Home and Garden Diva

You are here: Home / Archives for damage

5 Home Repairs You Must Make Before Next Winter Strikes

by

 Winter has nearly disappeared and it won’t be back for a long time. That means you can concentrate on getting ready for summer. You want your home to be beautiful, but first you have to do something. When the cold weather was here it’s possible it could have damaged your home. Especially if you had lots of snow and heavy storms. It’s better to fix the faults soon so you can forget about them and your home will be safe next winter.

It’s entirely up to you if you want to do it, but just remember if there is damage there it could get a lot worse next winter. If anymore damage is caused it could multiply the price of the repairs. Before you do anything you will obviously need to know what could have gone wrong because you might not be able to see anything from where you’re standing. Here are a few of the big ones you need to have checked so you can put your mind at ease.

Seal your driveway

granite-stone-steps-paving-brick-Atlanta

Go outside and have a look at the ground. You should be looking for any cracks that appear in the driveway. The good news is that cracks don’t mean it’s falling apart, but the bad news is that it needs to be resealed. Think about all that water that would have got into the cracks during winter. Because it was so cold the water would have turned to ice and it makes the cracks worse. If you don’t get them fixed now the cracks will get even bigger next winter and the drive could fall apart.

Fix your roof

tuiles givrées / frosty tiles

The roof must be checked because anything could have happened to it and you would never know. If it’s not rained heavily since winter you would not know if a large section of your roof had been destroyed. If tiles have cracked or fallen out it’s now going to be easy for the rain to get inside and do even more damage. It’s a good idea to get someone out straight away so they can give the roof a once over.

Clean up inside

If anything did happen to your roof you can’t just stick some new tiles on and forget about it. You need to go and look at the damage inside your attic because anything could have happened. Maybe there is a huge puddle of water that needs to be dried up straight away. You don’t want mold growing inside your home and that can happen when there is enough moisture. Take up a huge cloth and make sure all the water is soaked up.

Deal with the fence

all roads lead to home

When the wind is strong enough it’s hard for your fence not to have suffered any damage if it’s old. That isn’t to say the wind would have ripped it out of the ground, but it could have broken it in some places. You must go and check, especially if you have any pets that run around the garden because it’s easier for them to escape. You also want to secure the fence in case it falls down in the future and lands on someone.

Unclog the gutters

DSC01310

You won’t want to do this on your own because the smell will give you nightmares, but all the crap needs to be taken out of the guttering because if it’s not kept clean you will eventually pay the price. It will be full of leaves and everything else that somehow ends up there and it doesn’t let water get away. You might have survived this winter without having it cleaned out, but make sure you don’t get into next winter without them being empty. They could fall down when blocked water freezes up and it becomes very heavy.

Attached Images:

Lance Abraham is an interior designer by profession and is an integral part of the top brass of Baybrook remodeller Inc which is a leading company providing replacement windows in CT.  He has vast knowledge in this field and shares his thoughts with people on his blog.

4 Pests That Damage Ornamental Plants

by

All plants including ornamental plants are subjected to destructive insects. This can be a problem especially if you use ornamental plants inside your home for therapeutic and home décor purposes. The only way to deal with such insects is by learning how to identify them and know which type of treatment can be used against them. Always remember that treating a plant early can save it completely compared to delayed treatment. Here are four common pests that are known to damage ornamental plants inside and outside homes.

Aphids

Aphids are known to feed on rose bushes and ornamental plants by sucking them causing the plant leaves to curl, yellow off and then fall off. These insects are identified by their orange to black bodies measuring between 1/16 and 1/8 inch in length. They can often be found living and feeding underneath the leaves and stems of plants. Since aphids can transmit plant diseases, pest control is essential. The presence of ants must be controlled as they help spread aphids since they feed on the excretion. Treating aphid infested plants is easy with the help of insecticidal soap spray which quickly penetrates their soft bodies.

Mealybugs

Identified as small and soft bodied insects that are white and fuzzy, mealybugs can infest an array of plants, mostly located in warm and humid climates. Once they cover a plant stem and excrete honeydew, they can cause the plant to develop sooty mold which is a fungal disease. This can lead to yellowing leaves and stunted growth. Like other plant pests, controlling the insect will also mean having to control the presence of ants on the plant. You can spray insecticidal soap on the plant to get rid of mealybugs or simply introduce ladybugs to control them.

