'Garden Accessories' Category Archive

Posted on Jul 9th, 2007

Using lawnmowers to build and mark tennis courts

To build a tennis court properly means a lot of work and it should only be attempted under the direction of some one who understands it. The things most important are good drainage, good light, and sufficient room. A double court is 36 feet wide by 72 feet long, but in tournament games or on courts where experts play it is customary to have an open space about 60 feet wide by 110 to 120 feet long, to give the players plenty of room to run back and otherwise to play a fast game.

A court should always be laid out north and south or as near these points of the compass as possible. In courts running east and west the sun is sure to be in the eyes of one of the players nearly all day; this is of course a very serious objection. While it is very pleasant to play tennis in the shade of a tree or building, a court should never be located under these conditions if it is possible to avoid it. A properly placed court should be fully exposed to the sun all day.

Cutting and Making Up The Grass With Lawn Mowers

First of all it will be necessary to decide whether a grass or "dirt” court is to be built. If the grass is fine and the place where the court is to be happens to be level, there is little to do but to cut the sod very short with a lawn-mower and to mark out the court. If, on the contrary, there is much grading or leveling to be done, a dirt court will be much cheaper and better in the end, as constant playing on turf soon wears bare spots. The upkeep of a grass court will be expensive unless it is feasible to move its position from time to time.

Choosing A Drainage For Your Court

Whatever the court is to be, the first question to consider is proper drainage. If the subsoil is sandy the chances are that the natural soakage will take care of the surplus water, but on the contrary, if the court is at the bottom of a hill or in a low place where clay predominates, it is necessary to provide some means of getting rid of the surplus water from rainfalls or our court may be a sea of mud just when it would be most useful to us.

To level a court properly we shall need the services of some one expert with a leveling instrument of some kind. It is not safe to depend on what seems to be level to our eye, as our judgment is often influenced by leaning trees, the horizon, and other natural objects. With a few stakes driven into the ground, the tops of which are level, we are enabled to stretch lines which will give us our levels accurately.

At http://www.lawn-mowers-and-garden-tractors.com you will find gardening reviews on artificial turf, lawn mower parts as well as how to sharpen lawnmower blades for walk behind and riding on lawn mowers. Reach further information and articles on lawnmowers and how to choose the best for your property.

Posted on Jul 8th, 2007

If you are one of those who works usually with lawnmowers, then you probably already know the big importance that lawn mower parts have. No matter what model of machine you drive, it will need some parts replacement after some years of use. Even the best manufacturers’ models, which worked smoothly at the beginning or that model you bought being the sturdiest mower at the moment will have something broken and therefore will go wrong after few years.

Damage and wear are two of the most typical reasons for replacing lawn mower parts. Since wear refers to parts that have been working hard and do not perform as they should, damage refers to parts that are totally broken and need to be replaced completely. Wear situations come up usually due to worn parts. Unsharpened blades is a clear example of worn parts. You just need to sharpen blades and you mower will cut the lawn as a newer one. Damage situations are easy to detect because most of the times the engine doesn’t start at all. It can also happens that suddenly you’d had a lawn mower break when you have only mowed half of the garden size. It becomes an annoying situation and very embarrassing as well.

One of the most typical problem for lawn mower parts replacements is when you broke off the clutch handle as well as blades sharpening. No panic when it happens, it’s plenty of mower parts out there, you just need to find the part that better fits your needs. You might be thinking on how easy is to find a mower part. However, it isn’t as easy task as it seems at all. Finding the most suitable part that better works with your mower might be sometimes a bit tricky. What professional gardeners use to do is to find the specific parts in a lawn mower parts catalog. But, not everyone have access to this parts catalog, specially regular home and garden owners that just want to find a small piece for their specific model.

How To Find The Right Lawn Mower Parts

The simplest way to find specific lawn mower parts is at the gardening warehouses. You can find there most parts for common mowers’ manufacturers. These warehouses have the knowledge and compatibility lists for your specific model as well as most parts to get your machine mowing again. If you are lucky, your mower will run again just a few hours later, if they don’t have your required part in stock, then you might order it and pick it up a couple of days later.

