Home Design Articles

Trees provide an aire of elegance and functionality that is hard to replicate. However, over time they can succumb to age and insect infestations causing them to die prematurely. Many homeowners make the mistake of ignoring dead trees, to have them fall on their car or against their home during harsh weather. At that point, they wish they had paid the relatively cheap tree removal cost which they were quoted.

Regardless, removing diseased trees is a bit more complicated than removing their healthy counterparts. Although tree removal should always be conducted by a professional, this couldn’t be more applicable to withered trees which are at risk of collapsing at any time. You don’t want to take a stab at cutting down these trees yourself as they may topple over you while you are cutting the trunk, or a limb may give way resulting in injury. If insects have infested the structure of the tree, you may risk spreading them about. The cost of tree removal is well worth it if you want to avoid all of these hassles.

A licensed tree removal contractor can successfully remove diseased trees without causing damage to your property and can contain the spread of any insects which may have come to call the tree home. Many homeowners fail to realize that tree stump removal or grinding cost and root extraction is not included in the standard price for tree removal. These areas can continue to harbor insects and will start to rot with time.

If you don’t feel like spending the extra money to have them removed, you can accomplish the task yourself. You can either rent a stump grinder from a local home improvement store to gradually cut away at the stump, or can use fertilizer to help speed up the rotting process, after which you can remove the stump.

Roots are a different beast altogether. Generally, most people are concerned with removing those that protrude out from the ground. To do this, some digging will be required after which point you can take an axe to the roots. This process can be arduous and take a significant amount of time to complete. It helps if you can recruit friends to aid you.

If you have any damaged concrete slabs as a result of the tree, now might be a good time to repour them. After the existing concrete has been removed, sever any offending roots and prepare the area for a new concrete slab. Paving stones can also be an attractive option that are easier to install and can have an even better aesthetic appeal. Remember to setup a gravel base before installing the stones to ensure a level surface.

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The July, 2010 catalogue from the Pottery Barn presses contains a picture of a tiered plant stand. That Wooden Storage Stand contains a collection of potted plants and gardening essentials. It is a bit smaller than the Large Wooden Storage item, which is pictured on the same page. Still both demonstrate the usefulness of a standing, yet portable storage item.

Both items are made of wood, and both hold potted plants. Still, the catalogue readers should not assume that all plant stands have been fashioned from wood. There are wrought iron and metal hangers that have the ability to hold a flower or cactus. There are similar hanging decorations that were made out of plastic.

Now the materials used in a hanging plant holder can not be too heavy. However, that is not the case with all of the outdoor plant stands. In fact, one inventive man in Southern California has used old tires to make outdoor planters.

That gentleman acquired a large number of old tires in the year 2000, when so many of those rubber wheels were declared “unsafe.” He realized that a lined tire could be used as a planter. Of course, an undecorated tire would not serve as a very attractive outdoor decoration.

Therefore, that enterprising soul set about looking for a way to paint his tires. He finally found something that would stick to the rubber, and would hold up in extremes of the outdoor environment. He showed his creation to a neighboring biologist. That biologist shared information about the recycled tires with a local teacher and architect, both of whom remain active supporters of environmental causes.

Since this man lives on the fringes of Los Angeles, it is probably only a matter of time, before publications, such as the PB catalogue, have pictures of these recycled plant stands. Then their creator might need to figure out how to ship such large items.

Naturally, just about any object can be converted into a worthy plant stand and many people have used all kinds of objects. The more creative people out there are the ones who can turn unwanted juk – such as car tires – into interesting or even beautiful objects that people desire.

The sweet thing about plant stands is that they enable you to display a greater number of pots in an area that would look unsightly if they were placed in a group on the ground. An attractive two tiered plant stand can create a stunning display with pots holding spilling foliage sitting one on top of the other.

Not only that, a plant stand enables you to keep your pots off the ground where they are removed from the pests that can otherwise easily get to them. It also raises your plants up a little higher so that they are easier for you to tend them.

No matter whether your plant stand is a creative work of art or a standard store bought wrought iron frame, they are particularly useful for showing off your plants to their best advantage.

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