5 Simple Steps To Dividing Your Hardy Water Lilies
November 21, 2007
If you missed the springtime window of opportunity to divide your hardy water lilies, don’t worry, it’s not too late. Although springtime is the best time, you’ve actually got the entire normal growing season to get it done.
The reason for dividing your water lilies is that they eventually run out of room in their existing pots and need more room for the roots to spread out so the plant can flourish. Not only is this relatively easy to do, but you end up with more plants as a bonus!
Step 1
Remove the plant from the pot and gently rinse the dirt from the root system.
Step 2
Cut the older growth from one end of the tuber, and the newer growth from the other. If there are new “eyes” along the tuber you can snip them off and pot them if you wish.
Step 3
Take a sharp knife and cut the tuber back on the ‘growing’ part. On small plants you can safely cut the tuber down to 2-3 inches. Keep it at around 5-6 inches for larger plants.
Top Ten Air Purifier Questions
November 21, 2007
1. Do I really need an air purifier in my home?
It depends on several factors, including your own comfort level and what the indoor air quality is in your home. There are several factors to take into consideration, however.
First and foremost, many health organizations agree that indoor air quality is often worse than outdoor air quality. In fact, for many people, indoor allergens and irritants such as dust, smoke and pet dander may be two to five times as bad in their homes as outdoors!
There are several indications that you may benefit from an air purifier in your home. Reasons to get an air purifier include:
- Allergy symptoms such as itchy, watery eyes and runny nose
- Itchy, dry skin or frequent skin rashes
- Asthma or other breathing problems
- Being or living with a smoker
- Owning indoor pets
- Mold or mildew in your home
2. Do all air purifiers clean the same kinds of pollutants from the air?
The Benefits of Radiant Heat, Comparison
November 20, 2007
What are the Benefits of Radiant Heating and how do they compare to other heating applications?
You maybe be considering radiant heat to install into your existing or your new home but don’t quite understand the advantages or the differences between heating applications? Well we would like to inform you of the benefits and the comparisons to other heating applications available.
Some of the benefits of radiant heat are:
Comfort: Let your bare feet soak up the warmth of soothing heat without the dust and noise associated with other heating sources. Enjoy evenly distributed heat throughout your home kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and basement.
Custom Designed: Whether for supplemental floor warming, or total space heating, every system is custom designed to fit all rooms independent of their shape or size. These systems will heat under any surface including marble, slate, carpet, hardwood and tile. The compact Control Box will hang on the wall of your garage or in a utility room. No heating vents or ducts will be seen, and no furnace or boiler is required.
Are Showers Harmful to Your Health?
November 19, 2007
The last thing you would think about when you are taking a nice, refreshing shower is, “Am I jeopardizing my health”?
Chlorine is used by many municipalities to disinfect their water supply.
Unfortunalely, according to many health experts, chlorine has been linked to breast, bladder and colon cancer.
If chlorine is so bad, why do they continue to use it?
It’s a matter of economics.
Chlorine is probably the cheapest way to disinfect water.
When I first read about this, my first thought was, “I don’t drink the water in the shower, so what is there to worry about”?
What I didin’t know was, our skin can absorb 7 - 10 times more chlorine than from drinking water that contains chlorine.
When showering, chlorine can vaporize and form chloroform gas, which is inhaled, affecting those with respiratory problems such as asthma and bronchitus.
Showering in chlorinated water can also cause excess drying of the skin and hair.
Does this mean we should stop taking showers?
No!
There is an easy solution. Using easy to install shower filters will alleviate the chlorine problem.
Learn All About Feng Shui Money Trees
November 18, 2007
A feng shui money tree is an indoor plant used in order to attract prosperity and wealth into any space. The feng shui money tree’s botanical name is Pachira, and its care requires the average sun light and watering that any other indoor plant would need. Its height can reach to as much as seven feet while it can reach to be as much as three feet wide.
The shape of these plant’s leafs represent the five main elements of feng shui, wood, water, earth, fire and metal, and this is what makes the feng shui money tree so symbolic. When an element is missing, or the elements in a space are not balanced, a feng shui money tree would help adding what is missing harmonizing the elements.
Since feng shui money trees bring or increase wealth, they are ideal to place near a place where money is kept or near the cash registers in businesses. Prosperity and wealth, as well as elements harmonization should come after placing this plant at those spots. Any other place where money and wealth is needed can be a good place for a feng shui money tree as well.
