Sometimes, though, your drain snake does not work as well as expected. The auger cable may not go down the pipe; or if it does go down the pipe, it fails to bring up any obstructing debris. Learn the top reasons why your drain snake is not fixing your clogged pipes, along with fixes that will have your pipes running smoothly in no time at all. Drain Snake Won’t Reach Far Enough or Go Around Bends You may not be using the right kind of drain snake....

Here’s a list of must-haves, broken down into two parts: the first five tools every gardener should have, and the remaining seven are essentials for people with backyard gardens. The larger your garden, the more important it is that you have quality tools. What to Look For: A good trowel is strong, sturdy, made of steel with an ergonomic anti-slip rubber handle. Depending on your personal strength, a heavier trowel is better because the heft will make it easier for you to break up compacted soil....

Understanding a Top-Load HE Washer High-efficiency top-load washers are much more like their front-load washer cousins than a standard top-load washer. The inner drum rotates around a horizontal axis like a front-loader, but it’s loaded from the top, which has a liftable lid. The machines operate and spin just like a front-loader and use half the amount of water required for a standard washer. Top-load HE washer dispensers for detergent, bleach, and fabric softener operate through gravity and centrifugal force, reducing breakable components....

In partnership with the U.S.-made furniture brand Cloth & Company, Malin has created a stunning line that expands on their previous collaboration. But while his first line was a children’s collection, his latest pieces are meant for the grown-ups. Inspired by his iconic aerial beach photos, Malin created custom fabrics that have translated into some major must-have furniture pieces—including upholstered chairs and benches, throw pillows, and bed frames—that are meant to inspire and transport you....

Latin name: Arctostaphylos uva-ursi is the botanical name of bearberry. It belongs to the Ericaceae (heather) family. Common Names: Names used for this shrub are bearberry, kinnikinick, mealberry, sandberry, kinnikinnick, and hog cranberry. USDA Hardiness Zones: Zones 2–6 are suitable for growing the bearberry plant. Size & Shape: Bearberry grows six to 12 inches tall and can grow three to 15 feet wide. The shape is a dense mat. Exposure: Full sun is best, though it can tolerate light shade....

Often the species of the genus find themself susceptible to issues such as disease or insects. While integrated pest management does help, the genus’ issues have really been addressed through selective cultivation and grafting. Today in ornamental horticulture, the most popular hawthorns are grafted or cultivars. Besides disease and insects, an issue that has been bred out of some hawthorn selections is their intimidating thorns that can grow up to three inches long on some species....

Learning to easily identify house sparrows can help birders better appreciate the beauty and subtle markings of these common birds. Additionally, once you’re able to quickly recognize these sparrows, it will be much easier to accurately determine when a more unique or unusual bird visits your backyard. To identify male house sparrows, look for: To confirm that a bird is a female house sparrow, look for:

They don’t have any nodes, so sticking them in water will not work. Instead, when you go to repot the plant, if you sift through the soil you’ll be able to find tiny little corms. Corms are tiny underground plant stems that grow within the roots. When you dig into the soil, you may find ten corms or you may only find a handful of them. It just depends on the plant and its care....

There is more than one type of ladybug. Hippodamia convergens is one that is native to North America. The Asian ladybug (Harmonia axyridis) is also commonly found in North America, but it is an introduced species. Native-plant enthusiasts in North America, preferring to keep their beneficial insects native, too, generally want to attract Hippodamia convergens to their yards; it is with this species that we are concerned here. But other kinds of ladybugs include:...

Why We Love Woodpeckers Woodpeckers are attractive, unusual birds with bright colors, bold markings, and vibrant personalities. Because they typically stay in the same range year-round, attracting woodpeckers can ensure a backyard flock in every season. This gives birders the opportunity to learn about these birds in detail and come to appreciate their individuality and sometimes quirky personalities. Furthermore, woodpeckers eat copious amounts of insects, including ants and beetles, which can make them very welcome visitors for gardeners....

If you’ve ever wondered what the best bedding material is or if thread count really matters, help is on the way. We’re breaking down everything you need to know about how buy sheets with confidence. Before You Buy Ultimately, buying sheets is an incredibly personal experience; it’s important to find bedding that you actually want to spend eight hours a day on. But, before you start researching materials or weighing the pros and cons of a top sheet, you’ll want to determine what size you’ll need to buy....

To craft a good graft, you need to know its specific step-by-step—a whip and tongue are very different to make from a side-veneer. By contrast, aftercare is very similar for all grafts. You just need to know a few common-sense principles explained here. Aftercare of Grafts A graft is very much like a tender seedling. Have you ever done the early spring chore of moving home-grown vegetable seedlings out into your yard?...

These plants are grown almost exclusively for their foliage—their blooms tend to be small and less showy and many growers pinch off blooms to maintain breathtaking leaf displays. If planting outdoors, do so in May after frosts, but plant anytime indoors. With a moderate growth rate, rex begonias may grow to less than 12 inches in a year. Soil Airy, light, fast-draining soil is best for rex begonias. Water Rex begonias require regular water, but be careful not to overwater them....

But you won’t want to rush into the curtain-buying process. It turns out that there are many important factors to keep in mind when choosing a curtain color for any given room within your home. Below, experts weigh in with what to keep in mind when selecting a curtain hue for your space. Don’t Make Curtains Your First Buy When designing a room from scratch, curtains might actually be one of your very last purchases....