Inside Ideas, Tips & Guides

It’s not that long since it was spring, and cold, and my young plants needed hardening off, but it has been long enough that both of my raised bed covers had been put away for the year. Their plastic covers are great for keeping out the weather, but once it’s warm they can become overheated death traps. I’m still using my Elho grow table, which has proved very useful. Like a propagator on legs, it has been looking after plants outside for weeks. Currently it’s home to my purple sprouting broccoli seedlings, doing a great job of keeping them safe from marauding cabbage white butterflies. It’s in a shadier spot, so it hasn’t overheated, and yet the plants in it get far more light than they did inside, so they’re happy.

I haven’t been able to spend as much time outside as I would have liked this month. The weather has either been far too hot, or very wet, and I have been pretty busy inside. On Saturday morning I took advantage of a couple of cool and dry hours to become reacquainted with what’s going on in the garden:

When I was a lot younger, one of the things I enjoyed doing was making candles. It’s quite a zen-like activity, waiting for max to melt and mixing up colours, and then you have to wait for the candle to set before you see the final result. It’s not a hobby for people who like instant gratification.

Header image (a cup of tea, books and a houseplant on a windowsill) by LUM3N from Pixabay

Many houses have hot and cold spots, especially in older homes and multilevel living. However, it doesn’t need to be this way, say heating and cooling experts. There are multiple steps you can take to even out the temperatures within your home, and we asked home experts for their best tips.

French toast is a classic breakfast dish and for good reason. It's made by soaking stale bread in a mix of milk, beaten eggs, cinnamon, and sugar and then cooking it in a skillet until it's golden-brown. The results are crispy on the outside and custard-like on the inside. It's even better with a pat of butter and maple syrup on top. It's a nostalgic breakfast that many of us grew up with. The basic recipe has been unchanged for years until our Test Kitchen stumbled across a new TikTok hack.

How to Harvest Aloe Vera Leaves

Where to buy September issue with 2-for-1 Garden entry card and guide 2023

A strong, comfortable and reliable pair of wellington boots is essential for every gardener, whatever the time of year. Whether you’re looking for the best wellies for walking, digging or weeding, we’ve tried and tested a range of styles to bring you clear advice on the best wellington boots for you.

If you’ve ever taken something to get professionally framed, then you know how incredibly expensive it can be. Luckily, while some art requires a certain type of frame or protective glass front, not everything needs to be custom framed. In fact, if you’re working with a standard-sized photo, print, or piece of art, there are some great frames available right now that won’t break the bank.

Using wood from a section of our fence that fell in a wind storm, I built a bench to encircle our large maple tree in the back yard.

Nature is rich with symbols that hold deeper meanings beyond their physical existence. Bumblebee stands out as a creature, where its presence, behavior, and characteristics have always spiked the interest of people! Let’s have a look at Spiritual Meaning of a Bumblebee and its interpretations across cultures and beliefs.

Want to know how to harvest buckwheat? We’ll tell you everything you need to know, from timing to threshing to storing.

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Terrariums, or bottle gardens, are mess-free and easy to care for, creating little landscapes for house plants that are both calming and therapeutic. They’re easy to make, look perfect on a desk or coffee table and make excellent gifts.

With so many of us stuck at home and not being able to get to the craft stores, I thought I'd share a quick tutorial for making a ladybug mosaic using a sponge ball and left over mosaics. If you don't have a sponge ball,a roundish rock or polystyrene ball will work to.

I touched on cracked tomatoes in the post onthree common tomato problems in the garden. In light of a recent weather change I thought it would be a good idea to revisit the topic and provide a bit more info. After extended dryness we've gotten a bit of moisture. The welcomed rain is unfortunately starting to cause some tomato cracking in the garden.

If you like lanterns and you want to have the most romantic and cozy atmosphere on your patio or porch, don’t throw out your large glass jars. Yes, you read that right! All you need is large glass jars and knitting yarn. I’m sure you have those large pickles jars and I’m sure you have knitting yarn at home. If not my friends, hurry to your grandma's to get some.

