Fall Home Improvement Transplant your bushes and shrubs in the fall. Page 2. Pests? Here’s how to defend your house. Page 3. Greens and gardens go together. Page 6. Winter is on its way. Time to get your ponds, water features ready. Page 8. Organize your kitchen before the holiday rush. Page 11.
The Herald ■ ■ YO U R C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R S I N C E 1 8 9 5
DUBOIS COUNTY, INDIANA FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013 SECTION B
PAGE 2 ■ FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT
THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013
Wait for bushes to go dormant, then transplant By KRISTEN CASTILLO Creators.com
says. “Older, more established plants, meaning those that are 10 years old, may be more difficult to move and would require an even bigger hole.” Some shrubs may be too large for you to transplant on your own. If so, get transplanting help from fellow gardeners or hire a professional to handle the move. Dig around and below the plant, making sure the hole is “at least two feet below the base of the roots,” says Manfredini. Next, pull the shrub from the soil and prepare to move it to its new spot. “The new hole should be as big as the one you just dug,” says Manfredini. “Place some compost in the base of the hole — about 2 inches — and place the plant in the hole. Surround the ball of the plant with a 50-50 mix of compost and top soil.”
Fall is the ideal time to transplant bushes and shrubs because that’s when they’re not in bloom. “In areas with colder climates plants go dormant, meaning their growth slows and planting or replanting them isn’t as much of a shock,” says Lou Manfredini, Ace Hardware’s home expert. “Since they’re a little sleepy, they don’t mind as much.” Transplant preparation Look for the right location to move the bush, taking into consideration how much sun and water the area gets. Try to plant bushes with similar sun and watering needs close to each other for easier maintenance Before you start digging, make sure it’s safe to do so. “Check with your municipality to ensure there are no buried wires before you dig,” says Manfredini. “Even a shallow hole could be close to buried wires or pipes.” Getting started Landscape designer Cathy Stein of Eclectic Design Choices advises prepping the bush for transplant in the fall and completing the move in mid to late winter. In fall’s cool weather, she suggests pruning the shrub to “help lessen transplant shock and make the shrub easier to dig.” Use a sharp shooter shovel to cut around the root ball. “This will allow the shrub to regrow some feeder roots within the root ball before you transplant it,” says Stein. Digging the hole “Transplanting in the fall is all about the hole you dig, what you put in it and the temperature when you do it,” says Manfredini, who stresses that transplanting needs to be finished “at least two weeks
Best bushes Most bushes are safe to transplant and should do well if taken
care of properly. “Evergreens are one of the most hardy of plants and stand the best chance of being successful and growing well come the spring,” says Manfredini. Still, some transplant better than other. “The one shrub that comes to mind that I find does not transplant easily is rosemary,” says Stein. Watering Watering is essential to your shrub’s growing success. “Be attentive to watering for the first year after transplanting,” says Stein. Surround the bush with a few inches of mulch to help the shrub maintain moisture. Avoid fertilizer and simply let the bush get used to its change in location. Don’t be discouraged if the bush doesn’t seem to grow much in the first year or so after the transplant, since transplanted bushes typically need extra time to settle in to their new environment.
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Transplanted bushes need frequent watering during the first year after being moved. before temperatures are consistently lower than 45 degrees.” It is important to avoid disturbing the roots. When digging a hole, make sure it’s twice as large as
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the bush’s root ball. Manfredini recommends a hole that’s two feet wider than the plant’s footprint. “This will allow a root ball to stay in place for the move,” he
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THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013
FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT ■ PAGE 3
Defend your house against unwanted pests By MICHAEL MAZUR Special Sections Writer HUNTINGBURG — Fall and winter are approaching, and flying, crawling and gnawing things want to get into your house. You will need to start setting up your defenses now, sealing every crack or hole that is an open portal that you possibly can. It can be difficult to keep them all out. If a mouse can get its head through an opening, it is in. Asian beetles can fly in through open or improperly sealed windows or doorways and at the thresholds. They are not coming to get you; they are looking for shelter, a place to hibernate until spring, such as the Asian beetle, commonly mistaken for a ladybug, according to Bernie Main, owner of B&B Extermination Inc. These beetles were brought to the U.S. to feed on the aphids, and when the crops are harvested, the beetles quickly take to the air, seeking out shelter. A bright or light-colored house is the first one they target, Main said. Once in, they usually congregate on the south side of the house, the warmer side. He said that they “really do not do any structural damage,” but to some homeowners, especially if there are hundreds of them, they can be disconcerting at best. An applied treatment can be used to get rid of them; however, once spring has sprung, they will fly out of your home quickly like a nonpaying renter. Spiders are seeking refuge as well. They do live in houses as well as in outbuildings and in the garden. Last year’s drought made them more restless, as they were seeking moisture. All spiders are venomous, according to Main, but the degree of toxicity to humans varies. Spiders are predators and need the venom to kill their prey of insects. The notorious ones found in this area, the ones that can be threatening to humans, are the brown recluse and the black widow. The brown recluse’s bite can be very harmful, and it may take from four to six hours for a person to know he has been bitten by one, according to Main. The bite area reddens and a blister or open sore may form. That is the time to seek medical treatment. The brown recluse is shy and not overly aggressive, he said. It usually bites when disturbed. The spider can reside in wood or rock piles and can nest in clothing that has been lying around for a while or that has been in storage. When you go to put on a piece of clothing, the disturbance can pro-
voke the spider, so shake out the clothing before putting it on. The brown recluse also can be found under cardboard box flaps stored in basements or garages. These spiders like warmth of 70-plus degrees and are especially active during the hottest months of June, July and August. Another name for this spider is the fiddleback because it looks like it is carrying a fiddle on its back. The female black widow spider is shiny black with a red hourglass marking under its abdomen and can be found in wood piles and trash piles, under stones and in hollow stumps, sheds and garages. Indoors, black widows can be found in cluttered areas in basements and crawl spaces, according to an Occupational Safety and Health Administration fact sheet. Symptoms of a bite may be painful or go unnoticed and can include swelling at the bite marks, cramping, nausea, profuse sweating, tremors, increased blood pressure and fever. Medical attention should be sought. If you can, take the spider that bit you with you when you seek medical treatment so it can be identified. Another common spider is the “big and scary” wolf spider. Its looks and size deceive its temperament. It is harmless to humans but a great predator of insects and can live from four to six years. It can enter the home through drains. Main said the most common spider in Dubois County is the yellow sac spider. It too is venomous and the most aggressive. He says about 90 percent of spider bites come from this guy. These are the spiders that reside in the silk sacs or tubes they spin and can be found in corners of walls and ceilings and under furniture. The common garden spider can get quite big but preys on insects outside. The more organized a web, the less threatening the spider is, Main said. Probably the best thing homeowners can do to prevent entry, according to Main, is to keep their yard area clean, free of brush piles and other debris. “We can apply regular scheduled product treatment as a preventative measure,” Main said. Also, glue pads can be used to trap the insects. “It is all right to see ants outside, but it is not all right to see them on your kitchen countertop,” Main said. When you see a problem and decide to take care of it yourself, be sure to read the product label to know how it is to be used and applied. And follow the label verba-
