How to Grow Cucumbers
June 30, 2009
The versatile cucumber (cucumis sativus) is tasty pickled, in a salad, as a salad, in a sandwich, or just eaten raw. How to grow cucumbers depends largely in part on how you plan to eat them. Cucumbers come in over 120 varieties that range from small picklers to large slicers and from dark green to the yellow of the lemon cucumber. They come "burped" or burpless, seeded or without seeds.
Originating in India where they have been cultivated for over 3,000 years, the cucumber is a quick growing subtropical vine. In fact, many varieties of cucumber are ready to harvest after 50 days. However, some gardeners shy away from learning how to grow cucumbers because of their peculiar pollination habits. The traditional cucumber produces both a male (staminate) and a female (pistillate) blossom. Male blossoms appear first and soon drop from the vine without bearing fruit. However, the vines soon bloom again with both male and female flowers and continue blooming throughout the growing season. Cucumber vines bear fruit in abundance as long as you harvest them before they reach full maturity.
How To Choose a Storage Shed
June 29, 2009
How To Choose a Storage Shed
by: Vic Maia
If you own a house, at some point the need for extra storage space soon becomes evident. Arguably the most common solution is to purchase a storage shed. There are hundreds of styles and options available, but taking the time review these 5 key steps will enable you to make a smarter decision.
1. What is the primary function of the shed? In most cases, storage space is the key requirement, so figure out how much space is needed. A small 4′ x 8′ lean-to style provides sufficient space for small tools, but larger items do require more space. I strongly recommend choosing the largest size that you can afford, which still blends in with your landscape. Remember that most municipalities require building permits for any building over 100 sq. ft.
2. Is the shed going to play a prominent role in your day to day activities? If so, make sure that you choose a style and options that give you good access and provide adequate lighting. Windows and skylights provide plenty of natural light, but it is common to run electricity to the shed. For easy access, make sure that the doors are at least 34” wide, as most lawn mowers will easily pass through.
Should You Buy Todder Size Furniture
June 28, 2009
Should You Buy Todder Size Furniture
by: Bob Benson
Your baby has grown into a full-fledged toddler and is ready for a “big girl” or “big boy” bed. Have you seen the latest toddler furniture? It’s cute! But you really don’t have to spend a lot to make your toddler comfortable in his or her bedroom.
Your first decision will be whether to buy a toddler bed. The toddler bed is a piece of furniture sized just right for babies who are too big for their crib. Most use the mattress from the crib, however, so they are not actually that much bigger in size. Toddler beds just get the child accustomed to sleeping without rails all around and is low enough that if the child rolls out, he won’t get hurt.
Has your child grown quickly? If so, you might think about skipping the toddler bed as furniture and buy a twin size bed instead. You can purchase rails made of cloth and plastic that do a fine job of keeping the child in the bed and allowing him more room for movement. If you are looking to save money, this is one way to do it. By buying a twin bed you’ve eliminated the often expensive toddler size furniture that will only have to be upgraded later.
Plant A Simple Tea Garden
June 28, 2009
Materials Needed 1 decorative clay or metal planter 1 package of clay pellets (approx. 30 pellets) 3 packets of organic tea leaves seeds (YOUR CHOICE) Grow-rich or nutrient-rich potting soil (ASK YOUR NURSERY FOR THE BEST RECOMMENDATION FOR YOUR AREA) Directions 1. Spread the clay pellets evenly along bottom of planter. These will absorb water and promote healthy root development of the tea plants. 2. Moisten potting soil in a large plastic bag and then spread mix over clay pellets in planter, leaving 1/2 inch at top of planter. 3. Sprinkle seeds on soil, leaving about 2 or so inches between different varieties. 4. Lightly cover the seeds with dry soil, and then moisten slightly with a spray bottle or a few drops of water. 5. Label the varieties of tea on the bottom or side of planter, or create popsicle-stick signs to place in the soil. 6. Move planter to a warm place in indirect sunlight until germination takes place. After germination, relocate planter to a warm area with natural sunlight. 7. When tea leaves reach a height of about two inches, thin out seedlings across the total planter surface to provide adequate space for future growth. 8. Water periodically, only when the soil is moderately dry.DO NOT OVERWATER!!)
How to Get Free Garbage Bags
June 27, 2009
How to Get Free Garbage Bags
by: Steve Hall
The scenario:
A newlywed couple moves into their new home. After a couple of months, they realize that they have many more garbage bags than they need. However, they have not bought any garbage bags since they got married. Where did all of the garbage bags come from?
Your mission:
See how fast you can arrive at the correct solution by using the following clues: 1) The garbage bags were not a wedding gift
2) The couple did not bring any garbage bags with them when they moved
3) The bags were not in the couple’s new home when they arrived
4) The fact that the two people are newlyweds is irrelevant
5) The type of home that the couple moved into is irrelevant
6) The bags were made of plastic
7) People gave the bags to the couple, but
8) The bags were not any type of gift
9) The bags are not “traditional” garbage bags
10) The bags came in many colors.
