Elephant ear bulbs will spend about three weeks growing roots before you’ll notice any activity aboveground. The end with the concentric circles is the top. If you’re ever in doubt about which end is up, plant a bulb on its side and it’ll send the green up and the roots down. More On Bulbs Forcing Spring Bulbs Bulbs Deer Won’t Eat Tulips That Come Back Every Year
Step 1: Bring the Water to a Simmer Lightly grease a medium skillet (about 10 inches in diameter) or large saucepan. This greasing step is optional, but it helps keep the whites from sticking to the sides of the pan. Add water so the skillet is half full, and add a tablespoon of vinegar—this helps the egg whites stay together—then bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to simmering (bubbles begin to break the surface of the water)....
Use the following expert tips to make sure the star of your meal will be good to go when it’s time for roasting. How Long Can You Freeze Turkey? According to the Butterball Turkey Talk Line, you can keep a turkey stored in the freezer for up to two years, and it’s still safe to cook. You might, however, end up dealing with a not-so-tasty bird keeping it that long....
The boxes shown fit under a staircase with a 45-degree pitch: For every 12 inches the stairs rise, they run (travel horizontally) 12 inches. The boxes step up and over in 12-inch increments. If your stair slope is more gradual, your boxes will need to be wider to fit; more steep and the boxes will be narrower. To find out, hold a tape measure vertically with the hook on the floor....
In essence, the electrical load applies to anything that consumes electricity. In your home, it refers to the amount of energy needed to power all the light fixtures, kitchen appliances, TVs, washing machines, and other items that require electricity. This is important information if you plan to make any changes to your electrical system, including adding a circuit for a new light fixture or receptacle. The chart below outlines how to calculate your home’s load, how to add capacity, how to understand the size of your home’s electrical load, and how to inspect a service panel using our tips....
We’re here to make canning peaches easy-peasy, so you can start making fantastic ice cream toppers, peach cobbler, and more. Prep the Peaches As with canning any fruit, start with ripe, unblemished fruit that’s washed well. According to Penn State Extension, some of the best peaches for canning are Glenglo, Ernie’s Choice, Cresthaven, John Boy, Loring, Redhaven, and Sunhigh. PickYourOwn.org includes Elberta, Fairhaven, GaLa, Glohaven, Halford, J.H. Hale, Midpride, Newhaven, Redglobe, Rio Oso Gem, Strawberry Cling, Summerset, Suncrest, and White Heath Cling varieties in its list....
1. Know your hydrangea type. The first step in planning winter care is to get a good idea of what kind of hydrangea you are growing. If your hydrangea doesn’t bloom in spring but instead blooms exclusively in mid to late summer, it’s likely a smooth or panicle hydrangea. These varieties produce flower buds in spring. Because smooth and panicle hydrangeas develop flower buds and bloom in the same growing season, they rarely require extra winter care....
How to Water Orchids The most common cause of death for orchids (and most houseplants) is usually overwatering. Instead of watering your plants on a strict schedule (every other day, or once a week, for example), pay attention to your orchid’s needs and how much water it uses. This can vary based on the humidity, light, air movement, and potting mix its roots are growing in. The easy answer for when to water most orchids (including Phalaenopsis and Cattleya) is just before they go dry....
If you don’t have a ton of time to maintain your garden, ornamental grasses make the perfect plant choice for filling out your landscape. They look beautiful almost year-round, thanks to their graceful foliage and eye-catching seed heads. Most species aren’t picky about soil, though they appreciate good drainage (like most plants do). Plus, ornamental grasses can be fairly drought-tolerant and usually aren’t bothered by garden pests (even deer will avoid most of them)....
To carve the pumpkins: We carved five flame-design pumpkins for this project. Build the Campfire with Pumpkin Flames When your carved pumpkin flames are ready, build a log base for your faux campfire. We made ours from cut log pieces used for firewood. Layer the log pieces directly on the ground in a circular shape. To make the pumpkin tower, stack the largest carved pumpkins on the bottom, and then work your way up with progressively smaller pumpkins....
