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A special supplement of the

CommunityAdvocate April 14, 2017

Your

Home

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2 • Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 14, 2017

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Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 14, 2017 • 3

Good fences

Choosing the right fence for your home’s perimeter

By Kristen Castillo

Deciding to install a fence around your home’s perimeter can be very exciting.

However, it is also a significant investment in time and money.

D

reaming of a white picket fence? Envisioning a rock wall?

Imagining a wrought iron gate? Deciding to install a fence around your home’s perimeter can be very exciting.

However, it is also a significant investment in time and money. Make sure your choice is perfect for your budget and your style.

First Steps Getting started can be as easy as looking at your surroundings.

“Do your neighbors have fences?” asked Audra Hamlin of Northwest Cedar Products.

“Do you want to match them or hide them?”

Landscaping is another consideration. Consider how a fence will affect your existing lawn, trees and recreation areas.

“Is there a big old tree you want to make sure you keep?”

Hamlin asked. “Do you want to highlight certain areas of your yard? Do you need to hide an air conditioning unit or other unsightly items?”

It’s also practical to think about the fencing needs you may have for pets, kids and privacy in general.

Next, consider the style and materials you’d like for your fence.

Wood Wood fences are the traditional fence choice. According to the American Fence Association (AFA), the largest professional association representing the fence, deck and railing industry, the benefits of wood fencing include looking nice, offering privacy and lasting a long time.

Wood is a cost-effective and an environmentally friendly building material.

“The best material is cedar,” said Hamlin. “It is longlasting, beautiful and does not need to be stained or sealed to maintain.”

While 4-by-4-inch lumber posts are standard, consider installing 5-by-5-inch lumber posts. Hamlin said they don’t cost much more but will “add years to the stability of a fence.”

AFA said Rocky Mountain red cedar and Southern yellow pine are two of the most popular wood fence options; redwood is prevalent on the Pacific coast.

Most woods are treated to resist pests and avoid rotting.

Vinyl Vinyl fences have the look of elegant wooden fences without the fuss of maintenance.

These fences are long lasting and don’t require painting or touch-ups. They won’t rust or split, and typically they won’t fade, either.

Ornamental More cost-effective than wrought iron, aluminum fences look stylish and are durable.

Because aluminum won’t rust, this fence is a particularly good choice in coastal areas.

Homeowners have many

decorative choices when selecting ornamental fences, too.

Think rings, arches, scrolls and fancy finials.

Chain-link This basic fence style is popular for residential, industrial and commercial properties.

Its simple see-through style doesn’t provide much privacy but it’s strong and offers security for pets and kids.

Chain-link fences are getting dressy for residential use.

Color coatings are smooth, help protect against rust and they blend in well, often appearing invisible from a distance. Popular colors include black, brown and green.

Stone Often considered the world’s first fences, stone or rock walls are landscape design classics.

Enduring and elegant, stone walls look natural.

Though homeowners could simply stack rocks on top of one another, the modern approach - using mortar and precise stone placement - gives a more refined rustic look.

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and is very strong. It can be harvested and used as a building material a lot sooner than traditional wood.

Though bamboo is longlasting, it can fade over time,

and it may rot.

Homeowners have a few options with bamboo fences.

Rolled bamboo, which is linked together, rolls out and is often placed over existing fences - e.g., a chain-link fence - and bamboo stick fences have bamboo slats instead of poles. If you’re interested in a living wall, live bamboo fences are ideal, especially in warm climates.

Homeowners should grow the bamboo close together and trim it as needed.

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4 • Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 14, 2017

Hello, birdie

Entice feathered friends to visit your home all year long

By DiAnne Crown

has several ideas for spring. If you cover all your bases - food, water and shelter - then the sky’s the limit.

W

hether you’re setting out to create a thriving habitat for your wild birds or you’d just like to add a new feature, wildbird expert Wade Kammin

Food and Feeders Kammin, who owns a Wild Birds Unlimited store,

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encourages enthusiasts to continue to support area bird populations with the right foods and feeders throughout the year, not just during the winter months.

