Test Garden Tip: Asparagus is hardy in Zones 3-9, but it’s best to select varieties designed for your climate. For example, ‘Jersey Giant’ is a good bet for northern areas with long, cold winters. In warmer regions, try ‘UC-157’. Test Garden Tip: Good drainage is very important for preventing root rot. If you have heavy clay soil, consider planting your asparagus crowns in raised beds. Test Garden Tip: Keep weeds at bay with a 4-6 inch layer of mulch applied once the shoots start to appear....

How to Prevent Pipes From Freezing Disconnect outside water hoses. “If left connected, water in the hoses will freeze and expand, causing outside faucets and connecting pipes inside your home to freeze and break,” warned the experts at Roto-Rooter. Disconnect all outdoor hoses, and use a faucet cover ($5, HomeDepot.com) to keep outside faucets from freezing. Let the water run overnight. It sounds wasteful, but leaving a gentle trickle of hot and cold water running from a sink or bathtub faucet can prevent pipes from bursting on the coldest nights....

So, we’ve asked experts for advice on how to get a proper quote, negotiate for the competition’s lower rate, and communicate effectively so that you can score the best deal possible. Ask for a well-explained quote Before booking any service, or hiring anyone to work for you, it’s important to ask for a quote. “Be sure it’s detailed, and if there’s an expiration date for that quote, make sure you understand that clearly as well,” says Julie Ramhold, consumer analyst with DealNews....

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Ajuga’s common names are carpetweed and bugleweed, so you’d be right in assuming that this plant is a vigorous grower. Each growing point on the plant is actually a little rosette of foliage. Ajuga spreads steadily by sending out plenty of wandering stolons, which are essentially horizontal roots growing outward from the plant. From each node on a stolon, the plant sends down roots and forms another crown of leaves—so that as they grow, they create more colonies....

In Your Everyday Closet Despite the fact that we move through our closets every day, they gather dust just like everywhere else. “For me, it’s the tops of the shelves and hanging racks and the area down by the baseboards that get the most dust,” says Melissa Maker, the owner of housekeeping company Clean My Space and author of Clean My Space: The Secret to Cleaning Better, Faster, and Loving Your Home Every Day....

Editor’s tip: Cut off any extra peat-pot sides that stick up above the potting mix. If you don’t, the peat pots will dry out faster than the surrounding soil, leaving your tomato plants thirsty and suffering. Editor’s tip: Choose a big container for your plants. The bigger the pot, the less often you’ll have to water it. Related Video

How to Store Unbaked Cookie Dough If you want to get a head start on cooking making, but still want fresh-from-the-oven cookies in a few days, store the dough. Then, when you’re ready to serve, remove the dough from storage and bake. Refrigerate Cookie Dough: How long do cookies last in the fridge? Unbaked, you’ve got about 7 days. Mix cookie dough (except bar cookie batters and meringues) and refrigerate up to 1 week....

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Playing off last year’s dusty green tones, this year’s pick for the color of the year is also inspired by nature. But instead of the lush greens, we’re thinking of sunsets over sweeping desert landscapes, like the red rock spires of Zion National Park. The color is a versatile design choice and works well painted across a full room or as a subtle accent wall. Available exclusively at Walmart, the shade is ideal for indoor DIY projects....

What’s the best way to remove makeup without damaging your skin? - @hiitskali Makeup removal definitely isn’t the most fun part of your beauty routine, especially when it’s late and you’re tired, but I’m glad that you want to do it right. While it’s tempting to cut corners (been there, done that), improper makeup removal—or worse, not removing at all—is one of the worst things you can do for your face when it comes to aging, acne, and overall skin health....

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“A den is a second living space that can work as a family room or home office,” says Stayce Mayfield, a principal agent with Redfin. Of course, there’s a bit more to it than that, including where the room typically appears in a home’s layout and what is required for it to officially be considered a den. With help from the experts, we’ll explore everything you need to know about a den, whether you’re considering a property with a den or wondering if you can highlight the presence of a den in your own home in your listing....

How to Clean Beets Test Kitchen Tip: Red beets are notorious for staining hands, cutting boards, clothes, you name it. To keep your hands from temporarily turning purple, consider wearing gloves. To keep beets from staining other foods, roast them in their own dish. For everything else, just be careful and clean up quickly. How to Prepare Beets for Roasting How to Roast Beets in the Oven Cover the pan with foil and roast at 375°F for 30 minutes....

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Recently, The Home Edit teamed up with the car maintenance company Jiffy Lube to advocate for a clean, well-run vehicle. Now, you might be wondering what cars have to do with home organization. According to the duo, cars are an extension of our homes (and, oftentimes, offices) and they should be given the same consideration we would give to a closet or pantry. Being that your car helps you run your day smoothly, one could argue that it takes top priority on your list of organization projects....

Test Kitchen Tip: To keep your salad moist, toss the cooked pasta in lemon juice and olive oil, then refrigerate overnight. This keeps the pasta from absorbing all the dressing, which can make the salad dry. Buy It: Rao’s Basil Pesto ($6, Target) Test Kitchen Tip: Toast the walnuts for at least 5 minutes before chopping them for ultimate flavor. Buy It: Ball Canning Jars ($19 for 12, Bed Bath & Beyond)...

Test Kitchen Tip: Feel free to try this same strategy with fingerlings or any other buttery-textured, small spud that you have in your kitchen. Related Video

This is a terrific project for young kids who might not be ready for complicated carving instructions. Enlist their help in cutting out this sneaky guy’s stenciled hands, while you take care of carving the top off the pumpkin. Cleaning out goopy pumpkin seeds is, of course, best done together! To carve: Print out the stencil pattern and use it to trace two hands onto black felt. Cut out hands and set aside....

Acetone is a potent, highly flammable solvent, which means its chemical makeup renders it capable of dissolving substances like hardened nail polish. It also makes it sneakily useful for getting rid of other pesky marks around the house. Here are a few unexpected things you can clean with nail polish remover. 1. Sanitizing Metal Razor Blades, Tweezers, and Nail Clippers If your metal beauty products look a little scary these days, disinfect them with a cloth or cotton ball dipped in nail polish remover....