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20 DIY Mistakes We’ve Made (So You Don’t Have To)

Kelli — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 18:21:40 +0000

The editors here at Popular Mechanics would like you to know that we’re not perfect. Whether tackling home improvements or making automotive repairs, we’ve all made our fair share of mistakes. Here are some of the worst. If you’ve got some that you’d like to share, send them to pmwebmaster@hearst.com, along with any lessons that might have been gleaned from the experience.

Slow Money: Reconnecting the Economy to Soil, Biodiversity and Food Quality

Kelli — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 14:38:13 +0000

Could there ever be an alternative stock exchange dedicated to slow, small and local? Could a million American families get their food from CSAs? What if you had to invest 50 percent of your assets within 50 miles of where you live? Such questions — at the heart of “Inquiries into the Nature of Slow Money” — represent the first steps on our path to a new economy.

Civilization is a big idea. So is the idea that as soil goes, so goes civilization. So is the idea that as money goes, so goes the soil. We don’t need any more big ideas.

Cold-Weather Plantings

Kelli — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 18:47:22 +0000

With the right pots, cold-tolerant plants, colorful twigs, and evergreen boughs, you can put together great-looking containers that will last till the weather warms and even beyond. Here’s how, courtesy of This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook.

Water expands about 9 percent as it turns to ice, so even a one-time freeze can crack containers made of terra-cotta or other brittle, moisture-absorbing materials. Metal, plastic, and fiberglass are safe choices. Some ceramic containers can withstand a freeze, if they’ve been fired at high temperatures. And while standard concrete might break, concrete mixed with polymers stands up better. Wooden planters weather pretty well, too.

How to Make Your Tree Last Longer

Kelli — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 19:53:20 +0000

Do you find your Christmas tree not lasting as long as you’d like? Is it barely making it through the holiday season? Here are some helpful hints that will keep your tree healthy and safe.

Make sure your tree is well supplied with water. This will keep it fresh and fire resistant.
A tree can absorb up to a gallon of water within its first 24 hours, so make sure you use a stand that holds at least that amount of water.

How to Build a Shed from a Kit

Kelli — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 17:33:26 +0000

For years, there have been three ways to get a shed: Build it yourself, hire someone to build it or buy a prefab model. A new method—constructing a shed from a kit—combines the sweat equity of building from scratch with the simplicity of using factory-cut components. All that’s required are basic tools and novice-level carpentry skills. It’s like doing a jigsaw puzzle with instructions: Fasten the parts together in the right sequence, and voilà—a shed is born.

How To Winterize a Riding Lawn Mower

Kelli — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 02:40:19 +0000

The lawn mover is a machine that cuts you lawn using its blades. In the olden times, homeowners used manual grass cutters. However, as technology evolved, so has the lawnmower. Lawnmovers are very important to us especially during springtime. But as the season ends, we often disregard the importance of the machine.

Nestrest: Provides A Relaxing And Refreshing Sitting Experience

Kelli — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 19:46:20 +0000

Sitting outdoors experiencing how nature amuse us with its relaxing and refreshing cool breeze, soft tweeting of birds, the stress relieving ripples of the water and more is really rewarding. We can do its easily with an effective outdoor furniture design and the Nestrest is an exact example. This architecturally designed outdoor furniture will definitely replace your garden sofa. Filled with soft cushion, the Nestrest will allow you to have a relaxing lounging experience anywhere there is some sturdy tree branch where you can hung your Nestrest and you can swing all you want. On the other hand, you simple put it on the ground and enjoy a relaxing moment with nature while lounging.

Edible Landscaping

Kelli — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 01:00:40 +0000

“Imagine,” chef, cookbook author and local food activist Deborah Madison mused recently, “if our government asked us to respond to the crisis of global warming, diminishing oil and poor health … by planting vegetable gardens.”

Those who lived in the United States and Great Britain during World War II and experienced the food rationing of the 1940s can do more than imagine; they can remember. As part of the war effort, every civilian was encouraged to turn their land and lawns over — literally — to growing food for themselves and for the troops. The millions of yards, vacant lots and converted lawns and flower beds at community centers, school playgrounds and places of worship were called “victory gardens” and were, for many years, a primary source of the fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes that were difficult to produce during wartime due to reduced manpower and gasoline rationing.

12 of the Best U.S. Farmers’ Markets

Kelli — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:25:16 +0000

These farmers markets are for more than just picking up produce. At these big markets, you’ll find cooking classes, festivals and live music, along with dozens of vendors selling fresh local produce. All those extras make them hot spots for the both locals and visitors who want a taste (literally and figuratively) of the local scene.

How To Choose a Lawn Type for your Climate

Kelli — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 02:57:58 +0000

There are so many different types of lawn grasses, and it could be easy to get confused as to which among them is best for your specific situation. One of the first steps you could take in order to narrow down your options is by choosing a lawn type according to your climate zone. Definitely, a lawn type that suits your climate will be easiest to grow and to care for. Here are some of the guidelines to remember when choosing a lawn type for your climate: