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Gardening

This Is How Often You Should Really Deadhead Petunias for Healthier Blooms, According to Gardeners

Petunias are known for their vibrant, trumpet-shaped blooms and long flowering season, making them a staple in many home gardens. But to keep these colorful plants looking their best, regular maintenance is key, especially when it comes to deadheading. Removing spent flowers not only improves the plant’s appearance but also encourages more blooms throughout the season. So, how often do you really need to deadhead your petunias? We turned to gardening pros for the answer. Meet the Expert Julia Omelchenko is the resident botany expert at Plantum, a plant care and gardening app that helps identify plants and improve plant care. Kelly Funk is an experienced gardening expert and the President of Jackson & Perkins, an online plant nursery specializing in roses and other garden plants. Why Is Deadheading Important? When a plant’s flowers start to fade, it signals to the plant that it’s time to direct its energy into producing seeds. Deadheading disrupts this process and naturally extends the blooming season by removing the spent flower altogether, thereby redirecting the plant’s energy from seed production to producing more flowers. Not all flowering plants require deadheading, but many benefit from it, especially annuals like petunias. If you want your petunias to bloom all summer, deadheading is the way to do it. How Often Should You Deadhead Petunias? According to gardening pros, it’s best to deadhead petunias regularly to encourage more blooms and prevent them from going to seed. The frequency will vary slightly depending on your climate and the cultivar you have, but in general, you can expect to be deadheading your petunias at least once a week. “Ideally, petunias should be deadheaded at least once a week, but checking on them a few times a week is better, especially during peak bloom periods," says Kelly Funk, President of Jackson & Perkins. "I recommend making it part of your routine when watering or doing other tasks." Some petunia cultivars, such as Wave petunias and Supertunias, are bred to be self-cleaning, meaning they don’t require deadheading to encourage more blooms. Still, according to Julia Omelchenko, resident botany expert at Plantum, it’s best to prune these varieties occasionally to maintain their shape and stimulate vigorous growth. If deadheading your petunias multiple times a week sounds like a lot of work, we have good news for you: deadheading is super easy to do, and will only take you a couple of minutes to complete. The key is to ensure you’re doing it properly. How to Deadhead Petunias Deadheading involves removing the entire flower head once it starts to wilt. This includes the petals, the peduncle, and the receptacle. Basically, you want to remove the entire trumpet-shaped flower, including the green base that attaches it to the stem. This can be done by hand, or using sterilized scissors or pruning shears. “It’s important to deadhead properly by removing not just the petals but also the green base of the flower," Omelchenko says. "If you only pull off the petals, the plant will continue to produce seeds in the ovary." Additional Petunia Care Tips for Continuous Blooms Besides regular deadheading, there are a few other ways you can encourage your petunias to bloom all summer. Ensuring they have adequate light (full sun) and water (soil shouldn’t dry out completely) is the first step. Funk also recommends fertilizing your petunias every two weeks to help support vigorous growth. Finally, our experts say it’s common for petunias to start looking leggy by mid-summer, even if you’re deadheading regularly. To facilitate bushy growth, they recommend a light pruning to help tidy the plant. Not only will you be rewarded with fresh, compact growth, but you’ll also get a flush of new blooms.

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Home Decor

My Best Friend’s Basement Makeover – Starting With The Budget-Friendly Mudroom Reveal

