Flat Fee MLS Blog

                                                                                                         If you put your pooch’s waste in a plastic bag, it takes up to 100 years to decompose. So, when it comes time to pick up after your beloved doggy, choose a biodegradable bag instead of regular plastic. Otherwise, you are wrapping one of nature’s quickest degrading substances in something that takes decades to break down, according to expert Brian Howard.

The typical dog produces 274 pounds of waste each year, according to the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. For sanitary reasons, most towns require owners to pick up after their pets, but what to do with it?

Use biodegradable bags that several companies offer. For example, BioBags-the corn based product -are certified to break down in a matter of days. They work very well in communities that have aerobic landfills that are churned up. Biodegradable products don’t work near as well in closed anaerobic landfills, but they certainly won’t hurt.

This is one easy thing that you can do in your own backyard. Adding curb appeal to your property doesn’t hurt either, whether you’re marketing your home to buyers or just going green.

thanks for visiting why6percent.com

                                             Here’s something that’s fun to do with kids. Dry out the marigold and sunflower seed from the dead plants in your garden. Place them in a glass jar with a lid. Keep them in a cool spot till spring.

In the spring, start new plants by placing in a pot or long-length planter and cover with plastic. The seeds germinate in a few days, once they are large enough you and the kids can plant them in the ground.

This keeps the kids interest because it’s a fairly fast project and teaches them to garden and to  recycle the dead plants for next planting season.  It’s fun, give it a try!

Tip for A Private Space that Holds Kids Interest  

1. Draw a square in the soil

2. Plant an outline of plants that will grow tall and make a private garden room

3. The perfect plant for this is the Sunflower which will give them privacy in their garden room

thanks for visiting www.why6percent.com

Tips for a Lush Lawn:       

1. Mow less frequently and cut the grass longer so the top growth protects the roots. To force the roots to go deeper, water less frequently-this keeps them cooler and less susceptible to dry spell damage.

2. Use cornmeal or diatomaceous earth for a good insecticide.

3. Pull weeds before they set seed.

4. Use a soil conditioner with good microorganisms and aerate to encourage soil health. Try LazyMan Liquid Soil Aerator or Soil Conditioner for an easy spray-on solution without backbreaking work, available at outsidepride.com

A lush lawn doesn’t have to break your back, your bank or your planet.

thanks for visiting www.why6percent.com

If you garden consists of flowers, vegetables or a little of both, here are some tips to help you maintain a water-wise garden:

1. Water in the morning so roots have time to take up moisture before it evaporates during the heat of the day.

2. Install drip irrigation or soaker hoses to put water right at plants’ roots and prevent runoff.

3. Frequently check irrigation systems, sprinkler heads, etc. for leaks.

4. Water deeply but infrequently, causing roots to reach down into the soil for moisture and strengthen growth.

5. Use an organic mulch to keep roots moist and cool.

6. Reuse household water as much as possible (e.g.water from rinsing and cooking pasta and vegetables, cleaning aquariums and emptying coolers, vases, etc.)

7. Put up a rain gauge to help manage your water needs.

8. Clean decks, patios, sidewalks, etc, with a broom instead of a hose.

Remember, using rain barrels is a great way to water your garden and lawn and conserve water.

thanks for visiting www.why6percent.com

              Collecting rainwater for use during dry months in rain barrels or other depositories is an ancient and traditonal practice. Historical records show that rainwater was collected in simple clay containers as far back as 2,000 years ago in Thailand and throughout other areas of the world after that.  With the rising price of municipal water and drought restrictions now facing much of the United States during the summer months, more and more homeowners in our own modern society are turning to the harvesting of rainwater to save money and protect this precious natural resource.                                                                                

        If you aren’t ready to install a green roof yet, you can accomplish much the same thing by directing water from your roof into a rain barrel.

The main goal is to reduce the amount of storm water that runs off your property and into an overburdened sewer system. If you save that runoff and use it to water your plants, lawn or garden, you will be both conserving a valuable resource and saving money on your utility bill.

Most German houses have a rain gutter that leads to a collection water drum, which is used to hold rain runoff to water plants. Use of such devices is kinder to our ecosystem. This is a simple energy and water conservation technology that is easy to import.

If you are selling your home FSBO or listing on the MLS, this is a great tip to pass along to your home buyers.

Thanks for visiting www.why6percent.com

         Whether you are selling your home yourself “fsbo“ or you are advertising your home on the MLS, sometimes you need to attract a different breed of buyer. For a home that might sit on the market for a while, you might want to take the time to highlight the pet-friendly aspects of your house.  Marketing to pet owners can make your house sell more quickly. It’s a real selling tool if you can show your home is good for pets.

Here are some inexpensive tips you can use to appeal to pet lovers:

1. Hang a couple of leashes on a coat rack by the back door.

2. In the kitchen, place a large jar of doggy treats on the countertop.

3. In the master bedroom or family room, set out a stylish dog bed, don’t forget the dog or cat magazine on the nearly table.

4. Let the agents know that pet owners are welcome to bring their dogs along to the property to scope it out. Don’t forget to set out a water bowl for the visitors.

5. Pet owners will get a kick out of viewing your personal photos of your pets, so post a few on the fridge for them.

The best pricier option is to install an electric, invisible fence around your property and the newest thing is to put a pet bath in the laundry room or garage. A sure fire attention-getter is a custom-built doghouse that is a replica of the main house.

Don’t forget the clean-up area, the lawn should be immaculate when you show the house. If you can’t clean-up the area yourself, hire a pooper-scooper company to do it for you.

thanks for visiting www.why6percent.com

   Nearly one-third of America’s honeybees have vanished in the last two years-mysteriously abandoning their hives, never to return. Are you aware that every third bite of food of food we eat has been pollinated by an industrious honeybee?

Burt Shavitz, co-founder of Burt’s Bees, says “The bees’ survival depends on how we manage and protect our world.” Experts hypothesize that the likely culprits are pesticides, dwindling food supply and a new virus that appears to target the bees’ immune system. The bee die-off, known as colony collapse disorder , continues to alarm and puzzle scientists and beekeepers who fear the honeybee may be a modern-day canary in a coal mine.

Here’s what you can do to help the bees in your own backyard:

1. Replace some of your lawn with flower beds.

2. Plant native plant species which are well-suited for local bee populations.

3. Check out some honeybee resources at www.pollinator.org. You can get a free Pollinator Garden Wheel and a poster depicting North American Bee species.

4. Reduce or eliminate pesticides and insecticides in the garden whenever possible. Visit www.organicgardening.com for eco-friendly alternatives.

5. Choose plants that flower at various stages in the growing season to provide a consistent source of food for pollinators. For a free packet of bee-friendly flower seeds, visit www.burtsbees.com

Get Vanilla Honey Bee, a new Haagen-Dazs flavor launched in conjunction with www.helpthehoneybees.com, Haagen-Dazs’s campaign to raise consumer awareness about bees.

Remember, honeybees don’t just supply honey, the are vital in sustaining our food sources. Be a honey and help the bees!

thanks for visiting www.why6percent.com