I’m Julie Beckwith, capable wife and now blogger. I seek to help homeowners improve their health and life while increasing the value and enjoyment of their home, all within budget. I’m good at numbers and have been the CFO – that’s Chief Family Officer – for the Beckwith family for a number of years now. I love my simple life in retirement and have become passionate about recycling, including reusing and upcycling as well as composting and gardening. This LivingOnThePatio blog is my latest interest after a career in product management for the 5th largest national bank and owner of a successful marketing agency. Today, I’m on a mission to assist homeowners to create and benefit from their own outdoor living space because life happens on the patio!
Gardeners can spend a lot of money on soil. Bagged dirt, whether organic, potting soil or compost isn’t cheap and it’s a little daunting to think you may have to start from scratch every year. But with a little effort, container garden soil can be reused without worry about contaminating your new beds.
First know it’s generally okay to reuse potting soil if whatever you were growing in it was healthy. If you had problems with pest or disease, you will want to sterilize it to avoid infecting new plants. And you are going to need some black garbage bags or black plastic storage bins to reuse your soil.
Step 1: Remove Dead Plantings From This Season
Pull out any dead plants that remained healthy and set aside for your compost heap. Turn over your containers’ dirt on old cardboard boxes that have been flattened, if you can. Remove any roots or leaves by finger combing the soil.
Step 2: Kill Bugs and Pathogens in Your Container Garden Soil
If the plants remained healthy in the container: Place the soil in black plastic bags, tie them tightly and leave them in the sun for 4-6 weeks. The heat builds up inside the bags just enough to kill bugs and pathogens. We leave our bags in the same area we have the containers (which gets the full sun for 6-8 hours daily), to avoid lugging the bags around too much.
If the plants did not remain healthy in the container: It’s been recommended that you sterilize this potting soil in your oven. Place it in an oven-safe pan, cover with foil, and bake it at 180 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Check the soil temperature with a candy or meat thermometer to make sure it stays below 200 degrees, as higher temperatures can release toxins. When it’s done, take the soil out of the oven and keep it covered until it cools.
Alternative Heat Option Microwaving is another option. Moisten the potting soil in quart-size, microwavable containers. Cover them with lids with ventilation holes or loose paper towels to allow steam to escape. Heat at full power for about 90 seconds per two pounds of soil. When it’s done, take the soil out of the microwave and cover up the vent holes until it cools.
While we have not personally tried this method, after cooking the soil, I think I would still place it in garbage bags for a period of time AND keep this soil separate, just in case.
What If Your Container Garden Soil is Contaminated?
If you are reluctant to go through all this trouble to reuse soil that may be ‘contaminated’, you can always use it to fill in your yard holes or level out erosion areas.
Step 3: Replenish Nutrients in Sterilized Soil
Once the soil has been sterilized, you need to replenish the nutrients that may have been lost in the spring/summer plantings. You can add fertilizer or stir in new potting soil, but personally we would recommend using your own composting. Store your renewed potting soil in a clean covered trash can or covered plastic buckets until it’s time to plant again.
Start Planning For Your Next Planting Season
So now you’re in a waiting game. This will give you the time to sit and study your garden area and decide what you’ll do for next season. Will you rearrange your garden? Will you expand your garden? Might you plant something different than you planted last season? While sitting and contemplating your coming-year planting decisions, you might want to enjoy a hot toddy or a cup of cold brew coffee to keep you warm as you muse about how your garden will bloom next spring.
Please Leave a Comment: Container Garden Soil
Leave a comment below and let us know if this information was of value to you or tell us what we missed and can add to this post. Tell us what you may be thinking about for your spring plantings and how you’ll use your renewed soil. We love photos. Add a picture to your comment to let us see your patio/garden area.
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Typically insects find homes anywhere they can, in the ground, under leaves, under rocks, pavers, bricks, any place that provides a safe hiding spot. Insects thrive in rotting wood and leaves, but most of us are not crazy about seeing piles of leaves or wood in our outdoor living spaces. This may mean insects won’t be drawn to our yards or gardens, especially beneficial ones that are good for the garden and eat pests that would otherwise wreck your plants. And that’s where a bug hotel comes in — placing a bug hotel in yards or gardens significantly increases the chance of these hero insects moving in.
What is a Beneficial Insect?
There are three kinds of beneficial insects that are necessary for a garden or yard to flourish:
PollinatorPredatorDecomposer
Pollinators These are the bees, butterflies, moths, or wasps that help collect and spread pollen.
Predators These are ladybugs, praying mantis, lacewings, spiders, and beetles that eat other destructive insects.
Decomposers These include flies, slugs, beetles, ants, and worms which chew up bits of leaves, dead animals, or dead wood.
What is a Bug Hotel?
A bug hotel is an artificial “building” that serves as long-term lodging or a winter hibernation spot for insects. You can hang bug hotels from trees, attach them to fences or stake them to the ground as long as they are near the flower and vegetable gardens. Some bugs prefer full sun, while others like shady spots, so you should consider the kind of insect you want to attract when placing your hotel.
To Buy or DIY Your Bug Hotel
Per the Farmer’s Almanac, beneficial insects have a basic need for water, food, and shelter. By providing these things, your garden will become an inviting home for them. And there’s nothing more inviting than hosting a hotel for the bugs to move into! But whether you buy it, like these from Amazon, Breck’s, and Wind & Weather or make it yourself depends on your inclination and materials you have or can get your hands on. Even if you decide to build your own bug hotel, there are plenty of kits and plans you can use. In fact, we found bug hotels made out of bricks, chicken wire, drain pipes, milk cartons, drawers, palettes, plastic bottles, plant pots, photo frames, popsicle sticks, tires or any combination thereof!
Our DIY Bug Hotel
We had on-hand some old small tires that we were going to use for another project but decided these would work better for the bug hotel. It was simple really – we attached the tires tread-to-tread, using nuts and bolts.
Then, we placed the hotel on some old slate panels and filled it up with different items, using old PVC pipes, paper towel rolls and bamboo stakes from Amazon as well as plastic plant pots to fill the holes.
Fallen tree bark and old broken bricks completed the project and viola! A bug hotel!
