Home, Lawn
&
Custom storage helps
keep everything in place. Page 3. Grow your own perfume. Page 4. Pet-friendly garden keeps dogs and cats safe. Page 18. Accent wall can beautify any room. Page 22.
The Herald â– 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 DUBOISCOUNTYHERALD.COM
DUBOIS COUNTY, INDIANA
FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016 SECTION B
Garden
PAGE 2 ■ HOME, LAWN & GARDEN
THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016
Clever outdoor designs create shade areas By CHELLE CORDERO Creators.com There are many ways to enjoy a shady retreat on a warm day. Apartment dwellers and homeowners: Transform your outdoor space no matter your budget or lifestyle. Creative possibilities abound! To create a comfy nook on your patio or balcony, buy a patio table and chairs with a large umbrella. Fix a retractable awning to adjust for every weather condition. An intimate outdoor nook is the perfect place to entertain your friends or curl up and read a good book. Convert your barren garage into an indoor-outdoor oasis just steps from your front door — buy patio furniture or even a TV. Bring some shade to your backyard with canopies, tents or elaborately constructed gazebos, pergolas and other garden structures. This ambience is perfect for entertaining guests, whether an intimate gathering for two or a backyard party. The choice is yours. Many home supply stores sell do-it-yourself gazebo kits for the industrious homeowner; contractors offer fully assembled units. While traditionally round or octagonal, gazebos can also be rectangular or square, customized to the homeowner’s individual taste. Choose whether you prefer the open-air design or prefer closed walls and ceiling. Pavilions are also hard structures that provide cover over picnic tables, seating groups or open shaded space; pavilions often have hard concrete or wooden floors as well. And what’s more, the latticework of gazebos and pergolas is the perfect place to grow climbing vines, bougainvillea and flowers -- a beautiful aesthetic that also shades from the sun. Or, weave
Gazebos provide shade, shelter and a place to entertain. CREATORS.COM
fabrics into the latticework for a romantic touch. Manicure your lawn with a ground cover or patio bricks for a finished touch. Temporary shelters, such as plastic or fabric tents, provide shade from the sun and protection from the elements. They’re available with or without sidewalls and windows. Larger tents are usually open floor, but rental companies offer party dance floors. Buy a smaller tent to store in your garage; rent a larger tent for a spe-
cial occasion. Tents are an easy way to create a venue right in your own backyard. A shady retreat isn’t always a man-made structure; sometimes a thick trove of trees is an excellent cover from the hot sun, and an ideal place for a bench. Build a bench around the trunk of a shady tree. Hedges or fences around the seating area will conceal you from the outside world for tranquil solitude. A word of advice: Before build-
ing, renting or buying any structures, check with your local municipality for any restrictions and regulations on materials, height, plumbing or electricity, yard setbacks and permits. Even if you are replacing an existing structure, check with the building department to make sure your new structures will be permitted. Ordinances vary by location, so it’s wise, and certainly more relaxing, to know that your retreat won’t bring any headache.
Start planning your backyard oasis by studying the lay of the land. Whether you have a small balcony or a few acres, design your project to fit your space and budget. The purpose of this haven will also inform your designs. If you have the means, hire a contractor to take the workload. And don’t forget to select flowers and foliage fit for your soil and climate. Visit your local hardware store or landscaping company and look at printed guides for inspiration.
