We are lucky to have mature trees in our yard.  When our house was built, the original owner grabbed trees from the local woods and planted them on the property.  When we first moved in, 20 years ago, our yard was the only one in the neighborhood with trees offering some privacy in the yard.  Over the years, these trees have thrived.  The pine trees are enormous!  Here is a photo of the back yard from last summer with all of the trees in full bloom.

Read about the Vintage Bicycle Upcycle HERE.

Last year, we noticed that some of the topsoil in the yard was washing away when heavy rains occurred.  The lack of sun to the grass is partially responsible.  In the photo above, this is the area that is shaded beneath the trees.  The tree canopy is so thick that the grass no longer gets proper sun.  So it has died off, leading to the washing away of the top soil.  You can see all of the bare spots in the photos below.

There are three areas in the yard and one area in the front yard that need attention.  It is time for some tree trimming!  Let the sun shine in!

Ryobi to the Rescue

I reached out to my favorite tool vendor, Ryobi (pronounced REE-OH-BEE).  Ryobi kindly sent me their 40V Brushless 18″ chainsaw and an 18V One+ 8″ Cultivator kit which contained both the  Garden tiller and the Edger.  These were the perfect tools for shaping up the yard.  This post highlights the chainsaw.  I will be highlighting the Cultivator kit next as we prep our vegetable garden and flower beds.

You might know Ryobi from seeing their neon green tools at the Home Depot.  Ryobi is know for their cordless battery operated power and yard tools.  They have a variety of battery sizes, the newest being their 80V tools coming soon.  There are 260 tools that are part of the ONE+ line.  I am amazed at the power of the 40V line.  You can see their entire selection at ryobitools.com.

My first experience with Ryobi was at the Haven Conference in 2014.  Ryobi was a sponsor and I believe they have sponsored Haven, my favorite DIY and Blogging conference, ever since.  I’ve been building my supply of Ryobi tools since my first Haven when I won a cordless drill!  I’m obsessed with their battery operated tools.  All cordless, the Airstrike nailer, Airstrike stapler, caulk gun, power light, glue gun, rotary cutter, string trimmer, heat gun, jigsaw are a few of my favorites and I’m sure I’m missing a few.  If you are a home owner, a new DIY’er or and experienced craftsperson, Ryobi has something for you!

Last year, I purchased a Ryobi pole saw.  This enabled me to trim the lowest lying branches around the yard.  And this did help.  But I needed to make some serious reduction to the middle branches.  My plan is to completely top off most of the trees in the back yard and one large tree in the front yard.  The massive pine trees in the middle are probably 75 feet tall.  Given this height and the size of the trunks, we will leave these mature pine trees for the professionals sometime in the future.  The other trees are also tall but branches are much thinner.  I will trim what I can with my Ryobi tools and perhaps rent a lift of some sort so that I can safely use the chain to trim the higher branches.

Here is the back yard as photographed in early March, post winter and pre spring.  Just look at the size of those pine trees in the center.

Here is a closer look at the bare areas beneath the trees.  You can see the exposed roots.  I walk our dog back here so this is a potential tripping hazard for me on any given day but especially in the fall when leaves are covering the ground.

The first area of attention is the area surrounding shed.  Here is a before photo of the area.

I started by trimming the lowest branches with my Ryobi pole saw.  This tool extends to 9.5 feet and is quite effective on trimming smaller branches and limbs.  Always take caution not to stand directly under the limb while cutting so that you are not struck with the falling limb.  

For larger limbs, I used my new Ryobi 18″ chain saw.  Since many of these trees are quite tall, I had to carefully assess the drop line so as not to damage any fences or other property.  I was able to trim this tree by the shed easily.  I used these lower limbs to familiarize myself with this new saw. 

There is a potential of the tool lurching with a chainsaw so it is critical that you have proper footing and are comfortable with the tool.  I learned this while reading the user’s manual.  ALWAYS READ THE USER’S MANUAL AND FOLLOW MANUFACTURER’S INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING YOUR POWER TOOLS. 

I cut a few lower branches and spent some time cutting those into manageable lengths for disposal.  This was great practice.  One tip I can offer is this…power tools can be dangerous and you must feel comfortable with the tool.  So practice and familiarize yourself with the tool options, speed, and operation, and all safety precautions as noted in the manual.

