Here’s what to consider about material, style, fuel type, location, cost and safety when adding an outdoor fire pit.

So many options awaits you when it comes to buying a fire pit, whether you purchase a ready-made model or work with a craftsman to make one custom for your space. Either way, it can be tough to know where to begin. Here’s some tips to help guide your decision process.

Local Regulations

Before you jump into buying a fire pit, check with your city building codes and local authorities for regulations about outdoor fire pit placement or restrictions for burning wood. If you live in a condo or apartment complex, also check with your building or homeowners association to see if there are any regulations regarding outdoor fire pits. If you’re renting, run it past your landlord.

There are often regulations regarding fire pit placement for safety, such as siting a fire pit at least 10 feet away from buildings and fences. Some areas may require a site inspection by local fire officials to check that your proposed location is fire-safe. If your area regulates fuel type for environmental reasons, skip wood-burning models and opt for smoke-free ones that run on propane or natural gas.

Style

Fire pits come in a range of shapes, sizes and designs that can fit with any backyard style and homeowner needs. The challenge is narrowing your options and finding the right one for you. A good place to start is to identify a fire pit that coordinates with your existing backyard design in style, color, shape or material.

In addition to selecting a fire pit that fits in with the overall landscape style, choose a model that suits how you intend to use it. 

Size

Fire pit sizes range from small portable models to larger built-in styles. Choose a size and style that fits with your budget and location. Store-bought fire pit models commonly range from 24 to 30 inches in diameter. Built-in units can range from 36 to 58 inches across.

Height can range between low-to-the-ground fire bowls to taller models. If you’d like to be able to rest your feet on the lip of a fire pit, choose a model that’s either even with or slightly lower than standard seat height (typically 18 inches). Fire pit height compared to seat height also affects reflected warmth.

Pro tip: 

If you’d like the fire to warm you from your seat, aim for a lower fire pit. Keeping [a fire pit] a little lower, at 18 to 20 inches, provides more heat to the body.

Keep in mind how much space you’ll need for seating and circulation when determining the fire pit size. As a rule of thumb, budget on about 5 to 7 feet around all edges of a fire pit for chairs and movement through the area. Make sure you design around the fire pit, leaving room for big, comfy chairs and ample mobility.

If you’re planning to add built-in seating, keep the distance between the back wall of the seating area and the fire between 40 and 48 inches.

Permanent or Portable

Another consideration when buying a fire pit is whether you want the flexibility of a portable model or want to invest in a fire pit that will stay put as a permanent feature in your backyard. Lightweight portable fire pits can be a great option for renters; you can move them around and light them up in different areas of the backyard.

Material

Fire pits come in a variety of materials, including stone, metal, concrete or a mixture of multiple materials. Choose a material that suits your taste, coordinates with the design of your backyard and holds up well to stains and frequent use.

There are ups and downs from each material. Concrete is durable but can stain from soot. Powder-coated metal is durable but can get hot. Natural stone is great but can stain and occasionally will crack from heat if not built correctly.

If you are using a natural gas or propane-burning model, you may also be able to select the fire media, material in the flame area that covers the burner. Options range from decorative balls to lava rock and fire glass in many colors, sizes and shapes.

Cost

Fire pits have a wide range of costs. With a fire pit made using stacked stones in a ring or a basic model (typically made of metal and set up for wood burning only), you can keep the price under $100. Freestanding fire pits made from materials such as stone, concrete or powder-coated metal can run from $300 to $2,000 or more, depending on design. For custom and built-in models, budget $1,000 to $5,000 or more.

Fuel Type

Choose among three fuel options: wood, propane or natural gas. Wood-burning fire pits offer the classic crackling fire sound but are increasingly regulated due to environmental concerns about air-polluting smoke. 

Propane and natural gas offer the advantages of being smoke-free, easier to clean up and quicker to turn on and off. Both choices come with pros and cons: If you choose natural gas, prepare to potentially pay more for installation. You’ll also need to obtain a permit in order to extend a gas line. Propane saves on [the] cost of not having a gas line extended or permitted, but you’ll need to figure out where to hide the propane tank, ideally in a spot where it’s out of sight but still easy to refill.