“When talking about the best choices to feed birds, we first have to talk about what not to feed,” Kammin begins, “such as wheat, milo and oats.

These filler grains are often found in bags of seed, but aren’t birdseed. For a diversity

of birds, we try to mimic the diet of birds in their natural habitats.”

A high-quality bag of food will balance ingredients in the right ratio for birds who feed at different levels and prefer different foods, such as sunflower seed and safflower seed for cardinals; peanuts for titmice, wrens and nuthatches; and suet for woodpeckers.

“These foods are high in fat and protein for quick energy,”

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said Kammin, who adds that including some millet in the mix also encourages doves and juncos, who like to eat on the ground.

In addition to offering good foods, try to purchase feeders that will accommodate the variety of standing, perching and clinging styles of your birds. According to the National Audubon Society, “To avoid crowding and to attract the greatest variety of species, provide table-like feeders for ground-feeding birds, hopper or tube feeders for shrub and treetop feeders, and suet feeders well off the ground for woodpeckers, nuthatches and chickadees.”

If you’re an apartment dweller, select feeders and no-mess seed combinations that can be supported by patio stands or attached to windows and rails.

And be considerate of the four-leggers who may just be trying to make a living. Drawing squirrels to the ground level with a corn, seed and nut mix will help keep them out of your songbird feeders, as will Hello, birdie page 5

Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 14, 2017 • 5

Hello, birdie

Entice feathered friends to visit your home all year long specifically for insect-lovers who can’t crack open hard seed coverings, said Kammin.

Last, try to place feeders about 10 feet from shrubs and trees, he added.

“This is far enough away that birds at feeders can see predators coming, and close enough to dive for cover.”

If you do see a natural predator strike a bird, he added, “Avoid the temptation to try to help the victim. The hawk or other predatory bird will have to hunt again and get somebody else.”

Hello, birdie Continued from page 4

a baffle on your stand feeder.

And when, as happens occasionally through the year, you notice an increase in starlings, grackles and other bigger birds, be patient for a couple of days and get to know them until they move back out into the trees and fields. Grackles like to dip corn kernels in water before they eat. Starlings eat in noisy groups, making a variety of calls the whole time. Blue jays have a veritable playlist of songs and calls, often mimicking other bird sounds. Cowbird and catbird calls sound unmistakably like a drop of water and a cat meowing, respectively. They’re all interesting and entertaining.

“Living in harmony with them is probably the best approach,” said Kammin. “I try to have an appreciation for every individual bird. Blue jays get a bad rap because people think they’re mean to other birds. But actually, they just come into feeders quickly and scatter the birds, pick up what they want then fly away to eat it. The other birds come right back. I have to marvel at the brainpower of the jays. You can put in-shell peanuts in a separate feeder away from the other feeders and enjoy watching their large family social network.”

Audubon offers an important safety note about feeders.

“Uneaten seed can become soggy and grow deadly mold.

Empty and clean feeders twice a year (in the spring and fall) or more often if feeders are used during humid summers.

Using a long-handled bottle brush, scrub with dish detergent and rinse with a powerful hose; then soak in a bucket of 10 percent non-chlorine bleach solution, rinse well, and dry in the sun. In early spring, rake up spilled grain and sunflower hulls.”

For the experienced feeder looking for a new feature, consider the increasing variety of compressed seed blocks, which offer longer-lasting, lower-mess and lower-maintenance feeding options; and some of the new specialized feeders on the market, such as the meal-worm feeder,

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Water Provide fresh water daily. As winter turns to spring, use a heated birdbath or a dog dish filled with enough stepping stones to prevent smaller birds from falling in and drowning.

The rest of the year, refresh the water in traditional birdbaths each day and add a sprayer, dripper or jiggler to attract

hummingbirds and discourage mosquitoes.

Shelter and attraction For the most diversity and activity at your feeders, Kammin emphasized the importance of one factor: “Above all else, habitat, habitat, habitat.

Plant native shrubs, perennials and trees at a combination of heights for nesting, cover and food.”

