All articles tagged with #home and garden
A pest-control expert explains that mosquitoes are drawn to carbon dioxide, body heat, odors, and standing water—not light—and vigorous indoor workouts can spike CO2 and heat, attracting them into homes, especially when windows are open at dusk. To minimize risk, install fly screens or use a fan, shower after exercising, wear light-colored clothing, and remove standing water around the property.
Amazon is pre-releasing Prime Day 2026 deals focused on home and garden, with four days for Prime members (June 23–26). Early bargains include discounts of 25–50% on items such as the eufy X10 Pro Omni Robot Vacuum and Mop, a Benass walk-in greenhouse, a HUGEAR machine-washable area rug, Brightown outdoor solar string lights, and a Yaheetech garden workbench. Shoppers can wishlist or set price-drop alerts to snag savings ahead of the main sale.
A Washington Post piece shows the white picket fence—once a symbol of midcentury suburbia—falling out of favor as homeowners opt for taller, privacy-oriented fencing, often vinyl, driven by cost and practicality; even in Connecticut, a local fence company owner notes rare orders for traditional white pickets amid a broader shift toward higher barriers.
Shoppers plan to participate in Memorial Day sales, but budgets are tight. Experts say the best buys are seasonal outdoor gear, travel-related items, and mattresses/appliances, while avoiding electronics and most summer fashion for later sales. To maximize savings, make a budgeted list, track prices with tools like Keepa, CamelCamelCamel, and Honey, stack cashback and promo codes, and consider shipping and price-matching policies. Sales often start early and run through Memorial Day, with online and in-store options; inflation and tariffs may limit discounts and stock.
Mushrooms often appear in lawns during wet weather and can be harmless or toxic. To manage them, remove mushrooms promptly with gloves and keep the lawn dry and well-maintained to prevent future growth. While beneficial for soil health, caution is advised if pets or children are around, and expert identification is recommended for safety.
Aldi is launching a new line of storage and organization products including shelves, containers, crates, and carts, perfect for decluttering and organizing various spaces in your home, with prices ranging from $4.99 to $24.99.
A pest expert explains that fruit flies are attracted to fermented and sugary foods and liquids, and offers simple prevention tips such as frequent garbage disposal, cleaning, and proper storage of produce. To eliminate existing infestations, a vinegar and dish soap trap can be effective. Maintaining cleanliness and reducing moisture are key to preventing these pests in the kitchen.
Amazon shoppers recommend a $35 solar ultrasonic mole repellent that emits sounds to deter moles, gophers, and snakes, helping to protect lawns without harm or chemicals. Many users report noticeable improvements in lawn health and ease of use, though it may not be a long-term solution for severe infestations.
The article provides three organic methods to deter sweat bees from your yard: planting fragrant herbs like mint and eucalyptus, mulching exposed ground to prevent burrowing, and keeping the yard tidy to reduce shelter. These strategies aim to make the environment less attractive to sweat bees, which are pollinators but can sting when attracted to human sweat, especially around outdoor seating areas.
Home Depot is launching an expanded Halloween lineup featuring the new $279 Ultra Skelly, an app-controlled animatronic skeleton with voice recording capabilities, along with other Skelly-themed decorations and figures, available for pre-order starting August 4.
To reduce mosquito presence in your garden, avoid planting water hyacinth, bamboo, fountain grass, hostas, and taro, as these plants create ideal breeding environments for mosquitoes due to their moisture-retentive properties and shaded, damp conditions. Employing other pest control methods, such as removing standing water and using natural repellents, can further help keep mosquitoes at bay.
Storing certain items like electronics, food, important papers, and valuables in outdoor sheds is risky due to temperature fluctuations, pests, and security issues. Items such as food, fabric, electronics, and paint should be kept indoors or in climate-controlled environments to prevent damage or safety hazards.
To keep mosquitoes out of your yard, eliminate all standing water, maintain gutters and pools, plant mosquito-repellent foliage, and encourage natural predators like birds and bats. When mosquitoes are already present, use fans, DEET or lemon eucalyptus oil, and set up traps, while avoiding ineffective methods like citronella candles. Community efforts and environmental management are also crucial for effective control.
To naturally keep ticks out of your yard, maintain short grass, create barriers like fences or gravel, plant tick-repelling plants such as lavender and garlic, trim tall shrubs regularly, and use organic treatments like eucalyptus oil or diatomaceous earth. These methods can reduce tick populations and help prevent tick-borne diseases.
Anna Wintour's backyard features a stylish pergola with climbing wisteria, exemplifying a major garden trend for 2025 that combines practicality and aesthetics, making outdoor spaces more functional and beautiful.