Scale Insects

There are more than 400 species of scale insects in the United States, but there are only two scale types that these insects feature – soft bodied and armored scales. They can be distinguished by their colors which seem to look like all the colors of the rainbow, and they measure between 1/16 and 1/8 inch. Sometimes identifying these insects can be complicated because their body shapes vary from oval to circular and pear shaped to oblong. They damage plants by feeding on the juice of plants which can lead to a growth halt if the infestation is not treated immediately. In order to treat plants infested with scale insects, ants must be controlled because they can carry scale insects onto plants. Plants can also be sprayed with a combination of insecticidal soap spray and canola oil, until all the insects are killed.

Spider Mites

Indoor and outdoor ornamental plants can be attacked by spider mites. They are related to the spider family and so can be identified by their red, yellow, green or brown bodies and the web weaved onto plants which are more noticeable. Spider mites can cause the leaves of plants to become discolored and flecked to almost burned, that then drop off until the entire plant dies. Though insecticides can be used to control this insect, the use of ladybugs and other natural enemies are considered safe, efficient and eco-friendly.

Citations:
Attached Images:
  •  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://mrg.bz/mxSfcG

Valerie Oliver is a freelance writer specializing in natural pest control methods. She regularly contributes articles to http://www.affordablepest.com where reliable and well experienced professionals can be consulted.

How To Detect Infestations In Your Garden

by



You will often come across pest infestations in your garden, but mostly when the infestation has become severe. In order to save your garden from severe damage from pests, it is important that you are able to detect the early signs of infestations. It is also important that you are informed about the various pest control methods available to you to control and prevent further pest infestations. This way you will be able to maintain your garden healthily. However, it is essential that you seek professional pest control assistance when you are unable to control the infestation in your garden to avoid the pests from invading your home.


How To Detect Infestations

The only way you can detect early infestations is when you observe your garden regularly. Always visit your garden and inspect all your plants. Be sure to inspect the stems and the undersides of the leaves as this is where pest activity usually occurs and where most of the damages can be found. Here are a few tips for you to understand the different signs of pest infestation:

Wilted Plants

When you find wilted, yellow and warped plants or leaves, this is mostly the sign that aphids have fed on the sap of the plants. You can sometimes still find these insects crawling on the plants along with ants trying to protect the aphids as they harvest the honeydew being produced. However, this type of infestation can also bring about black mold, so you can be sure that they are a problem when you discover your plants covered in black and gray spots. Nevertheless, there is a natural form of pest control to help keep aphids away. All you need to do is grow basil, anise, chives and even garlic surrounding other plants to keep aphids away. Otherwise, you can also soak crushed mint leaves or garlic in water, strain and then have the mixture sprayed on the plants.

Silvery Lines And Damaged Crops

Silvery lines around gardens and damaged lettuce crops indicate that you have slugs and snails living in your garden. These pests are a frustration to any gardener, but since there are various ways to control snails and slugs, all you need is patience and determination. You can locate them hiding under rocks and dispose them, create barriers of copper or eggshells, or have a container buried in the ground filled with beer.

Holes In Plant Leaves

Japanese beetles, caterpillars and cabbage loopers are often the cause of holes in plant leaves. Fortunately, they are easy to detect and control. The beetles tend to feed on plants the entire day without caring about being seen, so all you need to do is pluck them off. Cabbage loopers can be identified by looking out for white eggs that are laid on the top side of leaves. Just like beetles, they can easily be plucked off. If you need to get rid of caterpillars, simply place a potted nasturtium nearby.

Dry Plants

Dry plants are also an indication of mites infestations. Mites are small yellow, red or green spiders that can suck plants just like aphids. Since mites have a preference to infest plants in dry conditions, you can get rid of this pest by soaking the plant with water. You can also combine mild soap and water and mist the plant with the mixture.

Valerie Williams is a freelance writer specializing in natural methods of pest control. She regularly contributes articles to PreventivePestControl.com and other pest control websites.

Meta

Tags

basement bed bedroom clean cleaning clutter dog exercise family fitness flowers friends Furniture garden Health help home house husband ideas Kitchen laptop Lighting money Music neighborhood neighbors party plants room Shopping sick skin spring summer tips tired Toronto Travel tv Vacation walking warm winter work

Pages