AP9 Articles

At Home Rewards Provides Tips for Growing an Herb Garden at Home

As the organic food trend grows stronger worldwide, more people have decided to grow their own produce at home. Edible flowers, vegetables, fruits and herbs are among the favorites. At Home Rewards (SM), a leading discount membership program offered by Adaptive Marketing LLC^®, reports that although herb gardening is less complicated than flower or vegetable gardening, there's still a learning curve.

Herb gardening is a good way for non-experts to start a garden, whether in a yard or in pots placed on a sunny windowsill. Selecting which herbs to grow is the first step, one that should be taken seriously. The garden should be composed by easy-to-grow herbs that can also serve as a complement for the dishes prepared at home. Pizza lovers will pick basil, parsley is a favorite of Italian dishes fans, and those who go for Mexican or Indian cuisine will choose cilantro first and foremost.

Once the herb choices are made, what's next? AtHomeRewards has put together a simple list of tips to have in mind before and during the growing process at home:

-- The beginning. Visit the local garden store or the closest nursery to find seedlings or seeds of the herbs you've chosen. Try your luck with two or three different kinds.

-- Initial treatment. Soak seeds in water prior to planting them in the soil. Another trick is to place them between wet paper towels and into plastic bags for at least four hours.

-- Well-grounded. Make sure to get the best potting soil, perlite and peat moss. A good potting mix is one that allows for fast draining, because all herbs need a well-drained soil.

-- A place to grow. Purchase clay or plastic window boxes or pots, and look around the house for containers you can recycle as pots. Clay pots are recommended because they provide better air circulation for the roots. Those who might forget to water the herbs frequently should pick plastic, metal or ceramic containers.

-- Let it drain. As important as the material of the pot is the drainage it provides. Herbs need a lot of water and a drainage hole for the moisture to escape as needed.

-- Enough sunlight. Indoor herbs need five to six hours of direct sun each day. Some expert gardeners recommend placing the pots on top of the refrigerator while the seeds sprout, then moving them to a sunnier spot once they have germinated.

-- Ideal pH. Measuring the pH of an herb garden sounds more complicated than it is. Hardware stores carry easy-to-use pH and fertility testing kits for beginners and experts. 6.5 is the ideal pH of the soil, which is slightly acidic.

-- Dry and use. The leaves have the best flavor, so it's recommended to remove them from the stem before drying. This will avoid later contamination of the flavor and aroma. Rinse them in cold water, and let them air-dry in a cool spot (two weeks for drier climates, three to four for humid areas).

Herbs make a healthy and flavorful addition to cooking and also serve medicinal and aromatherapy purposes, concludes At Home Rewards.

At Home Rewards Offers Tips to Make Small Spaces Look Bigger

Visual tricks are a very important tool of interior design. Colors, light, furniture and decorative pieces can be arranged the right way to make a statement, or to make a space look smaller… or bigger. At Home Rewards (SM), a leading discount membership program offered by Adaptive Marketing LLC^®, knows that consumers don’t need to sacrifice comfort because they live in a small, enclosed place. With a few visual tricks and some key elements, any room can appear bigger than it really is.

As AP9 AtHomeRewards reports, the key is to think ahead and make buying and decorating decisions with one thing in mind: to make the room (whether it’s a bedroom, a kitchen or a living room) appear more spacious and definitely more comfortable. To do so, there are three main elements to take into consideration: color, decoration and organization. AP9 At Home Rewards has put together a list of simple tips to follow for any small room of the house:

Color:

• Light hues will open up the space, and painting the walls white will definitely maximize that effect.
• Go monochromatic. If all white doesn’t work for your lifestyle, try painting the walls, trim and detailing in different shades of one color. Pick from off-white, beige, any pastel or neutral color.
• Match the color of the furniture with the color of the walls. Stay away from contrasting colors, especially in big pieces such as the sofa.

Decoration:

• Medium-size furniture pieces work better than a big, prominent one. Avoid having many small pieces scattered all over the room, and arrange furniture at an angle to add visual interest to the place.
• Track or recessed lighting works best for small spaces. Use a torchiere lamp to bounce light off the ceiling, and get rid of heavy drapery. Let the natural light come in as much as possible.
• Mirrors are also a great way to make a room feel and look bigger. A big wall mirror right in front of a window will reflect light and color; so will a collection of smaller ones, distributed along one wall.

