Memorial Day weekend is time to raise the stars and stripes and to honor the American service men and women who gave their lives while defending our freedom. It’s also the first long holiday weekend in Spring and a time when many Americans take advantage of the extra day off to get projects done. We’ve put together a list of 5 garden and landscape projects that are easy to start and finish over the weekend.
Set Up a Compost Pile
One of the best things you can do for your garden is to save your brown and green wastes and make nutrient-rich and organic soil right in your backyard. Whether you use a readymade composter or put together a basic cage, your plants and vegetables will love it. It so simple to do and it’s always a good time to get started. Check out the Organic Gardening website for some great composting tips.
Check Sprinklers for Leaks
While you’re out in the yard this weekend, do a quick check for any leaking sprinkler heads. A leaky sprinkler is easy to spot, whether a gusher or that slow and steady leak that keeps the sidewalk wet, it’s an easy weekend fix. Sprinkler heads can wear out over time so it good to check them periodically and replace them when you detect a leak. It will save you some green on your monthly water bill and help to conserve water.
Mulching Planters
As summer months get hotter and drier plants need to maintain proper hydration. Many people think that means add longer watering cycles, however, spreading a layer of mulch is a much better option. Mulch will help keep moisture in the soil and prevents weed growth which means more moisture for your plants and less watering. Just think of what you can do with the time saved weeding and money saved watering!
Organizing Your Garden Tools
How many times have you headed out to the garden and realized you’ve misplaced the tool you need? You spend 30 minutes looking for it, give up and have to run to your local garden center to find a replacement. The long weekend is a great time to organize your tool shed to maximize your space, make it easy to find and store your tools, and easy to spot when something is missing which helps remind you to replace your tools when finished. There are many racks available in local hardware stores, a simple peg board and hooks or come up a creative way to organize them. And next time you head outside you will be so glad you did!
Green Up the Yard
During the long weekend it’s a great time to assess how efficient your garden and landscape is. If you are putting new plants in this season, look for native species that require less water. Ensure that your lawn mower is adjusted to its highest setting which helps to reduce the amount of water needed to keep it green. Or add a smart controller to your irrigation system to automatically turn off the system during rainy days. You’ll spend less in water while conserving this precious resource. And for more great ideas to green up your yard, spend some time this weekend on the EPA WaterSense website to learn how to make your landscape greener.
There you have it…Corona Tools' 5 easy projects to get your yard and tool shed into shape this weekend! All things that you can complete in a weekend, cost you a little time or a few pennies, and guaranteed to reward you all season long. These are just a few ideas, what kinds of garden projects are on your list?
Spring may have begun in March but as part of the country has started to see temperatures pushing triple digits, in other areas there’s still snow on the ground. Regardless of strange weather patterns, Mother’s Day is one Spring event that comes to moms across the country. A day to honor all the moms out there (not that we shouldn't everyday!) for the hard work they do throughout the year.
To honor all the garden moms on Mother’s Day (and everyday…!) we wanted to put together a list of her top 5 favorite tools as shared with us by our many Facebook friends and Twitter followers of Corona Tools. With over 600 tools in our catalog, we’re bound to have missed a few fan favorites… based on what we hear from gardeners like you, we know this list will help ensure Mom has a great day in her garden on Mother’s day, and every day, season after season.
Dual Cut™ Pruning Series – Mom’s love the Dual Cut’s patented blade and hook design and the 20% extra cutting power that makes the cuts with less effort when trimming shrubs, trees, roses and thicker, woodier stems. They are forged steel and built to last.
Razor Tooth Saw – Mom’s tell us this saw helps to empower them to tackle the larger pruning jobs in the garden. Thicker limbs and roses that are 1-3” can take quite a bit of upper body strength to make a cut with a lopper. And rather than calling for help, the Razor Tooth makes quick work out of the task with its special saw tooth-pattern design to make faster cuts with less effort.
ComfortGEL® Pruning Series – Mom’s can’t seem to get enough of these pruning tools that are not only comfortable in their hands, these tools limit the amount of shock to the hands or upper body. That means she can do the activities she enjoys with all the gain and without the pain to hands, wrists, arms and shoulders.2-Handed Pruner – Somewhere right in between smaller green steams and tougher, woodier limbs hand pruners can be too big and loppers are back in the tool shed. One tool offers them the best of both worlds, the 2 – Handed Pruner. A pruning blade that makes cuts up to ¾’ in diameter combined with lopper-like handles for added leverage on larger cuts.eGrip Garden Hand Tools – Mom’s like the ergonomic shape of these garden tools that help with planting, weeding, digging and cultivating soil. With handy features like built in bag rippers and depth markers, these are some of the handiest hand tools in the garden.