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“It is all right to see ants outside, but it is not all right to see them on your kitchen countertop.” Bernie Main
Owner B&B Extermination Inc. tim. If you don’t, he said, other severe problems can develop. Don’t spray something onto the countertop around food or directly onto your bed sheets if the label instructions say not to. Directly applying a product can cause harm to you and your family and pets. Locally termites are the subterranean type that live in the moist ground because they need moisture to survive. They live in colonies and each termite needs the support of the colony. “They do not nest in the wood of the structure,” he said. They will travel to food sources and return to the colony every 24 hours. People don’t take action usually until they see the termites’ damage. There are preventative measures a professional exterminator can take, either by using liquid treatments or baiting systems. These professionals provide an annual service that includes an inspection and treatment if needed. Keeping stacked firewood away from the house or building is good advice to follow. If it is stacked against the wall, the area behind the stack will remain moist longer after it rains and provide a home for termites. As far as using wood mulch around the house foundation, Main has really not seen any evidence that that creates a termite attractant. “I have seen termites in homes that use wood mulch, stone mulch and no mulch at all, so it is hard to say not to use the mulch,” he said. Plugging up open portals around the house is a good preventative measure to keep mice from making your home their home. Steel wool is best, he said, adding that when the mice chew on the wool it wreaks havoc with their digestive system. Mice as well as rats will just gnaw their
way through any spray foam insulation. He said mice and rats’ teeth are always growing, so the varmints need to gnaw to keep the teeth at a certain length. This gnawing can cause major damage to wood and when the pest gnaws the insulation from wiring, electrical fires can result. There really is no ongoing preventative treatment or baiting for mice. It is when you see one or see telltale signs like droppings in your kitchen cabinets that you should take action. There are many products, traps, glue pads and poisons that can be used. If using poison, Main recommends placing the box of poison in a container and out of normal sight, as pets and toddlers are curious. Peanut butter works well on a mousetrap because it lasts longer than cheese and adheres better because of its stickiness. When cheese gets hard and rancid, the mice will leave it alone. Another good bait, according to Main, is to tie a small ball of cotton onto the trap. Mice are nesters and always
are looking for nesting material. A little trick, he says, is to place the trap perpendicular to the wall, with the baited side of the trap against the wall and the trapping mechanism away from the wall. This provides a better chance of trapping the mouse. Probably the worst mouse situation the exterminating service has seen has been the removal of 27 to 30 mice from one home. Homeowners can bring insect specimens to the company’s office at the corner of Geiger and Third streets for identification or a service representative can come to the home and inspect for free. “People are always bringing in things all the time,” Main said. Insects are great predictors of the weather, he said. The varying weather patterns from year to year can affect the habits of the insects. So be on guard for signs of potential problems. Some problems you may be able to solve yourself, but you will need help See PESTS on the Page 20
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THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013
Use leftover stones to further enhance landscape By SHARON NAYLOR Creators.com After a large landscaping project that utilized flat or round stones, such as the building of a landscape wall, rock wall border, stone patio, waterfall or koi pond, you might find yourself with a pile of leftover stones. You or your landscape expert wisely ordered more than you needed to ensure that you had enough stone for the project without having to buy more at a high cost to finish the job. This abundance of project stone is a smart idea. It gives your landscapers variety in stone shape and size and allows for coordinating stone colors as well as breakage. Now you have a pile of leftover stones on your driveway, which means you get to use them in one or more additional design projects for no extra cost. The stones are yours. You paid for them and for their delivery. You now get to further enhance your landscaping, and here are some ideas of what to do with those leftover landscaping stones: ■■ Build a rock border around the trees in your yard. Trees need berms, or raised rings, around them to capture rainwater and deliver it to their roots for the tree’s growth. When a sapling is established in the ground (more than six months) and doing well, it’s eligible for a decorative ring of rocks arranged in a wide circle around its base. Why a wide circle? The tree’s root system has grown and spread out now, and water needs to reach the entire root system, not just the roots by the trunk. Using flat stones like shale allows you to build a wall three or four rocks high to add extra appeal. With your rocks handset in a secure wall formation, without the need for “cementing” them together, fill in the center of the ring with fresh mulch, being
careful not to let the mulch touch your tree’s trunk. Since mulch holds moisture, which is the whole point of placing it in landscaping, that constant contact with wetness can rot your tree at the base and kill it. ■■ Build a rock border around bushes or plants that are close to the edge of your property. Using the same method as described above for a tree, arrange a ring of flat stones in layers to match the rock wall rings around your trees for a unified look. When you create a rock wall ring around plants at the edge of your property, neighborhood dogs will be less likely to urinate on your growing plants and bushes. Some pets don’t like the smell or texture of mulch, so this easy DIY project can save your plants, as well. ■■ Add extra stones to your landscaping. Larger stones such as 1-foot round stones can be placed here and there on top of the mulch in your landscaping for visual appeal. “We had some white stones with marbling effects within our pallet of gray stones, so we placed those in our front landscaping where the white of the stones matched the white trim of our house,” says Joe Toris, a homeowner and DIY enthusiast. ■■ Add extra stones to your rock-bordered fountains or pond. If the colors of your stones match or coordinate, fill in areas of your existing fountain or pond to make the layout even fuller and more impressive. The same goes for any rock garden arrangements you have established -- or use a collection of stones to fill in an empty space in your landscaping where you might have removed a bush or tree. This works best with round stones in an array of sizes. ■■ Use weighty flat stones for other purposes. If you cover your outside air conditioner unit with a plastic cover during the winter
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Use leftover stones to create expensive-looking landscape features. months and have experienced the hassle of a windstorm blowing
that cover down the street, eliminate this problem by setting two
of your weightier flat or round stones on top of the cover. Just be sure the rocks are not too heavy, or you could dent your air conditioner. The rocks will keep your cover from flying away, and you won’t have to buy a new one in the middle of winter. ■■ Accent container plants or container gardens. If you have topiaries or other tall standing plants in containers, place one or more of your leftover stones in their pots for added visual flair. You don’t have to decide now. Leftover stones can be piled to the side of your driveway for use next year on a project that you envision later. When working with stones, though, the experts at Home Depot advise you to always wear sturdy protective gloves. Also, wear a back protection belt if you’re carrying large or repeat loads of stones in a wheelbarrow. Repetitive strain can cause painful back injuries that last a long time, often requiring an ER visit and physical therapy. Even if rocks look light and manageable, it’s the repetitive lifting, twisting and reaching to place and arrange stones that can cause injuries.
