Light Providing these desert cacti with enough light is one of the most important aspects of their care. Totem pole cacti need lots of sunlight to stay happy and should be grown in a location that gets several hours of bright, direct light every day. Directly in front of a west- or south-facing window are both great options. A lack of light will cause these cacti to grow leggy and may increase the chance of accidental overwatering and root rot....

The foliage is trifoliate, giving it its genus name, meaning “having a three-part leaf”. But of greater significance than either its leaves or its blooms is its ability to spread and form mats across the surface of the soil. This spreading, which is responsible for its species name, repens, takes place when the nodes along the plant’s stems come into contact with the ground. The result is that new roots are put down, essentially forming new plants....

Wintersweet is a slow-growing shrub that can take as much as 15 years before it reaches flowering maturity. It is normally planted as a container-grown nursery specimen or ball-and-burlap plant in spring or summer. Chimonanthus praecox is sometimes erroneously described as a toxic plant. But this is because it is often confused with another plant also sometimes called wintersweet, Acokanthera spp. But while Acokanthera has well-documented toxicity, C. praecox is not included on any official lists of plants toxic to humans or pets....

It is grown primarily for its unique foliage. Although it can produce small, white flowers throughout the spring months, Pilea peperomioides does not often flower when grown indoors. Learn how to grow this attractive houseplant. Light The Pilea peperomioides thrives in medium to bright indirect light. Rotate your plant regularly to keep it looking symmetrical. Avoid locations that receive harsh, direct light as it will burn the delicate leaves. While this plant can adapt to lower light conditions; it will become leggy, grow fewer offshoots, and the coin-shaped leaves may become smaller....

These plants spread quickly, creating mats that can reach up to 30 inches wide. This spreading nature, though good for covering large areas, can spread outside of their intended growing areas. The species is considered an invasive weed in some areas. Creeping speedwell are deer and rabbit resistant. They are susceptible to root rot or other fungal problems if the soil is kept too wet. Take note that the dense mats created by the plants may harbor ticks and fleas....

Selecting a Planting Site Rosemary grows best in a sunny spot that has soil with sharp drainage. Make sure no taller trees or shrubs in the area are so close that they will shade the rosemary. Rosemary also grows well in containers both outdoors and indoors, as long as it can get enough light. Spacing, Depth, and Support Space rosemary shrubs at least 2 to 3 feet apart. Plant seedlings and nursery plants at the same depth at which they were growing in their previous container....

All parts of the plant are toxic to horses. This is a highly adaptable plant that thrives in a wide range of climates. It overgrows everything around it by twining tightly around the stems of other plants. When it finds no other plants to latch onto, it sprawls on the ground, taking over lawns and meadows. Bindweed can spread up to 15 feet and develop deep, strong roots. After being removed, there are likely small bits of roots left....

If you want your garden to remain a safe haven for hummingbirds throughout the year, it is imperative that you maintain a supply of hummingbird nectar in your yard to provide them with a necessary means of survival. For northern homeowners, this means keeping hummingbird feeders from freezing so these tiny birds always have a reliable nectar source even when flowers may not be blooming. Hummingbird nectar is vitally important to the birds—here’s how to provide them with resources all throughout the year....

How to Load a Standard Top Load Washer Standard top load washers have a center agitator that helps to move the clothes through the water and detergent. For the best cleaning results, it is important to load the clothes around the agitator in a balanced manner without overloading. Proper loading will also help prevent the washer from becoming unbalanced and “walking” from excessive vibrations. If your washer does not have an automatic detergent dispenser, first add the detergent to the empty washer drum using the recommended amount....

What You’ll Need Check your pantry for the following ingredients: Baking soda White vinegar Hydrogen peroxide Dish soap (we recommend the original blue version of Dawn) Essential oils Fresh lemon You’ll also need recycled (and relabeled) or new spray bottles you can buy at the grocery or home improvement store. The following recipes show how these ingredients can be mixed and matched to make a variety of cleaners appropriate for every room in your home....

Interior designers often use a crafty mixture of trickery and illusion to change a room’s appearance when remodeling or structural change is not possible. They also have a bag of tricks to make a low ceiling appear taller. Here are a few of those tricks. If your mobile home has wood paneling and you want to update it without losing the eye-drawing effect use a light paint color. While it’s fine to remove the battens that cover the adjoining seams and tape or caulk them, don’t fill in or cover the other lines made into the paneling....

Color Matching Barriers If you have ever had the experience of wanting to match a color from something you see on a website, you might have thought about printing out the page and taking it to a paint shop. But, as you can imagine, the are many uncontrollable variables hindering the result from being exact, such as: Technology calibration: Major variables can include the calibration of the printer and the color matching system at the paint shop....

Before You Buy a Patio Umbrella A patio umbrella provides shade and comfort for family and friends that gather to enjoy the outdoors together. Depending on the type of material it is made with, an umbrella can protect from UV rays, too. Before the warmth hits from those summer days, if you need one for your yard or table, you might want to start shopping around for a patio umbrella, in anticipation of those upcoming outside gatherings....