Testing, Testing

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Soil fertility and soil pH can be intimidating to both new and experienced gardeners. But your soil isn’t as mysterious as you think, as long as you start by having a soil test done. “Testing your soil allows you to make sure you have the optimal conditions for what you’re growing,” says Barbara Smith, consumer horticulture extension agent at theHome and Garden Information Center at Clemson University. “Without a soil test, you may add product that your garden doesn’t need, which can be detrimental to some plants, or you may spend money on soil amendments that aren’t necessary.”

A restaurant-quality pizza can be hard to replicate in your own kitchen, let alone garden. Authentic pizza usually needs a large, purpose built, wood-fired oven that’s beyond most budgets, but enter the domestic pizza oven. Thanks to compact portable designs that cook in minutes, easy to use, outdoor pizza ovens are now readily available and you can have your own taste of Italy that’s indistinguishable from the real thing. Because they cook at such a high temperature, you can have restaurant-quality pizza in only a minute. Just the thing if you have a few guests over – it’s a brilliant party trick to quickly turn out some of the best pizza this side of Naples in your own back garden.

While there are many scientific ways and gadgets to determine your soil quality, they can either be a little time-consuming or expensive. But one quick and straightforward way to do this is to Bury 2 White Underwear in the Garden. Confused? Read more below!

In the garden, it’s easy to observe the beautiful flora above the soil line, but have you ever been curious about what’s happening below it?With the right soil test kit, you’ll no longer have to

Gardening experts everywhere recommend that you test your soil before doing anything else.And, if your garden is suffering, you’re just starting out as

Soil tests help you determine what kind of amendments your growing medium needs for ideal plant growth. Fortunately, there are certain DIY Soil Tests You Can Perform at Home easily to ascertain the soil texture, acidity, composition, and drainage. Discover them below:

The Gardener’s Full Apron saves changing into gardening clothes when time is short. Made from waxed cotton with deep leather pockets and ties. £45 www.worm.co.uk The Kneelo cushion is supremely comfortable and lightweight – indispensible for kneeling on hard or wet ground and it comes in nine jolly colours. £14.95 www.burgonandball.com Gold Leaf Winter Touch Gardening Gloves have a thermal lining for warmth and a waterproof, breathable lining to keep hands dry in the wet. The Rolls Royce of gardening gloves for men and women. £22.95 www.harrodhorticultural.c

If you’re wondering why those blueberries you planted a while back are not growing to their full potential, it is probable that you forgot to check your soil’s pH level.

It's rare for a machine to be deemed life-changing when we put it through our rigorous testing process, but that’s exactly what happened when we tried the ECOVACS Deebot N8+ All-In-One Robot Vacuum Cleaner and Mop. It's our current pick for best overall robot vacuum. The good news? As we head into Memorial Day Weekend, it's more than 50 percent off at Walmart—that’s nearly a $400 discount. If you’ve been looking for a sign to upgrade your cleaning routine, this is it—we originally spotted this sale in early May, and we don't think it'll last much longer!

Dinners, parties and get-togethers are never complete without a good bottle of red wine. But almost always, someone ends up with a souvenir from the occasion in the form of a wine stain on their much-loved clothing.

If your favorite golden bauble has seen better days, then you know the importance of keeping it clean and sparkling as much as possible!