Add a few well-constructed housing options as needed, and leave some dead and dying limbs for woodpecker and nuthatch nests, Kammin suggested Many birds look for brightly colored flowers when choosing feeding and nesting sites.

Reds, oranges and bright pinks will all be good attractors for hummingbirds. These will also attract butterflies and bees, so your habitat will contribute to the overall health of your area’s ecosystem.

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Home Sweet Home At the heart of the American Dream, home ownership represents both the largest financial investment most of us will ever make and a significant lifestyle choice. Thus, whether you are selling or contemplating the purchase of a home, you have a vested interest in being well informed about the wide range of issues surrounding home ownership. Market conditions, lifestyle considerations, legal and tax issues, buying and selling strategies, financing and the various structural, mechanical and cosmetic aspects of the property are all important. Whether you are a seller or buyer, dealing in single-family homes, condominiums, commercial real estate or land, this column will provide you with useful real estate information in the weeks that follow. We are a local Real Estate Firm and happy to provide our Clients with accurate and up-to-date pricing information to help set realistic purchase and sale expectations. Call us for a free consultation on how we can help you.

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6 â&#x20AC;˘ Community Advocate â&#x20AC;˘ YOUR HOME â&#x20AC;˘ Friday, April 14, 2017

Forever Architecture Better materials make for better buildings

By Joseph Pubillones

T

he lasting beauty of a house resides, in large part, in the expressiveness of its materials. The honesty of its textures and its natural imperfections are an authentic treasure that gets better with time. Like the patina that develops over copper, that starts shiny and gradually dulls, then darkens, and with each passing rain and element in the air oxidizes into brilliant green, each house goes through a life cycle. The love for material both new and old is what gives a house its soul.

When a design is pure and clean, the simplest of gestures and manipulations are what gives a design its beauty. It might be the shape of a sharp geometry, the clever positioning of a window, the color of a particular surface in natural light or the repetition of a pattern that provides the desired look.

Regardless of style, whether considering a neoclassical villa or a contemporary urban building, the considerations of appropriate and lasting materials is the same. The bottom line is better materials make for better buildings.

Commission an architect to do drawings for a house, for example, and the computer-aided drawings can be done relatively quickly. Today it seems that any building can be built much quicker than they were before in part to the advancement of construction techniques and new materials. The materials have also gone through a metamorphosis, and brackets and beams that were once carved by hand are now extruded by machinery and installed in a matter of minutes.

Drive by any shopping plaza or city center and you will see plenty of new buildings that harken to an architecture of a previous time, some that may The lasting beauty of a house resides, in large part, in the expressiveness of its materials.

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be familiar to your hometown or another architecture that is altogether different. The buildings are done in record time, a few years pass and you see scaffolding around them in the name of maintenance. Upon closer inspection some of the architectural details that you thought were stone or wood, show cracks and peeling paint that reveal what lies underneath which is some form of molded Styrofoam or plastic.

How are we to create architecture that lasts and

contribute to our history when in reality, they are nothing but paper-thin structures not unlike a stage set to give the feeling of somewhere or some city you like but not built to withstand a decade, and often not a strong storm. Take, for example, an old and neglected city like Havana. Do you think that any of its now decaying structures would have survived, if less than the best and appropriate materials of the time had been used?

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Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 14, 2017 • 7

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8 • Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 14, 2017

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Beautiful bouquets Make your cut flowers last longer

By Sharon Naylor

A

s your garden and planter flowers bloom throughout the season, you’ll surely want to bring some of those blooms inside your home as cut flowers included in floral arrangements or as solo blooms standing pretty in bud vases. And you’ll certainly want to help those gorgeous flowers last as long as possible, looking bright and fresh for more than a day. In some cases, you’ll want your floral centerpiece to look fresh just throughout your dinner or party, and even that can be a challenge with certain types of garden flowers, such as hydrangeas, which seem to wilt all too soon.

So to avoid droopy, curledpetal or crispy flowers, you can take some easy steps to extend the life of your cut blooms.

