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CommunityAdvocate A Special Supplement
April 17, 2015
2 • Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 17, 2015
Seal your own driveway Sealing a driveway protects from damage Sealing your driveway is an important part in maintaining an asphalt driveway and extending the life of it. Sealing prevents water from working its way into surface cracks and underneath the asphalt. Once water gets underneath an asphalt driveway, it can quickly begin to undermine its integrity.The water can cause erosion, which eventually will lead to sinkholes. In addition, during winter months, melting snow and ice water can work its way into the asphalt cracks during the day and then freeze underneath the driveway when the temperatures drop. This situation leads to heaving, settling and eventual crumbling of the driveway. Sealing your driveway also prevents weeds growth and protects it from oil spills. It also protects the asphalt from the sun’s ultraviolet rays, which break down the binding material in the asphalt. Although you can pay someone hundreds of dollars to seal
your driveway, you can easily seal your own driveway for a fraction of the cost with as little as a halfday’s worth of work. That said, a newly poured asphalt driveway needs three to six months to fully cure prior to sealing it.This allows time for the hydrocarbon oils in the asphalt to evaporate and the asphalt to fully harden. Prior to sealing your driveway, make sure to repair any cracks or holes in it by using either a cold patch or an asphalt driveway crack sealer. Asphalt driveway crack fillers are made from a synthetic rubber and come in either a tube that you apply with a caulking gun or in jugs from which you simply pour the filler into the crack or hole. Once you’ve applied the crack filler, allow several weeks for it to fully cure prior to sealing your driveway. To actually seal your own driveway, you’ll need five-gallon containers of coal tar driveway sealer. I recommend buying coal
is specifically made for sealing driveways. Prior to actually pouring the driveway sealer onto your driveway, make sure to thoroughly stir each container well. Make sure when applying the driveway sealer that you do not put it on too thick. Otherwise, it might take much longer to cure, and it would be susceptible to peeling. After sealing your driveway, make sure not to walk or drive on it for a few days. Typically, a driveway sealer needs a couple of warm dry days prior to driving a vehicle on it. If the weather is less than perfect, you may need several more days to allow it to properly dry and harden. Finally, keep in mind that sealing a driveway is not a once-in-a-lifetime event. To ensure a long asphalt driveway life, you should plan on sealing your driveway every two to four years.
You can seal your own driveway with about a half-day’s worth of work.
tar driveway sealer over asphaltbased sealers due to the fact that coal tar driveway sealer does a better job of protecting the asphalt from oil and gasoline spills. The amount of driveway sealer containers required will depend upon the size of your driveway and the amount of square area each container covers. Typically, a five-gallon container will cover 350 to 400
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square feet. Calculate the area of your driveway and then divide it by the amount of area each container can cover. This will determine how many containers of driveway seal you’ll need. Apply the driveway sealer to your asphalt driveway on a warm day so that it spreads easily. To actually spread the driveway sealer, use a longhandle squeegee or broom that
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Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 17, 2015• 3
Extend your season with a fire pit PHOTO/CREATORS.COM COURTESY OF GLASS PHOTOGRAPHY
There were many things that Erin Lang Norris and her husband were looking forward to when they moved out of an apartment and into their own house in Massachusetts. Top on that list was having a yard for building big fires to enjoy during the summer and winter months. But the property they purchased didn’t have a fire pit, so Lang Norris had to take things into her own hands, literally. “I don’t know how many bottles of ibuprofen I went through,” she says, noting that building the 5-foot-wide fire pit was a feat of will and physical strength. Lang Norris couldn’t afford a landscape designer, so she went to the first place most people do to get more information on any do-it-yourself project: the Internet. She was sorely disappointed at the lack of concise and helpful material and instead decided to give it a go herself. The first step was mapping out the space for her fire pit. It ended up having a 5-foot diameter, a typical size, says Tim Lindgren, president of Lindgren Landscape & Irrigation. But you need a lot more space than that to accommodate the structure. “You’ll have the fire pit itself - 5-foot outside diameter - and then you have three feet of seating all around it. All of a sudden, you have an 11-foot space to fit a round fire pit,” calculates Lindgren. This size was perfect for Lang Norris’ 2-acre plot; the fire pit didn’t get lost in the area, but also wasn’t overwhelming. Lang Norris’ biggest challenge, she says, was deciding what kind of stone she should use. She wanted something
Whether building your own or bringing in a professional to build one, a fire pit allows you to relax and enjoy your outdoor space.
durable enough for high temperatures, which can foster brush fires, and cold winters. After pricing options at the local stone yard, she picked sandstone and then layered the inside of the pit with firebrick she picked up at the hardware store. Lindgren suggests that any fire pit be made with masonry blocks veneered with bricks, fake stones or real stones on the outside. This gives the pit the strong structure it needs to withstand the heat of a fire and leaves an aesthetically pleasing view for the homeowner. Once the size is sketched out and the stone bought, the heavy lifting and digging begins; this is where the painkillers come in handy. How deep you dig your foundation will depend on the type of soil in which you are digging. The foundation is the area of the
ground that the stone cylinder will sit on. After this area is dug out, cement is poured in and rebar stuck into the cement to add stability and strength. Lang Norris spent many hours chiseling pieces of stone to fit into the puzzle of the expansive fire pit walls. She carefully placed each piece exactly where she wanted it, which oftentimes required her to shift the stones from one space to another, trying to get all of the pieces just right. She then built a top cap of thicker stones that went all the way around the cylinder, giving the structure a nice finished look. While Lang Norris’ fire pit is wood-burning, Lindgren gets many requests for gas fire pits. In these cases, his company would install a valve that runs through the exterior of the wall, into the bottom of the pit and capped by a burner system.
