A fever is a short-term increase in your body temperature over your normal baseline of around 98.6°F (37°C). You usually get a fever when you’re sick, because fevers are your body’s self-defense mechanism against germs – your fever is trying to kill whatever is causing your illness!


Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), you have the right to access your personal medical records through your medical provider.


Chapstick isn't just for protecting your lips. You can also use this popular lip balm for minor medical treatment and protection; for repairing and waterproofing; for fire starting and storage.


Are you stuck without a can opener? No problem: can lids are made with a thin piece of metal that isn't difficult to break through. You can use a spoon, a chef's knife, a pocket knife or a rock to break through the lid without contaminating the food inside.


Tomahawks are simple but effective hand-to-hand combat weapons, still used by the elite U.S. Army Rangers, but for the average person they can also be used fruitfully for yard projects like trimming limbs or chopping kindling wood.


There are plenty of flashlights on the market today - models that you shake, crank, twist, click, and more. If none of these flashlights tickle your fancy or you don't want to pay lots of money for unneeded bells and whistles, you can make your own flashlight from a toilet paper tube and other basic supplies you can find in your home.


Make a Flood Shelter (for Kids and Pre Teens)

Is your area prone to flooding or did you hear about floods in nearby areas? Floods are the most costly and common form of natural disaster in the United States.


Hazardous materials, by nature, can harm children or adults if you fail to store the dangerous substances safely. Proper storage reduces the risk of accidents involving hazardous materials.


Flooding is a serious threat in the UK. One in five properties are at risk. To create a Flood Defence you need to prepare and understand what the risks are.


Build Your Own Uninterruptible Power Supply

In the event of extended blackout, you may have critical systems (such as computer or medical equipment) that must remain running no matter what. This guide will yield one scalable uninterrupted power supply system.


A tree that is dead or dying poses a danger if left standing. Dead branches can easily fall and a decaying tree can be a health hazard because of mold and bacteria.


Many gardens tend to have variations in climate due to shade, sun, and varying depths. It is like walking through different rooms of the house, some warmer than others, some cooler; a garden is no different.


Everyone needs a vacation from time to time. Pets often get put under the care of a friend, neighbor, or pet boarding house, but what about plants? Some plants can last a long time without water, but other plants need weekly or even daily care.


Did you know that the bottle of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in your medicine cabinet has benefits other than anti-septic and bleaching ones? Most people don’t know that hydrogen peroxide can help you grow a beautiful garden.


An emergency fire starter can be a useful tool and vital to your survival when you camp or spend time in the wilderness. Emergency fire starters generally resemble rectangular blocks and are made from magnesium, which is a highly flammable element that can be manipulated to start a fire.


A Swiss Army knife can be a useful tool in everyday life as well as in serious survival situations. The tools come with a wide variety of features, so you'll need to identify which functions are included in your particular knife.


Moss Rose — sometimes called Portulaca or Purslane — makes a useful garden plant in hot dry areas of the garden where other plants would fail to thrive.


Keep Rabbits out of Your Garden Organically

Rabbits are an invasive pest in many areas of the world. You can often deter them with smelly or spicy materials made at home, but it may take several tries to find something that works.


A weed is any plant that poses a threat or is a nuisance. Weeds can grow in lawns, fields, gardens or any outdoor area. Typically invasive, weeds rob vegetable plants of resources needed for growth, including nutrients, water and sunlight.


Keep Spiders Out of Your Gardening Boots

If storing your garden boots outdoors or in the garden shed, they're an open invitation to the local spiders to make their new home inside. There are good ways to keep the spiders out, as explained here.


Keep Aphids Away Using Eco Friendly Methods

Aphids weaken and destroy plants by sucking out the life-giving sap from leaves, stems and fruits. Plants attacked by aphids get yellow leaves and start to wilt, slowly dying.


Keep Perennial Plants From Taking over Your Garden

Perennial plants are plants that live for at least 2 consecutive years. Most of them bloom during the spring, summer or fall, die back in the winter, and return the following growing season.


While caterpillars are interesting creatures, as a gardener you might find them to be more frustrating than fascinating. Luckily there are ways to deal with caterpillars.


Deer are majestic creatures, but it can be a pain trying to keep them out of your garden. Nothing ruins the awe-inspiring beauty of these woodland animals like watching them take off with a mouthful of green beans you were saving for the dinner table, or seeing the begonias you’ve been tending since spring gnawed down to the stems.


Birds have a tendency to eat tiny plants that are just starting to grow. If you're trying to grow vegetables, this can be a major problem - your entire crop could be gone before you've even started.


Having insects or animals eat your plants is a big problem in gardening. Luckily, there are a few tips for keeping them off your garden.


Nematodes are microscopic soil dwelling worms, which are often pests to many crops. There are several different types of nematodes that can infect different organisms.


Have you ever wondered about emergencies? Some people do not care and prepare a kit like this article  after  the disaster has happened, also known as too late.


Make a Pocket Survival Kit (Temperate Climate)

For a survival junkie, the best challenge is being able to survive with the bare minimum. This ultra-small survival kit will fit into a larger jacket pocket but is only recommended for those well-versed in survival.


What will you do if the world as we know it ends? Lie down and die, or grab your survival kit? Don't have one yet? Here's how to make one.


Making your own survival kit is easy. You might ask this question, "How to start making a survival kit?" Don't worry, if you didn't get the answer from someone, but believe, there is an answer to this question. "


Pepper spray is a chemical mixture that causes severe pain and irritation when it comes in contact with the eyes.  [1]   Although it has the ability to incapacitate someone, the damage it leaves is seldom long-lasting.


Vegetables that are being attacked by insects, especially sap-sucking varieties, will succumb to the eco-friendly mixture of this garden spray.


Quassia spray can be used to  deter possums  and to kill soft bodied insects such as aphids, caterpillars and leafhoppers.


Most gardeners are aware of the effectiveness of pyrethrum in killing pest insects. Pyrethrum spray is made from the heads of  Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium  or  Chrysanthemum roseum.


A pocket survival kit can be a great asset. In an absolute emergency, you can use it on its own, but it works far better if combined with a larger survival kit.


We live in uncertain times, with war, natural disasters, and economical instability causing fears of interruptions to our food supply. Read this article for some suggestions on how to hoard food, just in case.


Aphids, spider mites, and other pests can cause serious damage to flowers, fruits, and vegetables. These creatures attack your garden in swarms, literally draining the life from your crops and often inviting disease in the process.


A disaster kit must always be prepared in case a danger arrives. You need to prepare it before the disaster, not at the last minute. You might follow this but you don't know what to keep.


Use Beer to Get Rid of Snails in Your Garden

Snails and slugs have long been giving backyard gardeners and organic farmers headaches. These small, slimy creatures reproduce quickly and voluminously, and feed on the leaves and roots of your carefully tended plants.


Spider mites are tiny insects that are difficult to see with the naked eye and can wreck havoc on the plants in your garden or lawn. If you suspect that you have mites, you should confirm that you have them before attempting to remove them.


Poison oak looks innocuous, but the rash it causes can lead to severe itching, water blisters and even skin poisoning. It thrives on abandoned land, along hiking trails, in wood lots and on Christmas tree farms.


Bonsai trees, like other plants grown in containers, need to be regularly re-potted. Re-potting keeps the tree healthy by replenishing the nutrients in the soil, regulating root growth, and keeping the soil from getting too compacted.


Making your own organic, environmentally-friendly and low-toxicity sprays at home is a healthy and budget-conscious alternative to commercially produced sprays.


Bonsai is the Japanese practice of growing miniature trees in small containers. The art of bonsai lies primarily in the grower's ability to shape the tree in order to contain and direct its growth.


Aphids can be removed easily using this nettle spray made at home. This is an especially good choice when you are removing nettles from the garden during weeding.


This is a good spray for use by organic gardeners. It will control mite infestations and can also act as a preventive measure against mildew and rust infestation.


Soapy water garden spray is the most basic and simple organic garden spray that you can make at home. It often serves as a base to other garden sprays, or it can be used on its own.


Bonsai might not grow that large but it will need transplanting occasionally in order to refresh the soil and to remove any unwanted sprouts, branches, and old roots so that the tree keeps the shape you'd like.


The Bonsai tree needs regular pruning to maintain its shape and to shape it to a desired style. There are two types of pruning: Maintenance pruning, which “maintains” the shape of the tree by encouraging the plant to grow more shoots and ensuring that the tree does not overgrow; as well as style pruning, which is aesthetic-enhancing in nature.


Weed whacking: the scourge of summer chores. If your yard is getting unruly, you might be dreading it, but with this article, weed whacking will be easier and less annoying.


Stop Squirrels from Eating Your Birdseed

Keeping feeders full, using good quality feeders with metal ports or using open-tray style platform feeders where the seed is readily available will help eliminate squirrel damage to bird feeders.


First of all, everyone probably knows what weeding is (taking out any unneeded plants or weeds blocking the way of your most beneficial plants' growth), but what is deadheading?


If you are tired of aphids and you're not so keen on having to get out and spray them all the time, there is an approach using plants that might serve your purposes.


Unwanted insects and pests can destroy your garden. If you love to garden and you are concerned about the environment as well as your health, you would probably prefer to use natural or organic pesticides instead of products that include chemicals and toxins.


Milk can be used to control powdery mildew and it's a non-toxic solution that has proven as effective as synthetic fungicides.  [1]   Here is how to use it.


Millipedes are usually beneficial in the garden. If they are in really large numbers, however, they can sometimes turn their sights to shoots, sprouts and soft fruits such as strawberries rather than their usual rotting vegetable matter.


Although ants are a nuisance, they do not actually cause any harm to potted plants. Ants are attracted to the sweet honeydew-esque excretions left by other pests that reside in the soil, such as aphids and mealybugs; fire ants like to make nests in potted plants and hide in the plants' foliage.


Mildew on terracotta pots can be unsightly and detract from the overall look of the potted plant. For some plants, it can also cause disease. This article provides a means by which you can prevent the growth of mildew on such pots.


Ivy plants can quickly overrun gardens, roadsides, trees and even house walls. Many ivy plants are invasive in some climates, including the  Hedera helix  (English ivy) cultivars "Pittsburgh," "Star," and "Baltica," and the related species  Hedera hibernica  (Atlantic ivy).


Lily pads are frequently appreciated for decorative purposes, but occasionally, the lily pad population in a pond or lake can explode. If over half the water is covered by the pads, you may have a problem on your hands.


Privet shrubs are popular landscape plants, but as an invasive species, privet can easily grow out of control. Physical removal is labor-intensive and may not be successful.


Pulling weeds is an everyday activity for most gardeners. You can try all kinds of things to prevent weeds from cropping up such as mulching or using cover crops.


Sometimes home gardening becomes a battle of wits between the local nature and your desire to grow a good crop. Squirrels that learn to fancy your corn seed are a pest; they will prevent germination by digging up the corn seeds and making away with them.


Have a look around the home landscape. If there's a spiky cluster of leaves in the scene that resemble cacti it's likely a thistle. Thistles are not closely related to cacti at all but are members of the Daisy/Aster family (Asteraceae).


Wild carrot weed is a problem because it has a huge seed case which allows it to spread easily. The wild carrot is edible but if you want to remove the wild carrot weed, here is what to do.


Prevent Your Favorite Plants from Turning Into Weeds

Sometimes the plants you love have the potential to become weeds that can ruin not only your own garden but spread well beyond it into the local environment.


Turning a Japanese maple ( Acer Palmatum ) into a bonsai tree is a wonderful project; they are trees that lend themselves particularly well to bonsai growing.


Western Hemlock is a member of the Pinaceae family which includes cedars, firs, hemlocks, larches, pines and spruces among other evergreen trees. For bonsai, it is an excellent choice as it lives for hundreds of years, grows in a variety of climates, and is easy to care for.


Bon sai  is an art that has been practiced in Asia for many centuries. Bonsai trees are grown from the same seeds as trees that grow to full size. They are grown in small containers and trimmed and trained so that they remain small and elegant.


The Chinese elm (Ulmus parvifolia), also known as the lacebark elm is among most readily available and most forgiving bonsai trees to work with, making it a great choice for beginners.


The tiger bark ficus bonsai tree is an indoor tree that needs to be kept away from frost.


How to make your bonsai tree, Ficus Glomerata Variegata, become fertile.


Caring for bonsai tools is far easier than trying to work with dull or rusted ones, and it is cheaper than buying new ones every few years. You've made a significant investment purchasing bonsai tools for cultivating and training bonsai.


A fire ant's sting poses a serious threat to children, adults, and animals, causing pain, swelling, itching, and often, infections. A fire ant strikes in two parts: A bite followed by what feels like a sting but is actually an injection of acid into the bite wound.


Spider mites are very little arachnids that are difficult to see without a magnifying glass unless they have multiplied so much as to be in colonies.


Weeds can be 1 of the fastest-growing live plants you'll find in any vegetable garden. They grow quickly because most will sprout many more seeds than desirable garden plants.


The ancient art of growing bonsai trees is well over a thousand years old. Many individuals are not aware that a simple potted plant is literally the meaning of bonsai, "Potted Plant."


Yucca plants are hardy perennials, and it is often very difficult to get rid of them completely. Because they have an extensive root system, it is virtually impossible to remove the entire network.


Large tree roots can be a major nuisance if they grow unchecked near a home or under a busy sidewalk. Controlling the roots while keeping the tree alive is a laborious task that requires regular upkeep.


Botrytis is a fungal disease that impacts many plants in the garden, indoors, and in the greenhouse, if given half a chance. This article explains how to do your best to prevent it from getting a toehold in your garden.


No one enjoys looking into their garden or admiring their lawn and seeing weeds. They make the landscaping look overgrown and unkept, and people spend a lot of time eliminating them and trying to ensure they stay away.


Chemical weed killers are toxic for the environment and pose a risk to bees, other beneficial insects, wildlife, and even your pets and children if they play in the area you treat.


Garden berries like strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries are fun to grow and taste delicious. In outdoor gardens, berries are susceptible to birds, squirrels, and other pests.


Most mushrooms are beneficial to lawns, because they help break down dead material and return nutrients to the soil. They do not always look nice, however, and can be a source of concern if you have children or pets.


People grow plants both for food and beauty. Ironically animals from wild ones that wonder from the wilderness into your landscape to even your cat or dog also use plants for other reasons.


This article provides information on making a tsetse fly trap to control these pest flies as part of a drought management strategy in tsetse fly invaded areas.


English ivy may be pleasing to the eye, but when it quietly creeps across the ground and up trees and buildings, it can leave extreme damage in its wake.


While there are many benefits to lake weeds and algae, extreme proliferation can cause many problems. When lake weeds cover more than 25% of the lake surface it is considered dense growth.


Creeping charlie is the common name for an evergreen, creeping weed called  Glechoma hederacea . It is very resilient and adaptable, which means it can quickly become a pesky, stubborn weed.


Herbs are varieties of plants whose leaves and flowers are used for medicinal purposes or to add flavor to food. Indoor or outdoor herb gardens are usually harvested for immediate consumption or to be dried in batches for later use.


Ivy ( Hedera helix ) is great in its place but when it starts taking over another plant in your garden, it becomes a real pest. For trees, it can take away light from the bark of the tree and other parts, sometimes preventing dormant buds from sprouting and renewing the tree growth and it can encourage further deterioration of an already damaged tree by increasing the humidity that leads to wood rot.


Have you had a plant that you want to kill? If you don't know how, read this article.


Bermuda grass ( cynodon dactylon' ) is a type of lawn cover that can stand up to a range of adverse conditions. This makes it an ideal option in areas that are somewhat dry for a large portion of the year, as well as a good choice in any locality in which high temperatures are reached during the spring and summer months.


Organic aphid sprays are an eco-friendly and health-conscious way of getting rid of aphids in your garden. Here are some different sprays that are all suitable for removing aphids organically.


Blackberries are a favorite fruit for many people, but you may not know that there are several different species of the bush.  [1]   Some of these, including Cutleaf blackberry and Himalayan blackberry, are considered weeds and can infest yards and even streams and ditches.


Whether a tree is invasive, ruining a view, or you simply want to plant something else in the space, there are many reasons you might want to remove a tree on your property.


Rhubarb garden spray is an effective spray for controlling aphids and other sucking insects, as it suffocates them. It is excellent for plants such as roses, which tend to suffer from aphid problems.


Garlic is a wonder plant, useful for so many culinary and health uses. It is also fabulous in the garden in controlling both insects and fungal diseases.


Nasturtium spray is ideal for controlling woolly aphids in your garden. Easy to make, it's a good non-toxic (to you) solution if you're already growing nasturtiums.


Pests are very dangerous to plants in your house. This is a very great spray solution, good for aphids, mealy bugs, etc. including ants! This is a great spray solution, environment friendly and you can do it in your own house!


Natural insecticides can be non-toxic to humans and pets and safe for the environment. The simplest homemade insecticide combines water and liquid soap.


Chilli pepper spray is suitable removing such garden pests as caterpillars, ants and spiders.


Make an Organic All Purpose Garden Spray

This spray can be used to remove a variety of garden pests from your garden.


Did you know that you can use ordinary vinegar as an eco-friendly herbicide, fungicide and insecticide?


Powdery mildew is a gardener's bane. Fortunately, it is simple to make a spray at home to deal with it, using household ingredients that you're likely to already have.


Onions make a very handy repellent to deter insects from plants. This mixture works well to get rid of aphids, mites, thrips, and scale. It's wonderfully easy to make and non-toxic too!


Vinegar contains acetic acid and is an effective, and natural, weed killer. It is favored by many gardeners because it has less harmful effects that herbicides.


Survive on a Deserted Island With Nothing

Although many people travel by plane and boat without incident, accidents can happen. If your boat or plane fails at sea, you and your fellow passengers may have been fortunate enough to be near a deserted island.


This is a safe, organically sound garden spray that you can use in the garden without a worry. This spray has the same effects as pyrethrum and can be substituted anywhere that pyrethrum would be effective.


In case an emergency happens in your area, you want to be ready. Here are some tips on how to create an emergency kit for your home. Remember to also prepare a kit in the event that you may need to evacuate; keep it in your car.


In this article you will find out how to survive if you find yourself lost in the forest.It show you what to do and how to get out alive.


Survive Alone in the Woods with Nothing but a Hatchet

In the most extreme cases you could be put into a situation were you might have to survive with little or no resources. For whatever reason you may have a hatchet handy.


Not a fan of commercially created bug and insect sprays for the body, but feel as though you have no alternative but to use some or get attacked? Take heart!


After spending countless hours growing your plants, you may be reluctant to douse them with toxic chemicals in order to protect them from disease. Luckily, fungicides made with natural organic compounds can provide a safe alternative to harsh chemical products.


Do you think you are prepared for a two week survival? Guess what. YOU ARE NOT!!! Well most people are not. Most people assume they will get some kind of help, or don’t think about the actual facts.


Remember back in August 2003, when most of New England and Ontario were left in the dark during a blackout? Even if you weren't affected then, you have no doubt experienced a power outage in your life.


How to make an easy DIY firestarter. Use it to start a fire even when it is wet or raining! From the blog of the Paracord Project.


Learning to water houseplants may take time as some houseplants require more water than others. If you're planning to go away on vacation, you may not know how to keep them healthy until you return.


We all know that emergencies or disasters can strike any minute, and some of us are prepared and some are not. This article will tell you what to put in your family's emergency kit so you'll be prepared.


We often see the effects of natural disasters on the television or hear about them on the radio. The common thread among many people affected is that the disaster was unexpected, and they were unprepared.


