Posts

A garden is like a community. Some members of that community live quietly next to each other, and others demand their own space. Some will even rob valuable nutrients from nearby neighbors. Make sure your companion plants happily coexist. Here are a few plants that don’t play well with others. Beans and Onions Beans are considered allelopathic plants, which means they produce biochemicals that can hinder the growth of another plant....

via amazon.com You don’t need to be a pianist to appreciate the beauty of a piano hinge. This hard-working hardware can do for woodworking projects what it does so elegantly for pianos. Here’s what you need to know. What Is a Piano Hinge? A piano hinge is a continuous hinge (sometimes referred to as continuous hinges) with a central pin and same-sized leaves that run the length of a door or box lid....

The stylish new coat of paint on your bathroom walls looks fresh and clean, but only serves to accentuate the dated and worn appearance of the vanity. Your budget, however, precludes the possibility of a new cabinet—and the potential for involving a plumber—so don’t put those paintbrushes away quite yet. Painting Bathroom Cabinets Like a Pro Painting bathroom cabinets can provide a dramatic change in the feel of the room. As a piece of furniture, albeit one that is fastened to the wall, the vanity cabinet offers a canvas with depth, angles and curves that you can highlight in various ways....

There’s nothing more painful than having a splinter. OK, maybe a few things are more painful, but having to dig into your skin with a tweezer for an endless amount of time is never a fun task. Especially if that splinter is seriously lodged in there. But don’t worry, there’s some good news! Splinters can be coaxed out of your skin with a few simple home remedies. These typical at-home items will help you with that splinter problem without all of the painful tweezer digging....

Epoxy floors always make me think of hockey. Many Canadian kids grow up with an obsession for the sport. Before they’re old enough to put on skates, they learn the basics of stick-handling and shooting by playing with friends in the basement. For the pick-up team in my childhood neighborhood, no floor was better than the epoxy floor in the basement of the team captain’s house — which is probably why he was the captain!...

Cockroaches are an ancient insect, going back more than 200 million years. They survived through their ability to reproduce and make it through extended periods of inconvenient environments. Cockroach Life Cycle When you discover a cockroach in the home, immediate steps should be taken to get rid of the pest. The best way to figure out what to do is by understanding the cockroach and what its life cycle is like....

If you aren’t ready to till part of your lawn and there’s no room in your budget for raised beds, don’t give up on starting a garden! There’s another way to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and lots of other vegetables. More than 20 years ago, Straw Bale Solutions author Joel Karsten created an alternative gardening method when he needed a low-cost way to grow vegetables. He discovered bales of organic straw, hay or other quick-composting materials can replace the need for soil, while offering fresh nutrients to plants....

The LDD (Lymantria dispar dispar), or spongy moth, is an insect to be taken seriously. You may know it by its former name of “gypsy” moth, which was abandoned in 2021 because of its offensive connotation. The Entomological Society of America’s Better Common Names Project, which works to address problematic insect names, recommended the change. Although the name may be different, this insect’s ability to injure trees remains intact and worrisome, says Kirby C....

Eternity in an Instant/Getty Images The National Association of Home Builders recently met with members of the White House National Economic Council, voicing the association’s concerns over the rising cost of lumber in the United States. The composite price of lumber has risen more than 160 percent since the middle of April, adding an estimated $16,000 to the cost of a home. The NAHB is recommending two actions to lower those prices and stabilize the U....

Hostas are popular plants, and that’s not a coincidence. Hostas have a wide range of benefits and might be the right plant for you to add to your garden. Here are a few reasons why. How They Look Hostas come in a wide range of sizes and colors. For instance, the Hosta ‘Patriot’ (Plantain Lily) features lavender flowers in late summer while ‘Elegans’ hosta boasts heart-shaped blue-green leaves. Many variances of hostas are also great at accentuating other plants in your garden....

Family Handyman When the power goes out, your home network is helpless; you can’t work from home, send that last email or keep your smart devices humming along. An inverter generator is one solution. Generators are expensive, though, and if you just want to keep the WiFi on the benefit may not justify the cost. Enter the battery backup, or “uninterruptible power supply” (UPS). These small, affordable power units act as a power source for your sensitive electronics in case of a power outage....

People have built houses from straw since the Paleolithic Era, but modern straw bale construction originated on the plains of Nebraska more than 100 years ago. Andrew Morrison of StrawBale.com says that was when automatic baling machines made heavy straw bale building blocks available to builders who were versed in cob (mud and straw) construction methods. Today, far from being a fringe building method, straw bale construction is code-approved. It has its own section in Appendix S of the International Residential Code (IRC), which has been adopted by every state except Wisconsin....

To me, the best thing about gardening is simply being around growing things. Whether it’s plants, flowers, fruits or vegetables, I just love observing the small changes, the act of nurturing, and of course consuming food I’ve grown myself. As a lifelong vegetarian, I always try to get my hands on the freshest vegetables possible during the cold winter months. I’ve even grown them indoors myself here and there with limited success....

Gas fireplaces offer the warmth and glow of natural flames without the mess of storing wood and cleaning out ashes. The popularity of gas fireplaces has grown in recent years, spurred by a desire for convenience and programs encouraging the exchange of old wood-burning stoves for more energy efficient gas models. (Check out the Woodstove Changeout program from HPBA.org for more information.) The key traits of gas fireplaces are the way they vent combustion gases and their physical structure....

You’ve seen it on HGTV. You’ve seen it online. You’ve likely even seen it at a neighbor’s or friend’s home. Shiplap is everywhere these days. Simply put, traditional shiplap is a kind of wooden board that is often used for building barns and sheds. Shiplap has a groove cut into the top and bottom which allows the boards to fit together and gives it a unique appearance. Thinking of using shiplap in your home?...

Mums are a frequent fall staple on front porches all season long, but these perennial flowers can become short-lived seasonal decor without regular watering. When caring for chrysanthemums, you need to remember that they like water and typically need to be watered often. It’s also essential to ensure the roots get all the water they need. A porous pot or the incorrect soil type can leave you thinking you’ve watered your mums enough when water might not have reached its roots—which leaves them thirsty and could cause them to die prematurely....

Srisuddee Nttapol/Shutterstock What is a Washing Machine Filter? Most people know about the lint trap on their dryer and make sure to regularly clean it out. But did you know that your washing machine has a similar filter that should also be cleaned just as often? Washing machine filters trap anything from lint to loose hairs and should be kept clean to keep your washing machine functioning properly. On This Page...

What does it take to create the ultimate backyard? Well, that depends on how you want to use your outdoor space. For many homeowners, it’s a place to relax, get together with friends and family and have a good time. However you plan to use it, we’ll walk you through the key components. The following is a collection of our favorite backyard ideas, projects, tips and tools to help you build your ultimate outdoor space this season....

Looking for a spa retreat? Do drop-in! That is, consider installing a drop-in tub. They’re an affordable alternative to standard bathtubs, and they deliver a spa experience. Want to step it up to even more luxe? You have options for that, too. What Is a Drop-In Bathtub? It’s essentially a shell: It has feet and a rim, but the exterior sides aren’t finished. On This Page A drop-in tub can be set in an alcove or out in the room....

If you live in a region that experiences cold winters, you know the frustration of going out to your car and noticing that your windshield is obstructed. Whether you are experiencing this because of fog, ice or snow, discovering how to clear your windshield is one of the most valuable skills you can acquire. Luckily, learning how to defrost windshield is an easy, straightforward process—and there are several hacks that can make it even easier....