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‘HOUSE & GARDEN’

In the following three, we have herbs that smell great and make for an essential addition to any chef’s toolkit. Read the rest of this entry »

The following three herbs are not only excellent in the kitchen, they’re beautiful and aromatic as well. Read the rest of this entry »

Container gardening can have a dozen advantages over ordinary, outdoor gardening. You can bring plants indoors for winter, or grow them in the house all year round. Read the rest of this entry »

Growing herbs is easier than most plants. They’re hardy, enjoy lots of sun and are amenable to soil that is too poor for many other plants. Read the rest of this entry »

There’s a large overlap between herbs that do well in an outdoor garden versus those that thrive inside. Many will perform equally well in either setting, provided they’re cared for properly. Read the rest of this entry »

Some herbs are grown simply for their beauty and fragrance in the garden. But once grown, many herbs are harvested for what they were grown for: medicines, seasonings, aromatics and so forth. That requires proper preservation techniques, usually drying. Read the rest of this entry »

Spring is just around the corner. Have your herbs gotten the news? Read the rest of this entry »

Most herbs are very hardy, surviving winter well and thriving in relatively poor soil. But people and plants may find it more comfortable to carry out their actions inside the greenhouse. Fortunately, there are several herbs that take to that environment readily. Read the rest of this entry »

Herbs are often used for seasoning in dishes or for medicinal purposes. But they are just as delightful creating wonderful aromas in the garden or a potpourri bowl. Read the rest of this entry »

What good is an herb you can’t eat or use as medicine? Well, it’s certainly true that the majority are useful, in the sense that they make a fine seasoning or provide a cure. But some things are valuable that have no ‘use’ at all, other than to simply look beautiful. Read the rest of this entry »

Few places house more junk science than in the advertisements of herbal medicines. Near miraculous claims are made that haven’t been tested or substantiated. Read the rest of this entry »

Herbs have been used as cooking additives for thousands of years. They may be spicy or salty or tangy or just plain delicious, but whatever your recipe there’s an herb to suit. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the most common reasons people grow their own herbs is to use them as fresh additives to food. Though easy to grow, they still require care just like any plant. But the rewards are great when it comes to harvesting time. Read the rest of this entry »

Growing and harvesting herbs has been carried out for thousands of years in all cultures around the world. But in medieval Europe it was raised to a high art. Read the rest of this entry »

Winterizing your herb garden isn’t difficult, but the actions you take will differ depending on the type of herbs you have planted. Read the rest of this entry »

Whether outdoor or in a container, good soil is fundamental to the health of your herbs. From the sun, they receive the energy needed to perform all the activities that makes possible growth and reproduction. Read the rest of this entry »

Certain herbs and other plants have been known to have useful properties – as seasonings or preservatives for food, medicines or simply a pleasurable odor – for thousands of years. Along with that ancient knowledge sometimes comes ancient myths. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s only been just over a hundred fifty years since grass was cut with a hand scythe – if it was cut at all. That was about the extent of lawn care then. Now, there are a dozen tools – some hand, some power, that are considered essential for keeping that green carpet in shape. Read the rest of this entry »

What could be simpler than moving a lawnmower over the grass? Why would anyone need advice on that? Well, like anything, there’s always more to it than appears at first glance. Read the rest of this entry »

Sooner or later, anyone who has to mow the lawn every week or two for several months will begin to long for a ridable mower. These small tractor-style units are a true blessing for anyone with a 1/4 acre or more to keep neat. Read the rest of this entry »

Invented in 1830, the original lawnmower would be recognizable to day. The same basic parts were in place at the beginning. Read the rest of this entry »

For a variety of lawn and garden tasks, both shears and shovels are essential. In both cases, the tool is designed to remove unwanted plant and earth from one place, so you can put it in another. Read the rest of this entry »

Shears are among the most versatile tools for lawn and garden care. Though similar to garden scissors, they differ in several important ways – ways that make life easier for home lawn care workers. Read the rest of this entry »

A hose is indispensable for nearly every lawn and garden. Even in areas that get regular rain, there are often dry spells that can be dangerous for plants. Read the rest of this entry »

Some people garden and perform lawn care their whole lives using no gloves at all. But apart from the calluses and the dirt, some of us mere mortals require a little help from technology. Fortunately, the technology of gloves has come a long way in the past 50 years. Read the rest of this entry »

Apart from your lawnmower, the trimmer or edger may be the tool you use most. Very few lawnmowers will get everything, since most lawns butt up against a wall, patio bricks or have trees in the lawn. As a result, the only way to keep that lawn looking really neat is to finish the job with an edger of some kind. Read the rest of this entry »

