This is a short post, but I just wanted to share with you guys an update on how effective adding newspaper to your flower beds really is… even with a TON of neglect for an entire season!
Last year, I began working on the garden area on the side of the house (some of which you saw an update as recently as yesterday). But one of the new things I’ve been doing to each bed has been the addition of a layer or two of newspaper underneath the mulch. Some areas, like the mailbox and garden bed directly in front of the house, have annuals. Others, such as the garden bed I started working on beside the garage, are full of perennials and I’m hoping to get closer and closer to a flowery, but relatively maintenance-free, garden bed. I typically pull back the old mulch, plan the placement of flowers, dig the holes as needed, and surround the rest with either full sheets or small strips of newspaper (tip: wet the newspaper before putting the mulch down to keep it from blowing away while you plant). Either way, as long as the stuff is layered enough to cover everything but the roots of the flowers I just planted, weeds are so much more manageable than mulching alone. You could also use landscaping fabric if you desire, but a local newspaper gets delivered to my driveway every week for free, so it makes for a great repurposing option. I also sometimes use the recycled paper lining that comes in packaging (again, free).
Last fall’s mums
I’m probably the least active gardener, and even though I started working on the side of the garage with plants, I didn’t get around to finishing before the winter (I got about halfway, got distracted with other projects, and just plain blew it off until spring). It’s embarrassing to reveal this prior to cleaning it up again (in that it looks like total trash), but this blog has always been about showing you the uglier side of home improvement, so why not? Just before starting on the weeds yesterday, I snapped a few pics to show you just how dramatic the difference is. Keep in mind, this is ZERO effort put in this part of the house since last fall. Here’s what half of the bed looks like with having the newspaper-mulch combo in place, then leaving it to the elements for the entire winter:
And here’s what it looks like without. Yeah… I’m going to need a wheelbarrow.
(FWIW, it’s not visible from the street when you drive by, so thankfully I can clean this up in the next few days without being too ashamed with my neighbors for my lack of follow-through.)
The new garden beds along the backyard fence are also in amazingly good shape after doing some “lasagna” layering before putting them in. Other than throwing on some fertilizer, these things haven’t been touched all winter. And they’re thriving! New mulch will go on top, but I can’t wait for them to bloom and fill half the yard (and add bouquets to the kitchen) with the scent of gardenias!
So, if you’ve ever been curious as to whether or not the extra step is worth it, I’m definitely a convert. The addition of the newspaper is going to make a HUGE difference in the amount of time I will need to spend cleaning everything up for spring.
More updates on the interior progress soon. And Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Cheers to all of you sharing a green beer or two. I will be as well.
(By the way, today’s the last day to enter the storm door giveaway… if you haven’t checked that out yet, enter here.)
Thanks to all of this amazing warm weather going on in Georgia this week, I have become THAT person… the one who’s been taking pictures of every flower I pass on my runs, walks, and trips to the coffee shop. If you see one of my fellow amateur smartphone photographers out in the open and blocking you on the sidewalk, resist the urge to “accidentally” spill your drink on them or to push them into the pile of flowers they are proudly posting to Instagram. While I can sympathize with that impulse, just remember that they, too, are simply excited about the newness of the evening sun, and they will soon begin to take it for granted once more (and okay, a sneer in their direction is still fine).
These first few weeks of spring always seem to spur my list-making habits. After realizing how productive 2015 really was, I’m getting so excited about all of my plans for DIYing over the next few months, and I’m toiling away behind the scenes to try to align everything just right for some major changes (especially to the back yard!). I just came inside the house from planting and fertilizing a bunch of new flowers in the garden beds, so a post is coming on that soon, too. But as I was busy planting, a thought occurred to me that I actually garden a bit differently these days than how I used to when I started with this house six years ago (wow, six years?!?). Since I know there are a number of brand-new homeowners reading along, I wanted to share these thoughts with you. It was a lesson that took a few years to learn, so hopefully, you can skip to the front of the class a little faster than I did!
When you’re learning how to garden, don’t forget that plants are freaking zombies. It sounds weird, but that’s an easy way to remember that sometimes, you might need to walk away and come back later… rather than start over completely.
