Renovation & Design

Ones to watch: Fascinating newcomers for 2023

Colleen Zacharias 7 minute read Monday, Jan. 9, 2023

Each new year brings gardeners oodles of new plant varieties to consider for our outdoor spaces. Despite the vast number of new annuals and perennials, most are the result of extensive breeding, development, and trialing over a period of several years prior to their introduction to the market. Here are some of the fascinating newcomers to watch for in 2023.

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Freeze leftover cookies to preserve the goodness

Reena Nerbas 4 minute read Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023

Question: I have a lot of leftover Christmas cookies, how can I prevent them from becoming freezer burnt in the freezer?

Sticking with what’s familiar goes a long way

Marc LaBossiere 5 minute read Preview

Sticking with what’s familiar goes a long way

Marc LaBossiere 5 minute read Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023

All along, the homeowner had heeded my advice to reposition, reorient and enlarge the shower stall for an impending main floor bathroom remodel. During demolition, it soon became clear that our intended design layout may fall short of expectations. As such, a quick revisit of the design revealed that an enhancement of the existing may better suit. Luckily, this spontaneous decision did prove to be the best route to take.

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Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023

Photos by Marc LaBossiere / Winnipeg Free Press

A corner shower stall with rounded base and sliding glass shower door replaces the old unit, which was grungy and dated

Keeping plumbing vent clear of ice requires a plan

Ari Marantz 6 minute read Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023

Question: I have been having problems with the top of my stack getting covered in snow this winter. It is six inches tall and I was going to extend it this spring. I was going to add a 12-inch piece to the existing pipe. My concern is that the pipe will freeze with ice if it is too tall. Is there a cut-off height to solve my problem? —Thanks Doug A.

Growing green cities so people and nature can thrive

Colleen Zacharias 7 minute read Preview

Growing green cities so people and nature can thrive

Colleen Zacharias 7 minute read Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022

Growing a climate-resilient future hinges on finding nature-based solutions. With 68 percent of the world population projected to live in cities by 2050, sustainable innovations are needed to make cities greener and more livable so that people, communities, and nature can thrive.

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Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022

Rooftop gardens in city centres are relaxing places and space-saving options for growing food.

Turkey tips to love those leftovers

Reena Nerbas 4 minute read Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022

Question: I have leftover turkey and I don’t want to waste it. Please tell me how to make homemade turkey stock like my grandma used to make. Thanks. Salome

Nothing clears like a DEERE

Marc LaBossiere 6 minute read Preview

Nothing clears like a DEERE

Marc LaBossiere 6 minute read Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022

There’s no doubt last year’s winter caused problems for many. With the larger than expected accumulation of snow and relentless winds, it seemed as though winter would never end. Here at Boss Ranch, the snow issues were compounded by tractor issues that occurred a couple of weeks into January 2022. And although we were nearing the end of the COVID era, ongoing supply chain issues would render my property defenseless against Mother Nature’s wrath.

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Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022

Photos by Marc LaBossiere / Winnipeg Free Press

The John Deere 3-Series 3046R is equipped with a climate-controlled cab, 74-inch rear Frontier snowblower, and 54-inch loader bucket.

Call installer regarding heat pump concerns

Ari Marantz 6 minute read Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022

Question: I had a new furnace and heat pump installed last spring, now that cold weather is here, the heat pump comes on regularly, but there is a lot of ice forming underneath it. This unit is installed a foot away from the house wall and is 14 inches under the bedroom window, so that when it starts the window fogs up. The ice build-up is about six inches below the bottom of the pump now. How can I keep it from building up so it doesn’t encase the bottom of the heat pump unit?

How to clean greasy kitchen cabinets without damaging the finish

Jeanne Huber 6 minute read Preview

How to clean greasy kitchen cabinets without damaging the finish

Jeanne Huber 6 minute read Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022

Question: How do I clean greasy kitchen cabinets without harming them? Mine are wood veneer and are not painted. I always just wipe them with Murphy Oil Soap, but that doesn’t seem to cut through grease.

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Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022

Todd Lewys / Winnipeg Free Press

Special precautions should be taken when cleaning your kitchen cabinets.