Try organic mixture, bowls of beer to eliminate slugs By JEFF RUGG Creators.com Q: One of my hosta plants has holes in the leaves. What can I do? A: Hosta leaves are a favorite food of slugs, which are also common pests (with snails) on many perennials, vegetables and trees (like citrus). Slugs need to stay moist: They hide in mulch and under logs, flowerpots and anything else that hasn’t moved in awhile. Check your plants with a flashlight after dark, since they feed at night. They are susceptible to any slug killer or bait available at a local nursery. Wet down the soil in the area before using the killer. Clean up the area around the infested plants by picking up any boards or logs. Use pot feet to elevate your garden flowerpots and saucers; the slugs will have no moist place to hide. Try an organic control called diatomaceous earth. Rake the mulch a few inches away from the base of the plants, and sprinkle the powder around the plant’s base. It is made from microscopic ocean animals called diatoms — they are shaped like snowflakes. After they die, the small animals leave behind tiny, sharp-pointed skeletons that the slugs will not glide over. Bowls of beer can lure slugs to their deaths. Set the bowl in the soil so the edge is at ground level. This may not work if other animals drink the beer first. There is some research that revealed caffeine as a slug killer, so try giving them coffee. I am sure that if you
pour hot coffee on slugs, they will definitely die. Q: We want to trim our trees, but we were told not to cut off any branches in the summertime. Why is that? The weather is warm and we can be outside; we don’t want to trim the trees in the winter when it is cold. Is it really better to prune the trees in winter? A: There are several benefits if trees are not pruned in the summer. First, there is less landscape waste generated without the leaves on the branches. If you chip or shed the branches without the leaves, you can use the chips as mulch; however, with the leaves, you will need to compost the branches before breaking down the leaves. Every pruning cut creates a wound. To prevent insects and diseases from getting into the
tree, wounded tissue must dry up — the remaining cells need to create a scar tissue that can heal across the wounded area. When the pruning occurs during the winter, the cut wood can dry and the scar tissue may begin forming in the spring, before insects and diseases become available. If the wound is created when the weather is warm, potentially rainy and humid, then bacteria and fungi can infect the open wound. As you slice the wood, you will smell the fragrance of the fresh wood. Insects can find the wound much more easily; they too can smell the cut wood. Research has shown that insects are attracted to fresh cuts on birch, elm, oak and pines. It wouldn’t surprise me to find out the same is true for the emerald ash borer on ash trees. If insects and diseases are both
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more likely to attack trees pruned in the growing season than the dormant season, does that mean we shouldn’t do any clipping in the summer at all? If possible, I wouldn’t trim any of the trees listed above — the best time to prune small trees and shrubs for the promotion of more flowers is a few months before blooming. Late spring to early summer is the
pruning time for crabapples, serviceberry and many others. Any storm-damaged trees are better off receiving proper care and trimming, instead of letting them sit with large areas of damaged tissue. When dead stems or branches are noticed, they can be pruned off as long as the cut is not on the live branch, just cut the dead tissue.
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HOME, LAWN & GARDEN ■ PAGE 3
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHRIS ALLEN
Keeping a child’s room organized can be a daily challenge. Installing a storage unit, right, helps keeps clothing, books, toys and other belongings in the right place.
Custom storage keeps everything in place By MICHAEL MAZUR Special Sections Writer JASPER — Do you often wonder where to put all that stuff you have accumulated and become frazzled, bewildered, frustrated, overwhelmed and finally paralyzed as to where to begin? You either walk around it or ignore it. Or you keep playing a game of whack-a-mole, moving stuff from room to room and then back again. Your clothes need reironing after being crammed onto the clothes rod, your magazines and newspapers are stacked as if you were a hoarder, you can’t find the matching shoe in your closet or the screwdriver on your workbench and your car sits out in the driveway while everything is crammed into the garage. You are haunted by the tormented face of the blow-up jacko’-lantern pressed against the garage window screaming to get out. Your intentions are great. You go to the local home improvement store to buy a do-it-yourself closet kit or pegboard and hooks, baskets and plastic containers to corral all that stuff. If finding a space to put all your stuff isn’t daunting enough, you first have to clear out the stuff from the closet to make room to install the storage unit, you grumble while you try to fit that average cookie-cutter unit into your unique space you call a closet. When done, if it ever gets done, you find that was not the most efficient system because you still have stuff leftover. If only there was a superhero of sorts out there, one who can save your day, defeat clutter and bring peace, unity and organization to your life. Well, there might be in the name of Chris Allen, owner and operator of Creative Storage. Seeing the need in his own life of being a stay-at-home dad taking care of his children and looking to start up a business, he launched Creative Storage at the 2015 Jasper Home Show, combining his degree in wood design with his years in cabinet manufacturing with MasterBrand and Kimball, his own personal experience and his eye for detail and spacial relationships to organize a cluttered life. He custom designs organizational and storage units and systems for the entire house, including, closets, both master and kids’ closets, mud and laundry rooms,
