Yard Adventures Search Results

How To: Use hand signals on a bicycle

Watch this video tutorial to learn how to use hand signals on a bicycle. Bicycles don't come with turn signals and brake lights. Fortunately, there's already a universal language for indicating turns and stops on a bike.

How To: Make a bridle and fly-line for your kite

You can't fly a kite without a bridle and fly-line, so let this instructional how to video show you the ABC's of kiting. For this project you will need: garbage bag, wooden dowels, cloth tape, ribbon, scissors, magic marker, yard stick, and a pencil. Have fun creating your kite with an adult helper.

How To: Sew a tube top lace dress for prom yourself

In this how-to video, you will learn how to create your own tube top dress with lace and tulle. This will be useful if you need a unique dress for prom. You will need a sewing machine, scissors, pins, ruler, measuring tape, thread, a half yard of gray knit, tulle, and a yard of lace. First, cut out a rectangular piece that can fold in half. The lower half is a trapezoidal piece. This will be the jersey skit. The smaller end should fit around your waist. Lay the rectangle first and then put th...

How To: Add color to the garden with perennials

Southwest Yard and Garden featuring John White, Dona Ana County Extension Agent, hosts a 6 minute clip with co-host Master Gardener Valois Pearce both of Dona Ana County, New Mexico host a short web show featuring plants that can easily survive on smaller amounts of water over typical plants. They begin by discussing the full sun Ice Plant, which comes in many species and colors as well as their hardiness, but unfortunately are easy targets for wildlife. They then move onto the Gopher Plant, ...

How To: Add colorful plants around a mailbox with Lowe's

Mailboxes don't have to look all lonesome, with only the curb to cheer them up. If you have one of those street boxes on a post instead of a house box, the best thing to do to make a happy mailbox is to give it some company. To improve your home's curbside appeal, take your landscaping efforts to the curb and enhance the area around the mailbox. It's a great way to accentuate your landscape.

How To: Make a duct tape backpack

Are you a regular backpack user? Do you tire of that generic Jansport look that seems to be all your low backpack-budget will buy you? Do you want to rock something a bit more distinctive without breaking the bank? Do you like duct tape? Then look no further! This 2-part video provides wonderfully detailed instructions for making a full-sized backpack out of only 45 yards of duct tape! A must for the DIY-happy student-about-town.

How To: Identify problems with vegetable plants

Curtis Smith, Extension Horticulturist with Southwest Yard and Garden, and Rick Daniell, Bernalillo County Horticultural Agent, discuss how to identify problems with vegetable plants in your garden. Gray or white spots on a squash leaf are natural if they do not rub off. Blossom end rot can afflict tomatoes, squash, chilies and melons. Blossom end rot indicates a calcium deficiency during times of vigorous growing during uneven watering. Fertilize when the plants are young. Sun scald can affl...

How To: Make a tiara-esque headband

Tiara-esque headbands are fun to make, and more importantly, fun to wear! You will need, 1 basic wide headband, 1 yard of cotton fabric, 1 yard tulle, flowers from the Crafts section, scissors, beads and rhinestones for details, a glue gun. Lay the headband over the fabric, towards the edge. Mold the fabric around the headband, leaving some extra fabric at the ends. Cut the fabric. Glue the fabric from the underside of the headband, and glue from end to end. Cut all excess fabric away, and tr...

How To: Build a New England style stone walkway

If you want to add a little something to your yard for a good price, why not a stone walkway? This is perfect for areas that are used to experiencing rain and don't have a proper walkway from one area to another. This is perfect for the side of a home that may be covered in grass and has no sidewalk at all.

How To: Deal with yellow jackets

Nothing ruins a romantic fresh air picnic like the buzzing of angry yellow jackets—especially since, unlike the useful honey bee, they can use their stingers over and over again... Learn how to deal with bees without getting stung. This instructional video from Howcast offers tips on handling yellow jackets.

How To: Make a beaded ring using a daisy chain variation technique

In this tutorial, we learn how to make a daisy variation beaded ring. First, thread your needle with 1 yard of fire line. After this, string eight of the 4mm beads onto the thread. Tie these into a loop, then thread the 8mm bead down to the loop and run the needle through the fourth crystal and the 8mm will rest in the middle. Now, add on your petals by adding three seed beads and a 4mm bead, running it through the previous loop. Do this again on both sides and repeat the process. To finish, ...

How To: Create a seductive Aphrodite makeup look with reds and golds

You should try on this makeup look because we simply can't think of any reason why you WOULDN'T want to look like Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, beauty, and sex. And seeing as how she rules supreme over these three categories, she is usually portrayed as being very beautiful and attractive. In other words, her milkshake would beyond the shadow of a doubt bring all the boys to the yard.

How To: Make an Internally Lit Ice Sculpture with LED Lights

Why not make the best of an icy cold winter day and make something even cooler? In this tutorial, you will learn how to make a natural ice sculpture in your yard and light it up with LED lights for a cool, nighttime effect. You will definitely have the best house on the block once you start lighting up your ice, so check this video out and get started! This project is super quick and cheap to create, too!

