To successfully incorporate fertilizer around existing perennials, do the following: Check your timing. The best time to apply fertilizer to most plants is early to mid spring, after the plants have grown a few inches above the soil, but before they have so many leaves that it’s difficult to work the soil around them. You can fertilize later in the season, but in the north, most perennials should not receive granular chemical fertilizer after about August 1, or 6-8 weeks before frost....

Make a Super Storage-Savvy Island What You Need Two identical dressers Tape measure Trim to fill gap between dressers Sandpaper Primer Paint (we used Cushing Green by Benjamin Moore) Paintbrushes Hardware (we used knobs in Stainless Steel from Essential’z by Amerock) Screwdriver Wood glue Clamps Shims, optional Putty Putty knife Concrete countertop Construction adhesive Step 1: Assemble Shape Push dressers together back to back. Measure and cut a side trim piece to fill the gap between dressers—this will give the island a bit more counter space....

Here’s how to do this simple project and care for it, so it lasts all season (and even longer). What You Need Pumpkin (a pumpkin that’s flatter on top works best)Spray adhesiveSphagnum mossClear gel crafts glue or hot-glue gun and glue sticksVariety of small succulents, especially orange, yellow, or red types How to Do It Step 1: Coat with Adhesive Start by applying a spray adhesive ($13, The Home Depot) to the top of your pumpkin....

Step-by-Step Alfredo Sauce from Scratch It’s hard to believe that just four ingredients (plus salt and pepper) can result in such a wonderful cream sauce. 1. Gather the Ingredients We’ll walk you through how to make Alfredo sauce as explained in the Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book 17th Edition. You’ll need: ButterGarlic, mincedWhipping cream (or heavy cream)Salt and freshly ground black pepper Freshly grated Parmesan cheese You can use pre-shredded Parmesan cheese in this Alfredo sauce recipe, but it won’t have the pronounced, intense fresh flavor that you grate just before using....

How to Make Waffles Making waffles from scratch can be intimidating compared to just whipping up a boxed waffle mix. But rest assured, you’ll learn how to make waffle batter that tastes so much better than a store-bought mix. Just start with our American-style (baking powder-leavened) Waffles recipe that will take you less than 15 minutes to prepare and you’ll be on your way. Step 1: Make the Batter Just like making pancakes, homemade waffle batter is the combination of dry ingredients with wet ingredients....

Check out our full collection of free garden plans. See our favorite vegetable garden plans. This is especially important when you are establishing a new garden in an area that was once blanketed by grass. Lawn grasses are tenacious perennials that spring back to life from mere segments of roots. Rent a sod cutter at your local home-improvement store for an afternoon and skim the sod away with minimal effort. You can accomplish the same work with a sharp spade....

“When it comes to getting the best price for your home, the power of landscaping to increase your home’s value can’t be overlooked,” says Beatrice de Jong, broker and consumer trends expert for Opendoor. “First impressions are everything, and curb appeal is what potential buyers notice first…It will signal to buyers that they can expect the same from the interior and bones of the house.” Additionally, data repeatedly shows that curb appeal, in the form of attractive landscaping, goes a long way....

“Color is never viewed in a vacuum,” she says. “So if you want a lavender room to be less feminine, add elements that are less girly, such as black-and-white photography, industrial pieces, and streamlined furniture.” Paint colors pictured: Spangle SW-6834, Sherwin Williams Sweet Surrender C4-1, Ace Hardware (discontinued) Purple Davenport 1003-3A, Valspar Mouthwatering 40B6, True Value Paint (discontinued) Storybook Charm BHG204, Walmart (discontinued) Paint colors pictured: Forget-Me-Not SW-6824, Sherwin Williams Powdery Mist 650C-2, Behr Sugarplum 1394, Benjamin Moore Purple Phantom 1001-3B, Valspar Standing Ovation 38B7, True Value Paint (discontinued)...

As long as you’ve got a solid recipe, your pie will taste great. But what people may remember most about your Thanksgiving dessert is how it looks. And you don’t have to be a master pie baker to make a good impression! A few extra pieces of pie crust cut with miniature cookie cutters go a long way. So to inspire you, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite Thanksgiving pie decorating ideas to help you get started....

In honor of Black History Month, and every month for that matter, I’ve rounded up my favorite Black-owned beauty brands that I would recommend to everyone. From plant-based skincare and luxury makeup wipes to curl-defining creams and super hydrating shampoos, these are hands down, my favorite Black-owned beauty brands to date. Buy It: WAKEY WAKEY Organic Body Wash ($20, Plant Apothecary) Buy It: Mineral Tinted Face Sunscreen ($29, Unsun) Buy It: Deep Conditioning Mask ($39, Briogeo) Buy It: Ultra Glow Highlighter ($52, Pat McGrath Labs) Buy It: Lil Lip Gloss Bombs ($24, Fenty Beauty)

Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: 1 to 2 feet tall and wide Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: 1 to 3 feet tall and wide Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: 2 to 4 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: 1 foot tall and 1 to 2 feet wide Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: 1 foot tall and 1 to 3 feet wide (as an annual) Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: 6 inches to 3 feet tall, 6 inches to 2 feet wide Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: 1 to 2 feet tall and wide Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist, well-drained soil Size: 1 to 2 feet tall and wide Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: 6 inches to 1 foot tall and 1 to 4 feet wide Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil Size: 1 foot tall and 1 to 2 feet wide Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: 6 inches to 3 feet tall and 1 to 3 feet wide

Buy It: Messermeister 3-Piece Pumpkin Carving Set, ($30, Williams Sonoma)

While there are tons of front door wreaths available online, finding the one that will brighten up your home takes a bit of planning. To that effect, we’ve compiled a list of the prettiest on-trend spring wreaths, ranging from bright floral wreaths to farmhouse eucalyptus wreaths and even citrusy lemon wreaths. Price at time of publish: $18 Price at time of publish: $33 Price at time of publish: $26 Price at time of publish: $36 Price at time of publish: $53 Price at time of publish: $33 Price at time of publish: $27 Price at time of publish: $40 Price at time of publish: $50 Price at time of publish: $40

Buy It: NuWave Brio 4.5-Quart Air Fryer ($100, Bed, Bath & Beyond)

Buy It: Hormel Turkey Pepperoni ($4, Target) Buy It: OXO Pizza Cutter ($16, Bed Bath & Beyond) Buy It: Emile Henry Pizza Stone ($40-$75, Williams Sonoma)

Buy It: Made By Design Skillet with Lid ($32, Target) Buy It: Threshold 3-Quart Baking Dish ($20, Target)

The good news is that there’s a growing number of eco-friendly building materials and techniques available for homes, and many of them save you money both during construction and for years to come. As Conserve Energy Future points out: “With the constantly changing environment around us, it’s important to be environmentally aware and active. It’s even more important when you consider how much money you can save by building a green home....