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THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013
FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT ■ PAGE 5
Maximize space in laundry, mudroom By CHRISTINE BRUN Creators.com What better room to trick out than your laundry or mudroom? Usually, it’s the smallest room in a house, so going for fun wallpaper or specialty faux finish shouldn’t be frightening. You are not committing to a wild color or pattern for the entire house. It is the perfect room to experiment with a faddish color — such as a citrus green or bold watermelon — as the paint can be changed easily once you tire of the hue. Often this is the room to hang cute signs or a whimsical piece of art. The room also can do double duty as a message center or a room for wrapping gifts. Beyond adding pizazz to a utilitarian room, you can add some functional elements that might prove to be huge conveniences. These ideas are mainly for a laundry in a more spacious home. I’ve seen clients install shower pans and low facets so that dirty garden shoes or rain boots are cleaned without creating a mess. People use those same acrylic shower pans as a catch for a drip-dry area to hang hand washables. Sometimes simply adding a door from a laundry to the yard or garage area is a boon. The sink that is pictured here features gentle whirlpool jets
to thoroughly launder delicate washables. It is 25 inches long, 22 inches wide and 11 inches deep and uses approximately five gallons of water. Careful hand washing extends the life of a garment and is a wise way to treat expensive garments. Other cool ideas include small pet spas and pedicure tubs. For the single woman with resources, what better way to spoil yourself than having a private spa at home? Other amenities might include drying racks or drying cabinets. In Europe, they have had drying cabinets in laundromats since the 1980s because the typical home is too small for residential use. The luxury home market here in the U.S. encouraged a handful of appliance manufacturers — such as Asko, Maytag and Staber — to supply drying cabinets that are approximately the size of a narrow apartment-size refrigerator. A drying cabinet is an electrical machine designed to expedite the drying of clothing articles that are delicate and have tags that indicate you should “hang dry” or “not tumble dry.” Items such as boots, hats, gloves and bulky coats also can be dried safely in this way. A mudroom is also a logical place for a message board and a charging station for electronic gear, such as cellphones and
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inches wide, and when closed, it is a mere 7 inches deep. When open, it is about 22 inches deep, and you can lock the entire thing to keep your devices secure. There is a channel with multiple plugs for charging, and when it’s closed, your devices remain able to recharge. Simple whiteboards and oldschool cork bulletin boards are popular and very useful for the room that everyone passes through on the way out of the house. Racks or hooks for coats are also useful, as are benches with a shelf for shoes. If you are thinking of redoing a space such as a mudroom or laundry, consider multiple shallow drawers — about 4 inches deep — which might stash away pens, markers, tape, packaging materials, stamps, scissors and paper. If you have a printer or scanner in this area, you need a place for ink cartridges and extra printing paper, as well. You likely don’t want printers in the laundry, because the lint and dust isn’t conducive to keeping a device in tiptop order.
PAGE 6 ■ FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT
THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013
Best greens to plant in autumn garden By SHARON NAYLOR Creators.com Leafy greens are an essential part of a healthy diet, often called by nutritionists the number one food to eat for a healthier lifestyle. They deliver plenty of vitamins, minerals, fiber and plant-based substances, such as folic acid, which can help protect against heart disease, diabetes and perhaps even cancer. Dietary experts recommend adding leafy greens to your diet. This can include adding spinach, kale and other top greens to soups, stews, lasagnas and salads and as pizza toppings. Parents even serve baked kale chips to their kids in place of unhealthy potato chips. Since prices for organic greens can be quite high in supermarkets, it’s a smart choice to grow leafy greens in your garden, getting months’ worth of greens from one leafy green seedling that grows and proliferates during the fall season. Charlie Nardozzi, Edible Landscaping columnist for the National Gardening Association (Gardens. org), says, “Some of my favorite easy-to-grow fall crops are greens. Fall greens, such as lettuce, mesclun mix, kale, mustard, arugula, mache and spinach love the cooler temperatures and, depending on where you live, will produce this fall, throughout the winter, and even into the spring.” Top greens include the following, according to the experts at WebMD: ■■ Kale. Often called the top nutrition powerhouse in leafy greens, this is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K, plus folate, heart-healthy potassium and bone-strengthening calcium. In fall, kale leaves turn a dark burgundy color, adding visual flair to salads, soups, casseroles and other dishes. “For diversity of leaf shape, color (from deep green to blue), size and crunch, choose several kale varieties,” says Cathy Wilkinson Barash for the National Garden Bureau. ■■ Collard greens. Best known as a staple in southern cooking, collard greens are popular all over the country, with similar nutritional benefits as kale but with a chewier texture and cabbagelike taste. Their wide leaves can
be used as a wrapper for healthy sandwiches, without the need for bread. ■■ Turnip greens. Fall is a peak time for planting root vegetables, and turnips deliver double the payoff, since their leaves are loaded with vitamins A, C and K, along with calcium. ■■ Swiss chard. This leafy green features red stalks and stems, offering a beet-like taste and soft texture for eating raw or cooked. This green is a good source of vitamins A and C. ■■ Spinach. One of the most versatile leafy greens, spinach is low in calories and offers high levels of vitamins A and C, as well as folate. Cooked spinach offers more nutritional value than raw. ■■ Mustard greens. Also a leafy green known to southern culinary traditions, mustard greens’ scalloped edges add visual flair to salads, have a peppery taste and provide vitamins and fiber while being low in calories. ■■ Red and green leaf and romaine lettuce, These types of easy-to-grow lettuces are high in vitamin A and offer folate, as well. Leaf lettuces have a softer texture, while romaine lettuces are crispier. Darker lettuces offer more nutritional value than lighter-colored lettuces, so let that be your guide when shopping for your garden’s healthy lettuce plantings. Look for lettuces marked “cold-hardy,” says Nardozzi, to help your lettuce crop thrive. Butter lettuces withstand the cold weather well, and baby lettuces are a good choice because they are quick to mature. ■■ Mesclun greens. “(They) are ready to harvest in less than one month and can be planted multiple times in fall as a succession crop,” says Nardozzi. Wild Greens. Arugula and mache are among the most coldtolerant of the greens. Arugula can withstand fall’s occasional freezing and thawing and still grow, and mache can survive cold weather snaps as well. Mache leaves have a soft and buttery texture and mild flavor. Arugula has deeply cut green leaves and a milder flavor in fall than its spicier taste in hot weather. ■■ Broccoli raab. This is a sprouting broccoli and is also known by such names as raab, rapa, rapini and spring broccoli,
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Leafy greens provide added nutrition and fresh flavor for fall dishes. says Barash. Nardozzi also recommends looking at exotic Asian greens: “Asian greens, such as mizuna,
add unusual textures, shapes and spicy flavors to salads.” Barash agrees: “Oriental greens round out the medley. From mizuna to
tatsoi, pac choi, bok choy and komatsuna and their cultivars, there is an assortment of new, vitaminfilled greens to try.” Barash also adds endive and radicchio to your garden list, if you like a more bitter taste mixed into your salads or within your casseroles and stews. Fall planting of leafy greens leads to quick results. For most, leaves can be picked when they are only a few inches long, and your garden center will recommend varieties and brands that thrive in your region. Fall weather also helps greens along, with more rain, moderate temperatures, fewer garden pests and fewer weeds stealing their soil nutrition. Your greens can be planted in your ground or raised garden beds or arranged in container gardens for easier access if you have mobility challenges or just as a decorative accent to your outdoor space, with those colorful leaves coordinating with the richly shaded fall foliage on your property. Garden professional David Brill of The Farm at Green Village suggests staggering your leafy green plantings, putting second and third plants into your garden a week or two later, so that as you harvest your leafy greens, you always have fresh, newer plants growing to keep delivering those nutritional powerhouse plants for all of your recipes and salads.
