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The garden saved me in so many ways, and I want it to do the same for you. The action of gardening and getting outside has many healing and health benefits and is one of the best ways to get your body moving again. Let’s talk about the power of gardening and how to get started while your body is still recovering. Many people who stumble upon Garden Therapy come here while searching for help in their own recovery journey. For me, the garden is a powerful place to heal, both in what you grow and the action itself. Gardening came to me at a crucial time, offering me an outlet to slowly heal my body and find a new passion in life. Gardening is amazing for mental health and can also be a gentle way to get the body moving. Every message I get about someone who finds hope in my own story and shares their own journey means the world to me. I never would have expected that Garden Therapy would reach so many people when I started it. Someone recently asked me for tips on how to help increase their time and physical stamina in the garden while recovering from brain surgery, and I thought it was time I dedicate a whole post on tips for utilizing the healing power of gardening. Here’s what I’ll be talking about today: The key is to garden in a way that works for you and you alone. My Recovery Story I didn’t grow up as a gardener. Instead, it found me when I needed it the most. Many years ago, I woke up with a headache. Little did I know, this was just the beginning of my chronic disability. I spent that first year almost entirely in bed, trying to sleep off my pain and finding myself with no energy whatsoever. After a year and a half, I was able to do small tasks with my body, like walking around the house or brushing my hair. By the third year, I ventured outside. My garden was little more than a neglected lawn, but I decided I would build a garden and my health at the same time. It started off with just 5 minutes a week, then 5 minutes a day, then 10 minutes a day. It was gradual, very slow, but very rewarding. Here I am, almost two decades later, and I’m a Master Gardener, permaculturalist, and an award-winning author of 12 books and counting. And it all started with those 5 minutes a day during recovery.   I still struggle with pain daily but I have learned how and when to push my body. Finding That Balance The first thing I’ll say about using the garden to recover is that you need to find a balance between pushing yourself in moderate ways without overdoing it, all while listening to your body. As someone who is a type A personality and doesn’t like to stop once I’m hustling, I had to really come to terms with listening to my body. It was important that during my healing, I continued to listen to my body’s signals while also not being sedentary. You have to be so careful not to slip into that toxic positivity. Continuing to push yourself more than your body is ready for can develop into a detachment from the signals of our bodies. Accept what you can do, and listen to those messages your body puts out. Find ways to make your garden low maintenance, like switching from a turf lawn to an alternative lawn. Choose Your Hard In my eyes, those physical and pain symptoms telling you to slow down is your body healing. German homeopathy really embodies this idea that hurting is part of the healing process. When you don’t feel the pain, the healing process hasn’t even begun yet. Think of pain like an alarm system. Once you stub your toe and it hurts, you try not to do it again. When you push, it’s going to hurt, but the pain will also encourage you not to push too hard. For me, it was all about choosing my hard. Yes, moving at first was very difficult, but I also found being sedentary especially hard on my body and my mental health. So I chose my hard and pushed my body to its current capabilities and watched it grow. Just recently, I hurt my back. For almost two weeks, I didn’t do much movement, not even walking Kiddo to school. Every day for the past 11 years, even when I was pregnant, Kiddo and I would go on our daily walk. It’s really part of how we bond and a big reason why he’s so outdoorsy. It was really hard for me to be in a place where I couldn’t even walk with Kiddo. After two weeks, I finally went on a walk with him and actually felt better because I got that movement. But the next day, I only got a block and a half before I had to turn around. And that’s okay. I was kind to myself and listened to my body. It needed recovery time and rest. Tips for Gardening for Recovery My biggest tip is listening to your body and finding that balance, but here are some other ways I recommend using the garden as a form of recovery. Set a goal that’s easy to achieve. For me, it was those first five minutes a day. Be reasonable, and just do something little to get started. Get outside even when you can’t garden. If you’re unable to get much movement in, that’s okay. Simply sitting outside can give you immense benefits. Enjoy garden therapy inside. There are more ways than physically gardening to get some much-needed garden therapy. From indoor herb gardens to garden-inspired crafts, you can enjoy the benefits of nature even inside. Utilize permaculture zones. Keep things that you want to access regularly, such as houseplants or vegetables, close to the home (follow these tips). Relax after gardening. For me, that’s sitting in the bath with Epsom salts to immediately relax my muscles after working. Try reading. If you aren’t able to get out that day, try reading up on gardening practices, designs, and ideas instead. I really got my start by reading vegetable gardening books from the library. Stretch before you begin gardening. From yoga to simple sitting stretches, try to move your body ahead of time to increase blood flow to your muscles. Garden in a way that works for you. Ignore the trends and what everyone else wants your yard to look like. For instance, I ditched having a front lawn that needed to be mowed and watered since that requires lots of physical work and maintenance. Now, I have a beautiful wildflower front lawn that requires almost no effort on my end.   Utilize ergonomic tools to relieve strain on your joints and muscles (I’ve listed a bunch in this article). Take it day by day. Just because you did fifteen minutes in the garden yesterday doesn’t mean you can replicate that today. Always listen to your body and adjust as needed. Those are just a few of my tips for using the garden to heal. If you have more you’d like to share with others, please leave them in the comments below. I hope you find the power of gardening in your own life! More Ways to Discover the Healing Power of Gardening A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

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Ochna serrulata With its glossy green foliage, cheerful yellow blossoms, and striking fruit display, the Mickey Mouse plant (Ochna serrulata) is suited to cultivation in Zones 9 to 11. Native to South Africa, this semi-evergreen shrub is also known as bird’s eye bush, carnival ochna, and small-leaved plane. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Why the whimsical name? As the yellow flowers fade, they’re followed by red petal-like sepals and glossy black berries, resembling the classic cartoon character’s yellow shoes, black ears, and red pants. Read on to learn how to grow and care for Mickey Mouse shrubs in your landscape. O. serrulata puts on a decorative display from late spring to fall. The shrubs have a loose, irregular growth habit. Elliptical green leaves alternate along branching stems dotted with respiratory pores called lenticels, giving the bark a spotted appearance. Five-petaled, fragrant yellow flowers appear briefly in spring. As the petals fall, the green sepals enlarge and turn bright red, encasing the young green drupes that mature into shiny black berries by late summer. The shrubs are semi-evergreen and may drop some leaves at season’s end in the cooler parts of their hardiness range. Mickey Mouse plant is a slow-growing species with the potential to become invasive and has done so in parts of Australia and New Zealand as well as Hawai’i. The Hawai‘i-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment rates it as “High Risk,” indicating significant potential for ecological disruption. Note also that it is toxic to people and pets if ingested. Quick Look Common name(s): Mickey Mouse plant, bird’s eye bush, carnival ochna, small-leaved plane Plant type: Semi-evergreen shrub Hardiness (USDA Zone): 9-11 Native to: South Africa Bloom time / season: Late spring to fall Exposure: Full sun to part shade Soil type: Average, well-draining loam Soil pH: 5.5-6.5, slightly acidic Time to maturity: 3 years Mature size: 4-8 feet tall, 3-4 feet wide Best uses: Specimen, hedging, container Taxonomy Order: Malpighiales Family: Ochnaceae Genus: Ochna Species: Serrulata Other, less commonly cultivated Ochna species include O. natalitia, aka Mickey Mouse bush, and Natal or showy plane. This species differs from O. serrulata, having larger leaves that emerge red in the spring and slightly larger yellow flowers. Expect mature heights of four to eight feet with a spread of three to four feet. Mickey Mouse plants work well as ornamental specimens, naturalize readily, and make attractive informal hedges when multiple are planted together, spaced three to four feet apart. How to Grow Mickey Mouse plant is relatively easy to cultivate when its basic requirements are met. It thrives in warm, humid environments that mimic its native subtropical South African habitat. Climate This shrub flourishes in temperatures ranging between 59 and 97°F during the growing season. It can tolerate temperatures as low as 28°F in winter but may experience leaf drop or dieback. In areas prone to frost, consider providing protection or cultivating Mickey Mouse plant in containers that can be moved indoors during colder months. Light Choose a location with full sun to partial shade. In the warmest regions, an understory placement with the dappled sunlight penetrating the foliage of taller shrubs and trees can help to avoid leaf scorch. While Mickey Mouse plant can tolerate some shade, insufficient light may lead to reduced flowering and fruiting. Soil The soil should be moisture-retentive, well-draining average loam. A slightly acidic to neutral pH between 5.5 and 6.5 is ideal. Water Maintain consistent moisture, especially during the growing season. Water Mickey Mouse plants when the top inch of soil feels dry, ensuring the soil remains moist but not waterlogged. Once established, O. serrulata exhibits moderate drought tolerance but benefits from regular watering during prolonged dry periods. Fertilizing Mickey Mouse isn’t a heavy feeder, so avoid overfertilizing, which can damage roots and stems. If your soil is poor, work in a few handfuls of compost at planting time to improve nutrition and drainage. Each spring, you can top-dress with compost or apply a slow-release granular fertilizer with a 5-10-5 (NPK) ratio to support blooming and fruit development. Keep the product away from the base of the shrub to avoid stem burn. Where to Buy Mickey Mouse plant is not commonly available through mainstream nurseries or large online retailers. You will most likely find it in specialty nurseries in the appropriate growing zones or from plant enthusiasts. Mickey Mouse Plant You can find Mickey Mouse plants available from 9EzTropical via Amazon in six-inch pots. Maintenance Prune after fruiting to shape the specimen into a compact, multi-branching shrub or single-trunked small tree. Avoid removing more than one-third of the total volume at any one time to avoid shock. You can also perform light trimming during the growing season to remove dead, damaged, or diseased branches as needed. Pluck and dispose of seedlings that pop up in unwanted places in the spring. Propagation You can propagate these shrubs from seeds or via stem cuttings. The easiest way to get started is to transplant a nursery start. From Seed Purchase seeds or collect the fruits from an existing Mickey Mouse plant when they turn black and crinkly. You can remove the seeds from the fruits or simply scarify them by rubbing them with sandpaper or a nail file to remove some of the tough outer coating. Soak the seeds overnight in tepid water. Fill three-inch seed starter pots three-quarters full with moisture-retentive, well-draining potting soil. Sow one or two seeds in each pot about a third of an inch deep. Cover them lightly with soil. Water the soil so it’s evenly moist but not waterlogged. Set them in a location with bright, indirect sunlight. Maintain even moisture by watering before the potting mix dries out. When the seedlings have several sets of true leaves, thin them to one per pot. The seedlings are ready for transplant when they are about four to six inches tall. From Cuttings To propagate from stem cuttings, wait for a flush of new foliar growth. Cut a six-inch length of fresh stem and tip growth just below a leaf node. Remove the leaves from the bottom three inches of stem. Prepare a six-inch pot three-quarters full of moisture-retentive, well-draining potting medium. Use a pencil or chopstick to make a three-inch-deep hole in the center of the soil. Dip the cut end of the stem into rooting hormone powder. Place the stem in the three-inch hole so the leafless part is below the soil. Tamp the soil to hold it firmly in place and water in well. Place the container in bright, indirect sunlight. Maintain even moisture without oversaturation. When the cutting produces new foliage it’s ready to transplant. Transplanting When you have an established seedling, cutting, or nursery start, you can transplant it to the landscape in spring. In warm, frost-free regions, late winter to early spring is ideal. Begin by watering shrub the day before to help ease transplant shock. Note its depth in the original container. Choose a site with loamy, well-draining soil, and amend it with compost if necessary to improve texture and drainage. Work the soil to a depth of eight to 12 inches until it is crumbly and free from debris. Make a hole twice as wide and the same depth as the current container. Unpot and place the root ball in the prepared hole at the same depth as in the original container, slightly above ground level. Backfill, tamp well, and water in well. Maintain even moisture during the establishment period, watering when the top few inches of soil dry out. Alternatively, grow in a well-draining container three-quarters full of a moisture-retentive, well-draining potting medium. Choose a pot that’s two to four inches wider and deeper than the root ball. Water when the top few inches of soil feel dry, and hold off on fertilizing at planting time. Pests and Disease While Mickey Mouse plant is not especially prone to problems with pests or disease, you may encounter them in less than ideal growing conditions. Scale, mealybugs, and thrips are sapsucking insects that favor hot, dry conditions. These insects feed on plant juices and can cause yellowing leaves, stunted growth, and overall decline. They may also spread disease. Keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy to help discourage infestations, and treat outbreaks with organic neem oil. The lenticels on the branches are open pores that can sometimes become entry points for fungal pathogens, particularly in overly wet or humid conditions. To reduce the risk of infection, ensure the shrub receives adequate sunlight and avoid overwatering. M-I-C-K-E-Y-M-O-U-S-E If you are – ahem – of a certain age, like me, you are bound to have seen one of the incarnations of the Mickey Mouse Club TV show and know that the theme song spelled out the beloved rodent’s name. The bright red sepals and black fruits of easy-care, semi-evergreen O. serrulata make a vibrant, whimsical welcome in outdoor living spaces in the classic “Hey, there, hi there, ho there” Mickey Mouse style many gardeners fondly remember. Do you grow Mickey Mouse plant in your landscape? Please share your tips in the comments section below. If you enjoyed this guide and would like to read more about growing shrubs in your landscape, we recommend the following: © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Product photo via 9EzTropical. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '176410929431717'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link