Create an Urban Emergency Evacuation Kit for Work

Natural and man made disasters can force offices full of workers to evacuate. In big cities, a disaster may also affect public transportation, leading you to find an alternate route home or away from the disaster.


Make an Emergency Waist Pouch for Events

Don't get caught out of the house without your chapstick, keys, or wallet. Purses are expensive, but fabric is affordable. Try making your own purse or pouch and you'll be surprised at how easy it is.


Marooned in the wilderness? Here's the answer to your problems:A portable survival kit that provides all the essentials for preparing shelter, food gathering, fire making, water-cleaning, storage, signalling and first-aid.


Fire blankets are fire safety items that can be useful in case of a fire. These nonflammable blankets can fight temperatures up to 900F. They smother small fires by not allowing any oxygen in to fuel the flames.


Possibly, there are times when your house could be at risk for a fire to start. If a fire actually comes, you will want to be safe and fully alive.


Functioning smoke detectors are extremely important in maintaining the safety of your home. Smoke detectors need to be replaced every 10 years, and smoke detector batteries should be replaced every 6 months.


Kitchens can be dangerous places because the heat, gas, electricity, and appliances that you use to prepare and cook food can all potentially lead to fires.


Wildfires are common in dry, hot climates, but they can happen anywhere. Most wildfires start small, often from human causes, but spread very quickly.


In an emergency situation continue focusing on the bold text below.  Reporting a fire is not something that you need to do everyday; however, it is very important that you know how to report a fire when the time comes.


Whether you're camping, cooking, or just minding your own business, knowing how to put out a fire properly will help you be prepared in any situation.


React to a Fire in Your Home from Cooking

Stove top or cooking fires are one of the most common causes of house fires. They happen quickly and have the potential to be deadly. If this happens to you, you may find yourself with very little time to react.


Keep Animals Out of Your Vegetable Garden

Planting and growing a vegetable garden can be a rewarding and tasty hobby. However, many wild animals will be just as eager to enjoy your hard work as you are.


It takes just minutes for an unattended pot of oil left on the stove to catch fire. A grease fire happens when your cooking oil becomes too hot. When heating, oils first start to boil, then they'll start smoking, and then they'll catch on fire.


While it is possible to control the spread of bamboo with easier methods, a bamboo barrier is the longest lasting and lowest maintenance method of containing aggressive forms of bamboo.


After a house fire, insurance contractors can victimize you during this chaotic time. Protect your home, assets, and sanity with these checklists.


A water bug is a general term for bugs like cockroaches or palmetto bugs that gather around water sources. They are attracted to food and water, so the best way to prevent them is to make sure food and water are not left out in the open.


When healthy, aloe vera plants grow abundantly, forming new leaves, blossoms, and even new plants. Because of this, these plants require frequent attention.


You may be house sitting or 'plant-sitting', but for some reason you find yourself responsible for the 'health and welfare' of someone else's plants.


Repotting a plant can seem like a difficult task because a lot of things can go wrong – you can damage the plant by removing it incorrectly from its old pot or fail to repot it correctly and therefore cause the plant to die.


Remove Brown Tips From the Leaves of Houseplants

Growing and maintaining healthy houseplants is a generally uncomplicated process. Indoor plants are bred for their ability to thrive in a wide variety of conditions, and unlike outdoor plants they do not have to contend with insects or animals.


Bring those houseplants back to life and give them the future that they deserve! In a few short steps, you can reverse the fortune of your once beloved plant.


Provide the Right Light Requirements for Indoor Plants

One of the reasons that indoor plants don't grow as well as they could is that they aren't given the right type of light for the plant. Not every indoor plant can tolerate the windowsill or no light at all; you need to be aware of which plants can tolerate which level of light in order to provide the best growing conditions.


There are many tutorials floating around about how to propagate a Pothos plant in water. This method covers one possibility for water rooting. Follow the steps below to learn how to reroot an entire Pothos plant with a glass container, pebbles, and water.


Pesticides are useful in the prevention of insect damage to crops, garden plants, and buildings, and keeping them out of our homes where they can spread disease and ruin food stored in pantries and bins.


Blooming houseplants can brighten up a dark room and add some life to an empty indoor space. You may decide to add blooming houseplants to your decor for some added color and to cheer up your space, especially during the cold winter months.


Once you’ve had them for a while, houseplants can start to look tired, overgrown, leggy or bushy. Luckily, you can rejuvenate the plant without having to replace it: you just need to familiarize yourself with some strategies - such as repotting and pruning - that can give your houseplant a new lease of life.


Houseplants can add color and fresh air to a room. To keep your houseplants looking their best, you should prune them regularly with sharp scissors or gardening shears.


Spider mites are tiny arachnids that can sometimes be found feeding on the chlorophyll, sap, and other plant fluids from within your plants. When your plants have been infested with spider mites, the leaves will appear speckled and mottled, and contain spots that are white and yellow in color.


Eremurus, also known as the foxtail lily or desert candle, produces bright, tall flower spikes that become the centerpiece to any warm-weather garden.


Prevent Houseplants From Damaging the Carpet

Growing houseplants can be an enjoyable and rewarding hobby, but unfortunately there are a few risks involved. Pots filled with wet potting mix can cause a potential mess if overturned by a pet or curious child.


In today's environment of rising food prices and food recalls, growing your own garden is a viable option. For those living in apartments or other spaces where outdoor gardening is not feasible, having an indoor garden can be a valuable solution.


Growing different plants in different areas of soil each season is the cornerstone to the process known as crop rotation. Crop rotation is not solely useful in large agricultural endeavors, however; you can easily take advantage of the benefits of crop rotation in your own backyard garden.


There are many uses for baking soda in the garden. You can use it to prevent fungal growth, promote healthy plants, and test your soil’s acidity level.


Bell peppers can be a delicious addition to any meal. Whether you like the red, yellow or green variety, you can grow your own bell pepper plants at home from seeds.


Horticulture is the study and practice of cultivating a garden, both for appearance and as a food source. For casual studying, look into gardening books, magazines, and blogs.


Start No‐Dig Gardening in a Temperate Climate

If you're starting out with no-dig gardening in a temperate climate, you need to know how to make a bed for immediate sowing and planting, in areas where slugs are potentially present, and where there is a thick mass of weeds.


Do you long to have garden-fresh vegetables on your plate every night, or to gaze out your window at rows of colorful flowers? No matter how large or small your yard might be, you can craft a garden plan to fit your needs.


Hardiness zones were created to help home gardeners and nursery owners make informed decisions about what plants will perform well in certain areas.


Use Australian Native Plants to Grow a Hedge

If you'd like a hedge made purely from Australian native plants, there are some excellent choices to make. In this article, you'll be introduced to some examples.


Hedges are often used to create natural fences, and can add classic appeal to almost any yard. As the foliage used in hedges typically does not grow in perfectly designed patterns, high amounts of grooming and pruning is required to maintain the look of these plants.


It's a shame to see dying landscape plants, shrubs, and trees that sometimes cost hundreds to thousands of dollars, suffering from neglect or poor care.


Share Your Gardening Expertise With wikiHow Readers

You love gardens and you know a lot about them! After all, this is why you've come to wikiHow today....... You always like to learn more about ways to make your garden glow.


Growing your own produce can be a way to stretch your household budget. According to the National Gardening Association, the average well-maintained garden yields a $500 return on investment.


In many parts of the world, wildfires pose a serious and constant threat to residents in both urban and rural areas. There is not much you can do to predict when a fire will happen or the course it will take, but you can work to prepare your home and keep it safe from severe wildfire damage.


You cannot rely on emergency services to protect your belongings in the event of a wildfire, as they will prioritize your own and others’ personal safety.


Cooking can bring a family together for the evening meal or may celebrate the happiest of occasions, but cooking can also bring heartache if you're not careful.


Preventing grease fires is one of the easiest things we can do to keep our family safe. Following a few simple steps can go a long way to avoiding a disaster.


In 2010 $6,646,900,000 of damage was caused as a result of dwelling fires. A fire can destroy a persons life but it doesn't have to. This article will give you some things to think about, to prepare for that next neighborhood fire.


Brush fires can strike at anytime, and anywhere that has warm weather and trees. Being prepared for the possibility of a brush fire is crucial, so that you are ready for action and are not inclined to make panicked decisions.


Don't be one of the thousands of people who die each year from fires. Being prepared is the best way to protect your family from a fire. Make sure you know the rules of fire prevention, stock your home with fire-safety items, and make sure your kids know what to do in a fire.


Children are often unsure of what 9-1-1 is and how to call. You can practice calling 9-1-1 with your kids by explaining the nature of 9-1-1 and then using a fake phone to make practice calls.


Operate an Elevator in Fire Service Mode

Many elevators feature a "fire service mode" which enables firefighters to use them in order to rescue people who may be trapped on upper floors. This article explains the operation of this mode.


Experiencing a house fire is a frightening, sickening, and very upsetting experience. In the aftermath of a fire, it is very important to know what to do to protect yourself and others from any possibility of further harm.


Forest fires can happen in or around any large wooded area. These fires are more prominent in locations that have hot, dry climates or a dry season, but they can ignite in any wooded area if there is a drought.


Perform a Fire Risk Assessment in Your Workplace

Fire risk assessments are now an important part of every business in the UK, whether you perform one yourself or a fire consultant does it for you, it is a mandatory requirement by law.


Guard Yourself Against Fire in Your Home

To stop fire from happening is down to safety procedures in your home, such as quick thinking and common sense. A few minutes thinking can help prevent terrible situations from happening.


Fires can destroy lives and livelihoods in the blink of an eye, regardless of whether they stay confined to one house or spread throughout a wide area.


Whiteflies (order himiptera, 1500+ species) are insects that looks like small, white moths or aphids. They group and breed in large numbers on the undersides of leaves.


