Home & Garden - 15 October 2006

If you've followed some of my posts you'd know that I like to experiment with new plants, and I especially love the "discount rack" for putting into action some unexplored ideas I have about beauty (otherwise unattainable due to monetary contstraints).

I buy "discounts" because I think I have powers to make puny plants look terrific by the next season.

The dollar rack plants ALWAYS look puny.

What is the criteria for discounting plants at an upscale nusery?

On my own I can come up with a some acceptable ones which make me think its ok to buy from the dollar rack: "These plants are out of bloom and not currently attractive to buyers." and "The nusery has an over-surplus of these plants and it cost to much to maintain them."

Do I ever need to be concerned about these reasons?

"This plant is sick. Cut off the bad parts and sell the rest"
"This plant is not blooming as it should, its a bastard color (or whatever) but we can still make a profit"

Is ok to buy off the dollar rack?

2006-10-15 09:18:51 · 6 answers · asked by dumbdumb 4 in Garden & Landscape

2006-10-15 09:17:02 · 12 answers · asked by peonies76 2 in Other - Home & Garden

Christmas gifts specifically

2006-10-15 09:11:33 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Do It Yourself (DIY)

I've got thermostatic valves on all my radiators. However, if my boiler is firing because the heating is on, how will turning the valves down help me save energy and on my bills. Surely, this just limits the amount of water it lets through, but my boiler will still be buning away! Is ths true?

2006-10-15 09:10:40 · 2 answers · asked by the demon 1 in Maintenance & Repairs

2006-10-15 09:10:31 · 8 answers · asked by Pat F. 1 in Cleaning & Laundry

Does anybody know if cranberry bushes thrive in Nevada? I live in Nevada and want to plant some cranberry bushes in the spring. I don't know where to find them or if they would even thrive here.

2006-10-15 09:09:38 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Garden & Landscape

It's for HALLOWEEN

2006-10-15 09:05:35 · 2 answers · asked by Jessica W 1 in Do It Yourself (DIY)

my velvet sofa cushion has a striped 4inch thin line across the solid green fabric. i think from a scrape or pressure. can this be fixed as i now can only use one side of cushion. bought sofa on sale and did not look at underside of cushion. if i rub the area with water will it stain. the material has been treated by factory. any methods on what to do please thank you kindly for assistance

2006-10-15 09:04:27 · 1 answers · asked by lindasue m 3 in Do It Yourself (DIY)

2006-10-15 09:03:38 · 7 answers · asked by Lukensh 2 in Decorating & Remodeling

I recently had a porch built - it features a huge planter box which is faced with T-1 siding. This siding is also used to hide the area beneath the stairs.

Because of delays getting the paint from the contractor, this siding has been wet many times. Some of it is discolored black and there is a mildewy smell.

Now the contractor has brought the paint. Do I need to wash this black stuff off or spritz if with bleach or just paint over it? I have Sherwin Williams premium acrylic housestain.

If I have to wash it, does this mean the siding needs to dry again? How do I know if the siding is too wet from recent rains to paint?
How late in the day can I paint, since the days are warm - above 60 degrees, but the nights are down in the 30s.

Thanks!

2006-10-15 09:01:30 · 3 answers · asked by cassandra 6 in Maintenance & Repairs

2006-10-15 08:55:11 · 6 answers · asked by Barbara G 1 in Cleaning & Laundry

2006-10-15 08:51:52 · 6 answers · asked by danakir2002 1 in Do It Yourself (DIY)

i need to no the exterior demensions of my house w/o going outside and measuring it

2006-10-15 08:48:42 · 3 answers · asked by asiab b 2 in Other - Home & Garden

2006-10-15 08:47:56 · 2 answers · asked by puddinheadcase 1 in Do It Yourself (DIY)

has anyone got any good ideas or tips on how to get rid of wasps they are in my loft space

2006-10-15 08:47:52 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Other - Home & Garden

2006-10-15 08:47:44 · 1 answers · asked by aslofhome 2 in Other - Home & Garden

2006-10-15 08:46:23 · 1 answers · asked by aslofhome 2 in Other - Home & Garden

All of the stain repellents that I know of must be reapplied frequently. I would prefer something that only has to be applied once (or at least infrequently). I know that companies sell stain resistant shirts, but I don't want to purchase them since I already have shirts.

Thanks for your help!!

2006-10-15 08:45:02 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cleaning & Laundry

I am replacing my dryers 3 wire plug with a 4 wire plug because the newer homes now apparently use the 4 wire plugs. The colors are black, white, green, and red but I don't know which one to plug in first and where. My old dryer is not color coated so I can't just follow the pattern. I tried looking on-line for a DIY network, but they didn't offer info. on a 4 wire plug. Please help, as I need to wash asap.

2006-10-15 08:43:04 · 4 answers · asked by Butterfly Kisses 1 in Do It Yourself (DIY)

Hi everyone,

My girlfriend and I have recently moved to a new flat and most things are great - however we have one big problem.

Every so often there is a noise outside like a loud hairdryer which comes on and lasts between 20 seconds and 10 minutes - the noise seems to be coming from a round plastic cone which is on the wall of the flat next door. The noise sounds like an extractor fan, and comes on and off randomly either throughout the day and often throughout the night....it's about 2 metres away from our bedroom window and is loud enough to wake us both up. Sometimes it doesn't come on for days and often when no-one is there

We think it must be a fan venting from the heating system, it seems to be blowing air out. Today spoke to the neighbours who said they don't know about it and say they'll speak to the landlord.

Does anyone have experience of this sort of thing? Any advice? Is this an environmental health issue and what are our rights in the UK if this keeps waking us up?

2006-10-15 08:42:43 · 12 answers · asked by Stewart M 2 in Other - Home & Garden

2006-10-15 08:41:53 · 3 answers · asked by Granny D. 1 in Do It Yourself (DIY)

2006-10-15 08:41:51 · 22 answers · asked by Anonymous in Maintenance & Repairs

I was just in the bathroom while my brother was taking an shower and I flushed the toilet and he screamed...LOL...so why does it do that?

2006-10-15 08:38:26 · 5 answers · asked by pitbull_patrol31525 1 in Other - Home & Garden

2006-10-15 08:34:19 · 6 answers · asked by hunzacker 1 in Garden & Landscape

I've found info on buying fabric and batting but what other tools are needed for reupholstering a couch?

2006-10-15 08:33:43 · 3 answers · asked by ColeBaby 2 in Decorating & Remodeling

2006-10-15 08:22:52 · 5 answers · asked by arkie 4 in Do It Yourself (DIY)

2006-10-15 08:22:50 · 3 answers · asked by michael 2 in Other - Home & Garden

And have you ever installed one yourself? Are two people enough or do you need more?

2006-10-15 08:20:30 · 1 answers · asked by anteater 69 2 in Do It Yourself (DIY)

I have a very tall ginkgo tree in my yard and for the first time in the 11 years we have lived here, it has produced nuts.

How do I plant the seed to grow more ginkgo trees?

2006-10-15 08:19:15 · 1 answers · asked by Melanie 4 in Garden & Landscape

can you get tobacco chewing stains out of a cotton top? i used spray and wash but it didn't work. any suggestions?

2006-10-15 08:15:19 · 5 answers · asked by Cutie 4 in Do It Yourself (DIY)