Many tropical container plants or bulbs can be brought inside during the winter if you want to save them. To make tropical planters easier to relocate, plant them in lightweight resin containers or pots with casters on the bottom. The tubers of cannas, caladiums, dahlias, and sweet potato vines can be dug up in the fall and stored indoors in a cool, dry place until spring. Tips For Planting Fail-Proof Combos Be sure to choose the right combination of flowers and pair them with a container in an appropriate size....

The holiday begins at midnight on October 31 and painted pumpkins and jack-o’-lanterns have become a popular way to display the iconic design. If carving a sugar skull pumpkin stencil seems like a daunting task, you can create part of the design with paint instead. Traditionally, bright colors are used because it’s believed that they symbolize an individual’s vibrant life. Use our free stencil to transform a faux pumpkin into a gorgeous decor piece for your celebration—we’ll show you which basic shapes to carve and show you how to detail the rest with dramatic paint colors....

Editor’s Tip: Always call your local utility companies and get your yard marked before you start digging.

How to Dye Easter Eggs with Food Coloring Supplies Needed WaterVinegarSmall bowlsMetal spoonHard-boiled eggsRubber gloves Step-by-Step Directions Follow these simple how-to instructions to make homemade Easter egg dye. You should be able to color a dozen eggs in under 15 minutes. Step 1: Hard-Boil Eggs Before you can dye Easter eggs, you’ll have to cook them. Learn how to hard-boil eggs in a pan on a stove, or you can steam your eggs instead (it’s faster!...

A 6-foot-wide closet opening is the most common, but you can install closet doors in an opening of just about any width. Sets of bifolds are available in a variety of widths (in multiples of 2 inches) and bypass doors can be cut to any width desired. The standard height is 80 inches (the same as for an entry door). If you have an older home with 9- or 10-foot ceilings, this can leave you with unusable space above the doors....

Select the straightest studs you can find for framing; you will avoid problems later. Check each stud for a crown—a slight curve along its length—and install all the studs with the crowns facing the same direction. Build the wall with a bottom plate running across the doorway. This keeps the entire wall in one plane as you install it. Then you can cut the bottom plate out after the wall is installed....

How to Control Creeping Charlie If you’ve spotted creeping charlie early, repeated hand-weeding is an option, but you must remove and destroy every bit of the roots. Don’t add this plant to the compost bin because it could very well take root there. It’s better to bag it for a yard waste pick up. If creeping charlie has spread throughout a large area, it can be difficult to control through hand weeding alone....

Best Banana Varieties to Grow Indoors You’re probably most familiar with the Cavendish variety, which is the type of banana sold in supermarkets across America. Its classic yellow fruit is what we use as a staple snack or smoothie mix-in. However, not all bananas have yellow skin. Blue Java bananas have a turquoise peel while red bananas have a deep burgundy colored peel. In the wild, a banana tree can easily reach anywhere from 20-40 feet high....

Test Garden Tip: Asparagus is hardy in Zones 3-9, but it’s best to select varieties designed for your climate. For example, ‘Jersey Giant’ is a good bet for northern areas with long, cold winters. In warmer regions, try ‘UC-157’. Test Garden Tip: Good drainage is very important for preventing root rot. If you have heavy clay soil, consider planting your asparagus crowns in raised beds. Test Garden Tip: Keep weeds at bay with a 4-6 inch layer of mulch applied once the shoots start to appear....

Best Herbs to Grow Indoors It may be tempting to jump in and grow a wide variety of herbs at first. However, you’ll likely have more success if you focus on just a few that you know you will use regularly. Basil, chives, cilantro, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, and thyme are among the easiest herbs to grow indoors. Tips for Growing Herbs Indoors Once you’ve decided which herbs to grow indoors, you’ll need to provide the right amounts of light, water, and care to help your plants thrive....

