Digging in

Planting vegetable garden needs proper preparation

Donna Balzer and Steven Biggs's book No Guff Vegetable Gardening (No Guff Press, 2011) hit bookstores last month, but they're offering excerpts to get you started.   Donna says: I get a charge out of the garden-centre bags of "topsoil, " which . . .

Posted: 2011-05-28

MIKE HOLMES: DIY nightmare

Decks the most easily messed-up outdoor project

Building your own deck? To prevent disaster, make sure you're doing it right Summer is coming and it's the season of outdoor projects. In my world, that usually means screwed-up outdoor projects -- typically, decks. If you watch any television, you're seeing . . .

Posted: 2011-05-28

CONNIE OLIVER: Seeing red can be a good thing in your home

You should be seeing red Red is a colour most people love when they see it in decor photos, but they are afraid to actually use in their own homes. Take this elegant formal dining room photo, for example. This room . . .

Posted: 2011-05-28

ASK THE INSPECTOR: Get it done right -- furnace installs

QUESTIONS: I am building a new house, and the builder has vented out my furnace exhaust and inlet through the side of the basement concrete wall. This is a high-efficiency furnace. Would there be any problems if it's going through . . .

Posted: 2011-05-28

SOLUTIONS: Repel spiders with citrus scents

QUESTION: I am having a problem controlling spiders in my basement. Big, black, ugly spiders crawl into my downstairs bathroom on a weekly basis. Any idea as to how I can make a non-toxic spider repellent? Also, why do spiders . . .

Posted: 2011-05-28

New home construction remains resilient

Manitoba new home starts are performing at an amazingly resilient level. We are on pace to have between 5, 300 and 5, 400 starts for the year. Although that is down slightly from the 5, 888 starts in 2010, it still represents . . .

Posted: 2011-05-28

SOLD & OFFERED: May 28-11

SOLD Downtown Address: 103-340 Waterfront Dr Asking Price: $239, 900 Sold Price: $237, 900 Taxes: n/a Square Footage: 809 Bedrooms: 1 Bathrooms: 1 Listing Agent: Sheldon Zamick, Sutton Group- Kilkenny Real Estate, 475-9130 South St. Vital Address: 3101 St. Mary's Rd. Asking Price: $299, 900 Sold Price: $295, 000 Taxes: $2, 959.12 Square Footage: 760 Bedrooms: . . .

Posted: 2011-05-28

Artista licence

Unique, functional house has plenty of space, wetlands vista

When you're in the lower level of a home, it's never a bad thing to be taking in a lake view as you play a friendly (or competitive) game of pool. Or to be able to head out a nearby set . . .

Posted: 2011-05-28

Great rooms with a view

Spacious apartment-style condo perfect for entertaining

IT isn't often that you can say an apartment-style condominium feels like a house. That said, there are exceptions. One of those exceptions would be a sublimely spacious unit found on the second floor of 147 Provencher Blvd., a.k.a. Place Joseph . . .

Posted: 2011-05-28

Salad from scratch

Growing your own greens produces rewarding, chemical-free food

This year, take advantage of the ease and simplicity of growing your own salad greens. It's easy and affordable and you'll love the enhanced flavour your salads will have using freshly grown greens. Not only will your taste buds love the . . .

Posted: 2011-05-21