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Creating an herb garden can be as easy as planting a few indoor pots of your favorites, or as extensive as an in-ground garden that complements homegrown vegetables and draws pollinators. Where to Put an Herb Garden Pick a spot with healthy, well-drained soil that gets sun at least six hours a day. It also helps if the location is near a kitchen or patio door, so it’s easy to step outside, quickly snip fresh herbs and incorporate them into your cooking....

Most people love Neapolitan style pizza. Gooey cheese, crispy crust—what’s not to appreciate? For one thing, the cost. By the time you factor in delivery fees, taxes and a tip, the dinner budget doubles and you’re left waiting on a delivery driver. Say goodbye to long waits and hello to fresh, wood-fired pizza—Solo Stove’s Pi Fire is here to reinvent pizza night! Made from surprisingly lightweight, heat-resistant 304 stainless steel, Solo Stove smokeless fire pits have a range of accessories that enable their use on porches and other heat-sensitive surfaces....

ADT has been a familiar name in home security for a long time. Here’s how the company compares with the newer players in the ever-expanding high-tech home monitoring market. What is ADT? ADT is a customizable, pro-installed home security system with continuous monitoring. The company began in 1874 as American District Telegraph, with a residential call box developed in response to a break-in. That makes ADT the oldest home security company in the United States by a long shot....

Household mold is always something to take seriously. Begin by determining what kind of mold you’ve got, the conditions that led to its growth, and the options for eliminating it. Acremonium mold is one of the most common household molds and it can make you sick. Read on to learn how to recognize and deal with it. What Is Acremonium Mold? Acremonium mold derives its name from the same linguistic root as the English word “acremonius,” meaning angry or bitter....

Sponsored by Sears Home Services One of the best parts about saving energy is that it can also save you money. Check out these seven tips that deal with essential parts of your home, including its HVAC system, siding, windows and doors. Are you guilty of neglecting these energy vampires? Don’t underestimate the importance of insulation. “A poorly insulated attic is the best place to start when it comes to improving comfort and saving on your heating and cooling costs,” says Sears Home Services product manager Jim Eldredge....

Prostock-studio/Shutterstock Does looking at a pile of gifts that need to be wrapped turn you into a stressed-out Scrooge? If you’ve left your holiday shopping and wrapping until the last minute, you’re feeling the pressure to get it done quickly. Fortunately for you, we have some time-saving tips that will help with quick gift wrapping. Find out how to create beautiful packages faster than you can say “ho, ho, ho.”...

Taking care of your septic system is not complicated and doesn’t have to cost you a lot of money. NOT taking care of your septic, however, could cost you big bucks in the end, as digging up and replacing a septic system can cost tens of thousands of dollars. What Is a Septic System? If your home is not part of a city water and sewer system, your septic system is crucial because it treats all the wastewater that comes from your house, including the water from the bathrooms, kitchen and laundry room....

Family Handyman Working from home has given some people much more time to work on lawns and gardens. If you’re a proud do-it-yourselfer and lawn enthusiast, it can be easy to ruminate about ways to make your turf look better, no matter what month it is. As you contemplate lawn care, consider a yard maintenance schedule to keep yourself on track. Note: This schedule follows recommended lawn care practices for Northern lawns (north of Interstate 70) consisting of cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue and perennial ryegrass....

Emilija Manevska/Getty Images Black Friday and Cyber Monday are terrific opportunities to make a serious dent in your holiday shopping, all while saving a fistful of cash. Without a plan, however, these late November deals could easily become January’s clutter. Try these five simple tips to help you net the deals but skip the clutter. Set a Budget Black Friday and Cyber Monday bargains aren’t really deals if they put you in the red....

Lubo Ivanko/Getty Images Salt, sand and chunks of ice. Keeping your car clean during the winter may seem like an impossible task. Once you wash it, it’s dirty again in no time. However, even though that salt is beneficial when it comes to melting snow and ice on roads, it can cause havoc on your vehicle. Salt, when it adheres to your vehicle, opens the door to oxidation, which can lead to rust....