Installing a dimmer switch couldn’t be easier. All you need is a screwdriver, wire caps, and access to your home’s circuit breaker. We’ll walk you through each step and provide important pointers along the way. More Expert Tips for a Well-Lit Home What You Need ScrewdriverDimmer switch (we used the Lutron Maestro)Wire caps Step 1: Turn Off Power Turn off power at the circuit breaker for the room or outlet where you’ll be installing the dimmer switch....

Editor’s Tip: Some flooring planks come with underlayment padding already installed. If you have this type, you don’t need to install the traditional underlayment.

How to Make a Florist Bow Supplies Needed Wide ribbon of your choiceThin satin ribbon of your choiceScissors Step-by-Step Directions This easy embellishment is the perfect topper for Christmas gifts or holiday wreaths. The steps below explain how to tie a florist bow with ribbon. Step 1: Twist Ribbon When making a florist bow, we find it’s easiest to leave the ribbon on the spool and cut it after the bow is complete....

How to Size Your Picture Frame While sizing a picture frame might seem as simple as cutting the inside lengths of each side to match the dimensions of the print, there’s a little more to it than that. Picture frames have a groove along the back inside edge called a rabbet. This is what holds the glass, the print, and the mat board in place. The rabbet itself only needs to be 1/4-inch wide, so subtracting 1/2 inch from the length and width of the print will leave enough room for the rabbet....

1. Choose the Right Site for Your Rain Garden Take a good look at your yard: Do any low areas in it have a little standing water after a heavy rain? That could be a natural place to start a rain garden. You also want the site to be in full sun to part shade and at least 10 feet away from your house. Finally, locate your rain garden down a slope from a downspout, ditch—or other outlet for water—running off hard surfaces on your property....

Terra-cotta bowls work best for this DIY tower garden because they drain well and are wide and shallow—just right for shallow-rooted succulents. The tapered pots used here as pedestals have a contemporary look. You can easily substitute other pots, as long as they come in graduated sizes to achieve the vertical garden tower effect. When selecting pots, stack them into the desired configuration to see if the sizes and shapes work together to create a vertical container gardening masterpiece....

What You Need Drill and ceramic-tile bitCeramic dishLandscape fabricPea gravelWell-draining potting mixRocks and vascular plantsSpoon, skewerMossTweezers or surgical clippers Step 1: Drill Holes Using the ceramic-tile bit, drill a center hole in the ceramic dish. Add just enough water to cover the bottom of the dish, allowing water to settle the dust and cool the drill bit as it heats up. Begin drilling at a 45-degree angle to create a groove as a foothold, stabilizing the bit....

What Is Deep-Dish Pizza? Traditional pizza starts with a thin- to medium-thick crust spread in a large flat pan topped with a thin layer of sauce, then a thin layer of your choice of toppings and a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese. Like its name, deep-dish has a much thicker crust—usually about two inches high. It starts with a layer of dough like regular pizza, but after that, things get more extreme....

We’ll teach you how to make pulled pork in the oven, smoker, slow-cooker, and on the stovetop. Then, you can enjoy a juicy pulled pork sandwich for any occasion, such as tailgates, family reunions, and even weeknight dinners. Use Pork Shoulder to Make Pulled Pork Before you roll up your sleeves to learn how to make pulled pork, memorize these two critical words: pork shoulder. No matter how you plan to use the pulled pork—in sandwiches, casseroles, tacos, stews, or even lettuce wraps—the key to the most tender meat is to start with a cut with ample marbling and connective tissue....

How to Make a Mason Jar Snow Globe Supplies Needed Mason jarProtective gloves (optional)Glitter spray paintWaterproof craft glue, such as Amazing GoopSmall white floral foam ballCrafts knifeAssorted winter figurines and trees or laminated photosGlitterSpray adhesiveDistilled waterGlycerin Step 1: Spray Lid Remove lid from the glass jar. Separate the two parts of the lid and set face-up on a flat surface. Spray the lid pieces with glitter spray paint. We used fine gold glitter spray, but you can choose any color or keep the lid plain for a Christmas craft with a farmhouse look....