Here are some easy actions to take each time you plan to cut flowers from your garden, trees or planters for indoor display: • Prep your vase before you cut any fresh flowers. Start by cleaning your vase thoroughly with warm soapy water, and rinse all traces of the soap or any gunk, dried-on leaves or other materials from the most recent time the vase held flowers. You don’t want any foreign substances or bacteria in your vase, because they would speed up the decomposition of your freshly cut blooms. Clean your cutting tool, as well, to keep bacteria and decay-speeding materials away from your flowers.

--Add cool water to your vase to your choice of water

G M D

To avoid droopy, curled-petal or crispy flowers, you can take some easy steps to extend the life of your cut blooms.

height. This is important to note because you will soon strip away all branches or leaves from the stems of your cut flowers so that none will be submerged once the flowers are placed in the vase. Any leaves or branches in the water would decompose quickly, shortening the life of your flowers.

--Decide on a floral lifepreserving additive for your vase water. Because you will cut your flowers from your garden, you probably won’t have access to one of those little rectangular packets of

flower food that usually come with store-bought cut bouquets. You can purchase at a garden center a container of cut flower food (some specifically for roses and some for general flowers) to use according to product package instructions. Alternatively, you could choose to crush an aspirin and add it to the vase water. Aspirin is a popular life extender for cut flowers.

You may have heard of some other tricks, such as adding cider vinegar and sugar or adding a touch of bleach, and Bouquets page 9

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Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 14, 2017 • 9

Make your cut flowers last longer Bouquets Continued from page 8

recent floral blogger trials have shown these additions to be mildly effective in adding a day or two to your bouquet flowers’ freshness. Far easier would be to just keep the vase water clean and replaced every day to inhibit bacterial growth, according to Georgianne Vinicombe, owner of Monday Morning Flower and Balloon Co., as well as keeping your floral arrangement away from heat sources, which can speed up decay.

--Strip the bottom leaves and branches from each of your cut flowers using a flower-stripping tool from the garden center (although a pair of very sharp scissors will do).

Again, any submerged flora would encourage rot.

--Insert each flower stem in your vase of water one by one so that you can use a sharp cutting tool or scissors to cut the bottom of each stem away while it’s in the water. When a cut stem is exposed to air, it reduces the stem’s ability to absorb and transfer water up to the flower. If your vase is narrow, keep a cool waterfilled bucket next to your vase to ensure easy underwater cutting and the quick transfer of each cut stem. More than a few seconds of air exposure hurts a flower’s water retention ability.

--When your flowers are inserted in your vase, place the vase in a cool location away from direct sunlight, according to the experts at the garden blog The Flower Expert. Heat shortens the life of cut garden flowers.

--An effective way to extend the life of your cut floral bouquet or arrangement is to place it in your refrigerator overnight, much like the way flowers are stored in floral shops. The cool air helps prevent rot.

--Each morning, change out the water in your vase, which is often enough to keep your flowers fresher and healthier, and consider re-cutting the bottom of each stem to provide a new path of water absorption.

With careful care of the flowers you cut from your garden or planters, you can keep lovely floral color, texture and scent in your home all season long and avoid paying high prices for flowers at a store.

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10 â&#x20AC;˘ Community Advocate â&#x20AC;˘ YOUR HOME â&#x20AC;˘ Friday, April 14, 2017

The art of design

Desert flora and fauna are the inspiration for Santa Fe style

By Joseph Pubillones

D

uring the 1990s, there was a fascination with the architecture, interiors and designs inspired in the southwest. The decor came in waves by travel and a rediscovery of places such as Sedona, Taos and Santa Fe. The color palette was filled with earth tones born of the adobe architecture peppered by tones seen in the sky at dusk ranging from faint amethyst to cornflower blue.

The desert flora and fauna are the inspiration for many of the interiors we saw during their original heyday.

This style is definitely historically significant to American culture. The southwestern architecture and design spread widely beyond its geographic boundaries and made its way out toward California and southeast to Louisiana and in places such as Florida, where early developers and architects

chose this style as a simpler alternative to the favored Mediterranean Revival.

Traditionally, the style that became known as Santa Fe was inspired by the architecture and furniture designs brought over to the missions by the Spanish clergymen. Heavily carved dark wood furniture, mixed with naturally tanned leather seating and velvet upholstery were the norm.