Toro And Simplicity Lawnmower Parts They are two of the most reliable and truly manufacturers across the world. Toro mower parts can be bought from almost any Toro dealer as well as from any mower parts or goods warehouse that are specialized in Toro manufacturer. Like many other products, lawn mower parts are divided into subcategories inside walk-behind or riding mowers models. These subcategories are essentially the following 3:

  • Engine assembly for current gas powered mowers.

  • Handle assembly for handle parts and parts like cables.
  • Housing assembly for housing parts such as wheels or frames
  • Since Toro lawn mower manufacturer offers reliable performance machines, they are yet not the most affordable mower for homeowners. Simplicity mower parts give customers the ability to repair their lawnmowers at affordable prices. Simplicity is a truly mower and parts manufacturer focused to provided top quality for those who are confident enough to perform their own mower parts replacements. Simplicity mowers are specifically designed to make repairs quickly and easily, performance might not be so good, but enough for a small yard. However, there are also commercial simplicity mowers such as three-wheel riding mowers as well as zero-turn

    A.Caxton is a successful freelance author who writes regularly to many gardening websites. You can find further articles on riding lawn mowers, and other gardening equipment, including tractors and tillers at Caxton’s lawnmowers site.

    Posted on Jun 14th, 2007

    Why install synthetic turf instead of real lawn? Most of the following steps are not required when you choose to install synthetic surfaces rather than a traditional one. A court should have a slope of a few inches from one end to the other to carry off water. After the level is determined, all there is to making a court is to fill in or cut away soil and earth until the proper level space is obtained. As a rule it is better to dig away for a court rather than to fill in, as we thus obtain a better bottom and one that will require but little rolling. In the case of a slope, it is well so to locate the court that the amount of earth excavated from one end will be just about sufficient to fill in the other.

    The final surfacing of a court is done by means of clay and sand in the proportion of about four or five to one, the clay of course being in excess. To mix clay and sand thoroughly, the former should first be pulverized thoroughly when dry and the mixture sifted over the court carefully and evenly. The next step is rolling and wetting, and more rolling and wetting until finally the whole is allowed to dry and is ready for play. The slight irregularities and roller ridges that often appear in a court will soon be worn off by the players’ feet, but playing of course will not change the grade. A new court will be greatly improved by use, but no one should be allowed on a court except with rubber-soled shoes. Heeled shoes will soon ruin a court, and it is bad practice even to allow any one to walk over a court unless with proper footwear.

    Leveling The Playing Court

    The preliminary leveling of a court can be accomplished with a rake and a straight-edged board, but after the clay has become packed and hard it will be necessary to use considerable force in scraping off the inequalities. A metal cutting edge, such as a hoe or scraper, will be found useful. A court should be swept with a coarse broom to distribute the fine material evenly. Another very good sweeper can be made from a piece of wood about six or eight feet long to which several thicknesses of bagging have been tacked or fastened. The final step in making a court consists in marking it out.

    Since most courts are marked so that they will be suitable either for singles or doubles or so that either two or four people can play at a time. Where tape markers are to be used, the proper distances will appear on the tape without measuring, but if lime is used for marking a careful plotting will be necessary to secure the proper distances, after which the corners should be indicated by angle irons, so that the court may be re-marked at any time without re-measuring. Remember that synthetic turfs are almost free maintenance surfaces, and will save you time and money at long last.

    Andrew Caxton is the webmaster and successful author of http://www.lawn-mowers-and-garden-tractors.com . A guide on lawn mowers and garden tractors and how to choose the right type for your garden, including synthetic turf for different garden styles.

    Posted on May 25th, 2007

    Composting is where the gardening thing comes full circle. You’ve created your garden bed, you’ve nurtured your plants.

    The results have been eaten by the family…and now the plants and refuse from the garden can be recycled into next year’s compost. It is the closed loop of nature.

    This is so simple and so obvious a thing to do, I’m still staggered that people will send this sort of rubbish to the tip.

