Fencing must be durable and effective. When we consider the difficult challenge of security, it is important that fences and other physical barriers are tough enough to offer real protection. Criminals these days are adept at exploiting lapses in security, so, quite frankly, they shouldn’t be allowed to happen.

On one level, simply the fact that wire fencing persists in an outdoor setting means that it needs to be durable. In the UK, for better or for worse we are at the whim of the weather. One moment, it can be sunny and quiet, and the next a blustery storm.

With this in mind, fencing needs to be weatherproof. Often the weather presents more of a challenge than a would be criminal. A low quality fence could easily fall over during high winds, which would obviously leave your premises exposed to criminal activity.

Of course the main purpose of fencing is to deter and to protect from criminals. Industrial mesh fencing is especially adept at this job. At Siddall and Hilton Products we sell mesh fences that deliver real, durable protection and are constructed to the highest standards of quality.

A mesh fence is the most secure kind of fence. Unlike some other options, there are not large spaces within the fence that may be exploited by criminals. Instead, it is like having an impenetrable wall around your property. Maximum security where it is needed most.

Enter almost any home today and you are immediately hit with a number of air-borne pollutants that you cannot even see. This occurs in any home, office or other space where furniture and fabrics are used. Over the last few years, a new method of furniture making has been occurring.

Green furniture or eco-friendly furniture is a new buzzword for a new type of furnishing product. Those who make and manufacture green are committed to producing products that are non-toxic, environmentally friendly and safe enough to eat off of without contamination.

One of the first steps to green furniture is to use wood in the construction that comes from a sustainable forest. Gone are the exotic woods found only in the few remaining rainforests, instead these woods are found in areas managed by silviculture techniques. For every tree taken, another is either planted or left to grow to full maturity.

Second, is the use of non-toxic bonding agents. Many types of glue, especially used in imported furniture, off gas formaldehydes and other air-borne chemicals into the home or surrounding area. By using non-toxic glues, green manufactures give their customers a product that can be eaten off of safely and produce no off-gasses in their homes. Read the rest of this entry »

There’s no doubt that having the right tools for the job makes any task easier, and there’s no better place to illustrate this than in the kitchen, where having the right cooking utensils can be the difference between creating good meals and great meals.

Many cooks think about major appliances such as the stove and refrigerator when planning to equip their kitchens, but to be a success in the kitchen, you need to have a good selection of cooking utensils in addition to the bigger items. And don’t forget, cooking utensils means more than just spoons; there’s a host of small cooking utensils ranging from cutting devices, juicers, graters and more.

Think about what you do in a kitchen and about how different cooking utensils come into play for each task:

• Washing and drying fresh produce – always easy to accomplish with a strainer and salad spinner. A vegetable peeler is also an important addition to your cooking utensils closet.

• Slicing, chopping and dicing all kinds of food and garnishes – a food processor makes short work of vegetables, but mandolins, knives and graters are also helpful cooking utensils to have on hand.
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So you find yourself in the middle of the worst drought within living memory and your garden occupants are starting to sag, flag and wilt. Which plants should be watered first and which plants should receive the main quantities of the irrigation? You begin to feel like the leader of a third world country trying to spread your counties meagre budget across healthcare, military and education. Never fear, let me dampen your worries with some drought advice.

First to receive the H2O

Recent plantings are top of the list for regular watering, if water is available. New plantings such as bare-root trees or shrubs planted the previous autumn / winter, with newly planted perennials also at great risk from drought damage. You see these new plantings have not had much time to produce water-seeking roots, the type of roots that travel deep and wide for moisture. Because of this, we must supplement the plants natural water supply. During a hosepipe ban, recent plantings of annual bedding summer bedding such as marigolds, impatiens, Nicotiana etc should be regarded as probable casualties of the water war. If I had a limited supply of water to divide between a Japanese maple and some annual bedding, I am afraid the maple would receive the lions share and to hell with the bedding. As a rule of thumb, if the soil 5cm (2 inches) below the grounds surface is dry, then it is time to water. The following is short list of plants can cope with a short period of drought, once established… Brachyglottis, Corokia, Gleditsia, Halimiocistus, and Hippophae.