As much as it pains me (and it does) I can’t design all my friend’s or family’s homes when they are looking to hire help. Sure, I’ve done some sponsored makeovers where the partner pays my and my team’s time but otherwise my lack of availability/bandwidth holds up the project immensely. Beyond that, contrary to the ‘hustle culture’ popular belief, one only has so much creativity in their brain, so the more projects we take on, the less good they are (I learned this the hard way). So I made a rule years ago that when friends/family need help and they have a budget, they could hire someone from my team or someone I trust to be in charge and take the lead, thus getting someone’s full attention and creativity, avoiding any friend resentment and still getting me to oversee it. I jump on calls when I can, approve major pieces, negotiate partnerships where appropriate and publish the reveals, but the project moves forward successfully regardless of my bandwidth. So, when my friends Robyn and Ryan were ready to embark on their basement remodel, I shouted fast – ‘OH YOU SHOULD HIRE PRISCILLA!’. Priscilla Frost assisted on the OG Portland project four years ago and impressed the hell out of us – she has the trifecta: design chops, amicability, and work ethic. She has that ‘on-top-of-it-ness’ that makes a project go smoothly. She started this makeover without me and I was brought in as a friend to help guide some decisions, as well as see when and where it made sense to bring in one of my partners. My friends are so happy, Priscilla killed it, the basement is DONE (and they are on to the primary bedroom as we speak!). THE BASEMENT GOAL: The goal was to totally reconfigure their basement. We would carve out a bedroom for their tween son, design a proper mudroom off the garage, move and remodel the previously carpeted bathroom, and furnish and style it all to be much more inviting, pulled together and grownup (like them). It was full of potential, but still a daunting task which is why they put it off til they just couldn’t any more (a ‘pandemic push’ they needed to take). It took a full year between demo and shoot (livable a few months before we shot it) and the project suffered from the usual supply chain issues and labor shortages. But Priscilla and JP Macy (the contractor) did an EXCELLENT job of absolutely transforming the basement, and thus this home. They had the space, just needed it to work better for their family. Priscilla and JP worked together on the plans to make sure that they were doing the most efficient and affordable reconfiguration, move as few walls as possible, but make it make sense for the long run. Robyn and Ryan are in that typical position where they love their neighbors, school and community that they don’t want to move just to upgrade and have more space, but they have worked hard and were ready to enjoy their home more. I’m pretty sure the “MUDroom” was coined in the PNW and this room is IMPORTANT if you are lucky enough to have one. Their mudroom was off the garage, below ground, where the boys exit and enter a few times a day. Sure, it’s in the basement with no natural light, and not where guests come in and out but y’all they really wanted it to look more welcoming. They needed to add function (shoe and coat storage), and to have it feel more inviting :) Now while some of the rooms I was more involved with the design (the family room and the tween boys bedroom) this room is almost 100% Priscilla’s work (I gave advice throughout and styled the photos). Priscilla created a few different design plans for them to see product options and design ideas. After a lot of options and ideas, they went with the mid-budget idea that Priscilla pushed, that included a readymade piece painted and hacked to look more built-in. It was a great solution that didn’t cost as much as custom cabinetry (which is wildly expensive) but more sophisticated than any ordinary stand alone cabinet. Just a note: Priscilla did charge her time for this but it was less than a typical designer as this was one of her first clients and she was working towards portfolio work – i.e. sometimes the hourly you pay into someone else to do your DIY will add up substantially so it’s good to be upfront to avoid something costing $4k that you might have been able to do yourself :) Are you ready? HERE WE GO. It’s quite the transformation and has brought so much happiness every time anyone walks through that door. This is a proper mudroom. Priscilla created both open and closed storage, peg-rails for coats and bags, and really good durable products to make this space hyper practical and still so cute. Please note the addition of the same vertical beadboard installed in the cabinet. It’s on on the same line as the peg rail on the perimeter of the mudroom and painted all to match so it looks built in and seamless. The cabinet painted the same color as the walls, plus the custom peg rails and bead board throughout give it a super high end look. It looks SO GOOD. I collected all the hanging baskets from vintage shops around town (a lot of them are for fishing) and seeing them here I HAD to leave them, but expect many more in our home. What we didn’t get to shoot (because it was literally pitch black) was behind those sliding cabinets Priscilla put in more shoe storage – a readymade rack for their backup shoes. A few notes about the products Priscilla bought – that rug is printed and SO GOOD. It’s affordable, very durable and obviously forgiving when it comes to dirt. The boot tray was one that I had shopped for for a long time – we love how narrow it is which suits the space, but allows for a lot of shoes. Priscilla intentionally brought in these hits of black to keep the space feeling modern – the mirror and umbrella stand really edge up the space. But what makes a truly practical, functional mudroom?? I am glad you asked.. It is mostly making sure all the things you like to come and go with have specific, easy to access places to store them. This is why we love hooks and peg rails, and why that readymade cabinet is such a good piece for this particular mudroom. And durability is always a plus in a hard-working mudroom :) Last but certainly not least, we can’t wrap up without a super satisfying before and after: Priscilla Frost, you are wonderful :) and JP Macy of Sierra Custom Construction I enjoy the heck out of your work :) Stay tuned for more reveals from this project, coming to you in the next few weeks.

