House & Garden

Bring in the “Wow” with Patterned Wallpaper

Colour, nice texture and character all over the space. Ah, the power and charms of beautifully designed walls. True, walls can change the whole look of a room, wrapping up the whole idea and the concept you have imagined for the space. If you’ve been wanting to infuse your space with some boldness but were afraid of how the paint will turn out – hesitate no more. Wallpapers have been staging a huge comeback in the past few years and this trend shows no signs of slowing down or fading. But the thing is, loving the look of graphic wallpaper in a photo is a whole lot different than actually papering your walls at home with it. For that reason, to help you out in your interior design project, we’ll go over some ideas on how to style up patterned wallpaper. I hope some of these wins your heart.

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A Simple Guide to Choosing a Submersible Sewage Pump

As a home owner, I believe you are always trying to keep your house safe and protected from different elements. But despite the efforts, accidents do happen from time to time which can result in damages either inside or outside the house. For example, consider water leaking. A breakdown of a pipe can easily turn your basement into a swimming pool in just a couple of minutes, damaging all of your possessions there. To avoid such situations, you have to be prepared with all the right tools and have a backup plan. Such great investment is a submersible sewage pump. It is a device that finds its usage in a variety of situations, not just inside but outside the home as well.

There are a lot of different models of sewage pumps but basically, they all work on the same principle. The device takes the water through a suction opening and using a hose, it pumps it to a higher area. Today the market offers a variety of submersible sewage pump models that have different features, and of course, are designed for different purposes. Therefore, before shopping, determine why you need the pump so that you make the right choice.

Pumps for dirty water – If there is a lot of dirty water in your outdoor space that needs to be pumped immediately, make sure to choose a submersible sewage pump that is specifically designed to pump water that has heavy dirt deposits. When shopping, check the maximum grain size the device can work with so that you know how big particles can pass through the machine. The most common uses of a submersible sewage pump are for cleaning septic and sewage systems as well as in cases of a flood.

Pumps for clear water – Most of the pumps you will find available on the market are designed for clean water pumping. With a submersible pump you can collect rainwater in a tank and then pump it to another container or even into a hose and use it to water your garden for instance. This machine can also help you in case of water leaking in the basement. However, if using a pump for clear water, make sure you check the level of debris and dirt in the water so you can see whether the pump can handle it. Water in flooding situations usually contains a lot of dirt, so if your submersible sewage pump is intended for clear water, it may not be able to pump it.

Pumps for garden pond – The beauty of owning a house is having a garden that will always give you something beautiful to gaze at. Garden ponds and fountains surely make for a nice sight, but they do require some work in order to be well maintained. If you plan on creating one, you will certainly need a submersible pump to pump the water to the filter. This is a great tool for such applications due to its ability to be placed directly into the water. Moreover, there are pumps for garden fish ponds and these are divided into models for salt and fresh water.

Pumps for wells – Bringing up the water from a spring or well is another way to use a submersible pump. Most of the time this water will be used in your home plumbing system. However, not all pumps are suitable for deep groundwater levels. The suction head is an indicator of how far the water can be below the level of the pump. In case the pump is in the water, the suction head will be close to zero which makes submersible pumps the preferred choice for deep wells.

A Simple Guide to Growing Your Own Edible Garden

Have you noticed that not a day goes by without most of it revolving around food? From the minute we wake up we think of what we’ll have for breakfast, the kind of coffee we’ll choose, then while working we start thinking of lunch and dinner and what snack to have in between. You might eat out every now and then, but unless you have a lot of money at hand that you want to just toss out, you have to do your own cooking. Since most of us live in big cities that make it impossible to pay trips to the supermarkets every day, you can easily get tired of all the grocery shopping and preparing a huge list of ingredients you need for a specific meal.

Though they say you have to have your daily dose of vitamins through eating fruits and vegetables, you don’t really know if the ones sold in supermarkets are actually as healthy as they ought to be. All that talk about GMO has certainly made “organic products” a great deal more expensive. The thought of having fresh produce is appealing, more so if you do the planting and maintaining of the plants and herbs yourself because you’ll know what you eat is of quality. These can be reasons enough to start your own garden no matter whether you live in a house or an apartment and you can have edible gardens Melbourne round to inspire you and supply you with the necessary seeds, grown plants and all the tools you will require to tend to the needs of your garden.