    When I was totally intimidated about cooking and convinced I couldn’t do it, a friend of mine said ‘It’s just chemistry. If you add X to Y under these conditions, this MUST happen’. I think this applies big time to composting.

    So what does your compost need to work?

    It needs moisture (but not too much).

    It needs heat (and will generate a good deal on it’s own)

    It needs air.

    It needs bugs, bacteria, fungi and other micro-organisms (pretty much under the ‘Build it and they will come’ principle)

    There are a few ways to work the compost. If you have a bit of room, build a couple of 3 sided enclosures (about 1M square) out of wood, wire, tin, whatever is laying about the place. If you’re in a place that gets a lot of rain, think about keeping a tarp handy so the compost heap doesn’t get too soggy. It should be in a shady corner of your garden.

    Composting doesn’t work if you continually feed just one pile. The composting is never finished in those circumstances. So start with one pile by adding waste plant and kitchen refuse. This can include grass clippings, spent plants, fruit peelings, egg shells and non fatty kitchen scraps.

    NEVER use fat, oil or meat in your compost. They will attract vermin. Other things that will slow down your compost include paper, rice hulls, wood shavings, woody cuttings and tough or oily leaves (like those from evergreens). Diseased plants and weeds should also be kept out of your compost.

    Fill the compost enclosure to 6-8 inches (15-20cm) with your refuse. Then spread a couple of scoops of agricultural lime and a handful of complete fertilizer. Continue layering to a height of about 3 feet over time. Every few weeks, turn the compost to encourage decomposition. If the compost material is dry, give it a light watering after turning.

    Start your second pile while this one is ‘cooking’.

    Your compost should be ready for the garden in 6-8 weeks. By continuing to alternate between the two piles, you will have a continuous supply of fresh garden compost for your garden beds while recycling your kitchen refuse.

    Judy Williams (http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com) splits her time between being a media executive and an earth mother goddess. No Dig Vegetable Gardens represents a clean, green way to grow your own food. The site covers all aspects of growing, cooking and preserving your harvest.

    Posted on May 21st, 2007

    Do cat repellents work? How to stop a cat from using garden as litterbox? Tell me how to keep cats out of my garden. These are common questions of concern to all gardeners but is there a real answer?

    The first line of defence is to ensure that your yard boundaries are secure. Any gaps in your fence should be blocked to deny low level access. But cats can jump so fix a taut wire or string some six inches above the top of your fence to deter this approach.

    Once inside your garden many people say that the best cat repellent is a dog who will soon see off any feline invader. If you are not a dog lover then you will have to resort to more passive methods. Since cats like to lie on freshly dug soil you should lay mulch on your borders so that no bare soil is left exposed. Seed beds should be covered with wire netting or twigs arranged as a barrier.

    Young trees should have plastic guards fitted around their trunks to protect them against use as a scratching pole. Your garden pond should be covered with netting to keep your fish safe.

    Cats are generally known to dislike water so a well aimed bucketful or a squirt with the hose will certainly make an intruder run. After one or two dousings it may learn the lesson and stay away.

    To protect plants and borders both mothballs and citrus are said to be effective deterrents. Place the mothballs, orange peel or lemon rind in the borders. Alternatively spray cloths with orange scented air freshener and place the cloths around the plants you wish to protect. Other known cat repellents are cayenne pepper, coffee grounds, pipe tobacco, lavender oil, lemon grass oil, citronella oil, eucalyptus oil and mustard oil.

    Certain herbs are said to deter cats. In particular rue but not catmint which has the opposite effect. Coleus canina is another plant which is marketed by one merchant as a cat repellent.

    The broadcaster Jerry Baker has suggested treating your yard with a tonic made from chewing tobacco, urine, birth control pills, mouthwash, molasses, detergent and beer. A smallholder has reported success using dried rabbit blood but you may feel that the ingredients listed in the previous paragraph should be tried first.

    If you visit your local garden center or hardware store you will find several cat repellent products on sale. These range from electric water sprinklers and ultrasonic devices to sprays and granules.

