Mark is a seasoned green industry veteran and freelance writer based in Georgia. His work encompasses all things garden, landscape, home improvement, and DIY, with a focus on sustainability. Mark ...

Things with “French” in the title are usually fancy, right? Poodles, perfume, pastries. But a French drain is nothing more than a ditch in sloped ground, inset with a perforated drain pipe under a ...

I’ve always loved doing plumbing because it’s a very interesting three-dimensional challenge to install drain, waste and vent piping in a new home or a large remodeling job. Because I was also the ...

If you've tried to grow much of anything in your garden, you've likely heard the advice to give your plants a well-drained spot. That's because the soil has tiny pore spaces that hold oxygen that ...

I’ve been a master plumber since 1981. I’ve always loved doing plumbing because it’s a very interesting three-dimensional challenge to install drain, waste and vent (DWV) piping in a new home or a ...

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in ...