Technique | Home Grown

What to Know When You Start to Build

When to start to add an addition onto your home or put a building on your property, you have to be prepared ahead of time. There are several things you need to do before you even get started.

The first step is to secure the necessary permits to do the work. Depending upon the size of the project, you may be required to have a building permit from your county or city before you start. Check with your local city hall regarding the regulations for home additions and what forms you need to turn in. You may also be required to have a building inspector come out and inspect your work. This ensures that things have been constructed in a safe manner, meet regulations and has no flaws.

You may want to consider hiring a contractor to do all or part of the job. They can handle getting the right permits and have the training and knowledge to do right the first time. Even if you do some of the work yourself, this can be a smart option to consider. You want to also know what materials you will be using, what tools you need and the time you have to complete the work. This careful planning can help you avoid obstacles that may arise during the construction.

Another important consideration is the budget that you will have to fund the project with. Things can easily get over budget if you are not careful what you are spending. This is why planning beforehand is so important.

Filed Under: Home Improvement, Landscaping, Technique Tagged With: Building inspection, Business, Construction permit

4 Tips for Starting Your Own Garden

When spring rolls around, people enjoy the warmth and being outside. This is the time of year that many think about starting a flower garden. If you’ve never planted one before, don’t despair! Here are four simple tips for starting your own garden.

1. Think small. Sometimes planting a garden is like eating a meal in which your eyes are bigger than your stomach. Don’t fall victim to thinking you need a huge garden with lots of flowers. A big flower garden could need more work than you have time and energy for. If you’ve never grown a garden before, start small, with a space no bigger than ten square feet.

2. Test soil. You need to know what type of soil you have because different types require different preparations. Take a handful of dirt and squeeze it. If it crumbles when you open your hand, your soil is a sandy loam. Bring in some compost to build it up. Clay soil is really sticky when wet. Bring in sand to break up your clay soil.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

3. Select plants. Because you have a small patch of ground, you should avoid plants that are big and spread out. Annuals are the easiest types of flowers to start with. Petunias, zinnias, marigolds, impatients, alyssum, cosmos, and verbena are easy flowers to grow. When you’re ready to buy your flowers, check canada 411 to help you find a local nursery.

4. Mulch. Your garden should be in a sunny spot in your yard so your plants will grow well. However, sun dries out the ground, so mulch will help keep moisture in.

Filed Under: Gardening, Technique Tagged With: Garden, Plant, Soil

Placing Lights Around Your Home

When you realize that flameless candles are a safe alternative to typical wax candles, you’ll find yourself wanting to place them all over your house. You might be tempted to go a bit overboard, since the reinvention of the standard candle has brought a modern simplicity to lighting alternatives. And going a bit overboard is fine! In the meantime, here are three suggestions for where best to place your lights. First, use them in place of a nightlight in your children’s rooms. They will provide a soft glow that permits sleep, but isn’t so bright that it interferes with peaceful rest. They’re also bright enough to light the way across the bedroom so your child’s middle-of-the-night bathroom run doesn’t end in an inadvertent trip.

Whether for romance or function, flameless candles are never out of place as the centerpiece at your dinner table. Combined with a full extinguishing of the overhead lighting, a bouquet of these little lights can make your everyday eating space into a romantic spot that’s reminiscent of the finest restaurants. What could be better than a five-star experience in your own home?

If you’re lucky enough to have a pool at your home, flameless candles are a creative way to provide nighttime ambiance poolside, too. Rather than using standard candles whose flames will be extinguished after the splashing gets underway, this alternate solution will keep your pool lit regardless of the flying water or nighttime breezes. Nothing quite compares with a bit of swimming beneath the moon with a few candles around, either. Most five-star hotels don’t even provide that much poolside ambiance! And you need not just place a few next to the edge of the water. Go all out and light the walkway that leads to the pool, as well as the poolside seating. Mood lighting just got about 10 times more romantic.

