Your Seasonal Lawn Care Schedule For The Midwest

Spring Maintaining Your Mower Before you even step foot onto your lawn, tend to your mower. Bring your grass cutter in for service in early spring—that way, you’ll beat the rush, and your most critical tool will be in tip-top shape when you need it. Make sure to sharpen the blades so they cut evenly and efficiently. Starting Your Lawn from Seed Fall is the ideal time to start a new lawn from seed....

December 5, 2022 · 4 min · 709 words · David Conn

Your Step By Step Guide To Installing Cedar Shake Siding

If you love the look, follow our step-by-step guide to mimic this stunning coastal style—no matter if you’re hundreds of miles from the shore. Although cedar shingles are more time-consuming to install than most other types of siding, the extra effort is worth it for the rich, textured aesthetic they’ll give your home. Before you dive in, make sure your house’s sheathing—the exterior material covering the framing—is made from boards, plywood, or oriental strand board (OSB); otherwise, you won’t be able to install cedar shingle siding....

December 5, 2022 · 3 min · 551 words · Laura Burnette

Your Ultimate Guide To Caring For Bulbs

The most important part about planting successful bulbs is getting the timing right. Then, there are some must-know tips and tricks for taking care of bulbs after they are planted. Use this guide as a springing-off point to get perfect bulb-based blooms in your garden bed or container garden. Learn how to care for bulbs in pots here. When to Plant Spring-Blooming Bulbs The best time to plant most spring-blooming bulbs (including tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths) is in fall when the soil temperatures have cooled but before the ground freezes....

December 5, 2022 · 3 min · 584 words · Dorothy Anderson

Zucchini Summer Squash And Chicken Salad

December 5, 2022 · 0 min · 0 words · Harvey Deville

How To Paint A Staircase To Spruce Up Your Entryway

“With the correct tools and materials, most DIYers will be able to take this project on,” says Lowe’s store manager Gary McCoy. But he’s also quick to point out a few issues that could complicate the process, including the age of the staircase, the number of steps, and whether they’re carpeted. These roadblocks shouldn’t hinder your plans, though. Even carpet is relatively easy to deal with, as long as you have the right tools and guidance for its removal....

December 4, 2022 · 2 min · 255 words · Cheryl Cotner

How To Plant And Grow Ajuga

Ajuga’s common names are carpetweed and bugleweed, so you’d be right in assuming that this plant is a vigorous grower. Each growing point on the plant is actually a little rosette of foliage. Ajuga spreads steadily by sending out plenty of wandering stolons, which are essentially horizontal roots growing outward from the plant. From each node on a stolon, the plant sends down roots and forms another crown of leaves—so that as they grow, they create more colonies....

December 4, 2022 · 5 min · 956 words · Jane Brewer

How To Plant And Grow Pansies

The several different species of pansies (Viola x wittrockiana) are actually viola hybrids. (Johnny jump-ups, or Viola tricolor, and Viola ‘Jackanapes’ are closely related, similarly hardy, and usually sold in garden centers at the same time.) These beloved biennials, often grown as annuals, are perhaps most well known for their “faces”—the distinct markings on their petals that British growers began to breed for in the 1800s. However, pansies can also be single-colored or streaked....

December 4, 2022 · 12 min · 2408 words · Rebekah Aubert

How To Press A Flower For A Pretty Memento You Ll Want To Display

Unlike a bouquet of dried flowers, pressed flowers are great for framing and displaying as art, giving as a sentimental gift, or dressing up handwritten cards and letters. You don’t need any special tools to preserve them either; there are a few different methods for pressing flowers, but you can easily get the job done with just a few supplies from around your house. Selecting Flowers for Pressing If you’re pressing flowers from a bouquet, it’s best to start as soon as possible; don’t wait until the day before you’ll have to throw the arrangement out....

December 4, 2022 · 5 min · 1022 words · Frank Hamiton

How To Press Tofu To Get The Ultimate Crispy Exterior

How to Press Tofu Do you really need to press tofu? Well, no. There’s nothing wrong with using tofu right out of the water-filled package, but most tofu recipes will call for draining and pressing tofu. When you press water out of tofu, it allows the bean curd to soak up whatever marinade or seasonings you add. Pressing tofu also allows the exterior to get nice and crispy if you’re frying, baking, or sautéing it....

December 4, 2022 · 1 min · 161 words · Kirby Coleman

How To Recaulk A Shower To Keep Bathroom Seams Sealed

What You Need Silicone or water-base caulk (If you are doing only one shower, a 2.8-ounce tube is quicker and easier to handle than a cartridge in a caulking gun.)Old knifeOld soft cloth Step 1: Prepare the Shower Before you caulk, make sure your shower or bath is in tip-top shape. Thoroughly clean all soap residue and mildew from the walls. Then use a utility knife to dig the old caulk from corners and tub seams....

