Light Taylor juniper demand no less than full sun. It will show deficits in growth and color in anything less. The beautiful, rich blue-green foliage your tree is known for will appear lackluster in part shade. When creating a hedge be sure to plant your juniper with enough spacing between each tree to allow clearance for light to hit each side of the tree as it matures and the hedge grows....

Whether growing from seeds or nursery seedlings, this vegetable is fast-growing and planted in early spring for a spring-to-early-summer harvest, or in late summer and early fall for a mid- to late-fall harvest. You can succession plant every couple of weeks for a longer harvest period. It can take some practice to learn when bok choy should be planted in order to avoid setting seed in its first season. This vegetable will bolt (send up flower stalks) if the weather is too warm, but paradoxically it can also bolt if exposed to temperatures below 50 degrees when it is young....

Like most bromeliads, Cryptanthus species are mostly grown for their interesting leaves, but they also produce small but beautiful white or pink blooms. The plants bloom only once, however, before the plant produces offsets (pups) and then dies. If you live in the right zone, plant bromeliads outdoors in spring or summer. Unlike many bromeliads, Cryptanthus plants are generally terrestrial only, which means that they naturally grow in a soil medium rather than being “air plants” that can be mounted to a piece of bark or another object....

Lettuce can be divided into four major categories: head lettuce, romaine/cos, leaf lettuce, and butterhead (loose head). Leaf lettuce has the greatest number of varieties available and is the most popular type for home gardens. Selecting a Planting Site Choose a fairly sunny growing site with well-draining, organically rich soil. Container growth is also an option. To maximize the efficiency of your garden, plant lettuce among warm-season vegetables, such as tomatoes....

Keeping your vegetable plants healthy is the first key to a long producing vegetable garden. But even the healthiest vegetable plants will finally exhaust themselves setting fruits and will need replacing. Eventually, it will be time to put the garden to bed, but keep it going as long as you can. With a little planning, you can easily keep your vegetable garden producing in succession. Keep Your Garden Producing Vegetables Year-Round Here are some simple, but key factors for a long producing vegetable garden and maybe even a whole new fall vegetable garden....

Why Grow Peanuts Indoors? For most plant people, legumes are an outdoor garden plant. According to the National Peanut Board, peanuts can take anywhere from 130 to 160 days until harvest time, depending on the type and variety. Furthermore, they like hot weather. So, it’s it possible to grow them indoors? The Plant Kween says YES! “For someone living in [Brooklyn], growing an indoor peanut plant is good practice, and I’m learning while I grow,” says Griffin....

Baseboard heaters come in two varieties: 120-volt and 240-volt. Due to the higher voltage, 240-volt models operate at lower amperage and tend to be slightly more energy-efficient than 120-volt heaters. Both types mount the same way on the lower portion of an outside wall. These heaters can be placed under windows if the manufacturer’s recommendations allow for placement near curtains and furniture. They should not be placed below outlets where cords will drape over the baseboard heater....

Be Quick and Be Prepared Kitchens can be messy and spills and stains happen. The key to keeping a chef’s coat white is to treat the stains as soon as possible. Prompt washing will help to remove those stains more easily, as well as body oil and soil, and the cooking odors that can permeate fabric. It is also important to have several clean coats handy and rotate them for each shift....

With most windows, you simply add a window treatment for privacy. But showers are wet places and don’t easily lend themselves to conventional curtains and blinds. Plus, tile shower surrounds are a little more difficult to attach to than regular walls. The good news is that you have plenty of window privacy options that cost little, hang quickly, and work well in wet environments. Static Cling Glass Covers Static cling glass covers are thin, flexible, translucent vinyl coverings that stick to the window glass without adhesive....

Try these DIY tips for improving indoor air quality naturally. 10 Ways to Make Your Home Smell Good Make it a habit to open your windows each morning for as long as privacy and weather permit. Your whole house will smell fresher and you’ll get a mood-boosting, energy-upping dose of morning sunshine. A win-win. To keep the air fresh, strip your bed and wash the sheets every week—more often if you let your pets sleep with you or you are particularly susceptible to allergies....

What Do Rose Sawflies and Slugs Look Like? The adult large rose sawfly is about 1/3 inch long. Its head and thorax are black; its abdomen and wings are orange. Since it is the presence of the larvae that you will be checking for, it is more important to be able to identify the rose slugs than the adults. They are an olive color except for the head, which is orangey-brown....

Tell a Story When mixing and matching styles in a bedroom, designer Louis Duncan-He likes to take a holistic approach first. “Think about the overall design style of your bedroom,” he suggests. “Are you going for more of a global vibe? Maybe it’s a little bohemian? Once you decide, use textures that work within that overall aesthetic.” If you’re unsure what types of pieces support your dream aesthetic, Duncan-He offers a few examples....

Whether you prefer to use a living mulch or a more conventional type, your garden will benefit from the added protection, richness, and nutrition it provides. There’s a long winter ahead particularly if you live in the northern United States, and you want to ensure that you’ll be ready to plant when the opportunity arises. Preparing Your Beds for Mulching When all the plants in your fall vegetable gardens or annual flower gardens have been harvested or are dead, your garden mulching efforts can begin....