There is nothing worse than finding an adorable home decor DIY, buying a ton of materials, and starting a project—only to find it's a hundred times more complicated than it appeared in the slick, edited video you saved on socials.
23.07.2024 - 15:00 / balconygardenweb.com / Editorial Team
Homemade tonics do wonders for plant health. While there are many methods for caring for orchids, some gardeners use kitchen hacks like garlic water. This leverages garlic’s antibacterial and antifungal properties to promote healthy growth and blooms.
Garlic contains sulfur, an important mineral that helps the plant produce chlorophyll; it also helps activate certain enzymes and vitamins, which help in overall growth.
Garlic also has organosulfur compounds like allicin, which is antimicrobial and helps with the plant’s metabolic processes, enhancing its potential to bloom. This compound also makes its extract useful for deterring root rot, a common orchid ailment.
It’s interesting to note one gram of freshly crushed garlic cloves yields about 2.5-4.5 mg of allicin.
Now that you know how useful garlic can be, here’s how to make the garlic tonic:
Gather 10-12 garlic cloves and one liter (3-4 cups) of water. Peel and crush the garlic cloves, then add the mixture to boil for about 20-30 minutes. Otherwise, you can simply allow the cloves to sit in hot water for a few hours.
This steeping process ensures the water is infused with garlic’s potent properties. Once the combination has cooled completely, strain out the garlic pieces, leaving a clear garlic-infused solution ready for use.
But don’t use it on the same day. Shake it up in a bottle and let the solution rest for a day.
Before you do anything, clean the orchid’s roots and remove any damaged parts with pruning shears. Then, wash the plant with clear water. This allows the roots to now absorb the garlic solution efficiently. Skip this step if your orchid roots are fine and not rotting!
Next, pour this tonic slowly over the roots and potting medium to ensure even coverage.
There is nothing worse than finding an adorable home decor DIY, buying a ton of materials, and starting a project—only to find it's a hundred times more complicated than it appeared in the slick, edited video you saved on socials.
When you think about your summer to-do list, it’s likely that most of your favorite warm-weather activities revolve around a body of water. (Basking beachside with a juicy book in hand? Clocking in a few laps? Splashing your way to a swim-up bar? Check, check, and check.) In fact, the season can be so water-centric that it can sometimes be challenging to even consider how to have fun on land.
It’s peak tomato season and if you’re lucky, you aren’t getting through them fast enough. While preserving the bulk of your harvest to keep from waste and spoiling is the best move, there are definitely times when you just want to hold onto that handful of heirlooms for a few days longer and enjoy the fruits of your labor fresh. Thankfully, how you store your tomatoes can buy you that extra time and it’s as simple as storing them stem-side down.
The front yard of this home designed by E. Cobb Architects in Seattle’s Leschi neighborhood already had plenty of curb appeal, but the home’s new owner wanted to add a pool to splash around with his grandkids on a warm day. So he tapped Ian Butcher, AIA, founding partner of Best Practice Architecture to create the space.
A couple of the Sunset editors were talking about the Barbie Dreamhouse the other day. And we had a hot take: Although it’s an iconic home (with a slide, pool, and a color palette that childhood dreams were made of), it’s not the most attractive-looking space from an interior design or architecture standpoint. Sure, it has some touches of mid-century modern style and an extremely cohesive color palette, but we think not very many people would want to live there IRL. On top of that, it doesn’t really look homey or comfy. And all of that’s okay, because the house is for a doll and make-believe moments. What’s a human who wants to live out their Barbie fantasies to do?
Courtesy of P.F. Candle Co.
Marty Baldwin
This small woody shrub belonging to the mint family is grown for its fragrant, edible, and medicinal leaves and flowers. Growing hyssop has a host of health benefits and is also useful in maintaining a thriving, pest-free garden. Let’s dig in!
A new TikTok trend is making the rounds, and you aren't going to want to miss out on this one! TikTok users are now obsessed with minimalism—especially when it comes to home decor and cleaning. And for good reason!
Amy Pigliacampo / Interior Designer: Amy Pigliacampo
Summer isn't over yet, and there's still plenty of time to update your backyard space so you can enjoy it for the rest of the season—and beyond! Design experts are weighing in with their top project recommendations that you can easily tackle this weekend or in just an afternoon. They'll make all of the difference!