Accessories and artwork at the hands of local artists were filled with religious symbols and references such as saints and crosses. The architecture with its handcrafted and rounded edge adobe walls, timbered or hand-framed ceilings and the clay tile that blanketed many of the homes south of the border were standard.

Textiles and rugs were often the work of natives of the area.

Some interior designers today are delighted, as it seems Santa Fe page 11

The Santa Fe color palette is filled with earth tones born of the adobe architecture peppered by tones seen in the sky at dusk ranging from faint amethyst to cornflower blue.

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Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 14, 2017 • 11

Virtual interior design

Designing interiors without a designer is not easy, but it is not impossible Many online stores offer small samples of fabrics and finishes that can be mailed to you prior to purchase to ensure that colors match your decorating scheme.

interior design consultations, I think it is appropriate here to say “beware!” Most of these complimentary services are done to facilitate purchasing more than design help. Some stores may offer a virtual design portal where you can see a version of what your

room will look like. Most instore designers are there for a purpose...to sell, sell, sell. As accessible as online furniture stores are, many consumers still want the personal touch of working with an interior designer, and seek to hire them as a consultant.

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erhaps you have purchased a book online, or gifts during the holidays for family members or friends.

The online commercial revolution has made it possible to buy almost anything on your computer swiftly, comfortably - and certainly at better prices than you ever imagined. In less than a decade, half of our purchases will be made through our Smartphones. How will this new technological reality affect the physiognomy of our homes? Obviously buying a hair dryer or a book through the internet is not the same as buying a sofa.

Designing interiors without a designer to consult with is not easy, but it is not impossible. Many consumers like to buy what they see out of a vignette in a catalog and tweak the design to make it personal.

Others will take a particular design seen in a shelter magazine and try to replicate it.

Whether intentional or not, DIY interior designers do exist. To minimize potential and expensive disasters, here are some tips: Knowing exactly what you need is imperative. The first thing to do is to create a list on your mobile phone.

Look for larger purchases such as sofas, beds or other important pieces through larger department stores, which have more lenient return policies, in case buyer’s remorse sets in or the quality is not what you expected.

Check out portals such as Etsy or eBay for one-of-a-kind finds that will help give your home a personal touch.

Always seek out others’ opinions and reviews of any particular item. Don’t get discouraged if there are one or

two negative reviews. Everyone is different, look out for an overall opinion or trend, then make your decision.

Comparing online prices seems easy, but make sure you are comparing apples to apples.

Look for same type of material, place of construction, etc.

Make sure to measure your space and even take some tape to map out the new furniture in your room to ensure a proper fit.

Some online furniture stores offer free white-glove delivery in order to encourage the client to purchase without a test sit or bed rest. Also ask if there is a risk-free trial period.

Many online stores offer small samples of fabrics and finishes that can be mailed to you prior to purchase to ensure that colors match your decorating scheme.

Finally, while many online stores offer complimentary

Desert flora and fauna are the inspiration for Santa Fe style Santa Fe Continued from page 10

Santa Fe style interiors are coming to life again. Today’s Santa Fe interiors are more playful and less restrictive. In fact, they are melding as most other styles into an eclectic version of what they used to be, and integrating furniture pieces from every era covering from American mid-century pieces to sleek contemporary European-style seating.

In this new mix, flame-stitch patterns have been replaced with Ikat fabrics, and the

rough textures of leathers have been replaced with suede, micro-fibers and classic cottons and linens. Color ways have subdued into neutrals with splashes of color rather than the old vibrant chromatic colors expected of the southwest.

In architecture, there has also been a merging of styles. Besides the traditional adobe constructions around courtyards, the southwest was also influential in the architecture of the 1950s and 1960s ranch. Today’s architecture, while claiming some of the original traits of the court-

yards, has incorporated more glazed surfaces and less walls to view the dramatic landscapes.

Large overhangs protect glass walls from overheating in the summer heat.