Permitting

In general, you do not need a permit to install a standard-size backyard fire pit. If you choose a fire pit that runs on natural gas, you may need a permit to extend your gas line. Some areas may require a site inspection by local fire officials to check that your proposed location is fire-safe. Fire pits that are considered extra-large, over 4 feet in diameter, may require a permit or have other safety or installation requirements. Check your city building codes and local authorities before getting started.

Location

Building regulations will dictate where your fire pit can and cannot be in your yard, so check those first. Other things to consider when choosing a location for a fire pit include space constraints, fuel type and how you’d like to use the fire pit.

If a fire pit is part of a larger design-build project, one has to consider how it flows with the rest of the design. This includes site lines from the house and how the materials work together. 

Keep in mind that the main use of the fire pit will be in the cooler months. From what direction are the prevailing cold winds? It’s best to situate the fire pit in a space where it will be protected from these winds.

Safety and Other Considerations

Consider fire-safety measures when operating an outdoor fire pit and take measures to reduce risk. Make sure everyone in the house knows how to turn off or put out the fire feature, and never leave young children unattended around the flames.

Both location and choosing a fire-safe flooring material around the fire pit can make a big difference in increasing safety. Fire pits should be positioned at least 10 feet away from buildings and fences, on level ground and in an open area without overhanging trees. Fire-safe outdoor flooring materials to consider include: decomposed granite, crushed gravel, concrete, flagstone pavers or bare earth raked free of all flammable debris.

For wood-burning fire pits, it’s a good idea to have a spark arrester, a screen to catch sparks.

Whatever style or size of fire pit you choose, there’s a good chance it will become a favorite evening hangout spot that will inspire new traditions.

Whether you receive them as a gift or choose them yourself, living plants have become an essential part of holiday decor. Here’s what to do to enjoy your favorite gift and holiday plants well beyond the season.

Poinsettia

No flower defines the holiday season like the cheerful poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima). It’s known for its bright red “leaves,” which are actually bracts — although, these days you can also find them in shades of white, cream and pink, as well as bicolor versions. It’s also long-lasting. Given the right care, it often will continue to bloom until the beginning of spring. If you’re willing to do a little more work, you can also get it to rebloom for several holiday seasons.

During The Holiday Season 

Ideally, put your plant in a location that gets six to eight hours of bright, direct sunlight. It also can handle darker spots for a few weeks. Keep it out of drafts and cold spots, and place it where it won’t touch cold window glass. Daytime temperatures should be between 18.3 to 26.7 degrees Celsius.

Water thoroughly when the soil is dry to an inch or so below the surface, then allow the container to drain completely. If you can, provide additional humidity; setting it on a pebble tray is ideal. Don’t fertilize while the plant is blooming.

Rule Of Thumb 

Remove the wrapping around the container, cheerful though it may be, or at least poke holes in the bottom to allow water to drain. An exception would be materials that are naturally porous, such as burlap.

Post-Holiday Care 

Give your plant the same care as you did during the holidays until the blooms fade, usually by March. Cut the plant back to about 8 inches high. Cut back on watering at this time as well, allowing the soil to dry completely between waterings. You can keep your plant indoors or move it outside in late spring into early summer once nighttime temperatures have warmed up above 10 degrees Celsius. Put it in a bright spot that gets indirect light in the mornings and partial shade in the afternoons.

Resume regular watering when growth begins again, but be sure the container drains completely and the soil isn’t soggy. Feed with a balanced half-strength fertilizer every two weeks. Pinch back stems to keep the plant bushy. You also may want to repot the plant if it’s crowded. Bring your plant inside in fall, when nighttime temperatures fall to 10 degrees Celsius again.

The Trick To Their Red Colour 

Poinsettias are short-day plants and require an extended daily period of darkness over several weeks to trigger the change of leaf color from green to red. Place the plant in a location that’s completely dark at night for a minimum of 12 to 14 hours and with nighttime temperatures of 12.8 to 15.6 degrees Celsius. If you don’t have such a location or can’t guarantee it will remain completely dark for that long, cover the plant with a box or black plastic bag, taking care that the covering does not touch the leaves. During the day, provide at least six hours of sunlight and temperatures of around 21.1 degrees Celsius. Continue to feed and water regularly. Turn the plant every few days to encourage even growth.