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FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT ■ PAGE 7
Fall perfect time for a furnace tune-up By SHARON NAYLOR Creators.com
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a new one any time soon. ■■ Prevent costly breakdowns. It’s not just a full system replacement that can be the danger. Your furnace might stop working because a part is out of order, which requires you to call a technician, live without your furnace for days or longer until the technician can make it to your home. The broken part will cost money to replace, plus a lot more money in site visit and labor. These mini breakdowns can cost a lot of money over time, and a tune-up can prevent them. ■■ Prevent inconvenient service needs. If you have houseguests for Thanksgiving, that would be a terrible time for your furnace to break down. In addition to the lack of heat, it can be very embarrassing to have anything break down in front of family and friends. Winter’s temperature extremes can make this an even bigger concern. What’s included in a furnace tune-up will vary greatly from company to company. Overall, your technician will check vent systems for blocks and leakages, analyze gases, check for a tight seal at the blower access door, check and clean fresh intake grills and louvers, inspect the heat ex-
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As the temperature changes from summer warmth to fall coolness, it’s the perfect time to schedule a tune-up for your furnace. Doing so now, while your furnace is working, prevents the nightmare of a dead furnace in the middle of winter, with its lofty costs for an emergency visit by a repairman, which can run you hundreds of dollars in just a site fee and another possible couple of hundred for repair parts and labor. If your furnace has been operating on straining parts for a long time, you may also run the risk of expense and hassle of having to get an entirely new furnace. That can be prevented by making a simple phone call now to a reputable heating, ventilation and air conditioning, or HVAC, company to set up your annual furnace checkup and tune-up. When you do call an HVAC company, be sure to ask for a technician who is NATE-certified. NATE stands for North American Technician Excellence and is an HVAC industry certification of quality. NATE-certified technicians can spot wear and tear in a multitude of furnace systems, and a reputable one will suggest needed new parts in addition to cleaning up the existing ones. Another benefit of scheduling a furnace tune-up is that your furnace warranty might require it. Check your product manual to see how often the manufacturer recommends tune-ups and what the warranty states about regular maintenance schedules in order for your warranty to remain in effect. As a smart consumer, be ready to look up prices of parts at http://www.furnacepriceguides. com/gas-furnace before your furnace repair technician’s visit so that you’re familiar with potential parts and labor costs, and keep that site bookmarked and easily accessible when your technician suggests any fix-ups. Of course, the technician’s company sets the prices, but at least you’ll have an idea of the average ballpark price. When you get your furnace tuned up, you also arrange for the following: ■■ Saving energy. Regular maintenance can improve some furnace models’ efficiency by about one-fourth. When your technician removes dust from the air ducts as part of your tune-up, your system will run more easily and use less energy, which cuts down on your expenses. The U.S. Department of Energy and the Alliance for Residential Building Innovation report that regular furnace tuneups and replacement of parts can result in cooling energy savings of 30 to 50 percent. ■■ Reduce air pollution. Wellmaintained heating and air-conditioning systems will minimize greenhouse gas emissions, and some parts may be Energy Starmarked for eco-friendly use. ■■ Keep your family safe. A tuned-up furnace may be less likely to create dangerous and life-threatening carbon monoxide leaks. Your technician will test for leaks, encourage you to place a new carbon monoxide detector by your system, and also advise on additional safety hazards, such as storing flammable items too close to your furnace. ■■ Extend the life of your system. A tuned-up furnace working with less effort creates less wear and tear on parts and on the system as a whole. Tune-ups extend the life of your furnace, perhaps preventing you from having to buy
blower wheel, check the wiring for corrosion and damage, check the filter, oil the motor and check gas pressure and temperature rises, among other checkpoint items. Each of these tasks may carry some risks if you attempt them yourself, so a trained and accredited professional’s work is a wise
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PAGE 8 ■ FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT
THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013
Prepare ponds, water features for winter weather By ANICA WONG Creators.com Winter is a perfect time to sip hot chocolate, watch old movies and enjoy the company of family and friends (indoors). It also happens to be when most people pay little attention to their lawn, their garden and the critters that inhabit those areas. And for the most part, that is normal. But preparing your ponds (and the fish that live in them) and any waterfalls or water features you might have needs to happen before winter to ensure that everything will be functioning (and alive) when spring comes. “Once the cold has hit, there should not be much maintenance to perform,” says Erik Tate of The Water Garden. As you start your preparation, secure a net over any open water to catch leaves that might fall into the pond. Keeping leaves out maintains a clean, healthy pond environment, which also allows the fish to stay safe and hearty throughout the cold months. Just as with all animals, the key to your fish’s survival is a proper diet at the right time. When the seasons start changing, a fish’s body knows to start shutting down to go into a semi-hibernation state, according to GardenWeb, an online gardening community. The digestive system slows down, so
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To ensure a pond looks great come spring, take the proper preparation steps in the fall and winter. it cannot digest what it normally could in the summer months. When the water temperature of your pond reaches the upper 50s, you should start feeding your fish low-protein food a few times a week. Once the temperature starts dipping below 50 degrees, stop feeding your fish altogether to ensure that they don’t get sick from not being able to digest the food properly. “In most areas, the fish will be resting on the pond bottom until the water warms for spring,” Tate says. On warmer days, they
Once you have taken care of your fish, start thinking about your pond and what prepping it requires. Do you need to run the pond pump throughout the winter? Most people in moderate climates opt to, allowing them to enjoy the sight and sound of running water the whole year, says Tate. Any sort of falling water also
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may poke their heads up and start moving around more in preparation for spring. And though it might be tempting to feed your koi or goldfish, Tate warns against it, especially if there is more cold weather on the way. Be patient and wait for the water temperature to stabilize before starting a feeding regimen again.
will keep a hole in the ice during periods of freezing, letting in and out essential gases. For those who live in very cold climates, shutting off the pump is usually a good idea. Make sure you drain all filters and plumbing and use a floating de-icer (a disclike device that maintains a hole for the vital gas exchange through an electrical hookup). Once you’ve prepared your pond, you just need to maintain it by making sure it doesn’t freeze too deep and removing any fallen foliage so as not to dirty the water. While monitoring your pond, also keep an eye on other water features that you might have, even if they don’t have fish in them. If they are kept on and running in a freezing climate, ice will most likely form on those features. Though that is normal, observe them to make sure the ice doesn’t create a dam that would cause water to flow out of them. That could cause damage to not only the features themselves but also other items that surround the features. Taking the proper precautions before the chill sets in will allow you to enjoy your water features later in the year.