The solution:
Ideas to Give Old Furniture New Life
June 26, 2009
Ideas to Give Old Furniture New Life
by: Bob Benson
The best thing about old furniture is the new life you can give it. It doesn’t take much talent - just a little creativity and patience if you’ve never taken on a furniture project before.
Accept this challenge: instead of throwing out that old chest of drawers from your child’s room, think of a new use for it. Recycling furniture can be a lot of fun, plus it’s a good way to get a new look at a fraction of the cost. If you are not happy with the finished product, start over or then give in to purchase a new furniture piece.
Think about that old chest of drawers. Is there a drawer that’s broken? Maybe you can take out that drawer and create a shelf from the opening. Would it make a nice TV stand if it was just a little taller? Consider screwing finials that you can find in your local discount store onto the bottom to create “legs” or “feet.”
Start Planning for Your Backyard Garden
June 25, 2009
Start Planning for Your Backyard Garden
by: Gerry Fung
Water gardens are great focal points for any backyard.
With spring in the air, now is the time to start planning for your backyard garden. For many homeowners, a backyard pond is a perfect supplement to your existing layout. The trickling of water in the background is the ideal way to supplement the natural, serene and relaxing atmosphere that the outdoors should offer.
A pond or water garden will likely become the focal point for your entire backyard. Backyard ponds and water gardens will attract birds, butterflies, wildlife, and family members. Ponds are usually small and no larger than 3 to 4 feet in diameter, and often can be used to raise fish. At night-time, a garden pond can be lit up with both surrounding and submersible lighting. An extravagant light show can be produced by projecting underwater lighting directly onto trickling or falling water.
In the past, the installation of a water garden was a convoluted process that either involved the expense of a landscaper, or trial and error to perfect the art of pond installation. However, preformed pond kits are now available that can make pond installation relatively straightforward. Preformed pond kits are affordable, lessen the risk of mistakes, and come complete with all the accessories that you will need to complete a garden pond installation.
How to Rid that Lawn of Thatch!
June 24, 2009
You know that brown patchy debris in a lawn that accumulates on top of the soil but below the grass line? That’s thatch.
Thatch consist of grass clippings, grass stems, roots, and other debris that either decomposes or accumulates on a lawn over time.
A few reasons thatch can occur are
1) A lawn has never been aerated
2) Cutting high grass frequently and leaving the clippings on a lawn.
Thatch is not always a bad thing as it can hold moisture to protect the lawn from extreme heat and lack of water.
Questions to be asked before removing thatch(dethatching)
1) Is there enough thatch on the lawn to justify dethatching?
2) If so, what process should I use to dethatch the lawn?
Lawn business owners and homeowners need to measure the amount of thatch in a lawn to determine if dethatching needs to be done. I prefer to take a pencil and stick it in the thatch until it touches the ground.Mark the pencil with your fingernail where the thatch comes up to.
After doing this a few times you will be able to eye it and know whether or not to dethatch. The first couple of times you can measure with a ruler.
Speeding Up to Slow Down
June 23, 2009
Speeding Up to Slow Down
by: Vickie Milazzo RN, MSN, JD
The flowers were breathtakingly beautiful: bougainvillea like I’ve only seen in Hawaii and cannot grow at home in Houston. They covered a wall almost 15 feet long and half as high. Brilliant sprays of orange, red and fuchsia offset against a background of the deepest green.
I saw all this out of the corner of my eye as I sped by at 25 mph, pedaling as fast as I could. The peloton of riders was ahead of me, and I didn’t want to be last for lunch.
It didn’t matter that I was in the Puglia region of southern Italy, cycling along the “heel” of the Italian “boot” on a once-in-a-lifetime trip. It didn’t matter that I was supposed to be vacationing, taking in the sights. What mattered at that particular moment was where I was going and how fast I could get there.
The thought that I was here to relax, see the countryside and restore my sense of balance hadn’t quite taken root in my mind. I had to move fast, catch up, keep up and get ahead - everything I had traveled 15 hours by plane to Italy NOT to do.
What is Laminate Flooring?
June 23, 2009
What is Laminate Flooring?
by: Jason Ashby
Laminate flooring mimics the look of traditional woods while offering easy installation and lasting durability. At first glance, it can be difficult to spot the difference between hardwoods and laminate flooring. What appears to be a natural wood grain pattern is really a thin layer of decor paper (a photographic image) under a tough-as-nails protective film that is glued and pressed to a high-density backing board. Laminate Flooring comes in an array of wood effects as well as stone and ceramic effects.
Laminate floorings main advantages are that it is easy to install, is very hardwearing and relatively inexpensive compared to real hardwood flooring.
Laminate flooring is a floating floor, which means it does not fasten directly to the sub-floor. Instead the planks are clicked together. This enables the floor to be fitted fast and with no real mess.
Laminate flooring has been around in Europe for around 15 years and has seen massive growth in the past few years. In 2004 over 750 million square meters of laminate flooring was sold worldwide this was an increase of 13% on the previous year. The biggest growth market is in the US with an impressive growth rate of 25%.