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Lava rocks or glass would cover the burner system, but allow the flames to come up. “The pros to doing a woodburning fire pit is a real flame, the smell and crackling of a campfire,” Lindgren says. A
gas pit is easy to manage and maintain. Lindgren even installed a fire pit that the owner can light using an iPad app. Lindgren suggests that homeowners check the local fire codes before they start making decisions on the type of fire pit they want. Some areas don’t allow burning firewood in city limits, and if there is a gas line involved, permits must also be in hand. Messing around with a gas line is no simple undertaking, Lindgren says. All in all, Lang Norris spent about $450 on her fire pit, while Lindgren’s company, which primarily caters to high-end residential locations, charges between $3,500 and $4,500 for a fire pit. Both options are viable and in the end, people are going to gather around the finished project. “In the north, we are trying to take advantage of the outdoor living. What can we put outside that will prolong our season?” Lindgren asks. Lang Norris knows just the thing.
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4 • Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 17, 2015
Bathroom redux Add value and comfort to your home Nothing embodies a sense of luxury more than nicely appointed bathrooms and powder rooms. This is one of the best improvements that can be done to any home, townhouse or condominium, as it adds both perceived and actual value. Since the times of ancient Rome, baths have been a great place for cleanliness and also for establishing a connection among body, mind and spirit. Baths were a refuge for one to go and think clearly and even, in some cultures, to negotiate the finer points of a business deal. In our world today, bathrooms are more private but, nonetheless, just as important. Today’s bathrooms are not just functional rooms of the house, but also extensions of one’s living space, and they are no longer clinical in design. Designs for these spaces
Nothing embodies a sense of luxury more than nicely appointed bathrooms and powder rooms. have gone in many directions, often including saunas, hot tubs, massage tables and even exercise areas. Gone are many of the materials one used to expect in bathrooms: ceramic tile, traditional fixtures, tones of mint green, cherry pink and sky blue (unless you are involved in a historical restoration). These materials have been replaced with warmer tiles, slates and marbles in a variety of incredible colors. Some have textures; others are laser-cut for intricate designs.
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Stones are mixed with glass and mirrors, and tiles and fixtures that glow in the dark are available. Some of the newer bathrooms rival the size of their en suite bedrooms. Larger spaces are favored over the typical 5-by-7-foot bathrooms of yesteryear. Most homeowners are even willing to eliminate a spare room so that the square footage can be used for their new bathroom. Lounging areas are de rigueur, and this provides space for a chaise or a pair of club chairs and an ottoman. Fixtures such as toilets, lavs and tubs are available in traditional styles to fit in with most conventional architectural styles. But some are also available in sleek versions that look as if they have been designed by aeronautical engineers. Materials for fixtures have evolved to include the traditional porcelains and enameled irons, as well as newer materials, such as resins and polyesters that can easily be molded into any shape, while having the same sheen as earlier models. Custom cabinetmakers can make bathroom furniture in
A new bathroom adds both perceived and actual value to your home.
any style to fit your decor and lifestyle. The one caveat is to use materials that are not affected by direct contact with water or humidity. Today’s styles range from floating wall-mounted cabinetry to furniture-like pieces that completely conceal the fixtures. A whirlpool tub was the must-have 10 or 20 years ago. Today high-end plumbing fixtures are all the rage.
Most whirlpool tubs are being removed for lack of use and are being replaced with larger showers - sometimes large enough for two. These sybaritic showers feature multiple massage sprays, rain showerheads and spa-like steam options. These features, once found only at therapeutic clinics and spas, now are commonplace as people search for antidotes to their hectic lives.
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Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 17, 2015• 5
Composting made simple What are the benefits, and how do you start? Although the vast amount of available information on composting is helpful, that same vastness can be overwhelming. For the beginner composter, this is an introductory look at the world of wiggly worms, soil enrichment and carbon footprint reduction. What is compost? Compost is made from an equal mixture of brown and green organic matter, e.g., dead plants, table scraps, eggshells, coffee grounds and even lint. With the proper combination of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and water, helpful microorganisms will feast on this pile of unwanted materials and produce useful fertilizer. Compost even retains soil moisture in the heat of the summer and protects roots from the cold in the winter. “Any way you use it is beneficial,” says Sonya Harper of Peter’s Garden Center. “Regardless of the problem facing your plants, adding organic matter is the ... best healer.” There are many different options for storing your compost outside. The easiest of these may be the freestanding pile. To begin your pile, start with yard waste - including dry leaves, lawn clippings and pulled weeds - and then layer kitchen scraps on top. As the pile begins to decompose, helped along by you turning the pile and adding moisture as needed, beneficial bacteria will be released, and you will be left with a dark, nu-
trient-rich pile of compost. Other ways of storing your compost include static bins (new materials are added to the top, and a door on the bottom allows easy access to the most nutrient-rich compost), tumblers (easyto-turn manufactured containers that let in oxygen to speed up the composting process) and wire cylinders (using chicken wire to house the compost pile). However, not everyone has the means for traditional outdoor composting. Spacious yards with lots of soil can be hard, if not impossible, to come by in larger cities. For those eco-friendly city dwellers who still want to churn out compost, there are some easy alternatives. Vermicomposting, or composting with worms, is perhaps the most common. Inside a ventilated container, place your red wiggler worms on bedding materials - such as dampened, shredded paper or leaves - and then add your kitchen scraps. It is important to keep in mind that bones, pet waste, dairy products, meat scraps, diseased plants and pernicious weeds should not be included in any composting venture, according to the Sunset Western Garden Book. As the weeks and months go by, replace the depleting bedding with new leaves or paper waste, and be sure to keep the bin at the dampness of a wrung-out sponge; your worms will die otherwise.
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Compost is made from an equal mixture of brown and green organic matter, e.g., dead plants, table scraps, eggshells, coffee grounds and even lint.
