Equipment You Need if You Own Land with Trees

The application of land clearing has proven to be a very essential process when owning a piece of land whether commercial or residential. There are several occasions where you find your backyard unoccupied and covered with trees, bushes, shrubs, and undergrowth. This is why the use of land clearing is important and having the right equipment is also essential, these types of equipment would clear the trees, shrubs, and undergrowth, making it easier for you to perform other activities on the land such as gardening or any form of construction. Below is the list of essential tools that are needed whenever you need to clear your land. 

Wood Chipper

Wood chippers are helpful when you want trees and spread them through a large area. PTO wood chippers are used whenever you find it difficult to manage the trees that grow on your land,  they help in disposing of worthless branches and bushes without loitering the land. They are very easy to use whether for both residential or commercial purposes, and it saves you time from moving up and down trying to get rid of the bushes and trees. 

Hand Tools

These are important tools for individuals who prefer to get their hands dirty and do necessary clearing themselves. The tools are essential for gardening and any form of lawn work. Some examples of some hand tools include hand saws, pruners, pickaxes, shovel, hoe, and rake. Each of these tools has its importance, so before you begin clearing your land, you would need to know the right tool for the job. 

Mowers

This piece of equipment is vital in clearing a large area of land filled with undergrowth. For the walkable areas, you can use the self-propelled version. For the areas that are covered with large bushes, it is recommended that you use the brush hog. The brush hogs help clear tough grasses and weeds, which would make the job easier for you. 

Grubber

This equipment is famous for the effective removal of grasses, it is used in some specific areas where you would need to remove a small section of saplings, for this process, there is no need for a mower but you would need something powerful that the lawnmower, that is where the grubber comes in, it has spikes that pierce into tress. 

Bulldozer

This piece of equipment is very important if you need to clear a huge amount of land. When it comes to clearing lands, some attachments are needed to make the job easier. Some of the attachments include a root plow to remove the bushes and shrubs and the heavy-duty rake, which helps clear small trees and rocks. 

Excavators

The use of this machine is for larger applications. Just like the bulldozer, the excavators also have attachments such as the Grapplers which helps in the machine reach and grab small trees, logs, and brushes, stump pullers are used for removing stumps, and the heavy-duty rake, which helps in gathering rocks and loading them onto the trucks.

Skidsteer

This piece of equipment has some similarities with a bulldozer except that the tracks are rubber. The tracks of the skidsteer are designed to applying less pressure rather than walking on it. There are several skidsteers out there and not all of them are created equally. The attachments for a skidsteer can easily be changed in a matter of minutes. They mostly come in small sizes, therefore are not designed to handle big trees and forestry work.

The best method used to clear trees is not removing the trees and taking them to a separate location but by chipping the tree from its original location, which would cause less damage.

Is Your Water Making You Sick?

It is true that the only way we can get sick is if germs get into our system. Our bodies have a natural way of fighting some of these germs, but sometimes it could be overpowered, leaving us sick. Water is one of the essentials of life, and whether you like it or not, you cannot do without it, which is why you have to ensure that it is always safe for drinking.

This article will show you why you need to try out some home water quality tests and what testing kits you can use. Note that aside from getting sick from the water you drink, your skin health can also be affected by the water you bathe with. You need to pay proper attention to this article.

Why It is Important to Test Your Water

There are one thousand and one reasons why you must always test your water before drinking or bathing, especially if you have kids. Some of these reasons include helping you to know what you can do to keep it clean. Water can be from different sources, and even if your own doesn’t contain germs, it could contain some other harmful properties like lead. 

If you have a child that drinks from your home water, you want to ensure that the water is very healthy and pure enough for consumption. It is more difficult to tell when a baby is experiencing stomach upsets, so you have to keep the things that can cause it away.

Home Water Testing Kits

Below are some of the best home water testing kits you can find. Some of them are specific to some water effects, which makes them even more useful.

1. Heavy Metals Test Kit by Health Metrics 

This product is used mainly to test for lead in the water. Lead is one of the major causes of harm to internal organs like the kidney and bladder. The lead will not appear clearly to your eyes, but with the use of this testing kit, you can know if the water you have been consuming contains even the tiniest amount of lead because even the tiniest amount can cause bladder and kidney stones.

2. Well Water Test Kit by Watersafe

Well water is one of the most dangerously unhealthy water to drink, especially when it is not properly taken care of. You want to ensure that you know what the well contains so that you know the best way to disinfect it before drinking or any other use. This testing kit by Watersafe is one of the best in the market.

3. 5-way Swimming Pool Chemistry Test by Poolmaster 22260

You must always test your pool to know the chemical content in the water and to see if it is safe for swimmers and their skin.

Home water testing is a good step in the right direction when you are trying to live a much healthier life, and investing in one or more of the above kits will help you keep your home water safe.

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Photo by Sohaib Al Kharsa on Unsplash

How to Improve Soil Health to Improve the Crops in Your Home Garden

One of the most exciting things to have in your home is a beautiful garden, because it doesn’t only give you something to eat, but it also gives you a sense of responsibility. Ensuring that this garden is fertile for your crops is another essential part of this process, which is why you should consider your soil health.

This article will show you all that you need to know about your soil health and how you can improve it for a more productive garden. Follow me through this article; there’s so much to learn.

How to Improve Your Soil Health

Below are some trusted ways to care for the physical, chemical, and biological properties of your soil and improve your soil health in no time.

1. Reduce tillage or don’t till at all

Yes, tillage helps to loosen the soil for preparation for planting; however, there are side effects to that. Using the tillage tools might make the job quite easier for you, but it also makes your soil a little unhealthy. Tillage is favorably used in large farms where tilling with your hands may be impossible. In your home garden, tillage can result in your soil being blown away by wind or washed off by the rain.

2. Always add organic matter

Don’t be in the habit of planting on your soil immediately after clearing the garden. You cannot make healthy crops from unhealthy soil. Ensure always that you apply some organic matter that can help to boost the health of the soil. Aside from having to harvest only a little, unhealthy soil is easily infested by pests.

3. Tap into the benefit of cover crops

Cover crops do more than just cover up your garden during the no-planting seasons. They also help to keep your soil fertile, hydrated, and provide some helpful nutrients. They will also help to keep you constantly aware of your garden. Most cover crops die during winter, giving you some space to plant your crops for the springtime.

4. Create a pathway in your garden

One of the major challenges that face your garden is you constantly stepping on the soil. Stepping on the soil makes it easier to get compacted, thereby reducing tilth. Create special and permanent beds for planting and never walk on them. A pathway will also help visitors stay away from the beds.

5. Add some aged animal manure

Manure is one of the most important things that your garden will need for your crops to come out healthy. Note that you have to start adding manure to your soil even before the planting season comes to prepare the soil for planting.

Every one of the methods listed above has its specific advantage on your soil, which is why you have to use a combination of some or all of them to keep your soil always active and healthy for planting. Also, note that it is safer to apply these methods prior to planting. 

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Photo by elizabeth lies on Unsplash