basements, garages and craft and hobby rooms, taking into consideration, function, flow and aesthetics. “I can do for the homeowner what the homeowner can do for himself for a little more than the same price,” Allen said. The beauty for the homeowner is that Allen supplies and installs the unit, the homeowner doesn’t have to deal with it. If there are problems with the units, as a direct dealer Allen can take care of replacements. He can also lend his expertise in helping to solve problems that may arise during installation. It doesn’t matter whether it is an older home, a newer model or one under construction. He said that when a home is under construction, it’s a great time to design closets because the structural space you create becomes the permanent space, unless you remodel. He would like to work with builders, many of whom resist because they are under deadlines, to incorporate closet and storage space at the onset of construction. But much of the homeowner’s construction budget goes to kitchens and bathrooms and high-end materials with little left for closets. He said a $300,000 home may only have a $500 master closet. Although with existing homes — those from late 19th and early 20th centuries — can present design challenges because of size and layout, storage can be retrofitted into those spaces. He fits designed units or systems in oddshaped spaces and around building constraints to come up with the best efficient use of a space whether it is a $500 or $5,000 closet. One particular problem area in most homes, new or old, are the corners in closets. They are not utilized well. Shirts stuffed against the corners become wrinkled or the space is not used at all. He attaches what he calls rounders to the hanging rods to use that corner space. More shirts can be hung because you can slide the shirts around the bend. Shoe carousels can be installed in the bottom corners, able to store up to 20 pair of shoes. Allen says he can supply the same $150 ClosetMaid unit the homeowner buys at the local box store and install it for not much more money. There are organizational units, items and accessories on the market that most homeowners wouldn’t know about, he said. They only know what is
offered through the box stores — items are the average cookiecutter items that 80 percent to 90 percent of people use. He can offer those items and more. Allen uses stock material from ClosetMaid, including wire units, commercial-grade laminate and custom wood, with wire being more for the budget conscious. Allen says he doesn’t want to scare people away because of the word “custom”. He can work with any budget — $150, $5,000 or more. “Just let me know upfront what it is you want to spend and I will design something for that budget to fit your needs as much as possible,” he said. “There will be trade-offs, but that is the case with most everything.” Allen said he can design and install a closet with many of the same functions as a luxury closet but at much less expense, mostly using a wire rack system. Generally, the wire systems sold at retail stores have wider openings between the mesh with a lot of support bars incrementally spaced, allowing smaller items to fall through and some items not sitting level on the shelving. He can supply a tighter mesh system, whether in straight or L-shaped lengths, with fewer support rods. He also offers closet systems that grow as your children grow, with shelving and hanging areas rising as they grow taller. This he says allows the parent to begin
teaching organizational skills to young children. During the initial consultation, which usually lasts between an hour and hour and a half, Allen measures the footprint of the closet or storage area, processes the needs and wants along with a homeowner’s budget and uses design software to produce a visual concept on site. Consultations can take longer for bigger projects.
Once he settles on a design, he has his wife, Melissa , look at it to get not only another perspective but also a woman’s ideas before the plan is finalized. “I use both my wife’s eyes and my eyes,” he said So if clutter is overtaking your life, it wouldn’t hurt to call an organizational superhero of sorts to come to your rescue. And why not? Consultation is free.
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THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016
From garden to bottle: Grow your own perfume By CHELLE CORDERO Creators.com Growing your own signature fragrance is easy. If you have a garden — or even just a pot of flowers — a square of cheesecloth, a small saucepan and an airtight bottle, you can make an expensive-smelling perfume for pennies. And even if you don’t grow your own flowers, you can buy a bouquet, use the fragrant flowers you want and then set the perfume bottle in the remaining bouquet as a romantic and thoughtful gift. Choose your favorite fragrance — or the favorite fragrance of a gift recipient. Some popular floral scents include rose, lilac, jasmine, flowering plum, magnolia and orange blossom. Any pleasantly fragrant flower combination will do. To make the perfume, separate the petals from the flower bud — you’ll need about 11⁄2 cups of slightly chopped petals. Make sure not to include any leaves or stems, as those can breed bacteria. Depending on your preference, you can add a savory spice such as cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, vanilla bean or lemon peel to the mix — the only limits are your imagination and sense of smell. Bundle the petals and/or spices in a cheesecloth square. Place the cheesecloth bundle in a bowl with the ends overlapping the sides. Pour 2 cups of distilled water over the petals, making sure the petals are covered by the water, and then cover the bowl. Let the petals soak in the water overnight. The next morning, pick the cheesecloth and petals out of the bowl by the corners and squeeze the liquid out of the cheesecloth over a small pot. Set the pot over a very low flame to simmer until the liquid is reduced to about 11⁄2 teaspoons. Let the liquid cool, pour it into a small clean
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A pot of wonderful scented flowers in your garden can become a homemade custom perfume. jar and close tightly. The perfume will last for about a month if kept in a cool, dark place. There are also woodsy scents you can use for men’s cologne. Some more masculine floral and spice scent ideas include: iris, lavender, sage, bergamot, tuberose, clove and cardamom. Mix and
match these scents for a unique and masculine cologne. Up for a challenge? This do-ityourself project takes months to go from petals to perfume. The extraction process, called “enfleurage,” began in French perfume houses. But not to worry — this technique costs far less than de-
signer French perfume. To make perfume through enfleurage, you’ll need purified animal fat, flowers, powdered alum, pairs of matching bowls, a strainer, rubbing alcohol and oil of cedar or sandalwood to use as a fixative. Don’t pick the flowers until you are ready to start the extraction.