Filed Under: Technique Tagged With: Candle

The many things to do with a tipi tent

If money is tight, but the time is right for vacation look no further; the tipi tent is the way to go. For around $300 tipi owners can explore the great outdoors, and enjoy room and board from the comfort of their backyard. According to the Los Angeles Times, the tipi tent “measures 8 feet, 6 inches in diameter and is made with water-repellent, mildew-resistant and flame-retardant canvas.” On can enjoy the backyard accompanied with the tipi and an outdoor fire scenery or marshmallow cook-off without fear of the tent catching fire. In addition to being the ultimate backyard getaway, the tipi is a tent which means that it can travel and be assembled in various places if a family decides to go on a forest excursion.

Aside from being a traveling or immobile tent, the tipi is also an inspiration for art. One feature of the tent is its black canvas, which is useful in drawing amateur pictures or masterpieces. The tipi is also a masterpiece in design that adds an element of class to the backyard speaking of cultural awareness. Contrary to the typical tent that bares the shape of a traditional house, the tipi tent is shaped like an ancient Native American tribal unit that spurs questions from children and an opportunity for parents to educate. After discovering Native American history, children can demonstrate what they learned on the black canvas and show it to their friends.

Even if one is not in search of a financially conservative vacation experience, the tipi tent is useful in daily family activities. On a sunny day the tent may serve as an expression board, and when the rain comes the tipi is a safe haven. The mere design of the tent is a work of art that sparks a discussion in any neighborhood.

Filed Under: Technique Tagged With: Arts, Back garden, Ethnicity, Los Angeles Times, Native Americans in the United States, Tent, Tipi, Waterproofing

Scales: deadly pests

ContentScales are insects that look and feel like sap. They leave a sticky substance on plants that is both annoying and unattractive. In addition to leaving their mark on plants, scales are known to attach to plants and suck the life out of them. One needs to know the essential information pertaining to scales in order to keep such undesirable pests away from their healthy plants and gardens.

When a scale invades the plant its primary purpose is to feed off of it. In order to do so, a scale must find a comfortable place on the plant and attach itself to it. After becoming attached to the plant, the scale begins to suck honeycomb out it until the plant eventually dies.

Since a scale is brown and carries the shape of a bump, it can easily be overlooked by gardeners and amateurs alike. When surveying the health of the plant, an individual may not pay much attention to the bump on the stem or leaf because of its exposure to the elements outdoors and indoors. The average person may view a scale as the plant’s reaction to climate change, or a normal step in the growing process. If left untreated, a scale can ruin an entire garden or crop!

In order to avoid such deadly outcomes, planters should be on guard for anything that is sticky on the surface with a hard shell underneath. If the substance is brown, then that is a scale. Also, gardeners should inspect indoor and outdoor plants often. Although scales are immobile once they find a comfortable place, females have babies that are in constant search for healthy plants. If scales are discovered, the first step is to manually remove them using a cotton ball dipped in isopropyl alcohol. A plant that is infested with scales should be isolated.

Filed Under: Landscaping, Technique Tagged With: Compost, Garden, Insect, Isopropyl alcohol, Pest (organism), Pesticide, Plant, Scale insect

Raising Chickens at Home

: Image via Wikipedia

The trend of having chickens at home is becoming increasingly popular among people. Although the idea of raising chickens at home is bit strange as they are usually kept at poultry farms where the basic purpose is not to love them but to keep them to get their eggs or to ultimately kill them to be eaten in our curries and grilled foods. By raising chickens at home people not only get closer to this beautiful creature but can get many other benefits.

Getting organic eggs is one of the biggest advantages of raising chickens at home. The eggs that we usually buy from supermarkets are not organic. Even if the stores are selling organic eggs; they are so expensive that we are left with no option to buy inorganic eggs. The inorganic eggs are not a healthy option of course as the chickens that have produced those eggs are fed special chicken food that itself is inorganic and contains hormones to make the chickens to lay more eggs. The inorganic eggs contain the traces of the hormones that are fed to the chickens and hence are accountable for many health disorders and hormonal changes in humans themselves.

