Planning a Vegetable Garden
January 15, 2008
It is important when you start to plan a garden, to know what you want the garden to do. For instance, if you are hoping to feed a family of four all year round, you will need to plan a garden that is approximately 100 square meters of space (not including walking paths) that produces more than once. If you live in a cold climate, you will not be able to grow year round. So asking yourself a few basic questions is a good way to start.
Where do you Live?
Climate can be broken down into three basic categories when planning a garden. Cold, temperate and tropical/sub-tropical. Of course there are many shades of climate in these categories and only you can determine exactly how where you live, fits into the mix.
What will grow Where?
Different plants have different requirements so take that into consideration when doing your vegetable garden planning.
Plants like beans, broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, cauliflower, turnips, onions and peas grow best at temperatures between 10-20C. These plants prefer a cooler time of the year to grow and will usually tolerate frost.
Home Security System, You Are A winner
January 14, 2008
Have you ever been to a local trade show or fair and filled out a raffle and later you find out you have won a Home Security System? Well, you are not alone. Sometimes everyone one wins. That’s right you are not as lucky as you think you are. Well you are lucky in one regard; home security systems do work, not only do the little flags out front of the stickers near the front door help prevent crime, but an alarm sends the culprits running big time.
The blaring alarm sends the thieves running down the street in a 100-yard dash and protects you and your family from harm, property damage and theft. Alarms are good things; so why is being a winner not all it is cracked up to be? Well a couple reasons; one it is a little misleading. Although you probably would not have filled out the form if you had not actually wanted to win something. Many times the alarms are free with a sign up. Similar to the free-cell phone deals. You get a free cell phone if you sign up right? Well yes but you have to agree to sign up for two-years at an agreed rate plan.
Brighten Up Your Patio With Sun Catchers
January 13, 2008
Sun catchers add sparkle and beauty to any room in your home. Far beyond the paint-n-bake sun catchers of childhood, sun catchers come in a huge variety of styles that dazzle the eye.
The most common window-hanging style bring charm and flair to any room. Choose a color and pattern that complements your decor. Window-hanging sun catchers can be the focal point of a room, or a finishing detail. Whichever you choose, you’ll be delighted with the beauty sun catchers add to your decor.
Wind chime style and dangling sun catchers are also great additions to a room. Hang small crystal sun catchers from the center of a valance, or from a chandelier or lamp to add light and sparkle. Dangling sun catchers are beautiful on patios and sun rooms where they really capture the light. Place a sun catcher in a garden shed window where it can be seen from the outside.
Sun catchers are also a great way to express your own personality or reflect your favorite hobby. celestial, lighthouse, butterfly, and floral sun catchers are just a few of the unique styles available. Custom sun catchers, including ones based on your own photographs or family crest, are also a great choice for adding a personal touch to your home.
Security in Todays World
January 12, 2008
There are many things in life that are worth protecting. Our children, our valuables, our resources and of course, ourselves. Only twenty years ago, if security was mentioned, you were speaking of protecting your home. And you were most likely discussing a security system, monitoring, watchdogs, firearms and cameras.
With the explosion of the personal computer, and the internet’s ease of access to information, security has now taken on additional roles. With over 605 million people online at any given moment worldwide, criminals are no longer bound by geographic location. Today’s cyber criminal can hack from the comfort of his home just by getting online.
There are software programs that do nothing but scan the internet for un-secure ports and open networks so that they can enter into those unprotected machines to access critical information. There are many users who know little about internet security and rely on their ISP to provide it for them.
Garden Statuary - Time for a Fresh New Look
January 11, 2008
Spring is coming, and now is the time to get out and whip those outdoor spaces into shape. With new growth appearing on trees, bulbs popping up and birds and butterflies coming out of hiding, your patio, garden or backyard is ripe for a fresh new look with decorative accents that put a delightful finishing touch on your own little corner of nature.
Fountains, always a favorite, add the beauty of sculpture plus the relaxing sound of water, and bring a unique elegance to your garden or patio. Many people never consider fountains because they are afraid of the difficulty of transporting and installing large stone structures, not to mention the cost. The great news is that now you can get beautiful, classically sculptured fountains in modern cast materials for a fraction of the cost and weight of stone.
Alabastrite, a cast resin filled with powdered stone, can be made to look and feel like marble, granite, sandstone, concrete, even bronze — and it costs far less than traditional stone fountains. No longer do you have to pay a lot for the beauty of classical garden fountains… modern technology has brought the elegance of the past within reach of today’s patios and gardens!
Five Easy Ways to Give Your Kitchen Designer Wow!
