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Which home or garden improvement tasks would you like help for, and why?

In each issue of the magazine and episode on television we bring you lots of different home and garden projects, but we want to know which improvements you find the most challenging.



We will then look at bringing you some ideas to help you to complete these projects so you can have a better home and garden.



- Better Homes and Gardens Team

Public Comments

  1. improving your garden soil!
  2. How to grow healthy fruit in your garden!



    I just can't grow watermelons ='(
  3. Permaculture gardening, as we want to move up north to a farm and have our own veggie garden/fruit trees etc, and as we are getting older not younger, I heard this permaculture is the way to go where it will eventually look after itself.
  4. I would like to know how I can make a rental apartment look better. I keep trying by adding a few things here and there, but it doesn't really make much difference.



    Why?

    It is so hard to make it feel homely when you are so limited with what you can change.
  5. I would really love help in putting in a paved liveable outdoor space or some ideas on how to create 'rooms' within the garden.
  6. how to have a front garden that looks good but doesn't need water more of a rockery and water friendly plants ,because we wasted time and money on turf and trees and a water tank and pump but it all died although some conifers died strangely ,there could have been some foul play from someone who thought we were watering when we shouldn't thanx choppersean
  7. I would like to know how to get more natural light in a rented appartment thats dark and cold.its on the top floor and still stays so cold
  8. what is the best weed mat to put down in my elderly grandmothers back yard so i can plant a vegie patch for her?
  9. Our bbq entertain area need redoing(10-15yrs old) ,the pavers need to be slop the right way for water run off, also drains need to be instailed.The old paver need to be lifted an cleaned and ground prep for relaying.some new plants would look nice.I work 6 days a week to make ends meet , my wife was on the receiving end of a car accident a few year ago which injured her back so she can do very little or nothing to help,just lucky it could of been worst. cheers love your show.
  10. I need to get rid of pesky thin weeds all over our rockey, landscaping needs updating, now looks like weeds and cant find the rocks, (rocky path way) and bitumen also mixed in soil. Ahhhhhh , i dont have the strenghth to do it.



    Also want to start an upright garden bed , say raised up to my waist height so i don't need to bend, what do i need to get it going, want it to be about 3foot to4 foot long and 2 to 3 foot wide. also how do i fill the bottom of it whats best?
  11. since perth is bascially one giant beach I would like ideas on how to grow something other than natives in the sandy soil



    also ideas on temporary brightening up of a rental garden would be really useful I have a huge garden but very boring Id like to know how to brighten it up on a budget bearing in mind its a rental so nothing permanent and I have two dogs as well one is only young and just ate my potted avocado tree which I had grown from a seed two years ago !
  12. Cleaning leaves and debris from rainspouts because we are getting too old to climb a three story ladder. Well, I'm not getting too old, just my husband. lol
  13. I would love help with my garden, i just dont have one, when we brought our house it was only a year old and the previous owners didnt even live in it so there is no garden and im at a loss on what to do. It looks so plain and boring but i have no idea where to start and i dont want to make it look horrible. I love australian natives but im a black thumb and have drawn up so many layout plans and they all look yuck.
  14. Choosing paint colours, it takes me forever and about 10 sample pots until I find suitable colours, then I still am not sure about it. I know you can get a colour consultant in - but not everyone can afford one. Outdoor house colours are the hardest to choose, it is a huge commitment when you are choosing a colour or cladding/render style for your house as once it is done you can't change it.
  15. We have a retaining wall along our back fence and that makes a nice feature along it, the only problem is every plant we have planted there seems to die off in the summer. The fence is cream in colour so we thought it might be the light refelecting of it, we have treated the soil and have given plenty of water but the plants never seem to last more than a year. Currently its empty because we are tired of planting expensive not long lasting plants only to see them die off. What are some hard wearing plants that can fit into a garden bed, that can withstand a lot of heat and need minimal water, (due to water restrictions)?
  16. My question is similiar to Clara's - how do you improve the garden when you are renting? We are renting a house though, not an appartment. There are certain thins you CAN'T do, but surely you clever people can help with things you CAN do?

    Thank you.
  17. - how to make a rental pretty - particularly transportable vege gardens and such, i have some things going but it just looks so much like i am going to pack up and leave any day now!

    - how to make a rental enviro-friendly - we can't do solar panel or water tanks - can we? is there a way?

    - STORAGE IDEAS, because quite frankly i love these - i love different storage fashions... yes yes i am a geek.
  18. improving garden soil

    keeping homes tidy

    & how to completely makeover a backyard ours needs it lol
  19. Hi

    We have just completed our house and now am at odds on knowing what paver to use.

    We have the overall concept of how we want the house to look just as we have planned it but the use of which paver is becoming a nightmare.