By raising chickens at home, you not only give them a chance to get raised naturally but can also get organic eggs depending upon the food that you select to feed your chickens. The best idea is to raise them naturally on organic food and to give them all the rights that any living creature deserves.

To raise chickens you might need one or many chicken coops depending upon the number of chickens that you are looking to raise. If you want to raise few chickens then you need a small place and a small chicken coop. However, if you are looking to raise a large number of chickens then you must have a large place, more specifically a poultry farm and as many coops as you need.

Although raising chickens at home is not effortless but doing so you’ll feel closer to that beautiful species of birds while getting their love in turn i.e. organic eggs.

Filed Under: Environment, Technique Tagged With: Chicken coop

The simple square quilt is making a comeback

Having its root in the 1800s, the simple square quilt accompanied by the log cabin design is making a clean comeback in the 21st century. In past times the quit was popular among pioneer women who made their living as housewives, but today it is gaining footage in the marketing sector because of its versatility. Unlike some quilts and blankets with one central design that can become boring to the consumer, the simple square quilt carries and array of designs and patterns along with a multitude of different color schemes.

Although the general idea in quilting a simple square is to make a square, the geometric sequence of the square or squares and the colors incorporated are entirely up to the designer. One quilt, for instance, can have a blue color scheme with half-turned squares while another can have an orange theme with straight squares. In addition, the same color schemes and geometric patterns can be switched with one another to create completely different looks. In essence, one can switch the blue color scheme with the orange and have a different quilt while keeping the same pattern. The simple square quilt carries a versatility that cannot be matched with another in its class.

It is because of such versatility that the quilt has gained marketable influence. An array of companies are chasing after the simple square quilt with the log cabin design because they can produce more while paying less. For instance, Instead of thinking of one hundred patterning ideas for the next quilting season, businesses only have to think of twenty five or fifty, and mix and match the rest of the way. Such activity saves money on supplies, training, and time spent in production. With simple square quilting returning to mainstream, individuals may see a comeback of the factory workday.

Filed Under: Technique Tagged With: art, Craft, Design, Pattern, Quilt

Making Money With Your Garden

: Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Having a garden is a great way to relax and spend some time with nature now and then. However, most people don’t realize that having a garden can also be an additional revenue stream. You can grow your own plants and vegetables in your garden and sell them locally. In fact, there are a number of ways you can make money from your garden.

If you grow your own vegetables, you can grow a selection and sell that at your local market. People love fresh, home made produce and selling your vegetables is a great way to make money. If you grow certain types of fruit you could even make smoothies out of them and serve it as a refreshing drink. Who knows—after a few years of running a market stall you might have enough customers to start your own company!

To make some real money, you really need to plant perennials. These are plants which that live for longer than two years and can be split up and divided in order to increase your product. Once you have split the plant up into smaller flowering plants, you are free to sell them. You can do this on the Internet or again at your local markets. Make sure you check the prices of the competition at garden centers and other retailers to ensure that you are not pricing yourself out of the market.

If you find that your business is thriving and you decide you might want to make gardening your full time career, why not take a course to learn more? There are many courses you can take to improve your gardening knowledge, such as a course in landscape gardening or business management to ensure you can handle the accounts. You can use services like those at educationforadults.com to find a suitable degree that will help your new business grow.

Filed Under: DIY, Environment, Gardening, Home Improvement, Technique Tagged With: Garden, Home, Plant, Vegetable

Hanging Water Gardens

: Image by herrolm via Flickr

Ancient Gardens

You may not want to create anything as elaborate as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, with tiers of trees, plants and cascading water. That garden was considered one of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and joined the wealthy Romans, Chinese and Europeans for their own version of the water garden. If you’ve been dreaming of trickling water over river stones that flow past colorful blooms of lotus and waterlilies, you aren’t alone. Thousands of people everyday make the decision to add a simple or extensive garden with water as the focal point.