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THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013
FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT ■ PAGE 9
Methods for cold-weather roofing of asphalt shingles By MARK J. DONOVAN Creators.com Regardless of the time of year, if your roof becomes damaged or begins to leak, it needs to be repaired promptly. Cold-weather roofing offers its unique challenges and requires modified standard roofing procedures to ensure the roof repair or installation is done properly and safely. Though the outside air temperature may be below freezing and the winds howling, if roof shingles are blown off or a tree has fallen on the roof, it’s imperative that the repairs happen quickly to protect your home. Unless you’re a skilled roofing contractor, leave it to the pros. The cold weather creates a number of additional roofing safety hazards. In addition, the roofing materials themselves require special care. Asphalt roofing shingles, for example, are extremely brittle, and roofing tar is like cement in very cold weather. When making a cold-weather roofing repair it is vital from both a safety and an installation stand point that all snow and ice be first removed from the work area. Also, if it is at all possible, store the roofing materials in a warm and/or sheltered place, such as a garage or shed, until you actually need them. You’ll also need roofing tar or cement. Make sure to keep it in a warm space until you actually need to use it.
the upper shingle to the top surface of the lower shingle. When the air temperature is too cold, the adhesive is unable to work properly and prevents the adhesion of the adjacent shingle courses. As a result, when the winter winds begin to blow, the shingles can easily be lifted up and ripped off the roof. Missing shingles will quickly lead to roof leaks. Heat-activated adhesive With the sun low on the horizon and unable to produce any signifi-
cant heat to activate the adhesive on the shingles, another method is required to securely fasten them down. A small dab of warm roofing tar or cement must be installed on the bottom half and backside of each shingle prior to nailing it in place. In addition, roofing nails should be installed per the asphalt shingle manufacturer’s recommendations to ensure that the shingle will stay securely fastened to the roof even under the worst of wind conditions. By following these two simple cold-weather
roofing tips, the shingles will stay properly fastened to the roof. When the temperatures eventually warm up and the sun produces more heat, the adhesive on the shingles will also begin to do their job and provide additional adhesion to the shingles. Also note that the same type of asphalt roofing shingles should be used when making repairs to ensure proper adhesion. Asphalt roofing shingles come in two basic construction types, fiberglass and organic-based. Fiberglass asphalt-
based shingles are compliant to ASTM D-3462 standards, and organic-based shingles are compliant to ASTM D-225. Each has its unique construction properties, including the adhesion used. When interviewing prospective roofing contractors for a coldweather roofing project make sure to ask them how they plan to go about making the roof repair and/or installing the new roof. If their response is not similar to the instructions I’ve outlined above, find another contractor.
Roofing shingles Asphalt roofing shingles are the most popular type of residential roofing material with approximately 80 percent of residential buildings using them. Cold weather affects their installation in a variety of ways. Besides being brittle in cold weather and requiring extra care not to crack, there is another concern. Asphalt shingles are installed in courses, with each upper course overlapping the course below it. In addition to nailing the shingles in place, there’s also a pre-coated layer of heat-activated adhesive on each shingle. This adhesive works in conjunction with the nails to hold the shingle in place and, more importantly, hold the bottom half of
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PAGE 10 ■ FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT
THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013
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FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT ■ PAGE 11
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PAGE 12 ■ FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT
THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013
THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013
FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT ■ PAGE 13
Create organized kitchen before holidays hit By SHARON NAYLOR Creators.com Imagine it’s Thanksgiving and your kitchen is filled with your loved ones assisting you with the big meal or simply enjoying a glass of wine and good conversation. You open a cabinet door to pull out a saute pan, and all of your pots, pans and lids some crashing to the floor. That’s what can happen if your kitchen is disorganized. That, and added frustration when you can’t find your vegetable peeler among a huge collection of kitchen gadgets jammed into a drawer. Since your kitchen is the heart of your home, and the heart of holiday gatherings, it’s well worth your time to give it a good organizing makeover now, before the holidays are upon you. Julie Morganstern, New York Times best-selling author of “Organize From the Inside Out,” says on her tip-filled site that before you reach for catering menus to avoid kitchen frustrations, “Seize this holiday opportunity to create an efficient kitchen that encourages cooking and makes cleanup a piece of cake. Invest a mere six to eight hours organizing now, and you’ll reap the benefits all year long.” First, go through your kitchen
drawers and cabinets to remove all of the non-essentials, like dish sets that you haven’t used since you bought an entirely new set, extra spatulas beyond the two or three you usually use and other items just taking up space. If you have the energy, take everything out, and replace your cabinet and drawer liners for a fresh foundation. This higher-level organization step lets you rediscover all of the kitchen gadgets, platters and other wares you already own. Next, Morganstern advises organizing your kitchen by function, using the following “Activity Zones” to help keep your everyday supplies handy and make rarely used items easily accessible yet safe from chips and damage: ■■ Daily dishes zone. Morganstern says, “Everyday dishes, glassware and flatware belong in the cabinets directly above and to the side of your sink and dishwasher for effortless cleanup.” When guests look for a glass, that’s where they’ll look, so it’s better not to have them find your prescriptions or storage containers there. ■■ Food preparation zone. “Claim the longest counter between the stove and the fridge, or between the sink and stove,” says Morganstern. “Fill the cabinets above and below it with the tools,
“Invest a mere six to eight hours organizing now, and you’ll reap the benefits all year long.” Julie Morganstern Author
bowls and appliances needed for chopping, mixing and seasoning before cooking.” An important element of the food prep zone is storing away non-essential items that take up space on your kitchen counter. A clutter-free kitchen counter area can be calming, making food prep easier when cutting boards and ingredient bowls can share counter space. In cabinets above and below this space, nest mixing bowls, and stand cutting boards on-end along the sides of your cabinet. Since knives are an essential in food prep, invest in a chef-quality knife block to keep edges from dulling or nicking — which can happen if knives are
stored in a drawer — and to prevent injury when reaching into a drawer. ■■ Cooking zone. “Pots, pans, lids and potholders should live in the cabinets closest to your stove and oven. Nest pots and pans to save space,” says Morganstern, and invest in a metal mesh or wooden vertical lid organizer to keep those lids easily accessed and firmly in place. A drawer by the oven can hold oven mitts, with trivets placed below them in case you run out of burner space on which to place oven-hot trays and pots. ■■ Cleanup and recycling zone. Make cleanup easier by placing sponges, scrubbies, detergent and a trash can with liners in the cabinet below your sink. Additional zones to establish include a recipe zone, such as a countertop area where you’ll rest your computer tablet or cookbook for easy view of your recipes. Cookbooks can be stored in a cabinet above this space. A wine zone for wine bottles and wine glasses in built-in or portable racks, and a spice zone, which may be a magnetic spice rack affixed to the side of your refrigerator, are other good options. Morganstern advises using
space savers to stretch your storage capacity. Wire shelf racks measured to fill the entire height between shelves give you use of formerly wasted space, lazy Susans organize canned goods, plastic sealable containers store pastas, flour or sugar -- especially in taller sizes or stackables -- and sturdy, wooden drawer dividers make utensils, serving spoons and small kitchen gadgets more accessible. “Don’t overlook the inside of each cabinet door, which can be a goldmine of storage, too. Shallow wire shelves can be door mounted to hold pantry items, nuts and snack foods,” says Morganstern. A bigger kitchen organization project is installing overhead pot racks above your kitchen island, bringing copper pots and saucepans out of your cabinets and on display for easy access. One of Morganstern’s top tips is to organize your kitchen supplies in every zone with frequency of use in mind, using the rule of eye-level storage for items you use most often. Your newly organized kitchen can take the stress out of holiday dinners and make it easier for family members to help with cooking and cleanup throughout the year.