 The power of the 18″ chain saw is substantially greater that the pole saw.  It cut through 8″ limbs so easily.  Before using the powerful chain saw, watch some videos on safety and again, practice, practice, practice.  

The video below shows limb trimming with the full extension on the pole saw followed by cutting the fallen limbs for curbside placement.

I used the pole saw and the chain saw to trim every branch that I could reach comfortably.  It is important NOT to reach with these tools.  I was able to access some lower branches from the roof of the shed.  The roof was sturdy and provided adequate footing.  Resist the temptation to stretch beyond your comfortable reach with your tools.  Such leads to instability and improper foot placement which can both lead to accidents.  Safety first!

We will access all of the higher branches via a professional lift that we will rent later in the season.  For now, however, the sun is shining on much of the yard and we are anxious for the grass to grow.  

Before and After

AREA #1

You can see how we removed all of the lower branches on this single pine tree.  The sun now hits the grass and we should see new grass very soon!

AREA #2

I removed a good bit of the lower lying branches.  This dramatically reduces the shade from the branches and leave on the grass.  

AREA #3

And this is probably the most dramatic change so far.  I removed all of the lower branches.  The sun hits the full grass area now!  I will trim the top later when we have secured the rental lift.  I don’t want to be on a 40 foot ladder using a powerful chain saw!  Again, safety first!

AREA #4

These trees are so loaded with leaves during the summer!  I’m so glad I trimmed these up in early spring!  Can you imagine the weight of those limbs full of leaves?  

We still have alot of tree trimming to finish so stay tuned for updates!  I will also post photos as the grass grows back into the current bare spots so make sure to check my Instagram and Facebook posts frequently.

And a huge thank you to Ryobi!  They really are the best!  

The post Trimming Trees with Ryobi Tools appeared first on Shop at Blu.

Spring has really teased us with a few 70 degree days here in Alabama this week.  But the cold weather back will be back for the weekend. I did take advantage of the beautiful weather over the last week.  Here are 10 things I did just this week to get my yard ready for spring

I am joining 12 friends in a pre-mature celebration of Spring! We are sending you warm and nurturing vibes to get through the month of March as we make our way to Easter.

Thanks to Carol from Blue Sky At Home for organizing this fun little hop and serving, once again, as our hostess! If you are joining me from Laura’s blog at Everyday Edits, welcome! I love a good tiered feature with some vibrant color in the kitchen, or anywhere! I am so glad you are here!

At the end of this post, you will find all 12 links to some beautiful spring happiness! Be sure to visit each of my talented friends for some inspo! Perhaps we can hurry Spring along!

Let’s get on with my tips for prepping your garden for spring!

If we are talking spring prep, I am starting in the yard!

1-Trim Low Hanging Branches

 We have some mature trees on our property that we failed to trim over the years.  The limbs began to block the sun from reaching the grass in certain areas.  Consequently, the grass had died off in these areas.  Our back yard has a slight slope so when it rained, the water just ran over the dirt and washed away some of the top soil.  We hired someone last year to trim upper branches. But I can maintain the lower branches that i hat I can reach from the ground. Keeping those tree shaped ensures that you have beautiful grass below the canopy.

My Ryobi Pole Saw extends to 9.5 feet so I am able to get many of these lower branches. 

I have a full size chain saw but I like to make sure Mr. Blu or V ( child #5) is around when I am using that tool. But his pole saw, I am comfortable using any time, I’ve become a wiz with this handy Ryobi tool.

Smaller limbs that are under 2″ in diameter are easy to trim.  It is just a matter of placing the blade on the limb and pushing the trigger.  Larger limbs require a few more safety precautions in addition to the obvious of:

1. Keep your personal limbs, digits, and body parts away from the blade.
2. Only trim branches of the recommended size for your tool.
3. Follow manufacturer’s recommended instructions.
4. Position your self correctly to stay clear of falling limbs.

Limb Trimming Methods:

1. Make a small undercut of about 1/4″-1″, depending on the limb size, about 1-2 feet from where the limb meets the tree base.
2. Place your blade on the top side of the limb about 12″ from the undercut going toward the end of the branch and away from the trunk.  This prevents damage to the bark.
3. Make your 3rd cut closer to the trunk where the branch transitions from bumpy to smooth.