The code requires two or more 20-ampere small-appliance branch circuits for all of the receptacle outlets in the kitchen and the areas associated with the kitchen such as pantries, breakfast rooms, dining rooms. The dedicated small-appliance branch circuits are exclusively used for the kitchen wall and countertop receptacles and the ancillary areas and must not be used to supply lighting loads or any other non-kitchen areas. The reason for this is to ensure that all of the combined capacity of the 20-ampere small-appliance circuits is available for an undetermined number of portable appliances that may be used at any one time by the homeowner....

Jiale Tan/Getty Images According to new analysis of government data conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America, construction employment in the U.S. remains below pre-pandemic levels in three-fourths of states. Only thirteen states and the District of Columbia posted positive gains in construction employment from February to October, while the rest have been unable to recover. “Although single-family homebuilding and remodeling contractors are adding workers, most states are likely to have a net loss of construction workers soon, especially from high-paying, nonresidential jobs,” said Ken Simonson, chief economist for the AGC....

In closets and other low-priority areas, don’t tape and mud inside corners. Instead, caulk them. I first tried this trick on wall and ceiling corners 20 years ago—and those corners still look good. There are just four things you need to know: When you hang the rock, keep gaps to a minimum. You can get away with 1/8-in. gaps, but not wider. Finish all the tapered joints and get a coat of primer on the rock before you caulk....

Family Handyman Shave your Sweater Want to make some of your old favorite sweaters look like new? To get rid of pilling on sweaters, try shaving it with an electric razor. Even a non-electric razor works! All you have to do is gently run the razor back and forth across the pills. And be careful not to snag your sweater. This hack will also work on your wife’s favorite fuzzy sweaters and socks, too....

In my kitchen garden, eggplant, or aubergine as it’s known in Europe, is a superstar. It’s easy to grow, especially the Asian varieties. It’s great in stir fries, like Thai spicy eggplant, or in Italian dishes like eggplant parmesan. How to Plant Eggplant From transplants, outdoors Buy transplants from your local nursery or box store. Before buying, research online for disease-resistant varieties. On This Page Plant eggplant in full sun after your last average frost date, when the temperature is consistently warm....

There are many commonsense reasons why you’d want a little extra security. If you travel frequently, staying in hotel rooms or AirBnb rentals can be risky because doors don’t always lock securely, if they lock at all. Plus, cleaning staff and who knows who else has keys. Most homes have burglar-proof front doors, but side and back doors might not be as secure. And some people may need a little extra privacy in certain rooms in their house....

No part of a fence gets more use than the entrance gates. And, if your fence has been in place for a while, chances are the posts are starting to deteriorate and the gates aren’t closing properly. You can try shimming the side or entrance gate hinges, but that’s not a long-term solution. The real fix is to replace the fence posts. It’s not difficult or expensive, but you will work up a sweat....

Family Handyman Here’s a great gift idea that will draw raves. The joints are accurately made in seconds with a plate jointer, but don’t tell your admirers. You’ll also need a power saw to crosscut the boards and a jigsaw to cut the half-circles in the risers. The lumber you’ll need: One 8-ft. 1×8 clear hardwood board (actual width is 7-1/4 in. and actual thickness is 3/4 in.). Oak is a good choice because it’s readily available at home centers....

Prune Back Old Wood Late winter and early spring are ideal times to start pruning because you can get to the plant before it starts budding. You’ll want to prune Butterfly Bush, Flowering Dogwood, Honeysuckle, Hydrangeas, Redbud, Spirea, Crepe Myrtle, Rose and Wisteria. Be sure to clean your pruners after trimming each plant with isopropyl alcohol to prevent the spread of any plant disease. Plant Cover Crops Cover crops can help feed your soil throughout the winter because they add organic matter and balance nutrients....

An aggressive lawn weed that can be a homeowner’s nightmare, nutsedge (also called nutgrass or water grass) can be hard to identify. Often by the time you figure out what it is, it’s too late. What Is Nutsedge Nutsedge is a persistent turfgrass weed that grows in warm temperatures, so it’s most prominent during the spring and summer months. In southern states such as Florida, nutsedge can be an issue year-round....