Testing Ideas, Tips & Guides

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Tested by Mark Dwyer

A city garden by Luciano Giubbilei, where an interesting mix of shapes and textures is provided by the foliage of a multi-stemmed Acer palmatum, a wisteria and a mound of Euphorbia mellifera.

Brie Passano

May is National Hypertension Awareness Month and American Stroke Month, two conditions that are intricately linked to cardiovascular health. While many fad diets tend to come and go, one dietary pattern has stood the test of time and remains one of our world’s healthiest.

From Left: Sara Lee. Neilson Barnard / Staff / Getty Images.

We shared this on Chemistry Cachet several weeks ago, and we are already having readers write in saying they love it!

7 Reasons Magnolia Trees May Fail to Bloom

Nobody likes the presence of ants in their kitchen and pantries. But before using harsh chemical pesticides, you must try some household hacks. Learn about them with us!

Spritz Society

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BHG / Ana Cadena

Andy Lyons

Food Network

Anybody who has spent time in the woods or other wild surroundings is familiar with ticks, those blood-sucking arachnids that seek out creatures, including we humans, on which to feed. Most of us also know that ticks are carriers of numerous diseases, the most known being Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. However, many people are unaware of a recently recognized syndrome related to tick bites that can cause serious health conditions, including anaphylaxis and death. This condition is called alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), also known as red meat allergy or tick bite meat allergy. People who develop this condition show symptoms typically 3-4 hours after eating meat from mammals (beef, pork, venison, mutton, etc.). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), symptoms can include:

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When you’re pruning in the garden, rather than adding the spent branches to your green bin or bagging them up and taking them to the recycling centre, why not make the most of this valuable resource by shredding it for the compost or for use as a mulch? A garden shredder chips garden waste so that it takes up less room and breaks down quickly and easily, and if you want to save money on compost and mulch in the future, they’re an essential piece of kit.

A lush, green lawn is a source of pride and joy for many gardeners but it’s often where all the action takes place in the garden. The focal point for gatherings with friends and family, it can suffer from overuse and too much wear and tear. Terrific turf needs a good lawn care regime to achieve it and while regular mowing and watering will take you so far, there are a couple of additional tasks for your to do list, which will help keep your lawn in tip-top condition. Regardless of how often you cut your lawn, over time the soil underneath the turf becomes compacted, while above ground a thick, impenetrable layer of thatch and organic debris develops around the roots. This undesirable combination prevents air, water and nutrients from reaching deep down to the grass’ root system and ultimately weakens its growth, leaving the plant susceptible to pests and diseases. Scarifying your lawn will help remove thatch and debris, but if you need to relieve compacted soil underneath the turf, it’s best to aerate it. Aeration is the process of making air holes in the lawn to create ventilation. In small lawns a simple garden fork can be used to push holes into the ground but you can also buy manual aerators, either solid or hollow tined, which require the same effort as a fork. However, if you have a lot of lawn and not much time, other types of aerator are probably the best option. Whether you’re pushing a roller covered in spikes, or using a powered machine, these aerators are a labour-saving version of the trusty garden fork, mechanically making a series of holes in the lawn.

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Tested by Marti Neely

Brooke Singer may laugh when she calls herself “a self-taught soil nerd,” but she is quite serious. When Singer looks at soil, she sees something beyond just the microbes, minerals and organic matter that comprise the earth’s most biodiverse ecosystem. She sees something incredible, “teeming with life and diversity,” she says.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

Last spring, when moving from a one-bedroom apartment to a three-bedroom house, I knew that we would need to do some furniture shopping. However, it was still a shock to see the furniture that once filled our apartment to the brim barely furnish the space. Most of our home is wood laminate, and it has an open-concept great room that screams for rugs and defined living spaces. We gradually found the best places to purchase rugs (I even took weeks shopping around for the perfect bathroom runner) and in the span of a year, have curated a home full of rugs that are functional, look pretty, and are all affordable at under $300.

Le Creuset

When I first heard of the Scandinavian Sleep Method, I initially thought it was a pretty nifty idea—and I could use any upgrade to my sleep routine—so my partner and I decided to give it a try.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

The winding peaks and troughs of Arizona’s Verde Valley, weaving through jagged ochre mountains, dreamy cactus-clad deserts and deep volcanic canyons, make up some of the most iconic images of the American West. For thousands of years, the valley has been home to both the Verde River, one of Arizona’s only perennial wild rivers, and to Indigenous communities from the ancient Sinagua and Hohokam peoples to present-day tribes including the Yavapai, Hopi, Apache and Zuni. It is also home to 270 species of birds, 94 species of mammals and 76 species of native amphibians and reptiles. All this makes the Verde River key to the history, culture and ecosystem of central Arizona. 

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Richard Hawke is the Director of Ornamental Plant Research at Chicago Botanic Garden, where he oversees comparative evaluations of ornamental plants. The CBG Plant Evaluation Program has included 117 distinct trials over the past four decades, with 26 comparative trials currently underway in three evaluation areas. In 2011, Richard began reporting trial results in Fine Gardening magazine, and has since written dozens of feature articles that can be found by visiting his author page.

Starbucks | Design: Better Homes & Gardens

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We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

If I've learned one thing over the years, it’s that I am at my most effective and my most efficient when I operate under strict guidelines. This is never more true than when I’m attempting to declutter.