Container plants during a drought

Next on the water-receiving list are containerised plants, hanging baskets and window boxes. Essentially a containerised plant is growing above the ground water table, with just the soil inside the container to provide the required moisture. If the moisture is not inside the container, then I am afraid the roots have nowhere else to go to quench the plants thirst. Again, if the compost 5cm (2 inches) below the pots surface is dry, then it is time to water, it is up to the gardener to provide that water when required. Try to provide a catch plate or tray beneath containers, these “catchers” will contain any excess water that will eventually be absorbed in the compost. Be aware that terracotta and other porous container materials absorb a good quantity of water that the plant is then unable to access. The following is a short list of container bedding plants that can cope with a short period of drought, once established… Arctotis, Lantana, Plectranthus, Portulaca and Zinnia

Vegetables and fruit during a dry spell

Provide adequate quantities of water for moisture-hungry vegetables such a tomatoes, peas, onions, cucumbers, marrows and lettuce. Insufficient supplies of water will lead to miniature, shrivelled and limp specimens. Fruiting plants such as strawberries, raspberries, currants, apple and pear trees are also very moisture hungry especially while their fruit is forming. Notice how much water is within a strawberry or pear the next time you eat one of these delights. Water-content figures of 70 to 90% are quoted for fruits and vegetables, regardless of whichever quantity is correct, you must supply that water during a drought. Plants growing in an exposed or wind swept area will require a fair quantity of supplementary water during a drought. Have you ever gone for a bracing walk on a windy day, upon arriving home, you smile at your spouse, children or pet and realise that your lips are cracked and chapped, ouch! This illustrates the severe drying element of a strong breeze, plants leaves are constantly being dried out and then remoistened by water from the soil when available. During a drought, if that water is not present the leaves will dry up, shrivel and shed. This is known as the desiccation of foliage. Watering deeply will prevent this happening.
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Reclining chairs are the ultimate in comfort and style. Not only do they add oomph and style to the living room but at the same time they are comfortable too. Reclining chairs are designed in a specific way to provide maximum support to the lower and upper back and offer you the most comfortable sitting position.
The best part of reclining chairs is that a person can sit for hours on it without feeling even a slight discomfort.

Apart from general comfort, reclining chairs are especially beneficial to:
• People with disabilities like arthritis as they may not feel comfortable seating on -typical chairs.
• Pregnant women.
• People with very short height.

There are many types and styles of reclining chairs available in shops and online furniture stores. Each chair has its own distinct feature and reclining capacity. Some recliners have two or three reclining positions while others have infinite number of positions.

Recliner with two positions

A recliner that has two positions reclines to an approximately 45-degree angle. They are good and comfortable for seating purpose but not a good option in case you are thinking of having a nap on them. Such two position recline chairs are fully motorized and all the functions are controlled by using hand controls.

Recliner with three-positions

Three-position chairs enable you to adjust to any angle in order to provide you the maximum comfort. You can almost lie flat on them. Just like two-position chairs they too are motorized and the control for all the functions is in your hands.

Recliner with infinite positions

Chairs with infinite positions consist of two motors rather than just one. Unlike the two-or three-position chairs the footrest operates independently. Infinite-position chairs enable you to manipulate the footrest independently from the chair. Hence you can have your back at a 90-degree angle, and at the same time have your feet raised as well. These chairs are perfect for a sound sleep.

Various styles of reclining chairs are:

• Swivel Recliner Chairs- A swivel recliner chair rotates through 360o and comes with a separate footstool. It is the ultimate in style as well as comfort. They are ideal for living rooms having plenty of space.

• Reclining Armchairs- A reclining chair is simple and a great way to unwind and relax after a hard day’s work.

• Massage Recliner Chairs- As the name suggests, massage recliners are meant to provide you relaxation by massaging your body. Massage recliners are extremely beneficial for body, health and fitness.
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Arm chairs and sofas are often what people have, and there is very good reason for that. They have worked well and there is no need to change, though they do change in style and comfort as time goes on. A good chair is worth its weight in gold for many reasons.