Organization:

• Any small space — even a tiny closet — will look bigger if it’s clutter-free. Get rid of little furniture dispersed all over, and move around pieces that block the view and walkway space.
• Designers recommend getting pieces of furniture with open arms and legs, as well as small glass-top tables, so the light can filter through.
• Make the most out of the space with multifunctional furniture. Invest in good quality pieces such as drop-leaf or removable-leaf tables and ottomans for storage and sitting purposes, among others.

Consumers can enjoy significant, year-round savings on decorating and remodeling needs for any room of the house, no matter the size, along with home improvement ideas and much more for the entire family, through At Home Rewards.

At Home Rewards Says, “Stay Warm While You Save This Winter”

At Home Rewards (SM), a leading membership discount program offered by Adaptive Marketing LLC^®, knows that home heating and fuel prices are headed for the roof — just in time, it seems, for winter. So whether it’s gas or oil heat that keeps things warm inside, when the thermometer starts heading in the opposite direction outside, it has never been more important to try to reduce home heating bills.

AP9 AtHomeRewards knows that saving money on energy costs isn’t exactly a “slam dunk” these days, given those currently outrageous fuel prices and some recent problems with natural gas production.

Reducing energy loss and keeping utility bills down this winter will no doubt be a tall order. That’s why a few tips from At Home Rewards might just make it easier to stay warm, while remembering a popular World War I ditty — Keep The Home Fires Burning — in the bargain:

-- Take ’er down. Now that the energy crunch is decidedly on, turn the heat down whenever possible. Recent studies show that for inside temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees, every degree lower can represent a three-percent savings on overall heating costs. And when the house is empty for an extended period, consider lowering the thermostat to about 55 degrees, which can translate into savings of 5-20 percent over time. Either way, some experts say that keeping things at or below 68 degrees should reduce heating costs.

-- Wear it in. Fashion meets function in a sound in-home heating strategy. When inside temps are lowered, keep body temps at normal levels by donning sweaters, fleeces and other comfy outerwear.

-- Fiddle with the furnace. Keeping furnaces tuned up and clean on a regular basis is a smart move, especially since dirty filters can reduce airflow and increase overall energy use. Replacing or cleaning those furnace filters at least once a month can keep overall fuel costs down by as much as five percent.

-- Some like it hot. Maybe so, but some energy experts say that about 16 percent of an overall average energy bill can go towards heating water. Sure, a warm but damp load of laundry might seem more cozy than a cold one, but that’s what the dryer is for. Wash clothes in cold water instead of hot this winter, and take steps to save hot water in general. Think of it this way: Saving hot water saves energy.

At Home Rewards is all about giving its members useful tricks and tips on all kinds of in-home savings ideas. From the kitchen to the garage to the den — and every room in between — count on AP9 AtHomeRewards.

At Home RewardsSM Helps Spread a Little Holiday Cleaning Joy

The holidays are a time to celebrate the season with friends and family, whether it's a big party or a small, informal gathering, reports At Home Rewards, a premier family and home savings program offered by Adaptive Marketing LLC^®. Before folks start popping in for visits, though, it's a good idea to put a little extra shine on the old homestead.

Entertaining loved ones and close friends is just one of many bright spots in the holiday season, but keeping it bright usually requires a little polishing. No one wants to be remembered for their holiday crumbs rather than their holiday cookies, so a pre-holiday cleaning program is often the best way to prepare for guests, expected or otherwise.

Of course, lengthy cleaning chores aren't usually at the top of anyone's holiday wish list, so AtHomeRewards offers a few quick ways to address some season-specific cleaning needs:

-- Candles. A popular decorative touch around the holidays, candles offer a special challenge because they drip wax wherever they go. To remove wax from candlestick holders, pop them in a freezer for an hour or so. Once the wax is frozen, simply peel it off. (For quicker results, try soaking the candlesticks under very hot water, then use a soft towel to rub the wax off.) To remove warm wax from a tablecloth, rub the wax with an ice cube to make it stiff, and use a spatula to scrape it off, reports At Home Rewards. Then put a paper towel on both sides of the tablecloth, and apply a warm iron. The paper towels should absorb the melted wax. Be sure to run the tablecloth through the washer, of course.