How to Use Your Bug Hotel
Your hotel should be out during summer when the wildlife is commonly active and protected against wind and rain during winter. Some experts recommend cleaning out and storing the bug hotel in a garden shed; others however, state that an occupied bug hotel should remain outside. Certainly any materials used to fill your bug hotel such cardboard, dried flowers, twine, burlap may need to be replaced each season.
A bug hotel is a simple, easy, and fun way to bring beneficial bugs to your patio garden area. Make yours unique to your garden theme and repurpose materials that have been hanging around your garden shed and/or shop area just waiting to be used. No doubt, in addition to having bugs help your garden grow strong, you will have an intriguing conversation piece to share with your guests while entertaining with food and drink on your patio. Remember, life happens on the patio.
Please Leave a Comment: Bug Hotel
Leave a comment below and tell us if this information was of value to you or tell us what we missed and can add to this post. Let us know what kind of hotel you built or purchased and how successful you think it has been for your garden. Attach a photo so we can see your bug hotel!
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Or, How I Fell in Love With My County Extension Office
So, for years, whenever we moved to a new area (we were diehard vagabonds) and I wanted to get the lowdown on what and how to garden, I was told to contact the local county extension office.
What is a County Extension Office?
Extension offices are departments located in local counties and universities staffed by university employees and volunteers who are experts in local crops, landscaping, soil, gardening, pests, and more. For example, are your tomatoes sporting weird looking spots on their skin? Call the extension office. Are the leaves of your peppers wilting and withering? Or are roses full of wispy webs? Yes, the extension office can help you.
In our area (Southwestern Virginia), the Extension office website is www.ext.vt.edu or you can call the Master Gardener Help desk at 540 776 7178. To find these offices in other areas or states, you can use this free resource from the Farmer’s Almanac.
Keep Digging to Get the Information You Want
Now, when we first moved to Southwestern Virginia I did check out the extension office website. Unlike other places we’ve lived in however, there did not seem to be the robust library of information and courses for the amateur gardener that I had become accustomed to in other locales. But recently I had a chance to attend a course about Minor Bulbs at our local library and have had my enthusiasm renewed. Let me share with you what I’ve learned.
Minor Bulbs for Your Garden
Minor bulbs are defined as those that are not common or well-known plants that have little or limited hybridization. Because of that, they tend to be less expensive. The plants introduced in this class were placed in the (fun) categories of Bells, Stars, and Firecrackers – the reason for that will be made clear below. Here is summary of part of the information provided in class:
BELLS
STARS
FIRECRACKERS
Fairy Lantern (calochortus venustus)
• 8-24” tall. • Unusual varied color as white-yellow/red-purple. • Full sun/part shade in a well drained location. • Plant in fall, blooms late spring, early summer.
Camassia (camassia cusickii)
• 24-36” tall; native to North America. • Pale blue spikes. • Full sun/part shade that likes damp or moist locations. • Plant in fall, blooms late spring, early summer.
Jack in the Pulpit/ Lords & Ladies (arum italicum)
• 10-12” tall. • Light green flowers in spring followed by red berries. • Full sun/part shade that likes damp or moist locations. • Plant in fall, blooms in spring.
Glory of the Snow (chionodoxa forbesii)
• 5-10” tall; paired w/phlox. • Blue flowers, 5-10 per spike. • Full sun to light shade. • Plant in fall, blooms late winter very early spring.
Incorrectly known as Autumn Crocus (colchicum atumnale)
• 4-6” tall; blooms & leaves toxic. • White to lavender pink. • Full sun to light shade. • Plant mid/late summer, blooms late summer early fall.
Firecracker plant (dichelostemma congestum)
• 18-24” tall • Purple florets in dense ball shaped flower. • Full sun to light shade. • Plant in fall, blooms late spring, early summer.
Winter Aconite (eranthis hyemalis)
• 1-2” flower, 2-8” tall; will self-sow. • Bright yellow; can be invasive. • Full sun to light shade. • Plant in fall, blooms early spring.
Starflower (ipheion uniflorum)
• 2-3” tall; thrives on benign neglect. • White, star shaped flower. • Full sun to part shade. • Plant in late summer/ early fall, blooms late winter/early spring.
Foxtail Lilly (eremurus robustus)
• 24-48” tall. • Soft pink flower spikes. • Full sun. • Plant in fall, blooms early to mid-summer.
Dog tooth Violet (erythronium dens-canis)
• 2” blooms, 6-12” tall; native to North America. • Pink to lavender, pale green leaves w/ colorful mottling. • Light to medium shade. • Plant in fall, blooms mid-spring.
Striped Squill (puschkinia scilloides)
• 6-8”tall; needs woodland/under bushes. • Bluish-white star shaped flowers. • Full sun to part shade • Plant in early fall, blooms early to mid-spring.
Crown Imperial (fritillaria imperialis) large
• 2-4’ tall; requires alkaline soil. • Red to yellow whorls of bell shaped flowers, unusual attractive leaves. • Full sun to part shade. • Plant in early fall, blooms mid-spring.
Snakehead or Checkered Lily (fritillaria meleagris) dwarf
• 12-15” tall; requires alkaline soil. • Bell shaped flower in carried colors, checkered pattern. • Full sun to light shade. • Plant early fall; blooms mid-spring.
Alpine Squill (scilla bifolia)
• 3-6″ tall. • Blue, mauve, pink. • Full sun to part shade. • Plant in summer, blooms late winter to very early spring.
Plant minor bulbs in autumn for a spring surprise!
Where to Find Minor Bulbs
Remember, minor bulbs are not common or well-known plants so you probably will not find them in local or regional garden centers or nurseries. And while no one nursery carries all the bulbs listed here, the following nurseries carry quite a few:
Oh, yes! The whole idea of Bells, Stars and Firecrackers is to add one of each category to your garden. And do know that for each of the plants identified above there or other or similar species that could be substituted and used. You can check that out with the nursery you use to order your bulbs.
Plant in Fall for a Spring Surprise!
So, your autumn planting of minor bulbs will net you a colorful spring surprise. Those winter months will be filled with relaxing and gazing at your garden while enjoying a adult winter beverage all with the anticipation of the burst of color that will greet you as the warm spring sunshine awakens your minor bulbs and you literally see the fruit of your autumn labor. Life happens on the patio, right?