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Knowing there are worms wriggling, flourishing and banqueting in your home is not always an easy thought to bear. However, as Harper explains, “they don’t smell. T h e y n e ve r n e e d t o b e cleaned. And if you use commercial composting bins, they can’t escape.” The benefits of these squirmy worms far outweigh the possible ick factor. You even can use the collected liquid as a fertilizer “tea.” Adding a “50-50 mixture of the liquid and water to your garden acts like an extra dose of vitamins for plants,” Harper says. If dealing with your compostable waste yourself is too much to bear, look into whether your municipality has the means of collecting the waste. In San Francisco, for example, the Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance went into ef-
fect in 2009, and according to a city press release, the residents and businesses there are “required to separate and put their recycling, composting and trash in the right place.” The city even goes as far as providing residents with a kitchen compost pail if they are unable to obtain one themselves. Seattle and New York City have similar composting strategies, as do many other cities around the nation. If your municipality does not have a means to collect compost, ask your local government to start a program. Whether you have acres to spare and are using compost as mulch or are tending to a tiny windowsill garden, using compost will heal soil, help retain moisture and add nutritional value for your plants to grow to their fullest potential.
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6 • Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 17, 2015
Drought-friendly landscaping Saving money and water
Dollars and cents Drought-friendly landscaping, which often is called xeriscaping because it’s about reducing water use, also can cut your water bill. Landscape architect Chad Kennedy says savings will be dependent on local water costs and the size of your landscape. “A retrofit from a traditional
need repair or adjustment, and a professional can also check for water distribution uniformity and make sure irrigation systems are installed and maintained properly,” says PLANET member Kurt Bland of Bland Landscaping.
lawn to low-water-use shrubs with an efficient system and smart controller can reduce water use by up to 75 percent,” he says. Denis McCausland of Green Mountain Enterprise estimates, “[Depending on location, a]... yard of 2,500 square feet can save about $500 per year in water savings.” He says you also can expect to save maintenance time, including mowing grass, weeding and fertilizing, as well as not having to do maintenance on your irrigation system as often. Getting started The Professional Landcare Network (PLANET), which is the national association of landscape professionals, recommends getting an irrigation audit. “An irrigation system may
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Plant smartly “Drought-tolerant landscapes do not have to be boring, and with proper plant selection, they can be as interesting as any other landscape,” says Bland, explaining that most of the United States has a “mesic climate” rather than a “xeric climate,” which means drought comes in cycles instead of being constantly present. “’Drought-friendly’ doesn’t necessarily mean concrete, rock and no plants,” says K e n n e d y, w h o s u g g e s t s choosing plants with low
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Drought-friendly landscaping Drought-friendly Continued from page 6
water requirements. “It is more about wise use and application of water and the correct choice of plant species.” He advises choosing plants that grow within the space available. “Plants that get too large for the space in which they are planted require more resources - water, etc. - than a smaller plant,” says Kennedy, who also recommends spacing plants far apart because the plants will “compete less for available water.” PLANET suggests conserving water by “hydrozoning,” which clusters plants that have similar water requirements together, noting that plant water requirements typically range from very low to low to medium. Another drought-friendly idea is to limit grass in your landscaping. “Turf grass uses most of the water in a landscape,”
Kennedy says. “The less lawn to water, the more water can be saved.” Don’t forget to use two to three inches of organic or inert mulch. “These mulches keep the soil underneath moist by minimizing evaporation … and minimizing the heat of the soil,” Kennedy says. “An organic mulch can actually
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hold on to moisture and will add nutrients to the soil.” What to avoid When xeriscaping, there are also things to avoid. For example, don’t use too much rock. “This can cause heat buildup,” McCausland says. “Instead, combine rock with wood mulches and/or low-water-use lawn grass.”
Although sloped landscape might be pretty, it can be wasteful. Here’s why: “The more ups and downs you have in a landscape, the more water runs away from the plants and to the surrounding gutters or storm drains,” Kennedy explains. “If you need height in the landscape, do it with boulders, walls and vegetation rather than sloped landscape.” PLANET suggests avoiding watering on windy days to reduce evaporation, and being careful not to overwater plants, which can damage them.
be wet for too long, allowing fungus and molds to grow.” PLANET advises watering your garden with rainwater stored in rain barrels. Be mindful that good watering helps plants and trees get established. “Water new plantings throughout the first year,” Popko says. “Proper establishment relies on making sure new plantings adjust to their new surroundings and develop healthy root systems. On larger trees, watering may be needed for more than the first year.”
When to water Maximize your water use by irrigating before sunrise. “By irrigating during the coolest time of the day, you avoid excessive evaporation of the valuable water being applied, and the surface will dry up as the sun comes up,” Kennedy says. “Avoid irrigating just after sundown, as you may cause the soil surface to
Drought resources As you’re preparing your landscape, know your area’s drought conditions, soil types, plant hardiness and ideal planting schedules. The following websites can be great drought resources: http:// planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/ PHZMWeb, http://drought. unl.edu and https://www.landcarenetwork.org/index.cfm.
