| Oct. 4, 2011 |
Now that the warmer weather is starting to fade, outdoor kitchens and outdoor fireplaces and fire pits are being used more than swimming pools. Consider adding a fire pit or fireplace to your backyard to extend your backyard season for relaxing with friends and family outdoors in comfort. Our new book, Outdoor Fireplaces and Fire Pits (right) will show you how to choose the right fire feature for your yard.
What To Do In The Garden In Autumn
Here in Southern California we are having a terrible time
right now with whiteflies, psyllids, scale, lacewing and other voracious insects
that are attacking crops, and citrus trees. 
Fall and winter are the best times to apply a non-toxic
horticultural oil on your backyards plants and trees and shrubs. Oils smother the insects without leaving a
toxic residue so your fruit and citrus is still safe to eat. Apply with a standard hose end sprayer. Always read the label carefully before
applying any pesticide. Do not apply
horticultural oils in hot weather because it can fry your leaves!
Plant trees and shrubs in Autumn to give them time to establish a good root system before the heat of summer.
Hard prune your trees and
shrubs. Cut back flowering shrubs by as much as 50% to encourage new blooms on
new growth next spring. Lace prune (thin
out) larger trees to allow wind to blow through.
Time to spot seed Fescue (Marathon) lawns:
Learn how to repair lawns damaged from foot
traffic, dog pee spots, insect or fungus activity in the excerpt below from Petscaping(TM) ©2011, the newest book by Scott Cohen and Carolyn Doherty, coming to Amazon.com and your local bookstore in November.
Burn spot solutions
- how to properly spot seed a pee-pee spot
Repairing a dog
pee-pee spot in 4 easy steps;
- Leach out the salts (urea) by flooding
the area with water. If you have clay soils and the water just sits on top, try
adding a couple of drops of mild dishwashing liquid to a bucket of water and
pour it slowly over the spot. The little bit of added soap acts as a wetting
agent and will break the surface tension of water and help it soak deep into
the soil.
- Remove any dead turf and scarify
(rough up) the soil to expose raw earth.
- Apply one handful of seed and work it
into the top 1/4 inch of soil.
- Topdress the seed bed with mulch or
loose, rich soil.
Most turf seeds
take 7-10 days to germinate during growing season and need to be kept moist
during this period. Expect to water 2-3 times per day for 7-10 days to ensure
good seed germination. If you are seeding during a cooler time of year,
use a little manure in your topdressing to add warmth and speed germination.
New Books by Scott Cohen
|
|
The goals of this book are to provide information, tips and expertise on creating a fun, beautiful, safe, and stimulating backyard environment for pets and their families, and to provide down to earth expert advice and dog training tips and address pet behavioral issues in the backyard.
Please visit our web site for more information. |
 |
Patio Covers, Pergolas, and Pavilions
No outdoor room is complete without a bit of shelter for
shade, privacy, and aesthetic appeal. Scott Cohen's newest book features 150
pages of gorgeous color photography and expert guidance to help you design a
beautiful, functional structure for your backyard oasis.
|
|
|
Coming Soon!
We currently have 11 projects underway. Check out our Coming Soon page to see photos and perspective drawings.
|
|
|
|
 Outdoor Fireplaces and Fire Pits
From romantic stone fireplaces to crowd-pleasing fire
circles to dramatic fire bowls, torches and troughs, you'll find what you need
to create dazzling nighttime displays in this essential volume for homeowners,
outdoor designers and builders.
|
 Packed with original drawings featuring some of Cohen's most inspired work, this resource includes detailed designs for over 60 hardworking, high-appeal outdoor kitchens. Contractors and homeowners alike will find brilliant ideas and all the specifics they need to actually bring them to life. Every page spread features a new project with expertly illustrated elevations and footprints.
Buy Now on Amazon.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