    We chose Boral bricks and they are called LaTrobe. We are looking to use a square large grey paver (25x25cm) and have the paths 1 and a half metres around the house instead of the normal 1 metre that is required. The entertainment area (approx 70-75sqm) could be done in the same paver but it may need some border/trimming/colour to break down the mass of grey. We do not want to tone it down with a blonde paver. We also want to carry this paver through to the driveway and the circular driveway at the front of the house.

    Have you any other paver colour/type/style suggestions?

    Thanks in advance.

    :)
  20. How do you incorporate a child friendly backyard including kids pool, cubby house, trampoline, swing set and area to play with a relaxing yard for mum and dad?
  21. we bought our first house - yah! unfortunately it has a covert running through the backyard which is covered in concrete. ways to make this seem less yukky. and if anyone wants to come to tamworth to make this look better - by all means, please help!
  22. Well our back yard I find is the most challenging as it isn't really child friendly, and the yard gradually slopes down to the back fence. We have a huge back yard and have tried planting natives, but really it hasn't helped. We are wanting to put retaining walls, so the ground is even and the children can have their trampoline and swing gym, set up in the back yard. However our budget doesn't even come close to getting that. We need ideas on how to make retaining walls and getting the ground even and flat without breaking the budget.

    I would also like ideas on what plants to plant that are safe for children and also would suit young enthusiastic gardeners(My children), that will encourage them to play and help out in the garden.
  23. hallelujah, been trying to get hold of you guys for weeks!! I'm after plants that will survive extreme temperatures ( -17 to 55 centigrade). I'm trying to revive a very old orchard- when to fertilise it? (apricot,peaches,cherries,walnuts?)

    heck just come and do a total makeover, inside and out!! cheap storage solutions?

    for Dr harry- how to teach jack Russell/foxy to hunt rabbits not chooks? and to listen to new owner.

    HELP PLEASE
  24. I have a swag lamp that needs rewiring. It is obvious that there is a short, but I am intimidated by doing anything electrical.



    As for the garden part, I live in a wonderful condo complex and would like to buy a lemon tree to live on my patio, but am concerned about whether it will get enough sun or not.



    You, asked, I answered. Thanks for the questions!!
  25. A water feature , because of the ethnic background of wife and her nagging.
  26. WEEDS, WEEDS, WEEDS, WEEDS, WEEDS - BE GONE!

    They are ugly, hurts to look at and step on bare footed. I love walk barefoot on soft cool grass, but WEEDS get you some times. Need them to just disappear. Thank you
  27. I can't be the only one who has a garden shed that lets in water - around the base where the shed walls meet the concrete! The concrete base is heaps above the ground level but every time it rains or a sprinkler hits the walls I get water through the shed. I can't store anything on the floor. I've tried everything! Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.



    I'd also like to see some shows set in small, rural towns - that give alternative ideas for towns where you can't readily buy most of the plants, pavers, etc. that you feature. Thanks..
  28. for one. i'd like a garden! i've lived in my home for over 20 years and i am a brown thumb. i have no garden what so ever. i watch your show every week and wish i had the know-how to do such wounderfull things to my home. if you're up to the challange you could feature my place on your show.....
  29. I want to get rid of my hills hoist washing line ( a great invention, I know) but it is in my front yard and it is not a good look.



    I purchased some old ceramic insulators (ages ago) with the idea of making a washing line that resembled a set of mini power lines. My thinking being 3 poles with 3 or 4 lines strung in between. The insulators have got screw in metal rods. That's where I am stuck...the construction of the cross arms and how to attach the insulators...not to mention how the arms attach to the poles and the poles in the ground.



    (Then the garden around will have lavenders, jasmine and scented plants)



    Hope someone can help.

    Kind regards Sam
  30. I would love our veggie garden beds raised and weeded having arthritis really make this a problem
  31. I would like to know the art of keeping a garden looking great. I put white pebbles in the garden, now I cant mulch it, and weeds continue. Plants die off the take ages to grow back. Hydrangas look spindly, when do you cut back, fertilise and how can you keep weeds at bay? I would love the ultimate garden... but what is the ultimate garden? I am a busy mum of 4, and a grandma now, and work full time shift work, but in my spare time.. he he.. there is the garden.
  32. We really need help tackling our new wardrobes.

    So far it has taken us three years to build our extension on our own.

    We are at a stage where we are fitting out the wardrobes and need some D.I.Y. help.

    Especially advice on the drawers and shelves inside the wardrobe, how to make them or where to purchase them.
  33. My backyard. It doesn't matter what I do or buy - the yard always looks the same - sad and dismal and not very appealing. We avoid it altogether.
  34. I would like some home improvements on what to do with my odd shaped, first story courtyard. It requires drainage, and currently the cement is painted which is peeling. It is surrounded by brick. We have worked on the garden area, but all in all it just doesn't meet expectations. As the garden area is one floor up from the street level, it makes it particulaly difficult and I have run out of patience and creativity, as this is truly a challenge.
  35. laying vinyl on a floor, cutting bits out for the loo etc
  36. choosing a paint colour for the house
  37. I would like to know how to improve soil in my garden also some ideas on weed control eg: cover garden with pebbles or ????? I just don't know. I am disabled and find it very hard to control the weeds sine I had my kidney out and am limited with some physical activity. Also I would like to improve the weed control in my lawn but have some trees planted. Any help with any of the above would be greatly appreciated.
  38. Living on the Missouri floodplain, my biggest obstacles are clay and poor drainage. I've spent hundreds of dollars on soil improvements over five years; yet whatever I plant fails, despite careful choices and seller assurances that it will thrive.