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8 • Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 17, 2015
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Designing the perfect outdoor room No walls needed Continued from page 8
resistant materials for your outdoor room.) Completing this project alone presents serious risk to the amateur home remodeler, as there are so many details and codes to consider. A professional team also makes easy work of installing the room’s pergola and support beams, which The Outdoor Greatroom Co. says can be “easily installed in less than a day with two people.” However, the flooring may take longer depending on your need and choice of flooring materials. It is also necessary to do the planning for the electrical and gas lines if these are to be utilized for gas fire pits, outdoor kitchens and outdoor fireplaces. Licensed and insured professionals know how and where lines may be run and can handle permit acquisitions tasks for you. A pergola is the most popular design, with thick support legs holding up the lofty beamed roof, in either flat or arched design. The legs may be simple beams with decorative bases, or you can give your outdoor room a feel of Tuscany through pedestalround legs. Overhead, choose from an open beam design or add a latticework layer to increase visual interest while allowing for wind and rain to pass through harmlessly. You also need to decide if your structure will be anchored into the ground or raised on a deck. Choose furniture for comfort and style in materials specifically designed for outdoor use. New trends in outdoor furniture include
More homeowners are designing their own outdoor rooms to give themselves a fabulous openair space in top design style.
love seats, gliders, coffee tables and end tables in addition to the traditional table and chairs set. Adding a cushioned bench seat to one side of your pergola outdoor room is also popular. Materials for stylish outdoor furniture sets are resistant to mildew and mold and are often UV-ray resistant to prevent fading. Furniture may be accessorized with cushions and pillows in complementary colors such as hunter green or Caribbean blue, to coordinate with colors existing in your landscaping or pool areas. You could also choose trendy patterns such as preppy stripes or romantic garden florals. “Outdoor lighting is an important element for creating the perfect outdoor living space,” says a staff member at The Outdoor Greatroom Co. French colonial lanterns add elegance to an outdoor room, and the design experts at stores such as Restoration Hardware suggest grouping several different sizes of
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metal lanterns to add extra visual appeal. Other lighting effects include lights strung throughout the latticework ceiling or wrapped around pergola beams, LED or solar lights in pillar candle form, and lanterns hung from S-hooks on tree branches around the structure. Portable light-and-heater fixtures add to the lighting effect while
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Additional outdoor room features include an outdoor fireplace or footed chiminea, an outdoor kitchen with wet bar, a sound system via hidden speakers, a ledge for an iPod dock and potted flowers coordinating your outdoor room with the landscaping around it, creating a magical and gorgeous space for your family’s enjoyment.
warming up the space on cool evenings. Speaking of heat, the top trend in outdoor rooms is the gas fire pit table, which is often a low-set round, square or rectangular table with a clean-burning gas fuel feature in the center, creating a fireplace flame effect emerging from center-placed clear or colored stones.
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10 • Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 17, 2015
Restock your potting shed Welcome to a new season of gardening Get ready for a new season of gardening: Although you may be perusing seed plant websites and catalogs - envisioning what you’ll grow this year - be sure to add gardening supplies to your shopping list. After so many months of being away from your potting shed or potting bench, you’re probably not aware where you’ve run low. Restocking your supplies for seeds, fertilizers and liquid plant nutrients also justifies a good shopping spree. Getting new items means better blooms. Plus, older tools may be dulled or rusted, so it may be the perfect time to upgrade to some new tools, as well. Here is your shopping list to restock your gardening supplies: Tools Your metal-edged tools may be rusty or dull, and new handheld tools are vastly improved,
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with rubberized grips to make work easier and blisters less likely. So look for new roundedged shovels, pointy-edged shovels, long-handled spades, hoes, garden forks (with a trident or four-pronged fork edge), rakes, edgers, garden brooms, hand spades, garden claws, bulb planters, pruning shears, pocket clippers, garden hand saws, weeding knives, loppers, rose thorn strippers and tool-cleaning solutions and brushes. If you enjoy gardening with your partner or with your kids, buy multiples of safe hand tools so that you can work together on a garden project. Machines Although manual tools give you a better workout, some of your trusty garden machines may be ready for retirement, including your lawn mower, leaf blower, mulcher and edger.
Pots and planters You’ve stored those plastic plant pots on the bottom shelf of your potting bench long enough. Recycle or dispose of them, and invest in new and pretty pots and planters for your garden additions. Examples include terracotta pots, elongated metallic planters, colorful pots and planters, selfwatering pots and planters, hanging pots with attractive chain suspension, mini pots, blocks to elevate planters, rocks for drainage in pots and fertilizer spikes. Lifestyle blogger Tabitha Philen outlines her vegetable container sizes as follows: 16 to 24 inches (for tomatoes, zucchini and summer squash), 12 to 16 inches (for cucumbers, eggplants and beans), 10 to 12 inches (for pepper and carrots), rectangular planters (for basil and lettuce). Potting shed page 11
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Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 17, 2015• 11
Restock your potting shed: Welcome to a new season of gardening Potting shed Continued from page 10
need grass seed, straw or peat moss to cover newly seeded areas, along with a grass seed spreader.
Seeding supplies If you start plants and flowers from seed, stock up on the following: seeding trays, seeding kits, soil, ID tags, a plastic lidded container for keeping your seed packets and other plant information tags dry and safe, and a calendar for keeping track of what was planted and when.
Lawn and garden additives Feed your lawn and garden with new, fresh and improved materials: fertilizer for lawn, rosebushes, trees and other plants, organic pesticide pellets, spreads or sprays tailored to your particular pests (e.g., aphids and slugs), a hand-push spreader, a garden hose attachment for liquid fertilizer, compost, garden pebbles and rocks, decorative garden stones and boulders, mulch in your chosen color and material (fresh is best because bagged, stored mulch may have developed fungus and mold), a composting bin and lots of fresh garden soil.
Watering essentials The pretty red watering can you keep outside your front door for the deck planters may be faded by the sun. So invest in new watering cans and systems: small watering cans for indoors and outside, large watering cans for outside, watering “showerhead” attachment for your hose, sprinklers, rainwater collection barrel, rainwater gauge, watering timer, self-watering planter inserts, pails and spray bottles.
