Posts

I recently reached out to a few colleagues who are professional rose gardeners to ask for their tips on planting. Want to know the number one tip I got? “Remember that a rose is a shrub.” If you can plant a shrub, you can plant a rose. The following tips for how to plant roses will help ensure your success with one of the world’s most popular flowers. Plan Where to Plant Your Roses To perform well, most roses need room to grow, in well-drained soil, where they can get at least six or more hours of sunlight daily....

It’s that time of year again when we put away the portable space heater and take out the portable fan. I’ve burned through a number of inexpensive space heaters over the years, and I never look forward to pulling the fan out of the garage and cleaning the dusty grease off those portable blades. These seasonal woes are presumably what Lasko had in mind when it introduced the All-Season High-Velocity Hybrid Fan and Heater, a two-in-one device for year-round use....

There’s a classic Christmas movie from the 1970s that begins with a Great Depression-era mom marveling at her blooming Christmas cactus. Her daughter asks, “How can a plant know it’s Christmas?” The Christmas cactus has long been a popular holiday plant and is still popular today. But it’s not the only cacti with a connection to a holiday. There’s a chance that a prickly plant you think is a Christmas cactus is really another variety known as the Thanksgiving cactus—and neither should be confused with the Easter cactus....

Earlier this week President Joe Biden named Doug Parker the new head of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Parker is currently in his third year as chief of California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) after previously working for the Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration. The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (National COSH) praised the appointment. Jessica Martinez, co-executive director of National COSH, said in a statement: “With his broad experience as an advocate for union mine workers, head of National COSH affiliate Worksafe, and leader of one of the nation’s largest state workplace safety agencies at CAL/OSHA, we are optimistic that Doug will restore faith in an agency tasked with implementing and enforcing safety standards during this critical time for U....

Noppon Kobpimai / EyeEm/Getty Images Winter can wreak havoc on your car, creating hidden problems that could cause inconvenient, expensive breakdowns. With the spring thaw upon us, now’s the time to perform basic auto maintenance to avoid unnecessary repairs. Follow this simple checklist to see whether it’s a DIY fix or you need your mechanic to perform these services. Don’t forget to check out our guide for spring cleaning your car....

The quintessential wood splitter is a burly lumberjack with an axe, but not every homeowner with logs to turn into firewood easily fits this persona. In fact, it’s probably safe to say that, unless they’re looking for a cardio workout, most people would prefer to have a machine do their wood splitting. Vince Christofora, an engineer and owner of Woodstock Hardware, reports that wood splitters are increasing in popularity, so there must be lots of those people around....

A sump pump keeps basements dry. It’s absolutely essential if your basement floor pad was poured close to the natural water table. Installing one is pretty simple, but requires some forethought. First, know the different types of sump pumps: submersible, pedestal, battery-operated and water-powered. Submersible sump pumps are generally the most expensive, but also the most robust and reliable in my experience. I’ve seen them work for decades without failing. Here, we’ll focus on installation techniques for submersible sump pumps....

You might have seen or heard stories about hackers getting to home smart devices and having your refrigerator start randomly making ice cubes and, in turn. making you think your home is haunted. What Can You Do to Prevent Your Smart Home From Getting Hacked? Smart home device owners must secure their connected appliances and their own online accounts, especially email. Hackers relentlessly send phony emails with links or executables for people to click on so the hackers can ensnare their user names and passwords....

Ninety-nine percent of drain lines under sinks are bound to leak sooner or later. That’s because the parts are made from thin plastic and joined with “slip” joints that slip together and—eventually—slip apart. So if there’s a new kitchen sink in your future, consider the drain assembly my plumber buddy installs for his best customers. He uses thick “schedule 40” plastic (PVC or ABS) parts that are “welded” together with solvent cement for sink drain plumbing....

BBQ Grill Mats via amazon.com On This Page Here’s one of those barbecue tools you never knew you needed — non-stick grilling mats! They keep food and oil drips from falling in between the grates and can withstand temperatures up to 500 F. When you’re done, simply wash with water and dry in the sun. No more messy grill clean up! Original Price: $20.99 Sale Price: $13.99 (33% savings) Shop Now...

