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But pre-packaged potting soil can be expensive, particularly if you have lots of containers and flower boxes. Fortunately, you can make homemade potting soil quickly and easily with readily available ingredients. What is in Homemade Potting Soil? Potting soil is different than soilless potting mix; the latter is used only to germinate seeds. The best homemade potting mixes have three ingredients: a growing medium, something to help retain moisture and nutrients, and something to promote drainage....

How to Make Meat Loaf To get started, you’ll need a great meat loaf recipe. We’ll be using our Test Kitchen’s Best Meat Loaf to demonstrate these steps, but you can also use the tips while making your favorite family recipe. Preheat your oven to 350ºF and follow this step-by-step process to learn how to make meat loaf in the oven. Step 1: Prepare Meat Loaf Ingredients Our meat loaf recipe combines mushrooms, onion, carrot, and garlic....

Monograms are a perfect way to add a touch of personalization to your decor—they’re often used in decor on throw blankets, pillows, yard decorations, and more—and they seem more popular now than ever. But how do you make a modern monogram in a world where family members don’t always share a surname? And how do you make monograms feel fresh and contemporary, rather than dated? We talked to experts to get their ideas for designing a decorative monogram that speaks to today’s lifestyle....

How to Make Whipped Cream While it’s not necessary, our Test Kitchen highly recommends making homemade whipped cream in a chilled bowl. Simply pop a large bowl (metal works best) in the freezer. While you’re at it, go ahead and add the beaters from your hand mixer into the bowl to get those nice and chilled as well. Keep the chilled bowl in the freezer for at least 15 minutes, then follow these two easy steps to make the best whipped cream at home....

Varieties of Coleus Chocolate Bear Paw Coleus (Solenostemon ‘Chocolate Bear Paw’) also is called ‘Big Foot’ and ‘Norris’. Its blocky leaves resemble the shape of a foot with their frilly tips reminiscent of toes. The primary color of each leaf is purple. Magenta veins and chartreuse tips of the frilly leaf margins add interest. It grows 18 inches tall and does best in part sun or light shade. Flirtin’ Skirts Coleus (Solenostemon ‘Flirtin’ Skirts’) has overlapping rounded leaves that clasp the stem, producing a layered petticoat effect....

The current label, adopted in 2005, lists the manufacturer, describes the product, provides a source for additional information, and includes ratings for energy performance characteristics. Because the label can be confusing, this slideshow breaks it down and describes what each rating means. So the next time you buy windows, you can do it with confidence.

Tips for Handling Hot Peppers Chile peppers, like jalapeños, habaneros, and serranos, have volatile oils that can burn your skin and eyes. Avoid direct contact with them as much as possible. When working with fresh chiles, wear rubber gloves or disposable plastic gloves, or cover your hands with small plastic bags. If your bare hands do touch the peppers, wash your hands and nails well with soap and warm water (and don’t touch your eyes or face until the tingling passes)....

How to Sauté Onions Heat oil or butter over medium-high heat until hot in a large skillet or pan. Use about 1 Tbsp. fat per small to medium onion (you can use just about any fat). If you want to sauté onions without oil, use a nonstick pan, and add a small amount of water or vegetable broth to help keep onions from sticking. Add chopped or sliced onions and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula....

Luckily, cutting tile isn’t as scary as you think. Though a wet saw—the traditional tool for cutting tile—may look intimidating, it’s surprisingly simple to use. A wet saw has a pump that sprays water onto the tile as you’re cutting. This keeps the tile cool and prevents cracks. The blade does not have teeth, which allows it to be used for delicate materials. A wet saw also makes quick work of a large project, versus a snap cutter, and can be used for specialty cuts....

How to Use an Instant Pot Using an Instant Pot is easy once you read the directions, and it gets even easier the more you use it. Just press a button or two, then let it be—multicookers don’t need supervision, and built-in timers show how long it takes the cooker to build up pressure, cook the food, and depressurize. Every model differs slightly in appearance, parts, and instructions, but here are the basic steps you need to follow for pressure cooking:...

Some recipes specifically call for the white parts, some the green, and many don’t specify (maybe that’s when you reached out to the Internet with your question about which part of the green onion to use). The good news is you won’t ruin any recipes with either part of the green onion (or scallion, the terms are used interchangeably). Both can be used, but there is a guideline for best results when making recipes with green onions....

1. Take Stock The end of the growing season is the perfect time to assess the perennial garden. All the successes and challenges will be fresher in your mind than next spring, when your memories of the previous season may have faded. Look with a critical eye, pairing your vision for the space with how the plants are growing. Which perennials thrived? Which ones struggled, and can any of those plants be moved to a better spot?...

1. Velvet Velvet adds a cozy, high-end look to upholstered furniture and home accents, and it’s not going away any time soon. But if you worry velvet is too formal or impractical to clean, don’t fret—today’s velvet offerings have a high-quality look with modern performance qualities. Livable luxury is one reason designer Dabito favors velvet in his own home. “We love velvet because it’s a durable fabric, especially with pets,” he says....