How to Collect Eggs Before you clean your eggs, you first have to gather them. There are basic supplies and tips to have on hand to successfully raise chickens, especially broody hens that are essentially in charge of the eggs. There are some things you can do to make sure that the eggs you pick are as fresh as clean as possible which minimizes the amount of cleaning that is required later....

Still, many people still consider ants unwelcome in the garden. Some can be aggressive enough to inflict painful bites, especially the notorious fire ant of the South, which seems to expand its territory northward year by year. And there are other reasons why you might prefer an ant-free garden. But before bringing out toxic chemicals, consider whether the problems posed by ants outweigh the benefits. Problems Caused by Ants in the Garden Some ants maintain a mutually beneficial relationship with aphids, which are indeed damaging to plants....

We can assure you there’s no need to freak out—you’re not destined for bad feng shui. It’s okay to have your living room, or any room for that matter, fall into two bagua areas. In fact, a room can overlap into two areas without any issues at all. It’s like life: Our lives don’t fall into perfect boxes. It’s not bad or good, it’s neutral. Living Rooms, a Room to Live Your living room represents the social part of your life....

Where Is the Actual Cleaning Done? Most dry cleaners in the United States fall into one of two types: dry stores with a central dry cleaning plant or package stores that do the cleaning on-site. A dry store is just a drop-off. The clothes are transported to a remote location for cleaning. Ask how many dry stores feed into the central plant. Is the central plant servicing only that chain of dry cleaners or others in the area?...

Fold It Into a Rectangle Roll It The rolling method is best suited for soft-textured, more relaxed-style button-up shirts such as a chambray or flannel one. Fold It Like a Retail Store This folding method is a good way to keep button-up dress shirts crisp and pristine. Storing Folded Button-Up Shirts There are a couple of different ways to store folded button-up shirts to preserve a crisp fold and keep them from getting wrinkled....

When approaching a ladybug issue, it is important to keep in mind that lady beetles are considered largely beneficial. They eat a number of harmful insects (especially plant-damaging pests like aphids), they do not reproduce indoors, and they do not attack food, clothing, or wooden items. (Some gardeners even try to attract ladybugs.) It is not ideal to kill lady beetles, and this should be avoided whenever possible. It is when certain types of lady beetles move inside that they can become a problem....

Thrips include more than 6,000 species in the Thysanoptera order, of which more than 200 have been identified as problem pests for both indoor and outdoor plants. Most species have fringed wings, and though they move quickly, thrips are poor fliers that are more likely to travel on the wind than by use of their wings. Under a magnifying glass, thrips have a distinctive cigar-shaped body that looks a bit like a worm with legs....

Ornamental alliums won’t spice up your cooking, but their cheerful spherical flowers will enliven your garden. These are extremely tough plants that are both drought-resistant and cold tolerant. They’re not even bothered by deer or rodents, and there are plenty to choose from for any garden. Allium bulbs should be planted in the fall. The flowers form in clusters and are best known in the round pom-pom form, but they can be star-shaped, cup-shaped, semi-circular, or pendulous....

Kumquat is not toxic to humans or pets, but gnawing on the wood may cause intestinal compaction problems in dogs and pet birds. The key is to make sure a kumquat tree gets as much bright light as possible and to use a supplemental grow light if necessary. Also, avoid letting the plant sit in soggy soil. While they do in fact like water, they can’t tolerate sitting in oversaturated soil....

Agave plants are generally considered perennials, though many types are better described as multi-annuals that take several years to flower before dying—for the most part, agave plants only flower at the end of their lifespan. Their slow-growing nature and interesting appearance make the smaller varieties excellent choices as houseplants. Agaves do very well in dry indoor winter environments, though you must be able to give them plenty of sunlight. The toxicity of agave plants varies widely by species....

Known for their yellow blooms, coarse leaves, and super long stems, cup plants attract butterflies, birds, bees, and other beneficial insects throughout the growing season, or July through September. If you’re wondering where the name “cup plant” comes from, look closely at the plant’s leaves—they form a small basin that enables water to pool around the stem. It’s not uncommon to see birds and other animals or insects sipping water from these tiny basins on a hot day....

Classified as a flowering vine, the pipe vine is, nevertheless, more useful as a foliage plant. Its leaves fill in densely, giving it a number of potential uses, such as casting shade to keep an area cooler during the summer, screening out prying eyes from areas where you want privacy or hiding eyesores in your landscaping. However, be aware that the plant from the bark and leaves to the sap and flowers/fruit is highly toxic to humans if ingested....

English bluebells are a sign that spring is in full swing. Their deep blue-violet blooms appear in mid to late spring and put on a fragrant show for up to five weeks before going dormant by early summer. The trumpet-shaped blooms have up-turned lips, which droop atop clumps that are about 12 to 18 inches tall and three to eight inches wide. Each flower grows six petals and produces creamy white pollen....

Light The gold dust plant makes a great choice for anyone dealing with low-light conditions, such as the north side of a house. It prefers to grow in partial shade and needs to be protected from the bright afternoon sunlight. During the winter months, sunlight can scorch and blacken the leaves. Soil Gold dust plants grow best in moist, organically rich, well-drained soils. However, they can tolerate average to nutritionally poor soils, even clay soil....

It is possible to plant in the late winter or early spring in mild climates. However, the bulbs likely won’t grow as large due to the shortened growing season. Selecting a Planting Site Pick a sunny spot with loose soil for your garlic. Container growth is also an option if you don’t have a suitable garden site. Try to avoid a spot where other Allium species have been in the past few years, as pests and diseases that target the species can linger in the soil....

There is a great deal of variety in the Geranium genus, but most of the commonly grown species are low-growing, dense, carpet-like plants with flower stalks that poke and weave through neighboring plants. The flowers float on top of the plant in shades of white, pink, magenta, purple, and blue. The flowers are small—around 1 inch—and cupped-shaped, attracting plenty of butterflies and bees. Cranesbill geraniums are usually planted from potted nursery plants in the spring, but they can also be divided and replanted through early summer....

Hebe shrubs are great additions to a large garden but can easily be grown in containers as well. They love lots of light, well-draining soil, and don’t require much fertilizing. And if you’d like to add to your hebe family, they propagate easily to create more shrubs. Light Hebe shrubs do best in full sun to partial shade. However, too much shade can make them leggy in appearance and may cause their blooming to stop....