Home & Garden

Chiggers don’t live in Spanish moss

Chiggers don’t live in Spanish moss

By Walter Reeves, For the AJC Troy Warren for CNT #HomeGarden Q: My friend wants to send me Spanish moss to see if it will grow here. How do I treat it to kill the chiggers in it? Stephanie Aderholt, email A: If your friend gathers Spanish moss that’s hanging from tree branches, there will be no chiggers in it. Chigger nymphs (the critters that bite, suck blood and cause an unceasing itch) know they won’t find victims in the trees. They hang out on the tips of grass blades and very low shrubbery, the better to latch on to a passing mouse…
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8 Top Garden Trends for 2022 to Inspire Your Next Backyard Project

8 Top Garden Trends for 2022 to Inspire Your Next Backyard Project

By Leanne Potts | BHG.Com Troy Warren for CNT #HomeGarden Meaningful ways to create connections with nature and each other outdoors are bigger than ever. In 2021, the pandemic kept us outdoors in our yards and gardens, just as it did the previous year. We've discovered that nature can nurture us in dark times, so we've hung bird feeders, planted gardens, and learned to love patio life. More than half of us are spending an extra two hours a day outside compared to pre-pandemic, according to a National Gardening Association survey, and we're in no hurry to go back inside in 2022. Instead, we're keener than…
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These 2022 Bathroom Trends Work with Every Decorating Style

These 2022 Bathroom Trends Work with Every Decorating Style

By Kristina McGuirk | BHG.Com Troy Warren for CNT #HomeGarden Feel good investing in these practical updates to create a smarter, more stylish bathroom. We're still finding ourselves spending a lot of time at home, and with that comes more focus on how our spaces look and function. In 2022, homeowners will be addressing outdated bathroom design with harder-working fixtures and stylish accents that provide a comfortable, practical refresh. 1. Updated Sinks and Touchless Faucets  According to the Houzz 2021 bath trends report, faucets are the most popular bath upgrade, and their counterpart, sinks, are seeing more switch-outs since the year before. "There…
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Practical solutions for taming the mess around your kitchen sink

Practical solutions for taming the mess around your kitchen sink

By Jura Koncius, Washington Post Troy Warren for CNT #HomeGarden It’s easy to ignore the clutter around the kitchen sink as you’re rinsing kale or scrubbing a frying pan. But if you stop to take a critical eye to your sink and the counters around it, you might get a bit of a jolt. These spaces often become repositories of drippy bottles, grungy sponges and assorted junk. This can be especially true if your kitchen is small and lacking counter space or storage. “Simplicity is what you want around your sink,” says Henhurst’s Phyllis Trevor Higgerson, a New England designer and…
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Aerate your lawn – don’t stab it – by choosing the right tool

Aerate your lawn – don’t stab it – by choosing the right tool

By Walter Reeves, For the AJC Troy Warren for CNT #HomeGarden Q: I had some work done in my yard in September. Knowing it was too late to plant centipede seed, I broadcast wheat straw. I’ll wait until May, go over the yard very well with a borrowed spike aerator and broadcast centipede seed and fertilizer. Does that seem OK? Brian Stephens, email A: Your timing is good,— but using a spike aerator won’t help your lawn and may even hurt it. The goal of aeration is to encourage grass roots to grow deeply. Unlike core (plug) aerators, spike aerators tend to…
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Essential Ladder Safety Tips You Need to Know This Season

Essential Ladder Safety Tips You Need to Know This Season

By Jessica Bennett | BHG.Com Troy Warren for CNT #HomeGarden Most ladder accidents happen in the fall when homeowners prep their gutters for winter and put holiday lights up (or both). Follow these extension ladder safety tips to avoid injury during outdoor chores this season. Although homeowners use ladders around their property throughout the year, fall comes with a lot of tasks that require access to the roof via a ladder. Clearing leaves and other debris from gutters is a fall maintenance essential; failing to do so can block water flow and potentially cause leaks or damage to the house. Not to mention, decking…
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7 Holiday Storage Hacks That Will Save Your Sanity After The Holiday Season Wraps

7 Holiday Storage Hacks That Will Save Your Sanity After The Holiday Season Wraps

By Emily VanSchmus and Jessica Bennett | BHG.Com Troy Warren for CNT #HomeGarden Stop tossing everything into the same box! Store and protect ornaments, gift wrap, holiday lights, wreaths, and more with these clever containers. As much as I love decorating for Christmas, storing holiday decorations is a pain—especially since they're usually only on display for a couple of months of the year. I got a new Christmas tree this season, and of course, I threw out the box without considering what I'll do with the tree come January.  So, what's the best way to store those pricey Christmas wreaths, ornaments, and lights during the non-Christmas…
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Host a holiday family game night everyone can enjoy

Host a holiday family game night everyone can enjoy

By  Rose Kennedy, for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Troy Warren for CNT #HomeGarden  #EditorsPicks When you’re fortunate enough to have kin or kindred spirits you’ll see over the holiday, it’s budget-friendly and usually fun to get the gang together for a game night. When you’re a beginner at playing host, though, you may want to brush up on strategy, beyond what you’ll need to win Risk, Code Game or Uno. The word game Bananagrams hosts a blog, and its top game night tip was to keep expectations realistic. “While TV ads and movie moments portray an image of all smiles and perfect…
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Chocolate Sunflowers Are the Bold, Beautiful Blooms You Need in Your Garden

Chocolate Sunflowers Are the Bold, Beautiful Blooms You Need in Your Garden

By Southern Living Editors Troy Warren for CNT #HomeGarden Prepare to be dazzled! If you've always believed that sunflowers only sprouted up in buttery yellows and vibrant golds, think again. Although the common sunflower, scientifically known as the Helianthus annus, typically does have bright yellow rays circling a rich brown center comprised of tiny disks, there are several other varieties of the sunflower that bloom in a brilliant assortment of colors, including creamy white and terracotta red. We're especially enamored by Chocolate Sunflowers, which, as the name suggests, have such deep red petals that they appear brown. Here's where to buy Chocolate Sunflower seeds and what…
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Designers are saying goodbye to these home decor trends in 2022

Designers are saying goodbye to these home decor trends in 2022

By Avery Newmark, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Troy Warren for CNT #HomeGarden All good design trends must come to an end, to make way for what’s next in contemporary style. Over the years, many design trends have come and gone, and what’s new today can turn passe by tomorrow. After two pandemic-powered years characterized by unprecedented changes to the way we work and live, and the amount of time we spend inside our homes, the time has come to refresh our spaces.   If you’re ready to make changes for the new year, here are a few trends designers at the Spruce can’t wait…
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