The Biggest Mistake I Made When Learning How to Garden
The biggest mistake I kept making when I first began planting? My lack of patience. No, wait. Doubt. Ah, hell. It’s some kind of combination of doubting that you did things right, your garden’s dried and ragged carcasses convincing you that you failed completely, then not having the patience to see if it’s really working.
mailbox garden bed
It was no secret when I began DIYing that I killed a lot of plants. I tried, though. At least, I really wanted to try… hard enough to have a few flowers and fresh herbs to show for it, but not hard enough that I needed to maintain things but a few times per year (I was, after all, renovating a whole house, working, attending school, trying to still have a social life as a single twenty-something, etc.). I would plant something I thought I could (maybe?) grow, get excited, think I was getting somewhere, only to learn that it wasn’t really working out after all. I didn’t understand my house enough yet. I didn’t understand the kind of light it got each season, and I didn’t have the right instincts on what to buy. Basically, before this house, I’d never really planted anything or even bothered to learn much about gardening in general. So, I had to experiment. A lot. Most of what I learned at first was outside, slowly figuring out which plants thrived from neglect, which ones were recommended by garden centers for their “low-maintenance” attributes (but were wrong for my house), and what my own level of effort was with each area (spoiler: it ain’t much). Eventually, I found a few species that I know I can rely on without batting an eye… and some of them, I even really like to have in my garden (vinca, yes… marigolds, no).
But the thing is, plants can look like the dead — and it’s all a trick. Because some really are dead, and some are just about to explode into something awesome. And I had to learn to stop self-sabotage by being patient.
Take this little garden area I added last year to the side of the house, for example. I still have a lot to do in the garden opposite this one (more on that later), but shortly after planting, two out of the three seemed to be doing just fine… while the third drooped, dried up, and looked like it was on its way to landscape heaven.
2015 new garden area
My old instincts would have told me to rip it out as soon as it dried up, then try again later. The plant was only a dollar thanks to knowing when to shop for perennials, and I was confident the other two were thriving just fine, so even at full price to replace the third, it would be an inexpensive upgrade. But over the winter, things were looking a lot more bleak. I didn’t really do much to the area except the initial newspaper and mulch for weed control, and the first few warm weekends this spring still looked ragged. The flowers themselves had all dried out into sickly, brittle sticks. Perhaps, more than likely, they all died and the weeds are all that was left.
Again, my old instincts (or lack of them) said to yank the weeds out of the ground to create a blank slate for new plants. Maybe the ones I planted were all wrong for this spot after all? But I started with the outermost weeds and worked my way to the center of each plant. As expected, the dried and spindly parts of each (now certainly dead) flower stem broke apart just from being brushed aside. But then… it was the ZOMBIE effect in action!
Upon closer inspection, it looks like this is one of the many plants in my yard that look nearly-dead or all-dead in the winter. I first learned about this with my hydrangeas when a guy I hired to clean it up thought they were dead and cut them down to the root (when I asked him why he cut down my hydrangea, he insisted it was dead… given that he was the expert and I wasn’t, I believed him… NOPE!). Thankfully, the plant grew back, and I learned to wait a little longer before ripping “dead” plants out of the ground. Once I peeled away some of the weeds, I could see that the root of the old “dead” flower was exactly where one of these new plants popped up.
And once all the weeds were gone (and I’d snapped off the dead parts), it was a healthy, vibrant plant.
It needs some new mulch, but any day where I go from some expense to $0 is a good day!
I guess that when you don’t have a lot of natural instincts of your own to rely on, you have to go at your own pace to learn the things that others seem to just “get” without much effort. But after a little trial and error, I realized that if things look scraggly, it’s okay; as long as I set up the beds properly, fertilized them, etc., the next best thing I could do was to back off and give them time to establish themselves. Eventually, you take all of those lessons on how not to do something and actually figure out what works. And then you have a yard full of hydrangeas to show for it. ;)
What was the biggest mistake you’ve made while learning how to maintain your gardens?