January 10, 2008
A beautiful kitchen is the heart of any home (even for those of us who spend most of our cooking time around the microwave!) Time spent together in the kitchen can bring a family closer together and make wonderful memories (although my own memories of doing dishes as a teenager are less than pleasant - something about dishwater being *disgusting!*) Turning your plain kitchen into something special isn*t as hard as you might think. Here are a few simple ideas which can make your kitchen a designer showcase.
1. To give your cabinets a special flair, use three different stains. Use one lighter stain on the upper cabinets, one slightly darker on the drawers and an even darker one on the bottom cabinets. Add a little pigment in a primary color (red, blue or yellow) to add an additional dimension and a little *pop.*
2. To add a little flair, take out a few drawers and insert low baskets in their place. You will probably have to remove the middle drawer slide or side slides, but that is easily done with a screwdriver.
3. Want to update your backsplash? Use beadboard! Have your local home improvement store cut it to length and attach with nails or adhesive.
Whats Underfoot? A Quick Guide to Patio Surfaces
January 10, 2008
Patios and terraces have always been popular outdoor spaces. Whether a Parisian courtyard or a rooftop alcove, only porches and sunrooms beat out these paved (or semi-paved) retreats in a recent survey of my readers as the most ideal outside living space. Let’s examine some of the wide variety of patio surfaces.
Patio Stones
Somteimes called flags or slabs, patio stones are flat square or rectangular blocks of pressed concrete. Standard sizes generally include 2′ x 2′, 2′ x 2½’ and 2′ x 3′ (60 x 60 cm; 60 x 75 cm; 60 x 90 cm), with a 2″ (5 cm) thickness. They are a very well-known and popular choice for both homeowners and home builders and are favored both for their ease of installation and low price.
Once only grey or greyer, patio stones are now available in a range of colors. Choose a color that blends with your garden or house, or make a patterned floor with two different colors. Patio stones are especially attractive when combined with an edging of a contrasting material. On my web site, I have some suggested patterns combining them with bricks, but you can use a rot-resistant wood such as cedar, landscape rocks, or even aluminum.
Tips and Suggestions To Help You Plan and Build Your Own Log Home
January 9, 2008
Log Cabin Homes: They have come a long way. Here are some tips and suggestions to help you plan and build your own. Plus be sure to consider the floor plans and not overlook anything.
Typically, log cabin homes are small structures that have little or no wasted space and are built from all natural materials. However, new trends have surfaced, making log cabin homes appear as luxurious, rustic, and cozy houses. At the same time, many of these luxury log cabin homes still use all natural materials, but there are new building techniques and systems used for drying the logs effectively at proper rates.
Log cabin homes are useful for you as a main house or as a vacation home. In fact, any design and style can be created with log cabin homes. No matter what design you decide upon, log cabin homes will surround you in nature always have a comfortable yet rough feel.
Maintenance problems from log homes are often unavoidable. However, new knowledge and technology can help prevent many of the problems from happening. Many of the new techniques can also stop some maintenance problems from happening, and if they do occur, they will not be as extreme.
Wooden Greenhouses
January 8, 2008
An important addition to any British back garden, the greenhouse is firmly established in the British way of life. It’s probably the inclement weather that drives the british gardener ‘inside’. If you are visiting this site then you are probably thinking about obtaining a new greenhouse. It is possible you don’t know the type of greenhouse you need or even how to decide on the type of greenhouse. This site has a series of articles on many of the different things to consider when installing a greenhouse.
For example, you need to decide on size, shape, style, location, installation, maintenance, irrigation, heating and this is before you have grown anything. You can look at the different benefits of aluminium greenhouses, pvc-u greenhouses and wooden greenhouses — we have discussed each one seperately. You mat wish for a standard greenhouse or choose a bespoke model. There is a lot to look into - viewing manufacturers sites can help to get a feel for what is available. However, don’t be put off as with a little research and planning the whole process can be made much easier.
Painting and Decorating Tile
January 7, 2008
Ceramic tile can be beautiful and elegant. But it can also be bland and uninspired. If you want to add a little color or creativity to your tile, here’s how!
Remember to clean your tile and let it dry before you begin any project.
1. Seal both tile and surrounding grout with a water-based floor varnish.
Ask your home improvement retailer for suggestions about a good water-based floor varnish for your area.
2. Brush paint primer on both tile and grout.
Let it dry for at least 12 hours before you begin painting.
3. With an artist’s brush, paint your pattern with latex paint.
Simple designs are best. You can use stencils or, if you are brave, try painting your own original design directly on the tile. Let the tile dry before sealing.
4. Seal the tiles with two coats of water-based varnish.
Let the tile dry between coats.
Decorating your old tile can be easy and fun. Now, anyone have a great idea for rescuing an old bathtub? (Without making it a backyard planter, that is!)
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