Garden supplies For use in your vegetable and herb gardens: a tomato trellis, a bean trellis, garden stakes, garden tape or ties for trellises or stakes, garden twine, garden ID sticks or signs, a raised bed, planting barrels, anti-weed layer,
Grass supplies Keep or improve your perfect green lawn, and restock your supply to be sure you have enough fresh seed and spread for your entire property. You’ll
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a basket for gathering harvest items, garden gloves, garden boots or shoes, a gardening hat, a low garden bench, padded mats for kneeling, a rolling garden tool caddy, tarps and burlap rolls to cover plants in a cold snap, summer-weight garden covers and garden decor. Add a gardener’s first-aid kit to your potting shed in case of a cut or scrape, and also stock bug spray and sunscreen nearby. And because some garden work will require heavy lifting, invest in a quality wheelbarrow with sturdy rubberized handles to cart hefty items and bags of mulch or fertilizer. A Velcroaffixing lower-back support wrap will also protect you from lifting injuries. A new potting bench may be on your wish list, as well, which many gardeners say gives new life to their passion, with organized shelves and drawers and lots of display and work space. And a small greenhouse setup is also a bigger-ticket item on gardeners’ wish lists. A new structure could make an entirely new crop or flower possible this year.
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12 • Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 17, 2015
A nice lawn starts now
The grass doesn’t always have to be greener on the other side of the fence. If you plant the right kind of grass seed at the right time -- and then take care of it -- chances are your lawn will look great even when the dog days of summer arrive. “When thinking about grass, it’s usually in the context of front lawns, backyards or on a
sports field, and its benefits as a living plant are rarely given much thought,” said Bruce Augustin, chief agronomist for The Scotts Company.“But grass is an important and critical part of nature. Grass works to sustain its surrounding ecosystem and create fertile soil.” What kind of grass you should plant depends on where you live.
Kentucky bluegrass and fescue are good for colder climates; zoysia is fine for warm climates. If you live in the Southeast, try centipede or Bahia grass. Floridians should plant St. Augustine or carpet grass. Bermuda grass does well in very dry climates. Mixes of ryegrass and bluegrass are good for the Midwest-
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Introducing Homefield Credit Union. Banking with a Homefield Advantage. In order to serve our ever-expanding member base, we’ve changed our name to better reflect our commitment to local banking and to the needs of our local communities. Our new name is Homefield, one that we feel emphasizes our mission to serve those both in Grafton as well as in surrounding towns. As always, we want to be your neighborhood credit union – to be an institution that pays special attention to those individuals, families and businesses that call this beautiful area of Massachusetts their home. Grafton Suburban Credit Union is now Homefield Credit Union. 86 Worcester Street • North Grafton, MA 01536 508.839.5493 • www.homefieldcu.com Welcome to banking with a Homefield Advantage.
ern states, which experience a wide variety of weather. Ryegrass (which has only one blade per seed) will come up in seven to 10 days and will “hold the soil” until the bluegrass (which produces a lot of blades) has a chance to germinate and grow over a period of two to three weeks. People who live in warm climates can plant in the fall. However, if you are in an area that experiences four definite seasons, it’s best to plant in the spring, before the weather gets too hot, or wait until the early fall, when the weather turns cooler but is not yet freezing. If you have doubts about what grass to plant, go to your local hardware or home improvement store and ask a sales associate for advice, said Steve Fafoglia, who owns a True Value hardware store. At those stores, seed usually comes either in bulk or in a bag. “Bulk seed is less expensive because it hasn’t been cleaned of weeds,”Fafoglia said.“The seeds in bags have been cleaned and cost a little more.” Just remember that you might spend more money in the long run if you have to get rid of weeds. “Grass seed must be either raked or slit seeded into soil that is dry on at least the top layer,” Fafoglia said. “Seed should be planted a quarter- or half-inch below the ground surface to make good contact with the soil.” Plant any higher than that and you merely are inviting the birds to breakfast. Of course, new seed must be kept watered. Once your grass is planted and the lawn is established, you need to take care of it. Fertilizing, “or feeding,” your grass three to four times a year provides it with nutrients that thicken grass and build deep root systems, Augustin said. When fertilizer lands on driveways or sidewalks, sweep it back on the lawn to
keep nutrients where the grass will use it. When mowing, set your mower to the highest setting. Leave your clippings on your lawn to break down and recycle nutrients back into the soil. When you mow the grass, mow in one direction one week and a different direction the next. If you choose to water beyond what Mother Nature provides, Augustin said to wait until your lawn dulls in color or begins to wilt. Sometimes hot and dry weather will make your lawn go dormant and turn brown. If that happens, it will bounce back again when it starts to rain or when you give it a good soaking. Watering in the morning or the coolest part of the day reduces water loss from evaporation. Of course, not all areas of your lawn will grow equally well.That’s why Jack Robertson, president of Jack Robertson Lawn Care for more than 30 years, said spring is the best time to plant under trees. “Growing conditions don’t deteriorate as quickly under the shade of the leaves,”he said.“In the fall, you’ll have the leaves coming down, which means you’ll have to keep the leaves off it.” Remember that tree roots rob new grass of moisture, so grass competing with tree roots requires more water. Sometimes planting grass just isn’t feasible. “That’s when you have to take a step back and ask yourself, ‘Is grass going to survive here?’ For example, if you have a 100-pound Lab that runs along the fence all day long, grass is not going to grow there. Maybe you should put rocks there instead,” Robertson said. “If you have a very shady part of the yard that gets less than two or three hours of sun a day, you’d be better off putting in shady-area plants,” he said. “It’s just best not to fight a losing battle.”
Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 17, 2015• 13
Planting fruit trees
Expanding your home-gardening horizons As more home gardeners seek to expand their harvests having enjoyed the delicious freshness of their herbs and vegetables, and saved a bundle in grocery money – there is a growing trend for planting fruit trees, as well. The tartness of freshly picked limes, the sweetness of oranges and peaches, the excitement of kids who get to pluck fruit from the trees - the allure is strong for new fruit tree and bush plantings. Also enticing gardeners to plant fruit trees is the vast list of expected and surprising fruits that can be grown in a home garden: apples, apricots, blueberries, cherries, figs, jujubes, lemons, limes, mulberries, nectarines, oranges, peaches, pears, persimmons, plums, pomegranates and quinces. Your local nursery or home-supply store will stock popular hardy fruit trees, and
you can also order online specialty fruit trees, such as variations of Asian fruit trees that are popular now. Horticulturists work magic with fruit fusions, such as pluots (plum-apricot hybrids) and similar plumcots and apriplums, resulting in new gourmet flavors recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Just one planted fruit tree can deliver a large bounty of fresh, ripe fruit.
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First: chill Before selecting any fruit trees online, though, it’s important to know which fruit trees are best for your region. “The possibilities vary dramatically depending on where you are,” says Ellen Evans, sales clerk at Bay Laurel Nursery, a top source for ordering bare-root fruit trees for planting. “You have to know how many ‘chill hours’ your region gets, since that’s an important factor for each fruit tree.”
“Chill hours” is the term for how many hours the temperature reaches below 45 degrees F, and many fruit trees NEED exposure to these chilly temperatures. “If you pick a tree that doesn’t get enough chill hours, you won’t get fruit,” says Evans. To find out how many chill hours your area gets, Evans suggests calling your local nursery or state agricultural office for the current numbers they measure. You can also check the interactive USDA Plant Hardiness Zone map at usda.gov. You plug in your ZIP code, and it tells you which zone you’re in. The Bay Laurel Nursery website lists the number of chill hours needed by each variety of fruit tree (and lists low-chill fruit trees) to help you identify which trees would thrive in your yard. Fruit trees page 17
14 • Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 17, 2015
Shower spruce-ups Wake up your oasis
tions to spruce up your shower into a place you love to be.
Fixtures A little bit more plumbing talent is often required for this task, or you could have a plumber come in to install your new, non-rusted shower handles or single shower pull. Plumbing experts say that older turnstile shower knobs can sometimes rust inside the connection, which can cost expensive leaks inside your wall down to the level below. So changing out your shower knob fixtures could wind up saving you hundreds or thousands of dollars down the road. A new, more modern style of fixtures adds to the luxury of your shower.
Sensational showerhead A new showerhead is easy to install, using manufacturer instructions and the installation videos found on some manufacturer websites. You can change your old-fashioned spray showerhead into an indulgent waterfall showerhead, and with a twist of the wide circular disk, choose from gentle rainfall-type spray to a more massaging shiatsu-style stream. Angle the showerhead to give you the direction of spray that’s right for your height, and taller homeowners can even choose a new showerhead with an extender arm to raise the showerhead up above their heads, something they might not have gotten to enjoy with a standard shower placement in an older home
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Your shower is your oasis. It may be where you begin your day, waking up with the scents of your shampoo and body cleanser, but it’s also where you go after a tough workout or a day of grueling yard work to soothe your muscles and get squeaky-clean again. It’s where you might sing and scrub, so make your shower a place of pure relaxation and rejuvenation with a few easy refurbishing projects that don’t require a pricey remodeling project. The goal is to create a de-stressing place, not create stress with the hassle, noise and a mess of contractors, nor the scary codes and budget-killing plumbing upgrades to be sure your pipes and water heater can handle multiple shower stream jets and the addition of a steam bath. Here are eight easy addi-
Easy shower fix-ups create a calming oasis without a major remodel.
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or apartment. Shower curtain rod You may have experienced the airy, roomier shower in a luxury hotel, with an arched curtain rod moving the curtain liner further away from your body so that you can move freely without bumping into that liner. It’s an easy installation project requiring just a screwdriver in most
cases, and your new, arched rod can then be dressed up with new, easy-slide metal ball or disk curtain rings holding your new, luxe shower curtain. While you’re at it, get a fluffy, curtain-matching bath rug to step onto after your relaxing shower. Choose the color that says “spa” to you. It could be white or sage green - a soft, neutral shade that creates a natural scene.
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Chromatherapy It sounds space age, but some top shower supply companies now offer showerheads that project relaxing colors of light, such as purple, blue or green in a relaxing pattern meant to stimulate the de-stressing sensors of the brain. HGTV recently showcased this holistic feature via the Ondine Electric Light Shower, or ELS, which “pours light and water” from each of its large number of nozzles, “in a combination of fiber optics and halogen lights.” Also in the holistic realm - and pricey - is the “healing power of crystals via Ondine’s Krystal ELS, boasting Swarovski crystals around the perimeter.” If you don’t have the budget for crystals in your showerhead, think about colored light options in your overhead shower light fixture. Shower page 15
Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 17, 2015• 15
Shower spruce-ups of clutter and creates a more calming atmosphere.
Shower Continued from page 14
Fix that grout It can be a do-it-yourself project, using the grout-eliminating attachment in your Dremel tool and a practiced hand with fresh caulking application, or you can hire a pro to knock this job out for you in a fraction of the time. Your local home improvement store might have a free grout-fixing seminar to help you perfect your caulking skills and help you avoid damaging your shower stall tiles. Whichever method you choose, fresh, white grout and caulk create the impression of a new shower and add value to your home. De-clutter Just removing that collection of 3/4-used shampoo bottles and conditioners from your shower shelf and shower organizing caddy, leaving just one shampoo and conditioner set and body wash in a soothing scent, plus your loofah, removes the stressful energy
Plants Freshen up the air in your bathroom with live plants chosen for their love of a steamy environment and also the amount of light you get in your shower room. Having healthy, shiny green plants in your shower space adds to the spa-like atmosphere. Sound As great as your shower singing voice might be, it can be immensely relaxing to set your iPod in a dock on your bathroom countertop - safely distanced from water - and play calming instrumental spa music or the sounds of a rainforest to create a soothing experience before and after your shower. Some of these shower spruce-ups are free, some cost less than $30, and some might cost $200 or so, but the improved experience of your shower oasis will be worth it.