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Fences are to landscapes as dental plans are to general health insurance in the United States—crucial to the integrity of the whole but treated like a stand-alone issue until something starts to decay. And yet few things can detract from a beautiful landscape like a poor fence choice. Think generic contractor special that doesn’t match the architecture of a house, or an unstained fence that visually dominates a landscape due to its light color or rotting wood. Learn more: A Gorgeous Garden Design to Border a Fence So what kind of fence might be worthy of your garden? Let’s start with the basics: What’s it for? Before we unleash our creativity, we need to know our requirements. Simply put, the purpose of the fence will drive our design choices. Here’s a quick decision tree to narrow down the options: Illustration: Maureen Robinson Once we understand the limiting factors, we’re ready to design. Let’s look at some great options. 1. Plant a living fence, a.k.a. a hedge An arborvitae hedge with a little door makes a fine fence. Photo: Maureen Robinson Often called a green, bio, or living fence, plant material provides the requisite structure for this border, with the added benefit of creating a wildlife habitat in the process. The most common style is a uniform wall of a single species—a classic option, though the consequences of dieback are higher with a monoculture, potentially leaving you with a hole in your fence. However, you could perhaps seize the opportunity to add a fun door! But we’re talking about unique fences, so why not go bolder with a mixed planting? Consider the stellar Pool House Hedge from Stoneleigh Gardens. Emerald Green arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis Smaragd’, Zones 3–7) and eastern white pine (Pinus strobus ‘Fastigiata’, Zones 4–9) intermingle, while a single bright ‘Yellow Ribbon’ arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Yellow Ribbon’, Zones 3–7) jumps out for attention. The mixed Pool House Hedge at Stoneleigh. Photo: courtesy of Natural Lands Ethan Kaufman, director of Stoneleigh, emphasizes their embrace of deliberate asymmetry throughout the property, which contributes to the dynamic, colorful, and textured biodiversity. If you’re not confident in your ability to mix and match this way, you could use a more regular pattern of 2–3 species, but this looks awfully fun to try. Maybe you love this idea and want to take it even further—the “Wildlife Hedge” at Stoneleigh has over 60 types of woody plants. I asked Ethan if he thought the average home gardener could manage such a planting, and he assured me that anyone who can shear a skip laurel (Prunus laurocerasus ‘Schipkaensis’, Zones 5–9) hedge can do the same with something more diverse. But take note of the implied maintenance requirements; this option needs regular attention. The Wildlife Hedge at Stoneleigh Gardens contains over 60 species. Photo: Maureen Robinson Tip: Unless you’re working with small shrubs, planting 4 feet on center is a good rule of thumb. 2. Play with the components The vertical and horizontal components of a fence (posts, boards, rails) give us many opportunities to do something unexpected. Consider the example below, where stone pillars replace simple posts, and solid horizontal boards create privacy and a warm, organic contrast to the stone. The visual weight of this composition creates a bold entrance, clearly defining public and private space. The column theme could be carried throughout the property or be used as punctuation at important points like corners and gates. Stone columns and solid boards create a strong border. Photo: Maureen Robinson In stark contrast, consider the light confection of a fence from Lynley Ogilvie Landscape Design. The low height and open design suggest enclosure while still inviting us to view the home and garden. The circular medallions soften the angles of the crossed elements, and the bent top rail adds a soft curvature to the whole. Painting the fence to match the existing pergola along the house ties the elements together—not identical, but cohesive. A decorative, airy fence elevates this beautiful plant border. Photo: Lynley Ogilvie Tip: Not sure where to start customizing your elements? Look for cues in the house architecture (a stone or brick foundation, for example), or around the property to tie your material choices into the greater landscape. 3. Paint your existing wood fence These are fun ideas, but what if you already have a perfectly serviceable wood fence that you’re not ready or able to replace? An unstained, wooden fence tends to be neutral at best, and often a distraction (bright new wood or decaying old wood). In contrast, even the simplest style is elevated when painted or stained. Consider waving your magic paint brush to transform your pedestrian fence into an elegant backdrop. Beautiful mid-green foliage shines against a dark backdrop. Photo: Maureen Robinson If the thought of choosing a stain causes instant anxiety (so many paint chips to agonize over at 3 a.m.), let me help you—choose black. This might feel like a bold choice, but a black fence most often recedes into the background, providing a subtle surround and the perfect foil for greenery. Whatever you do, avoid colors with the word “cedar” in them unless you really, really like orange. Tip: Unsure of the difference between stain and paint? Stain is designed to penetrate the wood, whereas paint generally sits on the surface. I use a solid or semi-solid stain when possible. Bottom line: have fun! Depending where you live, you may have all sorts of fencing going on at once, and that’s okay, too. Use plants or design motifs to unify your space and celebrate that your garden is uniquely yours! Find more fencing and privacy ideas: And for more Mid-Atlantic regional reports, click here. Maureen Robinson is president of the Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia chapter of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD). Photos and illustration: courtesy of Maureen Robinson Fine Gardening Recommended Products A.M. Leonard Deluxe Soil Knife & Leather Sheath Combo Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. MULTITASKING DUAL EDGES: a deep serrated edge and a tapered slicing edge ideal for tough or delicate cuts. DURABLE 6-inch stainless steel blade withstands 300 lbs of pressure. TWINE CUTTING NOTCH, DEPTH GAUGE MARKINGS & spear point - no need to switch tools when using this garden knife. LEATHER SHEATH: heavy duty, protective, clip on sheath to keep your knife convenient and secure. LIFETIME WARRANTY. Corona® Multi-Purpose Metal Mini Garden Shovel Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Longer Service Life: The blade of this round small shovel is made of carbon steel, which can effectively improve the hardness by high temperature quenching, and the surface has anti-rust coating to avoid rusting. In the process of use when encountering hard objects will not bend and deformation. Sturdy Structure: The small garden shovel with D-handle, ergonomically designed grip can increase the grip of the hand when using, the handle is made of strong fiberglass, will not bend and break under heavy pressure. Quick Digging: Well-made digging shovel has a sharp blade, and the round shovel head is designed to easily penetrate the soil and cut quickly while digging to enhance your work efficiency. Buffalo-Style Gardens: Create a Quirky, One-of-a-Kind Private Garden with Eye-Catching Designs Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Buffalo-Style Gardens is a one-of-a-kind, offbeat garden design book that showcases the wildly inventive gardens and gardeners of Buffalo – and offers readers "the best of the best” ideas to use in their own small-space gardens. Source link

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Your bathroom should feel just as polished and put-together as the rest of your home—a calming, organized space that functions as beautifully as it looks. While there are several storage options out there, a well-designed cabinet can streamline your routine, eliminate countertop clutter, and make even the most manic Monday mornings feel a little more manageable. “I always recommend installing a recessed medicine cabinet if the existing conditions allow,” says Emily Hodge, a full-service interior designer at Emily Hodge Design. “Vendors have done a beautiful job of framing medicine cabinets to look like mirrors, so it’s almost like a hidden feature now. That said, this is not a DIY project—it often requires framing, drywalling, and even electrical work.” With so many designs out there, choosing the right medicine cabinet isn’t just about looks—it’s about making your space work smarter. To help, we researched a variety of picks and evaluated each option on their material, size, mount type, and number of shelves. We also consulted Hodge on what to look for when shopping for a medicine cabinet. What We Researched To find the best medicine cabinets, we evaluated over 30 options from trusted retailers and brands, comparing specs, materials, and customer reviews. We focused on four key factors that impact both style and functionality: material, size, number of shelves, and mount type. Additionally, we consulted interior designer Emily Hodge to gain expert insights on what makes a medicine cabinet both stylish and practical. Credit: Amazon When it comes to functionality and style, the Kohler Beveled Medicine Cabinet stands out as a great choice for any bathroom. Its sleek mirrored doors offer a polished and sophisticated look. Plus, this cabinet features three adjustable shelves, giving you the flexibility to organize toiletries and skincare products with ease. The soft-close hinges prevent the doors from loudly slamming shut while also helping to protect the cabinet. Plus, it’s a great feature to have if you’re living in a space with others.  We also like that this medicine cabinet can be recessed or surface-mounted, allowing you to choose which style suits your space. However, keep in mind that professional installation is recommended, which makes for an additional cost.  Product Details: Material: Aluminum and tempered glass | Size: From 15 x 26 in. | Number of Shelves: 3 | Mount Type: Recessed or surface Key Terms to Know Recessed Mount: This style is installed directly into the wall, so the cabinet sits flush with the surface. It creates a built-in look and saves space, but typically requires cutting into drywall and navigating around electrical wires.Surface Mount: This type of medicine cabinet is hung directly onto a wall, similar to how you’d hang a picture. It does protrude slightly into the room, but is ideal for renters or for quick, easy upgrades. Frameless: Framed medicine cabinets feature an edge-to-edge mirror with no border, giving them a sleek, modern look often seen in modern bathrooms and spas. Framed: Framed cabinets have a visible trim around the mirror, often made of metal or wood, which you can coordinate with faucets, hardware, and other finishes for a cohesive look. Credit: Amazon The ChooChoo Bathroom Wall Cabinet is a great way to add storage to your bathroom on a budget. The cabinet is made of medium-density fiberboard (MDF) and is offered in several finishes: walnut, black, cream yellow, gray, and white. This cabinet’s sleek design includes a mirrored door that opens to reveal an adjustable shelf. The internal shelf is perfect for stashing everyday essentials while a few external shelves give you the option to display a few decorative items according to your style.  Some assembly is required but each part is clearly labeled, making it easier to put together the unit. While MDF is not as durable as real wood, this option is under $100 and offers great storage and style for your space.  Product Details: Material: Engineered wood | Size: 21.6 x 6.3 x 24 in. | Number of Shelves: 5 | Mount Type: Surface Credit: Amazon Why You Should Get It The cabinet features a digital clock, adjustable color temperature, built-in defogger, and dual-USB outlets. Although it’s an investment, the Blossom LED Mirror Medicine Cabinet delivers on both form and function. The cabinet includes several features that other cabinets don’t have, like a digital clock and built-in lighting.  This cabinet’s LED lighting system offers adjustable brightness and color temperature, so you can set the right lighting for makeup, shaving, or winding down. There’s also an integrated magnifying mirror, which is great for applying makeup and other self-care needs.  The cabinet’s door features an interior lighting that’s triggered by a door sensor, so you don’t have to worry about turning off the light each time you need to grab something. There’s also a one-touch defogger, which is ideal if you want to use the cabinet’s mirror post-shower.  Inside, three adjustable tempered-glass shelves give you flexible storage, while dual outlets and USB ports let you charge your toothbrush, shaver, or even your phone—so you can stream tutorials on TikTok without draining your battery.  The anodized aluminum frame is corrosion- and scratch-resistant, and soft-close hinges make operation smooth and quiet. A digital clock and temperature display dim automatically at night, and the mirrored interior and exterior add a sleek, spa-worthy finish. Product Details: Material: Aluminum | Size: 5 x 24 x 32 in. | Number of Shelves: 4 | Mount Type: Recessed or surface Credit: Amazon The Kohler Verdera stands out for its elegant silhouette and polished finish that brings a modern, architectural feel to any bathroom. Designed for flexibility, it can be installed with a left- or right-hand door swing and mounted on the surface or recessed into the wall.  We like that the mirror is available in four colors (brushed nickel, matte black, brushed gold, and polished chrome), so you can choose which suits your bathroom best.  Inside, a mirrored door and back panel improve visibility, and the adjustable tempered-glass shelf plus half-shelf accessory offer smart storage for everyday essentials. Though there’s less storage space than other medicine cabinets on our list, we think the stylish look and multiple mirrors make it worth considering.  Product Details: Material: Aluminum | Size: 24 in. | Number of Shelves: 1 adjustable tempered glass and 1 half-shelf accessory | Mount Type: Surface Credit: Amazon The Kohler Beveled Medicine Cabinet stands out as our favorite recessed option thanks to its elegant, space-saving design and functional storage. The cabinet is crafted from durable anodized aluminum with a rust- and chip-resistant finish and features a beveled edge that offers timeless sophistication to your bathroom. Inside, you'll find two adjustable tempered-glass shelves and a mirrored back wall. We like that the cabinet features two-way adjustable hinges that can be installed with a left- or right-hand swing. The door opens 108 degrees, making it easy to access your items. Plus, it includes a side mirror kit for surface mounting if you prefer that option. If you need more storage and have the wall space for it, you can buy two cabinets and install one with the door opening to the left and one with the door opening to the right, creating a larger setup with more space. Just note that each cabinet weighs 25 pounds, so some people may need additional help with installation. Product Details: Material: Aluminum and tempered glass | Size: 20 x 5 x 26 in. | Number of Shelves: 2 | Mount Type: Recessed Credit: Amazon If you prefer the look of a mirrorless bathroom cabinet, we recommend the HAIOOU Bathroom Wall Cabinet. This mirrorless design blends smart technology with a minimal design that offers great storage.  The standout feature in this option is the built-in motion sensor that activates a warm LED light for 20 seconds whenever you open the cabinet doors. It’s perfect for those who need a little extra light to help locate items toward the back or for late-night trips to the bathroom.  Beyond its high-tech lighting, this cabinet also maximizes both style and function. Made from durable engineered wood with soft-close doors, it fits seamlessly into a wide range of bathroom designs, like contemporary and minimalistic. Just note that it’s only offered in two colors, which is fewer than some other options on our list.  Inside the cabinet, two adjustable shelves provide plenty of space to organize your toiletries, medications, and beauty products. The open bottom shelf offers a stylish spot to store decorative items like folded towels, candles, or a small plant, adding a personal touch to your bathroom decor. Product Details: Material: Engineered wood | Size: 24 x 8 x 30 in. | Number of Shelves: 4 | Mount Type: Surface The Bottom Line Overall, our favorite bathroom cabinet is the Kohler Beveled Medicine Cabinet. In addition to three adjustable shelves, the cabinet features mirrored doors and soft-close hinges.   What to Know About Medicine Cabinets Before Shopping Material  Medicine cabinets come in a variety of materials, each offering a different aesthetic and durability level. Common options include stainless steel, wood, and polished nickel. Stainless steel is sleek and modern, while wood offers a rustic feel. While shopping, you’ll want to consider both your preferred style as well as how well certain materials will hold up in your bathroom over time.  “Polished nickel is my favorite bathroom finish,” says Hodge. “It’s a living metal, meaning it will patina, but you can clean it up with silver polish if you care to keep it nice and shiny.” Size Medicine cabinets come in a range of sizes to fit both compact and expansive spaces. When choosing a size, think about the height and width of your wall, and make sure the cabinet won’t overwhelm or underwhelm the space. While shopping, you’ll also want to consider how much storage you need. Some options are compact, while others offer more storage space with adjustable shelves.  Hodge recommends considering placement carefully. “The most common issue is that the medicine cabinet is not set high enough for the door swing to clear the faucet,” she says. “Every faucet has a different height, so make sure to check that prior to framing.” Number of Shelves  The number of shelves inside a medicine cabinet can make a big difference in terms of organization. Adjustable shelves allow you to customize the storage space based on the size of your products, from small bottles to larger jars. Fixed shelves can be a good choice for a sleek look, but adjustable options offer more flexibility in the long run. Our best overall option, the Kohler Beveled Medicine Cabinet, offers adjustable shelves, so you can set them however you see fit.  Mount Type  Medicine cabinets come in two main types: recessed and surface-mounted.  Recessed cabinets are installed inside the wall, offering a streamlined, integrated look. They're a great option for those who want to save counter space. However, they require more installation work and may not be an option for renters.  Surface-mounted cabinets are easier to install and can be a great choice for those looking for a simpler solution. This type of medicine cabinet hangs as easily as a picture frame, but can be just as stylish and functional—offering a fast track to a clutter-free counter without a huge commitment. Your Questions, Answered Can you install a medicine cabinet yourself? While it's possible to install a surface-mounted medicine cabinet yourself if you're handy, installing a recessed cabinet is best left to professionals. Recessed installations often require adjustments to framing, drywalling, and sometimes even electrical work—tasks that require a skilled hand. If you're unsure, it's always best to consult a professional to ensure the installation is done safely and effectively. Who We Are Belle DuChene is a writer for Better Homes & Gardens and specializes in home and lifestyle product shopping. With expertise in textiles, kitchen appliances, and gift guides, she also appears in Better Homes & Gardens home and garden videos.  To make this list, she considered each pick’s material, size, number of shelves, and type of mount for 30 of the best medicine cabinets according to reviews online. She also consulted Emily Hodge, a full-service interior designer at Emily Hodge Design. Source link