There you have it, a short list among the many of garden tool favorites for many of our favorite garden moms. And while we couldn't mention all of them, we couldn’t leave it off the Extendable Handle garden tools as we hear from many who love them. They are perfect for using in raised beds and other smaller planter areas due to their solid designed handles that extend from 18” to 32” and perfect moms of all ages.
Did your favorite tool make the list? Share with us in the comments below or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter!
Geri Laufer and Dual Cut Lopper from "How I Roll"
ComforGEL snips courtesy of Brenda Haas Residents of Wellness by Nature's Design a Corona Cares partner
Ever thought about how great it would be to grow a Sequoia tree in your living room??? Okay, sounds impossible, right? But not when it’s a bonsai tree. Even a tree like a California Redwood can be grown in the smallest of spaces using the time-honored techniques of bonsai, developed centuries ago in China. Join us as we explore this ancient art form on this week’s treechat,
The live chat begins at 5/7/13 at 11AM PST with guest host, Ron Elardo, Ph.D. @Whadyacallit. Ron is an author, editor for American Conifer Society's Conifer Quarterly and has been practicing the art of bonsai for 6 years at Hidden Lake Gardens in Michigan. Join @Coronatools and other industry experts each week at 11AM PST via Twitter for #treechat. Discussing all things related to trees and tree care since 2010!
Topic highlights in covered during this week’s chat includes;
- Plant Selection – what you need to know and look for when making a selection for bonsai
- Materials and Tools – a look at the materials used and tools used to maintain their shape
- Planting – understanding what goes into planting and tips for success
- Pruning and Shaping – understand the fundamentals shaping and pruning your bonsai
- Integrated Pest Management (IPM) – a healthy bonsai includes regular IPM schedule
- Watering and General Care – learn about general care and maintenance tips
- Overwintering Your Bonsai – what you need to know about to successfully overwinter your bonsai
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Ron has lots of great tips and information in store so you won't want to miss it. You can also submit questions to him before the chat so he can cover it during the live session. Just post your question in the comments here or tweet it to @Whadyacallit by 5/7/13, 12N PST.
During the chat we encourage participants to ask questions, learn about bonsai and also grow their own. To help inspire you, Corona is giving away a pair of curved snips to help make cuts in small spaces. All you need to do is win is tweet during the chat and ask questions. The most engaged participant during the live chat wins and will be announced on 5/8 at 8AM PST.
What if you miss the live session? You can access the #treechat Storify 24/7 that will be posted following the chat with all the information and links we discussed.
Come share with us on this great topic and discussion! See you on the chat!
bonsai image courtesy of Ron Elardo
Corona curved snips image ©Corona Clipper
Conifers are some of the most interesting trees and shrubs in gardens and landscapes. With such a wide assortment of colors, textures, sizes and shapes it can be challenging to find the one that works best for your landscape. Coming up on this week's #treechat, we're discussing conifers with Ronald Elardo, co-author of "People and Plants: The Harper Collection of Dwarf and Rare Conifers"
The live chat begins at 1/29/13 at 11AM PST with this week's guest host, author Ron Elardo @Whadyacallit. Join @Coronatools and other industry experts each week at 11AM PST via Twitter for #treechat. Discussing all things related to trees and tree care since 2010!
Topic highlights covered during this week's chat includes;
Overview - Conifers in the botanical scheme of things
Selection - How to choose them for the landscape
Sizes and Classes - understanding a bit about conifer sizes & classes
Planting - When and where to plant
Shaping - Creating bonsai in the ground
Ron has lots of great tips and information in store so you won't want to miss it. You can also submit questions to him before the chat so he can cover it during the live session. Just post your question in the comments here or tweet it to @Whadyacallit by 1/28/13, 12N PST.
What if you miss the live session? You can access the #treechat Storify 24/7 that will be posted following the chat with all the information and links we discussed.
Come share with us on this great topic and discussion! See you on the chat!
What's better than a juicy, fresh picked orange? How about one picked from a tree in your own backyard? These days more people are enjoying better tasting fruit grown in their gardens and landscapes but what about those who are space challenged? On this week's #treechat, we're discussing how to grow fruit trees in containers.
The live chat begins at 1/22/13 at 11AM via Twitter with this week's guest host, @StarkBrosCares Sarah DePass of Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards. Join @Coronatools and other industry experts each week at 11AM PST via Twitter for #treechat. Discussing all things related to trees and tree care since 2010!
Topic highlights covered during this week's chat includes;
Getting Started - Choosing the right container, the right "place", and the right potting mixture
Care - Watering, Fertilizing including ideal types & frequencies for containers, Repotting to keep soil/roots healthy
Winterizing - Winter over your container trees, pruning trees for Spring
Sarah has lots of great tips and information in store so you won't want to miss it. You can also submit questions to Sarah before the chat so she can cover it during the live session. Just post your question in the comments here or tweet it to @StarkBrosCares by 1/21/13, 12N PST.