How To: Convert between units of speed in basic arithmetic

Need help converting between miles per hour and feet per minute? Between inches per second and yards per day? Learn how. From Ramanujan to calculus co-creator Gottfried Leibniz, many of the world's best and brightest mathematical minds have belonged to autodidacts. And, thanks to the Internet, it's easier than ever to follow in their footsteps (or just finish your homework or study for that next big test). With this installment from Internet pedagogical superstar Salman Khan's series of free ...

How To: Perform CPR on your dog

It's a moment most of us prefer not to even think about, let alone prepare for. One second your dog or cat is in the yard playing and the next it's suddenly down. Maybe Fido's been hit by a car, maybe he has simply collapsed, but in that blink of an eye all that matters is trying to keep him alive until you can get him the help he needs.

How To: Recycle coffee grounds into compost at home

In this how-to video, you will learn how to recycle your used coffee grounds into compost for your personal garden. Coffee grounds are very good for your soil and can be used for all winter long. If you stick a thermometer in there, you will see that it is about 106 degrees. This means that it is working on the inside. You can also your hand to test the heat inside the compost as well. You should make about a cubic yard of the coffee grounds for the compost to be effective. This video gives y...

How To: Make christmas trees from a tomato plant cage

John White, Dona Ana County Extension Agent, Teddi Peters, Master Gardener, and Southwest Yard and Garden demonstrate how to make a Christmas tree from a tomato plant cage for the holidays. The cage will already have a tree like form. Attach electrical tape around the prongs. Then, starting at the top, twist green holiday garland around the cage. Soon you will have something that looks like a tree. Add ornaments and Christmas lights to decorate your tree. You can use your new tree inside or t...

How To: Use recycled paper in compost at home

Southwest Yard and Garden shows viewers how to use recycled paper in compost! In order to compost paper you should first shred up the paper into pieces. Then you need to work in the paper into the soil or sand. You should work the paper into the soil in equal parts. Make sure you mix nitrogen into this composting paper. You need to mix nitrogen into it or it will not decompose and the process will not be fed. So first mix your paper with soil and sprinkle in nitrogen. You also need to water t...

How To: Plant asparagus

Southwest Yard and Garden teaches viewers how to plant asparagus! First, in your garden you need to dig a trench that is about 8 inches deep. You should mix up some compost into this trench. Choose an asparagus that has a fern and make sure you choose a variety that is a male hybrid. These are more tolerant of other problems such as wilt. Simply, plant these 8 inches deep but do not cover them fully. Cover them gradually and cover it as it grows highly. Make sure your roots are laying horizon...

How To: Pick and care for poinsettias

Learn how to choose and care for poinsettias with Southwest Yard and Garden's John White. You will be taken through the typical height and specifications for poinsettias, as well as what to look for in the leaves and flowers. One of the most important parts of growing poinsettias is keeping to a specific schedule. Measuring the plants is also important as plants that are too tall or too short are undesirable. Remember to frequently water the plants, but be careful not to overwater. Also, keep...

How To: Build a unique terraced garden

In this episode of Southwest Yard and Garden Curtis Smith shows you how to turn a steep slope into a usable garden. By building walls along the slope using serpentine designs he shows you how to obtain a compromise of both strength and artistic design. Starting with a good concrete footer and rebar you can construct a retaining wall strong enough to hold the weight of the slope. Materials such as wood and railroad ties can be used but may not stand the test of time as the weight of the soil c...

How To: Grow blackberries in southern New Mexico

Southwest Yard and Garden teaches viewers hot to grow blackberries in Southern New Mexico. Blackberries grow in high rain fall areas but they can work in the south west. They will need bee pollination so you need to make sure that you do not spray too much insecticide on them or you will kill of the bees. Make sure you pick the blueberries when they are dull and not when they are shiny. This will give them the maximum sugar content. Blackberries should grow in sandy soil or looser soil. You m...

How To: Protect outdoor plants and shrubs in the winter

Curtis Smith of Yard and Garden teachers viewers how to protect outdoor plants and shrubs in the winter. For instance, Lilacs and be burned by the cold weather so it is advised to not place lilac to the South or the West against a wall in the winter. Next, with a privett plant there may be damage on the leaves but others are perfect - but this is normal. This plant is an evergreen and some cells in the leaf may die which will make the leaves look damaged. This will be shown on last years leav...

How To: Make a creature puppet that bites and wags when held

If you're in the mood to make a horror movie, complete with creepy creatures and all, then you could make your dreams come true. Just check out this video tutorial on how to make a creature puppet that bites and wags when held. You can make this mechanism using string, craft wood, and hot glue, the action can be controlled with one finger, so the puppet appears to be alive when cradled in your arms. A nifty horror prop for a "pet monster."