    Motion activated sprinklers act in the same way as a burglar alarm using an infra red detector. When the cat enters the area covered by the detector the sprinkler shoots out a jet of water to scare the animal away. It is claimed that, after one or two encounters with the jet, the cat will learn to avoid the area.

    Ultrasonic devices emit a high frequency sound which is annoying to cats (and dogs) but is not audible to humans. There are various different models some of which operate continuously and others which have an infra red detector and only emit a pulse of sound when the cat triggers the device. To be successful you need to ensure that the model is powerful enough to cover the area you wish to protect. In addition make sure that the sound frequency is designed for larger animals since some models are intended to deter insects and so would be no use for cats.

    There are also commercial scent cat repellents. Those that use chemicals should be kept away from any food crops but the essential oil based granule varieties act in the same way as orange and lemon peel mentioned above. Another way to keep a cat out if the garden is a repellent evaporator which consists of a container holding puffed rice which has been impregnated with essential oils. These are effective for three to four weeks and can then be refilled for a further period. Another natural product which many people claim really keeps a cat out of the garden is lion’s dung. You may need to visit your local zoo to obtain this although some stores do stock zoo poo.

    In Ontario, Canada the local township provides a cat trap service. Once the animal enters the cage it cannot escape but is completely unharmed. The owner has to pay to recover his pet and so should be encouraged not to let the cat stray in future. Apparently few owners bother to reclaim their cats but just obtain another kitten. However this sounds like a good way of dealing with a cat that cannot be deterred by any other method. If there is no such scheme in your area, just buy your own trap.

    So, to recap, the first priority is to secure your boundary fences. Then you have the whole selection of suggested cat repellents ranging from homemade recipes to expensive commercial gadgets. I would suggest that you try the orange peel and prickly twigs for a start. If you are around when the intruder appears, try the bucket of water or hose. Even if you miss, the shock may be a sufficient deterrent. If these do not do the trick, then you may have to consider the commercial alternatives.

    Hugh Harris-Evans is the owner of The Garden Supplies Advisor where you will find further articles, gardening tips and product reviews.

    Posted on May 20th, 2007

    Just like humans need food, water and shelter to survive, lawns depend on certain elements to live, sixteen to be exact. Most of these elements are already found naturally in the environment, but several others need to be added to your lawn. Adding fertilizer with these three elements, nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, does the job.

    Before you run out to the store to purchase a complete fertilizer, or, one that contains all three, it is important to understand why your lawn’s livelihood depends on it.

    Nitrogen- This is possibly the most important element your lawn needs. It makes the grass grow and gives it its green color. It will also allow for more density, thick shoots, and sturdy growth, thus creating an environment that will naturally fight off pests and bugs.

    Potassium- Since you can’t toss bananas in your yard, your best bet for this mineral is to use fertilizer! Potassium enhances your lawn’s ability to resist disease, drought, wear and cold weather.

    Phosphorus- This is used to encourage strong grass root growth.

    Most fertilizers you will find in your local home and garden stores will contain all three of these elements. However, there are different amounts of each. This is reflected in a three-digit number, such as 30-10-10, which tells the percentage of each in this order: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. These blends will serve different purposes. For instance, more potassium in blends are good for winterization. The factors you need to consider are grass type, climate, time of season and soil type. Once you know what your needs are, you will be able to determine the right combination of these elements. An additional way to scan your needs is determine the current levels of these nutrients in your soil. This can be done through a simple pH test.

    In addition to variation in percentages of the key elements, there are also different types of fertilizers to consider. There are four major options that will greet you in the fertilizer aisle: Granular (slow and fast-release), Liquid, Synthetic and Organic.

    Granular fertilizers are perhaps the most popular, probably due to their ease in use and duration. Since these are dry, they are much easier to spread. Granular fertilizers can come in a slow time-release formula, which provides fertilization over two to six months.