After about 10 weeks to two months (or even longer), you’ll begin to see the color change. Bring the plant inside and continue watering, but discontinue feeding it until the blooming fades.

If you live in a climate where temperatures don’t drop below 10 degrees Celsius, you can plant your poinsettia outdoors. Choose a spot with fertile, well-draining soil that gets bright, indirect morning sun and partial afternoon shade. Follow the same watering and feeding schedule as you would for plants in containers. If your plant does not get the darkness required for the color change on the bracts, they will remain green, but you will eventually have a good-sized perennial shrub that’s ideal for a tropical-style garden.

Amaryllis

The amaryllis (Hippeastrum) is rapidly approaching the poinsettia in overall popularity as a holiday plant. They’re one of the few forced bulbs that can come back year after year, so you can enjoy your amaryllis this holiday season and for years to come.

Forcing It To Bloom

Fill a pot with enough potting mix so the top third of the bulb will be exposed above the soil. Set the bulb in place, and then fill in around it with potting soil to hold it in place. You will probably also want to add a stake to support the flower stalk.

Place your bulb in a spot that gets bright, indirect light with daytime temperatures from 21.1 and 26.7 degrees Celsius. Keep the soil moist but not soggy, watering when the top inch or two of the potting mix is dry. Be careful not to overwater, and let the container drain thoroughly.

Once the flower stalk appears, fertilize every two to three weeks with a half-strength water-soluble fertilizer. Turn the plant every two to four days to keep growth even.

During The Holiday Season

Keep your plant in a spot with bright, indirect light. Continue watering and fertilizing as you have been.

Post-Holiday Care 

Cut off the stalk once the blooms fade, but continue to water regularly. Feed once a month with a balanced fertilizer. Place the plant outdoors in late spring or early summer. Start by putting it in shade or indirect sunlight, then gradually move it to a spot where it will receive full sun for at least six hours daily. Water and fertilize regularly as you have been. You can also place the plant directly in the garden, away from other plants, once the soil temperature reaches 10 degrees Celsius, then dig it up and repot it in late summer.

Stop watering and fertilizing in late summer, around August to September, and let the soil dry out completely. Remove any dead leaves, and bring the plant into a cool, dimly lit spot before your first frost.

To force the plant to rebloom, keep it in this spot for a minimum of six weeks and up to 12 weeks. Cut off any leaves that turn yellow and wither. Then begin the forcing process as outlined above. Don’t repot at this time, but you can replace the top inch or so of soil.

Holiday Cactus

Once known as Christmas cactuses, the term holiday cactus came about because you can have these plants blooming from Thanksgiving to Easter. The true Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) blooms in December, while the more commonly found Thanksgiving cactus (S. truncata) starts blooming earlier. The Easter cactus (Hatiora gaertneri) blooms in spring. Fortunately, they require the same general care. They also make excellent houseplants during the rest of the year and can even go outside during the summer in colder climates.

During The Holiday Season 

Put it in a spot where it gets bright, indirect light — a west-facing window that doesn’t get direct sun is ideal. Water regularly, but allow the container to drain freely and the soil to dry a bit between waterings.

Post-Holiday Care 

Continue the same care while the plant blooms. You can move the plant outdoors in spring and summer if you live in a cold-winter climate or at almost any time in the warmest winter regions. Provide bright indirect light through spring and summer and into fall. Fertilize weekly with about one-quarter-strength fertilizer from spring through summer while the plant is growing,

Holiday cactuses are also considered short-day plants that are said to need a certain amount of darkness to rebloom.

In September into October, you can reduce the amount of water your plant receives and put it in a cool, dry spot, such as an unheated garage, where it will get at least 12 hours of darkness per day for about a month. If you can’t ensure 12 hours of darkness, place a box over it in the evenings to block the light. Be careful that the covering doesn’t touch the leaves or you may damage them. Once the buds set, increase the watering and bring the plant into a more brightly lit area.

These cactuses can also grow outside year-round in Zone 9 and above.

Living Christmas Trees

You can enjoy a living Christmas tree for several years. Choose a slow-growing or dwarf conifer that will do well in your climate zone. You can’t keep it indoors for long, but it can be brought in for brief periods for several years.