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Travel

I Travel 120+ Days Per Year—These Are the Rules Everyone Should Follow to Avoid Overpacking

Summer travel season is in full swing—and while jetting off to your dream destination is the fun part, the prep? Not so much. From squeezing in all your favorite fits to making sure your beauty essentials pass TSA, packing can feel like a full-time job. Whether you're a chronic over-packer (guilty!) or always getting flagged for rogue liquids, we’ve got insider tips to take the stress out of your suitcase. Enter Christina Zilber, founder of Jouer Cosmetics, globe-trotter extraordinaire, and packing pro who travels more than 120 days a year and has visited over 35 countries. While CZ calls Paris and Los Angeles "home," the jet-setter spends about four months out of the year traveling. In fact, her jet-setting lifestyle helped inspire her brand, Jouer's, mantra: "multitasking makeup that goes the distance." She has honed a signature approach to packing light—as in, she fits an entire getaway's worth of clothes and products into a single carry-on. Packing light, CZ says, "is about traveling with intention: emotional clarity, minimal baggage, and a thoughtful edit of what truly matters." Here, her rules for getting rid of unnecessary baggage. Christina Zilber, founder of Jouer Cosmetics, frequent flyer, and packing light expert 01 of 09 Pack Sample Packets Instead of Bottles On your next beauty shopping trip, make sure to grab some sample packets of skin and hair care. CZ packs shampoo and conditioner sample packets instead of bottles. "Sample packets don’t spill, they don’t weigh you down, and they won’t make your bag smell like a salon explosion," she explains. "Leave the full sizes at home and travel like a pro." 02 of 09 Limit Your Shoes to Four Pairs When you pack, choose no more than four pairs of shoes, CZ recommends. "Pack a walking shoe, sneaker, heel, sandal or boot. Four shoes. That’s the law—one for walking, one for sweating, one for dancing, and one for the weather," she says. 03 of 09 Skip Packing Cubes Skip packing cubes and lay clothes flat instead. "While packing cubes are cute, they take up precious real estate," CZ explains. "Flat and folded wins every time with less bulk, fewer wrinkles, and everything in plain sight." 04 of 09 Replace Hard Toiletry Cases With Soft Ones "Hard cases belong in overhead bins; not in your suitcase. Soft-sided toiletry bags mold to the corners and make packing a dream," she says. 05 of 09 Rewear Your Pants The fashion rule of thumb CZ swears by: Pack one bottom per day, and then swap tops and shoes at night. "Your pants don’t care if they’re worn twice," she says. "Change your top and the vibe to save pounds and pack like a smart stylist." 06 of 09 Start With Your Calendar—Not Your Closet This is key, CZ says; "Plan activities and outfits before packing." Packing actually starts with your calendar, not your closet. "Know what you’re doing and dress for it every day and every night." Doing so will cut down on a bunch of extra outfits that you won't even wear and add weight to your suitcase. 07 of 09 Choose a Neutral Color Palette When packing your fits, choose a simple, neutral color palette, CZ advises. "A limited palette means unlimited outfits because black, white, and denim go with everything and never look tired." 08 of 09 Pack Makeup Multitaskers Bring products that offer two-in-one benefits. "Pack multitaskers like cheek and lip sticks," CZ says. "A swipe of color that works on both lips and cheeks? That’s one product doing double duty and taking up half the space." 09 of 09 Curate Your Cosmetics "You don’t need your full glam arsenal on vacation," CZ says. "A lip oil, concealer, cheek and lip stick, hydration, and coverage in the lightest way possible will have you looking glowy and gorgeous."

