About the Coco de Mer Tree The coco de mer originates from the islands of Praslin and Curieuse in the Seychelles Islands. It was also found on the small islets of St Pierre, Chauve-Souris, and Ile Ronde (Round Island), all located near Praslin, but was extinct there for a time until recently reintroduced. The coco de mer tree grows to 25 to 34 meters tall. The leaves are fan-shaped, 7 to 10 meters long and 4....

Before about 2001, most NM cable had a white outer jacket, but since 2001, most NM-B cable has been jacketed with a vinyl outer insulation that is colored to identify it for both consumers and inspectors. This color coding of the wire sheath is strictly voluntary, but most manufacturers adhere to the color scheme. The five basic color schemes used for the NM cable in residential construction are white, yellow, orange, black, and gray....

How to Detect Leafminer Damage Not all leafminers zigzag their way through leaves. If you see a similar whitish transparent blotch, this could also be the result of a leafminer. Blotchy leafminer damage is often mistaken for some type of disease. Columbine is almost guaranteed to have a few, if not several leaves showing the classic squiggly line damage. Plants in the spinach family, like Swiss chard and beets, are also favorites, but leafminers will also feast on cucumber, celery, eggplant, lettuce, pea, potato, and tomato leaves, Yes, that’s pretty much everything in the vegetable garden....

To determine the construction cost for your new garage, the contractor will consider several elements. Determining the Right Size Unfortunately, there isn’t a ‘garage menu’ that says small, medium, and large garages each have set price points. A homeowner has so many options to consider that a rough quote over the phone won’t be accurate. That being said, there are some standard sizes and construction costs that contractors rely on when bidding on a garage project....

However, crushed gravel driveways do require regular maintenance and if the driveway isn’t installed properly, then this material can be prone to ruts and potholes. Depending on where you live, there may be restrictions regarding the installation of a gravel driveway. HOAs and some municipalities don’t allow them. Be sure to check for any permitting restrictions first. If you are still on the fence, keep reading for a more thorough look at the pros and cons of a crushed gravel driveway....

Be careful not to overplant, as many full-size winter squash varieties require 50 to 100 square feet to spread freely. In a smaller garden, consider planting winter squash at the garden’s edge and guide the vine across the lawn. Throughout the growing season, be mindful of the plant’s shallow roots and the delicate quality of the vines. Light Winter squash prefers full fun. Soil Plant in rich, fertile, well-draining soil such as loam....

The other problem with a leaf-tip burn is figuring out which of the possible factors may be causing it. Is it the water? Your fertilizer habits? What about the humidity? You might not know right away, so the best idea is, to begin with, the most likely condition, change it to the extent possible, and wait to see what happens. If new growth is unaffected or the scorching stops, you’ve figured it out....

When you are shopping for carpet, be sure to avoid these common mistakes: Underpad saves wear and tear on your carpet by absorbing the impact of foot traffic so the carpet doesn’t have to. Not only will a better grade underpad feel more comfortable to walk on; it will also help your carpet look better for a longer period of time than a low-quality pad would. We cannot stress it enough: your carpet is only as good as your underpad....

Pest Control Professionals Today, pest control professionals most often use gel bait insecticides to control and eliminate cockroaches. This requires the placement of small beads of gel bait in areas where the cockroaches are known or expected to live, travel, or feed. Professional pest control operators (PCOs) will generally provide you with a specific list of preparation activities that their company requires you to complete prior to their visit. Because a lack of preparation could make treatment unsafe or cause re-infestation of the entire home or building, many PCOs will not treat areas that are not prepped to their specifications....

Fast Facts Scientific Name: Garrulus glandariusCommon Name: Eurasian Jay, Jay, Common Jay, European Jay, Acorn Jay, Black-Crowned Jay, Black-Capped Jay, Iranian Jay, Japanese Jay, Brandt’s Jay, Himalayan JayLifespan: 3-5 yearsSize: 14 inchesWeight: 5.5-5.7 ouncesWingspan: 21-23 inchesConservation Status: Least concern Eurasian Jay Identification These jays are distinctive, but because there can be great differences between populations in widespread areas, birders need to be familiar with the key markings to be sure they can identify all Eurasian jays properly....

For years of beautiful furniture, keep any pieces out of sunlight and away from heat sources. These can dry out wood, paint finishes, leather, and rot upholstery fibers. Have you ever made the shocking discovery of a stain on the back of a favorite chair or a watermark on the top of the desk in your guest room? You really can’t blame anyone. But you can fix it. We’ll help you find how to clean any piece of furniture and keep it looking like new....

Air conditioning units have become a must for many people. But if you wait until you really need one, as in right smack in the middle of a heat wave, you’ll be hard-pressed to find the best models in stock. The urgency of a cool night’s sleep only makes it harder to put in the time and effort to fully vet each option. So, we’re doing it now, starting with the Friedrich Chill CP06G10B Window Air Conditioner....

While a qualified technician is required in many states for any type of gas line repair, there are repairs you can make yourself that will save a service call. How to Convert a Natural Gas Dryer to Liquid Propane Problem: Gas dryers come from the manufacturer ready to install with natural gas. However, some areas only have liquid propane gas available. Can the dryer still be used? Solution: Timer Will Not Work on LG Gas Dryer Problem: LG dryer timer does not operate properly causing a 30-minute cycle to stop after twelve to fifteen minutes....

The main Victorian residential architectural styles are: Queen Anne: Full or partial-width asymmetrical porch that may wrap around to other sides; steeply pitched, irregular roofs, textured, ornate shinglesRichardsonian Romanesque: Built with rough-faced stone or sometimes brick rather than wood, with lot of details, like parapets, towers, and archesStick Style: Steeply pitched, gabled roof; diagonal or curving supports on porches; steeply pitched cross gables; wooden wall cladding, flat ornamentationShingle Style: Asymmetrical facade, ample use of shingles on siding and roof, front porch, multi-level eavesEastlake: An architectural and furniture design movement identified by spindlework or gingerbread ornamentation which was done by machinesSecond Empire: Distinctive mansard roof, dormer windows, molded cornices, and decorative bracketsFolk Victorian: Basic, symmetrical house design with some details, like porches with spindlework, brackets under eaves, and gabled roof...

There are so many Christmas lights to choose from these days, including the Holiday Wonderland Mini Multi Color Christmas Light Set. If you’re going for a fun, colorful holiday look in your home, these lights might seem like the ideal decoration for your tree, banister, or porch—but at a price so low, are they too good to be true? We wanted to see for ourselves if these lights would last throughout the holiday season, so we used them to dress up a Christmas tree for several weeks....

Benefits of Homemade Furniture Polish Inexpensive: You can make polish with ingredients you may already have on hand, especially if you have a lemon tree growing in your backyard! Chemical-free: These recipes use nature’s own cleaning chemicals that are, in fact, food items you’d use on your salad. No fragrances to irritate allergies: The cheap scents used in commercial furniture polish can trigger allergies in many people, or even in your pets....