AU - Please note that water restrictions are in place across most (if not all!) of Australia right now. These tips are about saving water when caring for your lawn, but you should check what restrictions are in place in your local area!

Spring is upon the northern hemisphere (AU - and down under we're living with water restrictions!), and with a little know-how, you can water your lawn more smarter this year. Tutorial site wikiHow offers strategies to reduce your water usage while maintaining a healthy, hearty lawn. For example:

Water deeply to encourage deep root growth. Frequent shallow waterings encourage weed germination, and they also cause the grass plants' roots to grow shallow, leaving the plant more susceptible to drought and to certain diseases. Watering only when your grass really needs it encourages the roots to grow deeper

Read More »

Web site Ecobites details how to cook with the power of the sun with your own DIY solar cooker. In a nutshell, the author rounded up a bit of plywood and aluminium foil to create a reflective parabolic surface capable of focusing the heat of the sun to the cooking surface—another great idea to add to the list of unconventional heat/fire-starting methods.

Read More »

Document your green thumb's handiwork this growing season by taking photos of the flowers and vegetables in your garden. Photographer and gardener Joel Heffner has some tips for getting the best snaps of your garden, like filling the frame and getting an interesting angle.

Most people take garden pictures by aiming the camera downward, because it's easier than bending down or crawling in the dirt. The problem is our eye level may not be the best angle from which to take a photo. Try to move around and look for interesting angles—front, back, side, top and bottom views.

Read More »

The New York Times suggests that even on a grey and cloudy day, getting outside can help your skin create the mood-boosting, health-supplementing Vitamin D. A complete cloud cover only halves the energy of ultraviolet rays, which trigger Vitamin D production, so you can still beat the wintertime blues with a little time in the "sun." If you do catch some rays, though, remember not to over-do it:

To strike a balance between useful exposure and protection, the N.I.H. recommends an initial exposure of 10 to 15 minutes, followed by application of a sunscreen with an S.P.F. of at least 15. The institutes say this much exposure, at least two times a week, is usually sufficient to provide adequate vitamin D, though some researchers suggest it may not be enough.

Read More »

A wall-hanging plant holder makes growing plants in your cramped apartment a realistic endeavour, but there's a catch. As is, the plant wall retails for a steep $250—which is why this one's labelled as a weekend project. From the little schematic included on the image from the web site (above), a fearless DIYer could tackle this one for a fraction of the asking price. Whatever you choose, this wall-hanging plant holder could be perfect for indoor or outdoor use, and is reminiscent of the previously mentioned upside-down tomato planter.

Read More »

As fall rolls into early winter (at least here in the Northeast), rain storms are becoming a more common occurrence. On the brighter side, that means more post-storm rainbows with picture-perfect color. The Digital Photography School blog rounds up the best advice for shooting those rare occurrences, including this not-so-obvious tip:

The point where a rainbow hits the ground/horizon is an important point in any rainbow photograph. This is a natural point of interest so think about where you'll put it in the frame. You might want to zoom in on this spot or even quickly change your own position so that it lines up with some other object in the scene.

Popular Mechanics says that a cotton ball smeared with Vaseline or ChapStick is "a foolproof fire starter." The Vaseline works as your fuel, and once you get the Vaseline-soaked cotton ball lit, the flame should continue to burn under pretty much any condition. The Popular Mechanics article is rather light on details, so I also found a post on the Survival and Equipment weblog detailing how to make single-use petroleum jelly candles using cotton balls, petroleum jelly, and aluminium foil. You will, of course, still need a flint or match to get the cotton ball started (or just some steel wool and a battery).