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16 • Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 17, 2015
Plants for privacy
Plan properly when planting for privacy
roses or another flowering vine could be a nice solution.” Similarly, Siegel says, “It could just be the neighbor’s car or their kids’ play set, in which case they don’t need to plant a tree that will grow 75 feet tall and block out their horizon.”
Let your needs and limitations dictate the ultimate shape and form of the privacy planting. But do not consider just your needs, Trimble and Siegel warn. Consider your neighbors and any homeowner associations. Trimble says,
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or completely block their view of the sunset?” Homeowner associations vary dramatically, so make sure your planned privacy planting satisfies any rules regarding plantings. Siegel also suggests thinking about when to screen.“If you are screening an area that you only use during the summer time (for example if you won’t go out on your patio during the winter), you can use a deciduous tree to screen above you, leaving your patio in shade from May until October.” Once you have decided on the type of plants, don’t run to the nursery and buy the first plant they try to sell you, Siegel warns. Inexpensive plants are often young and not as pestresistant as the more expensive trees. Ask questions about how tall and wide the plants will grow, and how long it will take to reach that size. And ask about whether the plants root structure. These sorts of questions will help you purchase the correct plants for their needs and plant them properly. Planting is as important as selecting the plants. Trimble suggests planting the trees or shrubs no closer together than the recommended spacing. “Planting too closely can also result in disease spread and a not-so-pleasant patchwork of green and brown plants.” Otherwise, she says, “They’ll compete for water and nutrients and end up dwarfed and/or more susceptible to problems.” Siegel says one of the most common errors is planting in a straight row. “What happens,” she says, “is that in five years, Privacy page 17
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“You should think about property lines and … consider how planting just on your side of the line could affect your neighbor. For example, would planting a shade tree end up shading out your neighbor’s vegetable garden in a few years
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Homeowners too close to a neighbor’s windows or a loud highway often plant privacy screens. But hedges and trees can vary not only in shape and price, but they can also take months or years to grow. Homeowners who rush to solve their screening problems can accidentally create unsightly privacy screens or run afoul of homeowner associations. Replacing or repairing a privacy planting is expensive. Instead, take the time to consider a few details so that you can be confident in the long-term success of their privacy planting. Clare Siegel, president and owner of Land Art Design Inc., and Kelly Smith Trimble, an editor for HGTV Gardens, agree that homeowners should begin by considering what they do and do not want to screen. Trimble says, “Do you want to make a patio more private for outdoor dining? A lattice enclosure trained with jasmine,
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Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 17, 2015• 17
Planting fruit trees
Expanding your home-gardening horizons How to plant fruit trees Bay Laurel Nursery suggests the following steps: - Dig a hole. In a location that gets the amount of sun prescribed on the fruit tree label, dig a hole that is at least wide enough for the roots of the tree so that none of them is bent. A wider hole is ideal, to give roots the room to extend and grow. For depth, again, follow the label directions, being sure that all roots will be covered. Then use your shovel to loosen the soil around the outside edges of the hole so that roots can continue to grow. -Drive in a stake. If your chosen tree requires a sturdy stake, “use at least a 5- or 6-foot garden stake hammered about 2 feet into the bottom of the hole, a little off
ter for the recommended nutrients and organic additives for your soil’s pH level and nutrient needs, and add as instructed. Add this amended soil into the hole, covering over just the roots. Gently pat down the soil, and then water to help the soil settle around the roots. Continue adding
layers of soil and gently watering to help settle and secure the tree, until the soil reaches original ground level. - Build a circle.Use any leftover soil to build a raised circle around the tree, about 4 feet in diameter, to keep water in. “Placing organic material such as leaves, mulch or bark
inside the circle can help protect the tree’s roots and help water retention. Make sure that you keep any mulch away from the trunk of the tree,” says Evans, because mulch in contact with the trunk can create harmful rot or disease to the tree, lessening or eliminating your fruit harvest.
Plants for privacy Privacy Continued from page 16
the plants become unhealthy … If you stagger the plants slightly - it doesn’t need to be a lot, depending on the size of the tree - then the tree will be healthy and your investment will pay off.” Also when planting, ensure that your plants won’t interfere with power lines. If your space is large enough, layering your privacy planting might be an option. Trimble
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within their property, improve ugly sightlines, and introduce new shapes and color into their landscape. But many homeowners underestimate the difficulties. Consequently, they make expensive mistakes. “Do your homework,” Siegel says. “Go online; look at the habit of trees; and read about how they will age.”This should help protect your investment and ensure you will enjoy it for years to come.
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Have a vision?
says, “Layers and plant combinations are preferable for a more natural style. A good design might place taller evergreens in the background and stagger deciduous plants, such as smaller trees and shrubs and perennials toward the front of the bed.” But Sigel suggests homeowners layer with restraint. Otherwise, she warns that it might end up looking like a mismatched mess. Planting for privacy can help homeowners define the spaces
ma s
center on the southern side, if possible,” says a Bay Laurel Nursery staff member. Driving in a stake after the tree has been planted can damage roots. - Make a soil mound. Use the soil you dug for the hole to create a mound a few inches high in the center of the hole, and pat it down gently. -Place your tree. Carefully place your loose-roots tree in the hole, centered on the mound, and spread its roots gently. “The tree has a graft union (sometimes called a bud union) visible where the root stock is grafted to the trunk. This should be placed slightly above the existing ground level. It is better to plant a little high than low, since trees often settle,” say the nursery’s instructions. - Fill the hole with soil. Check with your garden cen-
Fruit trees Continued from page 13
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18 • Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 17, 2015
Benefits of a hot tub
Key considerations when buying and installing a hot tub What better way to relieve the stress of a long, hard day than soaking in a hot tub? Whether in your bathroom or on your deck, little can beat the warmth and relaxing benefits of a hot tub. It simply has a way of shedding the hassles of a hectic day. If you’re considering buying and installing a hot tub, it’s smart to have some idea of what is available on the market and how you plan to use one prior to making your purchase. The installation of a hot tub is significantly more complicated than that of your standard bathtub. So, if your bathroom remodeling plans include a hot tub, talk with your framing contractor, plumber and electrician prior to purchasing one. A hot tub requires additional framing, and the extra weight
What better way to relieve the stress of a long, hard day than soaking in a hot tub?