Whether you are camping, hiking or out just enjoying nature, it is not an unforeseen possibility that you might someday be dragged into knowing how to fight a forest fire.


Spider mites (Class Arachnida) are tiny sap-sucking plant pests. They attack the underside of leaves and suck the vigor from the plant; with large infestations they may even kill a plant.


Install a Smoke Detector or Carbon Monoxide Detector

It's an overused saying - better safe than sorry. Most fire deaths occur in homes lacking smoke detectors. To protect your loved ones, it is imperative that you install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home.


Scorpions are common household pests. These arachnids are typically found in the southern United States, with the largest varieties dwelling in desert regions.


Scale insects (Hemiptera spp.) are small, about 1/8 inch long, oval and flat.  [1]   They are members of the “true bug” insect family, along with bed bugs.


Sunflowers make a lovely garden plant but they will self-seed if left to their own devices after the flowers emerge. This article will explain how to prevent them from taking over your garden, as well as how to remove already exists sunflowers and cut away their stalks.


Quackgrass is a relatively common weed recognizable by it's stalky, thick stems and wide blades of grass attached, also known as devils grass, quick grass, and knot grass.


Most people have some form of allergy to the poison ivy plant. When your skin comes into contact with the plant, the oil of the plant seeps into your skin, causing you to break out in a red, itchy rash.


Here are some instructions on a recipe for a solution to remove powdery mildew from a plant and prevent it from growing back.


Although controlling brambles can be a gardener's or land owner's nightmare, there are steps that can be taken to reclaim land overrun by brambles, or at least prevent their spread.


Spider mites are tiny, sap-sucking pests that can be quite difficult to destroy. Mites cling to the bottom of leaves on many plants, sucking the nutrients out of the leaves, sometimes causing the leaves to dry out and die.


Grubs are the small, white, worm-like larvae of some insects, particularly Japanese beetles, June beetles, and European chafer beetles. When grubs are growing, they eat grass roots, and this can lead to dead grass and brown patches on your lawn.


Onion weed ( Allium Triquetrum ) has a sweet, dainty snowbell flower. Yet, this seemingly pretty plant is in reality a stinky visitor to the garden.


Does it seem like the grasshoppers are so plentiful that they're turning your summer into a bad horror movie? While they are good grub for our feathered friends, they destroy your plants and are just plain annoying.


Garden snails enjoy snacking on leaves, fruit, bark and flowers. They prefer seedlings and herbs, feeding on them when they are small and vulnerable.


Fire ants (also known as red ants or imported red fire ants) are not only annoying, but they can be dangerous to humans and pets. Fire ants are a devastating problem in many parts of the world, and they can infiltrate indoor and outdoor locations.


Downy mildew will appear as tiny yellow dots on the tops of your plant’s leaves and as a fluffy white substance underneath the leaves. When the leaf tissue beneath the yellow dots dies, the fluffy white substance will turn gray.


Oh dear! What happened to that lovely plant with the flowers you bought at the grocery store? Or maybe someone gave you a cute plant for your birthday and you forgot it until it's almost dead.


Adding houseplants to your home provides a number of benefits including filtering out harmful compounds like formaldehyde, as well as giving your home a warmer, more welcoming look.


So, you want a pet, but you're allergic. Mom and Dad wouldn't let you. You live in an apartment where pets are not welcome. Well, you can have a plant as a pet!


Most people would love to turn their hobby into a money making venture if they could. Sometimes, this is not always possible or even realistic. Making a worm farm is one such hobby that could easily turn into a lucrative business opportunity.


Worm tea may not sound too appetizing but your plants will really love it. You can buy this amazing fertilizer from a number of online sites but if you have a worm bin, you can make your own.


Correctly overwintering indoor plants keeps them healthy during the colder months, when they enter an inactive phase and stop growing. Winter also brings environmental stress to houseplants, including less sunlight and drier air, often coupled with temperature extremes inside the home.


This article is aimed at those who are serious about using the backyard or basement area of their home to raise fish bait for your own use, or for profit, and for the fun of watching something come to the forefront of a "Do It Yourself" project.


If you want to  Go Green  and really love to fish, you can take advantage of this, and grow your own fish bait, and make a good usable, portable compost bin.


Compete in an Individual Soil Judging Competition

A soil judging competition is comprised of both individual and team components. The individual component contributes to the majority of a school’s points, and, therefore, is the most important part of the competition.


Clay soil  is great for  making bricks , but it's not so good for  growing plants . So here are some ideas on what you can do to improve the condition of your clay soil.


A semi automatic system for composting green waste and fertilizing your garden with a worm box.


Soil amendments are substances that you add to soil to make it more beneficial for growing plants. Unlike mulch, which only sits on the surface, soil amendments are thoroughly mixed into the existing soil.


Nitrogen is an important nutrient for plants. It is the element that plants use to make their proteins and DNA. If your soil is nitrogen-poor, here are some suggestions for improving the soil quality.


Knowing your garden's soil texture is important for knowing the suitability or otherwise of using it for plants. In this article, you'll learn how to spot certain soil types so that you can make good choices about plants for your garden.


When your soil is poor [heavy clay, dusty, lacking nutrients] the best way to repair the soil and successfully grow plants is to dig a hole slightly larger than the root ball.


Fireplace ash can be useful in the garden; rather than tossing it all out, try keeping some aside for garden duty. This article provides some ideas for its garden use.


In chemistry, pH is a measure of how acidic or basic a substance is. The pH scale runs from 0 to 14 — a pH near 0 is extremely acidic, a pH near 14 is extremely basic, and a pH of 7 is perfectly neutral.


Gardening is a very popular hobby and becoming more popular with rising food prices and concerns about chemicals in foods. The best way to find out exactly what your garden soil needs to be most productive is to get a simple soil test.


Gardeners of all kinds will sometimes be up against the challenge of improving the soil on a patch of land. Not all soils are great for growing crops, and soil improvement is a common task for agricultural workers, whether they are engaged in a small project or a large one.


Clay soil is a very dense substance that can cause major drainage problems for your plants. This soil is common to many parts of the world, limiting what homeowners, gardeners, and farmers can grow.


In order to grow, all plants need some level of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Potassium plays an active role in the synthesis of plant protein and helps regulate the flow of water through the plant.


Do you want to  plant a garden ? Then it is important to know about the pH of your soil. The pH is a measure of the soil's acidity or alkalinity. Different plants require different pH levels, so once you know your soil's pH, you can plant plants that will thrive in that soil, or you can  amend the soil  to expand the range of plants you can use.


Finding the right soil pH is important for the health of your plants. A proper pH determines how efficiently the plants absorb nutrients. In order to adjust your soil’s pH, you first need to determine what changes to make.


Trees, shrubs, perennial plants and annual plants are all affected by soil pH. Some of them thrive in acidic soil with a pH of 6.9 or lower, some prefer a neutral soil with a pH near 7 and some like an alkaline soil with a pH of 7.1 or higher.


Some plants, such as camellias, lupines, garden lilies, and primrose, love acidic soils. If your soil isn't acidic enough, or has been heavily treated with lime, here are some methods for increasing the acidity slightly in order to keep your acid-loving plants happily growing.


After you've  built your worm farm , it's very important to know how to feed your worms properly so that they thrive and remain healthy. This article provides a quick rundown on the feeding aspect of running a worm farm.


Organic soil can be tricky to find, but it is essential to the farmer or gardener dedicated to organic crop production. When buying organic soil, make yourself aware of what you can expect and shop around until you find a reliable source and a high quality soil that meets your needs.


Vermicomposting, or worm composting, allows you to compost your food waste rapidly, while producing high quality compost soil and fertilizing liquid.


There are several reasons you may want to maintain an indoor garden. City dwellers with no outdoor space may want to grow houseplants or even herbs and small vegetable plants indoors.


Houseplants are a staple in many homes, but they take quite a lot of love and care to thrive. Unfortunately, not every person is born with a green thumb.


Good compost offers a wide array of beneficial ingredients that can give new life to just about any garden or farm. Organic compost takes things a step further by using organic components, ensuring that harmful chemicals do not leech into your soil.


Potted plants are a great way to bring the beauty of the natural world indoors. You can also keep potted plants outside, as a way to decorate your deck or patio, or to complement your garden.


Plants need light to grow and flourish. Some plants cannot survive outdoors in the winter, and if you do not have a yard, your only choice might be to grow plants indoors.


Miniature houseplants are plants that stay small and can be grown in small containers or terrariums. Growing small houseplants such as succulents, cacti, herbs, and miniature roses is easy, saves space, and provide a decorative touch to your home.


If you keep a hobby aquarium, you may be interested in adding ulva algae to your tank. Ulva algae helps filter the water and provides a food source for herbivorous fish.


Identify Deficiencies in Container Plants

Plants grown in containers sometimes take a turn for the worse, even after years of happy growing. This article outlines what some of the possible deficiencies might be and how to remedy the deficiency.


Part of what will make the process of growing a fern indoors easier is understanding what the plant needs. Ferns are common to tropical climates. They thrive in the filtered light, temperate climate and high humidity of forests.


A natural part of the reproductive process of an agave is the growth of offshoots, called pups. To have a healthy, flourishing agave and to encourage growth of the mother plant, you will want to divide the agave by removing the pups from the main plant when necessary.


This article will explain how to grow geraniums. A few key points to remember is the need for good sun light for this to be a successful endeavor. If for any reason you do not have a green thumb then don't worry because geraniums are pretty carefree and are great for beginners and they are cheap to.


Schefflera, or Umbrella plants, are common houseplants that are easy to grow because they can thrive in artificial or moderately bright light conditions and are susceptible to few pests.


Pruning many plants will help them to grow and produce more fruit. In fact, although you are removing part of the plant, you can increase photosynthesis and improve flavor or appearance through pruning.


New plants that are not well established are particularly vulnerable to cold weather in winter. How to protect larger tropical and tender plants, such as tree ferns and banana plants, from frost,  snow  and  winter  winds.