Please Leave a Comment: Minor Bulbs
Leave a comment below and tell us if this information was of value to you or tell us what we missed and can add to this post. And tell us what minor bulbs you decided to plant — Bells, Stars, Firecrackers, or a mix of all of them. When they blossom, add a photo so we can see the beautiful fruits of your labor!
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Fun, Simple Patio Activities to Enjoy Before Summer Ends.
It is hard to believe that schools are starting to be back in session. It seems as though the summer has barely started and that list of activities you wanted to do for fun is still long. Add in honey-do lists and ongoing home maintenance and you may have a recipe for burn out (which isn’t hard in our Virginia heat).
National Relaxation Day
How great is it that we now have a whole day where it is our DUTY to relax! A day where it is okay to sit back and do nothing. Since 1985 we’ve had this day – August 15th – identified as National Relaxation Day. And frankly, we can’t think of any better way to celebrate than by doing relaxing things on – you guessed it – the patio!
So we thought we would present to you ways in which you might want to celebrate and make National Relaxation Day an annual family patio tradition.
Seven Fun, Simple Activities for Relaxing on the Patio
Wake up early and watch the sunrise. While not a morning person, I find that getting up on a cool, dewy summer morning is such a treat I have even set my alarm to catch it.
Listen to all the bird song. Another aspect of being up in the early morning is listening to all the birds and watching them begin their day at the bird bath or at the bird feeders (our More Birds® Elixir Hummingbird Feeder from Plow&Hearth is turning out to be quite the gathering spot for us).
Enjoy popsicles or yogurt bars while you gaze out over the horizon. There is nothing like “homemade” while you sit back and relax. Learn how to make homemade popsicles or yogurt bars below in this post. And don’t worry about drips!
Use your Adirondack chairs to gaze at and create images out of cloud shapes. This works particularly well with adult beverages (like Julie’s Cosmopolitan Cocktail) and if no chairs are available, the grass or a picnic quilt work great too!
Take an afternoon nap outside. One of the best sleeps I’ve ever had was in the gravity chair, but a hammock or a picnic quilt will work just as well. Make sure you use bug spray so you don’t wake up with nasty bites. My personal favorite is NEEM Adios Outdoor Spray.
Camp overnight in your own backyard and sleep outside under the stars. Okay, maybe not sleep out in the open but a Glamping Tent from Sam’s Club is a terrific alternative.
Relax Any Time You Want
Now, here is the best part of this list: you don’t have to wait for National Relaxation Day to do any or all of these things AND you can continue to do these things long past August 15th. You get the idea – spend your day outside, glory in the summer sun, and live on the patio where every day is Friday!
In Praise of Homemade Popsicles and Yogurt Bars
Summer, especially when hot and humid, instills in me a craving for popsicles – So cold! So fun! So refreshing! So homemade!
Yup, I LOVE my homemade popsicles. It brings to mind my childhood summers. My mother refused to buy the manufactured popsicles at the grocery store that were basically 90% water and 10% sugar. She used popsicle molds and juice: apple juice, grape juice, orange juice, thankfully finding a way for me to get that necessary Vitamin C without having to drink OJ with pulp in it (I think it was a sensory thing that I was so repulsed by).
As I got older and started my own family, popsicles became a summer staple. Even today, I find the perfect mold (for me, anyway) and my favorite orange juice is a great little treat that I can enjoy on the patio. And I think it was my love for OJ popsicles that prompted Randy to find a mold for yogurt bars. I really think he intended to use the mold for ice cream bars but they were had too much lactose for my sensitive tummy, so we moved on to yogurt which is easier for me to digest. The best yogurt is Greek that we either purchase with fruit already in it or enhance the plain with our own added flavor selections.
And both are so easy to create, even I can do it.
Homemade Popsicles
The popsicle mold that I like best is the one at IKEA. Fill the popsicle mold with your juice of preference. Orange juice is my favorite but I’ve also tried cranberry, grape, and apple juice. Place the stick in each mold and place the mold tray level in your freezer for several hours. When ready to eat, you may need to run the individual mold briefly under hot tap water to loosen it from the iced juice.
Homemade Yogurt Bars
The yogurt bar mold we like is found at Amazon. Greek yogurt works the best for us but you can try regular yogurt and see how it works for you. Fill each individual mold with yogurt — you may have to scoop it in because it is thick. Place the cover over tray and insert the stick in each mold — sticks were provided with the mold we bought. Place tray level in the freezer for several hours. NOTE: You may need to run a butter knife under some hot water and then around between the yogurt bar and the wall of the mold before you can pull the bar out. Be careful to not puncture the mold.
Now, get relaxing and enjoy either of these two treats (or both) on the patio!
Please Leave a Comment
Let us know if you liked our relaxation suggestions and tell us how you relax on your patio. Did you make the homemade popsicles or yogurt bars? Were they yummy? Please share.
And remember to mark your calendar for next year’s National Relaxation Day, August 15th.
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Sun tea seemed to be all the rage in the 1970s, although it had been invented some 60 years earlier. Some people still insist that sun tea is the only way homemade ice tea should be made. But I have invented an ice tea that I think is WAY BETTER than sun tea. And it happened quite by accident.
The New Way to Make an Excellent Brew!
If you are like me, you drink hot tea that you love. And the more expensive those tea bags are the more reluctant you are to brew one-time and toss them. So I began to save all my once-brewed teabags in a glass jar in the refrigerator. And one day, it happened. I decided to use my jar of used tea bags to brew some iced tea and see what it would taste like. The flavor is best described in one word: WOW! It was fantastic. The ice tea is different every time because the tea bags I save are different based on the hot tea I had enjoyed in the past week or so. No two batches taste the same. I love the variety.
Here’s the recipe and then I’ll provide some tips I’ve learned along the way.
Julie’s Homemade Ice Tea
Here’s the material:
Once-brewed used tea bags — about 24 — saved in a medium size jar (See “Tips” below for the “medium Size” reason)
Take all the tea bags out of the storage jar; twist the strings together so you are creating one bunch of tea bags.
Insert the bunch into the metal pitcher and clip the strings to the side. If the bag has no strings just toss them into the metal pitcher.
