How To Fix Your Home from Winter's Wreckage

Mold on the lawn. Shrubs broken from storms. Roofs ravaged by ice. After a season or record snowfalls and lengthy cold spells, homeowners are finding their houses and landscapes brutally battered.

In this WSJ story, you'll find a cheat sheet for spring cleanup - and a list of new tools out to make the job less taxing. (Make sure to click on the Tools graphic!)

Houseplants That Can Clean the Air

Building on NASA experiments for air purification in space, scientists are pinpointing plant species -- from the peace lily to the asparagus fern -- that are particularly skilled at cleaning indoor air of pollutants that can cause a range of health problems.

To learn more - as well as find a list of plants that are particularly good at removing pollutants - read on in my WSJ story.

Got Weeds? Get a Goat

Google uses them. So does Yahoo! and the Vanderbilt Mansion. (See video above.) Now a growing number of eco-conscious homeowners do too to clear their landscaping of difficult to reach brush and weeds.

We're talking about goats and they eat most vegetation (including poison ivy and oak) and are good employees for navigating tricky, steep terrain, as we talk about it this WSJ story. While towns and some livestock owners have used them for years, consumers and companies angling to cut back on pesticide usage as well as their dependency on fossil-fuel powered machinery are increasingly renting goats.

Not surprisingly, there's a cottage industry of rental operations springing up to meet their needs - with names like rent-a-goat.com, rent-a-ruminant.com and the Goat Lady LLC.

Rise of Poison Ivy-And New Treatments

If you think poison ivy is getting worse - you might be right. We look at some of the causes and new medical treatments for relief in today's WSJ.

As a longtime sufferer, I also test some home remedies in this video (Clorox bath anyone?) and ask doctors whether there's any science behind the methods. More itch alternatives here in an accompanying story.

Could a "Super-Mower" Cut the Grass Without You?

In the video above, I test a robotic utility vehicle built by John Deere built to assist the military. Right now, it's main mission is to aid with remote diffusing of explosive devices and resupply tasks.

But one day, this vehicle's technology could be used to cut your grass.

It's all part of the rise of the "Super-Mower" - where speedier cutting technology is practically de rigueur. Mower makers are now focused on mimicking the auto industry with cosmetic and creature comforts. Sun shades, iPod compartments, cruise control, chrome hub caps and even alternative fuels are all part of the mower mania.

Cutting-edge designs start at around $3,000 and go for more than $10,000—or roughly the cost of a 2010 Nissan Versa.

READ MORE IN TODAY'S WSJ.

Behind-the-Scenes in Consumer Reports Labs

Following their triggering of the Lexus GX 460 recall, I spent a day inside Consumer Reports labs to get a behind-the-scenes look at some of the rigorous and unusual tests they perform on products they rate.

A sample: treadmills get pounded repeatedly with a spinning metal drum imbedded with rubber green balls the mimic running feet. (The device's nickname: Johnnie Walker.) Stainless-steel grills are pelted with salty spray to test for rust potential. Bike helmets get strapped on a metal head form and dropped onto sharp objects.

The most curious? The Maine Coon cat hair showdown. Watch the above video or read the story to find out more.

Update: we also explored this here on CNBC and on ABC News' "Good Money" show.

Dear About the House, Whatever Happened to ...

Did the compost worms escape in the house over winter? What about the deck garden - did those potatoes ever grow? And the wood stove, how much money did it really save?

This week is readers week for the About the House column. I went back and updated reporting on several stories from the past year, from no-fuss composting and EZ gardening tools to gas-less mowers and other outdoor power tools.

What went right, what went wrong - read more here today and watch the video above.

Who Are the New "Ruralpolitans?"

While urban and suburban real estate is still generally under pressure, the rural market is holding up better in many areas, thanks in part to "ruralpolitans," as I report in WSJ. These city and town dwellers are looking at land as their new safe investment, one they hope could prove more stable than their jobs and 401(k)s—and provide a better lifestyle.

Typically there are three groups: young people buying land as an asset or investment, with vague hopes to live on it someday; exurban commuters who have jobs in big towns or cities but want to escape the sprawl; and back-to-the-land types who want to dabble in hobby farming.

They're also driving sales in the outdoor equipment market -- small compact tractors and utility vehicles being among the biggest sellers. I tested the new eco-friendly Polaris Ranger EV (all battery-powered) in this video. And P.S., I'm a relatively new ruralpolitan myself. You can read about my conversion in "From Versace to Chainsaws."

Testing 4 "Easy" Less Messy Composters

Today we test "composters" in The Wall Street Journal -- looking at units that make the practice faster, less messy and even, mildly entertaining.

You'll find worms, a bearded dragon and Sputnik (or a close relative) making appearances in the video above.

And in the story, you'll find a 6-Step cheat sheet for composting -- and a glimpse at the future of "smart" trash cans. Plus, links and prices of the product we test.

Cash Back for Replacing Your Grass?

Last week in the Wall Street Journal and on CNBC, we reported how many communities are offering financial incentives to get homeowners to dial back water consumption at home -- particularly outside when it comes to watering grass.

One perk in some towns: cash for replacing your lawn with more "water-efficient" landscaping.

The incentives range from rebates and nursery gift certificates to water bill credits. You can find some of them here on the Environmental Protection Agency's Web site. I delve into them more on ABC News' "Good Money."

The EPA plans to expand it's "WaterSense" label this Fall to include new homes that consume about 20% less water than a typical new home. The criteria, as currently written, would limit the amount of turfgrass builders can plant. And that has many in the turfgrass industry opposing the proposal, saying it would portray grass as "bad" and that a one-size-fits all approach isn't the way to go.

Read more in today's WSJ about this Turf-War.