Power gardening is a term for gardeners who lack time to spend in the garden but need to get it shaped up and tidied in a hurry one precious weekend day.


Preparing your new garden bed means creating a healthy growing environment for your vegetables. Mainly, preparing a new garden bed means preparing the soil.


Moonlight gardens incorporate a variety of plants that excel in the evening hours. For instance, some plants only bloom at night and others become more fragrant in the evening.


If you love making your own custom cocktails at home, a fun project can be growing your favorite herbs, fruits, and vegetables yourself. This will make for fresh, delicious cocktails for friends and families to enjoy.


Plant a Picture Perfect Garden in Under 30 Days

So you want a picture-perfect garden, but you don't want to wait a long time? Not a problem! By following these simple steps, you can have your dream garden in less than a month!


Creating your own garden can be a fun and exciting family project. Start the process by talking with your family about what type of garden everyone prefers.


Bamboo is a fast growing woody grass with over 1000 species. Because of it's rapid growth and potential to spread, bamboo is both adored and detested.


An alpine wheel in the garden is simply a design that looks like a wagon wheel on its side on the ground, providing divided portions for plants to be grown in.


Gardening is a fun and relaxing hobby that can make your lawn beautiful. However, if you want to have a healthy and visually appealing garden, it's important that you select the right kind of pot.


Identifying hail damage on your belongings, such as patio furniture or your car, is relatively straightforward. The round dings in metal are obvious signs of hail damage.


Certain parts of the world are more susceptible to hail than others. Hail can damage your car as well as your home. There is little you can do to prevent the damage, but there is plenty you can do to fix it.


Pick Low Maintenance Perennials for Your Garden

Perennials are plants that grow for at least two years. These live longer than annuals and biennials, making them the perfect choice for a  low maintenance garden .


When there is a thunderstorm, did you ever wonder how far away lightning is? Well, there is a safe and easy way to find out.


Depending on the region where you reside, you may be subject to heavy storms that can potentially damage or ruin your home without the proper precautions.


Dust storms are a relatively common occurrence in a variety of places around the world. They consist of large amounts of dirt and dust that are whipped up into the air by strong winds blowing across dry ground.


Determine if You Should Evacuate Before a Hurricane

Hurricanes can be dangerous. A strong hurricane can easily topple or damage a seemingly well designed home. Due to this fact many homeowners or residents of homes in the hurricane's path often evacuate their homes to safer locations.


It is often said that tornadoes are nature's most violent storms, and for good reason. Not only do tornadoes carry winds up to 300 mph (480 km/h)--winds that can level buildings and carry cars through the air 80 feet (25 m) or more--they are also often accompanied by lightning, heavy rains (and flash floods), and hail.


So a big line of thunderstorms just trashed your town and you have no power. How do you survive the coming weeks?


The chances of surviving a  tornado  are higher than most people think. With a nice kit ready, you will be more prepared.


Severe weather can range from phenomena, from flash floods to more deadly storms such as tornadoes. That's why it's always important to be prepared for anything that severe weather can bring.


Be Prepared to Lose Power During a Hurricane

How to Survive a Hurricane Once You Lose Electricity (if you have no generator).


Making your home more fireproof is a good idea for anyone. However, it's a particularly good idea if you live in an area prone to wildfires. If you're building a new home, you can take steps to build with materials that will slow down fires.


When a fire first ignites, it may be small enough that you can extinguish it with a fire blanket or a fire extinguisher on hand. By being prepared and quickly determining the type of fire with which you’re dealing, you have an even better chance of not only extinguishing the fire but also of doing it without risking injury.


This is dangerous question, please remember that arson is not acceptable but this article will help you if in an emergency and you need to plan a fire escape in a two story house.


Being prepared, having a plan, and practicing that plan are essential to escaping a fire. Craft your plan by taking into account your home’s particular layout and your household’s members.


Decide Whether It Is Safe to Escape During a Fire

If you find yourself trapped in a burning home or building, do not panic. There are some important safety rules to remember that will aide you in making good decisions and increase your chance of getting yourself and others out safely.


Fireproofing a bedroom can help you and your family stay safe. A large number of home fire deaths are caused by bedroom fires. To fireproof this room, you will need to ensure all exits are accessible, install fire detection and maintain electrical wiring.


Create Your Own Fire Extinguisher With Household Items

Have you ever been worried about a small fire starting in your house? This will tell you how to easily make your own fire extinguisher with regular household items!


If a fire starts in your home, you may have as little as 2 minutes to evacuate. A well chosen and working smoke detector, or smoke alarm, may double your chances of surviving the fire, according to the National Fire Protection Agency.


A fire extinguisher is an important safety item that every home should have. When used properly, it can mitigate or even avert a disaster. Choosing one is simple once you understand the different types of extinguishers available.


Change the Batteries in Your Smoke Detector

House fires are a serious danger. Many fatalities occur during fires at night, in homes that either don't have a smoke detector or have a non-functional one installed.


On average, seven people die every day in the US as a result of house fires.  [1]   Though that number is high, the widespread use of home smoke detectors has resulted in a significant decrease in the number of house fire related deaths and injuries.


Survive a Wildfire While Trapped in a Vehicle

A wildfire, also known as a wildland fire, forest fire, brush fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, peat fire, bush fire (in Australia), or hill fire, is an uncontrolled fire often occurring in wildland areas, but which can also consume houses or agricultural resources.


Avoid False Alarms With Your Smoke Alarm

Smoke detectors and alarms can be a very useful tool to have in your home and may save your life. But many people experience false alarms with smoke detectors that ultimately make them less effective.


Knowing how to use a fire extinguisher could save your life in an emergency. The key to putting out a fire with an extinguisher is to use the PASS strategy: Pull the pin, Aim the hose, Squeeze the lever, and Sweep the hose.


In the aftermath of a house fire there is a sizable secondary task of replacing all destroyed property and cleaning what remains. Property that remains after a fire may be damaged by smoke and soot, as well as water and chemicals used by firefighters.


Use Your Home Built Tumble Composter to Create Rich Compost

A tumbling  composter  will quickly create rich compost if you feed it the right ingredients!


Sick of throwing out cup after cup of grounds after your morning caffeine fixes? With their high nutrient content, coffee grounds can be used to make your garden thrive.


Herbs in the compost can behave as perfect activators if you know which ones to choose. Adding herbs can also provide additional nutrients to the compost and sometimes also alleviates any smelliness.


You don't need to let dead leaves go to waste in the fall. You can harvest dead leaves and use them as mulch. You will have to gather and shred the leaves and then prepare a compost heap.


Compost tea is a liquid extract made from compost that contains a variety of nutrients, growth compounds, and beneficial microorganisms. Liquid extracts have long been used to promote plant growth and healthy soil.


Solarization is a method for treating soil to rid it of bacterial organisms, soil-borne diseases, nematodes, and some weeds. There are no chemicals required and it's a good way to clean or "pasteurize" the soil while the sun's still hot at the end of summer.


Erosion is the loss of soil. As soil erodes, it loses nutrients, clogs rivers with dirt, and eventually turns the area into a desert.  [1]   Although erosion happens naturally, human activities can make it much worse.


Once you've made your  compost , what to do with it? It’s a beautiful transformation when those old, fungus-ridden vegetable peels, leaves, and grass clippings become a dark, nutritious, earthy compost.


A tiller is a device used to prepare soil for cultivating and planting. Manual tillers do exist for tilling very small areas, but most people use motorized tillers to prepare larger areas.


Crows are extremely intelligent and resourceful birds though some people see them as a nuisance. They are adept birds that can quickly learn new skills such as opening a bag to get food and fashion tools out of twigs and leaves.


Although bamboo is known for its beauty as an ornamental and a landscaping focal point, you may find that you need to get rid of bamboo that has become a problem.


Wild Roses are tough and hardy plants that are sometimes called prairie roses or scotch briar. There are many varieties of Wild Rose but all true Wild Roses have five petals on their flowers, which tend to be white or pink.


Overgrowth of cattails is a common problem if you have a natural or manmade pond. Cattails are extremely invasive, and once they become established, they are very difficult to remove.


Caterpillars are the larval form of butterflies and moths and are easily identified by their worm-like, soft bodies. They can come in many sizes and colors, but all of them can be very destructive to plants and trees.


This is a slow, but effective, way to get rid of moles in your yard.


If you are trying to teach and a bee or wasp flies into your classroom, you will have difficulty keeping the students' attention. If you have had this happen, you know that in most cases, maintaining order is nearly impossible.


As much of the UK is now experiencing drought conditions, this article helps explain various steps that you can take to help reduce water usage in your garden.


Eradicate Ground Elder from a Border Area

To eradicate ground elder from a border, try this slightly unorthodox method.


Through the magic of composting, you can turn organic matter, like food waste or leaves, into fertilizer that you can use around your yard or in your  garden .


Composting is the process of deliberately helping organic materials, such as food scraps and yard clippings, to decompose. This process carries enormous benefits, including reducing pressure on landfills and creating an all-natural soil adjunct.


If you have your own compost bin, you know that your nice, well-rotted fertilizer gets mixed in with large scraps that need more time to decay. Assemble a compost screen, and you can quickly separate these two types of compost and transfer them to different bins.


Compost is made by microorganisms that break down natural materials into a useful garden product. However, chilly weather can slow down the activity of these microorganisms.


Seaweed is a great natural fertiliser that all your plants will love. It can be used as mulch or as a fertiliser. The great thing about seaweed is that is full of trace elements that are often not found in other common fertilizers such as manure.


You can use ashes from your wood-burning fireplace or brush pile to enrich your garden. Wood ashes contain most of the essential nutrients plants need to thrive.


Plants , like people, need a balanced  diet  to thrive. Here is the 'mystery' of fertilizers broken down into its most basic form.