Place beef suet or lard into a large pot with a teaspoon of alum and enough water to cover the fat. Boil for 45 minutes, adding water periodically to make sure the fat stays covered. Be careful not to burn the suet. Let the mixture cool until a layer of fat rises to the surface. Then, skim the grease and set it aside in a bowl. Repeat this process with the remaining fat and continue adding grease to the bowl until you have an odorless fatty mixture. Allow the grease to cool and settle to the consistency of thick honey. Pour it into half of the bowls until they are about 1 ⁄ 2 inch deep. Refrigerate the bowls until the grease solidifies, scouring the tops of each grease mound with a knife before they completely harden. This hardened ointment is called a “pomade.” Pick fresh flowers from the garden at their peak of fragrance (usually after blooming). Mix varieties of flowers and/or spices as desired. Separate the fragrant petals onto a sheet of wax paper Sprinkle the petals over the hardened pomade to a depth of about 2 inches. Take an empty matching bowl, turn it over and cover each filled bowl; seal the edges with tape so that the stacked containers remain airtight. Set the paired bowls to the side for a couple of days. After a few days, unwrap the tape and replace the petals with fresh ones. Do this a few times until the pomade is thoroughly scented. Chop the pomade into small pieces and put the pieces into small glass bottles. Fill the bottles with alcohol, seal and store for three months, shaking them gently every few days. Strain the scented alcohol into clean bottles and add a few drops of a fixative for each 1⁄2 cup of perfume. Enjoy!
Bugs help keep plants healthy By DIANNE CROWN Creators.com Wait! That bug or larva you’re about to spray may be a beneficial contributor to your lawn and garden. Veteran garden center manager Cara Knepler offers encouragement and caution for beginners with bugs. Step one is to encourage the beneficial bugs. A healthy, biodiverse ecosystem with beneficial insects and companion plantings — and without diseased and damaged plants — requires less maintenance and fewer chemical interventions to control sap sucking and leaf chewing insects. Knepler’s top four helpful insects are: ■■ Predatory mites: helpful biological control against various
pest mites. ■■ Ladybird beetle: eats mealybugs, aphids and others. ■■ Hoverfly: looks like a bee, but has short black antennae. Note that the larvae eat aphids, so protect them, too. ■■ Praying mantis: “great against tomato hornworm and earwigs,” says Knepler. “But be sure you do have some harmful insects because, if not, they’ll eat anything else, including the beneficial insects, each other, anything.” Learn to recognize the life stages of these garden helpers in your region so you can protect and encourage them throughout the growing season. Look up “beneficial insects in the garden” for links to helpful websites. And for free, local advice, contact your
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area’s master gardener or university extension office and stop by your favorite garden center. The University of California Integrated Pest Management website offers an excellent reference, which begins, “Natural enemies are organisms that kill, decrease the reproductive potential of, or otherwise reduce the numbers of another organism. Natural enemies that limit pests are key components of integrated pest management programs.” The page about hover flies for example, shows each stage in the life cycle to help you protect this important helper insect. Step two is to find companion planting and colorful perennials.
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HOME, LAWN & GARDEN ■ PAGE 5
Replace old boards to maintain siding By MARK J. DONOVAN Creators.com
above it, the one you just loosened up. This will take some effort. Go slowly and cautiously to prevent damaging the upper clapboard. Once the old clapboard has been removed, use the round end of your pry bar and hammer to pound in the cut nails underneath the clapboard sitting just above the clapboard you just removed. This will allow the new clapboard to slide in easily.
