HOME: Coffee culture perks up
Time to wake up and smell the coffee. At the recent New York International Gift Fair, buyers were keenly checking out grinders, pots and brewing equipment, which means coffee-related gifts wil…
View ArticleHOME: Lunch sacks filled with DIY character
A desire to recycle, save money and add that personal, imaginative touch is what entices many crafty people to create what easily can be bought. This time of year, that includes crafting a lun…
View ArticleHOME: Beyond pumpkins -- Orange hues are hot indoors, too
Leaves are changing and pumpkins are appearing on doorsteps around the country. As vibrant shades of orange fill the outdoors, they're also becoming increasingly popular inside.
View ArticleGARDEN: Branch out with a native tree
Magnolia, tipu and jacaranda trees. Those are just three attractive examples of trees that came to California from elsewhere. And, bless their purty colors, they are everywhere in landscaped a…
View ArticleAttention, garden geeks
Home section editor Stephen Rubin writes about adding a California-style tropical touch to the garden with island tree mallow, in the latest entry for the North County Times' gardening blog. "…
View ArticleHOME: Snuggle in style with a throw
Sweater-y cable knits, textural weaves, rich faux furs ---- this fall, throws are showing up in all the retailers' collections.
View ArticleHome and Garden briefs for Oct. 14
Escondido Adobe Home Tour: Four homes will be open to visitors from noon to 5 p.m. Oct. 14 during the Escondido History Center's tour. The homes share aesthetic characteristics such as large b…
View ArticleHOME: Common-sense steps can cut home energy bills
With a nearly 90-year-old house in Rye, N.Y., Melanie Cadenhead spends a large part of every winter being cold.
View ArticleGrowing grapes takes time, attention
Grapes are a great backyard choice if you're seeking delicious juice, some wine to savor or snacks fresh from the vine. But look elsewhere if it's low maintenance or fast production that you want.
View ArticleA 'furniture fantasy' sale for a good cause
Bargain hunters looking for furniture, there may be a sale for you this Saturday.
View ArticleHome decorators: There's a new app for you
Here's a secret from the interior design community: If you're having trouble envisioning a new look for your home, try using Houzz.
View ArticleSave flowers from being victims in war on termites
Q: We need to have our house fumigated for dry wood termites. Two bougainvilleas are growing close to the house, and there is not enough room to place the tarp between them and the wall. We ar…
View ArticlePlant bulbs now for spring blooms
Fall is the time to start thinking ahead about what plants you would like to bloom in the late winter or early spring. Thanks to San Diego’s upcoming rainy season, residual moisture from the s…
View ArticleVeterans garden needs caretakers
A retired Nebraska rancher and contingent of Marines transformed an acre of land at Camp Pendleton into a memorial garden.
View ArticlePlanting paperwhites for the holidays
Paperwhites are the official flower of December, and growing them is a fun, simple project for you and your family.
View ArticlePragmatic creativity transforms the unused space under the stairs
There is a secret space under the stairs in my house that I designed for me and my grandkids. We have flashlights and stuffed animals, plus books, blankets and pillows.
View ArticleRats, aphids and sunshine causing trouble for tree owners
Q: We’ve had an orange and a lemon tree for 18 years and both have lots of delicious fruit every year. Last year something ate the insides of the oranges, leaving the rinds still hanging on th…
View ArticleMany herbs can be grown in cool months
It’s true that most herbs love the heat. They’re at their prime in summer. However, there’s a surprisingly large group of herbs that thrives in San Diego’s mild late fall and winter weather, a…
View ArticleThinking small is big in the world of bonsai
A honeybee stops for a sip from the juicy fruit on the fig tree in Cindy Read’s El Cajon nursery. The moment might seem ordinary except for the amazing fact that the tree is only 6 inches tall.
View ArticleGetting rid of greasewood and turning maple leafs red
Q: Is there any way to remove chamise? I have about one acre of slope to maintain. I’m always finding new stands of chamise popping up. After it gets over a foot tall, it is very difficult to …
View ArticleShared space makes its way back to mainstream
Holidays may bring nerve-racking family gatherings, but imagine the reality of multiple generations living in one house all the time? Today, more than any era since the Great Depression, numer…
View ArticleA little care will make poinsettias last
Cultivated by the Aztecs and imported from Mexico, poinsettias were introduced to the United States in 1825. Known as the “Christmas flower,” or by its Spanish name, flores de nochebuena — tra…
View ArticleTechnology, decorating merge just in time for the holidays
Q: What are the latest trends in holiday décor?
View ArticleClinging to spring
Flowering sweet peas are at the top of my list of spring flowering annuals. Part of my affection is sentimental; every year of my early life, my mother planted sweet peas to climb the chain-li…
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