Category Archives: Curtains

Types of Mulch

by

Marcy Tate

Garden mulch can enhance the look of your garden and help keep your garden healthy. Placing mulch in your garden can also save you time by decreasing the need for watering, applying herbicides and pulling weeds. A healthy vegetable and fruit garden always begins with healthy soil. Healthy soil can be accomplished through mulching.

Mulch Benefits:

Helps moderate the soil temperature.

Enhances the growth of fruit and vegetables planted.

Retains moisture during dry weather, which reduces the need for watering.

Reduces weed growth.

Natural mulches can improve the structure of the soil. As mulch decays, the material becomes topsoil, while adding nutrients into the soil.

Enhances the beauty of the exterior of your home by adding color and uniformity.

Can prevent trees and shrubs from getting damaged by lawn equipment.

Types of Mulch

There are two categories of mulch: living and non-living. Living mulch is made from natural matter, such as bark, wood chips, leaves, pine needles, or grass clippings. Non-living mulch includes gravel, pebbles, black plastic and landscape fabrics.

Living Mulch

Living mulch, also known as organic mulch, is most beneficial to your garden. Unlike non-living mulch, living mulch helps improve the garden soil by adding organic matter as it decomposes. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, Mulch may also encourage the growth of worms and other beneficial soil organisms that can help improve soil structure and the availability of nutrients for plants. Living mulch costs less than non-living mulch. Many local Park and Recreation Departments give away woodchips and bark at no charge. Living mulch decomposes over time and needs to be replaced after several years.

Non-Living Mulch

While non-living mulch (also known as inorganic mulch or man-made mulch) doesnt benefit your garden as much as living mulch, it is easier to maintain. The various types of non-living mulch do not attract pests and do not decompose. Non-living mulch is an especially good weed barrier.

Common Types of Living Mulch

Wood Chips or Shavings

Wood chips are one of the most commonly used types of mulch. It is best to choose older, decomposed wood mulch. Wood mulch that has not properly aged can contain toxins that are harmful to young plants. Some disadvantages include the quick decomposition of wood shavings and the possible attraction of termites.

Bark

Bark is another popular type of living mulch. It is one of the most attractive mulch materials. Common types of bark mulch include pine, cedar and cypress. Bark mulch is available as nuggets, shredded, or in chunks. The nuggets provide the best level of weed prevention. High quality cedar mulch is one of the most expensive types of mulch.

Pine Needles

Pine needles are one of the less expensive types of mulch. They are long lasting and attractive. Pine needles allow water to get to the soil easily.

Common Types of Non-Living Mulch

Stone, Gravel, Pebbles and Crushed Stone

One of the best benefits of stone mulch is that it is long lasting. Colored stones can add additional color to your landscape. A 1-inch layer of small rocks will provide good weed control. Be aware that light shades of stone will reflect heat back up towards plants, which may be harmful.

Landscape Fabric

Landscape fabric is also known as geotextile. The fabric is better than plastic because it allows air and moisture to penetrate into the soil. It is considered the best non-living mulch for long-term use. Landscape fabric is very effective at controlling weeds. Some grass may grow through the tiny holes in the fabric.

Recycled Rubber

Recycled rubber is used for many outdoor products, from patio tiles to mulch. Recycled rubber is often used in playgrounds as it provides a soft alternative to wood chips. Recycled rubber has many of the same benefits as living mulch, including helping to retain moisture, moderating soil temperature and adding beauty to your landscape. It is available in many colors and wont fade.

Find local

gardeners

to help you choose the right mulch for your garden.Marcy Tate is a writer for Networx. She has been working with

landscapers

for over a decade.

Article Source:

Types of Mulch }

Submitted by: John Schofield

If you live and have your own home in the UK, it is likely that you also have sash windows in it. As observed, sash windows are considered to be the most common type in the UK. They come in variety of sizes and shapes too.

Basic Description of a Sash Window

A sash window is basically the type of window made up of two window frames mounted vertically on a frame with two tracks. Each frame also has one or two sashes and for the opening and closing mechanism of the sashes, they are supposed to slide up or down. In a traditional sash window, the opening and closing mechanisms were usually facilitated by weights held by cords or ropes. A window with two sashes is called a double glazed sash window. However, there are also windows with more than just two panes of glass. These panes are help by muntin bars that are narrow strips so that they will be kept in place.

