Ben Barkan

How to Replace Your Weed Eater String

A no-nonsense guide on restringing a weed wackerIf your weed wacker keeps getting caught on thick overgrowth or the string on your trimmer keeps getting tangled up, it may be time to replace the wire. Rest assured that ...

How and When to Apply Weed & Feed to Your Lawn

What you need to know about preparation, application, and aftercare Got a lackluster lawn with wild and wicked weeds? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Weed and feed products can be a helpful tool for eradicating ...

6 Ways to Make a DIY, Natural Rooting Hormone

Effective, safe rooting tonics for healthy growth and propagationIf you’re worried about the synthetic chemicals in commercial rooting hormones or just want to take your green thumb to the next level and make your own...

How to

Root Forsythia

Forsythia is a hardy, colourful bush that can brighten up any garden and help to attract birds, bees and butterflies. Forsythia plants tend to root deep in the ground and have large root balls, making it difficult to tr...

9 Effective Ways to Get Rid of Stickers in Your Yard

Ouch! If you stepped on something sharp when you walked barefoot through your yard, you may be dealing with a patch of stickers. Sticker weeds, also known as lawn burrs or burweed, are annuals that grow in winter and lea...

How to

Level Dirt

Leveling is the first step in many lawn-improvement projects, such as building a deck, paving a patio, or putting in a vegetable garden. “Level” isn’t the same thing as “flat,” however, which is why it’s impo...

Self-Watering Planters: How to Use Them & How They Work

If you want to add some lush plants to your decor but don’t have the time to water them, then a self-watering pot may be a good fit for you. Self-watering pots absorb as much water as they need from reservoirs on the b...

How to

Remove Cactus Needles

Whether you’re cultivating prickly pears at home or exploring wide-open desert trails, getting pierced by a cactus plant can put a major damper on an otherwise pleasant day. Thankfully, there are plenty of different wa...

How to

Use a Weed Whacker

Weed whacking is an integral component of yard maintenance, especially in the spring and summer. A weed whacker, also known as a weed eater or trimmer, uses a spinning wire to cut overgrown grass and brush in a small are...

How to

Attach Garden Hose Fittings

If you spend much time in your yard, you already know how essential a good garden hose is. But if it's leaky or the attachments are worn out, how do you go about changing the fittings? Whether you need to replace the end...

How to Grow & Care for a Banana Plant

A beginner’s guide to let your banana tree thrive Having your own access to delicious, healthy bananas can be wonderful if you're prepared for an extensive growing period. If you live in a warm climate or have a good i...

How to

Prevent Hyacinth Flowers from Flopping

Hyacinths are a beautiful spring flower with an intoxicating fragrance. However, the flowers tend to be top-heavy, which can cause the narrow stem to snap. Whether your hyacinths are planted in your garden or arranged in...

How to

Get Amaryllis to Rebloom

Amaryllis flowers usually appear in winter or spring, and last several weeks before fading. Compared to most flowers, amaryllis bulbs are easily encouraged to bloom additional times, but for best results they require pro...

How to

Plant Calamansi

Calamansi trees are part of the citrus family and bear a small, sour fruit. The calamansi fruit is used in Philippine cuisine and tastes something like lime. Some people also grow calamansi trees for decoration. The hard...

How to

Preserve Four Leaf Clovers

Four leaf clovers are a sign of good luck for some, but won’t last very long if they’re left sitting out in the open. If you want to hold onto a four leaf clover to keep yourself lucky, you’ll need to press it to r...

How to

Measure the Height of a Tree

At a secret location somewhere in northern California, a tree named Hyperion has been measured at a world record height of 379.3 feet (115.61m)! Believe it or not, the measurement was made with an extra-long tape measure...

How to

Prune Yews

A straightforward guide on pruning and shearing yews to keep them healthyYews are long-living shrubs that come in a variety of species. Selectively pruning yews is healthiest for the shrub, and it requires choosing speci...

How to

Prune an Avocado Tree in a Pot

Since avocado trees are warm-season plants that can reach up to tall, many people choose to keep dwarf avocado trees as house plants instead. By correctly pruning your avocado tree when it’s young and knowing how to c...

How to

Replace the Line on a Black and Decker Trimmer

Black and Decker trimmers are useful gardening tools that can help you eradicate weeds and trim your shrubs. Over time, however, your line may become worn out or broken, making your trimmer useless. Luckily you can easil...

Chia Pet Instructions: Getting Started & Care Guide

Follow these tried-and-true techniques to sprout the perfect, as-seen-on-TV Chia PetAh, Chia Pets—the gift that grows! If the image of a clay dog or President sprouting wild green hair fills you with warm, 90s-infomer...