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PAGE 14 ■ FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT
THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013
Get ready for spring — clean garden tools now By CHELLE CORDERO Creators.com You may be looking forward to a respite from mowing the lawn and pruning the hedges during the winter. But before you close the shed door on your gardening chores, make sure your tools are cared for so that they’ll be fresh and ready next spring when you need them. The time you take now will save you time and money next year. You’ll need a wire brush, a steel wool pad, sandpaper, a few old rags and a pair of gardening gloves. Use the wire brush to remove stubborn, caked-on mud. Use the steel wool to wipe away rust. If necessary, soak the tool in a solution of white distilled vinegar before rubbing with the steel wool. Clean and smooth wooden handles with a fine sandpaper, and finish up by wiping them with linseed oil or paste wax. Sharpen any tools that need it using a file or sharpening stone. Wipe down each tool with a damp rag, and let them air dry completely. Keep in mind that you may have used a spade or other tool to dig up diseased plants. If so, add a bit of rubbing alcohol to the rag to reduce the chance of bacteria living through the winter; you don’t need to rinse. Spray a lubricant (like WD-40) on moving parts to reduce friction, or coat with used cooking oil or motor oil. Get a bucket of clean, dry, course sand, pour in a few cups of motor oil (new or used) and place the metal parts of smaller hand tools in the sand up to their han-
dles. This will help keep the parts lubricated and clean during the damp winter months. Hang rakes, shovels and other long-handled garden tools from wall hooks or a pegboard to keep them off of the cold, damp garage floor. Bring in the garden hose(s) from outside. Make sure the hoses are empty and “dry.” Now is the time to inspect hoses and repair any punctures with hose repair kits or plumber’s tape. Coil empty hoses loosely, and store flat or on a hose reel, making sure there are no kinks. Don’t hang hoses on a nail or hook, as they will stretch and could crack. Make sure outdoor faucets are turned off and sprinkler heads are drained, clean and dry. Avoid storing gasoline in lawn mowers, weed whackers and leaf blowers. Most lawn mowers have small tanks and can be run until the fuel is gone; some larger riding mowers have drainage valves. Stored gas and oil will degrade over time and should be used or safely discarded. Wipe the mower blades clean and sharpen them; dirt, residue and cut grass can rust and pit the blades. Pull the spark plug out and spray the socket with a lubricant, and then turn the motor once before replacing the plug. For electric weed whackers and electric leaf blowers, inspect the cords and repair minor wear with electrical tape, or replace severely frayed cords and plugs. Wipe down the exterior of your motorized gardening tools with a damp rag before winter storage. Wheelbarrows and wagons need to be wiped clean, as well,
and lubricate wheels and other moving parts. Use a rust-inhibiting spray paint wherever there are chips in the paint. Make sure the tires are filled with air, and avoid dry-rot by storing the conveyer on ground high enough that it will not sit in standing water. Be sure to thoroughly rinse pesticide sprayers, and hang them upside down for storage. Inspect your tools for any missing pieces, and replace those pieces before storing your tools for the winter; after several months of nonuse, you’re liable to forget until you go to use it again in the spring. Spray hinges and moving parts with a lubricant. Store your equipment inside if possible, but if you need to store anything outside, make sure it’s off the ground and covered with a tarp for protection. Hanging a dry-erase board in your garage
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THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013
FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT ■ PAGE 15
Painting trim adds quick refresher to any room By SHARON NAYLOR Creators.com Give your home a quick refresher with a task that’s much easier to complete than painting the walls and ceiling; give your trimwork a fresh coat of paint to restore its original shade. Most homeowners don’t notice that their trimwork paint color has faded from age or from sunlight. (Ultraviolet rays from nearby windows or skylights can fade paint color.) Until they take a good, close look at their window trim, molding, baseboards and chair rails, they don’t see little knicks, dents and damage that happens over time. Chair rails and window trim are especially susceptible to damage and stains by virtue of being touched and stained by skin oils. So take a look now and really see the difference between your original color choices by holding up the paint color strip you likely have in your home decor file. The difference can be astounding. Whites can look ivory. Pastels can be bland. Brights can be dull. But they won’t be for long if you embark upon a trimrefreshing project. Start by deciding whether you’ll refresh with the same color of paint you originally used on your trim or if you’d like to apply a new shade. If you stick with the original, retrieve that old paint can from your garage and buy a fresh, new can in the same shade at your local paint store. If you didn’t save the can or paint strip, use an easy iPhone or Android app from Benjamin Moore to snap a picture of a non-faded portion of your trim in quality light, and the app will automatically provide you with the name and color number of an exact paint shade. Technology makes it easy to match your paint color, and it prevents you from having to chip off a section of your paint to have it colormatched at your paint store using their spectrophotometer tool that scans items you can bring into
the paint store, such as a pillow or Tiffany blue box, to get a paint match. If you’ll choose a new paint color, visit the Benjamin Moore website to try out trim colors by using their interactive room visualization tool that lets you see and print out information on the shade you choose for your new trim appearance. Next, inspect every inch of your trimwork from all angles to see where you might have dents and rough spots that need to be sanded before you paint. The experts at FamilyHandyman.com suggest using a 120-grit sandpaper for fine sanding and 80-grit sandpaper to smooth rougher portions before progressing to a 120-grit sandpaper for fine finishing. The experts at Home Depot suggest using “no load” sandpaper that doesn’t clog. Always sand by hand. Do not sand with a machine that can create ruts and ridges in your trim work. Home Depot’s experts say to brush off any remaining sanding dust before the next step. If your home was built before 1979, be aware that your trim paint may contain lead, which makes sanding a hazard. Check with your local public health agency for advice
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Refreshing the trim creates the effect of a newly painted room. on lead testing and safe removal. Fill fine holes and scratches with Spackle, and use wood filler to patch up larger dents. FamilyHandman.com’s experts say that deeper holes may require an initial Spackling and then a second Spackling after the first application dries to get a completely
smooth finish. Next, you’ll repair the cracks or gaps between your molding or trim and your wall with caulk. Always use a fresh container of caulk, and choose a small-tip opening for a controlled application of caulk in a smooth application along cracks, smoothing with
your fingertip. FamilyHandman. com suggests keeping a damp cloth handy to clean your fingers between applications. Allow the caulk to dry completely, according to package directions. Brush on stain-blocking primer to achieve a uniform shade, and let that dry for 24 hours. Then carefully apply blue painter’s masking tape along the lengths of your trim above and below. Use cornercut pieces if you paint trim strips on your windows. This protective strip will keep you from splashing paint onto your walls, preventing a larger paint job or unsightly spots that ruin the effect. When painting on your color, The Family Handyman says not to overwork it. Paint starts to dry as soon as you apply it, so continuing to apply can leave brushstrokes on your trim, requiring an extra coat or two to cover. Two layers is often sufficient for a new and pretty paint refreshing on all of your trim. Remove the blue painter’s tape while the paint is still wet, Home Depot’s experts advise, or risk pulling off sections of dried paint.
