Home and Garden
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Soil test can help determine best fertilizer for youMay 08, 2016 7:00 am - Apply fertilizer to garden beds if needed. Most gardens in the Chicago area have soils with adequate levels of phosphorus, so choose a fertilizer with little or no phosp...
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Gardening with less water: Try low-tech irrigationMay 08, 2016 7:00 am - Lingering drought and restrictive water-use rules don't mean you have to give up gardening. Instead, try some down-to-earth approaches like planting in smaller areas, us...
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Terrariums create a miniature garden indoorsMay 08, 2016 4:01 am - Q. I have limited green space for outdoor gardening and would like to create an indoor terrarium. How do I go about doing so? A. Terrariums are a great way to bring your...
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Single-family homes in suburbs desirableMay 08, 2016 2:01 am - A traditional single-family home in suburban areas is a high priority for most of today's prospective buyers. A study on this subject was recently concluded by a major r...
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Becoming a homeowner when you don't now qualify for a mortgageMay 08, 2016 2:00 am - Lease-to-own contracts (LTOs) and land contracts (LCs) are different legal ways to transfer property from an existing owner who does not want to occupy it to someone els...
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What to do with an old fireplace?May 08, 2016 1:01 am - How can you fix a dysfunctional or ugly fireplace? This is often a predicament in very old homes where the fireplace was the heating system, or even more modern homes th...
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Lake County forest district helps reintroduce native plantsMay 08, 2016 1:00 am - The Lake County Forest Preserve District did its part this weekend to sustain Northern Illinois' natural history with its annual Native Plant Sale at Independence Grove'...
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Investing in land can be a mistakeMay 08, 2016 1:00 am - Q. My wife and I have thought for some time about becoming real estate investors. Do you have an opinion on buying vacant land? I assume location is the important factor...
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What's the correct number of board members?May 07, 2016 2:00 am - Q. The declaration for our condominium association says the board should consist of five members. The bylaws say the board should consist of three members. How do we rec...
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How to deal with noisy neighborsMay 06, 2016 4:00 am - Suing neighbors who make an inordinate amount of noise should be the last resort to "quiet" the problem. Q. Our new neighbors are the noisiest people we have ever met. I...