Hey guys! It’s been a while since we last ran a giveaway, but LARSON Doors came to me a few weeks ago and asked about sponsoring a giveaway for one of their popular storm doors to one lucky reader. And since a close friend of mine was just talking to me about needing a new one herself (and we’re heading into the rainy spring season soon enough), it seemed like perfect timing (I promise though, winners are chosen completely at random, so no playing favorites here… sorry L!).
And here is what it looks like these days (ahem, well not right now… I haven’t bought new flowers for the front this season!)… note to self: take a wider-angle shot this spring.
In case you’re wondering: the front door color is called Night Shade.
I probably should have looked into just replacing the storm door with a new one back then—especially since these updated models like the Premier Classic Elegance Easy Vent® with Retractable Screen Away® (the one I’m giving away!) seem like they have quite a lot of nifty features, including some possible energy savings:
Two-color-matched adjustable speed closers. The bottom closer features a Hold-Open button that holds the stormdoor open with a tap of your toe.
Add Low-E glass for increased energy efficiency. The high performance Low-E glass option will help reduce your household energy costs and increase the comfort of your home. Low-E glass reduces the amount of UV light that enters your home and protects your entry from fading.
Full glass design allows maximum natural light into home
Maintenance-free aluminum frame and overlapping edge seals out harsh weather and provides a tight seal to keep out drafts
Double weatherstripping delivers superior weather protection
Designer screw covers conceal exterior screws for a finished look
Decorative lever handle includes a built-in keyed deadbolt lock
And if you take this totally-not-staged guy modeling his superfly popped collar into consideration, it looks pretty easy to hang for a DIY project as well (hehe, sorry, couldn’t help myself!):
(Stock photo from their website. I actually have no idea who this is.)
LARSON actually even offered to provide me with a storm door of my own to try out, but after moving and replacing the doorbell and making a few other cosmetic changes to the front, adding a storm door back into the mix would have meant moving everything back once more. And um… since I’m much lazier than that, I would rather just let you guys get one and brag all about how much more equipped for Mother Nature you are than I am because of my vanity. So, let’s get on with it, shall we?
TO ENTER:
Leave a comment on this post and update the Rafflecopter widget below that you did the one and only thing I require to enter one of my giveaways. I love it when you guys make these entries fun for me to read, so let’s go with this question: are you the type who sleeps like a rock during storms (uh, me!), or are you the type who spends the entire night barking and/or whining out of worry (Charlie, obviously)?
Number of winners: One (1)… technically I guess if you had a family that lived in your house with you, you all get to benefit from the door equally, but one entry per email address ;)
Giveaway ends: Let’s make it a week from today, March 17th at 11:59 PM EST… I’ll be wearing green.
Geographical restrictions: sorry, continental U.S. only
Yes, you have to leave a comment. Or don’t, but if you don’t, you probably won’t win. I check them because I’d much rather reward a reader (usually giveaway jumpers don’t stop to leave a comment, so that seems to help your chances!).
Please update the Rafflecopter widget to confirm you’ve left a comment. Winner will be chosen at random via the widget auto-generator.
Georgia weather has been in a crazy up-and-down pattern as of late, and as I sit here cozied up in a blanket, I can’t help but remember that less than two weeks ago, the weather was far more perfect, and I was in a much more relaxed atmosphere…
The story started out a little complicated at first. A few weeks ago, a friend of mine told me she was accepting a new job and moving from Athens, GA (where I attended college, and only an hour from where I live) down to Florida… seven-plus hours away. I knew I’d miss her terribly, but we made plans for me to come see her the following weekend before she left town, and I was excited for our mini reunion. And since I was already making the drive, I invited this cute guy to join me as well (he’d never been to my alma mater before, so who better to show him around?). But, as we all made some last minute-changes to our work schedules, my friend ran into an issue and needed to postpone the visit for one more week. With a nearly three-day weekend without plans and a forecast of gorgeous weather to boot, we got to thinking… what else is within a few hours’ driving distance from Atlanta that could be fun to visit?