    I've been told that truckloads of topsoil will be the only way to achieve hoped-for acres of native grasses and wildflowers, and possibly a vegetable garden, but that is much too expensive a solution.



    Suggestions would be welcome.
  39. I would love advice on 'patching things up'. We are renovating and we would love advice on how to do the little things. For example we have removed a gigantic fireplace and put in a much smaller one this has left us with a few funny little tasks. How to polish a small section of wooden floor to match the rest of the floor? How to match and extend existing skirting boards?



    Or how about flooring solutions for when you have removed a wall?



    Or recycling in renovation projects. Ie take the old french doors from a section of the house you are demolishing down re-use them to open up a bedroom to a courtyard. How to reuse the window frames, bricks, etc.



    I think all these things would make interesting and challenging topics.
  40. I really would like to learn the ways of Permaculture for a climate like the northwestern US. Also Guerrilla Gardening in Public forest and parks would be great to learn about and spread the knowledge to others . Imagine free organic food and no need to own the land.
  41. I have the task of restoring the negelcted garden and grounds of my late grandmothers house in Lake Monger Drive Wembley but have no idea where to start.
  42. I recently had my courtyard at the back re-paved and it is looking a little empty these days with just the clothes line in it. I had a tree removed as it was a White Cedar and on Council's toxic list. Is there any suggestions for things in pots suitable for a West facing yard that gets full-bore sunshine from about 10am in the mornings? I'm not very good at gardening so they need to be easy care and I will be taking them with me when I move house in a couple of months. Any help/ideas would be greatly appreciated.
  43. I would love to know how to make a small courtyard with concrete floor a fun place for 3 young boys to play in.
  44. i am wanting change my room.paint and change carpet colour.

    because it's a medium room with a king bed and it's pretty squished, how do i paint a feature wall and dye carpet colour?
  45. Installing the watering system. It's just too big for me to do myself, but I know it will be so beneficial.



    Cheers :-)
  46. Perth WA

    Our garden is a few kilometres inland from the coast at Innaloo where we have sandy soils and hot dry summers.

    Summertime watering even with retic is a constant issue and it is difficult to achieve a balance in water use and cost even

    night watering / soil improvement / mulch etc.

    What are the options and economics of useing gray water when the retic is already set up to run off the mains water supply and gardens are established?

    Can a conversion be used or do we need to replace the whole watering system ???
  47. I gotta build a new pergola in my backyard, plus tips on growing mangoes. I've got several trees planted around but only one seems to be fruiting and doing well!! and umm... growing strawberries too!
  48. I would like to know how to do some raised veggie gardens cos I'm allergic to most processed foods now and.........*sniff*
  49. i find it really difficult to keep my shed tidy, it's really old and there's stuff everywhere that just builds up dust and filth! the shed itself is just about to collapse!
  50. Hi, my name is Karen Nardi and I am fortunate to have a step-father who is a maintenance fitter with no landscaping experience, however both the homes we have lived in, including the current home of 11 years; My step father has shown his exceptional natural talent for creating beautiul gardens. He is very passionate about it and provides our family with the most beautiful sanctuary. We have a japanese rock garden, a bridge, pond with a small water fall and some gold fish. Our pool area has a balinese theme, my step dad built us a pergola and covered it in a wonderful temperature balancing thatching. Since he injured his knee and even after the surgery he has not been able to complete his plans. We have fruit trees and a vege patch, but the greenhouse he promised my Mum for her bonsais still has not been built due to my stepfathers long work hours and both my parents having back, arthritus, high cholestrol, and generally aging. My step father has done such a wonderful job but is frustrated as his ideologies for the completion of the garden have become to much for him. Tips on natural non chemical based plant remedies would be good as we try and keep our garden free of chemicals. Also tips on environmental friendly options such as solar power, and how one would go about creating such a self containing eco-friendly, sustainable living area by learning how to utilise solar power, windmills etc in a DIY way that does not cost such a fortune, is there a cheaper way to do this? Also how would one go about creating an underground room? The entrance would only be the size of a trapdoor however I gather the deeper you dig the more you expand the width of the area being dug? I am without knowledge of rules on this, restrictions, or building techniques, do the dirt walls that would surround the room need reinforcement in any way? Or is it as simple as just digging? I can dig and love to do so but for safety of structure is there anything I need to worry about? Will the compact soil surrounding the room be sufficient to ensure it does not cave in? Or are there other measures that I would need to take? Thanks guys
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