Fill a kettle with filtered water and just bring to boil. Pour over the tea bags into the metal pitcher. Allow to brew 3-4 hours on the countertop. Protect your countertop from the heat with a trivet.
When cooled, pour the brew into the glass container you use for your ice tea. Sweeten as preferred although, the flavors are so unique, I don’t taste the need to sweeten at all. Keep refrigerated.
Homemade Ice Tea Tips for Success
Now here are a few things I have learned over the years:
I tried using the saved tea bags for sun tea, but I did not like the results. Again the flavors were not as strong.
I tried – once – to skip the metal pitcher and use the glass jar for initial brewing. Yeah, the water was too hot and it broke the glass. So now it’s a two step process.
I save the tea bags in a medium size olive jar. I found that a smaller jar did not have enough bags; something larger and there were too many bags. I know I need to brew more tea when my jar is full of used tea bags. You may need to experiment with what works best for you.
It’s strange, but I usually have enough used bags to make ice tea, even in the summer time (I love drinking hot tea year-round). Otherwise supplement with fresh bags of your preference.
A refreshing drink — just say “Ahhhhh”
Now you have a refreshing homemade drink to enjoy when the heat of summer makes you parched and it’s just a bit early for adult beverages — like Julie’s Cosmopolitan Cocktail — during happy hour on your patio.
And, if you’re invited to a patio party and asked to bring something to share, you can bottle and label your homemade, handmade concoction, make a pan of Sausage Wonton Cups and seriously impress your host and their guests!
Please leave a comment: Homemade Ice Tea
Tell us how your ice tea turned out and what flavors you used for your mix. Did you modify the recipe? If so, please share.
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It’s easy to daydream about the kind of outdoor living space you want for you and your family. In your daydream you can spend as much money as you want with the best professionals and materials. But then, daydreaming ends and reality hits. And the challenge begins when you have to consider your budget. How much to spend and where to dedicate what money you’ve got is going to depend on what you want to create and how you want to accomplish the work. You need a patio budgeting guide.
The Best Time is Now
If you see yourself staying in a home long-term, now is the time to build your outdoor space. To get started, check out our blog post Why Invest in Your Patio. Some people may delay investing in major outdoor upgrades for 10 or 15 years without considering they’ll have less time to enjoy their investment. Plus, waiting years to make improvements means you’ll ultimately spend more money to get the work done. And the timing of your outdoor project matters — prices for labor and materials historically increase over time, so the cost of improvements are not likely to get any cheaper next year or the year after.
Create a Budget
Once you have read these two blog posts: Why Invest in Your Patio and Outdoor Living Space: Six Ways to Plan and Start, then it’ll be time to figure out your budget. One key factor to remember is to not over improve your outdoor space in relation to the value of your home. Our research showed there were three steps to determine your budget:
Create a budget that is 10-20% of your home’s current value.
How you will access the necessary funds.
List and prioritize each outdoor project you want before you research and solicit estimates.
We have developed the Worksheet – Patio Development Budget and Project Guide to assist you in determining your budget. Get the Worksheet here.
There are some additional things to consider to get to a final budget number, priority list, and project plan, which we identify later in this post.
Home Value Calculation
Here is a home value calculation method that is easy to use if you have access to the Internet. Simply log onto real estate websites such as Zillow.com or realtor.com to find out what your home’s value is and multiply that value by the percentage you wish to spend, which can be 10%, 20% or any number in between — but never more that 20%. This amount becomes your TOTAL budget. Difficulties can arise if the home values listed on the websites are widely different or if your wish list or plan contains many costly items. There are ways to make adjustments so your budget and expectations are realistic — click the link here to see our free handy worksheet.
Finding the Money
There are a variety of ways to fund your patio development. A few ideas are outlined below including the option we chose to accomplish building our top three priorities in creating our outdoor living space, all within our budgeted funds.
Cash Reserve You may be fortunate to have savings that can help fund your patio improvement budget. The personal savings rate reached its highest level in 2020, when it amounted to 16.3 percent of U.S. households. Otherwise, there are other options you may want to consider.
Home Equity In the first quarter of 2022, 44.9 percent of the homes in the United States were considered “equity-rich,” meaning the balance of the loan on the home was 50 percent or less of the estimated market value, according to a new report from Attom, a real estate data analytics firm. This is a nice option in areas that have seen home prices increase substantially. A homeowner can get a home equity loan, cash-out refinance, or a home equity line of credit (HELOC) which is a good option if you’re not sure how much you need or if you want cash as needed over an extended period.
Personal Loan or Credit Card Advance If you have a decent income or credit rating, you’ve probably already received solicitations for borrowing funds. One vendor we have used is Lightstream Loans, an online consumer lender which is part of Truist Bank that offers unsecured, low-interest fixed-rate loans from $5,000 to $100,000 for practically any purpose to good-credit customers. We had a great experience getting a loan from LightStream. If you choose to finance your outdoor improvements through Lightstream, use this link: Refer-a-Friend program and we’ll both get a $50 Amazon gift card when your loan funds.
401(k) Loans A 401(k) loan is borrowing money from your retirement savings account. Depending on what your employer’s plan allows, you could take out as much as 50% of your savings, up to a maximum of $50,000, within a 12-month period. Usually you will pay that borrowed money back, plus interest, within 5 years of taking your loan. It depends on the rules of your 401(k). What’s GREAT is you don’t have to pay taxes and penalties when you take a 401(k) loan. Plus, the interest you pay on the loan goes back into your own retirement plan account! And if you miss a payment or default on your loan from a 401(k), it won’t impact your credit score because defaulted loans are not reported to credit bureaus.
As with anything involving your finances, please check with your personal financial advisor before you make any decisions.
Project List and Priority
This next step is also pretty straightforward: make a list of the outdoor projects you want and assign a percentage of your budget or an amount you have or are willing to spend for it. It’s best to list your projects in order of importance to you. How do you know which project should take priority? Identify the ONE project that will fix your biggest issue. Then, identify your next biggest issue – you get the idea. Consider which features will get the most use or provide the most enjoyment to you. Once you have your list, you can decide how many projects you want to tackle at any given time. Given our experience, we would recommend no more than three major projects at a time. Our patio budgeting guide will help you to make these important decisions and prioritize.