Nowadays you can make your garden even if you don’t have enough space. It’s always better to start from scratch but when you start from seeds, you have to remember you must to provide the proper warm conditions for good results. Unless it’s already warm enough (neither too cold nor too hot) outside, your best bet will be to begin with your own small garden in your kitchen. You can find heirloom seeds that edible gardens Melbourne gardeners provide, including having the possibility of purchasing crates to get you started. Some are even already planted. At the early stage of sprouting, when plants begin to appear from the seeds, they require warmth so they can get to the growing stage. You can use heating mats around the container to keep them warm and help the process.

When it comes to the container, you can use just about anything, from unused pots to cans, but remember to sterilise them very thoroughly, wash them with soap and rinse them with a solution of water and bleach. Create a drainage system by making holes at the bottom of the container and place it on a tray. If you prefer to keep things more organised, make a seed chart so you’ll follow the growing process. The soil you plant them in also makes a difference in ensuring the life of your seeds. For best results, plant them in a well-moisturised and light mix, neither unsterilised nor too wet or you’ll face diseases earlier on. As you probably know, plants need a great deal of light, thus placing them on a sunny window would be the perfect spot. If you don’t have the proper space and let’s say you plant them in your basement or attic, it’s good to use fluorescent lights preferably with a timer so you will have the light chore taken care of.

Water is another essential component of your garden. To prevent diseases, it’s best to do the watering from the bottom while they are in their sprouting stage. You can have the watering chore off your shoulders with the use of self-watering planters, which have a reservoir that keeps the moisture levels in check. Love and care are also part of the deal, so give your garden the attention it deserves and you’ll see it grow and flourish in no time.

Simple Guide to Why Fake Grass Can be the Real Deal

If it looks like grass and feels like grass, then it must be grass, right? Well, not necessarily. With the advances in today’s technology, it is getting harder and harder to tell the difference between real and fake grass. And it really doesn’t matter if it’s fake or real. All it matters is that you choose the solution for your outdoor space that fits your lifestyle, your physical capabilities, how much spare time you have on your hands, and of course, your budget.

Having a real lawn is a beautiful thing, but it comes with a cost. Mainly, natural grass requires a lot of time and effort to maintain: cutting the grass, pulling out weeds, watering it, and so on – all of this is very time and energy consuming. Hiring a gardener, on the other hand, can prove to be very costly. Also, in dry regions, natural grass requires large amounts of water in order to thrive and the water bill adds up to the overall costs of your lawn, not to mention the impact that irresponsible consumption of water has on the environment, especially in regions where water is scarce.

So, basically, if you are a busy and eco-conscious person, fake grass is the perfect solution for you. Having artificial grass doesn’t mean that all the other plants in your garden should be artificial. Fake grass is just a practical solution that for the floor in your yard that feels and looks very much as the real thing and has nothing to do with the rest of the vegetation in your garden. You can still leave space for planting flowers as to retain the natural feel of your outdoor environment.

Here are some of the major benefits of having fake grass.

• As I mentioned before, fake grass is very low-maintenance and easy to use. It is perfect for people with a busy lifestyle, older people that aren’t physically capable of caring for the lawn, and holiday home owners who are not always there to look after the lawn.

   

• From an environmental standpoint, artificial grass reduces water usage, carbon emissions from petrol lawn mowers, doesn’t need fertilizers and chemicals that may further spread when they are washed away with water, and so on.

   

• Fake grass is a very clean solution for your backyard or pool area. No more tracking mud in the house by your dog or your kids or carrying dirt in the swimming pool.

   

• For roof gardens that can’t support the weight of a natural turf, artificial grass is the perfect solution.

   

• Fake grass is very durable and won’t lose its color even with constant exposure to the sun. Also, areas with frequent traffic don’t allow for natural grass to grow properly and you will end up with a lot of bold spots which is not the case with artificial grass.

Crimping Tool: An Indispensable Utensil for Those Who Do Nothing by Halves

The only thing that sets us apart from other animals is that we have the Internet. Oh, that, and the fact that we have fully opposable thumbs that render us capable of using tools. Human civilization really took off with the invention of more an more elaborate tools. Starting with simple cutting tools, building tools, agricultural tools, weapons, all the way to today’s machines, computers, and a whole lot of hand held tools, each with a specific purpose, without which we could not possibly imagine the society we currently live in.

