Mist weeds with a spray bottle of white vinegar. The acidic vinegar combined with four or more hours of sunlight will terminate the plants. More stubborn weeds may need a second application the next day.

If you hate to wear gloves while gardening but also hate the dirt that ends up under your fingernails, try this: Run your fingernails along a bar of soap before you start digging in the dirt … they’ll be easier to scrub clean after a day in the garden.

Awnings create an outdoor room that adds useful space, increases your property value and can cut energy costs in the home. They’re also a healthy solution to tippy umbrellas and sticky sunscreens for preventing sun exposure.

Clean and lubricate your garden digging tools in a sand-motor oil mixture. Keep a tub of it (one quart motor oil to forty pounds sand) in your tool shed. Just plunge the blades into the mix several times after use.

Outdoor irrigation can account for up to 40% of residential water consumption, costing you money and sending limited municipal water resources down the drain. But there’s a cheap and environmentally preferable alternative: harvesting rainwater to hydrate your lawn and garden.

Rain barrels are easy to install and maintain with just a little bit of insider’s knowledge. Here are a few quick tips that will have you on your way to hundreds of free gallons with each rainfall:

Don’t keep holiday light displays packed up until next winter. Use strings of twinkle lights to illuminate screened porches, under patio umbrellas or under porches and awnings to create a twinkling evening atmosphere for summer parties.