PAGE 16 ■ FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT
Suckers stunt growth By SHARON NAYLOR Creators.com If you notice a large number of little branches growing upward from the older, established limbs of the trees in your yard and landscaping, that’s likely not your plant growing new limbs. Instead, those thin branches are more likely to be suckers, a danger to your tree’s health and growth. According to Steve Nix, the About.com guide to forestry, treesucker sprouts are “vigorous, upright shoots that grow from dormant buds on older wood.” They’re seen most often on landscape and fruit trees, and are often an indicator that your tree has an injury or dead wood sections. Nix says, “The tree is trying to compensate, using these sprouts to increase vigor,” but these suckers need to be removed as soon as possible so that the tree can direct its nutrients to the established trunk, major limbs, smaller branches and leaves that comprise their structures. “But those little branches fill in my tree so nicely,” you might think. Again, they’re stealing strength from your tree, so they have to go. And this is not a doit-yourself job. If you were to tear away those thin sprouts, you might injure your tree’s core or
THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013
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Suckers (Concluded from Page 16) create ‘wounds’ that will soon turn into ugly mounds on your tree branches, where your tree has developed a scar to protect its vulnerable inner core. And depending on your type of tree, the spot where suckers are cut away might need to be treated with a special sealant that is formulated for your tree’s particular type. Call a tree service right away to schedule its team of professionals, who will assess the exact variety of tree or trees in question, assess how long your suckers have been growing, configure any natural sealant needed on your bare wood spots and then schedule a day for their workers to safely access those high-up branches using a cherrypicker. Professionals also have the proper cutting tools to saw off suckers where needed -and do so right to the same level as the branch for the most attractive result. If you were to climb your tree to cut off suckers yourself, you’d not only put yourself at risk for a fall, you’d likely do a poor job of cutting your suckers off evenly while trying to keep your balance. And if your saw is even the least
FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT ■ PAGE 17
bit dull, you would shred the tree and cause it damage, perhaps leading to your tree’s demise. If your tree looks sparse after you remove the suckers, don’t fret. You’ve just thinned the tree so that sunlight can reach more of its leaves for nutrition and photosynthesis. When suckers are gone, so too are any pests that may have made a home in them. Once your suckers are removed, you’ll want to ensure that you don’t allow them to take over your tree again. Here are some tips to help: ■■ Keep your trees in good health. Very often, trees will start to grow suckers when they experience stress, such as overwatering or underwatering during times of drought, or when the tree is experiencing disease or pests. Take a good look at your trees often to assess any signs of disease or pest damage, and talk to your local nursery’s tree specialist to get detailed instructions on how much water your particular kind of tree needs. Older trees might escape your watering regimen, particular if you think regular rains are enough for it. Your tree may need more water. Or less. If your sprinkler system for your lawn douses your tree, or if your tree sits in accumulated water after rainstorms, suckers may grow. So you might have to adjust your wa-
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tering plans, or arrange drainage away from your tree roots to correct the problem. And of course, you might need to have your tree professionally treated for pests or use an organic pest repellant. ■■ Don’t over-prune your tree. You might think you’re helping your tree by pruning it several times a season, but over-pruning can actually stimulate the growth of tree suckers. ■■ Prune regularly. Regular, healthy pruning accomplished on a schedule recommended by your nursery tree expert, done at the proper time of year for each of your tree varieties, can help prevent suckers from growing. You may never eliminate tree suckers, since your tree is doing what it does naturally. But with regular care and careful removal of suckers before they grow too large, and leave a large bare wood spot where the sucker is cut away, your tree will continue to grow full and healthy for many years of enjoyment and full value of your investment.
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PAGE 18 ■ FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT
THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013
Plant herbs now for flavorful fall, winter meals By SHARON NAYLOR Creators.com With the oppressive summer heat past in many regions of the country, now is a wonderful time to fill your garden with fragrant, flavorful herbs that enhance your home cooking, salads, autumn barbecues, roasts and holiday dinners. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, herbs add an extra dash of nutrition to your meals, and culinary professionals use them as attractive garnishes for culinary masterpieces. From a sprinkling of chopped chives over a baked potato to sprigs of rosemary adding flavor to a baked turkey, your homegrown herbs will taste better than dried varieties, and when you grow an organic garden, your herbs will be free of pesticides and other health dangers. Planning, planting and harvesting an herb garden in your ground, raised bed or containers is a family-friendly activity perfect for fall, and after you pick those herbs, your entire family can enjoy cooking together. Here are some of the top herbs to plant this fall, either in seedling, plant form with healthy growth to it and already-established herbs, or in seed form that may sprout out in nature or be started indoors or in your greenhouse: ■■ Parsley. Packed with nutritional value, parsley leaves contains vitamins A, B, C and iron, plus appreciable quantities of other vitamins and minerals. Parsley also works to freshen breath when you chew on leaves after an aromatic or spicy meal. Parsley
prefers cool fall air to hot weather temperatures. ■■ Cilantro. The experts at Pineywoods Herb Farm say that cilantro grows well in moderate autumn weather. Wait until October for this herb, since temperatures can still soar in September. The experts advise letting your cilantro go to seed over the winter into spring, so that you can pluck and save the dry seeds for next fall’s garden bounty. ■■ Oregano. A hardy plant, oregano tends to grow well no matter what the temperature, providing flavor for homemade pizzas, casseroles, poultry, meat sauces and meatballs and a wide range of additional recipes. ■■ Rosemary. A taller plant, this herb is best planted toward the back of your garden for visual appeal and given plenty of space between plants to grow wider. It grows well no matter the tem-
D OO W RD HA
perature and may remain through winter into your next year’s garden without any effort at all. ■■ Tarragon. Providing a subtle flavor, tarragon works well with seafoods and poultry when you don’t prefer the taste of stronger herbs, and tarragon thrives in cooler fall weather. ■■ Basil. Basil is often known as an ingredient in summer tomato salads, but if you pinch off leaves regularly, your basil plant will last long through fall, giving you a sweet Italian flavor for your pizza toppings and fall vegetable salads. Pesto is made using basil and provides a festive green layer to sandwiches and as spreads for warm or crusty breads. Basil hates frosts, so if a frost is forecast, harvest your basil before the cold snap hits. ■■ Chives. If your chives have been growing throughout summer, they should be divided in
the fall, say the experts at Sand Mountain Herbs. You might also dig up your chive plant and bring it inside to pot and continue to use as recipe accents. ■■ Sage. Another summertime herb, sage will last into fall and can then also be dug up and potted for Thanksgiving stuffing recipes. When the herbs are ready, you’ll find countless recipes on free online sites such as Allreci-
pes, Better Homes and Gardens (http://www.bhg.com) and Food Network (http://www.foodnetwork.com). Eco-friendly sites such as http://www.gorgeouslygreen.com can also help you turn your herbs into green and healthy beauty treatments — such as natural, homemade facial masques and healthy smoothies — through their instructional videos and recipes.