If you own a home with clapboard siding long enough, you’ll inevitably end up needing to do the occasional clapboard replacement project. Replacing clapboard house siding is not hard to do. However, you need to take some extra care in removing the old and damaged clapboard pieces to ensure you don’t end up having to replace more clapboards than necessary. To replace clapboard house siding you will need a number of tools, including a hammer, pry bar, reciprocating saw, miter saw, caulking gun, tape measure, pencil, square, and utility knife. You will also need materials: new clapboard siding, caulk, nails and paint. Removing old clapboard To remove an old clapboard siding board, first use a utility knife to score the paint underneath the edge of the clapboard just above the clapboard you want to replace. Also use the utility knife to cut a vertical line in the clapboard siding, where you want to stop the splicing/repair. Then use the claw end of the hammer and the pry bar to cut into the clapboard you want to replace. Work your way down the length of the clapboard, removing as much of it as you can with your
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With the right tools and materials, it’s easy to replace old clapboards by yourself. tools and hands. Next use the claw end of the hammer and pry bar to lift the bottom edge of the clapboard just above the clapboard you want to remove. Then use the reciprocating saw to cut the nails that are holding
the clapboard you want to remove. Place the saw blade up underneath the bottom edge of the upper clapboard that you just loosened and cut the nails. Next use the claw end of the hammer and pry bar to again loosen the clapboard bottom edge
up and away from the lower clapboard you want to remove. Now pull the lower clapboard — the damaged clapboard you want to replace and that you’ve already removed sections of — out from underneath the bottom edge of the clapboard sitting just
Installing new boards Cut a new section of clapboard to the proper length and slide it up into place underneath the bottom edge of the clapboard that you loosened up. With the desired clapboard exposure, nail the new clapboard in place by nailing stainless steel siding nails (5d, or 1 3/4 inches in length) into the holes of the clapboard piece that sits just above the new clapboard you slipped into place. Place two nails in the exact area of the original nail hole(s). Do this along the length of the new clapboard piece. Then, with the new clapboard piece, nail in a stainless steel nail about an inch up from the bottom of the clapboard siding, in line with the other nail locations on the other clapboards. Finally, caulk if necessary, and then paint the clapboard to complete your replacement project.
Plan bathroom remodel without blowing budget By MARK J. DONOVAN Creators.com To properly estimate the cost of a bathroom renovation, you must consider two main things: Who will do the work and how many big-ticket items you plan to replace. Below are some tips on estimating the cost of your desired bathroom remodel and how to get the look you want without breaking the bank.
you’ll pay closer to $15,000. These estimates assume that you’ll be doing a basic remodel. But the contractor and vendors you hire, as well as replacing or adding custom details, will impact the final cost. For example, increasing square footage, putting in a custom shower and modifying the rough plumbing and electric will increase your bottom line. Extensive high-end bathroom remodels can cost upward of $30,000.
Average, specialty costs Expect to pay anywhere from $7,000 to $15,000 to remodel an average-sized bathroom, depending on where you live. You’ll pay closer to $7,000 in the South; in the Northeast or on the West Coast,
Project manager You’ll need to either hire a general contractor or act as your own general contractor. The latter can be tough if you don’t have previous experience remodeling and dealing with vendors. A general
contractor oversees the project from beginning to end. He or she hires subcontractors, negotiates with vendors, manages deliveries and ensures product quality to deliver a spectacular end product. If you plan to hire a general contrac-
tor, make sure you check the person’s references. Clarify whether you or your general contractor will buy the materials. General contractors typically receive steep discounts for materials, but they’ll often mark up the price to sell to
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THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016
Garden-to-kitchen: Grow your own restaurant By TERESA IQBAL Creators.com Farm-to-table isn’t just a trend. It’s an incredibly satisfying way to create a meal with the produce that you’ve worked so hard on and waited so patiently for. Here, you will find some recipe ideas for the veggies already growing in your backyard. Tomatoes are hearty and grow in abundance, making them a key ingredient in any restaurant-inspired recipe. The tomatoes that you buy in the grocery store are usually picked before they reach their optimum ripeness. Farm-totable cooking gives you the opportunity to pick and taste perfectly ripe tomatoes, full of flavor. You won’t experience that from a grocery store buy. An incredibly useful recipe to make using the tomatoes from your own garden is a pasta sauce — throw it on some pizza crust or in a pot of spaghetti. Pasta sauce is a great staple recipe to master that tastes best with homegrown tomatoes. This recipe from Yummy Yummy Kitchen incorporates fresh tomatoes and just a few other ingredients, but the result is a fullflavored pasta sauce that can be served immediately or frozen. It is perfect to have on hand whenever the mood for Italian food strikes! To add to the fun, grow your own garlic, onion, oregano and basil. Try growing oregano and basil indoors for year-round easy access to these flavorful herbs. Tomato Pasta Sauce 1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 yellow onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced 1⁄4 cup red wine