Santa Fe style has earned its accolades because it brings to the table a rustic warmth that seemingly has affinity to many across the nation. It has a bit of the folklore of the West as seen in movies and captured the American spirit of yester-years.

Santa Fe style is a style that will be revisited and rediscovered again and again.

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Time for a pro?

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G

ardening is relaxing and therapeutic for many, and that green thumb is a pride and honor once you achieve it. Most

projects need little more than patience and common household tools. However, there are times when even the most talented do-it-yourself gardener wants or needs professional help.

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A complete professional landscape maintenance program is more than mowing,

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Since a professional landscape maintenance program requires more time and visits

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Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 14, 2017 • 13

Time for a pro?

To do or not to do your own gardening Landscape Continued from page 12

is simply interested in keeping your yard neat and manicured while you are busy with other pursuits, then a basic lawn maintenance program may be the right fit. Your grass will be kept trimmed and cut grass and other debris will be removed. Periodic fertilizer applications and pest control can be scheduled to keep your lawn looking green and healthy. Your neighbors will appreciate your efforts to support property values. This is also ideal if you travel frequently, and will help to keep your property looking inhabited and serve as a deterrent to would-be thieves.

The consideration of a professional company to care for your yard should go beyond just the very basic services you now require. Some mowing companies, while they can do the job well, will offer only those simple services, and you may have to hire different companies for that unexpected need such as pest or weed control. Full-service landscape maintenance companies will often offer varying packages based on your needs and the flexibility to upgrade, or downgrade, components to keep your yard in tip-top shape.

When you are selecting professionals for individual projects or regular maintenance ask to see jobs they have already worked on, ask neighbors for references, and interview the person responsible for service contracts; ask to see package deals and specific terms about any changes made to your plan. Be sure to define your expectations; set a realistic budget; and communicate any changes to your landscape goals to the provider so they can tweak the service.

When to go pro Even if you are adept at maintaining your own yard and you have the time and knowledge, some jobs are still more than you want to tackle. You probably could use help for tasks such as digging, contour sloping of the land, if underground wiring or plumbing needs to be laid, or depending on your local

If you choose, you can have the enjoyment of planting and cultivating your prize flowers while having a service do the tedious task of mowing and raking the rest of the lawn. You can also always hire someone to give you a prize-winningworthy garden.

regulations if special permits and certifications are required.

If your yard is prone to flooding or is too dry or rocky, a horticulturist can help plan and maintain the right types of plants that will flourish in that setting.

If you want to install permanent outdoor lighting for nighttime backyard entertaining, a professional landscaper can design the placement for attractive effectiveness and subcontract the job to an outdoor lighting expert who can install to local codes and ensure a safe result. Many outdoor water features begin with deep excavations, insulating pipes and ensuring that they don’t leak, and allowing for proper drainage. Water feature designers work closely with landscapers to install the right feature for your garden.

Home pools and spas require the use of large excavating equipment and compliance with local ordinances. A pool services contractor can help provide a safe, functional and attractive home amusement area. Decking and concrete contractors understand the proper construction needed to ensure a safe and eye-catching outdoor entertainment area in your yard.

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Consider using potted plants to fashion a soft living screen of privacy for whatever area you have to use.

By Christine Brun

E

veryone enjoys having some outdoor respite at the end of a warm day. For those living in tiny places, the space challenge can creep outdoors, too. Some of us live in guesthouses. Others live in tiny apartment courts.

Still others live in high-rise condos that offer only narrow balconies. How do you maximize your use of the outdoors?

Consider using potted plants to fashion a soft living screen of privacy for whatever area you have to use. You can do this anywhere with little effort. If you must move the plants into place or clean them, position them atop plant stands with casters, which you can find in any home improvement store.

This particular arrangement could be used on a balcony to shield you from a neighbor’s view or on a front porch. Add a portable screen and you will increase the sense of shelter.

Know that you can buy a huge variety of weather-resistant screens. If you have an architectural element such as a fascia that you can mount to, consider installing a solar shade that can be left out unprotected.