Planning Your Water Garden

Water is life-giving, soothing and for centuries major civilizations used their gardens for religious ceremonies and storage of fresh fish. With some advice from your friendly do-it-yourself home center, you can make a center of attraction in your outdoor living space in a weekend. Choose from a variety of pre-made pools, statuary and waterfalls then combine them with your own personal touch for the perfect oasis. You and your family will enjoy this slice of heaven for years to come, as hummingbirds, butterflies and birds–attracted to the flora–come grace your garden.

Enjoying Ornamental Fish

You’ll enjoy choosing the fragrant floating waterlilies and lotus flowers in different colors, then use a bog plant like King Tut to anchor long roots into your pool. If you’re concerned about the gardening, you’ll be thrilled to learn there is very little to do but enjoy your waterfall and pool. Ornamental fish like koi and goldfish are charming as they bob up and down to gulp air from the surface. Remember to get advice about the water treatment, filter and pump to make the best home for your new arrivals. Now invite your friends and neighbors over for a BBQ and get ready for the compliments!

Ancient Gardens
You may not want to create anything as elaborate as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, with tiers of trees, plants and cascading water. That garden was considered one of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and joined the wealthy Romans, Chinese and Europeans for their own version of the water garden. If you’ve been dreaming of trickling water over river stones that flow past colorful blooms of lotus and waterlilies, you aren’t alone. Thousands of people everyday make the decision to add a simple or extensive garden with water as the focal point.
Planning Your Water Garden
Water is life-giving, soothing and for centuries major civilizations used their gardens for religious ceremonies and storage of fresh fish. With some advice from your friendly do-it-yourself home center, you can make a center of attraction in your outdoor living space in a weekend. Choose from a variety of pre-made pools, statuary and waterfalls then combine them with your own personal touch for the perfect oasis. You and your family will enjoy this slice of heaven for years to come, as hummingbirds, butterflies and birds–attracted to the flora–come grace your garden.
Enjoying Ornamental Fish
You’ll enjoy choosing the fragrant floating waterlilies and lotus flowers in different colors, then use a bog plant like King Tut to anchor long roots into your pool. If you’re concerned about the gardening, you’ll be thrilled to learn there is very little to do but enjoy your waterfall and pool. Ornamental fish like koi and goldfish are charming as they bob up and down to gulp air from the surface. Remember to get advice about the water treatment, filter and pump to make the best home for your new arrivals. Now invite your friends and neighbors over for a BBQ and get ready for the compliments!

Filed Under: DIY, Gardening, Home Improvement, Technique Tagged With: Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, Water garden

Care for Water Garden Fish

: Image via Wikipedia

Keeping goldfish, koi and other ornamental fish species is a natural part of keeping your water garden. They offer an appeal as pets, and they are also a large part of the water garden or pond ecosystem. If you want to maintain good health in your fish, you are going to want to take some basic precautions. You must keep the right number of fish for your pond size, you must feed them properly, and you must monitor the chemistry and temperature of the water. Backyard water gardens are not natural environments, and so you are going to be responsible for governing the conditions of this space.

The stocking level for your pond is going to be absolutely critical to maintaining good health in your fish. If you have too many fish, the level of oxygen will be decreased and the additional fish waste is going to lead to a build up in nitrites and ammonia. Your fish load can generally vary based on what level of filtration you have. If the filter is undersized, then you are not going to be able to keep as many fish. On the other end of the spectrum, if you have an oversized filter you may be able to keep additional fish. If you have an average-sized water garden filter then your stocking level will vary based on the surface area for your pond.

If you have any doubts about how many fish you can reasonably keep in your pond, speak to an expert where you buy your fish or your pond supplies for assistance. The experts and specialists there will be able to help you find the right number of fish for your unique needs, and will make sure that you are making the right decisions about keeping fish in your outdoor water garden.

Filed Under: DIY, Gardening, Technique Tagged With: Fish, Garden, Home, Koi, Plant, Pond, Water, Water garden