I’d never tried Airbnb before, but after making a few suggestions, Savannah seemed like the perfect location to play tour guide for a weekend. For those of you who aren’t yet familiar, Airbnb is an app that allows local hosts to book their offerings (homeowners with extra rooms, entire houses, or unique accommodations like igloos and yurts). And the fares are usually pretty great on the wallet, too. For surprisingly little, we found ourselves less than a week later at HOLY CRAP THIS PLACE IS AMAZING.
As with most changes of scenery, there were tons of little features in this house that were very different from home, so I thought I’d give you guys a little house tour for some inspiration and ideas. We also took an afternoon walk down River Street, so if you’ve never been to Savannah before, a fair warning: this place has a LOT of candy.
Most of these pictures you’ll see below were taken the next morning after our arrival on Friday, and I got a chance to finally look around (we did do the ghost tour thing after we got into town, though!). Off of the upstairs room where we stayed (this was a shared house with other guests), there was an upper porch area, complete with a plush daybed and comfy pillows. The blue window trim and planked ceiling are now filed away in my brain under “things to do to that beach house I’ll buy someday”.
Even the cat knew that relaxation was the theme of this house.
When you come in from the front porch, you are immediately greeted by a formal living room. Love the mixed metals, the light blue color blocking under the crown, and the mix-match vibe of the furniture to keep things feeling less stuffy.
The kitchen was probably my favorite spot of this house. Fresh coffee, old-school stove, breakfast fixin’s, fresh flowers, and a suuuuuper casual spot to make yourself at home.
I love the utilization of extra storage space above the glass cabinet doors (older homes seem to have this a lot, where the cabinets go up to the ceiling… great use of space!). And my favorite little detail…
There was an inlaid glass tile stripe along the floor that matched the island countertop and a few other spots in the house (there were similar glass tiles used in one of the bathrooms as well). I haven’t actually seen this done before, but the color screams coastal to me.
Off of the kitchen was a laundry room (split by a glass-paneled door) and a small bath with gorgeous shower tile (the inlaid pattern used a mix of mirrored and glass tiles).
Off in the dining room, bright white walls bounced around light like crazy and featured a map with pushpins from traveling guests who had previously stayed at the house. Cute idea!
Atlanta was clearly already covered, so we didn’t get to participate in the ceremony of marking where we came from, but I really enjoyed checking out some of the distant cities where fellow travelers originated.
Quick: picture a swing hanging from a tree in your head. Did it wind up looking like this? Yeah, mine too.
Saturday was mostly a self-guided walking tour around River Street and through the historic area. Since there are no open container laws like there are in Atlanta, we could grab a to-go beer from one of the pubs along our cobblestone route and meander between stores (those that allow drinks inside, that is). Of course, a visit to River Street Sweets was a must!
I should probably also add here that I gave up sugar for Lent. So, I didn’t really get to do anything except smell the amazingness that I was missing (caramel apples… ugh). Still, I grabbed a few pralines for Dad and some salt water taffy for Mom (to thank them for watching Charlie while I was gone).
Yeah… temptation everywhere. I thought giving up alcohol last year was hard, but this? It’s shocking the amount of things that you don’t realize have sugar in them (no ketchup on my burger! no salad dressing!). I’ve been constantly looking at packages and realizing that even my peanut butter is off-limits. I’m trying to stay away from artificial sweetener as a normal part of my diet to begin with, so even the sugar-free candies were out for me. And I also learned that withdrawal headaches are a real thing. Ick.
Technically, I suppose I could have gorged myself on the natural honey offered at Savannah Bee Company, but I was too busy looking over all of their products. Cute shop if you ever want to just discover how many things you really can make from something that comes out of a bee’s “special stomachs” (Kit, I know you’d probably correct me if I said it was “bee vomit”… and no, I did not try the mead.).
The next morning, we enjoyed an indulgent brunch before heading out of town (a Bloody Mary was something I couldn’t partake in because most mixes contain sugar, but I was definitely impressed by the presentation!).
It was a short weekend, but the weather was absolutely perfect, and I can’t wait to go back. What was your favorite part of the house? Thanks, Savannah!