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The silvery-blue needles of a Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens) are one of its most recognizable and desirable traits. This striking hue makes the tree a standout in the landscape and sets it apart from the sea of green found in most conifers. Blue pigmentation is rare in the plant world, and when a blue spruce starts to turn green, it’s understandably disappointing. The change in color doesn’t always indicate a serious problem, but it typically points to specific environmental or cultural factors affecting the tree. In our guide to growing blue spruce, we cover how to cultivate these striking specimens in your landscape. This article breaks down the main reasons why a blue spruce may turn green, ranging from natural aging to pollution and nutrient deficiencies, so you can pinpoint what’s affecting your tree. 7 Reasons Why Blue Spruce Turns Green We aren’t going to cover reasons for yellowing, browning, or other discoloration of the foliage. This guide addresses the issue of the needles turning green. First let’s talk about where the coloration comes from. The distinctive blue hue on P. pungens needles comes from a layer of waxy coating called cutin that covers the green chlorophyll-rich tissue underneath. This coating, often referred to as the cuticle, acts as a barrier that protects the needles from UV rays, moisture loss, and pests. The intensity of the color depends on the thickness of the cuticle, which can vary among cultivars. It can range from nearly silver to very bright blue. Anything that damages the cuticle or stops it from developing will cause the needles to look green. 1. Age As needles age, the cuticle naturally wears off, exposing the green beneath. It’s completely normal for older interior needles – those closer to the trunk or lower on the branch – to appear greener than newer growth at the tips. This color shift doesn’t indicate a health issue, it’s part of the tree’s natural aging process. New needles will typically emerge with the characteristic blue coloration, assuming environmental conditions are favorable and the tree is otherwise healthy. Different cultivars show variation in how long they retain their color, which is directly related to how thick and persistent the cuticle is. Cultivars with a thicker wax layer such as ‘Hoopsii’ or ‘Fat Albert’ tend to maintain their color longer than others. 2. Air Pollution Airborne pollutants such as ozone, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides can strip or prevent proper development of the cuticle on spruce needles. When this happens, the exposed foliage appears green rather than blue. This is most common in urban or industrial areas. Affected needles won’t regain their color, but new growth may still emerge blue if the tree is otherwise healthy. Unfortunately, you can’t really fix this problem except to reach out to your local government and fight for better environmental protections in your area. While that’s always a great idea, it might not be feasible for everyone. In that case, enjoy the green foliage or plant a different species. 3. Excess Moisture Excess moisture on the foliage, from frequent overhead irrigation or prolonged rainy weather can gradually wear away the waxy coating. Occasional rain won’t cause noticeable damage, but chronic moisture exposure may lead to the erosion of the cuticle and the needles turning green. Whenever possible, use drip irrigation or water at the soil level to keep foliage dry. 4. Low Light Blue spruce trees need full sun to maintain the waxy, colorful coating on the foliage. When they’re shaded – by buildings, other trees, or dense planting – new growth may not develop the waxy cuticle so it will appear more green. If your tree has become shaded over time, consider thinning nearby vegetation to restore optimal light exposure. 5. Natural Weathering Beyond the natural aging process and excess rain, environmental factors such as wind and sun exposure can gradually erode the waxy cuticle on blue spruce needles. The speed of this change can vary depending on the cultivar and local climate, but it’s a normal part of growing this species outdoors. As long as the tree is otherwise healthy and producing blue new growth each year, weathering alone is not a cause for concern. 6. Nutrient Deficiency If none of the other causes on this list seem to fit, it’s possible your tree is experiencing a nutrient deficiency, and you’ll want to test your soil. Potassium and magnesium deficiencies can cause leaves to lose their color and turn pale green or even yellow. When this happens, the older growth is typically affected first, while the newer growth remains blue. That’s because the tree prioritizes available mobile nutrients to the new growth and lets the older growth die off. Calcium and nitrogen deficiencies, on the other hand, usually affect new growth. These nutrients are immobile, meaning the plant can’t redirect them from older tissue to support developing shoots. As a result, the newest needles may appear pale or yellow and drop from the tree. Discolored foliage is always a good reason to conduct a soil test, but routine testing every year or two is wise even if your plants appear healthy. You can reach out to your local university extension office and they can help you obtain a test from a regional lab that understands your native soil conditions. Alternatively, you can purchase test kits online. Keep in mind that nutrient availability isn’t just about what’s present in the soil. If the soil is compacted or overly wet, or if the roots are suffering from rot or damage, the tree may not be able to absorb the nutrients it needs. In such cases, deficiencies can still occur even in nutrient-rich soil. 7. Pesticides Certain pesticides and dormant oils can strip the waxy coating from blue spruce needles, causing them to lose their coloration and turn green. It’s an unfortunate tradeoff – treating pests can unintentionally remove the tree’s natural protection. If you need to apply these treatments, expect some color loss, but don’t panic. The hue will return with new growth as long as the tree remains healthy. Sometimes Being Blue is Best Blue spruces stand out because of their unusual coloring, so it’s obviously a big disappointment when they lose that distinctive hue. Are you having trouble figuring out what’s causing the color change in your plant? Fill us in on the situation in the comments section below and include a few pictures if you can. We love to help! And for more information about growing conifers in your landscape, check out these guides next: © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. 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When you garden as much as I do or spend plenty of time outdoors, someone around you always scrapes themselves or gets into something they shouldn’t. While you could reach for a petroleum-based antiseptic, making your own salve is simple and only takes minutes. The next time someone cuts themselves, have this all-natural calendula salve at the ready. You’ll find PLENTY of this sunny orange and yellow flower in my garden. Calendula is one of those plants that truly do it all. It grows easily and beautifully, the bees love it, and it’s one of the best medicinal herbs on the market. Calendula officinalis is a flower that can be used fresh or dried to make plenty of skin-friendly products, including this calendula salve recipe. If there’s one natural salve to have on hand, let it be this one. It’s so powerful in healing external injuries while being extremely gentle on the skin. Careful! Calendula is also known as pot marigold, as it was once dedicated to the Virgin Mary in the Middle Ages. However, it’s different than the marigold flower we know today that you’ll find in the garden centers (Tagetes spp.). Make sure you’re working with the real calendula for this recipe! This post will cover… Calednula has historically been used as a wound healer. Calendula Salve Benefits When it comes to skincare herbs, it’s tough to find a better plant suited for the skin than calendula. Calendula is well known for its ability to help heal wounds and tissues, internally and externally. Calendula has antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, tissue-healing, and hemostatic properties. Because of this, you can use calendula to help heal cuts, burns, bruises, sprains, rashes, abrasions, and sunburns. In addition, it has salicylic acid, which acts as an analgesic to relieve the pain that comes with these injuries. Want more benefits? You can also use calendula to relieve itching such as from bug bites, stinging nettle, and even diaper rash. It can help with pretty much any skin toxicity issue. Finally, the herb also acts as an antifungal to help with skin infections and yeast overgrowth. Apply to salve after cleaning a wound or scratch. What is Calendula Salve Good For? There are so many benefits for the skin when you use this calendula salve. You can use the salve as a general all-purpose healing salve for external injuries to your body. After applying, it should help to heal tissue and speed up the overall healing process. I use it most on cuts, bruises, scrapes, and splinters. Besides calendula itself, this recipe has some more powerful ingredients. Citrus oil, in particular lemon essential oil, is an antibacterial and antiviral, which can help keep infections from setting in. The beeswax and oils make the salve the right consistency to smear onto the skin and also ensure that the skin stays moist and supple while it heals. You can truly use this calendula salve on any part of the body. 100% natural, it’s perfectly safe to use on people, pets, and other animals. Calendula is known for being an extremely gentle herb, which makes it useful for all skin types. How to Make Calendula Salve With just five ingredients, this all-natural calendula salve recipe is very simple to make but really goes a long way. Each ingredient plays a part in the healing process and works to treat cuts and bruises naturally. Ingredients Makes 135g. See recipe card below for exact measurements Jump to Recipe Infuse The Oil Before you get started with your recipe, you’ll need to infuse your sunflower and grapeseed oil with calendula. To do so, fill a Mason jar with dried calendula flowers and completely submerge it in the oil. Make sure all the flowers are covered. Let the jar sit on a sunny windowsill for 2-3 weeks to infuse the oil with the calendula. Every few days, give the jar a shake. When it’s done, filter out the calendula from the oil. Alternatively, you can try heat infusion. Find out how to do that here! I always have a batch of calendula oil to use in my salves, balms, and soaps. Make Your Salve If your beeswax is solid, grate your beeswax before getting started. Measure out your ingredients using a kitchen scale and then add your beeswax, oils, and butter to a double boiler. Stir over low heat until the beeswax is fully melted. Let it cool down slightly (but don’t let it solidify) before adding in your lemon essential oil. Stir well and then pour into a sterilized, small-covered metal or glass container and let cool. Leave the containers undisturbed until set. Take a clean cloth and wipe the rim and caps. Store your salve in a cool, dark place and apply liberally on cuts and scrapes as needed, as you would a commercial antiseptic ointment or salve. Use within three months. Apply the calendula salve as often as needed. Frequently Asked Questions About Calendula Salve What are the benefits of calendula on skin? Where to even begin!? Calendula salve works as a natural wound and tissue healer thanks to its anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antibiotic properties. You can apply the salve externally to help speed up the healing and alleviate the pain from bruises, scrapes, scratches, bug bites, rashes, skin fungal infections, and sunburns. Can I use calendula salve on lips? Yes! This salve is perfectly safe for use on the skin, including lips. It’s also safe for use on pets and small children. However, you can also make this specially formulated calendula lip balm for even more lip nourishment. That’s it! Making your own natural and effective healing products really is that easy. Let me know how your salve turns out in the comments down below! More About Calendula Homemade Calendula Salve Naturally treat cuts and scrapes with this all-natural calendula salve. Makes 135g. Infuse your grapeseed oil and sunflower oil with dried calendula petals using the cold or hot infusion method.Measure your ingredients using a kitchen scale then combine oils, butter, and beeswax into a double boiler. Stir over low heat.Once the beeswax is combined, remove it from heat and allow it to slightly cool. Don't let it solidify. Add in the essential oils and stir well.Pour into clean, sterilized containers and allow them to set undisturbed. Store in a cool, dark place. Use within three months. Source link

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Imagine turning your pond into a self-cleaning, crystal-clear oasis—just by letting the right plants do the work. Crystal-clear pond water doesn’t just magically appear—it needs a balanfced ecosystem where nutrients, oxygen, and waste are all in harmony. A bog filter is one of the coolest, most natural ways to make that happen, using aquatic plants to clean the water like champs. Unlike clunky mechanical or chemical filters, bog filters vibe with nature instead of fighting it. They lean on wetland vibes to clear out gunk with a living, breathing system. The plants are the real MVPs here—hardworking, easy to care for, and nice to look at. But you’ve gotta pick the right ones to nail the results. What Is a Bog Filter and How Does It Work? A bog filter is a natural, eco-friendly filtration system for ponds that uses aquatic plants and a gravel bed to purify water, mimicking the processes of a wetland. As mentioned above, it’s a low-maintenance, sustainable alternative to mechanical or chemical filters, working in harmony with nature to keep pond water crystal-clear. How It Works? Bog filters leverage nature’s own processes—plants and microbes naturally cleanse water in wetlands, and this system replicates that. It reduces the need for frequent maintenance, cuts down on chemical use, and creates a thriving habitat for both plants and pond life. Choosing the right plants and ensuring proper water flow are key to making it effective. Structure: A bog filter is typically a shallow, gravel-filled basin or section of the pond (often 10-30% of the pond’s surface area) that’s separated from the main pond but connected via a pump or water flow system. Water Flow: Pond water is pumped or gravity-fed into the bog filter, where it slowly percolates through layers of gravel and plant roots. Plant Power: Aquatic plants, like watercress, pickerelweed, or cattails, are rooted in the gravel. Their roots absorb excess nutrients (like nitrates and phosphates) and trap organic waste, preventing algae growth and water cloudiness. Microbial Magic: Beneficial bacteria colonize the gravel and plant roots, breaking down pollutants, ammonia, and fish waste into less harmful compounds. Clean Water Return: The filtered water flows back into the pond, refreshed and balanced, maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Key Components of a Bog Filter: Gravel bed: Acts as a medium for beneficial bacteria and root stabilization. Aquatic plants: Extract nutrients (nitrates, phosphates, ammonia) from the water. Slow water movement: Ensures maximum contact between water, plants, and microbes. Mechanical pre-filter (optional): Prevents large debris from clogging the bog. How It Benefits Your Pond? A bog filter brings a bunch of awesome benefits to your pond, making it healthier, clearer, and easier to maintain. Here’s how: Crystal-Clear Water: The plants and beneficial bacteria in the bog filter suck up excess nutrients like nitrates and phosphates, starving out algae and keeping your water sparkling clean. Low Maintenance: Unlike mechanical filters that need constant cleaning or chemical treatments, bog filters are pretty much set-it-and-forget-it once established, saving you time and hassle. Eco-Friendly: It’s a natural system that works with nature, not against it, so you’re not dumping chemicals into your pond or relying on energy-hungry equipment. Boosts Ecosystem Health: The plants and microbes create a balanced environment, breaking down fish waste and pollutants, which keeps your fish and other pond critters happy and healthy. Adds Beauty: Those hardworking aquatic plants like watercress or pickerelweed look gorgeous, turning your filter into a lush, natural feature that enhances your pond’s vibe. Cost-Effective: Once set up, bog filters are cheap to maintain—no pricey filter replacements or chemicals needed, just nature doing its thing. 10 Best Plants for a Bog Filter These aquatic plants are the MVPs of bog filters, naturally cleaning pond water by absorbing excess nutrients and trapping waste, all while adding beauty to your setup. Pick the right ones, and your pond will stay clear and healthy with minimal effort. 1. Pickerelweed With its upright spikes of violet-blue flowers, Pickerelweed is as functional as it is beautiful. Native to North America, this marginal aquatic plant thrives in shallow water up to 6 inches deep and blooms from summer into early fall. Why It Works: Its roots penetrate deep into the gravel, absorbing excess nitrogen and phosphates that would otherwise feed algae. It also provides shelter for frogs and beneficial insects. Growing Conditions: Sun: Full sun to partial shade Water depth: 1–6 inches Height: 2–3 feet Zones: 3–10 2. Water Iris (Iris pseudacorus, Iris versicolor) Water irises add striking vertical foliage and spring blooms in shades of yellow, blue, or purple. While Iris pseudacorus (Yellow Flag) is widely used, it’s invasive in many areas—choose Iris versicolor (Blue Flag) instead for a native, safe option. Why It Works: Irises are nitrate hogs, removing large amounts of nutrients quickly. Their dense, fibrous roots also help prevent erosion and trap debris. Growing Conditions: Sun: Full sun Water depth: Moist soil to 4 inches Height: 2–4 feet Zones: 4–9 3. Creeping Jenny This fast-spreading groundcover has cheerful golden foliage and small yellow blooms. It cascades beautifully over rocks and gravel, creating a lush carpet in the bog filter. Why It Works: It smothers weeds, covers bare gravel, and absorbs nutrients quickly. It also helps reduce algae growth by shading water and minimizing exposed surfaces. Growing Conditions: Sun: Full sun to part shade Water depth: Moist soil to 1 inch Height: 2–4 inches Zones: 3–9 4. Marsh Marigold One of the first pond plants to flower in spring, Marsh Marigold brightens bog filters with its shiny, buttercup-like flowers and glossy foliage. It prefers cool, wet environments and disappears in heat but returns each spring. Why It Works: Its early-season growth kickstarts the bog’s filtration when other plants are still dormant. Growing Conditions: Sun: Full sun to partial shade Water depth: Moist soil to 2 inches Height: 8–18 inches Zones: 3–7 5. Horsetail Rush A prehistoric-looking plant with bamboo-like stems, Horsetail Rush is a dramatic vertical accent in bog gardens. It’s durable and spreads by underground rhizomes. Why It Works: Its roots are efficient at trapping fine sediments and absorbing nutrients. It’s also deer-resistant and thrives in poor soil. Growing Conditions: Sun: Full sun to part shade Water depth: Moist to 4 inches Height: 2–4 feet Zones: 4–9 Note: Can be aggressive—contain with edging or containers in the bog. 6. Arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia) This North American native features arrow-shaped leaves and tall white flower spikes. It grows in shallow water and is often found along streambanks. Why It Works: Its broad leaves and strong roots make it a champion at filtering water. It also offers excellent habitat for pollinators and amphibians. Growing Conditions: Sun: Full sun Water depth: 1–6 inches Height: 2–3 feet Zones: 3–10 7. Blue Flag Iris A native iris ideal for bog filters, this species produces showy blue-purple flowers in late spring and is beloved by bees and butterflies. Why It Works: Like other irises, Blue Flag removes heavy metals and excess nutrients while anchoring gravel with tough root systems. Growing Conditions: Sun: Full sun to partial shade Water depth: Moist to 4 inches Height: 2–3 feet Zones: 5–9 8. Cardinal Flower This native wildflower is famous for its fiery red blooms that attract hummingbirds. It thrives in wet soil but can handle shallow water as well. Why It Works: Fast-growing and nutrient-hungry, it helps prevent nutrient overload while adding visual drama. Growing Conditions: Sun: Full sun to partial shade Water depth: Moist soil to 1 inch Height: 2–4 feet Zones: 3–9 9. Sweet Flag (Acorus calamus) Often confused with ornamental grasses, Sweet Flag has sword-like leaves and a pleasant aroma when crushed. It’s easy to grow in shallow water. Why It Works: It oxygenates water, absorbs pollutants, and spreads gently. A fantastic filler plant in any bog. Growing Conditions: Sun: Full sun to partial shade Water depth: Moist soil to 2 inches Height: 1–3 feet Zones: 4–11 10. Taro (Colocasia esculenta) For a bold, tropical look, few plants match the size and impact of Taro. Its massive leaves shade the bog, helping control algae. Why It Works: Heavy feeder that absorbs vast amounts of nutrients. Excellent at shading shallow areas to reduce evaporation. Growing Conditions: Sun: Full sun to partial shade Water depth: Moist to 4 inches Height: 3–6 feet Zones: 8–11 (annual in cooler zones) Planting & Maintenance Tips for Your Bog Filter 1. Use Washed Gravel Avoid soil—it clogs water flow. Use pea gravel or expanded clay for better drainage and root penetration. 