Miracle-Gro consists of a combination of fertilizers that amend your soil to promote more rapid growth and healthier plants.


Composting is a straightforward process that can be accomplished by anyone with a small patch of outdoor space. Composting allows you to divert your kitchen scraps and yard waste from a landfill, instead of turning them into a rich soil amendment.


Prepare Soil for the Application of Fertiliser

Adding fertilizer to plants is a standard process but it is important to ensure that the soil is properly prepared first. Here is what to do.


Tell the Difference Between Different Types of Plant Fertilizers

Gardening advice will often refer to different types of fertilizers available for indoor or garden plants. If you're not current with the terminology, this can be a little confusing at times, so here is a quick rundown on what's what.


Nitrogen is an essential component of plant growth and plays a vital role in the development of healthy foliage. While you can find a chemical fertilizer that contains high nitrogen levels, those interested in an organic approach can also make nitrogen fertilizer by understanding which natural products have high levels of usable nitrogen and can be mixed in or applied to the soil.


Buying potting soil for your garden can quickly turn into an expensive endeavor, especially if you have a large garden or different types of plants that require different types of soil.


Vermicast is an organic/natural fertiliser that is created by using composting earthworms. These earthworms are placed in a container which is filled with compost.


Seaweed is rich in trace elements and potassium, which makes it ideal to add to compost in its raw state, to work in as a mulch, or to create a liquid fertiliser.


While having a garden can be wonderful, spending an arm and a leg on fertilizer can be a bit less so. Making your own fertilizer can be both advantageous for your monetary funds, and better for the environment.


Make Fermented Plant Juice (Organic Fertilizer)

Organic gardening is really fun because you can produce delicious veggies naturally right from your garden. The most common source of organic matter is compost.


Know What Fertilizer to Use On Your Garden Plants and When to Use It

Learning how to choose fertilizer for your garden plants can be a daunting process. Fertilizers differ in important ways, including what they are composed of, their mineral content, and whether they are organically produced or not.


Fertilizer helps plants grow to be stronger, healthier and bigger. There are many ways to make your own fertilizer, from all-purpose recipes to simple household products that can naturally boost nutrient levels in your soil.


Eggs are delicious and nutritious. Most people throw away the shells, which is the best part—for plants at least. Instead of throwing away this resource, consider using it to improve the soil in your garden, as eggshells are a good source of calcium for your plants, and can help make a great fertilizer.


Fertilizing your garden is a great way to improve the soil and ensure your plants grow well. Commercial fertilizer can be expensive and full of harmful chemicals that are toxic for the soil.


A compost bin is easy to build, and cleaner and more convenient than a  compost pile . Whether you've been meaning to build one for a long time or very recently got the green thumb, there's no excuse to procrastinate.


One of the keys to successful composting is aeration. Bacteria need oxygen to carry out the aerobic respiration that creates a rich compost. One way to aerate your compost is with a pitchfork or a compost turning tool.


If you want to learn how to build a  compost  container, look no further. Here you will learn how to  recycle  landfill-bound material into a functional, attractive compost container.


This bin is built using one 4x8 sheet of the extra-thick lattice panels. The "open" feature of the lattice allows for quicker, easier composting. It's easy to take apart, which is all you have to do when you want to use the compost.


Composting  is when you put biodegradable products such as food scraps in a bin for them to rot (literally). Some  composters  have worms to break down food while others do not, maybe because of the enzymes in the products help it biodegrade.


Composting is an effective way to do something useful with kitchen scraps and yard refuse. It saves valuable landfill space and gives you rich, dark soil for gardens and planting.


Dry fertilizers are often slow-release fertilizers and are ideal for gradually improving the quality of your soil to contribute to overall plant health.


If you are a home gardener, it is important to understand the role fertilizing can have in stimulating and improving the condition of your plants. In a perfect world your soil would grow plants perfectly without additives.


If you're a home gardener wanting to increase your garden's yield, organic materials may not always be practical, so knowing how to use commercial (also known as synthetic or chemical) fertilizer correctly and with care may be your best option.


Some people like to garden the natural way with organics without the use of synthetic fertilizers. Many of these synthetic chemicals are considered bad for the soil as well as the vegetables you are ingesting.


Make a Plant Enrichment from Used Teabags

Used teabags make a great plant supplement; tannin, a substance found in tea, is ideal for healthy plant growth. This enrichment mixture is suitable for indoor and outdoor potted plants and flowers.


Putting mulch around a tree not only makes lawns more attractive but also provides many benefits. This protective covering controls weeds, helps maintain moisture and temperature in the soil near the tree and saves it from damage caused by insects, lawn equipment and some disease.


Did you know that most of flower and domestic gardens use approximately 30-45% of domestic water? With an average amount of rainfall throughout the year, water is becoming very scarce in our already water scarce planet.


For the best plant growth in your lawn, flower beds or garden, the soil needs to contain the proper composition of nutrients. For most gardeners, this means adding fertilizer to the soil to correct deficiencies, especially in nitrogen, phosphorus or potash (potassium); in some cases, your planting area may also need amendments of calcium, sulfur or magnesium, as well.


Gardening and landscaping have become more popular and the price of supplies has drastically increased in recent years. Mulch, which is anything that covers the ground and smothers weeds, can be expensive from the garden store.


Choose the Best Time for Watering the Garden

The best time of day to water a garden is in the morning, since that gives the plants time to dry off before nightfall. Leaving water on plants overnight can lead to mold.


Protect Your Garden During a Harsh Summer

Sometimes, particularly when your area experiences an uncharacteristically fierce summer, extreme weather events can become more common than we'd like.


Using the right mulch can help to  conserve water , shield plant roots from temperature extremes, improve the soil, and discourage the growth of weeds.


Provided you have the space, you can make green manure crops that will improve the soil easily, quickly and healthily. A green manure is basically a fast-growing crop that is first grown to cover bare soil to prevent it from blowing away, drying out or losing nutrients (among other benefits), then it is ploughed (plowed) or dug back into the ground green (or used as mulch), adding back nutrients for to enrich the soil.


Manure is a natural by-product of animals and is considered a great addition to the soil of a garden. However, manure should be cured to kill any bacteria, parasites, or weed seeds that may be present.


Composting is the process of allowing organic materials to decompose in a more or less controlled setting, so that the resulting material can be used as a beneficial soil additive.


Skunks are mammals with an appetite for both plant and animal material. Their feeding habits change with each season. They eat insects, larvae, salamanders, small rodents, lizards, earthworms, rats, birds, moles, frogs, snakes and bird eggs.


Make Homemade Liquid Manure from Cow Pats

Liquid manure is considered by some gardeners to be an effective way to supplement plants and soil with the beneficial nutrients found in the manure.


Add Water Retaining Crystals to Plant Containers

Water retaining or absorbing crystals help retain the moisture in the soil of container plants or hanging baskets. They will release this water gradually and keep the soil moist longer.


Have you got a dangerous beehive near your home? Keep reading for tips to safely removing bees.


Possums in the Australian or New Zealand garden can be a real nuisance. However, they are a different animal from the  opossum , which are the only marsupial in the northern hemisphere and require slightly different tactics to deter.


Bamboo is beautiful, you can add many varieties of bamboo to your garden without fear of it taking over if you follow some simple steps to keep it contained.


Whiteflies are an unsightly and destructive blight on a garden, covering plants with a cloud of white, moth-like insects and masses of white eggs. They are usually found on the underside of leaves, sucking the sap out of the infested plants.


Leaf gall is an unsightly condition in azalea shrubs, caused by the fungus Exobasidium  vaccinii. This fungus infects young spring growth and causes the leaves, flowers, buds, or stems to become distorted and misshapen with fleshy, bladder-like growths.


Dragon fruit, or pitaya, are cactus fruit that come in three types. They can have either red or yellow skin. The varieties with red skin can have white or red flesh, while the yellow-skinned variety has white flesh.


Black spot leaf disease shows itself first with black spots appearing on the leaf, then with rings of yellow as the spots grow, until the leaf turns entirely yellow and then falls off.


A dahlia is a flowering plant that is grown from a tuberous bulb. Dahlias are grown by gardeners, both professionals and amateurs. It is possible to store dahlia bulbs over the winter, so that the bulbs can be replanted in the spring to produce more flowers.


Mildew leaf disease attacks plants throughout the year but it is most prevalent during dry months. It is caused by dryness at the plant's roots. Left unchecked, it can spread through the plant weakening it and can ruin its appearance.


It is best to leave tomatoes on the plant until they are almost ripe and ready to use. In frost- prone areas, however, this is not always possible. You may find yourself with a box full of green tomatoes and a need for vitamin C.


Sweet peas are a garden favorite due to their pleasant sweet smell, attractive hues and their ability to grow prolifically. If you would like to bring some of them out of the garden and into your house, there are some simple steps to follow to ensure that they will last a little longer in the vase.


Tomato vines can be extremely prolific, creating an overabundance of fruit at the end of the summer. If you can’t use or sell your tomatoes before they become overripe, you should preserve them for later use.


A lovely and flowering garden is one of the many highlights of any year between March and September for many people. If you’re an enthusiastic gardener or just getting started with plants, you may want to ensure this beauty every year.


Tomatoes are flavorful garden fruits that can be used in many recipes. Many people grow tomatoes in their home gardens during the summer. When picking tomatoes from the garden, it is helpful to know when and how to find those that are perfectly ripe and ready to eat.


Flowers can be preserved in a number of ways. The type of flower, the availability of preservation agents and the appearance of the flowers can all be factors in your decision about which way to preserve them.


In most areas, daffodil bulbs can be over-wintered in the garden and will bloom the following spring. In areas where the winter is comparatively warm, daffodil bulbs may not bloom again unless the gardener intervenes by storing the bulbs in a cool location, such as a refrigerator while they are dormant.