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Travel

8 Things You Should Never Do on a Plane, According to a Flight Attendant

They say it's about the journey, not the destination—but when air travel is involved, the journey can often be more difficult than enjoyable. Still, that doesn’t mean that basic courtesy should go out the window. In fact, it's all the more reason to be extra considerate. Here are eight things you should never do on a plane. Aiden, flight attendant Jenny Dreizen, modern-day etiquette, boundaries, and relationships expert Touch the Flight Attendants According to flight attendant Aiden (who didn't reveal his last name for privacy reasons), there is never a time when it's appropriate to touch a flight attendant. “Do not touch your flight attendants, period," he says. "When we are moving about the cabin—whether it is to serve a meal, prepare drinks, or collect garbage—we can still hear you! A simple ‘sir’ or ‘ma’am’ will get our attention.” After all, it’s generally not appropriate to touch someone you’ve just met. Ask to Use the Lavatory Right After Boarding Need to use the bathroom right after boarding? Be aware that you may be holding up the plane. It’s the worst time to be anywhere but your seat—plus, you likely had a chance before boarding. “Why didn’t you use it in the terminal?" Aiden asks. "When you're boarding, the flight crew has different tasks to handle, both those you can see and, more importantly, those you cannot. Things like monitoring overhead bin space, identifying passengers we can rely on in an emergency, and communicating with the flight deck and ground personnel.” If you're still not convinced, know that bathrooms in the airport are far better than compact airplane stalls. Put Your Arms, Legs, or Feet in the Aisle Aiden acknowledges that airplanes aren’t the most comfortable environments, but you need to keep your limbs to yourself. “Sometimes you need to stretch, but when we're trying to pass through the cabin—whether it's for service or just monitoring—it’s frustrating to have to wake every single person blocking the aisle," he says. "That being said, please just be courteous about your space, and if we ask you to move, please do." Run to the Front of the Plane Right After Landing Sure, you might be eager to get off the plane, but so is everyone else. “Upon landing and arrival at the gate, please don’t stand up and bolt to the front of the airplane," Aiden says. "It’s quite rude to other passengers, and frankly, it’s inconsiderate." Question the Flight Crew Aiden warns that doubting the flight crew—or refusing to listen—is a bad idea. “If we ask you to do something, we have a reason," he says. "Please don’t question us. Flight attendants go through five to eight weeks of rigorous training before we’re even allowed to step foot on a real aircraft. Many flight attendants, including myself, compare their initial training to taking a full semester’s worth of college classes in under two months.” You might not know that flight attendants are trained to do much more than serve drinks. They learn how to open multiple types of aircraft doors, perform CPR and AED usage, deliver babies, and even fight fires. “Yes, we know how to pour Diet Coke, but there is so much more to our job than that," Aiden says. "We are aviation’s first responders, so please treat us as such.” Put Your Feet on Someone Else’s Armrest Etiquette expert Jenny Dreizen says that putting your feet on someone else’s armrest is a big no-no. “We’ve all seen it: the toes creeping from behind our armrests—it’s like a horror movie with a very boring premise," she says. "I live internationally from my family, so air travel is a big part of my life, and I know as much as anyone how wildly uncomfortable flying is—but you still cannot put your feet on the back of someone else’s armrest, I’m sorry. We must maintain some decorum.” Go Barefoot Dreizen insists that taking off your socks is not only unacceptable, it’s also unhygienic. “Plane floors are dirty, and I don’t want you to catch anything," she says. "Also, we don’t want access to your feet. Keep them sheathed. The best idea is to wear your shoes and keep your socks on at all times.” Recline Without Consideration It's okay to recline, but it’s important to be mindful of others, according to Dreizen. “As annoying as it can be to have someone recline in front of you, it’s not their fault that the airplane is shoving everyone too close together—they’re just trying to be comfortable," she says. "That said, it’s a good idea to recline slowly if you can." And check behind you to see if the person has drinks or a laptop on their tray—a quick heads up that you're about to recline is courteous.

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