December 4, 2022 · 2 min · 257 words · Susan Yurek

How To Unclog A Shower Drain

Best Tools to Fix a Clogged Shower Drain If you’re wondering how to unclog a shower drain, the answer requires a few tools and household supplies. Stock a bucket with screwdrivers, a flashlight, a drain claw ($7, The Home Depot) or a wire coat hanger, latex gloves, white vinegar, baking soda, and a plastic garbage bag for containing debris. Keep a toilet plunger, a handheld plumbers snake ($54, The Home Depot), and commercial drain cleaner handy in case they’re needed for your clogged shower drain....

December 4, 2022 · 3 min · 553 words · Roberto Herman

How To Unshrink Clothes With Hair Conditioner Yes Really

In viral videos shared under the TikTok heading #laundryhacks, users demonstrate the easy fix, noting it’s saved them “hundreds of dollars” on replacing too-tight clothes. To help unshrink clothes, first, add 1 Tbsp. of conditioner to a small bucket or container filled with warm water, mixing the product in as much as possible. Fully immerse the shirt in the mixture and let it soak for 30 minutes. Finally, rinse out the conditioner and gently stretch the shirt to your desired size....

December 4, 2022 · 2 min · 315 words · Nick Stewart

How To Use A Drill

Choosing a Drill When buying a new drill, pay attention to these factors while you test-drive. Voltage: It indicates how long a drill holds a charge as well as the tool’s power. The higher the voltage, the greater the power and run time.Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) Batteries: We recommend a cordless drill. Lithium-ion batteries—rather than nickel-cadmium (NiCd) or nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) batteries—are light, quick-charging, and greener. Read warranties fully, especially details about battery replacement....

December 4, 2022 · 5 min · 885 words · George Moorefield

How To Use Vinegar In Laundry And When It S Best To Avoid

While vinegar does have many uses in a laundry room, there are safety measures to be aware of before using it, as well as some best practices to help you make the most informed decisions about when, and when not, to use this inexpensive natural cleaner. This guide covers the uses of vinegar in laundry as well as the potential drawbacks. The Benefits of Using Vinegar in Laundry There are many uses for vinegar in laundry, including stain removal, odor elimination, and mold and mildew eradication....

December 4, 2022 · 5 min · 982 words · Regina Clark

How To Wash A Baseball Cap So It Doesn T Lose Its Shape

When it’s time to give a baseball cap a bath, there are three methods to choose from: In the machine, by hand, or by spot-treating only the stained areas that have gotten soiled. (Skip so-called hacks that suggest washing a baseball cap in the dishwasher, because steam can cause the fabric to pucker.) Whichever option you choose, the method for drying a baseball cap is the same, and that drying step is the key to making sure it doesn’t lose its shape when it’s washed....

December 4, 2022 · 2 min · 346 words · Jacqueline Stull

Hyssop

Hyssop Care This easy-to-grow plant loves full sun and well-drained soil. (In warmer climates, it may perform better with some afternoon shade.) Before planting, work plenty of organic matter into the soil. You may want to add a light application of organic fertilizer to the hole before tucking in the plant. Place these plants 12 to 18 inches apart to accommodate their eventual height and width. Water young plants regularly until established....

December 4, 2022 · 2 min · 382 words · Hazel Colvin

I M A Home Shopping Editor And These Are My Favorite Items In 2022

While many picks are Instagram-worthy products that have beautified my space or made it more functional, there are so many under-the-radar and affordable finds that I absolutely love. From cooling bedding to comfy pillows, patio furniture, food storage containers, and scented candles, these items are sure to elevate any living space. And did I mention the list starts at just $8? Editor-Loved Home Picks 2022: Beckham Hotel Collection Bed Pillows, $32 (was $50) The Citizenry Stonewashed Linen Sheet Set, from $275 AmericanFlat Picture Frame, from $9 Our Place Always Pan, $145 Keter Tahoe Adirondack Chair, $296 Hatch Restore Sunrise Alarm Clock, $130 Rubbermaid Six-Piece Produce Saver Containers, $26 with coupon (was $33) Paddywax Candles Library Collection Jane Austen Candle, $27 Bearaby Tree Napper, from $269 Patelai Garden Plant Support Stake, Set of Six, $8 Oxo Good Grips Etched Zester, $11 Casper Bliss Attachable Headboard, from $343...

December 4, 2022 · 1 min · 181 words · John Long

Instagram S Most Popular Pies For Thanksgiving Raise A Few Questions

Even more strange, pumpkin pie is the most popular pie in only three states! According to Instagram, the app sourced the data based on the likes and mentions of pie flavors from in-feed and Instagram Story posts. This is how they stacked up. Cranberry pie is closely followed by sweet potato pie, with 11 states claiming it’s the fave. From there, cherry pie, blueberry pie, and pecan pie tied with six states in their favor....

December 4, 2022 · 2 min · 259 words · Carrie Stiles

Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies

1 cup powdered sugar 1 tablespoon milk

December 4, 2022 · 1 min · 7 words · Lynn Sun

Italian Spinach Soup

December 4, 2022 · 0 min · 0 words · Phyllis Leech