of it when filled with water may require strengthening of the floor. In addition, a hot tub typically requires larger plumbing supply lines and electricity to drive the necessary electrical system. Another key consideration
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is the size and shape of the tub. Hot tubs come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Prior to shopping, write down the measurements for the area you have reserved for it. Some hot tubs fit a rectangular footprint similar to that of a standard tub and are perfect for mounting on walls, whereas others are oval or circular in shape. There are even hot tubs that are designed to fit into corners to conserve floor space. Although most large home improvement centers sell hot tubs, you may find a wider selection and more options
by shopping at a specialty store. A specialty store often offers installation services, as well, and no doubt the people there will know more about hot tubs than the average employee working at a home improvement center. Also, they will likely have better access to replacement parts when the time comes for making repairs to your hot tub which inevitably will happen. Pumps and motors are moveable parts that over time wear out. When shopping for a hot tub, compare warranties. They can vary significantly between manufacturers. The specialty
store may also offer its own warranty for installation. Expect to pay two to three times the cost of a standard bathtub for your hot tub. Also, expect to pay several hundred dollars more for the installation of the hot tub. There is simply a lot more work required in installing a hot tub than there is with a basic bathtub. So go for it. Spend some extra money on that hot tub. You won’t regret it down the road. Really, there is little that can dissolve the day’s headaches and hassles better than an evening soak in a hot tub.
Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 17, 2015• 19
Tidy children’s rooms Five organizing tips
Kids’ rooms are often a chaos of clothing, colors and craft items. Parents strive to keep some sense of order in their little ones’ rooms, often experiencing aggravation when youngsters don’t follow clean-up directions. One way to reduce the struggle, and give kids an organized, clean living space where they can play in peace, is to create a new organizing plan for the room’s biggest opportunity for order: the closet. Robert Guerin, owner of the professional closet design company Hang It Up Closets, says that “when a child grows up in an organized, neat room, good skills are developed for later in life.” As kids learn their new organizing system, they’re also learning their colors, matching items and thinking about item function - lessons that may help them in school and stick with them to create a foundation of order in their adult lives. Right now, their belongings will find easily accessed storage spots and bins in that closet, getting all of “Trash.” “Current” is for clothing, shoes, accessories, toys and other items the child uses now. “Donate” is for items to be donated to a charity. “Hand-MeDowns” is for outgrown items that can be offered to siblings or friends’ children. And, of course, trash is for ripped, stained and otherwise unwearable items, broken toys and other discardables. If items can be recycled, have a bin for those, as well. With an entirely empty space before you, and items in their bins, thoroughly clean the
closet walls, ceilings and floor, and consider painting the closet interior. Kids can help choose their desired color, and stencils and wall clings can add a fun, decorative flair to parts of the wall visible beneath hanging clothes or on the side walls. - Install double bars for kids’ clothes, set low enough for your child to be able to hang his or her own clothing. Since kids’ clothing is short and thin, hang one rod higher and further back in the closet, with the
second rod lower and toward the front. Kids can then hang up their clothes with more space between each item, for easier viewing - or your older child can claim the back bar, while your smaller child gets the front bar. Spring tension rods can be used for narrow closets, so you don’t need to drill holes and screw in the bars. As kids age, the tension bars can be raised to the heights needed. Make hanging up clothing easier and more fun for kids
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by investing in colorful plastic hangers. As a rainy day project, kids can affix small stickers of their choice to the center point of the hanger just below the hook.This gives kids ownership of their hanger collection, which may inspire better use of them. - Set colorful fabric bins on the closet floor, such as bright pinks or apple greens, with pictures on the front for pre-readers or large letter identification labels for older kids. These labels identify what’s to
be placed in these lidless bins. Laundry is more easily deposited, especially when you teach kids to stand a few feet away and score “baskets” with their dirty socks and shirts. Another bin might be for stuffed animals, giving beloved Teddy bear collections a cozy home “where they can all be together.” When storage bins have lids, kids are less likely to take the extra step of pulling out the bin, opening a snap top and closing it again. The open-top of a fabric bin inspires more use. - Plan tall enough shelves in built-ins. Meryl Starr, professional organizer and author of “The Organizing Workbook,” suggests shelving heights that allow for a 6- to 12-inch pile of folded clothes to still have room on top for airier storage that cuts down on any mold or mildew. When cubbies or shelves have room on top, it’s easier for kids to retrieve the shirt they want without the entire pile of shirts falling to the floor (and staying there). - Use hanging organizers for smaller items. A hanging fabric shoe rack can be used for shoes and also for kids’ little purses and dress-up items like tiaras. A hanging travel organizer intended for toiletries can hold jewelry, craft items, small toys and other tiny things. When organizing bins and items are colorful and inviting, offering easy access, kids will use them. And on those days when kids are resistant to stowing the Teddy bears in their bin, it’s very easy for you to deposit them there and call it a day.
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20 • Community Advocate • YOUR HOME • Friday, April 17, 2015
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