Yellow Bells Care Must-Knows lthough it’s a tough plant tolerant of many soil conditions, yellow bells must be planted in rich, well-drained soil, with medium moisture, for the most impressive display of blossoms and lushest foliage. That lengthy bloom time means yellow bells appreciates soil amended with organic matter. If you want to grow yellow bells in a container, plant them in a general-purpose potting media mixed with a slow-release fertilizer....
My vision was to freshen the Craftsman house with a modern farmhouse twist, but I didn’t want it to look brand-new even though the place needed an extensive renovation. I decided to live here for two months before starting so I could really understand what to keep and what had to go. I also realized I could save money by becoming my own contractor—a first for me—which meant I had to be the quality control person while also managing the schedule, budget, and crew....
Prep the Corn For 1 quart or 2 pints of canned corn, you’ll need about 4½ pounds of corn (the weight before you cut off kernels). Start by removing the husks, then scrub the ears with a vegetable brush to remove the silks. Wash each ear and drain. In a large pot cover the ears of corn with boiling water and boil 3 minutes. Cut the corn from the cobs at ¾-inch depth of the kernels (in other words, don’t scrape the cob)....
What You Need 1×4 whitewood boards1×6 whitewood boards4-inch screwsDrillWood glueNailsNail gunWood fillerWood stainBeam straps, made from pliable metal strips found at home improvement storesSpray paint Step 1: Lay the Groundwork Before adding wood beams to the ceiling, you need to determine their placement. Examine your ceiling to identify joists, lights, and other obstructions you’ll need to work around. Once you’ve decided on the layout, screw 1×4 boards across the length of your ceiling....
How to Make Ravioli You just need four basic ingredients and about an hour to make fresh ravioli from scratch. Use our homemade pasta recipe to get started. No special equipment is needed—a rolling pin and a sharp knife or pizza wheel will do the trick. Though if you have a pasta machine ($30, Walmart), this is the time to put it to good use. Find our best tips for making homemade pasta dough here....
Unlike their fussier cousin, crepes, mastering how to make pancakes from scratch is a cinch. Start with our Classic Buttermilk Pancake recipe, stir in our tips along the way, and you’ll have a reason to boast at the breakfast table. We’re also dishing about flavor variations and mix-in options for the ultimate flapjack. So tie your apron on and learn how to make homemade pancakes. How to Make Pancakes Step-By-Step It doesn’t take more than a few pantry staples to make pancakes....
Catmints are fast-growing plants. When they first begin in spring, they form tidy little mounds of neat new foliage. They quickly grow outward and begin to set their buds for their flower show. Many species of catmint can become weedy in the garden setting. If you are worried about this, look for sterile varieties like ‘Walker’s Low’ that will not seed about and cause any future problems. Catmint plants are a wonderful source of nectar for many pollinators and are known to withstand harsh winters....
Where to Plant Crepe Myrtle Need shade near a petite patio? Or do you garden on a tiny lot? Crape myrtle may be the tree for you. In colder climates where winter injury can be a problem, this plant grows about 6 to 10 feet tall—which suits smaller landscapes. In warmer climates it grows up to 25 feet tall, but you can prune it to limit growth. In addition, plant breeders recently have introduced a host of semidwarf and dwarf cultivars that are especially well-suited for tight planting spots like narrow foundation planting beds, curbside areas, and even large pots....
If you’re afraid of pruning your trees, know that some pruning is better than no pruning–especially when trees are young and benefit from shaping. It’s also worth noting that trees are resilient and most moderate pruning can later be corrected as the trees grow over time, so there’s reason to learn how to prune a plum tree. Fruit Trees vs. Flowering Trees When it comes to plums, there are really two types: those grown for their fruit and those that are grown for their flowers....
Before you panic, we’ve got a few tips and tricks that are sure to get stubborn stripped screws out and your home improvement project back on track. So before you further damage the screw head, take a look at the list below to find a method that works for you. Why Old Screws Always Seem to Strip Why is it that every DIY project seems to involve an untimely battle with a stripped screw that just doesn’t want to loosen?...
Purchasing, Storing, and Washing Peppers No matter what kind of pepper you are purchasing, look for one with glossy, bright skin and a shape that is normal for the variety. If a pepper is bruised, shriveled, or has soft spots, it is past its prime. Store sweet peppers, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Store chile peppers in the refrigerator, unwashed and wrapped in paper towels in a plastic bag, for up to 10 days....
Jenna, who shares her projects on her blog Jenna Sue Design, stenciled a design to mimic Moroccan tile. The 28x28-inch stencil created a single, high-impact medallion. “There was a point a few hours in where I thought, Wow, what was I thinking?” she says. But after getting the hang of it, she cut her time from 25 minutes per medallion to 5 minutes, completing the stenciling in 27 hours over two weeks....
How to Plant a Tomato Step One: Stake Out the Right Spot Whether you want to grow tomato plants in a garden bed or a container, choose a spot that gets at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight per day. Though tomato seeds can be directly sown outdoors, you can gain a head start on the growing season by buying transplants or starting seeds indoors six to eight weeks before your area’s average last frost date....
Finding studs isn’t challenging, but you need a tool called a stud finder. These gadgets work by detecting metal nails or density changes. This step-by-step tutorial shows you how to use a stud finder so you can spend less time prepping and more time decorating. What You Need Stud finderBatteriesPencilMeasuring tape Step 1: Turn It On Insert batteries into stud finder. Place the stud finder on one end of the wall you’re checking for studs, then turn the tool on....
In this guide, you’ll find care instructions for cashmere, including tips for hand- and machine-washing, stain treatment, drying, and storing cashmere garments. The Basics of Caring for Cashmere The best way to wash cashmere is by hand. If you’ve never washed a garment by hand, this might conjure an image of long hours spent hunched over a washboard, but in fact, hand-washing a cashmere item is, at most, a 15-minute job (usually less!...
Seeding is the best way to plant Indian paintbrush because container-grown plants are difficult to transplant. Seed Indian paintbrush in early spring or late summer in full sun and well-drained soil that’s between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Be patient; the seeds may take a few months to germinate. Keep the soil moist—but not soggy—during the first year. (After that any surviving plants will be drought-tolerant and only need occasional watering....