    This is an efficient choice for homeowners, as it will not need another application for months to come. Granular is also available in fast-release, and although applied in the same manner, the nutrients are released quicker and work better in cold weather. This method also costs less. However, grass burn can occur and there will be a greater need for watering.

    Liquid fertilizers are just as the name says- in liquid form. These are applied by attaching a hose and nozzle to a spray bottle. The contents of the bottle are usually in concentrated form, thus the need to mix with the water. If you can use a hose, this is an easy method, more so than spreading granular around the yard. Also, since this a liquid, nutrients are available immediately to the roots of your vegetation. Herbicides can also be added or applied during this treatment. But, since the results are immediate, applications will have to be repeated more often than granular, and since liquid is more expensive to begin with, it can be more costly.

    Synthetic fertilizers are usually manufactured chemically, hence being called synthetic. These engineered fertilizers offer immediate release of nutrients, and make lawns green.They simply penetrate the soil quicker. However, they are not natural, and many argue that lawns should be treated naturally. Applications of synthetic fertilizer needs to be redone more often, as results don’t last as long. They can also burn your lawn if not applied in a proper manner.

    Finally, organic fertilizers are made from once living organisms and their bi-products. These are applied to the lawn by spreaders, rakes and even by hand. Since this a totally natural fertilizer, the organics tend to break down slow when releasing nitrogen. They will improve the texture and density of your lawn, especially when added to soil or lakebed sand. There are some drawbacks however, including a foul smell in the case of manures. Also, these soils tend to have more nitrogen than other elements.

    In summary, when choosing a fertilizer, you need to consider many things: The current nutrition of your lawn, how much money you want to spend, how much labor you want to invest in application- initial and repeats, as well as personal preference. But with the spurt in technology, choices keep growing as more combinations are being introduced.

    For hundreds of other tips for creating your own perfect lawn, be sure to visit: http://www.YourPerfectLawn.com

    Posted on May 15th, 2007

    Most people know very well about the rules and regulations to keep your plants to grow healthy in your garden. For getting sustainable growth from your garden plants, they do require good soil quality, sun light and sufficient water. Although these items have been gifted by nature, gardening tools are necessary to upkeep your garden. Good gardening tools will assist you in taking care of your plants as well as cultivating good growing conditions, thus having a positive effect on your plant’s health.

    Defective gardening tools can be detrimental to your garden and to you. Defective gardening tools can cause injury to your plants or injury to yourself. Gardeners should find the best quality garden tool that they can afford. Once you have labeled your garden tool as “the best”, it implies that the tool provides quality work for which it was designed for and with the least labor possible.

    Below is a list of some common garden tools and their uses.

    Lawnmowers
    Luxus Push Reel Mower rated as best by the gardening aficionados provides large top cover that protects overhanging flowers and shrubs. Another special gardening tool called American Lawn Mower Deluxe has also been accredited as best, which will be helpful to operate on elbow grease alone and causing no pollution. However, this is not conducive for too tall grasses.

    Garden Shredders
    In general, all garden shredders have a high watt motor and come with silent crushing system. This kind of gardening tool accelerates your shredding activity. Gardening shredders with an electric shredder are easy to assemble and aids in tree pruning with maximum of 40 mm. The garden shredder also aids in shredding debris from punning your hedges. This gardening tool is considered the best among all the garden shredders since it is available with a plunger for increased portability and built-in wheels.

    Cultivators
    These modern gardening tools are available with patented tines to help in cutting the hard compacted soil smoothly. Cultivators are available with a free border edger. It is perfect to use in cleaning the moss, aerating and in thatching. This garden tool helps extensively in preparing vegetable plots, flowerbeds, etc.

    Leaf sweeper
    These gardening tools are extensively used for smaller lawns. It is having an infinite height adjustment with 200-liter collector.

    Edge Trimmer
    The gardening equipment reviewers have also accredited this gardening tool as important equipment. This aids in trimming the hedges and aids in plant pruning.

    Spading fork This is a wonderful gardening tool used for aerating and transplanting. By using this gardening tool, it is possible to perform splitting grasses and perennials. In addition, this garden tool can be used as a manure fork, mulch fork, and sorting hay.