Some guests strongly prefer the arm chair to the sofa because it allows them to sit alone. Some like this, and others do not, but those who are not close friends or family often don’t like to be too close to someone they don’t know right away. Many gravitate towards the arm chair for that very reason, even if they don’t really realize what they are doing. It is an unconscious and completely understandable need to have personal space. There are many times when family members need this personal space as well. That is why most family rooms have a sofa and a few chairs rather than just two sofas.
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Questions and Answers on Gardening

Question #1
How to Test Soil For Magnesium Level

This question is in response to last month’s emailed gardening tip. You mentioned to make sure to do a soil test to see what your magnesium level is before adding any Epsom salt to outdoor plants. You said, “Without knowing your current magnesium levels, you shouldn’t apply Epsom salt at all to outdoor plants. Many areas have almost toxic proportions of magnesium present in the soil, and continually adding more will end up poisoning the plants and the soil.” That’s great, but how do I test for Magnesium levels?

Jim Trueman, UK

ANSWER:
Hi Jim! Great question. Since most home “do-it-yourself” soil testing kits only test for pH, Nitrogen, Potassium, and Phosphorous, in order to find out your calcium and magnesium levels you’ll have to take a sample to a local soil testing lab. Every county has one, and the cost is usually around $10 (£5). It’s fast and very accurate.

The weekendgardener…

Question #2:
Out Of Control Weeds

We have recently moved into our house, and the gardens are full of weeds. We have tried pulling them out, we have tried both chemical and organic weed killers, and tried solarization. Is there any other way. We just can’t seem to contain them.

Brad Martin, Lismore, NSW Australia

ANSWER:
Hi Brad! I can hear and understand your frustration. Nothing is worse than a battle of the weeds. Unfortunately, the best advice I can give you is diligence, and try mixing up your techniques a bit more.

The problem with a lot of chemical weed killers is they do a great job of killing what’s there, but if you simply leave that area bare, and don’t do anything else, new weed and grass seeds can blow in and take root in the now clean and open area.

You also have to realize there are perennial and annual weeds, which means that at any time of the year, some kind of weed will be growing. The trick is to keep after it year-round and in a season or two, you will see a huge decrease in the problem as you kill each weed’s growing cycle and start to get the upper hand.

So what I would suggest is to pick a general weed killing method, I like solarization because it’s chemical free, but many people opt for RoundUp or another systemic weed killer.

Once you have killed everything back, come back in and put down some corn gluten, I mentioned this up on question # 6, see above if you didn’t read it.

Corn gluten is great because it will keep any new seeds from germinating. Keep in mind, it will keep all seeds from germinating, so if you are planning on starting a vegetable garden from seed, this will be a problem.

If that is the case, and you can’t put down a pre-emergent, put down a good layer of mulch, 2 to 3 inches (5.1 to 7.6 cm) to keep any new weeds smothered.

Hang in there, you have the right idea, and in time, your garden is going to look great.

The weekendgardener…

Question #3:
What Is Heavy Soil

I want to start a water garden. I went and bought a Papyrus plant. I was told to repot plant and to use “heavy soil” and water plant fertilizer. Can you tell me what “heavy soil” is? And what type of fertilizer to use that can be used with fish in pond?
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The bedroom is the place where you spend a great deal of time every day, albeit much of it asleep. This, of course, means that it needs to be a place of relaxation, and for many people, romance.

It’s all to easy to let the clutter of everyday life invade your bedroom, but this impairs your ability to relax in the one room in the house that should be designed for that purpose. It’s time to decorate your bedroom for its true purpose.

Start out by thinking about your personal style. What would you like to have in your bedroom? What would make it relaxing, romantic or both? If you’re married, what would appeal to your spouse?

Let’s start with the bed. As the largest piece of furniture in most rooms, as well as the most used, it is something of a focal point. Do you like the bedding? What about the bedframe itself?

Sometimes you will quickly realize that it is time to replace all your bedroom furniture when you decide to redecorate your bedroom. Maybe the old furniture just isn’t your style anymore. With today’s online shopping available, finding new furniture doesn’t have to mean running all around town anymore. You can shop from the comfort of your own home and often get better prices.
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