Most of the time on this blog, home improvement tips seem to follow a recent learning experience stemming from fixing something that’s broken — such as troubleshooting the furnace, plumbing tips from Dad after getting a leak in the bathroom sink, or evicting a family of a**hole squirrels from my attic. But, every now and then, I find myself looking up information about preventing the next big home repair expense. Because maybe — just a little bit — I should probably start seeing what this “ounce of prevention” adage is all about and leave the rainy day funds for a different, less-foreseeable rainy day.
I dunno… maybe this whole being an adult thing is starting to actually happen.
Anyway, I found myself looking up a bunch of info on hot water heaters lately, and I found a number of tips that you might find useful as well, so I thought I’d pass them along. There’s also the handful of info I knew already but hadn’t yet put into a post together, and I realized that as a home improvement blogger, that’s kind of inefficient and I should probably get around to doing something about it. Oh, the irony. Let’s talk about energy efficiency though, right?
As a bit of a numbers geek, I nabbed a few stats that I thought were particularly interesting (either from government websites like the U.S. Department of Energy or other helpful tip sites). I also wanted to address some of the more popular tips I’ve read online as to their practicality… because some of this “common” advice seems downright weird to me. And last but not least, I partnered up with the Propane Education & Research Council, who has a lot more expertise on the matter than I do and asked them to share a few helpful tips as well on when to consider a water heater replacement (note, however, all opinions expressed here are my own). Don’t fret too much if you can’t get to everything on this list right away — they’re meant to serve as a series of things you can do to help cut costs or increase energy use, but even just one or two of these is a step in the right direction!
The Basics
Know where to locate the water shutoff valve.
[clears throat] Um, yeah. This seems obvious, but if you’re reading this and you can’t immediately think of the location of where you would go to shut off the water supply to your house, stop reading this right now and go look for it (if you’re reading this at work though, wait until you get home; knowing how to fix your office’s water issues is likely not in your job description). Even if you live with someone else and you rely on them to know these things, just learn where it is anyway. In the event of an emergency, knowing where to turn off the water and power supply (such as the gas line) can prevent a whole heaping mess of property damage and health hazards.
Is it tankless or does it have a storage tank? Is it powered by natural gas, propane, or electric? Where is the serial number? If it has a tank, what is the gallon capacity? Most of this can be found directly on the tank on a label, but it’s helpful to at least know where to find it in case you need to call a plumber (they’ll often ask for this info).
Periodically flush your water heater and perform regular inspections.
Draining water from your water tank removes sediment that impedes heat transfer, so removing this helps efficiency. I’m probably not going out on a limb here to say that there are likely some varying steps depending on the water heater you have (such as with a storage tank or tankless), so the best way to know how to drain or flush your water heater (and how often to do it) is likely found on the label of the water heater itself (much like how my furnace has instructions on its label… nice how these companies assume we’ll toss or lose an instruction manual, so they just put it in a place where it’s less likely to be lost and literally glue helpful info to the side, right?). From the websites I’ve read, annual maintenance is a common rule of thumb.
While you’re at it, you should also do a visual inspection. Look for corrosion, rust, residue, soot, etc. If you find any of these things, it’s a good idea to phone a professional and have them come service the unit. Smelling gas is another big red flag — turn the gas off and contact a pro right away.
Energy Saving Tips
Upgrade your old appliances.
We all knew this tip would be on the list, but it’s one of the better (albeit one of the pricier) ways to start getting some energy savings. I upgraded my kitchen appliances, including my dishwasher, to Energy Star models right after moving into the house, took advantage of a huge tax rebate to help offset the costs, and later upgraded the washer and dryer in the laundry room just a couple of years ago. It varies by state, but shopping on tax-free holidays can save quite a bit on bigger ticket items like these, so a good plan is to note when your area might have some good sales and start saving up (I don’t know if this site is accurate or not, but here’s a list for 2016). According to one website, new hot water heaters, washers, or dishwashers can cut water consumption by up to half of the number of gallons the older models use. It’s not a savings you’ll notice right away, but that’s mainly because you’ll be too distracted that your washer now plays a melody every time a load is done (sure, you can turn this feature off, but I like it).
