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For years in this country, buckthorn was embraced as an ideal shrub for landscaping. It was a godsend for gardeners looking for a hedge for tight spaces or for areas where you could plant it and forget about it. Turns out, it was all that. But there was a downside to it as well. What is Buckthorn? Buckthorn is a non-native woody shrub/tree that grows up to 20 feet tall. Also known as Common buckthorn, European buckthorn, Hart’s thorn and European waythorn, the plant was introduced to North America in the 1800s....

Cooler weather doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to your backyard gathering area. Find out how a chiminea can add a little warmth and flair to your patio. What Is a Chiminea? A chiminea is an outdoor stove, typically with a potbelly shape and a chimney. Although they’re available in cast iron and cast aluminum, most chimineas are made from terracotta clay. Sold at garden stores and home improvement centers, clay chimineas may be plain terracotta or decorated with colorful ceramic glaze....

Ceiling fans are a must-have addition to any house. They circulate cool air when it’s hot, and they can be used to create an updraft in the winter, sending warm air around the room to help keep things cozy. That also helps you save on utility bills. Beyond the function, ceiling fans can also give the room a dramatic sense of style, or even plug into your wireless network. If you’re weighing a new ceiling fan purchase, here are some of the main factors to consider....

Maybe you’ve had an outdoor bar on your back patio for years, or you built one as a pandemic-inspired project. Either way, if you’re lucky enough to have one, it’s important to take care of it year-round. Depending on where you live, this might mean cleaning it up and closing it down for the winter. For sure, the end of outdoor bar season is a bummer. But if you don’t take the time to “winterize” your bar now, you’ll have much more work to do next spring when you’re ready to resume sipping wine or cocktails under the stars....

In the northern woods of Wisconsin at our Family Handyman Getaway, we wanted to do more than just open the windows in the cabin. So we installed a 12-ft. x 9-ft. Wayne-Dalton glass garage door in our main living space overlooking the lake. It’s like being outside. To complement our open floor plan and 15-ft ceiling, we also installed a Genie model 6170 wall mount garage door opener. What is the Genie Wall Mount Garage Door Opener?...

Insulating your home well means more than just filling the walls. All building materials — sheathing, drywall, siding, insulation, windows, even vapor barrier — contribute to the overall R-value of a structure. We’re building in International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) Climate Zone 6, so code requires us to achieve an overall R-value of 15. Here’s what all that means, and how we met the requirements. R-Value Explained Family Handyman On This Page...

If you have clay soil in your garden, you may have lost all hope of baskets full of lush vegetables and bouquets of fragrant flowers. But don’t give up so fast! Clay soil isn’t perfect, but it’s not all bad either, and it most definitely can be improved with the right soil treatment. Here’s how to take clay soil and turn it into soil that you and your plants will love....

Wasps are, for the most part, harmless. But that doesn’t mean you want them nesting in your yard or on your house. Wasp stings hurt! And large colonies can be a major nuisance in residential settings. When all you want to do is sit on your patio with a cold glass of lemonade, the last thing you need is a yellowjacket (a kind of wasp) in your drink. Thankfully, getting rid of wasps is a simple process when you get the timing right....

If you’re new to reclaimed wood, think of it as experienced wood. Recovered from old buildings, barns, fences and other structures, reclaimed wood withstood the ravages of time and nature for decades — perhaps a century or more — while developing a character that you simply can’t find in freshly milled lumber. Sometimes wood reclaimed from old buildings is an over-forested species that’s no longer common, or was milled with techniques no longer used because they’re considered wasteful....

Family Handyman When you sow new seeds in the spring, it’s hard to remember exactly where they’re planted before they sprout. That’s a problem when putting in other seeds and plants and even for watering, especially if you plant in curved rows. To make my rows easy to find, I sprinkle a little play sand over the seeds as I plant them. The seeds sprout right through the sand, I know exactly where to water, and the sand helps keep the weeds down while providing good drainage....

