Should You Put Silverware in Your Dishwasher’s Utensil Basket or Rack?

Planting and maintaining a thriving garden isn’t all knowledge and natural instincts—there can be an element of luck, too. Sometimes, what affects your plants’ success is totally out of your control, such as rainfall, wind, and other weather events. That’s just a byproduct of working with nature.

Perhaps not known for his greenfingers, it seems apt to quote the musician Paul Weller, who in 1978 gave us the great lyric ‘No matter where I roam, I will return to my English rose’. Because no matter how many other garden plants come and go, the popularity of the garden rose never seems to diminish. You might not see many in a Chelsea Flower Show garden but us gardeners know some good plants when we see them and roses regularly top polls for the nation’s favourite flower.

I have a dorky habit to confess. Whenever my to-go iced coffee is finished, I dump the ice from my reusable cup into the dirt of a street tree. It’s probably like half a cup of water, and I am sure it doesn’t make a difference, but I can’t not do it.

Q: I have an infestation of (see picture) in numerous parts of my lawn. It seems resistant to lawn weed killer. Any suggestions?

Americans are rethinking their relationship to lawns. While traditional turfgrasses do serve many purposes in the landscape, such as erosion control and mitigating solar heat, they are not always the best solution. They require vast amounts of time and resources to maintain while supporting little ecological diversity. In the face of increasing drought and water restrictions, the time has come to consider grass alternatives.   Whether you are wanting to attract more pollinators to your landscape or are looking to replace struggling turfgrass in the shade, there is a grass alternative to meet your needs. Consider the function you want your lawn area to serve when selecting plants. Lawns are traditionally used to stabilize soil and provide a surface for playing, walking, or gathering. In landscape design, lawns create cohesion, providing an open framework around which gardens are laid. From flowering perennials to native turf species, there are grass alternatives to meet each of these needs. Often, the best solution is a mosaic of several low-growing plants.

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Step outside your door and look around at your lawn and garden. You probably see a few common weeds. Now look again. You might also be looking at dinner or the ingredients for a poultice to ease that rash that’s been nagging you.It’s easy to disregard weeds as a troublesome nuis

The Homestead Act first came into effect in 1862 when President Abraham Lincoln signed the bill to promote homesteading where a homesteader would be provided with a land to build a home, farm the land for a minimum of 5 years and make some improvements. This Act provided 160 acres of land to the people willing to homestead in exchange for a small filing fee and the amendments that followed increased the allotments further promoting homesteading in the US. This is now no longer in effect and ended in 1976 with the introduction of Federal Land Policy and Management Act.  However, homesteading was allowed until 1986 only in Alaska.

Though they are not widely known, elderberries are one of the most versatile and productive plants in the garden world.Native to many parts of the United States, they h

We may not think much about the trees outside our homes, but if we heed the words of FDR, who famously said, “Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people,” it’s time we should. After all, urban forests—the ecosystems that make up our communities, including the trees planted on our residential properties, in parks, and along streets—are vital to our health and the health of the environment.

Though often typecast as a mere Thanksgiving pie ingredient, pecans are more than deserving of a spot in your pantry (or freezer) all year long. That’s because beyond their delicious taste, these crunchy favorites are also packed to the brim with nutrition. Read on to find out just what makes pecans such a healthy addition to your lifestyle as well as some tasty pecan recipes to get started.

Life feels like a nonstop grind of weighing different options, doesn’t it?“Creamy or crunchy?” “Denim or khaki?” “Do I tell them how I