2. Plant Sparingly (at First) Start with small transplants spaced 12–18 inches apart. Most plants will spread quickly. 3. Prune Regularly Dead foliage can rot and release nutrients back into the water. Trim back in fall or early spring. 4. Prevent Overgrowth Fast-spreaders like Horsetail or Creeping Jenny should be contained with edging or root barriers. 5. Balance Plant Types Include a mix of bloomers, spreaders, and vertical plants for aesthetics and filtration coverage. How deep should a bog filter be? Most bogs are 6–12 inches deep. Deeper areas may reduce plant root oxygenation. How long until the bog filter starts working? A pump is essential for moving water through the gravel bed. Still water won’t be filtered effectively. Conclusion If you’re serious about water clarity and pond health, a bog filter is a game-changer—and the right plants are the key to its success. By choosing water-loving, nutrient-hungry species like Pickerelweed, Iris, and Arrowhead, you create a living, breathing water filter that not only purifies your pond but also adds unmatched beauty and biodiversity. So go ahead—let plants do the heavy lifting, and watch your pond come alive. Khaja Moinuddin, a computer science graduate, finds joy in gardening and homesteading. 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Scrubbing your bathroom all weekend? No thanks. With the right approach, you can keep it fresh and germ-free without the time sink. Nevertheless, it is possible with the right system. Knowing how to clean a bathroom efficiently can make it a manageable routine instead of a dreaded chore. Think of this as your no-stress, five-pillar plan to clean smarter, not harder. Each section targets a high-traffic area that collects grime, germs, and odors. A few smart habits can stop the mess before it takes over, so you’re not stuck scrubbing when you could be relaxing. As part of our blog series, The 5 Pillars of Home Cleaning [Insert internal link for 5 Pillars of Home Cleaning], we’re turning our attention to one of the most used (and often neglected) rooms in your home: the bathroom. Read on for expert bathroom cleaning advice and a step-by-step bathroom cleaning checklist to keep your space fresh, sanitary, and easy to maintain. From quick touch-ups to weekly deep cleans, this guide provides everything you need to stay consistent, keep germs away, and feel good about your bathroom every day. Pillar 1: Toilet and Bowl Care Disinfect for Health and Hygiene Of all the bathroom surfaces, the toilet sees the most action and collects the most germs. It’s a high-touch, high-traffic area that needs consistent disinfecting to keep your space hygienic and odor-free. Ignoring this one zone can undo all your other cleaning efforts. How Often Should You Clean It? A quick wipe-down every day can prevent buildup, while a deeper clean once a week will remove bacteria, hard water stains, and odor-causing grime. Here’s how to clean a bathroom toilet effectively: Start With the Bowl: Apply a toilet cleaner like Lysol Power Toilet Bowl Cleaner or a Clorox Toilet Wand. Scrub thoroughly under the rim and let the cleaner sit for 10 minutes before flushing. Disinfect the Exterior: Wipe down the seat, lid, flush handle, and tank with Lysol Disinfecting Wipes or Method Antibac Bathroom Cleaner. Clean the Base: Spray cleaner around the base and floor seal, then scrub and dry with a microfiber cloth. This targeted approach doesn’t just eliminate visible mess — it kills bacteria that spread illness and unpleasant smells. Bonus Tip: To tackle those stubborn hard water rings under the rim, gently scrub with a pumice stone toilet cleaner after applying your regular bowl cleaner. It’s a pro-level move that makes a big difference without damaging the porcelain. This kind of detailed toilet care is a must for professional bathroom cleaning. Build it into your routine, and your bathroom will feel instantly fresher, cleaner, and healthier. Pillar 2: Sink and Countertops Cut Through Grime and Residue Don’t let looks fool you. Your sink might sparkle, but hidden grime builds up fast where you wash most. Toothpaste splatter, soap scum, hard water spots, and bacteria from handwashing build up fast, especially around faucet handles and drains. How Often Should You Clean It? A quick wipe-down once a day helps prevent buildup. Give it a deeper scrub once a week to maintain a clean, sanitized surface. Follow these steps to clean sinks and countertops: Clear the Clutter: Remove toothbrushes, soap dispensers, and anything else on the counter. Spray Generously: Use an effective cleaner like Method Antibacterial Bathroom Cleaner or Lysol Bathroom Foamer on the sink basin, faucet, and surrounding surfaces. Scrub and Rinse: Use a non-abrasive sponge or brush to scrub around the drain and faucet base. Rinse with warm water. Dry and Shine: Wipe everything down with a microfiber cloth to prevent water spots and leave a streak-free finish. This is one of those bathroom cleaning tips that pays off immediately. A clean sink area instantly makes the entire bathroom feel more put together. Bonus Tip: Use an old toothbrush to clean the tight spaces where the faucet meets the countertop or around the drain. For an added shine, polish the faucet with a dab of white vinegar and a dry cloth. White vinegar cuts through mineral deposits without leaving streaks. Sink areas are easy to overlook in your weekly bathroom cleaning checklist, but staying on top of the situation helps keep germs at bay and your whole bathroom feeling clean and calm. Pillar 3: Shower and Tub Maintenance Defend Against Soap Scum and Mildew Your shower and tub deal with more than just water. They’re constant magnets for soap scum, hard water stains, and mildew. Left unchecked, grime can build up in the grout, corners, and drain, making cleaning even harder. Staying consistent is the key to avoiding those deep-clean marathons. How Often Should You Clean It? Mist the shower and tub with a daily spray after each use and give it a full scrub every week. Here’s how to clean showers and tubs: Spray Down the Surfaces: Coat walls, glass, and tub surfaces with Scrubbing Bubbles Mega Shower Foamer or CLR Mold & Mildew Clear. Focus on Grout and Corners: Use a stiff grout brush to scrub tile lines and edges where mildew tends to hide. Rinse Thoroughly: Use warm water to wash away residue and product buildup. Dry Lingering Moisture: Wipe down with a squeegee or microfiber towel to prevent new growth. Keeping this area clean immediately improves the aesthetics of your bathroom. Regular touch-ups also help prevent long-term damage from mold and mineral buildup. It’s one of the most important parts of your bathroom disinfecting guide. Bonus Tip: Keep a Method Daily Shower Spray bottle in the shower and use it after each rinse. This simple step keeps soap scum from sticking in the first place, cutting down your scrubbing time later. Add the shower and tub to your weekly bathroom cleaning checklist, and you’ll spend less time battling grime and more time enjoying a fresh, spa-like feel every time you step in. Pillar 4: Mirror and Fixtures Shine Without Streaks Your bathroom mirror is often the first thing you see in the morning, and nothing ruins that moment faster than toothpaste splatter and streaky glass. Add water-spotted fixtures and dusty light switches, and your bathroom feels grimy, even if the rest is clean. How Often Should You Clean It? Wipe down high-touch areas and mirrors weekly or more often if you’re dealing with hard water or heavy use. Here’s how to clean a bathroom mirror and other fixtures: Clean the Mirror: Spray Windex Ammonia-Free Glass Cleaner or Seventh Generation Glass Cleaner. Wipe in a circular motion with a microfiber cloth or coffee filter for a streak-free finish. Tackle Fixtures and Touchpoints: Spray Method Antibac Bathroom Cleaner on faucets, towel bars, drawer handles, and light switches. Wipe clean with a soft cloth or disposable disinfecting wipe. This small but mighty zone often gets skipped, but keeping it sparkling makes the entire space feel brighter and more polished. It’s an essential part of any professional bathroom cleaning routine. Bonus Tip: Buff chrome fixtures with a drop of baby oil or glass cleaner on a microfiber cloth for a mirror-like shine that helps repel water spots. Pillar 5: Floors and Trash Areas Sweep Away the Hidden Mess Bathroom floors might be visibly clean at a glance, but hair, dust, and bacteria love to settle into corners and around the toilet’s base. Add in a trash bin that rarely gets emptied or disinfected, and you’ve got a recipe for lingering odors and invisible grime. How Often Should You Clean It? Sweep or vacuum two to three times a week. Mop and disinfect floors weekly. Empty and wipe down trash bins at least once a week or more if needed. Follow this bathroom disinfecting guide for floors and trash areas: Sweep or Vacuum: To catch hair and debris, use a small broom, handheld vacuum, or electrostatic dust mop. Mop and Disinfect: Mop using Lysol Clean & Fresh Multi-Surface Cleaner or Mr. Clean Antibacterial Floor Cleaner, since both products can lift grime and kill germs. Clean the Trash: Empty the bin, wipe the inside with a disinfecting wipe, and sprinkle baking soda at the bottom to absorb future odors. Your bathroom cleaning checklist isn’t complete without tackling the floor and trash zones. They’re easy to overlook, but skipping them gives dirt a place to hide. Bonus Tip: Tuck a dryer sheet at the bottom of your trash bin liner. It helps trap odors and makes bag changes less unpleasant. A Cleaner Bathroom, One Pillar at a Time Keeping your bathroom clean doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By focusing on these five essential areas, you can build a routine that’s simple, effective, and easy to maintain. Use this bathroom disinfecting guide as your go-to checklist, whether doing a quick refresh or a deeper weekly scrub. These bathroom cleaning tips help improve the look and feel of your bathroom area, preventing germs from spreading and keeping your space feeling fresh. Busy week? Don’t sweat it. We’re here to take cleaning off your plate when life gets overwhelming. Our team offers professional bathroom cleaning that covers all five pillars with expert care. Nothing beats stepping into a bathroom that already feels taken care of.Feeling overwhelmed by the mess? Your time matters. Let us handle the scrubbing so you can come home to a bathroom that feels like a reset, not a chore. Book your cleaning today and come home to a fresh and spotless bathroom. 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Take your summer cocktails to the next level by becoming a gartender and adding garden-inspired flavours to your beverages this season. These herbal cocktail recipes use ingredients fresh from the garden for a new twist on some classic drinks. Ah, summer. It’s the perfect time of year to relax outdoors with a drink, whether at an event like a wedding or shower, a small dinner party with friends, or just a warm evening on the patio. I love hosting, and I’ve made sure that my garden and outdoor space are a welcoming place for everyone who visits. I’m also someone who loves a beverage or two, so I’m often sourcing fresh ingredients from my garden to make both cocktails and mocktails. If you’re more of a mocktail person, I suggest you check out this post! Today, I’ll be sharing some of my go-to cocktails and ingredients that I use from the garden. What Herbs Go in Cocktails? 7 to Try If you’re interested in creating a cocktail herb garden, these are some of the most common ingredients used in herbal cocktails to get you started. 1. Basil Known for Italian cooking, basil is one of the sweetest herbs to grow. While you can grab basil from the grocery store, anything grown in the garden will be sweeter as it has more room to grow. To grow basil, you will need some warmth and at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. 2. Mint You surely have had a mint cocktail before! Another sweet-tasting herb, mint has a cool and refreshing quality to it. Depending on what variety you grow, it can lean more towards spicy, citrusy, or sweet. Lemon and mint are a great combination. 3. Rosemary An evergreen herb, rosemary has a strong woody flavour. When in cocktails, it stands out and also adds a pretty garnish. It almost looks like a pine tree clipping! Rosemary is a perennial herb that you can harvest from regularly. 4. Sage A little bit of sage goes a long way in your drink. With earthy undertones, sage has a pepper-like flavour that is sure to be the star of your cocktail. It pairs well with other heavy flavours that can hold their own. A little sage is all you need for some flavour in your cocktail. 5. Lavender Lavender drinks are all the rage these days. I’ve been growing culinary lavender for quite some time, enjoying many lavender-infused drinks in the summer. It has floral undertones, creating a unique sipping experience. Make sure to use edible lavender, such as English lavender. 6. Lemon Verbena A common tea ingredient, you can also add a hint of herbal citrus to your lemony drinks. Use as a garnish or to reinforce anything that requires lemon juice. Lemon balm is another similar but different herb. It is lemony with hints of mint, while lemon verbena is sweeter. 7. Stevia You know stevia as an artificial sweetener, but it actually comes from a plant. 200 times sweeter than sugar, stevia can sweeten up your cocktail with a single leaf or two while also providing a unique green tea taste. Stevia leaves are used as a garnish for this hibiscus iced tea as well as a natural sweetener. How Do You Make Cocktails with Fresh Herbs? While you can certainly get creative while making herbal cocktails, knowing how to properly harvest the herbs will make your cocktail go from yummy to the must-have drink of the season. Always harvest your herbs before they flower. If you notice flower blooms coming, simply pinch them off. This is when your plant has the highest concentration of oils, and the taste will be better. If possible, harvest your herbs in the morning before the sun gets too strong. This is when your plant is the most hydrated and the leaves are the freshest. By harvesting in the morning, you cause less stress to the plant. Of course, chances are you won’t be enjoying your herbal cocktails first thing in the morning, but you can feel free to refrigerate the herbs or make a simple syrup. Simple Syrups Simple syrups are the easiest way to go if you plan on having a few cocktails or want to have ingredients ready to go for a couple of weeks. Plus, it sweetens at the same time! Simple syrups are made by infusing herbs in a sugar-water mixture over the stove. The herbs are then strained from the mixture. The resulting simple syrup mixes well with other liquids and can be stored in the refrigerator. Muddled To get the taste of fresh herbs instantly, muddle herbs before making a drink. Simply place your herbs in a glass or shaker and use a muddler with a round bottom. Feel free to add some sugar and fruit if your cocktail calls for it, and muddle again before adding the liquids. Garnish The easiest way to make herb garden cocktails? Just pick some fresh herbs and add them to the top of any beverage you like! Fresh basil, mint, sage, stevia, and rosemary are all excellent choices to add a little hint of herbal taste to your favourite cocktail, but the herb garden garnish possibilities are endless. Can You Use Dried Herbs in a Cocktail? Dried herbs are wonderful to have on hand, especially during the winter months when access to fresh herbs is difficult. However, they do lose some of the taste that you get when enjoying fresh herbs. Dried herbs can be trickier to use in herbal cocktails. They work best in a simple syrup and are then strained from the mixture. Larger leaves and sprigs such as rosemary, basil, mint, and lemon verbena will work okay when dried. You just don’t want any dried floaties in your cocktail! I’ve used dried lavender buds as a garnish. My Favourite Herbal Cocktails from the Garden Here are some of my tried-and-true herbal cocktails that I have made and loved. You can come up with all sorts of creative ways to use herbs in your favourite cocktails, but these recipes will give you a jumping-off point to come up with your own personalized recipes. Lavender Gin and Tonic You probably already know how crazy about lavender I am here on Garden Therapy. A classic gin and tonic already has the wonderful botanical taste of juniper, which pairs well with the delicate floral flavour of lavender. Add a splash of this lavender simple syrup and a wedge of lemon to your next G&T for a cocktail that tastes like a dream. Lavender simple syrup also gives the drink a beautiful colour. Garden Sangria I can’t get enough of the Spanish classic, sangria, especially when I have friends over! It’s so incredibly refreshing when you add all the fruits and muddle them into the drink. You can customize the sangria based on what fruits you have available. Add in garden-grown apples or berries…whatever is in season! Green Stevia Mojito Mojitos are a perfectly refreshing summer drink. Mix up a mojito with fresh stevia leaves muddled with lime juice and rum for an even fresher taste. To kick things up, try using mint varieties in fun flavours like chocolate mint or apple mint. Lots of fresh mint is essential to making a tasty mojito. Moonlight Mojito For even more mojito fun, try this recipe from my book Garden Made. The addition of fresh ginger gives it a little spice and a lot of refreshing kick. 6 mint sprigs 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger 2 tbsp. sugar Juice of 1 lemon 3 