Can I grow acai berry trees? Often compared to the blueberry for its similar nutritional benefits, acai products made from this trendy superfood have been finding their way onto grocery store shelves. But due to their short shelf life, fresh berries are difficult to purchase outside acai berry growing zones. Learn all about how to grow acai berries at home.

The battle between wood and composite decking materials has been going on for decades with mixed results. While wood decks were clearly winning the bids until some ten years ago, the composite decking materials improved immensely in terms of structure, durability and safety. Nowadays, the choice between both comes down to your own budget and personal preferences.

The idea of growing our own vegetables and herbs is gaining popularity in the UK (possibly thanks to Felicity Kendal and ‘The Good Life’ circa 1975). However, not all of us have access to a garden, especially in large cities. So, what can you do if you would like to grow some veggies at home, but don’t have a garden or much space to work with? Don’t worry, you can still put those green fingers to good use!

Imagine if you can have a fresh green salad in February or some juicy red tomatoes in November. Sounds like a dream doesn’t it? Maybe you’ve heard of it. Maybe you’ve seen it. Maybe… it’s cold frame gardening.

Winter is coming, and with it come gardeners fretting over frostbitten plants and damaged crops. Fear not, ladies and gentlemen – let’s introduce you to our extensive guide on how to protect plants in winter.

Since Doris blew our expectations for a “windy day” away, here in London the demand for fence panels at our office skyrocketed: Seeing the destruction it has caused we feel slightly obligated to talk some fences, moderate winds and hurricanes.

Water is the source of all life, but too much water can cause significant problems even in the garden space. For instance, surplus water can promote root rot and diseases amongst plants.

Ants. Love them or hate them, it is undeniable that they are amazing creatures. With large, complex societies, fungus-farming techniques and an empire which almost spans the entire globe, it is a blessing that they are so small and have not yet developed an overwhelming collective intelligence.

Spring is finally here and so is warmer weather, as well as the urge to open every window to let fresh air inside your home once again. For one in five people in the UK, however, the latter presents a dilemma.

As Autumn approaches, many gardeners are putting their tools and gloves away in preparation for the long wait until spring. However, greenhouse owners are continuing to diligently tend to their plants in expectation of the harvest still to come.

If your attic has been the main source of storage for all your home items, it may be time to go through it all to sort out what needs to be thrown out or stored elsewhere.

Learn how to make a DIY solar pool heater with supplies from the dollar store. Heat your pool by harnessing the power of the sun with this easy tutorial using a pool noodle, hula hoop and a trash bag.

Luxury Rockridge Casita in Sunny Garden / Melissa Habegger Photo

Inspired by trendy furniture store, i came up with this hunting lantern for 2 dollars. I shopped supplies from Dollar Tree store and used a cheese ball jar from Costco that we enjoyed my kids and me. I love cheese ball and ended to have lots and lots of jars at home. The whole sale ones are super big compared to the grocery store. Anyway, ones I had everything in between my hands I started imagining how my lanterns gonna look like and how I will hang them. I got a black synthetic rope from dollar tree store that I lined all over the jar horizontally and vertically using a hot glue. For the handles I used an old rattan woven basket that i dismantled and covered with the black rope to solidify the handles. Finally, I drilled the bottom of the jar and insert the solar light for a convenient lighting.

It seems kind of magical, doesn’t it? As summer draws nearer and the days grow longer, it’s only natural to start daydreaming of summer barbecues, picnics and downtime. And the glow of a firefly is a requisite symbol of the lazy, hazy days and nights of summer. To be honest, I’d never really thought about it myself, but the answer is positively fascinating.

Commonly known as the dumb cane, dieffenbachia is the perfect houseplant that can thrive on neglect! The large, variegated broad leaves with bright colors can spruce up any home decor! Apart from appearance, there are several other Dieffenbachia Benefits discussed below!

Terrariums are a fun and easy way to bring nature indoors. They’re like tiny indoor gardens that you can grow inside glass containers. Let’s explore the common Indoor Plant Varieties for Terrariums for a successful miniature garden.