-- Frosted windows. Some people like the frosted-window look, which occurs when windows fog up in cold-weather locales. For those who don't like that look, cleaning the windows with a solution of a half-cup of rubbing alcohol with a quart of water will help keep the condensation --- and therefore the frost --- to a minimum.

-- Carpet spills. Carpet spills aren't a holiday-specific concern, but the more guests there are, the more chances there are for an accident. The key is to work on the spill as quickly as possible, before it sets in. Mix a tablespoon of mild liquid dishwashing detergent with a half-cup of warm water, and use that to dab at the stain with one paper towel while using another paper towel to contain and soak up the spill.

-- Fireplaces. The fireplace can be a focal point of holiday gatherings, so it's important to keep it up to snuff. To remove ashes without creating a cloud, scatter damp tea leaves across the ash pile before gently sweeping the ashes into a dustpan. And to bring a shine to brass fireplace accessories, simply clean them in warm, soapy water.

-- Knick-knacks. Keeping small glass, china and glazed ornaments and figurines clean and free of dust can seem like a very involved task, but it doesn't have to be. Just set them in the kitchen sink, spray them with a window cleaner, rinse them off, wipe them down, and leave them to dry on a paper towel. If the knick-knacks shouldn't be exposed to liquids, use a microfiber towel and a small dose of dust cleaner.

Holiday entertaining should be as easy and enjoyable as singing a verse of two of "Jingle Bells," and being able to focus on company rather than cleaning can be a snap with a few quick tips from At Home Rewards.

At Home RewardsSM Says, “Spring Flowers Depend on Fall Yard Work Hours”

At Home Rewards says that, whether you’re partial to “April showers bring May flowers” or instead prefer, “Only God can make a tree,” one thing is certain: For a healthy lawn and blooming flowers next spring, yard landscaping and preparation must begin this fall.

At Home Rewards, a leading membership discount program offered by Adaptive Marketing LLC^®, offers members some valuable yard maintenance tips to make that lawn and garden the envy of the neighborhood.

Proper lawn care and landscaping have become a year-round proposition. It doesn’t demand a green thumb, but it does take commitment and consistency.

With that in mind, At Home Rewards offers the following words of physician-turned-poet William Carlos Williams: “So much depends on a red wheel barrow — glazed with rain water.” Some experts say that Williams intended to show a simple snapshot of American life — to indicate beauty through simple and mundane objects. So when it comes to keeping a solid and good-looking lawn, nothing flowery is required. Instead, keeping overall flora beautified may depend more on regular maintenance and the following types of careful preparation:

-- “Oh, the water.” Regardless of whether rock ’n’ roll icon Van Morrison was into gardening, the aforementioned refrain from his 1970 hit “It Stoned Me” reminds us that running water is not only a symbol of freedom, but is also a key to maintaining a healthy lawn. Proper storage of water hoses is pivotal, and that means bringing outdoor hoses in out of the cold during the winter months. And while you’re at it, turn off the outside water supply if the air temperature is expected to dip below 40 degrees.

-- Breathe deep. A healthy lawn is one that breathes. Leaf blowers and similar power methods are certainly more efficient for fall clean-up, but raking the lawn by hand aerates the grass and helps loosen up the soil.

-- Groom it or lose it. Experts say that the optimal height for cool season (fall) grass is about 2.5 inches. So be perverse and give your lawn a summer haircut in fall, and keep it short throughout the winter. Come spring, that high and tight cool weather lawn coif will make an easy transition to those lush green lawns — just like the ones on TV.

-- Bye-bye blackbird. Cleaning out what birds leave behind can really make a difference when it comes to bugs. When birds fly south for the winter, clean out the remnants of their nests and any nearby birdhouses. The more bird-related debris you manage to clean up, the less likely parasitic bugs will be to survive the winter.

At Home Rewards is all about giving its members useful tricks and tips on all kinds of home care, decorating and home entertainment ideas. Acting like a home care pro means thinking like one. Just ask the home care experts from At Home Rewards.