Humidifiers add moisture to indoor air during fall and winter when humidity levels are low. The Mayo Clinic recommends 30 to 50 percent humidity levels for indoor air to prevent dry skin, nose and throat irritation and itchy eyes. They also explain that humidifiers can help keep colds and flu at bay and alleviate symptoms when you’re sick. The mist emitted by a humidifier is “unscented” because it is odorless water vapor....

The cockroach is one of the world’s oldest and most widespread invasive pests, invading homes and businesses everywhere in search of a permanent home. To combat them, learn how they operate and what to look for. Signs of a cockroach infestation Cockroaches are a nocturnal insect, preferring dark and moist locations to hide, eat and breed. In the home they’re commonly found behind or under large appliances such as stoves and refrigerators, or near sinks and drains....

Family Handyman What is Style D Roof Edge? Style D, also known as “DL,” “drip edge” or “eave drip,” is a type of roof flashing, applied to the edge of a roof prior to shingling. It’s shaped more like a “T” than a “D”—but that’s construction terminology for you. One arm of the “T” extends a couple inches onto the roof, the other arm extends about 1 inch beyond the roof and the lower leg extends about 1 inch down onto the fascia....

Potho, a type of vine, is one of the most popular houseplants in the world for several reasons. It’s beautiful, grows indoors and is relatively easy to care for. That’s why it’s such a hit with first-time houseplant growers, apartment dwellers and dorm residents. Many people keep pothos in hanging planters or place them on window sills and shelves, sending the stems cascading toward the floor. TikTok poster Liz Fox Roseberry (@foxcraftcustom) owns a droopy potted pothos....

What Type of Lighting is Best for Dining Rooms? Dining rooms are the focal point of any home. Besides being where your family gathers for meals, it can be a great space for entertaining friends, playing games, working or any number of activities. Vivid lighting is vital for getting the most out of it. On This Page Lots of light fixture designs, from farmhouse to industrial to antique and more, should match the style and vibe of your home....

How To Keep a Christmas Tree Alive at Home Check the height of the tree before you bring it into the house to make sure it’ll fit under the ceiling. Then if you have to shorten the trunk, the sawdust will stay outside. Cut an inch or so off the bottom of the trunk. The fresh wood can absorb more water, so the tree will stay fresher longer. Check the trunk diameter by test-fitting the stand....

Question: What are the receptacle outlet spacing rules for kitchen countertops? Answer: Here are the basics: A receptacle outlet needs to be installed on each wall where the countertop or work space that is 12 inches or wider. This makes sense because even a 12-in. space can accommodate a toaster, coffeemaker or other small appliance. Receptacle outlets need to be installed so that no point along the wall line is more than 24-inches (measured horizontally) from a receptacle outlet in that space....

Lowe’s and Petco are joining forces. The two companies recently announced plans to open Petco shops inside 15 existing Lowe’s locations in Texas, North Carolina and South Carolina by the end of March. Lowe’s hopes these Petco shops will turn their stores into a one-stop shopping destination for homeowners with pets. This move makes plenty of strategic sense, especially when you consider an estimated 23 million U.S. households acquired a dog or a cat since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020....

When I was a new gardener and every penny mattered, I looked for the least expensive flowers to fill my porch pots. I had yet to learn why some plants cost more than others, and more importantly, why some flowers were worth more. Now that I’ve been working in horticulture for more than 20 years, I know the price should be only one of many factors I consider when buying plants for indoors and outdoors....

Your new cat’s new digs are all set up with a litter box, food and water bowls, a few DIY cat toys and a cozy place to nap. What’s missing? A collar! Technically, cat collars are optional. However, experts highly recommend them because, well, you never know when that sneaky little feline will slip out the back door and get lost. Without one, you won’t have a reliable way to outfit them with an identification tag (something that is also highly recommended), says Marci Koski, Ph....