I love planting a row of sunflowers along my vegetable garden fence. Their tall stalks add another level to the garden, and their large, yellow flowers bring sunny cheer. More than visual interest, though, sunflowers provide other benefits to the garden. They attract bees and other pollinators, which are essential for crops like squash and …
Gardening
Homeowners planning backyard fireworks for July 4 may want to check product names and model numbers before lighting anything. More than 100,000 fireworks sold nationwide have been recalled because of explosion and burn hazards, according to WAFB. The recalls involve two Winco Fireworks International products announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission on July …
What comes to mind when you think of a thriving, low-maintenance garden? Things like rich, dark compost, raised beds overflowing with herbs and veggies, or a neat little rainwater harvesting system and pollinator-friendly blooms. If ducks weren’t on that list, @Huw Richards from Huw’s Nursery has a few compelling reasons why you need to go …
Most beginner gardeners walk into a big box store, grab whatever fruit tree looks promising on the label, bring it home with high hopes, and watch it struggle for years without producing a single piece of fruit. It is one of the most expensive and demoralizing mistakes in home gardening, and it happens to millions …
Lake Township trustees have rejected a rezoning request that would have turned residential land near Walbridge, Ohio, into an M-2 heavy industrial dump. The proposal involved property at 508 Union Street, which is currently residential, according to 13abc. The request drew a packed room of residents at a special meeting before trustees voted it down. …
A 2024 Swiftly survey found that 7 in 10 Americans struggle to afford groceries. Fast forward to 2025, and there is no data to show that people are feeling the pinch of the continually rising cost of food and food shortages on items like chicken eggs. Having a reliable source of fresh produce is becoming …
A Texas homeowner says a solar panel installation turned into a roof-leak dispute that took months of calls, emails, texts, and a certified letter to move forward. John Haukness told FOX 26 Houston that leaks began after solar panels were installed on his Texas City home in 2024. He said he first noticed peeling paint …
Most people assume a Zen garden is about rocks and raked gravel — a tidy, minimalist space that looks vaguely Japanese. And that’s exactly why most Zen garden attempts fall flat. The real thing is built on something far older and more interesting: a seven-part philosophy of restraint, mystery, and deliberate imperfection that Japanese Buddhist …
You’ve probably been growing the wrong vegetables. Not wrong in the sense that they fail, but wrong in the sense that they cost almost nothing at the store and take up the most room in your garden. If your goal is to actually lower your grocery bill, the plants that belong in your beds this …
The most romantic garden in the world is also one of the most forgiving, and if you start this month, you could be cutting armloads of roses and foxgloves by next summer. Cottage gardens have enchanted homeowners for centuries because they follow one irresistible rule: more is always more. If you have been putting off …