So, now is the time to take your top three projects and begin your research for providers, suppliers and get their estimates. Part of your research is to get recommendations from family, friends and neighbors about the same or similar projects they have undertaken, the issues or problems that arose, and most importantly, how those were resolved. Go to the websites of any professionals you are considering and see if you can find examples of the kind of work you want done. You also will want to explore websites that provide independent reviews and recommendations of these professionals such as Google, Yelp or Angi’s List. This step WILL take time but it will help you spend less money and avoid irritation, frustration and disappointment.
Factors That Influence Cost
It will be important to consider whether this is a project you can DIY or will need a professional to do the work.
The materials used also can make a difference – a fence can be made of wood, plastic or chain link. A patio can be concrete, brick, flagstone, pavers, even crushed shell or sand. You will need to identify what you are trying to achieve and where you might comprise. For example, do you need a fence to keep the kids and dog in your yard or offer you some privacy from your neighbors? Again, there are many ways to make adjustments to make your budget and expectations realistic.
Patience is Your Best Friend!
Taking the time to think through all of the elements of your outdoor space project before you start will make your project so much more fun. It will also help what you want as a finished product come to fruition with limited stress and issues. Proceeding with a well thought-out plan will bring your project to a satisfying, completed patio area in which you will make great memories for years to come. Our patio budgeting guide will help you smooth this process so you get what you want without breaking the bank.
Always remember, every day is Friday in the patio!
Please Leave a Comment: Patio Budgeting Guide
In the comment section below, please tell us if this blog post was of value to you and/or tell us what you plan to do — or have already done — for your outdoor living project. Did you use our patio budgeting guide? Post a photo of your patio in the comment section.
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We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post at no extra cost to you if the affiliate links are utilized to make a purchase. Click this link to see all our disclosures.
Stargazing – the simple act of watching the night sky. It’s an activity you can do no matter your age or location, can be solitary or shared, fosters inspiration, alleviates stress and increases calm . . . and all you need to do is go outside in the evening and look up into the sky.
Stargazing: How to Get Started
While we recommend enjoying this activity on your patio (of course), all you need is a comfortable outside chair (we prefer our Adirondack chairs custom built by our great friends Preston and Pam Bankston) and your own eyes. You may not be able to see the dimmer stars or even the constellations, but planets such as Venus or Jupiter can be visible to the naked eye. Position your back to city lights and turn off lights in your vicinity both indoor and outdoor. Look for a clear view of the horizon, but it’s your choice whether you watch the sky as the suns sets or the moon rises.
Considerations: Stargazing is Best on Crisp, Clear Nights
There are several factors that affect stargazing. Cloud cover is the most common problem. Also conditions like transparency, referring to the clarity in the sky, affect your ability to see stars at night. The stability of the atmosphere also plays a significant role in stargazing: stable atmospheric conditions can lead to a buildup of air pollutants; thunderstorms form when the atmosphere is unstable. The moon also plays a role. The best viewing nights are when the moon is a crescent or in gibbous phase, so it doesn’t pollute the sky with light. Generally, night sky viewing is best on crisp, clear nights versus hot, humid evenings.
Basics: Stargazing Maps and Apps
Maps: It helps to have a sky map or sky guide so you can learn the constellations. A few astronomy magazines have star maps available such as Sky & Telescope (offers an interactive sky map unique to your locale) and Astronomy. Another tool available for purchase is a planisphere or “star wheel” which is a handheld mutilayer cardboard and/or plastic device with a star map and a dial that you turn to match the current date and time.
Apps: Today there are several apps that can enhance the stargazing experience. My favorite stargazing app is Sky Guide from Fifth Star Labs LLC which has a free version available. These apps show the sky from your location at the current time and direction, identifying the stars, planets and constellations available with additional information about their distance and physical characteristics. And all you have to do is open the app on your mobile telephone and point the phone’s camera at something in the sky and the app will tell you what it is — a planet, a star or something else.
Upgrades: Viewing Devices
Once you familiarize yourself with the basics and begin to discover which planets, stars, and constellations are which, you might want to try binoculars. Binoculars are actually recommended by Dr. Richard Tresch Fienberg (who earned his MA and PhD in astronomy at Harvard University) as a better beginner’s tool rather than a telescope. He says “Binoculars are easier to aim, show more of the sky in one ‘gulp,’ and give a right-side-up view.”
“By contrast, telescopes have tiny fields of view, making them hard to aim precisely, and they usually show the sky upside-down or mirror-reversed.” A telescope, however, will provide the clearest, best look at the stars and planets in our galaxy, as well as those in other galaxies, too. There are many choices available at online retailers.
Solitary Benefits: Peaceful Quiet and a Whole Lot of Fun!
While connecting with nature in any form is good for the soul, there is something special about viewing the night sky by yourself or with a friend. There is a peace and a majesty and an awe that provides serenity as you pause and stargaze. It can be the perfect time to disconnect from the hectic pace, stress and screen time so prevalent in our lives. We prefer our Adirondack chairs for night sky viewing not only because the angle allows you to look up without straining your neck but also has the perfect arm for eating that nighttime cocktail – a Hot Toddy on a chilly night or on a warm summer evening, a Cosmopolitan! Really though, a comfy chaise lounge, hammock, or that old comforter you’ve delegated for “patio use” also works perfectly for stargazing.
Entertain by Having a Star Party on the Patio
While stargazing can be a quiet time with yourself, sometimes it’s fun if others join you. A star party can be a simple affair – invite your friends, bring out the binoculars or telescopes, and look toward the stars together. Think of it as a chance to reconnect with your universe – both earthly and celestial – without ever leaving your patio.
Please Leave a Comment: Stargazing
We hope you have fun stargazing on your patio. Please leave a comment below and tell us how you liked this post . . . or not, and share some of your stargazing experiences.
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The COVID 19 lockdown led many people – us included – to rethink how to make use of ALL their space, indoors and outdoors. If you are one of the fortunate, you can take the (sizeable) funds you have, hand them over to a landscape architect and be surprised (hopefully pleasantly) when your project is finished. But if you are like the rest of us, you need to do a bit more research, prepping and planning to get the outdoor living space you want with your available budget. So where to start? How to begin?