How to Clean Refrigerator Shelves and Drawers First, remove and hand-wash removable refrigerator shelves, wire racks, and drawers in hot water and mild dish soap. Let any glass components warm up to room temperature before bringing them in contact with hot water; otherwise, they might crack. Cover stubborn food spills with a warm, wet cloth for a few minutes to soften the spills before removal with a nonabrasive scrubber ($5, Home Depot)....
Step 1: Clean the Washer Cleaning your washing machine isn’t just for appearance’s sake—the process helps eliminate buildup in hoses and pipes, too. Start by running an empty, regular cycle on hot, using two cups of vinegar instead of detergent. Then combine vinegar and water and use this mixture to scrub down the inside of the machine. Finish by running one more empty, regular cycle on hot with just water. For the machine’s exterior, wipe down the top and sides with an all-purpose cleaning wipe....
When was the last time you cleaned your range hood filter? If you use our 30 days of spring cleaning guide, chances are good you’ve wiped it down recently. However, like many homeowners, you might be surprised to learn you even have a range hood filter, let alone need to clean it. We asked Sarah McAllister, founder of the cleaning company and Instagram sensation Go Clean Co, to share her best advice on range hood filter cleaning....
Typically, it doesn’t matter exactly where you join to an existing pipe, but the new service must be precisely located. So it’s usually easier to start pipe runs at the new location and travel toward the existing pipes, rather than vice versa. It usually takes less than two hours to connect new to old once the pipes are run. Prep for the job by running new pipes from the new service location to the existing pipe; installing the last pipe a little longer than it needs to be, so you can cut it to length when you make the connection to the old pipe....
Muralists like Liz Kamarul and Racheal Jackson of @banyanbridges, for example, frequently impress with walls covered in color-blocked geometric shapes or sweeping squiggled lines. Other examples include watercolor-like abstract designs and organic scenes featuring tropical leaves or floral motifs. These hand-painted murals fill living rooms, bedrooms, hallways, and more with colorful, one-of-a-kind art, and they’re easier to pull off than you might think. In fact, part of what makes this project so popular is its accessibility....
Step 1: Outline Garden Bed Once you’ve decided where to build a new garden bed, mark the plot’s perimeter with spray paint or a sprinkling of flour. Removing the top layer of sod speeds up the process so you could be planting a little sooner, but it’s not necessary. You can just start adding your layers right on top of the grass. Step 2: Build Your Layers Spread a layer of newspaper six sheets thick so that the entire outlined space is covered....
Deck posts must be plumb, so they must start with square ends. Check the bottom of each post with a speed square and cut it if necessary. Dip cut ends in a preservative before setting them in the anchors and let the preservative soak in overnight. To make the job go quickly, do everything in stages—first, square all the deck posts and set them in the anchors with a temporary brace....
Before you start slicing apples for pie, start with the right apple. Certain varieties, such as Braeburn, Golden Delicious, Jonagold (sweet), Cortland, Granny Smith, and Jonathan (tart), hold up best during cooking. (Want to make sure you choose the best apples for your pie? Learn about the different types of apples here.) Once you’ve got your fresh apples ready, proceed with the following steps for the easiest way to peel apples for your favorite apple pie recipe....
How to Treat Spruce Spider Mites Gardeners aren’t the only ones who like the dwarf Alberta spruce. Sadly, it’s also popular with spruce spider mites that attack in spring and fall, unlike regular spider mites, which are active in hot, dry weather. If your spruce has yellow speckles or brown needles at its base or near the trunk, spruce spider mites are most likely the culprits. To find out if spruce spider mites have moved in, shake a browning branch over a piece of white paper....
Set aside roughly an hour to frame an 8x8-foot wall. Additional footage will require more time. Before you begin, make sure you know how to measure, mark, crosscut, and drive nails. Prep for the project by installing the wall’s ceiling plate. Laying out the positions of the studs in a wall is a crucial step in construction. Get it right and installing drywall is easy; make a mistake and you’ll have problems....