What if you miss the live session? You can access the #treechat Storify 24/7 that will be posted following the chat with all the information and links we discussed.
Here's to a prosperous fruit year!
Photo courtesty of Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards
Believe it or not, there is a lot to consider when it comes to planting trees. On this week's #treechat, we're discussing what home and property owners should consider during the tree selection process to ensure you put the right tree in the right spot!
The live chat begins at 1/15/13 at 11AM via Twitter with Corona as this week's host. Join @Coronatools and other industry experts each week at 11AM PST via Twitter for #treechat. Discussing all things related to trees and tree care since 2010!
Topic highlights covered include;
Considering Size & Growing Space - mature tree size, room needed for planting, avoiding hazards, root run, the neighbors, and much more.
Growing in the Zone - Sun exposure requirements, planting for heating/ cooling efficiency in your home and proper watering.
Maximizing Your Space - how to grow trees in even the smallest of spaces
Missed the live session? You can access the #treechat Storify 24/7 with all the information we discussed. If you have a question about what was covered or something else related this topic, just post your comment and we'll get an answer for you.
It’s a new year and a great time to start making plans for what's growing on in your gardens and landscapes this season. We recently closed out the 2012 holiday season with our 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway which gave 12 lucky winners some great new tools for their upcoming planting and pruning tasks. We had a lot of fun, as did our friends on Facebook, and we thought it would be fun keep the season of giveaways going all year long.
52 Reasons to Like Corona Tools on Facebook
Throughout the year, Corona will be posting weekly giveaways on our Facebook page. The giveaway will be posted each Friday morning, where friends of Corona will have an opportunity to LIKE the giveaway and be entered to win. The winner will be selected the following Monday morning using random.org and if selected, they will receive that week’s item.
3/15/13 UPDATE: Due to Facebook’s Terms of Service, Corona must comply and post our weekly giveaways within a Facebook app. Facebook mandates that all giveaways must be run via apps so in compliance, we’ve selected one that was recommended by top digital marketing experts as being a reputable app for running our giveaways.
We understand that some are weary of using apps however the goal is to make it easy for people to enter and be notified of they’ve won. There are pluses and minuses to running promotions on these apps however we need to be compliant or run the risk our account and page being shut down.
We apologize for the change and any inconveniences the new format posses to our friends. And our goal is to get more Corona tools into the hands of avid gardeners. We appreciate the connections made with our friends and we’ll keep working at this to make the best possible experience for each of them. In the meantime, I invite you to give us your feedback and suggestions so that we can continue to make our weekly giveaways fun and as trouble-free as possible.
What’s to Like in 2013
Each week, our friends will get a chance to win Corona tools or tool sets, official Corona gear, shopping sprees on coronatoolsusa.com, or Corona-selected partner items. There’s something different every week and all you need to do to win is give it a LIKE. Winning great gardening and landscape tools doesn’t get much easier than that!
How to Participate
1. LIKE Corona Tools on Facebook.
2. Enter the weekly giveaway posted each Friday at 10AM PST on the "Weekly Giveaways" tab.
3. You will have the weekend to enter the giveaway for a chance to win it.
4. At 9:59AM PST, on the following Monday, (Tuesday if a holiday weekend) we’ll randomly select the winner from those who've entered via Random.Org.
The Rules:
1. Giveaways are shipped to residents in the continental US, AK and HI.
2. Winners will be notified via email and posted on Facebook so be sure to check back on Monday to see if you’ve won.
3. You’ll have 72 hours to claim the prize by contacting us with your shipping information via Facebook.
4. If any prize goes unclaimed, a new winner will be randomly selected and posted on Facebook.
5. All fans of Corona Tools Facebook in the US may LIKE each weekly giveaway and can win a maximum of three (3) prizes throughout the giveaway.
6. Giveaways run through 12/27/13 and all prizes will be shipped standard ground service.
7. 52 weekly prizes will be awarded in 2013, giveaway schedule may vary periodically and any updates will be posted on Facebook.
Have fun and here's to a great growing season this year!
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Tis' the season to be jolly and do a little gift giving too! This year Corona is playing Santa to 12 of our lucky Facebook fans and giving out some awesome gifts for their gardens and landscapes. Beginning 12/12/12 through 12/23/12, visit Corona Tools on Facebook to see what the daily gift is announced in the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway! Each day we will post a picture of the day’s giveaway on our page, which in total will be worth over $750 in giveaways! To be entered to win, all you need to do is LIKE the Corona Tools page and LIKE the gift of the day.
At 10AM PST each day, we will take all the likes on that gift and generate an instant winner using Random.org. Since this is a giveaway for people who like Corona Tools on Facebook, don’t forget to like the page then like the gift of the day. Remember you need to do both since SOMEONE WILL WIN EVERYDAY, so why shouldn’t it be you? It doesn’t get much easier than that…!