Gain Perspective: Patio vs Garden
Now, most of us have an idea about how to design, organize and decorate a room, basically because all of the elements already there – the walls, ceiling, doors, windows, floors, etc. But when we design an outdoor space, most of us are starting from scratch, usually with no frame of reference or experience. That’s why you need to put your yard into perspective: you are not just getting a patio, you are ‘designing’ an outdoor space, one that includes HARDSCAPES (things like patios, fences, sheds, walkways, etc.) and as well as SOFTSCAPES (things that grow, like flowers, shrubs and trees). Basically softscape are the living garden plants and hardscape are the stones, cement, pavers. Look at your entire yard as an outdoor living space that needs both hardscape and softscape to function well together. How do you start to do that?
Entertained While Getting Ideas
What was one of the most ubiquitous activities universally engaged in under COVID? Binge watching! But rather than watch the Tiger King, I binged on garden TV shows, such as Garden Rescue from the UK or from Canada, Backyard Builds. Both these shows are illuminating but for different reasons: Backyard Builds usually have large budgets and Garden Rescue create spectacular patios and yards on smaller budgets. They are helpful in various ways – how designs can be so different, bringing realistic expectations to the process, identifying costs for hardscape and plants, and of course, creative ideas. There are more garden shows that are popping up all the time now that can help you gain perspective and ideas.
Getting Ideas from Local Gardens
Another avenue to explore are actual pubic gardens in the area. In our area, The Wildflower Garden at Mill Mountain Park had recently been renovated. The other was the Hahn Horticulture Garden on the Virginia Tech Campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. What a great experience to see an actual outdoor living space that include many of the features you may want in your space.
Tap Into the Local Knowledge Base
The Wildflower Garden has the Mill Mountain Garden Club, a 100-member, all volunteer organization, having the mission of promoting and protecting the natural beauty of the Roanoke Valley and the surrounding area behind it. The Hahn Horticulture Garden was established in 1984 by horticulture faculty and serves Virginia Tech students and the surrounding community as a hands-on learning resource for plants, landscaping concepts and environmental awareness. Explore ways you can tap into that wealth of knowledge and experience that may exist in your area – join the club, volunteer and keep your eyes and ears open for all the knowledge that will come your way.
Utilize a Familiar Resource
Our local library had numerous books available and I used them to familiarize myself with the process of landscape design and analysis. In many cases, I found that the books were often a way to showcase a particular professional design or style – and there were LOTS of choices. Here are two I checked out: 1) The Wellness Garden: Grow, Eat, And Walk Your Way to Better Health by Shawna Coronado (truly amazing information about a wellness journey we hope to follow one day). Also available at Amazon. 2) The Essential Garden Design Workbook 2004 By Rosemary Alexander (geared toward the professional landscaper/gardener). Also available at Amazon. There are tons of other books and resources available at your local library.
Asking the Right Questions
After seeing the shows, the gardens and the books, nail down what you want. Most importantly, determine your budget and what your space will look like when it’s all finished. We suggest you follow our lead: one day, we took our bistro table with some wine and Sausage Wonton Cups, set it up in the yard and began to talk – what’s important in OUR outdoor living space? What’s a realistic budget for us? (prioritize your wants in relation to your budget realizing you won’t get all your “wants” in phase one of your patio project. How much work do we personally want to handle? We asked ourselves a lot more questions. And we also walked around the yard – A LOT. You may want to do the same.
The ‘Winning’ Design for your Outdoor Living Space
We actually followed the process outlined here. We thought of this process as our personal ideation exercise (remember those?). And that helped us create a worksheet that we used to talk with a landscape designer, hardscape providers, and to determine what we could DIY. It’s not a how-to plan doc, but a very useful tool in helping you to determine your realistic needs and wants in creating your desired outdoor space that fits your budget. Get this five-page worksheet: Getting Started — Research, Prep and Design here.
Six-Tips Summary for Your Outdoor Living Space
Look at your entire yard as an outdoor living space that needs both hardscape and softscape to function well.
Watch available TV garden shows that will help entertain and educate on costs, process, and ideas.
Visit local gardens to see an actual outdoor space that include features you may want in your space.
Research landscape design, style, how-to, etc at your local library.
Ask and answer questions about your priorities for your outdoor space
Utilize the LivingOnThePatio worksheet to help you plan the development of your outdoor living space. In completing this worksheet you will detail your current outdoor situation and what you’d like your future outdoor living space to include. It will generate discussion, help to prioritize elements, and help you decide what dollar amounts to dedicate to each element in relation to your project budget. Get the worksheet here.
With a little advanced planning you can have a fun outdoor living space without spending tens of thousands of dollars. We’d love to share more of our experiences with you to help you start living on your patio.
Please Leave a Comment: Outdoor Living Space
Did you find this blog post helpful? What’s missing that you wanted answered? What research have you done to-date or that you did before starting your completed project? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
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I love spring! No matter how long or short our Virginia winters are, I really look forward to spending more time outside, on the patio. There seems to be some urge to bask in sunshine, plant that garden, put your feet up outside and invite friends over for the grilling — for entertaining on the patio.
It takes some planning to ensure a fun and successful gathering, though, to make sure all enjoy themselves. Entertaining on the patio is MORE than just buying lawn furniture or accessories. It’s about creating a space that family and friends will want to hang out in. There are a million ideas out there about ways to decorate a patio or backyard, but few resources on how to PREPARE your space and PLAN your occasion. And as the hosts, you’ll want to enjoy yourselves, too.
So here are 4 Top Tips to PREPARE your patio for a spring and summer of entertaining!
4 Top Tips to PREPARE for Entertaining on the Patio
Inspect:
Identify maintenance issues and repair damage to your patio, yard, furniture and equipment before your first party. Starting around mid-to late March, start walking your patio, around your yard, opening up the tool shed and turning over the furniture. This is especially important if you have stored furniture, yard art, etc. as you never know what critters may have taken up residence inside your shed and underneath your chairs. I once found not one but TWO black widow spiders under our Adirondack stools (yikes!).
List:
Make a list of all the cleaning, maintenance, repairs and additions you may need, and prioritize: decide what gets done based on timing (the wedding reception in April), weather (re-stain the deck after spring rains), cost (retire ALL the rusted out lawn chairs), or urgency (rotten boards need to be replaced for safety). Keep this list with you and share it with the family and friends – everyone can be on the lookout for those replacement lawn chairs at garage sales, or snag the deck stain on-sale at the local hardware store. Begin early to help spread out the time and effort for repairs and cleaning.