Broccoli is a superfood chock full of antioxidants such as vitamin C, calcium, and omega 3 fatty acids. If you have a garden and want to introduce another vegetable to your diet, broccoli is an excellent choice to grow at home.


The avocado is a fruit-bearing tree native to central Mexico. The green, pear-shaped fruit it produces is used in a variety of recipes from guacamole to desserts.


The anthurium genus contains hundreds of tropical plant species, often admired as houseplants for their bright, nearly year-round flowers. Anthurium is native to the tropical rain forests of Central and South America.


Houseplants are a great way to purify the air in your home. Unfortunately, sometimes your houseplants develop mold and therefore become more of a detriment to the air than a benefit.


Grow Bird's Nest Fern As an Indoor Plant

Bird's nest ferns ( Asplenium nidus ,  Asplenium antiquum ) are a fern with fronds that grow up to 2 meters (6.6 ft) in length. If you have good space, the bird's nest fern can make a wonderful indoor plant in a large container.


If you don't have a lot of space but want to grow some plants or maybe some vegetables, a low maintenance indoor windowsill garden might be for you.


Have you ever seen a plant that moves when you tickle it?  Mimosa pudica , also known as a sensitive plant, TickleMe Plant, touch-me-not, or shy plant, folds its leaves together when you touch it.


Maidenhair ferns have delicate lacy leaves on wiry stems. They thrive in warm moist air and are excellent terrarium plants. Here’s how to grow a maidenhair fern indoors.


If you sell your homegrown produce in a local market, keeping it as fresh as possible so that it is appealing for sale is important. You are already at an advantage by being able to source your produce from your own plot and take it to market straight from your own property and there are several things you can do to build on this positive.


House plants often suffer from an accumulation of dust and spiders, especially during the dry months of winter. Hand washing, if possible, is often difficult.


Sometimes you need protection from rain, but don't have a raincoat. But in a pinch, if you have a standard kitchen-sized garbage bag, you can create protection from the elements.


A kitchen garden contains plants that are grown to be eaten. Kitchen vegetable gardens can range from simple potted plants to raised-bed gardens and can also be part of larger, multipurpose gardens.


A "To-Go Bag" is a bag which you pack today and hope you never need. You create this in case there is a situation which necessitates an extremely hasty evacuation.


If you are shipwrecked and need supplies, a wrecked ship is one of the best things that could be nearby. This shows how to salvages items from it.


Every grown up human being needs about two litres of drinking water each day. It is very important to have pure drinking water. Otherwise you can suffer from diarrhea or even worse diseases.


Eliminating salt build-up on clay pots is easily done with some plain household vinegar.


Whether you are want to defend yourself from the apocalypse or against a round of police tear gas, having your own gas mask prepares you for any airborne chemicals you might encounter.


When an  earthquake occurs  or a volcano erupts under water, the waves travel like ripples on a pond after you throw a rock, causing a tsunami. The waves can be very tall, move very quickly, and cause great damage when they strike land.


When the lights are out, all kinds of household objects suddenly gain new uses. Make MacGyver proud and use anything from oranges to steel wool to make a candle.


The idea of a "personal flashlight" might sound odd, but when you consider the needs of folks who travel, the increasing number of blackouts, tornadoes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters, it becomes clear that one could be handy.


Big cities that are near large bodies of water can be vulnerable to tsunamis; typically rarely, but not impossible. Here is how to increase your odds of survival, should a tsunami strike.


Hack a Hand Cranked Flashlight for Emergency Power

A free source of emergency power - a hand cranked flashlight. These are the flashlights that don't require batteries. You just crank the handle to generate electricity and it lights three bright LEDs.


Are you prepared for the worst? Natural disasters occur, and being ready may save your life.


Tsunamis are a series of waves caused by a massive disturbance of water. In general, tsunamis are not particularly threatening, as they constantly happen every day around the world, often in the middle of the ocean.


Report an Unknown Earthquake on the USGS Web Site

An earthquake just happened in your area. If you think you felt some shaking, try this.


Don't Panic. Move to a safe location. Don't flex you muscles, relax and enjoy the ride. You probably won't be able to relax and not tense up, but in reality this will lessen any injuries you might sustain.


Earthquakes are one of nature's most destructive power and cause much damage to property, cities and farms. Earthquakes cause many deaths each year.


The earth's tectonic plates are in constant movement. When that movement is blocked, energy accumulates until it is finally enough to break the plates free and allow them to continue moving.


Plants can be a lovely and calming addition to your home or office, whether you’ve chosen indoor or outdoor plants. While some people seem blessed with a green thumb, you may feel like it’s hard to keep your plants alive.


Thatch is the layer of dead grass, roots, and leaves between the grass and the soil. Thatch is important for drainage and moisture retention, but thatch that gets too thick is bad for the grass.


Dichondra is landscaping’s jack-of-all-trades. A native plant of Texas and Mexico, some varieties are grown as grass, while others are used as groundcover.


Tiered planters are a great way to expand your garden without taking up a lot of space. They are great for small patios, balconies, and porches. Even if you have lots of space in your garden, a tiered planter is a great way to show off your flowers, herbs, and other plants in a unique way.


An earthquake occurs when there is a sudden release of energy between two plates in the Earth's crust, creating seismic waves. A earthquake has 4 different types of boundaries so it creates different scales of damage from an earthquakes.


Mycorrhizal fungi are generally known as successful tools to increase plant growth and health. Ectomycorrhizal fungi are generally the easiest type of mycorrhizal fungi to inoculate and transplant because they are easily found by woody plants and they do not need to be attached to a host plant to survive.


Most people garden to witness the beauty of growing flowers or to provide food. However, gardening is also a workout, where you can burn around 300 calories per hour.


Garden with Ease when Disabled or Elderly

Who says you need too be able-bodied to do gardening? Here's how to enjoy gardening while getting fresh air into your lungs, a bit of exercise and the enjoyment of a special interest at the same time.


Get a Straight Line when Trimming a Hedge

Trusting your eye is not the best method for getting a straight hedge when trimming it. You'll often stand back and realize how wobbly the hedge really looks after doing this!


The Mediterranean climate offers unique challenges to gardening. This climate occurs in the Mediterranean Basin (Greece, Italy, Spain, Morocco, Turkey, and other countries), south and west Australia, California, central Chile, and western South Africa.


Gardening can be a great hobby but also a pricey one if care is not taken. Keeping the costs down so that you can save your pennies yet still get a healthy, thriving and interesting garden.


Unlike some natural disasters, hurricanes may require a widespread evacuation enforced to keep residents out of harm's way during the storm.  [1]   This article offers suggestions on the best ways to prepare and proceed with evacuation should a hurricane threaten your city.


Arson  robs communities of its valuable assets, lives, and property. Arson destroys more than buildings; it can devastate a community resulting in the decline of the neighborhood through increased insurance premiums, loss of business revenue, and a decrease in  property values .


Lemon balm, also known as common balm or mint balm, is a calming herb that belongs to the mint family. As its name implies, it has a lemony flavor that makes it ideal for tea, salads, herbal water, and other dishes.


A snowstorm can bury your car and make it difficult to access, but with the right tools you can clear the snow off quickly. Dress warmly and gather your shovel, broom, and ice scraper before heading out into the cold.


Prevent an Electrical Fire During the Holidays

During the holidays, it is common for people to decorate the inside and outside of their home with lighting, and other types of electrical accessories.


House fires kill and injure thousands yearly, and cost many more their valued possessions and memories. Here are some steps you can take to lessen the chance of your home becoming a part of this statistic.


Available in a variety of shapes and sizes, tomato plants are compact, with distinct heights depending on the breed. While there are several types of tomato plants available for the home garden, all varieties have a short harvest period, as well as specific planting needs.


Being prepared in the event of a  house fire  can mean the difference between life and death, and should it happen, there is precious little time to waste.


Preparing and setting up a strawberry patch require time and attention to detail in order to produce the best crop. Most people would agree that the results are well worth it as 25 strawberry plants can supply enough fruit for 4 people over a growing season.


There’s nothing better than the delicious, refreshing taste of fruit plucked from your very own backyard orchard. Once your fruit trees are  established , they’ll be relatively easy to  care for  and  maintain .


Most herbs thrive in well drained soil with light texture. Highly fertile soil can be counterproductive and lead to soft, lanky growth of foliage and cause the herbs to produce less essential oil, which results in poor flavor.


Preparing a plot for growing vegetables means creating an environment for successful planting. The process is specific and takes time, but it is necessary for a thriving garden.


The threat of wildland fires for people living near wildland areas or using recreational facilities in wilderness areas is real. Dry conditions at various times of the year and in various parts of the country greatly increase the potential for wildland fires.


Though you may not think you'll ever fall victim to a house fire, it's better to be prepared and know what to do to avoid panicking if it happens to you.


As researchers discover additional medical problems associated with the use of chemicals and pesticides, many conscientious individuals are turning to organic gardening to protect their family from these problems.


Mulch supplies nutrients to the soil, guards against ground erosion and evaporation of water, keeps plants warm in winter, and can help prevent weeds from growing in your garden.


A garden's dirt is the most important element of plant growth. Dry soil does not as readily promote healthy flora as dark, wet soil, but soil in some locations is naturally more moist and nutrient-rich than other areas.


Preparing soil that will produce a healthy garden is more complicated that choosing a spot and digging holes to plant in. You need to choose a location that has good sun exposure, is free of root systems, and has good drainage.


Preparing a garden plot for planting is an important step in the process. Getting rid of weeds and prepping the soil properly will ensure your garden grows successfully.


Growing your own tomatoes will yield fresh, healthy fruit that is available when you need it. Tomatoes require gardening soil that is full of nutrients so not all soil will be good for growing them.


Mulches include a wide range of organic and inorganic materials that cover the top of your soil. They serve a range of landscaping purposes for gardens, playgrounds, walkways, xeriscaping and other landscaping projects.


