Heavenly Bamboo Care Must-Knows Heavenly bamboo performs best in rich, moist, well-drained soil and full sun, which encourages the best growth, foliage color, and fruit set. Plant this shrub in groups to get the best fruiting. Although it does best with consistent watering, heavenly bamboo can tolerate some drought after it’s established. Heavenly bamboo looks its best when allowed to grow naturally. If you decide to prune, however, trim the branches in a staggered fashion to retain a fuller-looking habit....

We don’t stop at just roasting—we’ve got the full breakdown of how long to cook chicken in a skillet, under the broiler, and even by boiling. No matter which method you prefer, you’ll find how long to cook a chicken. How Long to Cook a Whole Chicken Roast chicken is juicy and delicious. Check out our complete instructions and tips for cooking a whole chicken. Knowing how long to roast a chicken is key....

What to Check Before the Power Goes Out Food Tips for When the Power Is Out The best thing to do once you no longer have electricity? When it comes to your perishable foods, you should leave them be—at least for a bit. The CDC notes you should keep the doors to your fridge and freezer closed. If you do, everything will be fine for up to four hours in a refrigerator, and up to 48 hours in a full freezer, or 24 hours in a half-full freezer....

How to Boil Sweet Potatoes When purchasing, look for small to medium sweet potatoes that have smooth skin and are firm and free of soft spots. Store whole unpeeled sweet potatoes in a cool, dry place for up to 1 week (do not refrigerate or they will dry out). To know how many sweet potatoes you need for your recipe, one medium sweet potato (about 8 ounces) equals approximately 1 ½ cups when peeled and cubed....

How to Brown Ground Beef If you’re cooking for a family of four to six, a pound of ground beef in a skillet is likely the quickest and easiest solution for browning ground beef. But if you’re feeding a crowd and need a way to brown ground beef in large quantities, an Instant Pot or sheet pan can be your supper savior. Below, we’re explaining how to ground beef in three ways....

You can dig a trench, build forms, and set a concrete footing along the wall, or you can fasten 4x4x3/16-inch angle iron to the foundation to provide a ledge, as illustrated on these pages. Even a half-high wall is a substantial weight, so fasten the angle iron with lag shields and lag screws. This layer of brick will trap moisture against the wall. Weep holes at the bottom of the wall give trapped moisture a way to escape....

Annual vinca can be trailing or upright. Trailing vincas are a great option to spill out of a container or hanging basket. Upright varieties work well in mass plantings, especially in landscapes where you want a big impact with little maintenance. All parts of annual vinca (Catharanthus roseus) are toxic and should be kept away from children and pets. Flowers and Foliage Vinca flowers are suspended over glossy, emerald-green foliage....

How to Carve a Sugar Skull Pumpkin Supplies Needed Pumpkin, fresh or artificialPrinted free sugar skull pumpkin stencilLarge knifeScraper toolPin toolEtching tool or chiselSerrated pumpkin carving knifeBattery-operated tea light candle Step-by-Step Directions With a few supplies and these how-to instructions, you can create your own carved skull pumpkin. Customize your Halloween sugar skull pumpkin with paint or a faux flower crown. Step 1: Prep the Pumpkin Start your sugar skull pumpkin carving by cleaning your pumpkin out from the bottom, not the top!...

While the process of changing a door lock is relatively simple, there are few tips and tricks that will ensure your new front door lock works like a charm for years to come. We’ve laid out a step-by-step guide to changing your door lock, with all the tools and materials you’ll need to get the job done right. How to Choose Your New Door Lock When purchasing a replacement lock, make sure you choose one that matches the specifications of your current lock....

For example, many contractors finish the walls of attached garages only enough to achieve the fire rating mandated by building codes. While the surface is serviceable, it’s often far from smooth. At the other end of the spectrum is a dining room wall that will have glossy paint and will be illuminated by ceiling canisters close to the wall that rake light across it at a shallow angle. Under those conditions, even a tiny imperfection will draw attention....

However, although stainless steel is designed to resist corrosion and rust, it’s not impervious to burnt-on messes and discoloration. With everyday use comes stains, water spots, and other stubborn marks, so it’s important to know how to clean stainless-steel pans properly. With a few common household ingredients and some elbow grease, these methods for cleaning stainless-steel pans will restore their shiny, spot-free finish. Follow these tips to keep your cookware looking brand-new....

Step 1: Slice Around and Twist Apart Wash your avocado. No, we don’t eat the skin, but according to the FDA, one in five avocado skins can carry harmful bacteria like listeria or salmonella, so go ahead and give them a good rinse before you prep them. Use a knife to make a lengthwise cut around the seed, cutting through the skin and fruit. Holding the avocado in your hands, gently twist the two halves in opposite directions to separate them....

Open shelves provide an opportunity to show off your personality in the kitchen, but figuring out how to turn your jumble of plates and mugs into a cohesive display can be daunting. Fortunately, there are a few simple design tricks that can help you create an enviable #shelfie using (mostly) items you already own. Follow these steps for styling open kitchen shelves to effortlessly pull off a gorgeous display....

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The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) requires dating information on retail foods and drinks that allow those who purchase them to know when they will no longer offer the best flavor (“best by” or “best if used by”) or when a store may want to remove a product from its shelves (“sell by”). “With the important exception of infant formula, [which could lead to a life-threatening nutrient deficiency since it may be the child’s sole source of nutrition if the quality degrades over time], the worst that will happen to you if you consume an out of date product is that you’ll be disappointed because it won’t taste very good,” Donald Schaffner, Ph....

Right now, you can shop small-scale sofas that are mid-century modern, retro and relaxed, or eclectic and colorful on sale for less than $300 thanks to an under-the-radar sale at Walmart. These top-rated sofas (at seriously good prices) have all been reviewed by honest shoppers who don’t hold back. Their high star ratings prove that when it comes to sofas, you don’t need to downgrade to downsize. Below, you can shop some of the best under-$300 sofas that are perfect for small spaces....

The Halloween holiday is a combination of a number of different cultural celebrations, so our traditions come from all over the world. Brush up on your Halloween costume trivia, history, and other interesting facts about Halloween.