Eggplant (Solanum melongena), with its earthy taste and sometimes rubbery texture, is an acquired taste that benefits from being backyard fresh. Unfortunately, the plant, at the exact same family as tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) and potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), can also be prone to all the insects and temperature sensitivities of these plants and much more. Due …
With energy costs continuing to rise, many homeowners are seeking to better seal and insulate their walls to maintain heating and cooling costs to an absolute minimum. Each component of the building envelope may give rise to the entire insulation value of a house, including the siding that forms the structure’s outermost skin. Vinyl siding …
Cleaning dishes in a dishwasher is more efficient than washing by hand. Generally, it requires a larger quantity of water to wash and rinse dishes than to wash an equivalent number of dishes in a dishwasher. As a result, you conserve both water and electricity utilizing a dishwasher. And there’s another benefit to using a …
The Homelite XL chainsaw collection, no more in production, was manufactured by the Homelite division of Textron, Inc.. The series comprised over 20 different versions with string pitches varying bar spans and engine horsepower levels. Many of these versions are still in use now. All XL chainsaw engines are lubricated with a combination of two-cycle …
Dwarf fruit trees provide normal sized fruit on smaller trees, putting delicious treats on the family table without the space maintenance issues involved in growing trees that are hexagonal. Kumquat fruit is very welcome at home gardens because it ripens in midwinter, when people are longing for locally grown fresh fruit. Dwarf kumquat trees have …
There is no getting around the fact that greenhouses absorb resources, but making the right choices when you design, build and run your own greenhouses can make your growing performance a responsible one. Construction with environmentally friendly materials, designing energy-efficient greenhouses and utilizing resources responsibly from the performance of the greenhouses are all do-it-yourself choices …
By applying joint compound and a color wash, you can give your modern walls an Old World look. The combined compound gives the walls a rustic feel like those discovered in the ancient homes of France and the Mediterranean. Adding glaze to the walls creates a classical look that transports one to the north of …
Indoor window boxes don’t have the advantage of your lawn below them to catch dripping water. Instead , they have your flooring and furniture, which might need expensive repairs once they get wet even just once. Because many indoor window boxes are big or made into irregular shapes, they need creative solutions to capture excess …
Gardening can be hard, constantly managing plant life amidst the elements. It’s particularly tough once you don’t understand the requirements of a plant and you do not know whether it is getting sufficient light, water or even being pruned in the right season. Identifying a particular plant, including a bush with little white blooms and …
Having a garden filled with spring-to-fall-blooming perennials may seem to be an elusive dream. Many perennials put all their energy to flowering over several spectacular weeks in spring, summer or autumn, while some briefly figure out how to bridge two seasons. The good thing is that other perennials start blooming in spring and last until …