Buying the Right Garage Door Opener
November 17, 2007
If you have recently built a new garage you might be having a difficult time deciding on the right garage door opener. It is certainly something that seems simple at first. Once you start looking around you will find there is allot of choices. Here is a buying guide to help you along.
There are three different types of door openers. There is chain driven opener, belt driven, and screw drive openers. This might sound a bit confusing so lets sort this out.
A chain driven garage door opener is great for heavy doors. A common type of garage door is now wooden. This is a perfect place to use one of these. Chain drives are usually built with a more powerful motor. They are also very rugged and handle different weather conditions well. The downside is that they are noisy. Although, noise isn’t as big of an issue as it once was.
Screw drive openers have been around for along time and are very common. They typically work buy having a lifting mechanism that moves along a threaded steel rod. These are quite powerful and come in variety of different horse power motors.
An Affordable Shortcut To Designing Your Dream Home
November 16, 2007
You have likely been making mental notes for years. Every book or magazine that you read and each home that you visit has become a source for pieces to the puzzle that can become your new home. You don’t know a thing about architecture, designing or drafting but that shouldn’t stop you from taking the dream house that you have pictured in your head and making it a reality.
There are two ways that you can approach the creation of new house plans from which a builder can work:
1. Hire an architect
2. Make alterations to an existing house plan
There are many benefits to working directly with an architect. You will be able to sit down with an experienced designer and review, very specifically, all of the ideas and requirements for the home that you have in mind. The architect can give suggestions and help you to avoid problems that you may not have anticipated. However, be prepared to pay handsomely for this service. A good architect does not come cheap.
Draught Proofing Your Home
November 16, 2007
This article takes a look at a number of ways of preventing or reducing draughts in your home. There are areas we look at are doors, windows and double-glazing, garage doors and finally some of the furnishings you could use to prevent draughts. Draughts are obviously caused by the cold air from outside being drawn into the house and replacing warmer air. The knock on effect of preventing draughts is a reduction in your heating bill and a warmer home. Draughts can be identified in a number of ways such as identifying obvious gaps, feeling for moving air around doors and windows and looking out for moving curtains.
As we mentioned earlier double-glazing can reduce draughts. It can also reduce heat loss, noise pollution and condensation, and all of these benefits reinforce the decision to get double-glazing. Reducing heat loss will obviously reduce heating bills and by making heating your property much more efficient. This in turn means you are making a contribution to reducing pollution and so benefiting the environment. The reduction in noise will give you a greater sense of privacy, particular if you live alongside a busy road, plus condensation can damage soft furnishings and create a damp atmosphere. By buying sealed units which fit perfecting onto their frame you are ensuring a draught free environment.
What is Compost Tea?
November 15, 2007
Organic gardeners all know compost is fantastic stuff. But now, there’s something even better and that’s compost tea. If you start with a good compost you’ll have a versatile elixir for all your garden needs. Compost tea helps prevent foliage diseases and at the same time increase the nutrients to the plant and shutdown the toxins hurting the plants. It will improve the taste/flavor of your vegetables. So why not give this tea a try either by buying it or brewing it yourself. You won’t believe the results!
Four ways that good bacteria work:
Compost tea that is correctly brewed has a wealth of microorganisms that will benefit your plants’ growth and health as well as the soil that they live in. Compost tea can be considered yogurt for the soil. The microorganisms living there are both good and bad. What the tea does is make sure the good guys win by introducing helpful bacteria, fungi, protozoa and beneficial nematodes.
How About a Jungle Mural to Put Some Swing Into Your Child?s Room?
November 14, 2007
If your child loves all different types of animals, a jungle mural is a great way to make their room a fun and enjoyable place. You might be thinking how you will be able to achieve such a task, especially if you do not have artistic talents.
The truth is, however, that this type of mural is rather easy to construct as long as you have the tools to do it.
The easiest way to create a jungle mural is to transfer a desired jungle scene, animal or image to transparency film, and then use an overhead projector to display the image on the wall, which you can then trace out and begin painting.
You will find that transparency film can be purchased from any store that sells computer accessories, business or school items. As for the projector, you may be fortunate enough to be able to borrow one from your work place, or your child’s school.
If that is not an option, you can always rent one, or purchase one from a local business store or online.