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THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013
FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT ■ PAGE 19
Use what you have to reinvent your rooms By JOSEPH PUBILLONES Creators.com We’ve all been there. You look around your home and wish you could change the way things look immediately. You can! To redecorate your whole house sounds like a lot of work -- and it is, to a certain point. Think of it as a bit of serious housekeeping. But you can reinvent your rooms as often as you’d like. Houses are not meant to be stagnant. So roll up your sleeves and get to work on your home makeover. Redecorating a home with what you already have can be tackled in a similar manner to the way you would reconsider your wardrobe, in which pants, shirts and shoes can be mixed to create a great number of outfits. When items are moved throughout your home, each item as it is paired with another can give your room an exciting new energy. We often get used to the way things look, especially if they have remained a certain way year after year. It is important to keep an open mind and consider that all furniture, art and accessories are fair game to move from one location to another. Many of us feel that our homes have to be perfect. Although that is a good objective to aspire to, the reality is that most homes have some kind of flaw, some more
apparent than others. Too big, too small, not the right style, etc. These “flaws” are usually very visible to the homeowner and generally invisible to everyone else. As food for thought, that kitchen you consider to be too small and boring may be the best-looking and -functioning kitchen for a gourmet chef. It always seems the grass is greener on the other side. But to embark on a no- or low-cost redesign of your home, you need
to embrace all of its imperfections. Finding inner peace and serenity in your home has a lot to do with celebrating the art of imperfection. In the Zen tradition, “wabi-sabi” objects are beautiful yet imperfect as designed by nature. Imperfections are lauded as sublime. Your home should embrace all of its warts and cracks with grace in acceptance of its history and the day-to-day activities of life.
BRAD ECKERLE
Inspiration and tips for reinventing your home: ■■ If you enjoy having coffee on your sofa, why not consider placing one in your kitchen? ■■ Why not glam your bathroom with a chandelier if it makes you feel like a star? ■■ If green is your thing, paint your living room walls the perfect shade of avocado.
■■ Have a Pepto pink bathroom? Add matching grass cloth to the walls and celebrate the color. ■■ In the mood for an exotic Moroccan fantasy? Layer your room’s floor with Oriental rugs of varying colors and sizes. ■■ Your collection of family photos could make a statement on a den wall, all framed in black and hung ceiling to floor.
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PAGE 20 ■ FALL HOME IMPROVEMENT
THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013
Install radiant heat for warm bathroom floors By MARK J. DONOVAN Creators.com Keep your bathroom comfy and cozy this coming winter by installing an electric radiant heated bathroom floor system. Installing an electric radiant heated bathroom floor is a bit of a luxury, but it is relatively inexpensive compared with running tubes and installing a hydronic floor heating system. Moreover, there’s not the worry and risk of getting a broken tube and having water damage to your home, as is often the case with a hydronic system. A typical wire-mesh mat electric radiant heated bathroom floor system will cost you about $10 per square foot to install. In regard to operating costs, on average expect to spend about 25 to 50 cents a day to heat a bathroom floor anywhere from 80 to 100 square feet in size. Electric radiant floor heating is relatively easy to install. Electric radiant floor heating systems are comprised of mesh and wire mats, which are installed underneath tiled or stone floors, and an adjustable thermostat that is located in the bathroom. With some types of electric radiant floor heating systems, the wire-mesh mat is trimmable so you can tailor it to the particular dimensions of the room. Electric radiant floor heating systems also can be installed underneath carpet, wood and vinyl floors; however, they are not as
efficient in these applications. The main reason for this is that, unlike tile or stone, carpet, wood and vinyl flooring do not transfer heat as well. Instead, they act more like insulators. Electric radiant floor heating systems are designed to provide a low heat that mainly keeps the floor feeling comfortably warm. Typically, they heat a floor to approximately 90 to 95 F. This said, electric radiant heated bathroom floors also help to create overall warmth in the bathroom. However, they should be considered a supplemental heating system. Besides the bathroom, electric radiant floor heating is also ideal for kitchens and room additions where tile or stone is the flooring type. Often when building a room addition, a larger furnace needs to be installed in the home. With the use of electric radiant floor heating systems, sometimes the need to install a larger furnace in the home can be avoided.
tems are absolutely silent. There is no creaking of pipes or whooshing of air, as is the case with hot water and air heating systems, respectively. Tile and stone, as well as a concrete slab flooring substrate, have a large thermal mass. Thus, they retain heat for a long time after the electric radiant heating system has been turned off. Electric radiant floor heating
systems can cut down energy costs on the main heating system, such as an oil or gas HVAC system. Disadvantages You can’t install them after you’ve installed your new tiled floor. Thus, you need to plan ahead. A retrofit job is not an option. Electricity is expensive. So even though you may save some
money on your main heating system’s operating costs, your overall energy costs may creep up a bit. If an electrical wire breaks in the wire-mesh mat and the electric radiant floor heating system becomes inoperable, repair is very expensive. That said, the likelihood of a broken or corroded wire is fairly slim because it is in a very static and dry position underneath the tiled floor.
Advantages Besides the ease of installation, electric radiant floor heating has a number of additional advantages. Electric radiant floor heating sys-
Pests (Concluded from Page 3) with others. You will need to read the labels of over-the-counter treatment products carefully to make sure the product is the solution to the type of problem you have and you’ll need to apply it according to the directions. The cost of using an extermination service is dependent on many factors, including the pest problem, the amount of chemical treatment needed, the amount of area to be treated and the type of treatment needed. “We don’t just change products or treatment methods when new ones come out; we change treatments when they work better than the ones we are using,” Main said, adding that “as insects become resistant to a type of treatment, another one has to be developed.” B&B Exterminating employees have between 100 and 150 years of collective experience and have “handled lots of problems,” including spiders, cockroaches and bedbugs. Like all professional exterminators, they are licensed by the State of Indiana. Many times homeowners who try to solve the problems themselves could have saved money, time and frustration by calling in the professional exterminators, Main said.
Profits from ReStore are used to build Habitat for Humanity homes for deserving families. How can you donate? Drop by our ReStore at 4232 S 170 E, Huntingburg. (The former Fleck Chair building near the county fairgrounds.) To schedule a pickup, just give us a call at (812) 482-5909! Store Hours: Wed. thru Fri. 11 am-5 pm; Sat. 9 am-3 pm
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