oz. dark rum Ice Soda Water To make, muddle the mint, ginger, and sugar with a mortar and pestle. Add lemon juice and stir. Put the mixture in a cocktail shaker with the rum and ice, fill with soda water, and shake it all up. Stir and pour into glasses and enjoy! Don’t forget to garnish with fresh mint leaves. Rosemary Martini We all know that herbs taste great with olives, and olives taste great in martinis, so why not combine all three? Make a classic martini, but skewer your olive with a rosemary branch. The rosemary gives this cocktail subtle botanical notes that pair perfectly with a savoury olive. Plus, it looks beautiful, so it is ideal for entertaining. Rosemary sprigs are easy to decorate any cocktail. Tropical Treat Follow this recipe for Pineapple Basil Soda and add a splash of rum or vodka for a grown-up version. The combination of pineapple and basil is surprising, refreshing, and delicious. Sip this and you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to an exotic beach. Photo compliments of Andrea Lynn. Infused Vodka Mix soda or tonic with a shot of fruit-infused vodka and garnish with a fresh sprig of basil or rosemary for some delightfully simple and refreshing herb garden cocktails. Infused vodka will take your favourite cocktails to the next level, and it is surprisingly easy to make. This is a nice way to use extra berries or other fruit from the garden and makes a lovely gift as well. This drink is made using strawberry infused vodka and thyme. Rosemary Fireball Bloody Mary Spice things up by adding hot peppers and Indigo Fireball tomatoes to your next Bloody Mary. These cherry tomatoes have a wonderfully tart taste and a beautiful red and yellow flame-like pattern. Follow a traditional Bloody Mary recipe, but puree some Indigo Fireball tomatoes and rosemary leaves and add that in with your tomato juice. Don’t forget to ramp up the spice on this one, it is called a fireball after all. Garnish with a trio of whole Indigo Fireball tomatoes on a skewer. I’ve also made a variation using pickled shishito peppers. They have a mildly spicy taste and are so tangy and delicious when pickled. The shishito pepper is a tasty snack and complements the savoury flavour of a Bloody Mary. Rosemary Paloma I recently hosted a planting party at my place and one of my friends who is a mastermind when it comes to edible gardening brought along a rosemary paloma. First, you make a rosemary simple syrup, and then combine it with sparkling water, fresh grapefruit, and tequila. I listed the recipe in this post. We also added a fresh sprig of rosemary as an ode to the delicious flavour in the cocktail. You can easily omit the tequila from this recipe and enjoy it as a mocktail. Ginger Mint Lemonade I adore the warming heat of ginger and have always loved the taste of a ginger ale. This ginger mint lemonade takes it up a notch, creating a delicious and soothing drink. For this recipe, I combined ginger syrup with fresh lemon juice and fresh mint leaves for a sweet, tart, and spicy drink. It’s a flavour combo you might not expect, but it’s delicious! To make it a cocktail, add vodka, gin, or your liquor of choice. You can also gift the ginger syrup as a hosting gift. Bonus! Edible Flower Ice Cubes Growing a cocktail herb garden will surely keep your drinks refreshing and unique this summer. Try keeping your drinks cool with herbs and edible flowers frozen into ice cubes, add a stalk of rhubarb instead of celery to a Caesar, and get creative with your summer herbal cocktails. Happy gartending! More Garden-Inspired Beverages A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants. Source link

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As a part of our 25th-anniversary celebration, we’re republishing formative magazine stories from before our website launched. This story previously appeared in Dwell’s July/August 2004 issue.  "So, tell me about your relationship with your father" does not typically count as small talk. But the children of famous architects pictured here know why we might be interested: Because they co-opted their fathers’ buildings as playgrounds and were dragged on endless architectural pilgrimages, they’ve acquired a heightened psychological relationship with architecture—a near instinctual sense for the way it orders our experience.Nathaniel Kahn recalls in his Oscar-nominated film My Architect that his father, Louis Kahn, "left no physical evidence that he’d ever been in our house, not even a bow tie hanging in the closet." The same can’t be said for this group; the houses they grew up in often epitomized their fathers’ work. And yet they all would certainly relate to Nathaniel’s quest to better understand his father—and perhaps himself—through his father’s architecture. While none of them are architects now (a key criterion for this admittedly haphazard sampling), all recognize architecture as a consistent subtext in their lives.And yet that doesn’t mean their homes are genteel modern showplaces furnished with hand-me-down Barcelona chairs and failed project models. On the contrary, this group exhibits a low-grade restlessness with the spaces of their lives, a calculated introspection about their domestic environments. Having been immersed from an early age in ceaseless architectural searching, they find it a tough habit to break. As a result, the portraits that follow catch their subjects where they are—in the midst of moves, renovations, and domestic sabbaticals. What materializes is a different sort of modernism, not of furniture and line but of vision and personality.—Nicholas Stern says the Central Park West apartment he grew up in never failed to catch the notice of visitors, even teenagers on their way to the kitchen to steal a beer. The 1967 renovation by his father, Robert A. M. Stern, dean of the Yale School of Architecture and eminent historicist architect, was an early expression of the postmodernism just then being defined. "It explores elements of classicism," says Nicholas, "but deconstructs them," with playful shifts in space and plan. His parents divorced, but his mother—who long ago married another architect—still lives there, and its lessons remain with Nicholas. "I learned my theory of architecture from my father, and I agree with it, whether through osmosis or genetics or just plain good taste."Work is nearing completion on the renovation of a townhouse designed, of course, by his dad—on a curving street in Greenwich Village for Nicholas and his wife, Courtney, an interior designer at the architectural firm of inveterate modernist Deborah Berke. Nicholas, who is a vice president at Taconic Builders, a high-end contractor, never even considered hiring any other architect, "not in my wildest dreams." While the project is primarily a restoration—"I can only imagine Page Six of the New York Post: Historic preservationist Robert A. M. Stern guts 1847 Greek Revival townhouse for his son, the builder," Nicholas jokes—that hasn’t prohibited a few big gestures, like a flowing staircase in the double-height dining room. He only wishes for a larger budget: "Then we could let Bob be Bob and go to the moon."Nicholas adds: "I am one of my father’s biggest admirers—if not the biggest." He was even going to follow in his footsteps, going so far as to enroll at the Yale School of Architecture, although years before his father became dean there. He lasted only two weeks.Until she was three years old, Julia Eisenman was dressed exclusively in white, at the insistence of her father, Peter Eisenman, the theorist/ringleader of the neo-Corbusian architectural clique once called the "New York Five." And it wasn’t just her—all the walls of their Riverside Drive apartment in New York were white. "At school, the girls had Laura Ashley wallpaper and plush carpeting, and I was like, ‘I want Laura Ashley wallpaper!’ And my dad said, ‘No. No. The most I’ll give you is one wall in your bedroom with a color on it.’ So I got one bluish-purplish wall. That kind of pissed me off, because I was like, ‘Why can’t we just paint the whole room?’"While this was years before she spent the summer as au pair to Richard Meier’s children, she understood why, sort of: "I knew that he was crazy. I knew that he was this architect and things had to be his way, but as a kid I had no idea what was really going on. I just knew that he had a certain aesthetic"—she draws out the word—"but I didn't know what the word meant."Now a film producer in Hollywood with aspirations to direct (the architect in her, she says), Julia has no misgivings about sharing the story. "If he can’t handle this, he shouldn’t have given birth to me, because he knows I’m just as provocative as he is."And she’s still fighting her modernist demons. She and her husband, Andy Behrman, the author of Electroboy: A Memoir of Mania, recently moved into a 1959 house in the Hollywood Hills. But she resisted it at first. "It wasn’t cozy!" she says. "But my growing up wasn’t cozy either. Obviously a huge part of me is drawn to that."—Oren Safdie grew up in Habitat, the revolutionary apartment building his father, architect Moshe Safdie, designed on the banks of the St. Lawrence River in Montreal for Expo 67. Its chockablock system of stacked prefabricated modules was Oren’s first playground and, later on, his newspaper delivery route. "I knew every nook and cranny of that building," he says. After his father moved out, 13-year-old Oren became tour guide to visiting dignitaries.Habitat, Oren realizes, continues to influence his choice of homes: The New York City shoebox he lived in for 10 years had a terrace overlooking the Hudson, like Habitat’s terraces overlooking the St. Lawrence. At the moment, he and his wife, M. J. Kang, a playwright and actor, have found themselves temporary residents of the guesthouse of a 10-acre Malibu avocado plantation. "It always goes back to the water and the garden," he says.Architecture, in both direct and circuitous ways, remains a part of his life. Oren finished a master’s degree in architecture at Columbia, but halfway through he had an epiphany: One summer in his father’s apartment overlooking the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, while working on a paper about the father and son architects Eliel and Eero Saarinen ("it’s probably telling"), he flipped to the back of his notebook and started writing. The rough novel that resulted became the basis for his burgeoning career as a playwright. Even so, he hasn’t stayed entirely away from architecture. His recent play, Private Jokes, Public Places, produced this winter in New York, is set at an architecture student’s final review.Erica Stoller’s father, architectural photographer Ezra Stoller, did as much to disseminate modern architecture as any architect. For many people, his iconic black-and-white photographs of the TWA Terminal, the Seagram Building, and the Guggenheim Museum, among others, are stronger icons than the buildings themselves. But he also disseminated modern architecture to his family, designing the open-plan house in an unorthodox subdivision in Westchester, New York, where Erica grew up. At home, his process worked in reverse: If at work he captured architecture in two dimensions, at home he tried to make every view resemble a photograph. "Everything was just beautifully spotlighted, but the light would always shine in your eyes," she says. While Erica has never gone in for spotlights, she still insists that the place where the walls hit the floor be visible—a key detail in bringing clarity to photographic space. And even though her husband, William Ketchum, is a leading authority on American folk art and antiques, she maintains a certain minimalism. "I get pretty nervous when the windowsills have stuff on them," she says. At work, clean lines come more easily—she’s surrounded by modern architecture, or at least its visual representation. For the past 20 years, Erica has run Esto, the photo agency her father founded, and turned it into the leading name in architectural photography. But her attitude about architecture’s relationship with its image is strikingly different from her father’s—more honest in its dishonesty. "He insisted photography is the only honest presentation, and that talking about architecture is just a lot of hooey," she says. "I, on the other hand, don’t think photography is honest at all. Everything about it is manipulative." Source link

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1) The Classic Rose Fold The Classic Rose Fold is a romantic and elegant choice that beautifully symbolizes love and beauty, making it perfect for a wedding setting. This fold resembles a blooming rose, which can bring a touch of sophistication to your table. How to Fold: Start with a square linen napkin. Lay it flat on a clean surface, making sure it’s smooth and free of wrinkles. Fold the napkin in half diagonally to form a triangle. The point of the triangle should face you, allowing for easy access to the next steps. Take the right corner of the triangle and fold it towards the center point, creating a smaller triangle. Press down gently to ensure the fold is sharp. Repeat this step with the left corner. Roll the napkin tightly from the bottom up towards the top point. The tighter you roll, the more defined your rose will look. Open the layers at the top slightly to reveal the “petals” of your rose. For a polished finish, you can secure the base with a gold napkin ring, adding an extra touch of elegance. Pair it with embroidery napkins to accentuate the romantic theme, or use it alongside striped napkins for a more modern touch. Top-Rated Wedding Napkins for Elegant Receptions When planning out stylish ways to fold cloth napkins for your wedding reception, the napkin itself plays a big role. The texture, color, and finish all affect how the fold holds and how polished the table looks. That’s why couples are turning to top-rated napkins that not only look great but also feel right on the table. All Cotton and Linen’s wedding napkin collection offers great options that pair well with both classic and creative folds. Tips for Success: Choose the Right Fabric: Linen napkins hold their shape well, making them ideal for this fold. Add Color: Opt for napkins in colors that complement your wedding palette to create a cohesive look. Practice Ahead of Time: Practice folding a few napkins before the big day to ensure smooth execution during your event. Read More: Holiday Party Etiquette: Do's & Don'ts for Holidays 2024 as a Host 2) The Bow Tie Fold The Bow Tie Fold brings a playful yet elegant flair to your table setting. This fold is perfect for weddings with a more casual or whimsical theme, such as rustic, vintage, or outdoor celebrations. How to Fold: Begin with a square napkin laid flat on a clean surface. Fold the napkin in half diagonally to create a triangle. Ensure the point is facing away from you. Take the right corner of the triangle and fold it towards the left side, creating a smaller triangle. Press down firmly to create a crease. Repeat this with the left corner, folding it over to meet the right side. The napkin should now resemble a triangular shape with a small flap. Tuck the point of the triangle behind the folded edges to secure the shape of the bow tie. Adjust the folds to create a neat bow tie appearance. Place the folded napkin on each plate or use a hemstitched napkin for an added touch of texture and detail. The Bow Tie Fold looks delightful when paired with plaid napkins, offering a rustic charm that is ideal for outdoor receptions. For a touch of elegance, consider matching it with fine china or gold accents. Best Affordable Wedding Napkins for Budget-Conscious Brides You don’t need to spend big to get beautiful napkins that work well for stylish folding. Natural cloth napkins bring a clean, earthy look, while lace napkins add subtle detailing. For larger events, wedding napkins in bulk are a smart pick—budget-friendly and easy to mix with any wedding style. Additional Suggestions: Coordinate with Table Decor: Choose napkins that complement your tablecloths or centerpieces for a cohesive look. Color Matters: Light colors work well for formal events, while bold colors can be fun for casual gatherings. Also Read: What is a Kitchen Prep Table: Its Types and How to Built Them 3) The Pocket Fold The Pocket Fold is a practical and stylish option that allows for utensils to be neatly stored at the table. This fold not only looks great but also helps guests easily access their cutlery, making it ideal for buffet-style receptions. How to Fold: Start with a square cloth napkin laid flat on a clean surface. Fold the napkin in half to form a rectangle. Ensure the crease is sharp for a polished look. Fold the top edge down about two-thirds of the way, creating a pocket at the bottom of the napkin. Flip the napkin over so the pocket is facing down, and then fold the sides in towards the center to create a neat edge. Slide utensils into the pocket you created. You can also add a small flower or a card with the guest's name for a personalized touch. It works beautifully with linen napkins and can be adorned with decorative elements such as fresh herbs or greenery for a rustic feel. Best Wedding Napkins for a Formal Reception For a formal setup, structure and simplicity matter. Wedding linen napkins hold shape beautifully, white napkins always give a clean finish, and Victorian napkins add a refined touch to traditional folding styles like the fan or the diamond. Creative Ideas: Add a Personal Touch: Use personalized cards or tags attached to the utensils for a warm welcome to your guests. Mix and Match: Experiment with different napkin colors and patterns to create an eye-catching display. 4) The Knot Fold The Knot Fold adds a unique and modern twist to your table setting. This fold symbolizes unity and togetherness, making it a fitting choice for weddings. It’s an excellent option for contemporary wedding themes, adding a casual yet stylish vibe. How to Fold: Begin with a square napkin and lay it flat on a clean surface. Fold the napkin in half diagonally, so you have a triangle. Take the two ends of the triangle and tie them in a knot. Make sure it’s tight enough to hold the shape but not so tight that it becomes difficult to adjust later. Adjust the knot to your liking, fluffing the ends of the napkin to create a beautiful, casual look. Place the folded napkin on each plate, or you can even use it as a decorative element at the center of the table. The Knot Fold looks wonderful when combined with plaid napkins or striped napkins, offering a relaxed yet sophisticated appearance. Best Wedding Napkins for Elegant Receptions Want napkin folds that stand out without being loud? Go for embroidered wedding napkins that bring texture into the fold or classic color napkins in rich tones that highlight the table decor. These add subtle flair without overcomplicating the table. Tips for the Perfect Knot: Use Quality Napkins: High-quality linen or cotton napkins will hold the knot better and maintain their shape throughout the event. Accessorize: Add small floral accents to the knot for an extra layer of charm. Read Related: What are some Halloween decorations that can add pops of color to my home decor? 5) The Fan Fold The Fan Fold is a classic choice that adds a touch of elegance to your table. This fold works particularly well for traditional weddings and can be styled in various ways to fit your theme. How to Fold: Lay the napkin flat on a clean surface. Fold the napkin in half diagonally to form a triangle. Starting from the bottom of the triangle, make small accordion-style folds, about an inch each. Make sure each fold is even for a polished look. Once you reach the top, hold the napkin at the base and gently pull the layers apart to create a fan shape. Set it upright in a glass or on the plate, adjusting the layers for the desired look. The Fan Fold works beautifully with embroidery napkins or hemstitched napkins, providing a sophisticated touch that enhances the overall table setting. Top Wedding Napkins for Luxurious Wedding Receptions For a high-end feel, monogram napkins bring in personalization, while printed wedding napkins and decorative napkins offer bold visuals. These napkins look stunning in presentation folds like the pouch or layered fan—and they elevate the overall mood of the reception table instantly. Suggestions for Enhancement: Color Coordination: Choose colors that complement your centerpieces or table settings for a cohesive look. Personal Touch: Consider adding small decorative items, such as a sprig of lavender or a small flower, tucked into the folds for an added special touch. By choosing the right fold and napkin, you can create an elegant dining experience that your guests will remember for years to come. Happy folding, and may your wedding be filled with love, joy, and beauty! Source link