How to keep poinsettias healthy through the holidays and beyond

Nevin Martel 6 minute read Preview

How to keep poinsettias healthy through the holidays and beyond

Nevin Martel 6 minute read Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022

Forget Christmas trees and mistletoe. There’s one plant that rules the holiday season above all others: the Santa-red poinsettia. Before going further, though, let’s clear up the widespread misconception that its brightly colored points are flowers. Nope, they’re bracts (leaves). However, if you look closely, there are tiny, petal-less yellow flowers known as cyathia hiding among the attention-grabbing foliage.

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Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022

Patrick Pleul / AP

Simone Rost works among the poinsettias at a greenhouse in Manschnow, Germany.

Do the dishes better — and faster

Maya Pottiger 6 minute read Preview

Do the dishes better — and faster

Maya Pottiger 6 minute read Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022

Washing the dishes tends to be something we do on autopilot — we’ve all developed our preferred methods and habits. And yet, if a simple tweak or two to your usual strategy could save you time and labor, you’d probably make them, right?

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Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022

Washington Post illustration

From its green wall to its controlled climate, Assiniboine Park’s newest attraction is a gardener’s delight

Colleen Zacharias 7 minute read Preview

From its green wall to its controlled climate, Assiniboine Park’s newest attraction is a gardener’s delight

Colleen Zacharias 7 minute read Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022

An architectural achievement, The Leaf in Winnipeg’s historic Assiniboine Park has quickly become one of the most beautiful must-see horticultural attractions to visit in Canada since its recent opening earlier this month.

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Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022

Darlene Stack

The green wall in the Babs Asper Display House at The Leaf is one of the largest indoor living walls in Canada.

Quick, tasty rub will flavour your pork

Reena Nerbas 4 minute read Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022

Question — I would like to prepare my own rub for meat. Can you give me an easy recipe that I can use on pork? — Blaine

Torpedo the dams: insulation is key

Ari Marantz 6 minute read Preview

Torpedo the dams: insulation is key

Ari Marantz 6 minute read Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022

Question: We have a one-and-three-quarter-storey 1920s house with the ends of the roof abruptly terminating at the lower walls, with no overhang. It’s very prone to ice dams, and we manage them as best we can with a combination of heat cables and cleaning the snow off the roof. It’s been a big challenge this year! When I walk in the neighbourhood, I spend a lot of time looking at other peoples’ houses for ice dams. There are lots of houses with this design in the neighbourhood, and, indeed, a lot of them have ice dams visible from the street. We’ve had the understanding that the reason such a design is prone to ice dams is because it’s difficult to get the attic insulation all the way out to the very edges of the eaves.

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Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022

photo By Dmcroof / wikimedia commons

Ice damming not only creates dangerous, if pretty, icicles, it can also lead to water damage of the roof.

Contractors’ best friends

Marc LaBossiere 7 minute read Preview

Contractors’ best friends

Marc LaBossiere 7 minute read Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022

One of the great joys of my life is meeting my clients’ pets. On the jobsite, it’s usually just me and my thoughts, pondering the impending tasks at hand. Fortunately for me, the homeowners often have a furry site supervisor to keep me company throughout the day. Little by little, a bond begins to emerge and the start to my day becomes more than just the project — I look forward to seeing my new little friends. As it is the time of year to rejoice and be grateful, what better time to share a few stories about my favorite pet encounters.

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Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022

Milo is my 12-year-old little helper, and wishes everybody a happy holiday season.

The 1980s called, wants its stippled ceiling back

Marc Labossiere 5 minute read Preview

The 1980s called, wants its stippled ceiling back

Marc Labossiere 5 minute read Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022

It isn’t the first time in my renovation career that a homeowner is disgruntled with a textured or stipple ceiling. In the older suburbs, many houses are also plagued with unsightly cracks in the plaster, especially at the corners. At a current jobsite near the Polo Park area, such are the woes of my client. In lieu of “fixing” the issues, it was better to cover them all up, altogether. And while at it, additional lighting was also proposed, a prospect eagerly accepted by the homeowner.

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Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022

The existing beam creates a natural quarantine between the dining room space and kitchen area.

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