Your Guide to Chaos Gardening: How to Use This Carefree Method

ev-Lcmn / Getty Images Chaos gardening is an easy, no-fuss method for using upleftover seedsthat anyone can try. Read on for our guide to chaos gardening. What Exactly Is Chaos Gardening? ev-Lcmn / Getty Images Chaos gardening is all about throwing the rules out the window. Some seeds may not germinate at all, while others you bought years ago may thrive. Either way, the result is surprising, educational, and even beautiful....

May 4, 2025 · 2 min · 312 words · Mark Chambers

Your Guide to Understanding Fertilizer Numbers to Grow Healthy, Happy Plants

Luckily, commercial fertilizer contains guaranteed amounts of the essential nutrients that plants need. The numbers on commercially produced fertilizers indicate the percentage of each main ingredient in the mixture. What Does NPK Stand For? The Spruce / Jason Donnelly NPK in fertilizerstands for nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and potassium (K). Nitrogen promotes healthy leaves and green foliage growth. Phosphorous helps roots, flowers, and fruit growth. The Spruce / Jason Donnelly...

May 4, 2025 · 2 min · 335 words · James Hunt

Your Hydrangeas Will Come Back Next Year as Long as You Live in One of These Areas

Are Hydrangeas Perennials? The first kind is short-lived by design and the second kind lasts for years, if not decades. Small potted hydrangeas that are sold as flowering plants are notperennials. Fred R Palmer / Getty Images As for landscaping hydrangea shrubs, thesecanbe perennials. Want more gardening tips? Florist hydrangeas are also grown as annuals. Olena Malik / Getty Images However, covering the area around the shrub with 3 to 4 inches ofmulchinsulates the roots against the cold....

May 4, 2025 · 1 min · 138 words · Benjamin Garcia

Your Monstera Probably Needs a Good Pruning for Better Growth—How to Do It Right

Here’s how and why you better prune your monstera. Unchecked rapid growth causes plants to become leggy or top-heavy and fall over. Your plant may struggle with nutrient uptake leading to discoloration and loss of vigor. krisanapong detraphiphat / Getty Images Regular pruning takes care of potential problems and encourages healthy new growth to keep your monstera in good form. Want more gardening tips? Or remove small leaves at the base androot pruneto maintain a more compact shape....

May 4, 2025 · 2 min · 264 words · Danny Macdonald

Your Rusty Lawn Mower Might Need Replacing—7 Signs to Watch for This Spring

Vitalliy / Getty Images Lawn mowers work hard, so occasional repairs are not unusual. He adds that lifespan depends on the hours used annually and the applications it is used in. Want more gardening tips? Vitalliy / Getty Images That’s because the components work harder. If the machine is over 10 years old, it’s likely not worth continuing to repair the machine. Switching Power Sources Several municipalities have banned gas-powered lawn mowers and leaf blowers....

May 4, 2025 · 2 min · 259 words · Terry Griffin

Your Vegetable Garden Needs Special Care in Winter — What to Do Now For a Better Harvest

If you live where winters are mild, you should have no problem. Learn what special care you’re free to provide for your vegetable garden in winter. Want more gardening tips? Ashley-Belle Burns / Getty Images The Value of Compost Compost adds nutrients to the soil, but it doesso much morethan that. Among its many benefits, compost promotes drainage while also helping your soil retain moisture: the perfect balance. In both cases, an excellent mulch can be derived fromthe leaves you rake in the fall....

May 4, 2025 · 2 min · 239 words · Angela Hess

You’re Probably Dusting Wrong—The 6 Dusting Tips You Need, Straight From a Cleaning Pro

Dust can cling to vertical surfaces, fabrics, and every imaginable surface. The worst product to use for dusting is a paper towel. Some brands can scratch surfaces, and all paper towels leave lint behind. Westend 61 / Getty Images Want more cleaning and organizing tips? Keep a Dusting Schedule Every room in your home should be dusted at least once a week. Regularlycleaning your dusting toolsand vacuum is also a crucial part of your dusting scheduledirty appliances never work as well....

May 4, 2025 · 1 min · 182 words · Andrea Wilkins

You’re Washing Your Jeans Wrong — The Right Way to Do It for a Perfect Fit

To keep your jeans looking good and lasting longer, learn how to wash your jeans the right way. Because of color bleeding, you’d ideally wash jeans with other jeans, but thecare labelcan guide you. If the label recommends washing them separately or the jeans have never been washed before, do it. Wachiwit / iStock / Getty Images Plus The dye may not be set andcolor bleedingcan ruin the rest of your laundry....

May 4, 2025 · 2 min · 255 words · Savannah Brooks

ZZ Plant (Zanzibar Gem) Profile

Looking for a low-maintenance houseplant? Just keep in mind that ZZ plants are toxic to people and pets when ingested. How to Grow ZZ Plants ZZ plants are low-maintenance houseplants even beginner gardeners can keep alive. FeelPic / Getty Images They thrive evenin almost complete shade. Want more gardening tips? Avoid direct sunlight as this can scorch your plant’s leaves. Soil Standard houseplant potting mixes are sufficient for a ZZ plant as long as they drain well....

May 4, 2025 · 3 min · 435 words · Hector Stewart

’70s Tile Countertops Are Making a Comeback—Here’s What Designers Are Saying

The Spruce / Christopher Lee Foto Tile countertops: love them or leave them in the past? However, whattile countertopsmay offer in style, they lack in practicality. We sat down with six designers to get their take. The Spruce / Christopher Lee Foto Designer Julia Miller ofYond Interiorsis also a fan, but in the right circumstances. “In that environment, they would be perfect.” Want more design inspiration? slobo/Getty Images Beryl cautions homeowners to consider the difficulty in keeping up tiled countertops....

May 4, 2025 · 1 min · 180 words · Jacqueline Ray