Scotts New "Natural" Weed Killer In the Pipeline

A natural weed killer made from thistle fungus ... roach killer derived from soybean oil ... water-saving grass seed mixed with coconut fibers. These are some of the "natural" lawn and garden solutions in the works and on shelves from Scotts Miracle-Gro -- the world's largest player in this market.

Some critics say Scotts' roots in synthetic chemical solutions make its full-force entry into the natural market amount to too little, too late. Others cheer the arrival, saying a strong commitment to naturals by a monolith like Scotts could dramatically alter the face of the industry, and the environment and human health, for the better.

We discuss the opportunity here on CNBC and check out WSJ.com for two videos that give a sneak peak into Scotts' labs as well as a rare in-depth interview with its brash-talking CEO Jim Hagedorn at his Marysville, Ohio home where you can see the one bare spot in the grass chieftain's own lawn. (Note: we had to do a lot of "bleeping" during the interview.)

Testing "Natural" Pest Control Methods

This summer, I've been waging war against carpenter ants, wasps and cabbageworms by testing a new lineup of "natural" pest control products as chronicled in a recent Wall Street Journal story. Increasingly, well-known insecticide manufacturers, retailers and even professional pest-control services are rolling out solutions whose active ingredients are derived from materials like animals, plants, bacteria and minerals, many of them considered potentially safer to humans, pets and the environment than their synthetic-chemical counterparts.

Here's a list of common ingredients you'll find on the labels of natural products and the types of pests they target.

How To Start a Food Garden (With No Digging or Weeding)

After six years of being a homeowner and swearing every year that I'd start a food garden, this year, I finally did.

On my deck.

Call it lawn-chair gardening. From container kits with premeasured fertilizer and watering gauges to compact potato and lettuce-growing bags that can be toted around, the gardening industry is angling to green the thumbs of reticent, and younger, first-time growers. The new items are intended to save time, water, fertilizer and space -- and make it hard to mess up.

You can read more in today's WSJ story, "For a Green Thumb, Just Add Water." In a photo slideshow, I demonstrate how some of the products work. Will report back come harvest time.

UPDATE: Watch as we take lawn-chair gardening to Central Park on Good Morning America where anchors Sam Champion and Elizabeth Vargas and I walk through some of the latest growing tools.

Lawn Mowers that Don't Use Gas

Recently I've been testing a spate of "gasless" outdoor power tools: trimmers that run off lithium-ion batteries or propane, chainsaws that work on nickle-cadmium batteries and mowers, including a $3299 riding one from Ariens, propelled by electric motors and lead acid batteries.

In this Wall Street Journal story and video, you can see many of the tools in action and get a glimpse of where they perform well and where they fall short. The goal of the new breed of outdoor equipment is less maintenance, fewer emissions.

Channeling Your Inner Lumberjack...

For the last month, I've been playing Paul Bunyan and learning to split wood. Good for the muscles, not so good for the fingernails.

But as I wrote in today's WSJ story, learning to split logs is a road to a bit of economic independence if you have a steady source of wood and a high-efficiency wood stove or fireplace insert. To get through the eight large trees that needed splitting, I tested a raft of tools from a 4lb maul to a gas splitter that cuts with 26 tons of force.

Judging from what retailers and manufacturers tell me, I'm part of a growing number of homeowners trying to ride out the economic storm by becoming more self-sufficient and tackling more complex home improvement projects. As Larry Kudlow points out on CNBC, even Ronald Reagan split his own logs sometimes.

Wear goggles and sturdy boots!

The New Gentler Breed of Snowblowers

Today in The Wall Street Journal, I wrote about my recent testing of snowblowers and the surge in demand of multiple models across the U.S. Driving sales: a heavy bout of early-season snow and, surprisingly, the recession, which is forcing people to make sure they get to work on time. It's also due to manufacturers courting more women by making models more user-friendly.

The video above shows several of the models tested in action. I also discussed the trend on CNBC with Larry Kudlow.

To dig deeper... Here's a Consumer Reports study and ranking on snowblowers.

Is Your Home "Future-Proofed?"

How do you "future-proof" a house?

On this Good Morning America video today, I discussed 5 strategies to make an old home competitive with new ones -- both on the sales front and energy efficiency.

We looked at kitchen cabinets, paint, insulation, lawncare and appliances during the segment and discussed some of the new laws coming into effect that are helping trigger the future-proofing trend.

Grass Warfare: Taking Your Lawn Organic

Three years ago, I undertook an experiment to convert my backyard into an "organic lawn." The goal: getting the soil and grass healthy enough using natural ingredients made from plant, mineral and animal sources versus treating it with synthetic fertilizers and toxic herbicides that could potentially be harmful to humans (particularly kids with developing immune systems), pets and the environment.

Early on, it was slow going battling weeds -- as this video here from July 2007 shows. The producer was John Perugini. (Email: perugini(at)mac.com)

But now, as my story in yesterday's Wall Street Journal explains, my lawn care regimen has turned pretty boring. I put down natural herbicide in the spring and fall, fertilize a couple of times, hand-weed a bit, and that's it. This podcast delves into it more.

There's a battle picking up across the country between homeowners who use organic methods and those who don't. Expect to see more challenges to state laws which prevent local communities from banning pesticides at the residential level.

To dig deeper...

My 3-year journey chronicled in The Wall Street Journal:
2006 spring
2006 summer diary: Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI
2006 fall
2006 slideshow
2007
2008

Organic Gardening magazine

Beyond Pesticides -- lists studies on health hazards associated with pesticides, links to organic landscaping resources and community groups.

Safelawns.org -- a site devoted to promoting non-toxic, non-synthetic lawn treatments.

Pestfacts.org -- counterpart to organic movement. A trade group representing makers and suppliers of pesticides and fertilizers.