How to Hang a Hammock
Soft-Weave Hammock, $220; Hatterash Hammocks Twintex Single-Layer Hammock, $139; Twin Oaks Hammocks Fabric 2-Point Hammock, $100; The Algoma Company Large Quilted Fabric Hammock, $200; Pawleys Island Hammocks "A little care is needed to make sure ... [... more]
This Old House |
Fall Yard Chores
Roger recommends getting your yard cleaned up and your equipment tuned up before winter sets in. Fall yard clean-up starts with the gutters, which requires setting up a ladder to reach them. Remember to always have someone holding the bottom of ... [... more]
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How to Choose and Use a Leaf Blower
Small to medium yards where you need the power of a gas engine. Air speeds higher than 150 mph and noise levels less than 70 decibels. (Check local ordinances: Some areas limit noise to less than 65 decibels.) Antivibration system and ... [... more]
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Get Ready for Fall
A rented gas-powered aerator, which removes plugs of earth, can improve the drainage of a soggy lawn. Leave the extruded plugs alone; they'll soon decompose on their own. Before planting a shrub, make sure the hole is at least twice the diameter ... [... more]
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Fall Fertilizing
Roger Cook says a last dose of fertilizer before the winter can make all the difference next spring. Fall is here and it's time to fertilize. Why now? Taking the time to fertilize in the fall will strengthen your plants' and lawn's roots, giving ... [... more]
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Norm's Notebook: Rakes
To break up clods, pull out small stones, and move lots of material, hold the handle at a 45-degree angle. For finish grading, smoothing the soil, raking out bark mulch, or spreading out an inch or two of gravel, go with a steeper handle angle, ... [... more]
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Yard Noise-Reduction
A stone wall along the property line is one way to lessen traffic noise. Here, a mason works to complete a 21/2-foot-tall one at TOH TV's Carlisle house. Even a low wall affects noise coming from tires on the road. Dry-laid fieldstone is ... [... more]
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Skeeter Beaters
To intercept mosquitos before they spot human prey, the new CO2 traps should be placed at least 30 feet away from places where people gather. Burns propane, producing CO2, heat, and moisture. Also emits octenol. A fan draws mosquitoes into ... [... more]
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Reining in Water Use
In this drought-tolerant Santa Monica, California, backyard, landscape designer Nicole Lopez cut the lawn back to a rectangle just big enough for lawn sports and kids' play. Then she surrounded it with low-water plants that saturate the space ... [... more]
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Draw Birds and Butterflies to Your Yard
Create a wildlife friendly yard with birdhouses, feeders, native plants, water, and a butterfly garden. Don't forget to collision-proof your windows and keep domestic cats indoors to protect native birds. Who doesn't enjoy the sight of a brightly ... [... more]
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Reader Remodels: Ponds
Dan Gibbon wanted to make his pond as natural as possible. The hardest part was the rocks, which he found on his property and hauled by hand and in a wheelbarrow. Dave Martin wanted to do something with an old fiberglass hot tub shell other than ... [... more]
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Easy Care Roses
A fence provides a crisp white backdrop and sturdy trellis for a bold planting of red roses Maybe you think you know roses—those long-stemmed, full-petaled beauties that need a lot of coddling to keep disease at bay. Well, it's time to rethink ... [... more]
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