A watering can sounds like such a simple device that one wonders how there can be any difficulty in picking one. But, thanks to the ingenuity of contemporary designers, there are a dozen varieties. One may suit your needs better than another. Read the rest of this entry »

If you have a small yard, or few deciduous (leafy) trees, a rake may be good enough for your needs. But larger properties, or those with several trees may be more easily cleared with a power assist from a leaf blower. Read the rest of this entry »

Spreaders are handy for laying down weed killer, fertilizer and other lawn care products that help you maintain the yard or garden. They come in two basic types – broadcast spreaders and drop spreaders – and you may find it helpful to have at least one of each. Read the rest of this entry »

Having an array of lawn and garden tools is a must for proper care. But no matter how many hoes, shears or shovels you have one thing remains true: lawn care uses chemicals. Read the rest of this entry »

A rotary-blade power mower cuts grass by slicing it off at high speed. The blades on many move around 2,500 revolutions per minute. But that high speed becomes ineffective if the blades are dull or nicked. Fortunately, keeping them sharp is easy and takes only a few minutes with the proper tools and technique. Read the rest of this entry »

Sharp shears are a necessity to avoid ripping those stems rather than slicing them neatly. It also decreases the muscular effort required to make the cut, saving your hands. Fortunately, keeping shears sharp as new is simple with the proper tools and technique. Read the rest of this entry »

The metal parts of shovels, hoes, pole saws and other lawn tools with wooden pole handles always seem to outlast the handle. A broken handle usually renders the tool useless. Read the rest of this entry »

The type of hose repair needed depends, of course, on the type of leak you have. Here are two different possibilities for a leak, and how to fix them. Read the rest of this entry »

Most tools have metal parts, making them subject to oxidation that weakens them. Wooden parts, too, can suffer an early demise if the coating is worn off by neglect. Keeping lawn and garden tools including gloves clean maximizes their lifetime and usefulness. Read the rest of this entry »

Most lawn and garden tools have at least some parts that are prone to rust. The alloys used typically contain iron, which combines readily with the oxygen in air and water and produces the familiar reddish paste, iron oxide. Read the rest of this entry »

Say ‘art’ and most will think of painting or sculpture. There is a kind of sculpture, though, that takes as its raw material not stone or wood but a living tree. That is the art of bonsai. Read the rest of this entry »

The craft of shaping miniature trees in a small pot first arose over a thousand years ago in China, where it was known as pun-sai. Read the rest of this entry »

Over the centuries the artists of bonsai have developed hundreds of unique styles. But within this complexity there are a few that form the basis of most of the variations. Read the rest of this entry »

The kengai (cascade) style is among the more beautiful and desired, but also more difficult to achieve. The trunk grows down below the level of the container, often twisting as it does so. Read the rest of this entry »

Japanese bonsai artists have developed many intricate and detailed forms of bonsai, in which each element is positioned just so. This is evident in the shakan, or slanting, style. Read the rest of this entry »

Beyond the basic styles of bonsai tree art, there are many wonderful variations. The individual aesthetic that each artist brings to the work allows for an infinite variety of forms. Read the rest of this entry »

Beyond the basic styles of chokkan (formal upright), shakan (informal upright), kengai (cascade) and so forth there are several that don’t fit neatly into those categories. Read the rest of this entry »

First, a little ultra-simple plant biology. Plants maintain themselves and grow by taking in and processing nutrients, just as animals do. Read the rest of this entry »

Beyond the need for good water retention and good drainage, soils have to supply all the nutrients trees can’t get from the air or produce internally using sunlight for energy. Read the rest of this entry »

The Japanese have a word, ‘wa’, that roughly translates to ‘harmony’. It refers to relations between individuals, and man and nature. But it can also refer to the elements comprising a work of art. Read the rest of this entry »

Bonsai is in a way like photography – it is possible to buy dozens of expensive ‘add-ons’ to the basic equipment. Some of these are helpful, others merely give you the feeling that ‘Gee, I’m really an artist’. Tools do not make the artist – the artist uses tools. Read the rest of this entry »

Though not essential, the following will nonetheless help you achieve a sculpted bonsai tree. They can make the difference between a ten second task and drudgery. They can also help you perform the task cleanly, without undue risk to the plant. Read the rest of this entry »

Since bonsai are grown from ordinary, not dwarf, species, their small size is primarily the result of pruning, both branches and roots. Read the rest of this entry »

Wiring is the practice of wrapping aluminum or copper wire around the bonsai trunk or branches to shape the tree. Training bonsai is never easy, but it can be made easier by proper preparation and execution. Here are some basic guidelines. Read the rest of this entry »