Luke Smith, MFA

How to Install a French Drain System in Your Yard

Tools, materials, zoning laws, oh my! Everything you need to know about laying drainage pipesAre you finding water pooling on your lawn? Or maybe there’s a bit too much moisture for comfort around your home’s founda...

How to Get Rid of Ant Nests in Potted Plants

Best chemical and natural products for killing ants in your houseplantsAnts love to make homes in potted plants, drawn by the shelter and sweet secretions of other pests, like aphids. Although ants don’t actually do m...

How to Diagnose Animal Holes in Your Yard

An extensive guide to solving the question: Which animal made this hole?Having trouble with mysterious burrows in your garden? Burrowing animals can be bothersome when they get busy digging, but finding the culprit is t...

How to Measure 2/3 Cup with a 1/4 Measuring Cup

Caught in the kitchen without a ⅔ measuring cup, and all you do have is a ¼ cup? We’ve all been there at some point. Thankfully, you can make ⅔ cup of an ingredient by scooping out two ¼ cups, plus 8 tsp (or 2 t...

What Does a Five-Leaf Clover Mean?

Is a five-leaf clover good or bad luck? Your questions, answeredA four-leaf clover is quite the lucky find, but have you ever stumbled across a five-leaf clover? These little green gems are incredibly rare, and are said...

How to Plant, Care For, and Harvest Ginger at Home

Grow ginger indoors and outdoors, all year roundGrowing ginger is easy and rewarding. The only thing between you and near-infinite, fresh ginger to eat whenever you like is simply a pot of soil and a root from your loca...

How to Build a Blanket Fort at Home

A simple guide to making the coziest, coolest fort in your roomEveryone needs a good fort, whether it’s a secret lair, a grand castle, or deep, dark cave. Luckily, it’s pretty easy to make your own fort out of thing...

How to Make Sure a Corner is Square with the 3-4-5 Rule

Line up any project perfectly with this simple formulaThe 3-4-5 rule is a handy and foolproof way to determine if a corner is perfectly square when doing carpentry or other DIY projects, from building a deck to laying t...

How to Calculate and Measure Water Pump Horsepower

All the measurements and equations required to determine how much power you needA pump is a basic but vital device that supplies the force to move water or other fluids from one location to another. Like any device that...

How to Get Ink Out of Clothes

The best ways to remove stubborn ink from fabricUnexpected ink stains put a splotchy damper on even the best day, but there are plenty of ways to get them out! Saving that beloved white tee or pricey evening gown depend...

Installing Corrugated Roofing Yourself: Everything You Need to Know

Measuring, cutting, and fastening roof panels to a shed, garage, or other structureCorrugated roofing is a great way to top a garden shed, shop, or patio. It's quick, easy, low cost, and, best of all, you can do it your...

How to Remove Silicone Caulk: An Expert Guide, with Tricks

Easy ways to remove silicone caulking from common surfacesIt’s time for that bathroom remodel, and you’re eyeing that old silicone caulking dubiously. Or maybe it’s just time to refresh the seals around the bathtu...

How to Prune an Apple Tree to Grow Better Fruit

Trimming your fruit trees for a perfect harvest every yearGrowing apples at home can be a rewarding experience, both in the process and the results. If you've been cultivating an apple tree and want to get maximum fruit...

How to Kill and Remove a Tree Stump Yourself

Using physical and home remedies to get rid of unwanted tree stumps Tree stumps are stubborn landscaping obstacles that can resprout or take years to rot if not killed and removed. Luckily, there are a number of straigh...

How to Sharpen a Chainsaw Blade with a File

Filing and leveling the cutters and rakers of a chainsaw bladeA chainsaw makes quick work of trees and other lumber. Over time, however, you may notice that you struggle to cut with the same ease as before, which indic...

How to Make a Flying Paper Sky Lantern

Practicing an ancient Chinese art at homeSky lanterns are a gorgeous and long-standing tradition. Originally used by the ancient Chinese military to send signals from far away, sky lanterns are now popular at festivals,...

When and How to Trim Marijuana Plants

Expert gardeners explain wet vs. dry trimming, when to prune your weed, and moreTrimming cannabis plants is something of an art. With all the right cuts, you’ll have a compact, high-yield crop, with extra trimmings le...

How to Dry and Decorate with Pussy Willow Branches

How long do cut pussy willow branches last, and do they need water? Your questions answeredPussy willow branches are the perfect way to bring Spring into your home and shoo winter out the door. But before you can proudl...

How to Remove Bats from Your Home

Reclaiming your attic for goodIf bats have taken up residence in your home, you may have a bigger problem on your hands than noise. Invading bats leave behind droppings that pose health risks and slowly corrode wood and...

3 Ways to Tell the Difference Between a Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector

Staying safe with smoke and carbon monoxide detectorsCarbon monoxide (CO) is odorless, which makes it a particularly sneaky household hazard. You’ve got some sort of detector on the ceiling of your room, but you’re ...