Clean:
While one of the joys of entertaining outdoors is that spills and messes can be hosed away, you want to wash away winter debris. Use a stiff outdoor broom to sweep away as much dirt as possible, and sometimes that’s all you need to do. If not, now’s the time to get out the water hose and wash down the surface. If you need a soap, I found that Shaklee’s Basic H2 is a great safe product that lifts up grease and grime. Click here to go to Shaklee.com then search “Basic H2”. Or, evaluate the need for a pressure wash.
Maintain or Repair:
Extend the proper care and maintenance on yard surfaces and furniture. Take steps necessary to repair and replace rotting pieces, loose rails, warping, etc.; stain and seal the wood deck; clean and oil the wood furniture; seal the concrete patio; paint the wrought iron: add gravel to bare spots in patios or paths or mulch to the beds. Be honest about what you can DIY and what will require a professional. The lifespan of your stuff can and will be extended with proper care and maintenance.
4 Top Tips to PLAN for Entertaining on the Patio
Consider:
This may sound obvious, but take some time and assess what kind of entertaining you want to have and what your patio or yard can accommodate. Often times, outdoor gatherings fail when the hosts aren’t realistic about the limitations of their space – you cannot have a pool party without a pool, obviously, but you have to think about all your events: a BBQ for 20 will not work when there is only seating for 6. Then you can decide what to scale up – your furniture – or scale back – your expectations.
Arrange:
With what you have, create your outdoor space and define an outdoor room. Some chairs and side tables are the ideal setting for drinks and appetizers. Or place lounge chairs around the fire pit for hot toddys and S’mores. Arranging now will help you see what needs to be upgraded — to go from drinks and appetizers to a casual dinner may need a dining table. Adding pillows make the lounge chairs more comfortable. Or a proper shade will prevent overheated guests. You will want to encourage your guests to slowdown, mingle, and enjoy themselves.
Basics:
No matter what the reason for your entertaining, there is certain décor that needs to be on hand to make it comfortable for your guests – seating, of course but also, serving ware (don’t stress about matching the dish ware), utensils and linens (or get creative with disposables). Take the time of day and weather into account – shade for afternoon gatherings as well as sunscreen, and cover for rain is essential. Also figure out how you will keep the bugs from attacking your guests – either retreat to behind a screen, have bug spray on hand (my personal favorite is NEEM Adios Outdoor Spray, or the frontline defense of containers with plants that repel the mosquitoes. A trash can should be available discreetly and make sure your guests know the way to the bathroom.
Mood:
It will help your planning if you think about a particular theme or activity for your party with everything from the decorations to the playlist. There are simple ways you can use to set the mood – think of the tone that you set when you encourage your guests to serve themselves vs plates delivered via ‘wait’ staff! Also use additional items to help create your mood — with your lighting like some cool strings lights, an outdoor drink cart, even the deserts you serve — maybe easy homemade chocolate ice cream or homemade peanut brittle crunch ice cream. Supper yum!
Please Leave a Comment
Please share your comments in the area below. What are your annual preparations for patio entertaining? What schedule do you follow? Which party planning resource do you like best?
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My passion for composting started in 1985 when living in a semi-arid high desert (AKA Colorado) rendered the yard we had a clay wasteland where even weeds struggled to grow. It was the first yard I had after growing up in Florida, where things seemed to grow out of thin but humid air – including bugs. Little did I know that that house I grew up in had been under the previous tender care of a retired gardener who, if not a practitioner of garden design, had at least the sense to add dirt and fertilizer to the sandy soil so prevalent in Florida. As a child I had not been privy to the proper workings of the garden ever since, in imitation of the grass stalks some kids would chew on, I had grabbed an elephant ear bud and stuck it between my lips (which then proceeded to double in size and turn purple, the plant being toxic).
After living with and loving our flower pots from all those years of apartment living, I was now confronted with a corner lot that looked like the poster child for drought. I did not know how I was going to fix this without spending a fortune: and we had spent our extra funds renovating our cute 1926 French Tudor house.
The Background to Composting
Fortunately, and perhaps presciently, Denver was going through a severe drought in the early 1980s and water was being rationed at that time. That’s when Xeriscaping first began appearing in landscaping circles, the idea revolved around using as little water as possible and still maintain interesting and attractive landscapes. If I recall correctly, the city’s Water Department began to educate the public about water-conscious landscapes, which was right up our alley. How does Xeriscaping connect to composting? Because number two of the seven principles of Xeriscaping is improving the quality of your soil. And you do that by composting.
What is Composting?
In any case, not sure the source, but I remember getting a simple little booklet all about composting.
I was fascinated! Remember learning about the Roman historian Cato the Elder’s 160 BCE piece De Agri Cultura in world history class? Composting! Remember learning about ‘Night Soil’ and why was it so hugely important in Asia? Composting! Remember the story of the Pilgrims getting help from the Native Americans who planted their corn with fish heads? Composting! So composting is really just adding some organic material to soil to help plants grow. It’s like store bought fertilizer but it’s something that ordinary people can create using kitchen scraps and leaves and paper. All that’s needed are four ingredients – browns, greens, water and air.
The Official Science of Composting
So why was composting number two in Xeriscaping principles? According to the EPA there are quite a number of reasons:
Compost adds nutrients to the soil, introduces valuable organisms to the soil, including microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and protozoa, which decompose organic material, promoting higher yields of agricultural crops.
Compost recycles kitchen and yard waste, helping consumers in many cities to reduce their waste management costs as well as reducing the need to buy fertilizers for gardens and yards
Composting reduces landfill waste. Organic waste in landfills generates methane, a potent greenhouse gas. By composting wasted food and other organics, methane emissions are significantly reduced.
Compost retains a large volume of water, thus helping to prevent or reduce erosion, reduce runoff, and establish vegetation. Compost even can help aid reforestation, wetlands restoration, and habitat revitalization efforts by improving contaminated, compacted, and marginal soils.
