Home and Garden
-
Suburban backyard has a case of the 'blahs'May 26, 2019 6:00 am - My daughter Alexa saw this contest and wrote why she thinks we should win a new backyard: I am in middle school. I have two hardworking parents and a sister in college. ...
-
Quick update will do family proudMay 26, 2019 6:00 am - We would love to "Get Our Summer On." It's our favorite time of the year, but our patio could really use your help. When we get together with our friend group, our seati...
-
Getting to the root of a plumbing problemMay 26, 2019 6:00 am - Q. Our house just went into escrow, and the buyer's home inspector is concerned about the large tree in our front yard. He said its roots could be damaging the main sewe...
-
For gardeners, May is a circus. Slow down and enjoy the show.May 25, 2019 7:25 am - If there was any doubt that gardening is as much a state of mind as a cultivation of plants, I give you the merry month of May. Except that I struggle to find May merry ...
-
You pay for bank's appraisalMay 25, 2019 6:00 am - Q. When we applied for a mortgage, the bank charged us for an appraisal. They said it was so they'd know how much it was safe to lend us. As the new owners of the house,...
-
Stylish garage is no longer just a big storage boxMay 23, 2019 11:00 pm - What if your home had a spare room you'd never noticed before? Your garage, even if it has one or more cars in it, can pull double-duty as a gym, a crafting room and eve...
-
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,...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...