During The Holiday Season 

Choose a healthy tree in a 5-gallon, 10-gallon or 15-gallon pot. Because nursery pots aren’t very festive, simply slip it into a larger, more decorative container. Set it in a bright, sunny, somewhat cool spot near a window and away from furnace vents and fireplaces. Water regularly, keeping the soil moist. One trick is to place ice cubes on top of the soil and let them melt.

Trees don’t do well inside for very long. Plan on leaving them inside for five to seven days, with a maximum of 10 days.

Post-Holiday Care 

Move your tree outside to a sheltered location out of wind and sunlight for about a week. Water deeply, saturating the root ball, and lightly hose off or wipe off the needles to remove the dust. Once the tree has adjusted to outdoor temperatures, move it into a location in full sun and water regularly. Repot if it becomes root-bound.

Norfolk pine (Araucaria heterophylla), shown here, is a living tree option that can live indoors permanently. It is often sold as a miniature living Christmas tree at nurseries, home centers, florists and grocery stores but can reach up to 100 feet outdoors. Indoors it grows slowly but will eventually reach about 6 feet tall.

During The Holiday Season 

Set your plant in a bright spot, preferably a south-facing window, out of drafts and where temperatures won’t fall below 35 degrees Fahrenheit (1.7 degrees Celsius). It loves humidity, so set it on a pebble tray. Water when the soil is dry to the touch and let the container drain completely.

Post-Holiday Care 

Continue the same care throughout the rest of the year. Feed weekly with a balanced quarter-strength water-soluble fertilizer in spring and summer; don’t feed in fall and winter. Turn regularly for even growth. If the plant begins to get leggy, provide more light and cut back on fertilizer.

The simple pleasure of clipping a handful of fresh herbs to flavor a favorite dish is one that many home gardeners enjoy. Drying herbs is an excellent method to ensure that the aromatic oil in their leaves can continue to add a savory taste to your food long after your summer garden is done. The process of drying herbs is quite easy and concentrates the flavor, so they will last a long time on a pantry shelf.

While most herbs are suitable for drying, some are easier to dry than others. Herbs with a low moisture content, such as bay leaves, oregano, rosemary and thyme, dry very well. Those with thinner, larger leaves, such as basil, parsley and sage, also take well to drying but need to be dried more quickly to prevent mold from forming on the leaves.

Harvesting and Prepping Herbs

Harvest herbs before they flower, as they tend to lose some of their flavor and can even be a little bitter once they have flowered.

Pick herbs in the morning, which is when the oil content of their leaves is highest and the flavor is at its peak.

Wash the leaves if needed to remove dirt or dust, and pick off any discolored foliage. Lightly dry the herbs using a dishcloth or paper towels.

Tie herbs into bundles. For herbs with more moisture in the leaves, like basil and parsley, limit the bundles to four to six stems to allow them to dry faster. If you live in a humid climate, make the bundles smaller to promote drying.

Use rubber bands, twine, or twist ties to tie the herbs together at the base of their stems. Make sure the tie is fairly tight, as the stems will shrink as the herbs dry.

Drying the Herbs

Select an indoor location with good air circulation. Avoid any areas where the sun will shine on the herbs, as this can decrease their flavor and bleach the leaves. You have a few drying options once you have harvested and prepped your herbs.

Option 1: 

Hang the bundles upside down. You can attach them to a coat hanger, a drying rack or a ladder, or hang them from the ceiling using twine or string.

Option 2: 

Punch 10 holes in a brown paper lunch bag and place the herb bundles upside down in it — be careful not to overcrowd them. Tie the bag closed and hang it from a support as described in the previous example. This method is useful for more humid regions where herbs may take longer to dry. The bag protects the herbs from dust and will catch any stems that slip out.

Option 3: 

Place the herbs in a single layer on a screen, in the same location as for the previous options. You can place the screen on a table or up on bricks to better enable airflow, as that will allow the herbs to dry on both sides. Every two days, turn the herbs over to help promote even drying.

Option 4: 

You can oven-dry them for quick results, but this will result in slightly less flavor than if you allow them to dry naturally. Set the temperature to 100 degrees Fahrenheit and leave the oven door open. Place the herbs on a baking sheet and put into the oven, making sure to leave the door open. Turn the herbs every 10 minutes until they are they are dry, and remove.