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The cleaning industry is undergoing a significant transformation, shaped by evolving customer expectations, advancements in technology, and an increasing emphasis on sustainability and health standards. As businesses and institutions strive to maintain safer, cleaner environments, the demand for innovative solutions and skilled labor continues to rise. At the same time, the industry faces persistent challenges, including workforce shortages, regulatory changes, and the need to balance efficiency with environmental responsibility.   This roundtable brings together leaders, innovators, and experts from across the cleaning sector to explore current trends and share insights on overcoming these challenges. From the integration of smart cleaning technologies and eco-friendly products to strategies for talent retention and operational excellence, this discussion aims to uncover practical approaches and forward-looking strategies that are shaping the future of the cleaning industry.  The cleaning industry is known for its high turnover rate, but that doesn't seem to be an issue with in-house departments. What's the labor situation in your department and why do you think in-house teams are able to hold onto staff better than contractors?  WALTON: We are not exempt from high turnover rates, but this is largely due to our rule regarding limited term employment (LTE) under the current (Wisconsin) state statue for LTEs. This makes our labor fairly transient in some respects. Contractors tend to enter into business with us under strict guidelines that must be adhered to via a rigorous bidding process. Contractors go where the bid goes so in that way this employment may be less stable than an in-house team with ties to the company.  CROWELL: In house departments, in my experience, are better at retaining a more integrated staff who perform better than outsourced staff.  KRAUSE: Our program is an in-house cleaning staff.  We retain our staff through wages and benefits along with other perks including education support.  We have very few vacancies currently in our cleaning team and are seeing more vacancies in our maintenance and trades areas. Difficulties for those vacancies is finding qualified employees for the wages we currently offer.  MARTINEZ: Job Stability and Benefits: In-house staff are usually employed directly by the institution (e.g., schools, hospitals, or corporations), which often means better job security, access to benefits like health insurance, paid leave, and retirement plans — perks that many contractors don't provide consistently. Sense of Belonging and Recognition: In-house employees are part of the broader organization, which can foster a sense of community and loyalty. They’re more likely to be recognized and appreciated by other staff, which contributes to job satisfaction. Consistent Schedules and Workloads: In-house teams often enjoy more predictable work hours and stable workloads. Contractors, on the other hand, may face fluctuating schedules or be moved between job sites with little notice. Opportunities for Advancement: Many institutions provide training and promote from within, giving in-house employees a career path that can be motivating and reduce turnover. Better Working Conditions: Because institutions are directly responsible for their employees, there is often more accountability around safety, proper equipment, and respectful treatment—areas where contracted workforces can sometimes fall short.  BOYD: I have had the opportunity to manage in-house and contractor custodial employees. I found that in-house has a lower turnover rate. Some factors that have a direct impact in the higher turnover rate with contracted custodial workers are (1) feeling as if they are not part of the business/culture, (2) less benefits such as retirement, PTO, and health insurance coverage, and (3) no room for growth or promotions. My current position as Supervisor of Custodial Services for a large local school system averages a 7 percent turnover rate.  ALMEIDA: In my experience, in-house cleaning staff tends to be more stable than in contracted services for these reasons: 1. Better Pay and Benefits — In-house staff are often classified as employees of the organization (such as a hospital, school, or corporate office), which typically comes with better compensation packages. This can include health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, and job security. Meanwhile, contract cleaning companies may operate on tighter margins and often provide fewer benefits. 2. Stronger Sense of Belonging (family) — In-house workers are part of the broader organizational culture. They often feel more connected to the mission, people and students of the organization, which can boost morale and engagement. Contractors may feel like outsiders, which can contribute to a lack of motivation and higher turnover. 3. More Predictable Schedules — In-house teams usually have more consistent scheduling, leading to better work/life balance. Contract employees sometimes face variable shifts, last-minute changes, or irregular hours, which can create burnout and dissatisfaction. 4. Investment in Training and Development — Organizations that maintain in-house teams are more likely to invest in ongoing training, performance feedback, and professional development — factors that help employees grow and stay longer. Contractors might not receive the same level of investment. 5. Union Representation — Many in-house departments are unionized, giving workers a collective voice, formal grievance procedures, and a greater sense of stability. Contractors are less likely to be unionized.  What are the three biggest challenges in hiring and retaining janitorial staff today?  ALMEIDA: High turnover and low job satisfaction are several challenges. Custodial positions often face high turnover rates due to the nature of the work — physically demanding, repetitive, and sometimes lacking appreciation. Many employees view it as a temporary or transitional job, making long-term retention difficult. Lack of career advancement opportunities and minimal recognition contribute to overall dissatisfaction.Labor shortages and competition for low-wage labor is a huge challenge across industries (e.g., warehouse, retail, food service), especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, which reshaped all workforce expectations. Custodial work often loses candidates to jobs that offer better pay, benefits, or working conditions. Background checks and schedule requirements can also limit the hiring pool as the onboarding could take months. Lastly, rising minimum wages and employee expectations for benefits (like healthcare, paid time off, and flexible schedules) are pushing employers to improve compensation packages. Many janitorial companies operate on thin margins, especially if they rely on fixed contracts, making it challenging to offer competitive pay. Without competitive offerings, both hiring and retaining workers becomes more difficult. BOYD: Knowledge — There is an overall lack of knowledge about the cleaning industry's best practices. Skills — Coming on board with little-to-no cleaning skills or the inability to learn effectively. Ability — This seems to be a new concern in all service-oriented positions. Persons coming onboard appear to lack a sense of overall ability or desire to perform well, or provide service to others.  CROWELL: Keeping them engaged during the onboarding process, making sure they are integrated properly with the entire organization, and checking in regularly with them.  KRAUSE: The first challenge is providing competitive wages compared to similar markets (such as city or county jobs). Challenge two is the retention of qualified staff. We offer a number of perks other than benefits in order to improve the retention of our team members. The final challenge is communication and management of staff. We have staff that speak several languages and a wide range of generations within our team. We must make sure that we are providing the support and resources they need in order to retain them.   MARTINEZ: High Turnover and Labor Shortages: Custodial roles often experience high turnover due to the physically demanding nature of the work and relatively low wages. Many employers struggle to find and keep reliable workers, especially in a tight labor market. Wage Competition and Inflation: As wages rise in other low-skill sectors like retail and food service, custodial positions must compete by offering more attractive pay and benefits. Budget constraints, especially in public institutions or fixed-contract environments, often make it hard to match these increases. Generational Employees: The new generation (millennials) are a challenge to retain because you have to figure out what inspires and motivates them. The challenge is figuring out what that is and being consistent. This is not a one size fits all approach. You have to adapt to different personalities and team diversity.  WALTON: Job growth, stagnant wages, and an aging population. Not many people are vying for the spot on the custodial staff. It is no longer a viable blue collar job option. It is not attractive to younger generations.  What retention/upskilling strategies do you have in place for your team and why do you think they are successful?  BALDWIN: We are rolling out a career progression plan for retention and upskilling our team. There will be three phases focusing on entry-level, mid-level and then advanced-level positions. The goal for success is to advance competencies and skills that will ensure staff are confident and prepared when opportunities for advancement arise. For example, developing a workforce with higher skill and competency levels in order to increase performance efficiencies. Also compensating staff based on demonstrated competencies and skills.  WALTON: I am working through a comp plan where the staff can upskill and for each skill they learn, they can be compensated for it depending on competency. This gives you something to look forward to when lead and supervisory postings may be few and far between.   CROWELL: See my response above — not doing those things will keep staff engaged and learning how integrated their role is.  KRAUSE: Educational support — This can be reimbursement for college courses that staff members complete, as well as classes offered on our campus for our staff to learn English for better communication and personal growth. Free or low-cost personal and professional classes. We offer a huge variety of free or low-cost training and seminars on campus. This includes CPR, financial classes, career-based classes such as leadership and management. We also offer food discounts in our Dining Halls for staff. We offer innovation and initiative awards (monetary) and merit raises. MARTINEZ: The Salt Lake City School District has established an annual Employee Appreciation Day, held each June, to recognize and celebrate the hard work and dedication of our staff. On this day, employees gather at a designated school site to participate in collaborative team-building activities. Lunch is provided, and staff are given the remainder of the day off with pay. This event has been met with overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many employees especially valuing the opportunity to engage in team-building experiences. In addition, the District has introduced a Professional Development Day, held annually in March or April. This event features workshops and training sessions led by external vendors, industry experts, and members of our Human Resources team. Topics include skill development, workplace safety, leadership, and career advancement. This initiative reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting our employees' professional growth and well-being by providing them with the tools and resources necessary to enhance both their professional and personal lives.  BOYD: We continuously keep candidates in the pipeline using more frequent interviews or job fairs. We also have incentives such as trivia Tuesday, employee of the month, and staff lunches. Finally, we publish “Custodial Dispatch,” a monthly newsletter for the department with a goal to improve communication.  ALMEIDA: We encourage continuous learning through a mix of internal training, external certifications, and access to online learning platforms like LinkedIn Learning or Coursera. We also run lunch-and-learns and peer knowledge-sharing sessions to make learning collaborative. Mentorship, cross-training, and job shadowing have also helped. Team members are paired with mentors inside the team for career development. Cross-training across functions not only deepens skills but also promotes empathy and collaboration across various roles. We also actively recognize achievements, both big and small, and ensure that career path growth is transparent with our employees. This helps people see a future with the organization and understand what is required to reach the next level in their career.  next page of this article:Product Trends Impacting Cleaning Departments POSTED ON: 6/12/2025 Industry News & Trends Industry Training & Events Advice from the Field Insights & Updates Source link

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Hi GPODers! A big move is always rife with challenges: adjusting to an unfamiliar neighborhood, saying goodbye to loved ones, discovering your new favorite spots in town, acclimating to a different environment, and more. For gardeners, moving to a new location and climate includes the added challenge of educating yourself on the best practices for the area. Linda Boblett knows this all too well, as she made the change from gardening in Ohio to the mountains of Washington. A completely new climate and increased activity from pests have given her plenty to adjust to, but her lush plantings show no indication that this transition has inhibited her ability to create garden beauty. Hi all! After gardening in the Midwest (Ohio), where just about anything grows, I now garden on Lookout Mountain in Whatcom County, Washington state (Zone 8a). Deer and slugs are a constant threat to plants, but I’ve learned to deal with it. I’m not sure what kind of conditions Linda was working with in Ohio, but her new garden is a woodland wonderland quintessential to the mountains of the Pacific Northwest. The forest around her property is thick, and the plantings within her beds are foliage heavy. Foliage heavy, but certainly not without flowers—an assortment of rhododendron makes a colorful splash along the border of her patio. A small seating area is perfectly placed to enjoy all these bold blooms and bask in the tranquility of this shady corner of the garden. For a shady foundation bed, Linda has a lovely collection of hostas in various colors, patterns, and forms. I wonder how she is managing to keep these beauties from becoming a feast for her local deer. Shade can feel limiting to many gardeners, but it’s really an opportunity to plant something wonderful that would get scorched in the sun. Foamflowers, for example, love the shade and are textural powerhouses, with spires of tiny flowers and fabulous foliage forms. This appears to be the three-leaf foamflower (Tiarella trifoliata, Zones 3–9). Another shady foundation planting features various ferns and light purple blooms of a variegated Jacob’s ladder. A closer look at the Jacob’s ladder reveals more of that gorgeous golden, variegated foliage. It is potentially the Brise d’Anjou variety (Polemonium ‘Blanjou’, Zones 4–8). A rustic garden bench in another shady spot in the garden is a perfect complement to a more naturalistic scene. Linda’s garden is not solely shade; some areas do get hours of bright sun, but these sunnier spots are equally as lush and inviting. Ground covers creep between the gaps in these stone steps, and colorful containers lead you deeper into the garden. One final view of the gardens and a beautiful lily pad birdbath! Thank you so much for sharing your lush and lively garden with us, Linda! It’s clear that you’re adjusting well to gardening in the Pacific Northwest and creating an enchanting outdoor living area despite the new challenges you face. Whether your garden is brand-new, decades old, large, small, or anything in between, we’d love to hear the story behind your space and the journey you’ve had with gardening. To share your garden story with the blog, follow the directions below to submit photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   We want to see YOUR garden! Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5–10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here Fine Gardening Recommended Products National Wildlife Federation®: Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Other Backyard Wildlife, Expanded Second Edition (Creative Homeowner) 17 Projects & Step-by-Step Instructions to Give Back to Nature Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. From the National Wildlife Federation, the largest U.S. nonprofit conservation organization, with 6 million members and 51 state and territorial affiliated organizations. 17 step-by-step projects that everyone can do together make getting your family back to nature easy, educational, and fun. Over 200 color photos of backyard wildlife habitats and the wide variety of creatures they attract, plus step-by-step photos and illustrations for family projects. Learn wildlife-friendly practices for gardening, landscape design, supplemental feeders, birdbaths, nesting places, and more. Learn how to attract backyard pollinators, from bees and butterflies to beetles, bats, and hummingbirds Get your garden certified by the National Wildlife Federation's Garden for Wildlife(TM) program by following the included certification application checklist. Corona® Multi-Purpose Metal Mini Garden Shovel Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Longer Service Life: The blade of this round small shovel is made of carbon steel, which can effectively improve the hardness by high temperature quenching, and the surface has anti-rust coating to avoid rusting. In the process of use when encountering hard objects will not bend and deformation. Sturdy Structure: The small garden shovel with D-handle, ergonomically designed grip can increase the grip of the hand when using, the handle is made of strong fiberglass, will not bend and break under heavy pressure. Quick Digging: Well-made digging shovel has a sharp blade, and the round shovel head is designed to easily penetrate the soil and cut quickly while digging to enhance your work efficiency. ARS Telescoping Long Reach Pruner Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Telescopes from 4 to 7'. Cut and Hold (160) Blades. Drop forged blades for unsurpassed long lasting sharpness. Lightweight, 2.3 lbs., for continued use. Perfectly balanced for easy pruning. Source link

