Home and Garden
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Don't brush it off: Why horsetail is an important - and long-lived - plantMay 21, 2019 11:00 pm - Ready for a blast from the past? Check out equisetum, a plant that hearkens to ancient fern forests some 350 million years ago. Equisetum is a relic of a different time,...
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Strawberries and raspberries - Oh, my!May 19, 2019 7:01 am - Q. This is a photo of a clear glass, footed bowl. I had forgotten about it and found it while looking for a small bowl to serve raspberries. I bought it at an antique sh...
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Choosing the right tomato for your tastes, gardenMay 19, 2019 7:00 am - Once the soil has warmed and the danger of frost has passed, it's time to plant tomatoes. Unless plants were started from seed several weeks ago, a trip to the garden ce...
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Don't work garden soil if heavy clay is too wetMay 19, 2019 7:00 am - Working the typically heavy clay in Chicago soil when it is too wet can have a negative impact on its structure and result in hard clumps of soil and a crust. The best w...
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True lilies often are absent from suburban flower gardensMay 19, 2019 6:00 am - Q. I'm looking for a unique flowering perennial with dramatic blooms in the summer. Any suggestions? A. The summer perennial garden bed seems to have more than its fair ...
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Disclosure dispute jeopardizes home saleMay 19, 2019 6:00 am - Q. I have an accepted offer to buy a home, but I'm ready to cancel the deal. My home inspector reported that exhaust from the forced-air furnace is spilling into the hou...
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It is possible to coordinate sale, purchase of homesMay 18, 2019 6:00 am - Q. Please give me an idea of how to coordinate the sale of my present home with the move-in date for my new home. We have a tentative date of August for the new house's ...
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Cantigny Park re-imagines serene gardens in second stage of major projectMay 18, 2019 1:00 am - At the east end of Wheaton's Cantigny Park is one of its most natural landscapes: A sweeping prairie bordered by woodlands. Even with its quiet expanse, the prairie was...
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New lawsuits raise question of who should pay homebuyer's agentMay 17, 2019 6:00 am - WASHINGTON - The long knives are out again for one of American real estate's oldest and most controversial traditions: requiring home sellers to pay the agents who repre...
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Wildflowers: Robust, low-maintenance and pollinator friendlyMay 16, 2019 11:00 pm - Gardeners trying to lure pollinators to their landscape would be wise to mimic nature and plant wildflowers. The attractive perennials tolerate harsh climates, seldom ne...