Building a Town, a Business and a Shed When Greg Ostertag retired from basketball after 10 seasons with the Utah Jazz, he and his wife, Shannon, eventually settled near Mount Vernon, Texas. The town was looking a bit tired—mostly empty storefronts downtown, just one restaurant. “But we went ahead and moved here anyway,” says Greg. “Then Shannon came to me with the idea that she had to buy this building and try to put some life back into the town....

Few statements elicit homeowner panic quite like, “You need a new furnace.” In addition to the major financial hit, if the need for a new furnace arises when the temperature is below freezing, there isn’t time to carefully research your purchase. Fortunately, good maintenance and a relationship with trusted heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) experts can make the process easier. And remember that keeping your furnace well-maintained goes a long way toward making sure it’s functioning efficiently and safely as long as possible....

via Emilija Miljkovic/Shutterstock Despite your best efforts to have a reusable shopping bag on you when you’re running errands, an unexpected trip or purchase can end in you being the proud owner of yet another plastic bag. Throwing them in the garbage may seem harmless, but plastic bags aren’t biodegradable, meaning they’ll take hundreds of years to decompose. Your best bet is to take advantage of plastic bag recycling. The easiest option for plastic bag recycling is to take them back to the store....

It’s easy to buy just about anything online, from the cars we drive to the clothes we wear. Live plants are no exception. Some people live where there isn’t a garden center within 100 miles. Others can only find time to shop for plants late at night after everyone else has gone to sleep. Buying plants online is a major convenience, plus you can find some one-of-a-kind varieties you won’t see in most stores....

What is a grout float? A grout float is a hand tool that resembles a trowel. It’s designed to press grout into the joints between tile or stone. Grout floats are used by tile and stone installers. They consist of three parts: Handle Base (some are built into the pad) Pliable Pad How is a grout float used? First, an excess amount of grout is applied to the joints between the tile or stone using either the float or another tool like a margin trowel....

Many homeowners think their HVAC system uniformly blankets their entire house with cool or warm air as needed. That’s not the case. Any forced-air system involves multiple individual elements and controls. And if those elements get out of alignment, it can spike your energy bills and make your home less comfortable. Air balancing can help. What Is Air Balancing? Air balancing means adjusting an HVAC system so every room in the house receives the right amount of conditioned air (hot or cold, depending on the season) to be as comfortable as possible....

Supapornkh/Shutterstock Fruit flies are undoubtedly pesky pests. They fly around your head while you cook, gather in groups on your kitchen counter and take up residence on your basket of fruit. And while you can shoo them away with a wave of your hand, they’re bound to come right back. Thankfully, there are ways to make sure that once you get rid of them, they stay away for good! Deter Them With Scents....

Upholstered furniture, like your sofa or couch, sees a lot more abuse than you might think. Whether it is rambunctious kids, food and beverage spills, or family pets sleeping there, your couch may begin to smell somewhat funky after a while. You don’t need to call in a professional upholstery cleaning service or buy an upholstery spot cleaning machine to get rid of the odor or light stains on your couch....

Your headlights are meant to give you a wide, clear beam of light at times of low visibility, but they can’t do their job if they’re dirty. Fogged-up or dirty headlights aren’t as effective as they need to be to keep you safe on the road. The good news is, cleaning your headlights is a simple DIY project you can accomplish with a handful of household items. One headlight-cleaning method that’s gone viral recently features toothpaste as the primary ingredient....

Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock Getting Rid of Bed Bugs The cost for professional bed bug extermination typically ranges from $500 to $1,500, depending on the extent of the invasion. An infestation is a minor home disaster, so extermination must be covered, right? Not so fast. Insurance companies classify bed bugs as a home maintenance issue and thus the owner’s responsibility, says Michael Barry, a spokesman for the nonprofit Insurance Information Institute....