The best tutorial I found is from my friend Chelsea at Today’s Homeowner.  She does a great job of explaining how proper pruning techniques are critical to the longevity of your tree by ensuring optimal healing of the cut area.  Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and follow strict safety guidelines when using any type of tool.

While the weather is not ready for me to work in the yard every day, I can trim a few trees here and  there to help get the yard ready for spring.

2-Plan Window Box Planters

I love a good window box.  All of these planters from my store, The Blue Building Antiques, which closed in 2019. 

I plan to hang these around my newly built deck.  But there are quite a few so I want to make sure they are placed tastefully.  

In preparing to plant, I researched coconut liners.  Whew!  They can be quite expensive.  I finally found some alternatives on Amazon.

I did find these reasonably priced round coconut liners in store at Walmart for $4.97!  And online for $3.97

I also found a 60″ liner at Walmart.com for $3.97.  Great buy!

How about buying a sheet of coconut liner and form fitting each planter?  This comes in 15″ x 40″ or 80″ roll.  I ordered the 80″ to start.  40″ roll basically costs the price of one basket liner at Home Depot.  I should get 2 liners out of the one roll.

I’ve used coco liners to upcycle these thrift store hanging planters in the past.

I will get the boxes ready with liners and soil and then the fun begins in selecting the right sun tolerant plants.

3-Trim Stray Limbs from Bushes, Shrubs, and Small Trees

We have quite a few bushes in our front garden beds and in the pool area.  By spring, they all need some attention to trim stray growth and tidy up their appearance.  During spring and summer, active growth season, we tend to trim these every 2 months or so.  But at the beginning of spring, we do an more aggressive trimming.  This seems to promote new growth.

This includes reshaping boxwoods.  I bought these great topiary sheers last year. 

I use them to shape my boxwoods which I bought quite small but they are growing nicely.  Every few months, I devote about 30 minutes to shaping the bushes.

4-Plan a Garden Around the Mailbox

Our yard gets full direct Alabama sun all day long.  In years past I would buy colorful and lovely annuals only to watch them be scorched to death.  This year I’m not going to fool myself into thinking that I will drag the hose or tote a watering can every day to the mailbox garden when June arrives.  So I am planning a more thoughtful and water tolerant garden for this area.  Thus far, I have purchased a few snap dragons.  Not only are the snaps heat tolerant, but in Alabama, they usually come back the next year.  Double win!  Here is the mailbox area:

Last year I spread the ever heat tolerant and impossible to kill Spiderwort around the yard.  They have a vibrant purple flower and are super easy to grow.  Aren’t the purple blooms pretty?

But they are extremely invasive and I am ready to thin them out dramatically.  They will be coming out of the front garden this year.  I might keep a few but they literally take over and I am completely over them!  I consider them more of a weed.

The circled areas below are all spiderwort. Every spring I remove two thirds of the spider wort in the yard.

5-Apply Pre-Emergent Weed Control to Lawn

I am lucky to have a weed control service who does this for me but this is critical to keeping weeds at bay.  It’s almost too late here in Alabama but grass is just starting to green up so there is still some time.  You can apply a good pre-emergent weed killer with a larger rolling broadcast spreader or a hand held spreader. 

I used a hand held unit for spreading ant bait and pest killer.  It’s great for smaller areas.  It’s perfect for inside our fenced pool area, to which I did dispense the pre-emergent this week.  And in researching for this post, I found that Ryobi now makes a hand spreader!  

In the past, I have used this pre-emergent weed killer from Home Depot.

My understanding is that the pre-emergent does not contain any fertilizer.  It simply stops the formation of new root cells in baby weed plants without affecting roots of established grass and plants. 

6-Use Topsoil to Even the Lawn

Our home is about 30 years old but the soil seems to settle a little more each year.  I like to have some topsoil on hand to fill ruts and sinking areas in the yard.  I simply fill the holes and the grass normally grows over the top soil within 2-4 weeks.  Can you see the dips in the lawn?

For larger sinking spots, I have used a razor knife to score the grass into a sheet and pull back the layer of grass with a shovel. I spread some topsoil to level the ground and replace the grass.  It’s much easier just to spread some top soil as long as you don’t mind the bare spots on the lawn until the grass grows through. But adding soil beneath the grass eliminates the soil patches.  Either way works. The digging is a little more time consuming than simply spreading top soil over the sunken areas.

Here are the spots with top soil added.  

