Testing Ideas, Tips & Guides

There are plenty of performance interior paints and coatings for walls, trim, and furniture that are purportedly durable against scuffs and cracks, and that boast waterproof, water-resistant, or water-repellent properties. While these qualities render them suitable for spaces and surfaces that come into contact with water and cleaning agents—such as a kitchen, bath, or tabletop—they aren’t necessarily durable for painting the exterior, or any exterior component, of your home.

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Your soil may not need it, your plants may not want it, and it's possible to use it incorrectly. But when properly applied, wood ash can be good for plants. This guide explains how to add wood ash to your garden for optimal plant growth.

Pothos are great houseplants because they’re easy to care for. One popular way to grow them is in water so you can watch them grow right before your eyes. It’s fun and easy to have a green plant in your home without fuss this way. But don’t just do it in boring, transparent glass; use these wonderful Pothos in water ideas.

As you test out new varieties of storage vegetables for your home garden, you’ll benefit from learning when to harvest acorn squash. These winter squashes get their name from their acorn shape. They’re close cousins to Hubbard, pumpkins, buttercup, kabocha, delicata, spaghetti squash, and butternut squash. Here, I offer advice for growing acorn squash, indicators of squash maturity, how and when to harvest acorn squash, and all-important storage tips. Harvesting acorn squash is a straightforward task. Winter squash of all kinds are harvested and eaten as mature fruit, when the s

Moving out on your own for the first time is a mixture of emotions: excitement about having your own space—whether shared with roommates or not—and naturally, a bit of apprehension.

Dutch Boy

When and How to Fertilize Plum Trees

Gone are the carefree days of summer. School is officially back in session! Simple habits like creating a daily routine, prioritizing healthy eating and supporting their mental wellbeing can help your child succeed this school year.

IKEA

11 Reasons (and Solutions!) for Yellow Hibiscus Leaves

My laundry game is always changing, but I must admit: I still can’t quite seem to pin down the best combination.

Fortunately, Hurricane Debby blew through South Carolina, but she left behind standing water, damaged trees, and other landscape issues. After the storm, homeowners can be left with a real mess to clean up in their yards. The Clemson Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC) has compiled some answers to the most commonly asked questions we receive regarding saltwater intrusion and storm damage to landscapes affected.

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My desk is usually surrounded by vacuums, various spray bottles, and heaps of cleaning tools. At one point, I had 17 vacuums of all types under my roof (many of which are now in new, loving homes). (And this is just a small peek into my life as a cleaning editor.)

Picking out the right pest repellent among the dizzying array of bottles, sprays, and pellets at the store isn't easy—but there's something you may already have in your kitchen worth testing.

Sometimes, the healthiest-looking seeds may not sprout, wasting your time. However, if you use these tips, you will know quickly if the seed is viable for germination and save a lot of waiting time!

Homegrown tomatoes taste heavenly when they are sweet with a hint of tart, acidic flavor. If you want to grow the same, there is a science behind it. And what is it, find out below!

Tested by Jason Reeves

So you’ve hit the jackpot at the thrift store and found the vintage sofa of your dreams at a deep discount. But then you spot something that could turn this scene into a nightmare—an ugly stain on the fabric that looks at least half as old as the furniture itself. With a bit of patience and the right cleaning technique, there’s an excellent chance you can remove the stain, revive the fabric, and enjoy your “new” furniture for years to come. Below, we're sharing six foolproof ways to remove stains from thrifted store finds.

BHG/Andrea Araiza

Marty Baldwin

Andy Lyons

A wormery is a great way of recycling kitchen and small amounts of garden waste, using worms to turn this  material into nutrient-rich natural compost. A sump within the wormery also holds any excess liquid produced during this process and this can be used to feed your plants too. Simply drain it with the tap, every few days, dilute it to a 1:10 ratio of water and you have a nitrogen-heavy liquid feed ready to use. Wormery composting worms are different species to the earthworms you see in your garden, which aren’t suitable, and are known as brandlings, red, manure or tiger worms. They live inside the waste in the wormery bin and thanks to big appetites and a fast metabolism, quickly break down food waste likeegg shells, vegetable peelings and tea bags and turn them into compost for your garden. For help getting started our helpful step-by-step guide explains how to set up a wormery

You can’t even begin to garden without the proper preparation of your soil. Well-maintained, aerated soil is necessary for your plants to be as strong and as healthy as possible. However, this is often quite a daunting task, requiring soil to be rejuvenated through loosening and turning over. Forks make this easy – they’re one of the simplest but most effective tools in the garden. Not only are they great for cultivating and getting areas of soil ready for planting & sowing, they’re also designed to easily lift and transplant plants. There are several different types of forks, and most people’s go-to is a digging fork. However, these forks can be unwieldy, and ill suited to smaller areas of the garden like borders. They can also be a  little too clumsy for more delicate tasks like transplanting plants and harvesting from raised beds. Border forks offer an easy alternative. A  little smaller and narrower than digging forks, they’re great for getting into tight spots without compromising on strength or efficiency. They offer a finesse that makes them great for weeding, or lifting clumps of perennials from cramped borders. Their lightness also helps if you have mobility issues, or if you lack strength and stamina. A good border fork turns all of the above from a backbreaker into a breeze. It should be indispensable; a lifetime companion in the garden.

When and How to Fertilize Persimmons

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

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. 

From novices to experts, all gardeners need a trusty spade and they’re often the first tool that gardeners will buy when starting out. These staples of the shed are invaluable and can help with dozens of jobs around the garden. Digging spades are the most common style of spade and are the go-to spade for beginners but there are also several other styles and models of spades, which are designed with particular jobs in mind.

We really love the creative cheese recipes taking the world by storm. But many of these viral videos lean on the sweet side (for instance, air-fried Oreos, peanut butter cups, and crème brûlée), so having a savory option like the beloved whipped feta is a nice break. When we made and tested the recipe, it just took one bite, and we were hooked.

Carson Downing

Adapted from Rodale’s All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening, pages 541-550, with permission from Rodale Institute

Jason Donnelly

The TikTok algorithm knows me pretty well by now—my FYP unlocks new fears daily, one of them being bristles from a grill brush getting lodged in my gums (I saw a video where it happened, okay?)

LPM Restaurant & Bar

Mealybugs can affect all types of crops, ornamentals, and houseplants, including succulents and cacti. Outdoors, mealybugs have natural predators to keep their numbers in check. But indoors in your nice, cozy house, their numbers can increase quickly.