Granite Fill in with pulverized stone and buff smooth. Materials Restorer-grade granite patch kit, such as PRG, Inc.’s Chip & Fill Kit. Procedure How Good Is the Repair? So-so. With natural slab granite counters, literally every piece of granite is different, so an exact match is impossible. With engineered granite, there will be more consistency, and thus, the repairs will more closely match. The trick is to use the restorer-grade granite repair kits because it’s mixing actual stone dust with binding agents....

Less commonly, chipmunk burrows can undermine the earth below retaining walls, decks, patios, and other outdoor structures, and even under house foundations. Also, even though they live in their burrows, chipmunks will enter homes and other buildings in search of food. Most repellents that deter squirrels will also repel chipmunks. This includes solutions like anti-rodent spray, granular repellents to add in the soil, and taste-aversion repellents the contain Bittrex and thiram....

What Do Mice Look Like? The mice that commonly infest a home or garage include a number of species in the Mus genus of the Rodentia order of mammals. These small, fairly innocuous creatures are common visitors to human homes simply because these structures offer them the dark sheltering areas and food supply they need to survive. Garages are especially susceptible to infestations because mice often go overlooked here. And food sources, such as grass seeds, bird food, and pet food, are often plentiful....

Paper wasps are not considered dangerous, and treatment can easily be handled by a homeowner or resident that has the proper tools and equipment, but self-treatment does come with some risks. If you want the lowest-risk solution for paper wasps, hiring a professional would be best. While paper wasps are not typically aggressive, they can sting if they feel threatened, and their sting can cause severe reactions in sensitive individuals....

It is best to plant Chinese fan palms in the spring. These slow-growing palms have a bushy appearance when they are young. But in roughly a decade, their single, slender, grayish-brown trunk will have grown tall enough to be classified as a tree. Light Chinese fan palms grow best in full sun to partial shade, meaning that they need at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight on most days....

Their natural bloom season is during the winter, which is ideal if your plants are indoors for display. The bloom is triggered by a combination of falling temperatures and reduced water. Light During the growing season, cymbidium orchids appreciate dappled sunlight. If your orchids are outdoors, make sure they are not in direct sunlight, as this can cause burning on the plant. A few hours of morning sunlight paired with shady afternoons should be perfect....

The blooms only last for around a day and the capsules they form contain up to ten little dark seeds. The seeds can be harvested once the capsules turn brown and start to rattle—usually a couple of months after flowering. Flax is toxic to pets. Light Although flax flowers don’t appreciate excessively hot weather, they do thrive in a sheltered, full-sun position. Soil Flax flowers don’t cope well in dense, wet clay soils and prefer light, well-drained, sandy, loamy soil....

Plan to keep new trees well-watered, especially in the summer, and feed them annually. You likely won’t have to do much, if any, pruning on your tree unless there’s an unhealthy portion you need to take off. Just inspect it periodically for any signs of distress. Light This tree grows best in full sun, meaning at least six hours of direct sunlight on most days. But it also will tolerate partial shade....

Stock flowers were popular during the Victorian era and were commonly known as gilly flowers in England. They are considered signs of deep affection when given to others. Although often purchased as an annual, stock can easily be grown in home gardens. It makes a colorful addition to fresh bouquets, has long-lasting blooms, and also makes an excellent dried flower. The flowers are edible, with a delicate floral taste, and can be added to salads or as a garnish to desserts....

Swan River daisy comes in a variety of colors: lavender, blue, pink, and white, with a center disk of yellow or black. These plants grow in a mounded shape with fine, leafy foliage and flower stalks that reach 12 to 18 inches in height. Each blossom is about an inch in diameter, but what the flowers lack in size the plant makes up for with an abundance of blooms. This drought-tolerant plant doesn’t require much in the way of water, but has trouble blooming in overly hot and humid conditions....

Many American gardeners give up on the thought of growing yellow flag iris in the landscape once they learn that it is invasive, and this is too bad. Not only does it bear attractive flowers, but it also has striking, sword-shaped leaves (1 1/8 inches wide) that are a nice greenish-gray color. The large seed pods that succeed the blossoms are well-suited to being used in dry flower arrangements too....

Selecting a Planting Site Choose a spot that gets lots of sun and has good soil drainage. Make sure no nearby taller trees will shade out the kumquat, as this can affect its growth and fruit production. The spot also should be protected from strong winds. If you don’t have an adequate garden site, container growth is a good option. Kumquats also can be grown indoors with enough light. Spacing, Depth, and Support Kumquats are typically planted as young nursery trees....

Lima bean plants are started in the spring and have a relatively fast growth rate, taking around two to three months to mature depending on the variety. They must be fully cooked to be safe. Raw lima beans, along with the plant roots, are toxic to humans and animals. Selecting a Planting Site The planting site should have loose soil and lots of sun. Raised bed or container growth is also an option....

This is a naturally occurring genetic mutation of the Philodendron Brasil. The unique variegated foliage pattern is surprisingly consistent with mature green leaves displaying silver, cream, silver, and then dark green from the center, working outwards. Often they develop a vining habit that trails or climbs, and the leaves tend to be longer than other Philodendron hederaceum cultivars. They are perfect on a showpiece plant stand. And, despite this heartleaf Philodendron cultivar’s exotic appearance, it’s surprisingly low-maintenance....

Here are 10 DIY laundry products that are simple and cost-effective to make. DIY Powdered Laundry Detergent Making powdered laundry detergent is very simple and will cost you around 30 cents per load. Plus, homemade laundry detergent is safe to use in both standard and high-efficiency washers because the formula is low-sudsing. What You Need 1 5.5-ounce bar of pure soap or 1 cup of soap flakes 1 cup baking soda 1 cup washing soda (sodium carbonate) 1/2 cup borax Cheese grater Measuring cup Resealable container...