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How to enter Corona's 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway:
- LIKE Corona Tools on Facebook.
- LIKE the daily giveaway that’s posted at 10AM PST (you can leave a comment too but it’s the LIKE that get’s counted)
- You will have 24 hours to LIKE each day’s gift (until 9:59AM PST the following day) if you want the chance to win it.
- At 10AM PST, we’ll randomly select the winner from all the LIKES on the daily gift and announce the winner.
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The Rules:
- Gifts can be shipped to residents in the continental US only.
- Winners will be posted on Facebook so be sure check back daily to see if you’ve won. You’ll have 24 hours to contact us with your name and contact info to receive your gift.
- If we don’t hear back from the winner within the specified time, we’ll select a new winner.
- All eligible fans may LIKE each daily gift and can win a maximum of three (3) gifts throughout the giveaway.
- Giveaways run from 12/12/12 through 12/23/12 and all gifts will be shipped standard ground shipping
That’s it…! Simple, fun and so many great gifts to be had in the season of giving! Good luck to all and to all a great garden, season after season.
Last month I did a
post about a fun project I did with my daughter during her last week of 2nd grade. It was so much fun (and educational) that Corona decided it might make for a fun giveaway to our friends and followers throughout our social networks. It’s a great project that anyone can do, costs you virtually nothing, helps the environment and it might just win you a $200 personalized shopping spree on
coronatoolsusa.com!
What is a GroBotA GroBot, is made up of at least 90% recycled materials; bottles, cans, wood, paper, plastic…you name it. If it can be recycled, you can use it to build your GroBot. When completed they should be 24” or less, have at least one container to support a plant, and able to stand on its own. And most importantly, a GroBot requires some creativity so let you imagination run wild on this one.
Rules for Building Your GroBotBegin by raiding your recycle bin and cranking up your imagination. You’ll be surprised how even the simplest recyclables can make a cool GroBot. Use things like nuts and bolts, hot melt glue, string, etc. to hold everything together. As long as it meets the definition of a GroBot mentioned above, you are good to go to enter it in the GroBot giveaway.
Entering Your GroBot in the Giveaway on PinterestOnce you have your GroBot put together, it’s time to share your inner-creativeness and share it with the world. Just click the button below for the details whether you are on Pinterest or not.
GroBot Giveaway Details
- You can enter one or more GroBot on the Pinterest board between 7/17 through 8/15/12.
- The entry with the most repins and comments on 8/16 will win the $200 personalized shopping spree on coronatoolsusa.com.
- The $200 includes shipping costs to any continental US address, AK & HI
But don’t put off building your GroBot! The sooner you post your entry, the more likely you are to get more people to pin or comment on your post and the more likely you are to win! Feel free to enjoy the project with your kids and teach them a little about recycling along the way (they won’t know they are learning…) or do it yourself just to test your creativity and ingenuity.
Most importantly, it gives you the opportunity to think about how many items we use and recycle each day and our impact on the Earth’s environment. Let’s all find a way to reuse some of the trash we produce and together we can all make a difference, one small GroBot at a time.
Just before the school year ended, my daughter received a fun project from her 2nd Grade teacher. The assignment was aimed at teaching kids about recycling and how they can be stewards of the environment. Each student was asked to build a robot made of recycled materials and write a story about their “recyclobot”.
Meet Tom the Grobot
We stated putting aside all of our bottles, cans and anything else that could have been used to make a recyclobot. Once we had plenty of items to choose from, I helped my daughter put some of the items together as outlined in the assignment. It was at that point, my daughter’s 8 year old imagination kicked into overdrive. She decided she wanted her recyclobot to be a “grobot”. Okay to be fair, she had just watched the movie Wall-e, but she decided she wanted her recyclobot to be able to grow something inside of it and further challenge her dad! But I liked that she was giving 200% to her assignment so I went with it.
She developed and wrote her story about Tom the Grobot, and I helped put him together. I thought why not push the envelope and teach her a little bit about sustainability in the garden while I was at it? I thought I would utilize some of the knowledge I impart from our weekly #landscapechat and introduce her to the concept of collecting rain water and proper irrigation techniques. Tom was not only made of 95% recycled materials (the other 5% were some HotWheels borrowed from my son) but he was designed to harvest rain water and to water the tomato plants he was nurturing.
The Grobot Story
My daughter came up with an amazing story about Tom the Grobot and Doug the Dumpster. And when she presented it to her class, both her story and Tom got the biggest round of applause from the classroom. What impressed me the most was at 8 years old she understands the importance of; recycling, its impact to our landfills, a broad concept of sustainability and turning trash into something that gives back fresh grown food.
I loved what she came up with so much that I decided it would make a great blog post and awesome project to work on with kids this summer. So start saving those bottles and cans share your creativity with us on Corona Tools Facebook!
