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This rainforest native requires constant warmth and high humidity, so it can be tricky to grow this spice outdoors in many regions of the United States. Cardamom should be brought indoors to overwinter, and it can work as a houseplant, however, it rarely flowers when grown in a container, therefore it won’t produce flavorful seeds indoors for your culinary creations. You’ll also need to give this plant plenty of space—it can grow from 6 feet to 16 feet tall....

With blooms coming in beautiful shades of sky to navy blue, it’s easy to see why larkspur is a classic. Blue is a hard-to-find color in the flower world, and larkspur has it in spades, along with other colors. The plant is available in single and double varieties, some of which have so many petals, they have a pom-pom appearance. The foliage of larkspur is a great addition to the plant (and the garden!...

In general, the reliability of reblooming iris declines as you go farther north. Gardeners in Zones 3 and 4 may see little or no reblooming. In most types, the reblooming cycle is set off by cooler weather, so if your temperatures are tropical year-round, you may not see a second bloom. Also, some varieties won’t start reblooming for a couple of years. Where to Plant Reblooming Iris Plant reblooming iris in a sunny spot that gets shade later in the day....

If hose bibs are not properly winterized, the water trapped inside the pipes can freeze. When ice forms, the water molecules take on a six-sided crystalline structure, which makes ice less dense than water. However, due to this configuration, the volume of the water increases, forcing the ice to expand outward. This expansion exerts force on the interior of the pipe, valves, hose bib, and any accessories, like hoses or spray nozzles....

If you’re planning to refinish an existing floor, pull up a floor register to make sure you have enough wood for another sanding. Standard hardwood strip flooring can be sanded several times, but if your floor is only slightly more than 1/2 inch thick, consult a professional. The same goes for engineered flooring. It can be refinished, but its top layer is quite thin. Take inventory of the existing floor, and mark and repair popped nails and damaged areas....

Sarah Fishburne, director of trend and design at The Home Depot, advises sticking with the basics. “Some of the most successful projects for beginners are the simplest, such as painting, landscaping, and installing blinds,” she says. “Limiting the scope of your projects at the beginning will help build confidence and knowledge before you take on more complex DIY projects.” It might be tempting to get out the sledgehammer and demo those kitchen cabinets on your own but, unless you know what you’re doing, even prep work can damage your bottom line if you wind up making a costly mistake....

Getting Started Metal studs save money and are easy to install. Metal studs have precut holes designed to accommodate electrical and plumbing lines. When running NM cable through metal framing, inspect the holes to be sure there are no rough or sharp edges that could damage insulation. Always use the special bushings designed to protect wiring. What You Need ScrewdriverTin snipsStrippersVariable-speed drillLineman’s pliersNonconducting ladderBushingsCableBoxes for metal studs Step 1: Insert Studs Cut metal studs and channels with tin snips....

Test Kitchen Tip: For a twist on cake and ice cream or cookies and cream, serve this with slices of pound cake or pizzelle cookies on the side. Test Kitchen Tip: For an alcohol-free substitute for the chocolate liqueur, simply add an equal amount (⅓ cup) of extra espresso or coffee. Related Video

Luckily, the best smokeless fire pits let you enjoy all the ambiance of a traditional fire without all the smoke. While they won’t completely eliminate smoke, these fire pits will drastically reduce the amount that’s produced so you won’t have to worry about breathing in smoke particles, getting it in your eyes, or smelling like a bonfire for days to come. The best smokeless fire pits work because of their double-wall design....

When on the hunt for the best storage containers, Julie Morgenstern, New York Times Bestselling author of Organizing From the Inside Out recommends first taking an inventory of the items you need to store. “Before going shopping for storage containers, make sure you have sorted, purged, and grouped your belongings," she says. “Then you will be sure to get the right containers and really complete your organizing project.” To help you find the best storage containers for your home, we researched many storage solutions looking at size, capacity, material, and more to create this list....

This Black Friday, save up to 50% on some of the best robot vacuums on the market, including brands like Shark, iRobot, Yeedi, and more. We scoured the internet for the biggest savings on robot vacuums—and even tested many of them in our lab—to help you find the best devices for your home. You’ll be able to shop some of the lowest prices on robot vacuums ever from midnight Thursday until 11:59 p....

While you can build your own Murphy bed, it may be easier for some to buy one instead. To find the best Murphy beds, we researched various models and considered factors like dimensions, mattress size, material, weight capacity, and functionality. We also spoke with Amie Freling, interior designer and founder of Meme Hill Studio, to learn what to look for in a quality Murphy bed. “Not all room sizes can allow for a bed—and quite honestly, it’s hard to find a comfortable pullout sofa,” Freling says....

The best fans provide a wide range of speeds, offer an oscillating feature to help move air around the whole room, and remain super quiet, even on the highest setting. This versatility allows you to change how much airflow you need, choose between a direct breeze or one that keeps the entire room cool, and go about your normal tasks without a loud buzzing sound bothering you. We put 31 different fans to the test in our lab to determine which ones will actually keep you cool and comfortable during hot weather....

Because so many juicers exist, we combed through dozens of them to create a list of the best juicers. We examined factors such as whether the juicer is masticating or centrifugal and the speeds, pitcher capacity, and more. We interviewed Brandon Jurewicz of JuiceRecipes.com for expert advice on selecting the best juicer. Among many other tips, Jurewicz shares, “Juicing is something that needs to work with you. If juicing takes too long or you have to clean a lot of parts, you’re not going to do it....

How to Wrap a Gift Supplies Needed Step-by-Step Directions Follow these simple how-to instructions to perfectly wrap a gift. It’s so easy, you can wrap a package in under 30 seconds! Step 1: Secure and Fold The best part about the Japanese gift-wrap technique is that you don’t have to worry about measuring your paper perfectly to avoid extra folds showing. We started with a piece of paper that measures about four times the size of our gift, and it was just the right size....

In fact, that’s exactly what this sale is designed to do. With thousands of items on sale, these deals allow you to save on furniture, bedding, decor, and cooking tools ahead of the holiday shopping season. The Black Friday-worthy deals won’t last long, so be sure to check out the huge markdowns on popular brands like Dyson, Le Creuset, Cuisinart, and AllModern. Ahead, shop the 31 best deals across the Way Day sale event....

“Bi-level homes seem to have been most popular from the ’60s to the ’80s,” says Bret Weinstein, CEO of Guide Real Estate. “Though we do occasionally see new construction with them, this seems to be more and more exceedingly rare, as the overall market taste has moved more towards open concept and the ranch/two-story homes.” Keep reading for a look at what a bi-level house is, plus what you should consider before purchasing one....

You get what you pay for when it comes to amaryllis, so buying the largest bulbs will yield the most flowers. If you see that a bulb company is selling “double-nosed” or “triple-nosed” bulbs, you can look forward to two or three stalks and at least four flowers per stalk. You can grow your amaryllis bulbs shallowly potted in soil or resting in tall “forcing vases” with roots dangling into water or onto damp pebbles....

Especially if you’re planning to complete any DIY electrical work, such as repairing or replacing a switch or adding a new light fixture, it’s important to know the basics of how these switches control your electricity. By taking the time to learn how your switch wiring system works, you can reduce your risk of electric shock or fire when working with switches. Check out our comprehensive guide below to learn the ins and outs of light switch wiring, including information on power-through and end-line switches....

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