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To some, April is the kickoff of the gardening season. It’s a busy time for gardeners as we prep seeds, garden beds, and containers. Here are some of the main April gardening jobs and tasks to ensure your garden is ready for the season. April is one of the best months for us gardeners. Outside, signs of life are starting to bud, and the promise of spring is finally in show. Gardeners know that the majority of work actually occurs in the spring, not the summer, as we work to prep and plant this year’s plants. While we can begin in February and March, we really start to kick things off in April. If you’re new to gardening, knowing what to do and when can quickly become overwhelming. Here is a list of some of the April gardening jobs you can get done, even if winter is still holding on tight where you live. 1. Turn Your Compost If you’re anything like me, you probably ignore your compost a little more in the winter than in the warmer months. Now is a great time to check on your compost and give it some aeration. Any finished compost can go right into the garden beds. Add it as a top layer without digging it in so you don’t disrupt the soil and microorganisms in it. 2. Plan Your Garden Layout Most of my garden remains the same, as I rely heavily on perennials. But I have a few beds that I like to change up yearly for my vegetables, herbs, and cut flowers. It’s a good idea to plan out where you plan to place your plants based on their growing conditions (light vs shade, moisture, wind protection, preferred soil, etc.) and their spacing requirements. Planning ahead of time also gives you a good indication of how many seeds to start, so you don’t start too many or too little. Try square-foot gardening to maximize a small space. 3. Spring Pruning I don’t do much pruning in spring, as many of the flower buds and leaves are forming or already formed before going into dormancy. The last thing I want to do is cut off this year’s flowers before they’ve even bloomed! Pruning in spring can be helpful for controlling plants that are invasive since you can trim them before they flower and spread. With buds forming, it can also be helpful to spot diseased or dead branches that might have been difficult to identify in the winter. Those can be removed to give the plant new vigour. Most buds are already on the wood, so avoid snipping off any flowering branches. Hopefully, your past self treated your gardening tools well, and they were cleaned and safely stored away for the winter. Before you bring them out for another season, now is a great time to sharpen your tools. Use a coarse file followed by a sharpening stone to sharpen your pruners. Don’t forget to sharpen your forks, shovels, shears, and even trowels if they’re dull! I like to sharpen my pruners every couple of months. 5. Start Seeds By April, almost all zones in the Northern Hemisphere can start seeds. For those with mild winters, you can begin direct sowing. Others can start seeds indoors. Finding out when to start your seeds takes some practice. The most important thing to know is the average frost date for your area. Seed packets will tell you when to start seeds based on this date, such as planting indoors 6 weeks before the last frost date or direct sowing after all risk of frost has passed. If you’re new to seed starting, I highly suggest you check out my seed starting eBook Get Growing! It has everything you need to know, from buying seeds to germination to caring for your plants as they reach full maturity. Grow lights for seed starting is especially helpful when living in a colder climate. 6. Cool Season Crops Many vegetables (and flowers) prefer the cool conditions of spring as opposed to the hot summer weather. Focus on planting cool-weather veggies like lettuce, spinach, carrots, kale, broccoli, and peas. For flowers, plant sweet peas, bachelor’s buttons, feverfew, larkspur, nigella, poppies, calendula, snapdragons, and yarrow. 7. Fertilize Many blooming shrubs will like to get a dose of slow-release fertilizer in the spring. Personally, I skip this step since I believe my soil has everything the plant needs, and I don’t need to supplement it with synthetic fertilizers. Instead, I like to amend my soil with compost. I also make my own organic fertilizers, which I dedicate a whole chapter to in my book, Garden Alchemy. My homemade fertilizers. 8. Order Bulbs Right about now, you’re probably enjoying all the tulips, daffodils, and other fall bulbs you planted. Do a little work for your future self again by ordering your summer flowering bulbs. I’m talking dahlias, freesia, gladiolus, crocosmia, canna lilies, liatris, lilies, calla lilies, and begonias. Depending on where you are and the type of bulb, you may even be able to plant your summer flowering bulbs, too. Read the package to know your perfect planting time, and follow the guidelines. Dahlias are a popular cut flower in the summer that should be planted in the spring. 9. Spring Containers While we’re itching to get outside and in the garden beds, doing a little container refresh is a great way to get that gardening bug out and a little colour into your life. Head to the garden centre (here’s your official excuse), and buy some spring plant starts. Oftentimes, they’ll have some spring bulbs you can put in there. Other great options are pansies, primula, cyclamen, and ranunculus. Spring containers I put together a couple of years ago using spring bulbs and primula. 10. Plan Big Projects If you did some goal planning earlier in the year, you might already know what big projects you want to tackle in the garden. Now is a great time to sit down and formulate a plan. This could include making a map, a budget plan, sourcing materials, choosing plants, and more. I highly suggest adding a nice, shaded sitting area to your garden. Having a place where you can rest mid-gardening or on those days you just want to sit and enjoy your garden sanctuary is vital to any size garden. A resting spot never goes unused in the garden. 11. Decluttering Spring cleaning is supposed to be the time when you go through and do a big decluttering. While I agree that it’s a great time to toss out broken bits and things you can’t salvage, I find that freeing up space isn’t always the magical solution. Sometimes, hanging onto items for when you need them is the better choice. Consider keeping supplies around if you’re going through your gardening shed. As I finally start planting everything in my garden this spring, I’m going to be thankful I saved all those plastic nursery pots and trays for seed starting this year. Keep what you will use again, upcycle what you can, and recycle or give away the rest. 12. Resist Cleaning Up If the sun is really shining where you live in April, you may already hear your neighbours busting out the lawn mower. By now, you might have seen some lazy bumble bees coming out of hibernation to visit all the spring flowering trees. While some of the bees may be out, other bees and pollinators are still resting. It’s important to resist cleaning up your garden beds for the hibernating critters in there. The mulch also protects the plants and invertebrates against any late frosts. If you wouldn’t plant your tomatoes, then it’s too early for spring clean-up. To further help pollinators, practice No Mow May (and April!) so that you can help create habitat and forage for those early-season pollinators. Leave the leaf mulch and dead debris for a little while longer. 13. Get Outside No matter where you are, the weather should slowly be getting better. I just know you’ve had some sunshine-filled days, even if the frost is still on the ground! Spring is when we feel our SAD slowly start to lift, and we can further speed it along by getting outside, enjoying some fresh air, soaking in vitamin D, and getting back in touch with nature. Getting outside has so many proven mental health benefits, so get out there daily if you can, even for just a few minutes. Bundle up and go for a walk. 14. Begin a Stretching Routine When the gardening season starts, we quickly overdo it. The first sunny day, you’re out there pruning, digging, and cleaning, and your body isn’t used to it. You’ll find yourself needing a soak in the tub to alleviate all the damage you did in your excitement! I’ve definitely been there. Consider implementing a stretching routine that you can adhere to for the next few months to be kind to your body. Stretching can help alleviate stiffness, prevent injuries, and enhance your overall mobility. And that’s a wrap on April gardening jobs! That’s more than enough to keep you busy and excited for the month. Let me know what you’re working on in your garden this month in the comments below. More April Gardening Jobs to Get Done Source link

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Are you wondering whether or not you should mulch your tomatoes and if so, what material to use? There’s no shortage of mulch options out there for your garden beds, but finding the right one for your tomatoes can make all the difference between a struggling crop and a bountiful harvest. Mulching your tomatoes can serve a variety of different purposes. It keeps the soil warm when the weather turns cool and cool when the sun beats down. It locks in moisture, keeps weeds in check, improves soil quality, and even helps prevent disease. But not all mulch is created equal – and some options might be better suited for your growing conditions or gardening goals than others. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the best mulch options for tomatoes so you can pick the right one for your setup. If you need a refresher about cultivating these nightshades in your veggie garden, check out our guide to growing tomatoes. Now here’s a look at our list of the seven best mulches for your plants:  7 of the Best Mulches for Tomatoes 1. Compost Compost offers many of the same benefits as the black plastic that’s sometimes used to cover the ground – without introducing microplastics into your soil. The dark color helps absorb sunlight and warm the soil, which can be especially useful early in the growing season. In areas where temperatures cool off at night, compost retains heat absorbed during the day, keeping the soil warmer overnight. However, be aware that in hot summer weather that same dark color can intensify the heat. If that’s a concern, consider switching to a lighter material as the weather heats up. You can buy compost or make your own. If you’re not composting yet, this might be the perfect time to start. Our guide to getting started with compost can help you out. For gardeners who prefer to purchase, compost is often available from local municipalities, nurseries, garden centers, or online. Need an online option? Tank’s Organic Compost Pick up a one-cubic foot bag of Tank’s Organic Compost available at Arbico Organics. 2. Grass Clippings If you are a creative and thrifty gardener who favors reuse over buying new, you may be wondering if you can use grass clippings from the lawn to mulch tomatoes? You can indeed! Just be sure to apply the clippings in a thin layer. A thick pile can form a dense mat that prevents water and air from reaching the soil. But more critical than how much you use is where those clippings came from. If your lawn has been treated with broadleaf herbicides, skip this option entirely – the residues can damage or kill tomato plants. If you have access to unsprayed grass clippings, they will make an excellent ground covering that will biodegrade over winter, becoming a source of organic matter in your garden soil. But if grass clippings aren’t going to work in your garden, there are other solutions. 3. Living Mulch Have you considered growing other plants as a ground cover instead of spreading organical material under your tomatoes? Low-growing flowering plants can be used as living mulches for your tomato crop – and this is one of the many benefits of companion planting. In addition to covering the soil, living mulch provides food and habitat for beneficial insects and pollinators. There aren’t any major downsides to this strategy, as long as you choose your ground cover wisely. Make sure to pick plants that thrive in the same growing conditions as tomatoes and stay low to the ground, options include sweet alyssum or nasturtiums. ‘Tiny Tim’ is a low-growing sweet alyssum with white flowers, perfect for use as a ground cover under your nightshades. ‘Tiny Tim’ Sweet Alyssum You can find packets of ‘Tiny Tim’ sweet alyssum seeds from Botanical Interests. Perennials like thyme also work well. Thyme helps to repel pests and forms a dense mat beneath your tomatoes, serving double duty as mulch and companion plant. Thyme You can find packets of thyme seeds in a variety of sizes available from High Mowing Organic Seeds. 4. Pine Straw Pine straw isn’t just for flower beds and natural areas – if you have an abundance on hand, it can also serve as mulch for tomato plants. Before buying a bale expressly for this purpose, keep in mind that pine straw breaks down more slowly than many other mulches. You’ll likely need to rake it aside when prepping the garden again next season. Also, pine straw has an acidic pH, making it ideal for acid-loving plants like blueberries. But if your garden soil is already on the acidic side, you might prefer to reach for another option. 5. Leaf Litter When trees drop their leaves in autumn, these add humus to the forest floor and provide habitat for overwintering insects. As they decompose, the leaves add nutrients to the soil. Maybe you’re already doing your part by letting those fallen leaves stay put through the winter to support the ecosystem. If so, pat yourself on the back – and then keep an eye out for the bags your neighbors set out after raking. Leaves are one of the easiest to source and cheapest materials you can use to cover the soil. Simply gather and save them in the fall, then apply as a mulch in the spring or early summer when your tomatoes are in the ground. There’s no need to shred them first, but as with grass clippings, be sure to apply them in a thin layer to avoid creating a thick mat on the surface of the soil. Unlike pine straw, leaf litter can break down in place, gradually adding organic matter to your soil. Learn more about using leaves for compost and mulch. 6. Straw Straw is a lightweight, easy-to-spread mulch option for mulching tomatoes. Since it’s light in color it will reflect the sun, helping to protect your crop from excessive heat during the height of summer. You’ll need to apply a thicker layer of straw than you would with leaf litter or grass clippings to ensure it doesn’t blow away at the first gust of wind. Also, be aware of potential biocide contamination. If the straw has been treated with herbicides or other chemicals, it could harm your plants. Choose organic straw when possible, or ask whether it’s been sprayed or not before use. Our guide to mulching with straw has more information. 7. Wood Chips Finally, if you’re wondering if a bag of pine bark would work to cover the soil, here’s a better option: wood chips. They’re more economical and environmentally friendly than bagged bark, especially if you make them yourself from tree and shrub trimmings using a chipper. Or talk to a local arborist – many are happy to drop off a truckload of wood chips at no cost. Smaller wood chips will biodegrade and become part of the organic matter in your soil, while larger chunks that don’t break down over winter may need to be pushed aside before planting the following spring. As always, if the wood chips aren’t coming from your own property, ask whether the material has been treated with herbicides or pesticides. Avoiding pesticide residues is just as important as steering clear of herbicides – after all, bees help pollinate tomato flowers! Which Mulch for Your ‘Maters? You now have seven different mulches to choose from for your tomato crop. Make your choice based on your locally available resources, budget, climate needs, and personal preferences. Which type are you using? Do you have a go-to mulch that we didn’t cover here? Drop your questions and tips into the comments section below! And if you need more advice about growing a delicious harvest of tomatoes, have a read of these guides next: © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Product photos via Arbico Organics, Botanical Interests, and High Mowing Organic Seeds. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '176410929431717'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Source link

