Everyone is looking for some backyard shade these days, and the latest sun protection is a tensioned fabric canopy called a shade sail. Versions of these canopies originated in the 1990s in Australia and South Africa, where they were made of sailcloth. Today, they are made of high-tech synthetic knits that wear better and block out more ultraviolet rays — up to 95 percent.
This is the time of year when borer damage in trees and shrubs is most obvious. Limbs are dying. Their damage can be seen from a distance now, but they’ve been working hard feeding on the inside of trees and shrubs for months.
Q: My toilet does not flush correctly. The bowl will fill with water, then slowly drain down, or the waste just doesn’t go down at all. I have tried chemicals, but they haven’t worked. What else can I do?