8 cups tomato chunks 1 teaspoon dried oregano Pinch red pepper flakes Small bunch of fresh basil Kosher salt and pepper to taste In a large saucepan, saute the onion in olive oil over medium heat until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute longer. Add the wine and simmer until the liquid has evaporated, making sure the garlic doesn’t burn. Stir in the tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Add the oregano and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to low and cover for 15 minutes. Covering will help the tomatoes to “sweat” and break down more quickly. Then, uncover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally for about an hour. Use an immersion blender to carefully puree the sauce. Add the basil into the blender or sprinkle on top. If you don’t have an immersion blender, let the sauce cool and then very carefully puree it in a regular blender. Zucchini plants produce rather prolifically, so there is an opportunity to try them in loads of different recipes. Try using a peeler (or a spiralizer) to create strips of zucchini to be used as a substitute for noodles in your favorite pasta recipe. This practice has recently been all the rage. Also consider chopping zucchini into sticks, dipping them into an egg batter and rubbing them in a shallow bowl of seasoned breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Bake the sticks on a coated baking sheet at 425 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes for a treat that the whole family can enjoy. Zucchini bread is a go-to recipe for those who are left with an abundance of squash at the end of the season. It is a great gift for
1⁄2 cup currants or raisins (optional) Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Set the baking rack on the middle level. Generously grease two 8-inch-by-4-inch loaf pans. In a large bowl, mix the eggs with the sugar until combined. Add the grated zucchini, melted butter and vanilla extract and stir to combine. In another large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Whisk the ingredients together. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and mix until combined. Add the nuts and currants — or chocolate chips if desired. Divide the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Set the pans on the wire rack and let them cool for about 10 minutes. Turn the loaves over onto rack to cool completely. The options are endless when it comes to creating fresh recipes using ingredients from your own backyard. The better you become at growing a diverse set of vegetables and herbs, the more recipes you can try your hand at.
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Use the harvest from your garden to build your own take on the farm-to-table trend. neighbors and friends, too! Check out this easy recipe from Once Upon a Chef to use up your stock of zucchini after a successful harvest. Zucchini Bread 3 large eggs 13⁄4 cup granulated sugar
Bugs (Concluded from Page 4) Companion planting both attracts pollinators and helps keep harmful insects out of your garden. For example, says Knepler, borage repels worms and attracts bees and beneficial wasps, which makes it an effective companion plant for tomatoes. Marigolds and scented geraniums do the same thing. Knepler also likes planting sunflowers to attract aphids, which attract ants to the sugars released during aphid activity. “The insects are drawn away from other plants, but sunflowers are so tough that they aren’t damaged.” In classes and conversations, Knepler emphasizes the importance of incorporating plants that attract and sustain butterflies and bees, such as Butterfly weed, Bee balm and hardy milkweed species, which provide essential habitat for our declining Monarch butterfly population. “Honey bee colonies are very stressed right now. If we don’t have pollinators, we don’t live.” In addition, planting groups
of colorful pollinators could make your garden a stop on the “Monarch Highway” and help restore this beautiful, important species. Step three is to see the natural controls. When you do see evidence of harmful insects in the garden, consider natural controls first. First, remove damaged plants, which encourage infestation, says Knepler. It may be necessary to remove shoots, sections or the entire plant to control the problem. Then consider organic, topical solutions. “When you use broad chemical controls, whether a spray or a systemic application (in the soil), you’re going to get rid of all larvae, including the beneficial ones.” Careful, selective application of certain fatty acid insecticidal oils, insecticidal soaps and pyrethrins can control early emergence of harmful insects without overkill. The website plantcaretoday. com offers a basic insecticidal soap recipe and variations. You’ll need pure soap — no dish soap or degreasers — distilled water, and
a spray bottle for the basic recipe. After that, such additives as cayenne pepper and garlic may be helpful. This site and others offer easy, inexpensive recipes for routine, eco-friendly insect controls. And finally, the best defense in the garden is a good offense. Keep your plants healthy, says Knepler. Adequate sun and enough water (an inch and a half of rainfall or supplemental watering per week) will allow your plants to thrive, attract beneficial insects and create a sustainable and beautiful garden for years to come.