    Mattock
    Mattock is an important gardening tool for breaking up the clay soils and working around established trees with the roots. There is no need to have a pick and a hoe, if you have a mattock.

    Before you leave the garden center, it is highly advisable to have a look at this checklist of gardening tools and confirm if you have all the gardening tools you need to make your garden picture perfect.

    For more information about garden tools, visit Garden Tool

    David Chandler
    For your FREE Stock Market Trading Mini Course: "What The Wall Street Hot Shots Won’t Tell You!" go to: The Stock Market Genie

    Posted on May 14th, 2007

    Trying to start your lawn mower after a long winter can be very frustrating. Performing a few routine maintenance tasks before you store your lawn mower for the winter can save you time in the spring, prolong the life of your lawn mower, and save you money over the long run. Even if you have already put your lawn mower into storage for the winter, a few simple maintenance tasks performed before starting your lawn mower in the spring can be very beneficial.

    Wash and dry your lawn mower after the mowing season is over. A power blower can be very helpful in removing grass and debris from the underside of your lawn mower and other hard to reach areas. If your lawn mower engine is air-cooled, use a stick or wooden dowel to remove any residue from the cooling fins. If you have a lawn mower with a water-cooled engine, check the coolant level and fill the reservoir if needed. Clean the radiator cooling fins with a strong jet of water. You should also drain the fuel tank and replace the fuel filter. The air filter housing should be cleaned and the air filter replaced.

    Remember to check the spark plug(s) for corrosion and wear. Don’t attempt to clean the spark plug if it is showing some wear. It is cheap and easy to replace the spark plug. Be sure to remove any debris before removing the spark plug and by using a bit of anti-seize compound when you replace the old spark plug, you will ensure easier removal next year. Clean and lubricate the throttle linkages and the choke, and apply grease to the mower deck and all the fittings. This will be easier if you remove the mower deck and you can sharpen the blades while the mower deck is off. Sharpening the blades after each mowing season will give you a better cut next year and save you the trouble of having to sharpen them in the spring.

    Clean the battery terminals and replace your old lawn mower battery if necessary. You can help prevent corrosion of the terminals if you apply grease to the posts at the end of each mowing season. Change the oil in the engine crankcase and replace the oil filter. You should also drain the gas from your lawn mower before storing it for the winter. During the long summer mowing season, remember to wash your lawn mower and remove any debris after the mower has cooled. Keeping your lawn mower clean will add years to its life and make routine maintenance tasks a lot easier.

    Lawn mowing is a job most of us face each and every year. A lawn mower that runs great and is well maintained will make this job more enjoyable and easier all summer long. A yearly check up for your lawn mower is the perfect way to prolong its life and keep it running like new, and your lawn will look great when you mow with a machine that is in top working condition. Your lawn mower will perform at the highest level possible if you remember to perform these simple maintenance tasks each and every year. During the summer months periodically check the oil and the condition of the air and fuel filters. You will save money and your lawn mower will work great for years to come

    Keith Kingston is a professional web publisher, offering information on swisher mowers and gardening advice

    Posted on May 11th, 2007

    Depending on the type of your lawnmower, you will need to stock different parts in your house. It may be possible to get these parts off the shelf from your friendly neighborhood dealer. But to ensure continued availability you need to have these parts with you, where you can get it easily. You will be able to save a Saturday, when you normally mow the lawn. These parts are not costly and one will always be able to afford the investment in the lawnmower parts.

