Home and Garden
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Early March is a good time for pruning fruit treesFeb 24, 2026 4:42 pm - Prune fruit trees in our area between late February and early March before the buds begin to swell. The branching habits are easy to see, and the weather is generally more conducive to outdoor work.
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Home & garden calendar, Feb. 23 to March 7Feb 24, 2026 2:38 pm - Upcoming gardening club meetings and events in the Chicago suburbs, covering topics like the cultural history of birds, Ikebana, designing with color, and more.
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Owner afraid to get a building permitFeb 24, 2026 10:55 am - A homeowner wants to convert the garage of her 100-year-old house to a bedroom, but is hesitant to apply for a building permit because the property might not be able to meet modern codes.
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What’s the difference between removing an officer and a board member on an association?Feb 18, 2026 11:17 am - The declaration for our association discusses removal of officers and removal of board members. There are different procedures for both. Isn’t an officer a board member?
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How to change the way you make coffee to improve your life — forever
Feb 18, 2026 5:06 am - Coffee needs a Buy It For Life makeover. We’re wasting good money, and beans, on shoddy equipment. That new $50 drip coffee maker on your counter? Destined for the landfill after a few years of dispensing mediocre coffee. Here’s a guide to affordable, repairable coffee equipment that’s designed to last decades.
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Home & garden calendar, Feb. 18-28Feb 17, 2026 6:19 pm - Upcoming gardening club meetings and events in the Chicago suburbs, covering topics like resilient landscapes, native pollinators, warblers, and more.
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A kaleidoscope of oddball tomatoes to try as seed-starting season nears
Feb 17, 2026 4:55 pm - Seed-starting time is right around the corner, and that means it’s time to think about tomatoes. There’s a whole kaleidoscope of tomatoes you can grow in your garden.
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Your home is too boring. Let’s get a little weird.
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Tips on composting to improve garden soil and starting seeds for annualsFeb 17, 2026 2:21 pm - Chicago Botanic Garden director Tim Johnson shares tips on composting to improve garden soil and starting seeds for slow-growing annuals.
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Refunds from negligent home inspectorsFeb 17, 2026 2:08 pm - After we bought our home, multiple problems were discovered. None were reported by our home inspector. When we called to complain, he said his liability is limited to a refund of his inspection fee.