Composting is great for the environment and it can be easy to do with the right setup. Compost is created when organic matter reaches a point where it can no longer decompose and becomes an extremely nutritious and long-lasting fertilizer.


�Scale" is an insect that can infect your outdoor plants and cause a huge infestation in surrounding plants, including your fruits and vegetables. The name comes from the insect's characteristic hard green or brown shell.


If you enjoy live plants from the comfort of inside, you may want to learn how to control mealybugs on indoor plants. Mealybugs are sap-drinking insects that can cause a great deal of damage in a short amount of time.


Mulch has numerous benefits that make it a useful addition to gardens. It helps keep the weeds out of the yard, it protects plants from temperatures that are not to their liking, and it improves the overall soil quality.


Mulch is great in the garden because it prevents soil erosion, keeps moisture in the ground, helps prevent weed growth, protects plants from pests, and helps soil maintain an even temperature.


Composting is the process of helping organic materials like kitchen scraps and grass clippings to decompose in a controlled setting. This is usually done outdoors in an open compost heap, but apartment and condo dwellers will not have access to enough outdoor space to use this method.


Weeds are the unwanted plants that grow in our garden or lawn. Weeds typically have an abundant seed production, are resilient, and can spread at a high rate.


Comfrey leaves make an effective  fertilizer . If you're growing comfrey in plentiful supply, use the leaves to make comfrey compost.


It's every gardener's nightmare: you walk outside one morning to see that your plants, bursting with life the evening before, have been sawed in half - struck down by cutworms.


If inside plants are infested, you may be looking for a way to control scale insects on indoor plants. These tan or brown shell, sap-eating insects like to live on the stems or the leaves of the plants in your home or your greenhouse.


Land overgrown with weeds, grass, and small bushes can be intimidating to clear out. At the beginning, you may not know where to start or how to best clean the underbrush.


Getting rid of any type of weeds in your lawn can be difficult. This is particularly true when it comes to grassy weeds. Grassy weeds can resemble the texture and style of other grass, making them a challenge to control because they're both camouflaged and tightly bound into the lawn as a whole.


Corn earworms infest many different plants, but corn is their favorite host. Corn earworm larvae prefer to attack ears of corn, but will also feed on the plant leaves and stalks.


Codling moth larvae are a major garden and agricultural pest. The codling larvae attacks apple orchards and also crab apples, pears, walnut and other fruit trees.


Aphid infestations can destroy an entire plant, and if left untreated, they can spread to surrounding plants, as well. These pests suck out plant sap, damaging leaves, stems, and flowers in the process.


Moles are burrowing animals that construct tunnels underground. Due to their habit of digging into lawns and disrupting plant life in search of food, they are often considered pests.


Herbicides are an effective way to control weeds, but these poisonous pesticides for plants can also be extremely dangerous to humans, animals and the environment.


If a snake comes to visit your garden or yard and it's not welcome, chasing it out is actually the last of your options; doing so is possible if, and only if, you have assured yourself of all the safety precautions first.


This article relates to the harvesting and salvaging of seeds from sweet peas. This method can be used for annual as well as perennial sweet peas.


When most flowers dry out, it's time to toss them out. Sunflowers are more useful because you can harvest their seeds and eat them. If you want to learn how to harvest sunflower seeds, read this wikiHow.


Termidor is a product that prevents termites from attacking wood and the foundations of your house. Termidor can be applied to areas inside and outside of your home and will kill termites only after they have eaten an area that has been treated with Termidor.


Wood sorrel, a common plant in both woodlands and yards, is readily available for harvesting. It has a sour taste and can be used in salads, sauces, or as an herb.


Wild garlic is an abundant plant in spring. The entire plant can be used as an herb or garnish. Identify wild garlic by its white flower clusters, stalk bunches, and distinct garlic and chive smell.


Red clover is a popular yet underrated flowering plant used for a variety of purposes around the world. Harvesting red clover, though, is somewhat complicated and should only be done with knowledge of the plant.


Although common purslane considered a weed in the United States, it is eaten throughout Europe, India, and the Middle East.  [1]   You can find this plant growing in backyards and the cracks of city sidewalks.


Raspberries are delicious, healthy (high in vitamin C and with some anti-cancer properties). They are delicious on their own, in a jam or coulis or with a drizzle of cream for the naughty!


Lavender is a beautiful flowering herb that grows in bushy shrubs that get larger each year. A full grown lavender bush yields 7 - 8 bunches of lavender, which can then be dried and used in cooking or to make sweet-scented sachets and other crafts.


If you've been keeping and tending to a hive of bees, you'll be in for a treat once it comes time to harvest and sample the honey your hive has produced.


Plantago , or plantains (not to be confused with the banana), are a type of herb that are naturally occurring in many parts of the world. While they may look like ordinary weeds, plantains have a wide range of applications, from topical pain relief to filling out mixed green salads.


Potatoes are simple but yet satisfying vegetables to grow in the ground. They're easy to tell when harvest time comes and even easier to store. Potatoes can be cooked in many ways such as mashed, roasted, fried, etc.


Duplicating Mother Nature indoors for our plant friends is more complicated than most people often realize. If you're interested in creating a successful indoor garden, whether for the beauty of flowers or to grow produce for you kitchen, try one of the following methods for creating a container garden or a hydroponics garden.


Houseplants can provide your home with purer air and a lively appearance, all while offering you a satisfying, low-maintenance hobby. Unfortunately, the leaves of your houseplants will accumulate a layer of dust and grime over time.


“Lamb’s Quarters” is the common name for a fast-growing type of herbaceous plant that springs up all over North America, Europe and Central Asia. Though it’s often mistaken for a weed, lamb’s quarters has historically been foraged and cultivated as a source of food.


Nothing can quite match the vibrancy and liveliness that houseplants bring to your home. While keeping houseplants healthy and thriving can be a rewarding hobby on its own, one of the real payoffs comes when decorating with houseplants.


Air plants, or Tillandsias, are a type of plant that do not require soil in order to grow. As a result, they are very versatile and can easily be used to decorate and add life to an otherwise drab room.


Because there is often limited space and light in a bathroom, we tend to think of the area as a poor location for plants. However, there are a number of low-maintenance and low-light plants that can add some character to your bathroom and help remove impurities from the air.


Indoor plants are great for creating a more welcoming room in your house. Other than being a colorful decoration, indoor plants can also purify the air, improve your health, and help increase your focus.


Outdoor hanging baskets are a great way to add color and vibrancy to a garden, while conserving space. Baskets can be hung from trees, porches, eaves and poles in a yard.


House plants are great for your health but can also be difficult to maintain. Many house plants require vigilant watering, proper sunlight, pruning, soil care, and other tasks that can be difficult to perform if you are a busy person.


Madagascar periwinkle ( Catharanthus roseus ) is easy to grow and can be grown both indoors and in the garden. It has shiny green leaves and has either pink, white or red flowers depending on which variety you purchase.


Flaming Katy ( Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ) is a very hardy succulent plant suitable for indoor and mild outdoor growing. While it is easy to care for while growing and will flower for a long time, it's best to compost the plant after flowering and replace it with another one because it's never quite as good again after it flowers and it's very hard to get it to flower again.


Get Emergency Drinking Water from a Water Heater

A typical home water heater can provide between 30 and 60 gallons of clean drinking water during a  disaster . Hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and other power outages may prevent you from having many things, but clean drinking water should not be one of them.


When working on an elevated platform, a second floor of a new building, or another area where a fall hazard exists, safety regulations usually require a temporary handrail system to protect workers from falls.


Know Naturally when an Earthquake Will Strike

There is no proven way to predict an earthquake. Geologists are working to develop an early warning system, but there is still much to be learned about what happens just before an earthquake hits.


Help Your Community Prepare for an Earthquake

Earthquakes strike suddenly, violently and without warning. Many people are not educated about the risks of earthquakes. Follow these steps to help your community prepare for an earthquake.


Follow Recent Earthquakes in New Zealand

Earthquakes are a frequent occurrence in New Zealand, with most of them mere rumbles and tiny shakes but the occasional one being devastating. If you think you've felt an earthquake and you'd like to check, or if you're simply curious as to how to follow them best, here is what to do.


Deal With Being Indoors During an Earthquake

If you found yourself indoors during an earthquake, would you know what to do? Many modern buildings are designed to withstand moderate earthquakes and are relatively safe.


Erosion poses a serious threat to any waterfront property owner. Although some waterfronts may come equipped with seawalls, responsibility for the maintenance, repair, and replacement of seawalls often falls on the property owner.


Earthquakes are among the most destructive natural disasters. They occur mainly near the edges of tectonic plates, but they can happen just about anywhere.


You don't know where you will be when an earthquake strikes and if you live in an earthquake-prone region of the world, chances are high that you might just be in your car at the time it occurs.


An earthquake is a very destructive natural disaster; particularly in the Pacific Rim region. After an earthquake, your home may be a mess and you might be left without a water supply and energy.


Earthquakes happen when the earth's crust shifts, causing seismic waves to quake and crash up against one another. Unlike  hurricanes  or  floods , earthquakes come without warning and are usually followed by similar aftershocks, although the aftershocks are usually less powerful than the quake.


Cutting down a tree may be necessary for safety reasons, including interference with power lines, dead wood and other hazards. Felling a large tree is very dangerous if not done correctly.


The aftermath of an earthquake can be devastating, but it’s important that you are alert and focused after an earthquake strikes. Fires, gas leaks, and injury are all dangers you face after an earthquake, and the more prepared you are to respond, the safer you’ll be.


Floods can strike quickly and with little warning in many parts of the world. Surviving a flood is a combination of preparation and appropriate action as soon as the disaster begins.


If bad weather puts you on edge, you're not alone. Though flooding is more likely to happen in some areas than in others, it doesn't hurt to be prepared for an emergency.


Gardening is usually very messy, and if you're a first time gardener, or you're going somewhere (grandma's, a friend's, a community garden...) to do gardening?