Category Archives: Garden Tools & Tips

Do You Have a New Year’s Gardening Resolution?

Cedar Storage Sheds and Garden Sheds

If you’re an avid gardener, I’m willing to bet that you have at least one item on your New Year’s resolutions list related to your gardening plans for the upcoming season.  Whether it’s on your list of resolutions or not, most gardeners I know have one particular item toward the top of their gardening to-do list each year.  Better organization.

Keeping garden tools, supplies, seeds, soils, and other gear conveniently located and easy to access is a tall order when existing storage spaces are already brimming with household tools, sports gear, and other non-garden related items.  Creating one special area dedicated to gardening supplies can be a challenge, so one solution is to add more storage.  

Cedar storage sheds make a useful addition in any backyard.  Unlike standard plastic, resin, or metal sheds, cedar storage sheds are beautiful and natural and never need to be hidden in a remote corner of a yard to avoid being an eye-sore.  Cedar sheds maintain their good looks for years, and they offer an aromatic place to store all of your gardening gear and supplies.

With so many sizes and configurations available, every gardener — from the novice to the expert — can find a cedar storage shed that meets every gardening storage need. 

 

Don’t Let Autumn Leaves Go to Waste

Did you know that upwards of 60 percent of the waste generated by the average U.S. household could be recycled or composted? Unfortunately, only 8 percent of American waste is composted, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. Did you also know that yard waste, such as fallen autumn leaves, makes up nearly 20% of all garbage created every year? When put into landfills, organic matter like food, leaves, and grass trimmings take up a significant amount of space and play a large role in the creation of methane gas, a greenhouse gas that “remains in the atmosphere for approximately 9-15 years…and is over 20 times more effective in trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide” (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency).

Compost BinComposting food and yard wastes is easy, especially when using a purchased compost bin. Building a compost pile on your own is certainly an option, but compost bins on the market come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and often make the process of composting much simpler. No matter how you choose to compost your organic wastes, the advantages of composting are undeniable. Composting helps the environment by reducing greenhouse gases and other air pollutants that would be generated as a result of simply throwing organic wastes into the local landfill or incinerator. Composting also saves money by providing you with free fertilizer for your garden. Finally, compost puts nutrients back into the soil, making your garden soil richer and plants healthier.

New Gardening and Greenhouse Products

There are several new products to aid in fall and winter growing seasons available at BackyardCity! Check out the cool products below and keep your gardening going for many more months!

Greenhouse Heater

  • Greenhouse Heater – This heater provides 5,120 BTU’s of fan forced heat throughout your greenhouse to your plants. It has three settings, a safety tip over switch, automatic reset, & thermal cut-out. It comes with a 6 foot cord to make it easy to position anywhere in your greenhouse.

Grow Deck

  • Grow Deck – A grow deck is like a traditional cold frame, but raised off the ground. They provide the perfect ventilation and protection against the elements. It provides comfortable access for all ages and offers storage underneath for making efficient use of small spaces.

  • Grow Station – Even though the Grow Station is not available until late October, you can pre-order now to beat the high demand. The Grow Station offers a unique combination of a cold frame, a workbench and a storage unit. Put plants at a comfortable working height for potting, and use as a cold frame for starting and protecting precious seedlings. Perfect for storing all of your tools and accessories to keep your patio garden tidy. The sturdy galvanized steel shelves are adjustable for ergonomic placement, and both the lid and doors hinge open for accessibility. Crystal clear SnapGlas panels on the lid and doors allow 90% light transmission.

A Perfect Space for Your Fall Plants

Plant Inn
Greenhouses are great for gardeners looking to continue into fall. Traditional greenhouses, however, can be large and expensive, which prohibits some gardeners from exploring this option. A great new alternative is a plant inn. It will provide a beautiful and functional growing space in your garden or backyard. The sloping lid allows maximum sunlight and rain runoff. The plant inn even features an internal drainage system. The hinged frame and latch have four access and ventilation options: completely open, two ventilation levels, and locked in the closed position. The raised growing beds provide comfortable access for all ages and keeps ground level critters out. The lower panels slide up for additional storage and drainage hose access. You will get maximum growing and storage space in a compact area.

Plant Inn OpenInternal DrainagePlant Inn Closed

Garden Sheds — What’s So Great About Cedar?

Cedar Garden Shed

Why choose a cedar garden shed over a metal or plastic shed? Cedar is an all-weather wood that can withstand decades of harsh weather conditions, including icy winters, wet springs, and hot, sunny summers. It can be stained or painted to complement your existing home decor, and it is naturally resistant to mildew, rot, and insects, making it virtually worry-free. As an added bonus, cedar looks beautiful and smells fantastic. Because of these benefits, cedar is a natural choice for outdoor storage sheds.

Additionally, cedar garden sheds are available with a variety of attractive and helpful features you can’t usually find in the more generic metal or plastic varieties:

  • Functional windows: Fresh air can easily circulate throughout garden sheds, keeping the interior space comfortable;
  • Window boxes: Filled with colorful flowers and plants, window boxes enhance the exterior beauty of garden sheds;
  • Dutch doors: Close the bottom half of the door and open on the top for additional air and light;
  • Double doors: Storing large or awkward pieces of equipment is much easier;Cedar Garden Shed Interior
  • Decorative door hinges and hardware: Dress up the appearance of garden sheds even further;
  • Porches: Turn the entrance of garden sheds into a welcoming spot to relax or share a conversation;
  • Greenhouse windows: Create gardens inside the garden shed.

Cedar garden sheds offer so many possibilities that metal or plastic sheds simply cannot. Cedar brings natural beauty and durability to outdoor storage sheds, allowing them to become an attractive focal point in your backyard rather than an eyesore to be hidden from view.