Everything About Gardening

When Consumer Reports first tested lawn mowers in 1957, we judged eight of the 30 rotary models Not Acceptable because they discharged clippings, rocks, and other objects high off the ground and even toward the operator’s face. Mowers have become a lot safer since then, thanks to standard that became law in 1982. Now when our technicians test mowers they can concentrate on performance rather than ducking for cover.

In our biggest mower test ever, Consumer Reports mowed nearly 20 acres in Florida with electric, push, self-propelled walk behind mowers and riding mowers and tractors. We found that self-propelled mowers walk behinds were generally better than electrics and push mowers at cutting grass. But you can get a decent push mower that does the job.

“Inexpensive mowers have improved over the last couple of years,” says Peter Sawchuk who oversees our mower testing. “Th

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ATLANTA — In 1974, Ed Fisher opened a store here called the Pachinko House to sell the upright pinball games of that name that he imported from Japan. He also shipped in ovoid earthenware grills called kamados. But they only collected dust in the back of that strip-mall storefront until he began cooking chicken wings with them and fanning the smoke toward the street to attract shoppers.

“We were selling something called a kamado from a place named after a pachinko,” recalled Fisher, who first saw the charcoal-fueled cookers in the 1950s as a Navy lieutenant in Japan. “That didn’t sound American, and that wasn’t easy. But once I got people to try one, once they tasted the chicken we cooked on them, they were hooked.”

Giving them a distinctive green, dimpled surface and a catchy name helped. S

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Get the kids in on some DIY summer fun with this fun spin on sidewalk chalk.

Getting the kids to go outside for some summer fun (with minimal eye-rolling) isn’t such a chore when there’s the promise of a mess to be had. This sidewalk paint is just right And don’t panic just yet because I said “paint”: The stuff is completely and totally washable. Think sidewalk chalk in liquid form. To make it, combine one part water to one part cornstarch, then add food coloring. For the full how-to (and to see more photos of the paint in action) visit Wendolonia.

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We seem to be on a free theme this month.

Sewing such a wonderful and practical hobby and it can actually help you save money. If you are sewing on a budget, free sewing patterns can be a great help. A lot of sites offer free patterns. Two of my favorites are McCalls and BurdaStyle.

McCalls, of course, is the historic pattern company. They offer some of their craft patterns for free download.

If you are looking for free clothing patterns, the fashion-forward selection of free, downloadable sewing patterns on BurdaStyle may appeal to you. The free patterns are courtesy of a variety of individual designers. BurdaStyle also has patterns, from their own expert designers, for sale listed along with the free patterns.

Kwik Sew is a another great source of free sewing patterns.

We bring dangerous chemicals into our homes every day. It could be from our shoes, new furniture, or even our vinyl shower curtain.

CHEMICAL CLEANERS: A common way potentially toxic chemicals get inside is from chemical-based cleaners. Their ingredients are not even required to be on the label. Some of those ingredients can pollute the air inside our homes and possibly cause all sorts of health problems such as asthma, allergies and reproductive issues. Instead buy or make nontoxic cleaners with baking soda, white vinegar, Borax, citrus juice and oxygenated bleach.

FURNITURE & FLOORING: Furniture made from medium density fiberboard can contain a formaldehyde-based resin. And, many popular choices of flooring emit formaldehyde. At elevated levels, formaldehyde can irritate eyes and cause breathing problems. Seek out furniture and flooring products labeled formaldehyde-free.

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The fed’s big retreat from the mortgage market is the latest argument for smaller-but-smarter home upgrades, especially in the kitchen. As of this October, the biggest home loans that Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and federal agencies will guarantee drops from more than $700,000 to as low as $271,050, according to The Wall Street Journal. That’s likely to give an added boost to lower-priced homes—and another reason to spend wisely when it comes to remodeling your kitchen.

The good news: Consumer Reports’ latest tests yields a tantalizing menu of value-priced kitchen upgrades that cost as little as $1,000. Besides paying off now in improved looks and convenience, these smaller upgrades are likelier to pay bigger dividends later as home prices rebound. Here’

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