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The best modular sofas allow you to reconfigure and rearrange your couch setup to suit your needs, whether those are lounging, entertaining, or sleeping in. While a spacious couch certainly has its allure, a modular sofa can transform into the sectional of your dreams, a love seat with a matching chair set, or a three-seater sofa—all in a matter of minutes (and with a little elbow grease). Not only are these adjustable pieces of furniture especially customizable to meet a variety of space dimensions, you can also add or take away modular pieces as needed. That means that from move to move, there’s a high chance a modular sofa can fit the dimensions and interior design of any space, making them a great choice particularly for small apartments.We’ve found that the best modular sofas don’t actually look like modular sofas, making them an especially smart buy to have in your design arsenal. In fact, we think these streamlined silhouettes actually look more tailored, as each cushion has its own structural integrity.When it comes to deciding on a style, you definitely have options—from low-slung Castlery shapes to easy-to-transport Burrow designs, design-forward options from Herman Miller or an elevated Lulu and Georgia pick that can host a whole party. Without further ado, here are eight of the best modular sofas on our radar—including picks tested by the AD team.Our Top Picks for the Best Modular Sofas:Inside this ArticleAccordionItemContainerButtonBest Overall Modular SofaRachel FletcherRachel FletcherCastlery Jonathan Chaise Sectional SofaAccordionItemContainerButtonDimensions: 117" wide, 72" deep, 28" tallMaterials: Polyester, cotton, and nylon blend upholstery, LVL and plywood, foam, metal springsAccordionItemContainerButtonShipping: Free shipping for orders over $999 for selected cities and free cancellation before dispatch. White-glove delivery flat rate fee of $100–150, 2–4 week estimated delivery time on made-to-order productsReturn Policy: 14-day return policy for items in original condition with original packaging (20% purchase price return fee applies). An additional $50 repackaging fee appliesYou can go as big or as small as you’d like with the Jonathan Chaise Sectional from Castlery, a modular option that starts as a two-seater and builds out into a larger configuration that can accommodate up to six. “This sofa is incredibly comfortable and feels very well-made,” AD commerce director Rachel Fletcher says in her review. “I’d actually say it’s closer to my mattress in terms of firmness—medium firm to firm—which I very much appreciate. It’s not the kind of sofa you’re going to sink into quicksand style, and there’s absolutely no sagging on this one.The minimal silhouette of this low-slung sofa works great for a more understated space but could easily appeal to a household with kids and pets as well. “Castlery does offer swatches and fabric samples, but I went all in without testing first and wasn’t sure what a polyester blend might feel like,” she adds. “Thankfully, it’s very soft! It’s made to resemble wool, without the itch or stiffness, and the heathered fabric makes it look expensive; it should also help hide stains.”Best Customizable Modular SofaLovesac Sactional, 5 Seats + 5 SidesAccordionItemContainerButtonDimensions: 118" wide, 64" deep, 29" tallMaterials: Velvet, chenille, cross-weave, weave, polylinen, leather, foam, down and polyester blendAccordionItemContainerButtonShipping: Free shipping on all US orders. Orders deliver in approximately 1–4 weeks, custom covers may take between 4–10 weeksReturn Policy: 60-day return policy for items in original condition with original packaging. Final sale for custom merchandise, floor models, and clearance itemsIf you’re the type of couch buyer who needs to finesse every detail, the Lovesac Sactional has your name written all over it. It comes in about 20 modular configurations that range from L-shapes to U-shaped setups (like the one we saw in Devin Booker's Arizona living room), and around 200 custom fabric cover options (overs are removable and machine-washable for added convenience!). There are three fill options to choose from, and accessories upgrades like coasters and built-in power outlets.“Between working from it and snuggling up with my partner to watch a movie at the end of the day, I spend more time on the couch than I’d care to admit,” says tester and contributor Bailey Berg, who chose the Mediterranean Corded Velvet fabric, Lovesoft Luxurious fill, and opted to have three of the five deep seats be made for storage.Most Budget-FriendlyBurrow Range 3-Piece Open Sectional LoungerAccordionItemContainerButtonDimensions: 61"W x 61"D x 28"HMaterials: Stain resistant fabric, plywood, foam, shredded fill, and fiber waddingAccordionItemContainerButtonShipping: Free delivery, 5–10 business daysReturn Policy: 30-day return policy for items in original condition with original packaging (10% restocking fee applies, 20% repackaging fee applies)The stain-resistant upholstery of the Burrow Range sectional is one reason it’s so popular with families. But this modular sofa’s main draw is its adaptability to different layouts. Contributor Yelena Alpert bought one for her basement when no other couch could fit down the stairs. “The solid plywood frame is sturdy, but incredibly light to maneuver,” she says. “And the couch cushions have a nice bounce, especially at this price.” She also loves that by pulling back the top cushion, there is enough space to create a makeshift bed for when her kids invite friends to have a “party night” in the basement.Contributor David Kaufman also attests to the couch’s versatility. “This piece could certainly serve as an anchor in the living room for a small space,” he says in his review. “And, because you can add to the Burrow couch system over time, it’s a great starter sofa for a first home or apartment that you won’t have to send to a landfill when you’re ready to move.” Note that gray or blue colorways ship faster, around two-to-four weeks, while the moss green sofas can take up to six to eight weeks.Best Design-Forward Modular SofaHerman Miller Luva Modular SectionalAccordionItemContainerButtonDimensions: 78¼"W x 61½"D x 40¾"HSeat depth: 51½" (seat height 16")Materials: 62% cotton, 20% linen, 18% viscose. Also available in leather. Seat cushion content: 80% polyurethane foam, 20% polyester fiber. Frame material: steelAccordionItemContainerButtonShipping: Available to ship in 16 weeks via in-home delivery, which includes placement in your room of choice, assembly, and removal of packaging.Return Policy: 30-day return policyA modular lounger is not something you see everyday, but the Luva sectional, which comes in a two- and three-seat design, can be folded down into a poofy back or extended into an upright position. You can build it out further by adding in an ottoman and armless piece for limitless configurations. It’s designed exclusively for Herman Miller by designer Gabriel Tan, who took the look of a boxing glove and transformed it into a modern sofa that quite literally cups you as you sit. Choose from velvet, weave and leather upholstery.More AD-Approved Modular SofasSundays Wind Down 3-Piece Modular SectionalAccordionItemContainerButtonDimensions: 104"W x 82.5"D x 34"HSeat depth: 27" (seat height 18")Materials: 62% cotton, 20% linen, 18% viscose. Seat cushion content: fiber fill and high-density foam. Back and throw cushion content: feather fiber fill. Frame material: local birch and plywood. Foot material: solid ashAccordionItemContainerButtonShipping: Free delivery on all US and Canadian orders, with assembly included for larger items.Return Policy: 30-day return policy for non-sale items in original condition. For in-home delivery items, there is a flat fee of $150 per item.The Sundays Wind Down modular sofa looks as good as it feels. According to contributor Shoko Wanger, “the couch feels well-made and after lots of sitting, there are zero signs of sagging.” Wanger’s review also noted that the cushions are never sloppy, even after toddler somersaults. “The seats are deep and luxurious and have just the right amount of give. It’s large enough to lie down comfortably, and the ottoman puts it over the top. It almost feels like having an additional bed in the apartment.”The stain resistant, moisture-repellant, washable upholstery is another plus. It comes in an ivory cotton-linen-viscose blend and a new chocolate hue in a cotton-poly velvet that can withstand 30,000 rubs.Branch Modular 2-Seater SofaAccordionItemContainerButtonDimensions: 90"W x 34.5"D x24.8"HSeat depth: 27" (seat height 18")Materials: 100% polyester. Seat cushion content: high-density foam. Frame material: solid woodAccordionItemContainerButtonShipping: This product ships within 4 to 5 business days. It needs to be shipped by freight and have a scheduled delivery, and an additional cost may apply. Delivery options available vary by item and location, and specific options available will be shown in checkout.Return Policy: Returns must be submitted within 30 days. To receive a refund, the product must be returned in new, uninstalled condition and in original packaging. For Lumens Professional members, the return window is 90 days.The low-profile Branch modular comes in two-seater and three-seater options. Its minimalist design is perfect for someone who wants a good looking sofa without dealing with all the decisions involved in couch shopping. Since the cushions are built in, you won’t have to worry about sagging or a misshapen silhouette. The good news is it’s currently stocked and ready to ship, you won’t have to wait weeks for it to arrive.Lulu and Georgia Balmer Modular Corner Sectional SofaAccordionItemContainerButtonDimensions: 169"W x 29"D x37"HSeat depth: 27" (seat height 20")Materials: Performance linen (82% polyester, 13% rayon, 5% linen). Seat cushion content: S-spring, webbing, feather and fiber blend. Frame material: poplar, engineered woodAccordionItemContainerButtonShipping: White-glove delivery: the modular will be brought into your home, unpacked, assembled, and all packaging will be removed. Fees calculated at checkout.Return Policy: Made-to-order, final sale itemLooking for the perfect seating arrangement to fill a spacious room? The Balmer corner sectional is your answer. Its clean look and trim detailing make it a true showpiece, but one that you can still enjoy. The six overstuffed cushions are comfort wrapped in style. When it comes to choosing the right color and upholstery, you have choices, and a lot of them: performance linen, velvet and performance velvet, as well as bouclés that all range from deep moody hues to coastal natural. Since this is a made-to-order piece that can’t be returned, definitely order a swatch book first.West Elm Remi Modular 6-Piece Pit SectionalAccordionItemContainerButtonDimensions: 105"W x 70"D x 26.25"HSeat Depth: 26"Materials: Solid pine and engineered wood frame, polyurethane foam, cushions with fiber-wrapped, high-resiliency polyurethane foam cores, seven fabric options across 65 colorwaysAccordionItemContainerButtonShipping: White-glove deliveryReturn Policy: Within 30 daysThis couch does the stylistic work of a conversation pit without the hassle of a full reno. For romantic evenings, crowded movie nights, sprawling cocktail evenings, this couch has ample room for two, three, eight, to cuddle up and chat the night away. The slate twill feels like a nod to midcentury modern, but this couch comes with over 30 fabric options, including performance fabric, chenille, boucle, linen, and a few others. We also don’t mind that it makes a perfect sofa bed for overnight guests.FAQsWhich brands offer the most versatile configurations for modular sofas?Lovesac ranks highly on our list because it has so many configurable options—when they say modular they really mean it. Their ottomans can swing out to become full couch cushions, and right arms can lift to change couch seats into ottomans. West Elm stands out here, too, as well as Castlery, who offer design-forward options in performance fabrics.Are luxury modulars pet- and kid-friendly?It depends, of course, on the fabrics here. Performance fabrics are as kid and pet-friendly as it gets, designed to be durable, stain-resistant, and easy to clean. After all, there’s no use in splurging on a white cloud couch if one red wine incident is going to ruin it forever. Luxury leather sectionals and modular couches can be less pet or kid-friendly as leather takes a serious beating from pet nails and any miscellaneous kid goo-iness that happens, so we’d recommend considering performance fabrics and rounded corners first and foremost when thinking about kid and pet-friendly furniture. Source link

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By: Shelly Posted: Jun 9, 2025 This strawberry cobbler is the ultimate summer dessert! It’s easy to make with fresh, juicy strawberries and a few kitchen staples, and it bakes up golden and bubbly in about an hour. I have a cobbler recipe for every season! Try my skillet peach cobbler for another summer treat, and this easy pumpkin cobbler in the fall. If there’s one dessert that screams “take me with you!” whenever I have a summer BBQ or picnic, it’s this EASY strawberry cobbler. I love recipes like my peach cobbler and blueberry cobbler because they’re super simple to make with a handful of pantry staples. Cook down the berries a little, then pile everything into a baking dish or skillet with a buttery flour mixture over top. No fussy batters, and this strawberry turns out crispy and light. It’s the perfect summer dessert! The Strawberry Cobbler of Your Dreams, Explained Less dough, more flavor. I top this cobbler with a buttery brown sugar crumble that practically melts into the strawberries as it bakes. It’s lighter than a traditional biscuit or batter topping, but still crisp and delicious. Juicy, gooey strawberries. Of course, the best time of year to make this cobbler is during strawberry season. The easy cobbler filling comes together in minutes on the stovetop and makes the berries deliciously sweet and jammy. Easy to customize. You can make this cobbler recipe with any summer berries, or really, just about any fruit you have on hand. I’m already planning a strawberry rhubarb cobbler next. And I can’t wait to make a version with peaches when they come into season! Ingredients in a Strawberry Cobbler The beauty of cobbler recipes is in how few ingredients you need to make them. I’ve included notes on the key ones in this strawberry cobbler below. Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable list with amounts. Strawberries – Our star ingredient. Choose the ripest, plumpest strawberries for the best possible flavor. Wash, hull, and then slice the strawberries. I usually aim for 3-4 slices per berry so the slices aren’t too thin. Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice is best, but bottled will work in a pinch. Dry Ingredients – You’ll need sugar, all-purpose flour, and salt. You’ll use granulated sugar in the strawberry filling as well as the cobbler topping. Butter – You’ll divide the butter between the crumb topping and a brown sugar mixture for dolloping over the cobbler. Make sure the butter for the crumb is COLD.  Brown Sugar – You could use granulated sugar here, but I love the richer, caramelized flavor of brown sugar on top of my cobbler. How to Make Strawberry Cobbler (Step-By-Step) I love that I can prepare this strawberry cobbler before dinner, pop it into the oven, and it’s ready to serve by the time we’re clearing the plates. It also makes it a great dessert for entertaining. Gather up your ingredients and follow along below. You’ll find the full, printable recipe in the recipe card after the post. Combine strawberries and sugar. Fill the baking dish. Make the filling. Combine your chopped strawberries with lemon juice and ½ cup of sugar in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Pour the strawberry filling into a greased baking dish. Mix flour, sugar, and butter. Add the topping. Make the crumb topping. Next, add the remaining sugar to a bowl with the flour. Cut in ½ cup of cold butter using a pastry cutter (or a fork), so you have a crumbly mixture, similar to the topping for a crumb cake. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the strawberries. Combine brown sugar and butter. Dollop over the cobbler, and bake! Make the butter-sugar topping. Heat the rest of the butter in the microwave enough to soften it, and combine it with the brown sugar. Drop spoonfuls of this butter-sugar mixture over the crumb topping. Bake. Bake this strawberry cobbler at 350ºF for 50-60 minutes until the top is browned and the strawberries are bubbly. Afterward, serve it warm from the oven with a scoop of ice cream! Tips for Making the Best Cobbler Avoid overflow. If your baking dish is especially full, place a sheet pan on the oven rack below the cobbler to catch any juices that bubble over. Sweeten things up. If your strawberries are lacking sweetness or if they aren’t too juicy, consider adding more sugar. Bake in a skillet. If you’d prefer a more rustic cobbler, you can make this recipe in a large cast-iron skillet instead of a baking dish (like my skillet apple pie). More add-ins. Substitute half the strawberries with fresh rhubarb for a sweet-tart variation that’s also great for summer baking. Can I Use Frozen Strawberries? Yes. It’s ideal to make this cobbler when fresh strawberries are in season, but if you don’t have access to fresh strawberries, frozen berries work, too. You may need to cook frozen strawberries for longer when making the filling, as they tend to hold more liquid. You can also use a mix of fresh or frozen fruit, like blueberries, raspberries, or you can swap the strawberries for cherry pie filling for a cherry cobbler. I also have a classic blackberry cobbler that’ll knock socks off at your next cookout! What’s the Difference Between Cobbler and Crisp? They’re similar, but not quite the same. A crisp has a crunchy streusel topping, and a traditional cobbler is often topped with batter or biscuit dough. How to Store It Refrigerate. Store this cobbler covered airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.  Reheat. Warm leftovers in the oven or microwave. Freeze. You can freeze your strawberry cobbler in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw the cobbler in the fridge before reheating. Print clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon Description This strawberry cobbler is easy to make with fresh or frozen strawberries, and it bakes up golden and bubbly in about an hour. The perfect summer dessert! 1 pound strawberries, cleaned and sliced* see note Juice of 1 medium lemon 1 cup granulated sugar, divided 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 3/4 cup cold butter, divided 1 cup light brown sugar Preheat your oven to 350°F. Coat a 2-quart baking dish with non-stick spray. Set aside. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the sliced strawberries, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. Cook and stir occasionally just until the sugar is dissolved. Pour this mixture into the prepared baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, flour, and 1/2 cup of the butter using a pastry cutter or fork. The mixture will be crumbly, resembling a crumb topping. Sprinkle this on top of the strawberries. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the remaining 1/4 cup of butter in the microwave for a few seconds just until it softens, and combine it with the brown sugar. Drop this mixture by the spoonful evenly on top of the flour crumble. Bake for 50 – 60 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream or whipped cream. Notes *Don’t slice the strawberries too thin. I get about 3 – 4 slices per strawberry. Store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave if desired. Want To Save This Recipe?Find more recipes like this: Source link