Characteristics of Sash Windows

Finding a replacement for sash windows would cost more than 600. Thus, you have to choose your sash windows carefully so that it would take long before you will get to replace your windows. There are certain things that need to be considered.

Removable muntin bars. These can be found in wood sash windows. This feature facilitates cleaning of the windows plus enable the window some versatility to avoid a boring look on them. More modern windows can even have the sashes completely removed from the panes since there are no longer bothersome ropes, cords, and weights.

Tilt mechanism. Modern sash windows already boast of this feature. This is also another mechanism that makes cleaning easier since the cleaners do not need to go outside in order to clean the outdoor portion.

Aluminium clad windows. There are windows with aluminium covers that are in different colours that could match your house s painting.

Custom sash windows. These are also popular windows that come in custom sizes and shapes that can match any types of openings there are. There is even a UK manufacturer that boasted of having 11,000 patterns and styles and 4,000 shapes and sizes for windows. This only proves the versatility of sash windows.

Characteristics of a Good Sash Window Contractor

In the UK, it is likely that the manufacturer of the sash windows is also the one who installs or replaces them. Since they know their windows, the installation and replacement processes usually go smoothly. A good contractor would make a way to work on your windows within your budget. Its installation process would consist of the following steps:

1. Site survey and talks with the homeowner for consultation

2. Making the technical design of the windows

3. Manufacturing the windows

4. Fitting and installation of the sash windows

Moreover, you should look for a contractor who can grant you a decade or more of window warranty. This means that even if your windows will be damaged or will malfunction in the future, you do not need to spend more money.

About the Author:

orangeries yorkorangeries selby

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Submitted by: Dave Matthews

Portable oxygen concentrators were first introduced nearly 10 years again and have revolutionised the field of oxygen therapy. These oxygen machines vary in size from larger home based units to smaller, more portable pieces of equipment. All portable oxygen units are electrically powered and simply extract oxygen from the surrounding air in order to deliver it to the user in higher concentrations.

Regardless of the size of some of these units, they all provide the same function as they are all designed to be powered from the mains or a battery setup. As technology and design have improved over the years, these oxygen units have become smaller and much more simple and convenient to carry around. This has resulted in portable oxygen units that are usable for a much wider range of applications.

The air around us is predomenantly nitrogen, with the remainder being approximately 20% oxygen and 2% made up of other gases. Studies estimate that around 200 years ago the Earth’s atmosphere had an oxygen concentration of approximately 36%. This means that oxygen has decreased by around 0.8% every 15 years. This is due to a variety of reasons including air pollution and the destruction of rain forests. Oxygen concentration levels also vary depending on the altitude, with concentration being as low as 8% in some areas.

These portable units extract oxygen from the air and direct it into a regulated flow of concentrated oxygen at the required pressure level. They can be carried around quite comfortably by using either their handle, an accessory bag or even pulled around in a small cart which has a telescopic handle and wheels.

It is this portability that has revolutionised the way in which people are treated with oxygen. Rather than having to be treated at hospital, patients are now free to carry on with their daily lives and take part in social and sporting activities as well as jobs around the home. As oxygen equipment improves in it’s functionality and design, the list of tasks that patients are able to do grows ever larger.

A few years ago this loss of mobility was a real issue for people who were reliant upon oxygen. Until you find out that you require regular supplemental oxygen, you dont realise what an inconvenience it to miss out on event the most trivial aspects of life such as being able to go round to a friend’s house, going shopping or travelling to another country. In fact it is only very recently that these portable oxygen concentrators have been given approval for use on passenger flights.

The benefits of being able to carry on with everyday life and pursue these normal activities can never be overstated. The effect of being able to undertake seemingly minor activities has the effect of leading on and enabling the user to take part in larger activities. This new found freedom can impact on their mental state, allowing them to lead a much happier and positive life. This mental positivity may even have the effect of strngthening the immune system which adds to the patient’s all round well being.

About the Author: Dave Matthews is writing on behalf of Pure O2, a leading supplier of

portable oxygen

.

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