HomeGarden

Jul
14
2021
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By Troy Warren
Bermuda and zoysia grass are soft underfoot

Bermuda and zoysia grass are soft underfoot

Home & Garden, , ,
By Walter Reeves, For the AJC Troy Warren for CNT Q: We have a play set in the sun for our toddler. The soil underneath is dry and cracking. What would you recommend to put there so she can crawl and not get eaten up by ants or cut by mulch? Rachel Galen, Dunwoody A: You have two choices: zoysia sod or Bermuda sod. Either would work. I asked my 9-year-old friend Gabe to evaluate the feel of Emerald zoysia on his feet in my neighbor’s lawn and he reports it is very soft. There are other fine-bladed zoysias available besides Emerald. Any…
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Jul
11
2021
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By Troy Warren
Upgrade Your Backyard with an Easy DIY Patio Upgrade Your Backyard with an Easy DIY Patio

Upgrade Your Backyard with an Easy DIY Patio Upgrade Your Backyard with an Easy DIY Patio

Home & Garden,
By Megan McConnell Hughes | BHG.Com Troy Warren for CNT In just one weekend, you can update your outdoor living space for entertaining. Learn how to build a patio with flagstones, bricks, or pavers. Incorporate a stone patio into your backyard or garden for an easy outdoor room. The hard surface gives patio furniture firm footing, so you can create a seating ensemble for outdoor dining, morning coffee, or simply relaxing with friends. To build your own DIY patio, you'll need gravel or limestone paver base, sand, and your choice of patio material. Bricks, pavers, or flagstones all create sturdy and attractive stone patio…
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Jul
09
2021
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By Troy Warren
Designs to cool down your home this summer

Designs to cool down your home this summer

Home & Garden,
By Kiersten Willis, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Troy Warren for CNT   You don’t have to sacrifice design for comfort in the summer. Many good-looking pieces can offer decor and function, according to experts. One easy fix is to change your bedding to lightweight fabrics. “Nighttime can be the worst time for feeling the summer heat,” Movoto real estate website states. “You probably put away the heavy comforter and blankets during hot weather, but choosing the right fabrics can help you stay cooler, too. “Natural textile fabrics like cotton and bamboo wick moisture away from your body while you sleep, keeping you more…
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Jul
08
2021
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By Troy Warren
5 flowers you can use to color your late-summer garden

5 flowers you can use to color your late-summer garden

Home & Garden,
By Kiersten Willis, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Troy Warren for CNT Summer heat and dry soil can make flower beds look dreary. But you don’t have to accept that fate. Catherine Mix, owner of Washington-based The Cutting Garden, spoke to This Old House. She shared some flowers you can use to help make your garden look vibrant in late summer. Chrysanthemum These flowers are easy to care for and require very little maintenance, according to Gardening Know How. “In late summer when other plants call it quits, mums hit their stride. Like poinsettias, they’re photoperiodic, meaning they rely on specific amounts of light to…
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Jul
07
2021
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By Troy Warren
8 Items You Should Never Put in Your Compost Bin

8 Items You Should Never Put in Your Compost Bin

Home & Garden,
By Rita Pelczar | BHG.Com Troy Warren for CNT Plus, a few surprising things you actually can add. Composting is a simple way to turn your kitchen and yard wastes into something useful for your garden. But not all of these materials are equally good to compost for one reason or another. For example, some food wastes will create an odor that may attract pests. And certain yard wastes can slow down or halt the decomposition process, which can be frustrating. Plus, you don't want to add anything that could harm you or your plants when you use the finished compost in your garden.…
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Jul
06
2021
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By Troy Warren
3 things you can do to buy a home in a seller’s market

3 things you can do to buy a home in a seller’s market

Home & Garden, Real Estate, ,
By Kiersten Willis, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Troy Warren for CNT If you’re in the market for a new home, you may have noticed that the odds aren’t exactly in your favor when it comes to securing your new dwelling. That’s because we are in a seller’s market. According to Redfin, that “occurs when demand exceeds supply, or there are more buyers seeking to purchase homes than there are available homes on the market.” Many times, multiple buyers are interested in one home, and bidding wars ensue. Sellers often have the advantage in this market, but just because they have the upper…
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Jul
04
2021
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By Troy Warren
How to Repair Patchy, Bare Spots in Your Lawn

How to Repair Patchy, Bare Spots in Your Lawn

Home & Garden,
By Andrea Beck | BHG.Com Troy Warren for CNT Here's what you need to know to cover diseased and distressed areas with lush grass again. Keeping a lawn in tip-top shape often means applying an organic fertilizertwice a year, aerating periodically to discourage thatch buildup and soil compaction, watering regularly, and properly mowing it. But even if you do everything right, you can still end up with bare, thin, or weedy patches here and there. One of the most important parts of lawn repair is figuring out what has caused the problem. Sometimes an accident, such as a fertilizer spill, creates a bare spot in…
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Jun
30
2021
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By Troy Warren
Aphids and ‘alligators’ seen on garden plants

Aphids and ‘alligators’ seen on garden plants

Home & Garden, ,
By Walter Reeves, For the AJC Troy Warren for CNT Q: I’m a new gardener and my pea plant stems are absolutely covered with small, dark gray creatures. Louise Lubben, Fulton County A: In May/June each year, aphid populations can explode on susceptible plants like peas, onions and peppers. They weaken plants by sucking the sap from stems and leaves. Look closely and you might spot ants feeding on the undigested honeydew from aphids. You might also see orange and black “alligators” (larval ladybugs) feeding on unlucky aphids. Since we don’t want to hurt beneficial insects, the easiest solution for aphids is to…
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Jun
29
2021
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By Troy Warren
These space-saving hacks will make your tiny kitchen feel huge

These space-saving hacks will make your tiny kitchen feel huge

Home & Garden, ,
By Kiersten Willis, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Troy Warren for CNT Among the kitchen trends for 2021 are space-saving options or those that can help the room function beyond a space for preparing meals. Homes & Gardens’ list of in-vouge motifs includes various storage options, including pantries and in-drawer appliances. “Storage is, and will continue to be, a big part of the kitchen space. For those with smaller kitchens, the need for clever storage in this space is crucial in terms of efficiently utilizing the room you have,” Paul Jenkinson, founder managing director of British kitchen brand LochAnna Kitchens told the publication. But…
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Jun
28
2021
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By Troy Warren
DIY Planter Rockets

DIY Planter Rockets

Home & Garden, ,
Troy Warren for CNT Make your own Fourth of July rockets with all the fun—and none of the pyrotechnics—of a real fireworks show! This quick and easy craft makes the perfect addition to a front porch planter. Use simple materials to craft an adorable set of paper rockets. Our free template makes it easy to make rocket shapes from plain poster board, and the finished product is adorable! Play around with different spray paint effects to get the perfect look for your front porch.   What you need     How to do it   STEP 1 Assemble Rockets  Use…
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