    Parts For Gas Engine lawnmower

    For your gas engine lawnmower you need to stock larger number of parts and consumable than the electric or battery operated lawnmower. This is so because, the lawnmower has many numbers of parts and when upgrading their products the companies do not bother to make spares for the earlier products. In such cases, you may have to on a hunting expedition to get these parts. It is better to stock them instead of the expeditions. The lawnmower parts that you can store are

    • Spark Plugs: Spark plugs of lawnmowers are different from the plugs of your car and are not quickly available and are the first thing to go wrong. So have a plug handy.
    • Belts: Just as the spark plugs, belts have a habit of breaking down, when required most. (May be Murphy’s laws is applicable here too). Belts are easy to change and you need not stop you lawn maintenance just because the belt has broken downat 7 o’clock in morning when no shop is open and your lawn needs maintenance as your guests are coming by 10 o’clock
    • Blades, Mulching Kits, Shafts, Adapters & Accessories: You can also stock them for continued use of your lawnmower
    • Make a stock of hardware necessary for fixing small problems with lawn mowers and small engines.
    • Throttle and choke cables, battery lead etc. should also be stocked.
    • Parts For Electric Lawnmowers

      Electric lawnmowers require less number of parts than the gas engine counterpart. The following parts may be maintained for electric lawnmowers

      • Fuses and fuse holder: These are the easiest and cheapest parts to store. You may store them along with other electrical items.
      • Cables and cable winder spares: The mess after the cable winder breaks down should be seen to be believed. A cable winder will not accept any joint in cable and cable if it gets damaged, should be replaced or shortened
      • Switches tools and connectors are also parts to be stocked.
      • Parts For Battery Lawnmower

        Such lawnmowers require least parts to be stocked. You may stock only the switches and battery leads etc.

        Therefore, if you stock above parts your lawnmower will serve you for long periods.

        The writer Andrew Caxton used to publish articles for an online gardening magazine, focused on lawnmowers and lawn tractors. Andrew helps people to find the best and most affordable lawn mower parts from amongst many different models and manufacturers.

        Posted on Apr 28th, 2007

        Some of us would live in our gardens if we could. To be surrounded by the lush beauty of nature and growing things, the soothing sounds of the wind rustling leaves, the buzzing of bees and the sweet trill of the birds is the ultimate in luxury - but it’s impractical for most of us. What’s not impractical, though, is using a garden shed as a garden office to leave at least some of the stresses of every day work behind.

        If you work from home, you know how important having your own space for an office is. It may mean taking over a spare bedroom for your desk and computer, or refinishing a basement room to take you out of the hustle and bustle of the family. Even if you live alone, being ‘in the office’ adds a psychological nudge that makes you feel like you’re at ‘work’ rather than lounging around the house and subject to distraction. More and more, those who work at home are opting to outfit a garden shed and using it as a garden office.

        So popular an option is using a shed as a garden office, that the BBC has reported on it in their online Magazine. According to correspondent Giles Wilson, using a shed as a garden office is a high-priced luxury conversion - but we have our doubts. For the average work-at-home business mom or pop, managing a web site, or selling out of their homes, high end items like 36 power outlets and a full security system aren’t necessary. Instead, one could turn a shed into a garden office for far less money - and still enjoy all the benefits of using a shed as a garden office.

        First, consider your needs. Do you already have a garden shed? In the house where I grew up, the garden shed was a magical little haven that exactly matched our house in color and style - a tiny little room just the right size to fit a desk and chair and a few office cabinets. For someone like me, a professional writer working at home, converting the garden shed to a garden office would be a simple matter of adding a few outlets - there’s electricity there already - and insulating the walls for the winter.

        Consider your needs before you start dreaming though. Will you need to run wiring from the house to the shed? Add in the cost of the electricians, then. If you’re in an area with cold winters or hot summers, will you need insulation, heat and air conditioning? Remember, it’s more than just your comfort you need consider. When you’re using a shed as a garden office, you also need to consider the ‘comfort’ of your equipment. Most electrical equipment - computers and the like - are happiest if the temperature is kept at around 68 F. What about phones? Will you need a land line with multiple extensions - or will your cell phone do just fine? For that matter - with a good wireless connection, can you make do with a laptop and docking station for your computing needs?

        Using a shed as a garden office can be a wonderful option - and depending on your needs, it can be extremely affordable - or pure luxury. Think it through, make your plans, and then decide if it’s worth it to have a beautiful, comfortable office that makes your workday a pleasure.

        Garry John has contributed to many home improvement sites such as garden offices and sun rooms.

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