business 
What’s the problem?My indoor lemon tree has sticky leaves and white spots underneath. What is it? DiagnosisThe sticky residue and white growths suggest an infestation of mealybugs. Mealybugs are notorious for attacking the fleshy leaves of cacti and succulents, but they also thrive on citrus trees, feeding on sap and weakening the plant. Their waxy … Read more
Are there still options to lower my 2024 taxable income? If you qualify, you can make tax-deductible contributions to an individual retirement account or a health savings account by the April 15 tax deadline and have them apply to tax year 2024, said Eva Simpson, vice president of member value, tax and advisory services with … Read more
Nettles are rarely considered a welcome sight to gardeners. With their capacity for rampant growth – they spread by rhizome (underground) as well as seed – and the tiny hairs on their stems and leaves that sting any passing bare skin, they are usually uprooted from outside spaces where people are present. Nonetheless, this defensive … Read more
Three years later, Khadija Zaidi-Rashid still remembers the screams of other passengers, the unsettled expression on the flight attendant’s face and the helplessness she felt holding her infant on her lap. Dr. Zaidi-Rashid, 34, then a doctoral student, was flying from Washington to Doha, Qatar, with her mother and two children when their airplane encountered … Read more
Aldi recently launched the new colour range of its budget cast-iron casserole dishes, an annual occurrence since at least 2015. While other retailers including Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, Argos and John Lewis also stock cheap cast-iron, Aldi’s, at £19.99, is by far the cheapest. It’s also only available “while stocks last”. The Guardian’s journalism is … Read more
It’s easy to tie yourself in knots trying to find the perfect Mother’s Day gift – but I’m here to tell you that a decent bunch of blooms is still hard to beat. Take it from me – the very tired mum of three young children. All I really want is a long lie down … Read more
Star/Steer is a masterpiece from 1968 by the Scottish artist Ian Hamilton Finlay (1925-2006). What you see can be simply described. The word “star” appears a dozen times, screenprinted in silver on deep grey. They graduate down the page in a swaying column. Right at the bottom is a 13th word, “steer”, as if tethering … Read more
When Marine Koprivnjak and Victor Chabaud, founders of interior design agency Maison MAVI, bought their home in the south of France in 2020, they wanted to renovate everything themselves in their spare time. “It was an adventure that lasted longer than expected,” Marine says. They found the house online. It’s a 1920s villa in the … Read more
Full marks to Adrian Chiles (20 March) for starting the campaign to eliminate bedspreads and scatter cushions. I have been campaigning on this for many years. How much time have I wasted removing them from beds in hotels and rented accommodation and trying to find somewhere to put them? Once a holiday cottage owner caught me … Read more
I’m fortunate enough to work from a posh outhouse in the back garden. Known as The Hut, it could grandly be called A Studio, but is, in reality, a large shed with better-than-average insulation, some bookshelves and a fan heater. I get to have a potter in the garden as part of the “commute”, but recent weather has … Read more