Posts

The plant derives its name from the fact that it sprouts pretty blossoms through silty cracks in brick or cement walls and not because it’s a bashful specimen as the term would mean if describing a person. Clearly, they are determined, hardy blooms. In warm climates, they bloom nearly year-round and can be grown as a short-term perennial or biennial. In cooler climates, they are mostly grown as annuals. Their beautiful four-petalled flowers come in yellow, orange, red, blue, and purple....

When to Plant Early spring and fall are both suitable times to plant cilantro. If you’re not planning for a spring plant, allow the summer temperatures to cool down before planting in the fall. However, in some climates, you’ll only be able to harvest the leaves and not the seeds before frost hits in the fall. Selecting a Planting Site An ideal planting site for cilantro should have loose, well-drained soil....

If you’re looking to host a tea party or preparing to attend such an event, you’ll want to be sure to brush up on your teatime etiquette beforehand. We spoke with three leading etiquette experts who shared insight on everything from a proper teatime menu to suitable attire. How to Host If you’re hosting an afternoon tea party, impress your guests by doing a bit of quick research into how this type of celebration came about....

Ragweed starts blooming in the late summer, usually in August, and goes through till November, with the highest pollen month being September. There are two main types of ragweed: common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) and giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida). While common ragweed often is easily confused with some other plants, such as mugwort, it has certain characteristics that clearly define it from its close relative, giant ragweed. Notably, common ragweed isn’t always short (its size depends on growing conditions, but can get up to 6 feet tall), but it can’t match giant ragweed in stature....

Yellow dock is mildly toxic to humans and toxic to pets. Yellow dock often tolerates poor, disturbed soils although it prefers to grow in rich, loamy soils in full sun and with adequate water. It often grows in overwatered soils or areas of standing water and in irrigation ditches. It is equally found along roadsides and in wasteland, on cultivated farmland, and in pastures, creating a problem because yellow dock is not only toxic to pets but also toxic to cattle and sheep....

Choosing Patterns When decorating with patterns, first determine what kind of look you want your room to have. For example, florals give a room a pretty feel while animal prints give it a glamorous or eclectic feel. Second, think about what types of patterns will fit into your room’s theme. As a rule of thumb, use at least three patterns in a room. For example, group together a floral, stripe, and polka dot....

If you garden in a climate where the temperatures drop below 32 degrees F, for anything that you plant in garden soil, it is best to select plants adapted to your local climate. That does not mean that you shouldn’t abstain from growing warm-climate or tropical plants, but they require considerably more vigilance and effort. You need to keep an eye on the weather and protect them from frost if necessary....

Repair or Replace Strings or Cords Some wind chimes are not necessarily created to withstand nature’s elements. If the string or cord holding your wind chime together starts to fray or break, repair or replace it before your wind chime comes completely undone and you lose any tubes, charms or any other parts of your wind chime. If you don’t have the supplies or the time to replace the entire string or cord, temporarily patch the frayed or severed section with clear masking or packing tape....

Green Onions Green Onion Growing Tips The green onion bulbs should regrow their stalks in about a week. And as long as you leave the bulbs planted and water them regularly, they’ll continue to regrow more onions. Expect to get three to four harvests from your bulbs before you need to plant new ones. Celery Tips for Growing Celery Keep your celery’s soil moist but not soggy. Also, celery plants prefer cool weather, so make sure to give yours shade from hot afternoon sun....

The first thing you need to do is slide off the cap on each end of the baseboard as shown in the image above. FYI: some radiators tend to have sharp edges. Wearing a pair of work gloves will keep your digits protected. Also, if you are allergic to house dust, do yourself a favor and wear a dust mask. Step 2: If Necessary, Tap the Caps If the end cap is “stuck,” you can tap it gently until it loosens using a rubber mallet or the butt end of a wood handle hammer as depicted here....