If you live in a part of

the country frequented by summer rainstorms, think of ways to shield your wooden furniture. I use an indoor wood plank table outside but remove the plastic cover during the summer. I had a good coat of Thompson’s WaterSeal applied last summer, and it is still doing a grand job of guarding the wood. To protect the legs, I applied thick plastic leg protectors that lift each leg off the concrete enough for me to be able to clear standing water. My chairs are resin wicker, and the cushions are made of Sunbrella fabric. It is easy to order custom outdoor cushions made of sun- and mildew-resistant textiles. They cost a bit more than the type of outdoor pillows you can pick up at local retailers, but they will last year after year.

I bought a darling accent pillow last summer that was decorated with the term “No. 1” but tossed it in the garbage last week because it had faded and was no longer readable.

When it comes to outdoor furnishings, you generally get what you pay for, and if you want them to last, consider spending a little more for quality.

You can add side tables so that there is a place to set down a drink, a book or sun-

screen. Think about ways to control sun exposure. Check into sun sails that attach to your structure, umbrellas or half-umbrellas. These are terrific on decks and balconies.

If your outdoor area gets lots of sun exposure and you own your home, look into electrically operated sunshades. One side of my home becomes like an oven by about 6 p.m. in the summertime. I’ve tried everything from new dual-pane windows to wood blinds on the inside, but the most effective fix was the awning. Mine has LEDs so that I can sit out and read late into the night if I wish. When the wind comes up, I am relieved to know that the awning will roll up even when I’m not home. We invested about $3,500, and it was the best money ever spent on our summer enjoyment.

From fire pits to water fountains to outdoor lighting, anything that helps you feel comfortable and private in the outdoor space available to you is a great investment. When we talk about staycations, nothing is as valuable as the money you spend transforming your outdoor space into a place where you can relax comfortably. This means rockers, gliders and swivel chairs, too.

Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 14, 2017 • 15

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Increase your harvest, even in small garden spaces, with proper planning and easy care, high yielding vegetables.

A productive garden starts with a plan, but choosing the best vegetables to grow and where to plant them can be overwhelming.

You can break out the graph paper and pencils to design your garden or turn to technology for help. Many websites and apps provide ready-to-use garden plans or planning guidelines. Gardener’s Supply (gardeners. com) offers free pre-planned gardens that do the planning for you. Reduce maintenance by growing easy care vegetables featured in the Plant-it & Forget-it garden. Or grow more than 50 pounds of produce in just 18 square feet of space with the High Yield Vegetable Garden Plan and High Yield Vegetable Seeds.

These and other intensively planted gardens require proper soil preparation to maximize productivity. Invest time up front to reduce ongoing maintenance and increase your harvest. Dig several inches of compost or other

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A productive garden starts with a plan, but choosing the best vegetables to grow and where to plant them can be overwhelming. organic matter into the top 8 to 12 inches of the soil. This improves drainage in heavy soil and increases the water holding ability in fast draining soils. Incorporate a slow release organic fertilizer at the same time. This provides needed nutrients throughout the growing season. Check the label and your plants to determine if a mid-season application is needed.

Maximize your planting budget by starting your plants from seeds. Many gardeners like to start long season plants like tomatoes and broccoli from seeds indoors. This keeps their green thumb warmed up for the season and provides the greatest selection of vegetable varieties. Others buy these plants from their local garden center. Start seeds of shorter season crops like greens, radishes, and squash directly in the garden when the growing season begins.

Check the seed packet for

specific directions on when and how to plant these seeds indoors and out.

When shopping for seeds, select varieties suited to your climate and known for their disease resistance and high yield. Most vegetables produce best when grown in full sun. Greens and root crops are a bit more shade tolerant.

Once planted, cover the soil surrounding the seeded rows and transplants with a thin layer of shredded leaves, herbicidefree grass clippings or evergreen needles. This mulch helps conserve moisture and suppress weeds. Plus, it improves the soil as it breaks down. You’ll save time and improve your plants’ health and productivity with this one task.

After it ’s planted and mulched, you’ll spend minimal time maintaining your garden. But be sure to plan a bit of time to enjoy the big, flavorful harvest your high yield garden is sure to provide.

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