7-Freshen the Flower Beds 

I started to weed the front garden against our house.  This will take another session or two.  I have to do it in stages.  I simply block out sections of 5 and do one section at a time.  Many of the plants need to be thinned out.  Like these daffodils who are way overcrowded!  I thin them out each spring and scatter them to new places around our property.

While I can still tell the daffodils from the spiderwort and lilies, I will split those spiderwort from the bulbs and discard those pesty invaders. 

It’s also nice to refresh your mulch each spring too!  There is nothing like the smell and look of a freshly mulched garden.  I usually add a few bags each spring.  But this year, I will do the entire front garden areas.  Home Depot usually has their much on sale for 4 bags for $10 for several weeks in the spring.  I just saw that sale begin so I will grab some this weekend.

As you can see, our garden beds needs mulch!!!  And weeding and refreshing!  I will be very busy out there soon.

While it may be a little too cool to actually do your planting, it’s a great idea to have the beds ready for that first glorious perfect spring day. This ensures that when I drive by Home Depot or Lowes and see those beautiful colors of the array of spring plants I can grab a few and get them right into the ground.

8-Perform Maintenance on Tools and Equipment

A pre-spring check up of all lawn and garden equipment and tools is a great idea.  Here is a small list of items to check:

1. Put that riding mower in for maintenance before everyone gets theirs out for the first cut and realize they have issues.  Sharpen your blade. Change oil and fuel.  Buy additive.
2. Sharpen blades and edges on trimmers, pruners, lobbers, etc.  
3. Replace any filters on equipment.
4. Check tire pressure and condition.
5. Ensure your motorized equipment starts smoothly. 
6. Check the pool filter and condition of liners, steps, etc.

These items are a good place to start!  While these are just a few suggestions, I’m sure you could add 50 other tasks to this list.  Here are some more projects that are on my list for spring:

9-Stock Up on Supplies for My Next Spring Projects

Once the weather is consistently above 60 degrees I have a few larger outdoor projects to tackle.  When I saw the associated products on sale this week, I grabbed them. 

10-Pressure Wash the Walkway

My Ryobi pressure washer is the perfect size for small projects and beginners.   Every 3 years or so, the walkway from the driveway to our entry need a refresh. It’s that third year so this is on my project list. Once the weather is consistently warmer, I will use it to pressure wash the house.  I purchase a $10 jug of Zep pressure washing solution to make the driveway process go more quickly.  

11-Pressure Wash Driveway

We have been in our home for 20 years!  And you can tell from the driveway.  This will be a big project with my current Ryobi pressure washer.  I will most likely invest in a larger unit that works a bit more quickly and has more power.  But, it is a great unit for small projects. 

12-Clean the House Siding

Two years ago is the last time I pressure washed the exterior vinyl siding on our house.  One side of our home is shaded by trees so the sun does not hit that wall and there tends to be algae and mildew on the siding.  This product was phenomenal.  It simply attaches to your hose. I made one spray application and let it sit for about 15 minutes before a final rinse.  I would say 95% of the green mildew was removed in this fashion.  There were a few more stubborn spots.  For these, I simply made a second application and that did the trick.

So I bought some 30 Seconds for this season and I’m ready for the perfect day to get the hose out and de-moss the siding!

13-Sprinkle Spring Indoors

With all of the gorgeous spring flowers beginning to thrive, I decided to take advantage of their beauty. n It’s still too early to plant in the outside gardens as we will still have a few frosty mornings. But these glorious colors are hard to resist. So I appeased that urge and grabbed some for indoors.

 I have a nice collection of vintage items so I used some to decorate my home.  This post, 5 Simple Ways to Add Spring to Your Decor, jump started my spring decorating and I just can’t seem to stop!

These upcoming outdoor projects will keep my busy for the next few weeks.  Let me know…what have you done so far to get ready for spring! Any special projects on the planner?

Below are all of the links to my creative friends’ spring posts. If you are visiting in order, your next stop is Make Everyday an Event where Annmarie is sharing her sweet Easter bunny wreath that she made from boxwood wreaths. LOVE THIS!

Be sure to leave a comment on each blog letting the creator know what you liked! We love your comments and suggestions. And we appreciate your support. So, if you like what you see, please pin!

Happy ALMOST Spring!

NOTE: There were some link issues with the links below. I am working on this!

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