Best Ohio Low Maintenance Trees and Shrubs

2020-08-04T11:53:40-04:00By Ben Hale|Low Maintenance Plants, Native Landscaping|

If you live in or close to Ohio, this article is a must read for your tree planting ideas.

Get the expert opinion of low maintenance landscape designers from across Ohio on the top low maintenance trees they use in their designs for front yard landscaping.

Below is a list of easy landscape trees for Ohio, followed by the contact information of these designers .

If you’re looking for front yard design ideas to create a beautiful […]

2

Is Your Yard on Crack?

2021-07-17T22:28:18-04:00By Ben Hale|DIY Landscape Design|

An 8-step program to kick the habit!

Have you noticed it? You wake up one morning and find the cash in your wallet missing. Then you get a call from the lawn guy.

“I need to come by and give you one more treatment. I noticed a few grub spots that we should take care of now before it gets worse”

I thought he did that last fall, you think to yourself.

“Well you know, these things are normal. […]

0

Bring Back that Wild Space!

2020-05-18T12:02:18-04:00By Ben Hale|DIY Landscape Design, Ecological Landscaping, Low Maintenance Landscaping, Low Maintenance Plants, Native Landscaping, Organic Landscaping|

Add a wild space to your landscape, and learn how to murder your lawn

Back when I was a kid, I used to go to ‘Nature Camp’ at the local park every summer. I would come home every day with some creation, be it a bowl made from creek clay or some woodland creature made from bark and leaves. There, we also would get covered in burrs traipsing around the wild meadow trying to catch butterflies […]

0

Stormwater Management in the Suburbs

2021-07-17T22:17:39-04:00By Ben Hale|DIY Landscape Design, Drought Resistant Landscaping, Ecological Landscaping|

What to do with stormwater in your landscape and the greater landscape

So I have an infomercial question for you today.

Do you want to cut your water bill and usage by 50%? Stick around and I’ll show you the no-brainer solution! But wait, there’s more! You’ll get several other bonus tips at no additional fee!

Just ten easy payments….

I’ll stick to blogging.

With all this talk on stormwater, I have broken stormwater management into segments based on geographical […]

0