Renovating a deck is one way to enhance your outdoor living. There's just one question: pressure-treated wood or composite decking? Staying at home to prevent the novel coronavirus from spreading doesn't have to mean staying indoors.
There's plenty to do outside, whether it's renovating a deck, creating a container garden or sealing slippery surfaces — just watch out for black snakes!
Question of the Week "I'm a project supervisor building houses in Beaufort, South Carolina. I hung a swing yesterday on the porch for someone and, even though I have the same measurements from the porch beams, everything is exact, the swing seems to be hanging crooked.
"I played with the chains and cannot seem to get it to hang straight in line with the handrail or porch decking. It is like an inch-and-a-half difference from one end to the other from the handrail.
"Do you have any ideas why this is happening?"
DIY Project of the Week: Container Gardening 101 Do you lack a green thumb but desire a beautiful backyard with plants?
Growing flowers in pots is a satisfying way to brighten up your porch or yard, and it’s a great way to get started with gardening.
Here’s everything you need to know to get going:
Caring for Containers * + Water your container every two to three days. In the heat of summer, you may need to water it every day. + If you want to feed your plants, use an all-purpose or bloom-boosting plant food every couple of weeks according to package instructions. + As you water, remove spent blooms to encourage more blooming — a practice called deadheading. Don’t just pull off the dead petals — actually pinch off the little stem beneath the flower. + If your plants are looking spindly, pinch off the tips of the stems to stimulate them to produce more branches.