Backyard patio with fireplace and pergola

(ARA) – The warmer months provide numerous opportunities for hosting outdoor events: birthday parties, Father’s Day barbecues, graduation celebrations, backyard campouts, weddings or a gathering for watching fireworks on the Fourth of July – the list is endless. 

The key is planning ahead so the landscaping, patios and porches are ready for any backyard bash – then just a few quick touches will create the party atmosphere. Here are some easy tips you can use on your grass, gardens, balconies and patios this summer to help get them ready for entertaining:

•  Pruning – Dead branches on trees and bushes can be removed at any time of year. Early in the season, take some time to remove any dead materials, which will not only enhance the look of your landscaping, but also give trees and bushes a chance to grow and fill in around the removed branches. Be careful, and do not prune branches on flowering shrubs. 
• Planting – Visit a local greenhouse or nursery and select several colorful flower varieties. Many annual flowering plants like pansies, marigolds and impatiens require minimal care and add a beautiful pop of color to the scenery. Outline the fence of an outdoor space with flowerbeds or try hanging flowering boxes off the side of fences and rails. Adorn the porch or walkway with pots overflowing with color. Even if the only outdoor area is a stoop, balcony or patio, think of the area as a mini-entertainment space: Try adding hanging baskets, table top gardens or grouping a few containers together to create mini gardens in a sunny corner. Don’t forget – all plants need to be fed to thrive. Make feeding part of the routine by using Miracle-Gro LiquaFeed. Attach the LiquaFeed Feeder to your garden hose, insert the refill bottle, and spray to instantly feed while you water. Feed every seven to 14 days. This will ensure plants stay looking their best all season long.
• Mulching – For a nice, finished look, layer your flowerbeds and container gardens with Nature Scapes Advanced Mulch. A 3-inch layer naturally prevents weeds by blocking growth and access to sunlight. Nature Scapes also has a one-year color guarantee, helps prevent water run-off and channels the water evenly to the roots of the plants. Mulch can save time and energy by preventing weeds from growing in your flowerbeds.
• Feed the grass - No matter how beautiful your trees, bushes and flowerbeds are, if your grass isn’t thick, green and comfortable for bare feet, your outdoor space could use a touch more help. Feed your lawn with Scotts Green Max Lawn Fertilizer which combines iron with fertilizer to give your grass good nutrients and greening power. And it’s guaranteed to not burn your lawn. Apply a couple of weeks early to ensure you have the perfect grass suitable for bare feet dashing through a sprinkler at a birthday party or for a blanket picnic on Fourth of July weekend.
• Furniture – As you’re planning your party, determine what kind of backyard furniture you may need for your guests. Do you have enough patio and lawn furniture, or will you need to rent chairs? You can also ask your neighbors or friends if they have decorative deck benches you can borrow and mix into your flowerbeds to keep the beauty of your landscaping intact for the party. Your old furniture can be refreshed and repurposed too. A nice coat of paint can perk up the old and make it feel new again. New pillows can add a splash of color to the party scene while increasing the comfort level as well.
• Light the way - Never underestimate outdoor lighting. No need to spend a lot of money to achieve a well-lit entertaining space either. A great party atmosphere can be easily accomplished by the use of a few candles in jars placed on the tables, some decorative solar lights staked into flower pots or a string of twinkle lights woven into the branches of trees. Lighting sets the mood and can accent your beautiful lawn, garden or balcony with minimal effort creating a memorable experience for guests.

With just a little effort, you can have the backyard your friends and neighbors envy, and your parties will be relished for many years to come. 

Mother and daugher enjoy harvesting bell peppers

(ARA) – Vegetable and herb gardening is in and studies indicate it will continue to grow in popularity. If you’re not growing your own yet it’s time to start. Why? The reasons are as varied as the people who garden. 

Some do it to save money. Others want to ensure their food is chemical-free, and as safe as possible. Still others grow their own vegetables because fresher is just better. Many do it because gardening is good for you and some because it’s still fun to play in the dirt. 

Whatever your reason for opting to join the 7 million Americans who grabbed their gardening gear and grew their own vegetables and herbs last year, your road to success is basically the same as everyone else’s – planting at the right time, making sure your soil’s in shape, weeding and watering responsibly, and feeding and nurturing your plants. This season, you won’t have to buy your fresh herbs and vegetables from a farmer’s market; you can grow them on your own, and you don’t need a farm-sized backyard – or pocketbook – to do it. 

Avid gardener Stan Cope, president of Bonnie Plants, the largest producer of vegetable and herb plants in North America, growing locally in 75 locations nationwide, offers some time-saving tips to make the growing easy: 

* Survey your soil – Your first step is to decide where you’ll put your vegetable and herb garden. Good soil is key. The best soil is loam, a soft, dark, crumbly dirt. Loamy soil holds water, allows for drainage and is easy to dig. If you encounter clay or sandy soil, add peat moss and bone meal so that these soils can also be productive gardening bases. 

* Size up your space – When plotting out the size of your garden, you’ll want to be sure it’s big enough to yield a good harvest to make your efforts worthwhile. But if you’re limited on yard space – or have none at all – you can grow vegetables and herbs in containers on a deck, terrace, balcony or even on the windowsill. 

* Let the sunshine in – Your plants need plenty of sun – at least six hours a day. A sunny and open location is your best bet for producing a plentiful harvest. 

* Pick your plants for your plot – Grow vegetables that are expensive to buy in the grocery store or at the farmer’s market, such as tomatoes and peppers. 

A tried-and-true prolific producer, the Bonnie Original Tomato, was developed exclusively for Bonnie Plants in 1967. They come in environmentally friendly, biodegradable pots that you plant right into the soil. Recent trials, planting five of these tomato plants in 25-gallon containers, averaged 100 tomatoes each at an average of 37 pounds per plant. Another tomato that will tip the scales is Bonnie’s Sun Sugar tomato, a yellow cherry type. Trial garden plants averaged 1,228 tomatoes each. 

If peppers are your passion, the Yummy Bell Pepper, ripening from green to apricot orange, is a best bet. Trial garden testing of five plants averaged 248 peppers per plant during the summer growing season.  

* Time-saving transplants – When you’re ready to begin planting, opt for transplants – seedlings that have already been started – rather than starting from seed. Transplants will buy you lots of time because plants are six weeks or older when you put them in the ground, and you’ll begin harvesting much sooner. 

* Feed your food – Your vegetable plants will need food and water to survive and grow. When feeding plants, try to avoid chemical fertilizers that could potentially seep into groundwater. Bonnie Plant Food is a unique, organically based, soybean oilseed extract formula that has demonstrated superior results in the health and vigor of plants. 

Give your garden a good watering once or twice a week, although some crops may need more water, especially if your climate is very hot. A thorough soaking, allowing the water to penetrate 4 to 6 inches into the soil, is better for plants than frequent shallow watering. 

Gardening is rewarding. It will bring great pleasure as you bring your produce from plot to plate so you can literally enjoy the fruits of your labor. For more information on varieties and gardening advice, visit www.bonnieplants.com.