2 cups grated zucchini (one medium zucchini; about 10 ounces) 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 3 cups all-purpose flour, leveled-off in measuring cup 21⁄2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon baking soda 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted if desired
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THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016
HOME, LAWN & GARDEN ■ PAGE 7
Bathroom
How to battle low water pressure
Rough plumbing, wiring It is best, from a cost perspective, to leave the rough plumbing and electric wiring alone -- unless there are mechanical issues. For example, relocating a toilet or bathtub will increase your costs significantly because these changes require additional labor.
By MARK J. DONOVAN Creators.com
(Concluded from Page 5)
New or renew? Reusing the same toilet, sink or vanity and keeping the appliance in the same location will save some serious money. Bathroom toilets vary in cost from $150 to $3,000. Again, relocating any of these appliances will increase labor costs. Light fixtures A copious amount of light in a bathroom, whether natural or artificial, is important. You don’t have to use one light; pick one light for your vanity space and another light for the shower, and install a dimmer switch. Splurge a little to reposition or rewire a fixture to get the look you want. Just be wary of costs building up quickly. Playing with tile Tile is beautiful, but it is pricey. A custom-tiled shower alone can cost thousands of dollars. As a compromise, consider installing a standard bathtub and only tiling from the tub to the ceiling. You’ll get a bathroom refresh for less. Tiling a floor is also a relatively easy do-it-yourself project. With careful thought and consideration, you can achieve a bathroom makeover that will make you and your wallet happy.
Are you fed up with water leaking out of your shower every day? Low water pressure is frustrating, but you don’t have to live with it. You can improve it in no time once you’ve discovered the source of the problem. The following are a number of easy steps to troubleshoot low water pressure. Check main valve If your home runs off a municipal water supply, first make sure that the main water valve is fully open. The valve is usually located near the water meter. If you’ve had work done on your house recently, it’s possible that the contractor shut off the water supply but did not fully crank the valve back open. Talk to neighbors Ask your neighbors whether they, too, are experiencing low water pressure. If so, contact your neighborhood’s water utility company to see whether it can increase the water pressure in your area. Check water pressure Check the water pressure in your home. Connect a water pressure gauge to an outdoor faucet. Turn off all the water valves in the house except the main one. Then measure the water pressure in your water pipes. Ideally, the water pressure should measure about 60 pounds per square inch. If it measures 40 to 50 psi, it’s too low; if it’s greater than 70 psi, it is too high.
Follow how-to tips to resolve issues with low water pressure. TOOKAPIC CREATORS.COM
Check water regulator Again, if your house runs on a public water supply, make sure that the water regulator is working properly. The regulator decreases the water pressure as it travels from the main line to your home. The water pressure could be severely diminished if the regulator is broken. If you suspect that the water regulator is broken, call your water utility company and request that someone check it — or even replace it, if necessary. Clear faucet clogs Over time, minerals can build up in the pipes, particularly at the faucet outflow. Soak the end
of the faucet in vinegar to break down any hard minerals that may be clogging it. Partially fill a plastic bag with vinegar, and slip it over the end of the faucet, holding it in place with a rubber band. Remove the plastic bag after 24 hours, and lightly brush the faucet with an old toothbrush. Turn the faucet handles and see whether the pressure has improved. Replace supply lines If you have a very old plumbing system, it is possible that the water supply lines themselves are clogged with minerals. If you suspect this is the case, hire a plumb-
er to confirm, and then replace the supply lines if necessary. This is an expensive endeavor, but you’ll need to do this before you can ever sell your home. There’s no point in waiting for the inevitable; bite the bullet and spend the money now. Check pump, holding tank If your house has a private water system — e.g., an artesian well — make sure the well pump is operating properly. Also, if applicable, make sure that your wholehouse water filter isn’t clogged. You may have to increase the water pressure regulator on the holding tank to about 60 psi.