Wash clothes in cold water.
I don’t really do this when it comes to clothes that need to be cleaned after a mud/obstacle race, but for the most part, I wash all my clothes in cold or warm water. Now that I have a new washer and dryer set, I don’t really even notice since the unit is pre-set to colder water by default. They make detergents for washing clothes in cold water and it saves energy; what’s not to like?
Take showers, not baths.
This is the “dumb” tip I referenced earlier, so I’m only mentioning it because I find it funny that it’s still on these lists; most people I know over the age of ten regularly take showers and not baths, so this tip seems kind of moot. I guess knowing that you’re making a water-sensible choice on a regular basis, without really trying, is good? Of course, people don’t often mention that this is in relation to short showers… standing in the shower and belting out the Adele album does not save more water than taking a bath, even though I can totally relate to you wanting to finish the song before getting out. To make it easier to turn the water off, keep the bathroom door closed (especially in winter) to trap the heat and avoid those stubble-inducing cold drafts. You can also install low-flow showerheads and faucets for some added water savings (apparently, new showerheads can save 25-60% more than pre-1992 models).
Consider a water heater upgrade.
It’s hard to upgrade on things that haven’t actually broken yet, but if you’re knowingly wasting hundreds of dollars every year on an inefficient system, waiting to upgrade until your current water heater fails can cost you money. If you’re close to the 7 to 10-year mark, it might be time to start looking into your options; this quiz on KnowYourWaterHeater.com, can help calculate when you should pull the plug.
If you do decide to replace (and uh, hire a pro for this!), it’s important to note that as of 2015, new federal standards went into effect, which basically increased the minimum energy efficiency requirements for hot water heater models in homes in the U.S. This may mean that some newer models for specific types of tanks (such as standard efficiency tanks for electric storage water heaters) will no longer fit into the same spaces (they can be taller/wider/heavier) as they once did.
In other words, not only should you look at the annual cost and savings of making the switch from a long-term value perspective, but you might also need to consider eliminating the need for a tank altogether. From what I’ve read, propane or natural gas-powered “on-demand” and tankless models can deliver lower annual ownership costs up to 30% than tank models using electric/heating oil in many parts of the country, so space and savings are two very important factors to look into. The fuel type you already have in the home will largely impact what type of new hot water heater you shop for, but in terms of saving floor space, getting better efficiency (which also impacts annual heating costs), and still getting abundant hot water, propane-powered water heaters often perform better over their electric counterparts. Tankless models can cost more than the standard ones, but they can also last 5-10 years longer.
You won’t find me often talking about carbon footprints on the blog, but I did spy some info on that as well: standard electric storage tank water heaters (all of these water heater types are a mouthful, but I’m trying to make sure I have the phrases correct) can produce up to two times greater emissions than tankless units, such as the ones running on propane. So… if that’s a factor for you as well, there you go!
Add insulation.
If your older water heater tank doesn’t have an R-value of at least 24, adding a water heater insulation blanket around your tank can reduce heat loss by 24-25% (and should pay for itself in savings of water heating costs in about a year). It looks like a pretty straightforward DIY project, but some utilities may also provide these to you at no cost or even install them for you, so check your local area. Note: this isn’t for newer tanks; they are likely to be already insulated. And while this seems like an easy and inexpensive improvement (from what I read, it’s like $30), you should still check your water heater’s warranty prior to installing to make sure it doesn’t void your coverage.
Stop the leaks and drips.
Leaky faucets waste a huge amount of water, not to mention cause all sorts of damage that you have to repair later if they drip behind walls — or in my case, directly onto my ripped out bathroom floor!
Check the thermostat.
Take a look at the temperature gauge on your water heater; if it’s higher than 120°F, lower it down for reduced heating costs while still providing a comfortable level of hot water for most uses. For every 10ºF reduction, you save about 3-5% per year on water heating costs.
There you have it. Lots and lots of tips, but hopefully you learned something new (I did!).
