FIVE Ideas, Tips & Guides

Ready to tackle that big pile of laundry? Depending on what you're washing, you may want to think about running a hot water load. Many garments can be washed in hot water, laundry pros say, and below, Hyacinth Tucker, owner of The Laundry Basket LLC, highlights five types of items in particular that will benefit from this type of care.

I have unashamedly but apologetically ‘borrowed’ the idea for today’s vase from last week’s contribution by Jenny of Zone Three Garden (sorry Jenny, and thanks!), in which she placed several stems of rudbeckia in a clear glass vase, held in place by aquarium pebbles. It made such a striking arrangement, the bare stems serving to emphasise its elegance.

It's no secret that one of the less exciting responsibilities of being a homeowner of any kind is keeping your place neat and tidy. If you live solo or just moved out on your own, then you know that the responsibility of cleaning falls entirely on your shoulders, which can be a lot to handle.

If you're struggling to find or describe your design style, you're not alone. Many people appreciate a wide range of aesthetics but are unable to identify which looks they would actually like to translate into their own home.

If you’re a homeowner looking to update your bathroom and you’re reconsidering which bath updates are must-haves and which you can skip, read on to learn what some professional designers would skip when it comes to their own bathrooms and why.

A well-designed living room layout will help enhance the space by making it more functional for everyday use. To find out what types of elements constitute a top-notch living room layout, we polled three interior designers and asked them to weigh in.

Hi GPODers!

You’ve measured your outdoor space, you’ve agreed on a style — contemporary, traditional, rustic or more — you’ve determined a budget, now it’s time to look for the perfect garden furniture set.

33 of the Best Melon Varieties

The next time you receive the news that a storm or strong winds will likely soon hit your area, you won't want to be scrambling and wondering what exactly you will need to do in order to prepare your outdoor space for impact. It's much easier to stay calm by having a list of steps that you will need to take readily available to you ahead of time. That's why we're sharing the below five hacks that professionals use to prepare their outdoor spaces for severe wind and rain.

Courtesy of Magnolia

Tempaper & Co.

Trader Joe's

Learn About 9 Types of Bay Trees

Mantises are something of an eccentric in the world of insects. The males can fly, but more often they move slowly among shrubs and flowers. They can be fearsome hunters but usually wait for their prey to find them.

I’m often asked for advice on visiting gardens in the UK.

Meatpacking plants may rely on lots of human hands, but they also rely on functional computer systems.

Are US corporations liable for human rights violations in partner companies if they happen overseas? 

As of last summer, the island nation of New Zealand was home to 6.3 million head of dairy cattle, up 82 percent over the last two decades. The country also holds 3.8 million beef cattle, 800,000 deer and a whopping 26.8 million head of sheep. That’s a lot of livestock for a country of about five million people. 

From slender and succulent to bouncy and vigorous, these plants that look like noodles and other tasty edibles will have your tummies growling with temptation! And they are distinct ornamentals that will quickly uplift your green decor. Let’s dive in!

Back in March 2019, Tyson Foods proposed a waiver in which the work of some federal inspectors would be done by Tyson’s own employees. 

How does one get a lobster high? In a tiny, lobster-sized hotbox, obviously. Or, in scientific terms, a sealed exposure chamber. 

Umbra

With Elon Musk’s SpaceX scheduled—though certainly not confirmed—to fly to Mars sometime within the next decade, our thoughts naturally turn to agriculture on the red planet.

The Environmental Protection Agency announced Tuesday that it will approve new formulations of the herbicide dicamba. 

This current strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI, more commonly known as bird flu) is causing problems. It’s been detected in nearly 97 million birds in commercial or backyard flocks, with another 9,500 wild birds confirmed infected. In birds, it can cause coughing and breathing trouble, swelling and, ultimately, death. 

With high-tech farming machinery that relies on wireless connections, alongside the ever-growing online opportunities for farmers—such as interacting with potential partners and buyers and the ability to sell products to a wider array of consumers—connectivity is becoming more and more important for modern-day farming. 

If you've already encountered a few or a group of spotted lanternflies in your yard, you may need to take extra steps to protect your yard since this invasive pest can damage the ecosystem around them.

As gardeners, we’re very aware of the environment around us. We notice the impact of the changing climate as our plants struggle through drier summers, or are able to over-winter with less protection than in previous years. But we’re also in a uniquely fortunate position. The decisions we make in our own gardens can make a difference to the wider environment. Here, Frances Tophill shares why it’s so important to garden sustainably, and how she does this in her own garden.

Claire Hoppe

We're sharing handy cleaning and organizing tips to help you prep your place for guests in a flash when you don’t have time (or willpower) to do a deep clean. From easy-to-execute tasks to tools that make the job infinitely easier, use these tips to whip your place into shape when you’re looking for big results in next to no time.

Half way to #30DaysWild I've tracked something every month of the year so far, from my diet through to screen time. This month it's the turn of the Wildlife Trust's 30 Days Wild initiative and I'm having a great time adding a bird's foot, plus a little drawing of what I've observed that day to my tracker.

Do not be surprised to start seeing evidence of the periodic cicada invasion. Females damage small branches by their egg-laying activities. They use their ovipositor to cut slits through the bark and lay eggs. Heavy egg-laying can damage the branches enough to cause them to die back. The branch “flagging” can be alarming, but the trees will recover.

Collaborative post

Right now, my house is in a state of limbo. Between two small children, our fairly extensive cottage renovation, and life in general, it makes me want to deep clean everything while also fearing there’s no real point. At least, not until we’re out of limbo. 

In April 2024, the EPA passed its first-ever legally enforceable drinking water standards on a handful of PFAS—a group of man-made chemicals widely used to make non-stick coatings and products that resist heat, oil, water and more. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances keep food from sticking to packaging or cookware, make clothes and carpets resistant to stains, and create firefighting foam that is more effective. They are referred to as “forever chemicals” because of their tendency to not break down. PFAS have been used commercially since the 1940s, and it has long been known that these chemicals are toxic to people. Big chemical companies, such as 3M, have known about the harmful qualities of these toxic chemicals for decades but intentionally hid the evidence. The EPA now admits that “exposure to PFAS has been linked to deadly cancers, impacts to the liver and heart, and immune and developmental damage to infants and children.