Compost improves downstream water quality by retaining pollutants such as heavy metals, nitrogen, phosphorus, oil and grease, fuels, herbicides, and pesticides (not that you’d want that stuff in your yard either).
The REAL Benefits of Composting
This is all scientific speak for:
Getting bigger, better tasting vegetables because there are vitamins and minerals in the compost for the plants to grow – yes, just like you need your daily vitamin, so do plants.
You don’t have to spend money on fertilizers anymore. Actually that’s what compost pretty much is – natural fertilizers instead of the chemical ones you get at the store. What’s more, some garbage services charge by volume so by composting your kitchen scraps and leaves, you can save money.
Just a few decades ago, every town had its own municipal dump. That’s not true today. Based on data collected by Waste Business Journal, over the next five years, total landfill capacity in the U.S. is forecast to decrease by more than 15%. This means that by 2021 only 15 years of landfill capacity will remain. Composting can help reduce the volume of our garbage and give us more time to figure out a solution.
Ever see a mudslide in the news? Mudslides occur when a large amount of rain causes water to “liquefy” the soil and move it downhill. Vegetation is a great defense against mudslides. Yup, healthy, well maintained plants and trees have roots that pretty much anchor soil and rocks in place so they don’t easily move. And what helps a plant to be healthy? Compost!
How to Start Composting
There are MANY ways to get started composting – you can get a bucket, make a bin, buy a tumbler or simply start a pile in your yard. Much of what you do will depend on the size of your yard, your annual or future plantings and how much waste you generate. There are MANY resources you can read. Here are basic guidelines on how to start composting:
Choose a bin A kitchen-top compost caddy is a good place to start. The one we chose from Amazon was the LALASTAR Food Waste Bin. Use this or any food-caddy-style model to empty your food scraps into a larger bin in the garden.
Pick a location Place the bin in a sunny spot on bare soil where you can easily add ingredients and remove compost.
Add materials A mix of greens and browns is ideal, and use twice as much brown material as green.. Greens include food scraps, coffee grounds, and grass clippings, while browns include dead leaves, branches, and paper (think greens as moist and browns as dry). You can also add teabags, toilet paper tubes, cereal boxes, and eggshells. Don’t compost cooked food, meat, or fish.
Turn the compost Regularly turning the compost pile helps distribute oxygen and moisture, which speeds up the composting process.
Insulate In the winter, insulate the compost pile to prevent it from freezing and stopping decomposition. You can surround the bin with bags of leaves or straw bales, or line the inside with leaves, sawdust, or woodchips.
Wait for it to be ready It can take months for compost to be ready to use, so it’s best to start your compost in the fall for spring/summer planting.. Compost is ready when it’s crumbly and dark, with a fresh, earthy smell.
Use the compost You can use compost to enrich vegetable patches, borders, patio containers, and lawns.
Our Composting Experience
We have the LALASTAR Food Waste Bin under the sink to collect all our greens – fruit & veggie scraps, coffee grounds, teabags, eggshells (although I store eggshells in separate jars because I use them for lots of things). Our browns consist of newspaper, leaves, cut grass, even shredded or cut up brown cardboard boxes (brown boxes without printing or the tape and labels) – very useful information. I have both a tumbler for faster, concentrated compost and a pile bounded by our old fence gates. The compost pile is where the cardboard boxes end – the best practice we have arrived at is shredding them into little pieces using the Bonsaii Paper Shredder. Check out our post: Cardboard Composting Increases Soil Quality to learn about cardboard shredding. Piles, also called cold composting, will take a long time to break down, so we start our piles in the Fall well before our spring plantings.
If you want a vegetable or herb garden, plants, trees, shrubs, flowers, vines, etc. start composting. It’s the one thing about gardening you can’t mess up: as I learned from my little booklet, 35+ years ago and has held true all these years . . . Compost Happens!
Our LivingOnThePatio Starter Kit includes a worksheet for instructions on building an outdoor compost pile (heap). Get it here.
Update: When Bees Build a Nest in Your Compost Pile
So, it’s now late-summer of 2024. Earlier in the planting season we learned about an interesting issue with compost heaps that you’ll want to know about. Apparently, because of the warm, moist center of the compost heap as the scraps breakdown, this environment is very appealing to bees. I don’t know what kind of bees except that they are the kind who get angry when disturbed and like to sting to express their dissatisfaction at being disturbed. And there are a lot of them!
Imagine my surprise when I stuck a shovel into our compost heap to turn the top layer over and get some rich dirt from the bottom layer and out swarmed a plethora of bees (plethora being defined as “an excessive quantity”). So, the issue became, how to get rid of the bees without killing them. And my extensive research identified that one of the most offensive odors to bees is garlic. Yes, garlic. I found this site for instructions on how to prepare your garlic repellent for bees: Making Garlic Spray.
I went to Harbor Freight and bought a pump sprayer for this task. It took me two heavy applications on our compost heap with a week in between applications, but within a few days after the second application I dug through the compost heap and the bees were all gone. Apparently they hate the aroma of garlic so much that they just pack up and move. And I was happy that they did.
Enjoy the Fruit of Your Labor
So, once you get some rich compost into your garden and your garden blossoms with flowers or fruits or vegetables you can slip out to the patio with an adult beverage and a snack to admire what you’ve planted and watch it grow! And remember, every day is Friday on the Patio.
Why Composting is Important FAQs
Is it worth it to compost?
Composting reduces waste, makes us less dependent on landfills, and decreases greenhouse gas emissions. Every day, the average American generates roughly four and a half pounds of waste – that’s about 1,600 pounds per year per person.
Why is composting so good for the environment?
Proper composting of the organic waste we generate in our daily lives – inedible or unused food – can reduce the dependence on chemical fertilizers, help recover soil fertility, and improve water retention and the delivery of nutrients to plants.
What happens if we don’t compost?
Today, Americans compost about 6 percent of kitchen scraps. The rest ends up mainly in landfills where it rots, generating methane, a greenhouse gas 80 times more potent in the short term than carbon dioxide.
Why do people not want to compost?
The most common reasons for not composting were the size of their garden, not enough waste and compost being smelly.
Please Leave a Comment
What do you think? Please leave your comments below. Let us know your composting ideas. Do you have a compost heap or do you compost in a container? What do you use your compost for? Post a photo of your compost set-up.
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