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The plant is considered lucky because of its association with the Chinese practice of feng shui—balancing yin and yang. Having a few stems of this dracaena in your home is said to increase chi, representing vital energy or life source. Here’s how to grow your own lucky bamboo and repot the cuttings to keep the good fortune coming. What Is Lucky Bamboo? Unlike true bamboos (which have roots in Asia), Dracaena sanderiana is native to Africa....

Best Storage Onion Varieties Properly stored, onions can last for months. The best storage onion varieties have a high sulfur content—they’ll really make you cry—and they have a strong flavor. Mild-flavored or sweet onion varieties will likely only keep for a few weeks. ‘Stuttgarter’, ‘Yellow Globe’, ‘Copra’, ‘Patterson’, ‘Redwing’, and ‘Ebenezer’ are a few storage varieties. Check with your local cooperative extension office to find out which varieties will grow best in your area....

Headroom, especially in a basement, may be at a premium. To make low flooring framing that will conserve headroom, lay pressure-treated 2x4s (sleepers) flat and cover them with 3/4-inch tongue-and-groove OSB underlayment or exterior plywood.

This type of preparation is for a door with two sets of boreholes and cross bores, one on top of the other, 5-1/2 inches from center to center. Both boreholes are 2-1/8 inches in diameter, with the cross bores measuring 1 inch in diameter. The back set measures between 2-3/8 and 2-3/4 inches from the edge of the door to the center of the cross bore. The thickness of the door should be between 1-3/8 and 1-3/4 inches....

1. Check the Forecast Larger pots should be fine if you’ll be gone for just two or three days, especially if rain is in the forecast. Give them a good soaking before you go. Set up a contingency plan for small pots that usually need daily watering, such as asking a neighbor or friend to stop by and give them a drink. You also could use a self-watering device that slowly delivers water from a reservoir....

How does kokedama work? You begin by mixing peat moss and bonsai soil, then slowly adding water until the compound adheres as a ball. This will be your base. Wrap the roots of a plant (we used a fern) in damp sphagnum moss, bind it in twine, and insert it into the soil ball. Finish it in sheet moss, with more twine to secure, and then spritz with water. Once your kokedama is finished, don’t feel limited to simply hanging it....

“We go way back,” interior designer Rebekah Zaveloff of KitchenLab Interiors says of her friend Lorie FitzGibbon. “We grew up together in Ohio. My mom owned a store that sold the latest fashions; Lorie’s mom was an art dealer. We were both heavily influenced by the style of the late ’70s and early ’80s—boho/hippy meets disco and glam.” So when Lorie and husband John built a new home in the Chicago suburbs, Lorie knew where to find her style muse....

This year, I’m creating a list of the can’t-miss items I plan on shopping for Prime Day. I’ve already spotted hundreds of discounts on the site, including electronics, kitchen appliances, and furniture. And while I could easily score deals on a new TV or pricey cookware, my sights are set on the home essentials I’ll need to enjoy hot summer days—including cooling bed sheets, outdoor string lights, and oscillating tower fans....

1. Plant a patio or bush tomato variety. Small tomato plants, known as patio or bush varieties, grow and fruit best in containers. Don’t be fooled by the size of a plant—a small tomato plant can still produce loads of fruit. Pot-friendly tomato varieties typically grow to a particular size, usually 1 to 3 feet tall, and then begin fruiting. There are many patio-type tomato varieties and dozens more coming onto the market every season....

Tip: Can’t find (or don’t want to splurge on) Champagne? Cava, Prosecco, or any sparkling wine all work well here. Tip: Feel free to make the cupcakes up to a month ahead and freeze until it’s time to celebrate. Our Complete Guide to Champagne Tip: This vegetable-rich Italian dinner is begging to be paired with anything from Chardonnay to Chianti.

Whether through a guide on how to shop for a home, tips on saving for and purchasing your dream house, or advice on whether buying a home is right for our readers, BHG has always supported homeownership. (We’ve even been part of the home buying experience through the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate division since 1978.) Homeownership rates have increased in the United States over the last 100 years, rising from a national rate of nearly 46% in 1920 to more than 65% in 2022, with some dips and peaks in the intervening years....

1. Natural Nooks and Crannies If you’ve got a gnarled old tree, it’s pretty much essential that it be fitted for a fairy door. At the end of a meandering staircase of moss and stone is this gorgeous creation by artist Sally J. Smith of Green Spirit Arts. Composed of just the sort of materials woodland weefolk would most like to use; bits of wood, sticks, and bark are magically transformed into a true work of art....

Buy It: Nordic Ware Naturals Quarter Sheet Pan ($11, Target)

Babka A list of Jewish desserts wouldn’t be complete without babka. Make this swirly bread recipe in any flavor you want! We recommend trying cinnamon-streusel, hazelnut, and dried-fruit babka fillings for a sweet Hanukkah treat. Chocolate Cookie Coins Gelt is practically a Hanukkah requirement. But instead of handing out foil-covered chocolate coins ($12, Party City) this season, add a twist to these delicious holiday treats by making small cookie coins instead....

1. Think beyond white for small bathroom colors. White is a favorite bathroom color choice for its bright, clean look and ability to make a small bathroom appear larger. But it doesn’t have to be your default if all-white spaces aren’t your style. Small bathrooms, including powder rooms and guest bathrooms, are an excellent opportunity to play with bolder hues and patterns that you might otherwise shy away from in larger living spaces....

Editor’s Tip: Help mom truly treat herself with a set of homemade bath bombs using the same dried flowers! Get the pink ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ label. Get the blue ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ label. Get the ‘I Drink Wine’ label. Get the ‘Best Mom Ever’ label.

Whether you only have a few steps to work with or a wraparound porch with stately stairs, we’ve curated a collection of our favorite front porch step ideas with practical suggestions. Give your home’s exterior an update by creating an inviting entry to greet guests and welcome you home after a long day. Front Porch Planters A bright and cheery yellow door pops against gray siding to create a welcoming front porch....