For people that work with wires and cables, cutters, snippers, crimpers, and strippers are some of the indispensable tools of the trade. When you are dealing with wires you need a tool that is both precise, consistent, and reliable. Whether you are working on cars, electrical or network wiring in homes and buildings, or you are making fine jewelry, quality tools are essential.

Using a clipping, stripping, or a crimping tool, has its own separate purpose. Universal tools that can cut, strip and crimp are very common and they offer convenience and versatility. However, if you are planning to do more serious wiring, you will need a dedicated tool for each purpose, since it’s much more efficient and comfortable to handle. Whichever tool you need, make sure it features a handle that has a rounded or contoured ergonomic grip which will allow you to work with it for extended periods of time without any strain on your hands.

A crimping tool needs to effectively form permanent physical bonds between cables and connectors. This type of connection is essential for a system to operate properly and a lot of manufacturers are designing crimping tools for attaching connectors to the most common types of cables. The most typical and practical types of crimping tools are ones that are handheld.

Handheld crimping tools are either designed for a specific type of connectors or they can use interchangeable dies for increased versatility. When you are using interchangeable dies you need to be able to modify the crimper quickly and not compromise the quality while doing so.

As I mentioned before, comfort plays a very important role. With the increasing reports of repetitive stress related injuries, a lot of the companies are focusing on making ergonomic tools. Such features include a round handle that perfectly fits in your hand and a shorter grip diameter for people with smaller hands that also offers more mechanical advantages. Don’t forget to consider the weight of the tool, since it also plays a role in terms of comfort.

Just like any other product, price is often closely related to quality. Depending on the number of features and the materials used to manufacture the tool, prices can range from 30$ up to 500$. People often say that you get what you pay from, but unless you are doing wiring at NASA, I wouldn’t suggest buying the most expensive one since you can get great performance and durability with some of the cheaper models too.

How to Select the Right Tree for Your Yard

Choosing how to decorate your backyard so it satisfies both your desire for aesthetics and purpose, is a responsible task that asks for time and dedicated research and planning. There are trees that become better and more beautiful as time goes by, and then there are those that can cause only trouble in your yard. Having this in mind, the process of choosing starts with having a clear answer to a few simple questions such as – why do you want trees: for shadow, for intimacy, or for decoration?

Whichever the reason may be, there are few general facts you should know before you choose to plant them in your yard. For example, not all small trees are young trees. Some are small because of lack of vigor, which will be made obvious by the condition of the tree’s bark. Also, all deciduous trees can be divided into two groups depending on whether they do good in city atmosphere or are better in suburbian areas. City trees have a lot shorter lifespan than their respective counterparts. Read More →

Simple Guide to Bring Out the Beauty of Your Patio with Planters and Pots

Though a relaxing night in front of your TV or with your laptop right by your side binge-watching Netflix series sounds like the perfect pastime activity, nothing could measure up to the time spent outside in your beloved patio. The list of things you can do are endless, from the chance to catch some meteor shower, throw a party, work on your tan with some sunbathing, watch the spectacles of colour in nature during sunset or even do some sun salutation yoga poses to greet the coming of a new day and work on your meditation skills in the soothing company of silence.

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One-pot gardens: Planter Ideas for Urban Gardeners

With the growing trend for minimalism and the implementation of compactness in designs, more accent is placed on space. The large scale of migrations from village life to city life, and the global growth of population led to preference of simplification as it is both convenient and time-saving, which is especially crucial in the fast-paced world of today. While some segments of life have been positively affected, for instance through the role of technology in communication, access to information and advanced medical treatments and procedures, other segments are not equally affected. The speedy everyday schedules do not leave much time for leisure-like activities, gardening being one of them.

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Simple Guide To Buying Plants Online

Buying your plants online no doubt gives your more access to a larger variety of plants that you might not get locally. It is also a great way to find all the plants you will need to finish your whole garden without having to run around and find the plants one at a time. So many people have converted to buying their flowers, trees, and plants online and it’s not very hard to see why as it is a lot cheaper and a lot easier. If it is your first time buying trees or plants online then there are a few mistakes you want to avoid. Below we will go over a quick guide of things you should look for and avoid when shopping for trees and plants online for the first time. Read More →