Option 5: 

If you have a dehydrator, you can easily dry herbs in a relatively short amount of time.

If you’ve decided to dry your herbs naturally, begin checking them after a week. The length of drying time can range from as little as a few days to a month, depending on the humidity and method of drying. Once the leaves are dry and crispy, they are ready.

You can store dried herbs as whole leaves or gently crumble them into small pieces by hand before storing them in airtight containers. Place the containers out of sunlight in a cool, dry space, where peak flavor will last 6 to 12 months.

Cities around the world are encouraging their citizens to grow vegetable, herbs and fruit to help alleviate possible food insecurity due to the Covid-19 pandemic

Here’s how you can create a food garden, no matter the size or your patio or yard.

A Container Food Garden on Your Patio

Many edibles do very well when grown in pots and there are plenty of dwarf varieties of plants to choose from. 

Leafy greens are easy to grow in containers, and they do well in partial sun. Tomato varieties are really great, too. Just make sure you pick things that you’ll enjoy eating.

If you want to grow lots of food, you can start from a seed indoors, or outdoors when the ground has completely thawed— but if you’re just doing one or two tomato plants, it makes more sense to buy seedling plants instead. 

If you’re growing produce for your community, some of the faster-growing options include salad greens and spinach. Even if your property only gets four or five hours of sun a day, you can still grow plenty of delicious vegetables like carrots, beets, garlic and kale that can make a real difference. 

Lacking Space? Look Up!

Condo and Townhouse dwellers can also grow edibles efficiently, thanks to vertical gardening. For example, you can plant shallow-rooted plants like strawberries, radishes and herbs in gutters and hang them along a fence.

“I’ve seen people grow vining plants from a balcony box, either growing them down or to the side,” says Biggs. “It’s a fantastic idea in an urban setting to make the use of your space.”

Try vining produce like cucumbers, pole beans, summer squash or melons. 

Get the Kids Involved

Gardening is family-friendly and teaches children about where their food comes from? Let them decide what to plant.

“See what interests them; I have one child who just loves bugs, another who is really fascinated with birds, and another who loves plants and tomatoes; different kids will be attracted to different things in the garden,” says Steven Biggs, who wrote Gardening With Emma, a kid-to-kid guide to planting food. 

“That could translate into a bug-themed garden or plants to attract birds. Or you can do fun projects like a garden teepee that you grow pole beans on or maybe a sunflower house hideout.”

Set Up Some Straw Bales

For people living in urban areas with no green space at all, take a second look at your driveway or the alleyway between your home and your neighbours’; it’s the perfect spot for a straw bale food garden. 

Straw bale gardening is really easy and a quick way to start: The bale is both the growing medium and the container. 

Three to four weeks before you plant, water your bales and add fertilizer so it starts to decompose. Then, plant right into the bale. 

“I’ve turned half of my driveway into a temporary garden with tomatoes, peppers, beans and flowers,” says Biggs. “It’s a fantastic pop-up garden if people don’t want to invest a lot in permanent infrastructure like raised beds. You can also put bales on a patio.”

Don’t Forget Your Front Yard

If you have more space or sun out front, plant your food garden there. You may even want to put up signs in the garden so people can harvest some of your prolific edibles like mint or chives.

How to Handle Pests

Your edible garden can be an outdoor buffet for local wildlife, and many homeowners prefer not to spread pesticides. 

Squirrels and deer can get into all sorts of spaces unless you physically exclude them. Do this with wire mesh when you’re gardening on a smaller scale. But sometimes you just have to accept that you’re going to share, so grow things like currents, cherry tomatoes or smaller fruits that are really prolific. This way, there’s lots for you, and for the birds, squirrels and deer.

No Yard? No Problem!

Even if you don’t have a yard, patio or balcony, you can still grow food on a windowsill. 

If live in an apartment or a condo without a yard you may think you can’t grow food, but you can. You can grow microgreens: Just use a pie plate, add some potting soil and dried peas from the grocery store and grow them into little edible green pea sprouts. Or get a sprouting jar from your local health food store. 

Whether you are feeding your family or the community, take time to plant edibles this season.