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PAGE 8 ■ HOME, LAWN & GARDEN
THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016
Water-saving tips assist lawns during drought By SHARON NAYLOR Creators.com It takes preparation to keep your lawn healthy and looking good during a drought, especially if you want to keep costs and water use under control. In some drought-declared areas, you can incur a fine for watering your lawn on restricted days, making for a budget fiasco when your water bill arrives. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that the average American family uses 320 gallons of water per day, with about 30 percent devoted to outdoor use. In a dry climate, a household’s outdoor water use can reach 60 percent. Nationally, landscape irrigation accounts for nearly one-third of all residential water use. Keep in mind that drought areas aren’t just located in faraway deserts. Any region can experience a period of little rainfall and dry, hot conditions, calling for restrictions and special steps to conserve water used on lawns. So keep these tips in mind to maintain your own lawn: ■■ Choose drought-tolerant lawn grasses. The About.com guide to lawn care, written by lawn enthusiast Kelly Burke, recommends drought-tolerant grasses in areas with imposed water restrictions for their ability to withstand periods without water. “Certain species of grass are better equipped to handle drought because of their native conditions,” says Burke. And some grasses are bred as cultivars with improved ability to withstand drought. Talk to your local garden center’s experts for recommendations of drought-tolerant grasses that will perform well in your region. Burke says that some drought-tolerant grasses are better suited for the cool seasons and may need supplemental watering, while others sur-
Terry’s
FL O O R CO V E RIN G • CA RP E T • W O O D • TIL E
vive on rainfall alone. Some types of drought-resistant lawns to investigate include tall fescue, sheep fescue, wheatgrass and Kentucky bluegrass -- which Burke says can survive on half the normal water requirements if the soil is healthy and fertile. Ask about warm-season lawn choices such as Bermuda grass, St. Augustine grass and centipede grass. Each type of grass has its own characteristics, which you’ll need to know in order to give the best care. ■■ Provide healthy soil. Fertile soil accepts water and optimally delivers it to grass and plant roots. Your local garden center may have a soil-testing department, to which you can bring a sample of your soil for pH and other testing. Based on the results you’ll receive advice and product suggestions for how to make your soil as healthy and productive as it can be. ■■ Know how often to water your grass. The EPA says that it’s usually not necessary to water your grass every day. Instead, follow instructions for watering frequency based on your chosen grass. Step on a patch of grass barefoot to test your lawn’s moisture condition. The EPA says that if the grass springs back, it doesn’t need water. ■■ Water your lawn in the morning. Watering early in the day allows water to seep deep into the ground for the roots to drink. Morning is also when wind spread and temperatures are lowest, which helps to prevent some evaporation. The EPA says that as much as 50 percent of water is wasted due to evaporation, wind or runoff caused by improper irrigation setups. ■■ Install irrigation products properly. Set timers on dripirrigation and micro-irrigation systems to perform optimally and according to drought laws in
SHARON TORIS/CREATORS.COM
In times of drought, lawns can look dry and crispy. your region. For instance, in some regions, anyone who installs an irrigation system must install a rain sensor device or switch that will automatically turn off timed sprinklers or drip irrigation systems when rainfall occurs. Water-
Sense-labeled products can help conserve water use. ■■ Avoid over-fertilizing your lawn. Some types of fertilizer require or soak up more water. Choose products that have waterinsoluble, slow-release forms of
nitrogen. ■■ Use the highest blade on your lawn mower. Cutting grass to a shorter height encourages the roots to grow deeper, and can help the soil hold onto moisture longer. ■■ Plant native, droughtresistant plants, shrubs and trees as part of your lawn landscape. Once these are established on your property, they will survive a dry spell, require less fertilizer and herbicide and stand up to drought. ■■ Stay off your lawn. The lawn-care experts at Scotts recommend limiting foot traffic on your lawn when the weather is hot and dry to prevent additional stress on your lawn. ■■ Don’t fertilize a dry lawn. If your lawn has gone dormant from an extreme drought, don’t fertilize it, or further stress and damage can occur.
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THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016
HOME, LAWN & GARDEN ■ PAGE 9
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THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016
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HOME, LAWN & GARDEN ■ PAGE 11
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Carpet, wood, tile viable basement options By MARK J. DONOVAN Creators.com Deciding on basement flooring can be challenging. A basement floor is simply a slab of concrete that rests on the ground. Consequently, the surface is very hard and is subject to moisture wicking up through it. This moisture can lead to mold and mildew growth if not quickly and properly removed from the basement. The following are flooring options to consider when planning a finished basement. Epoxy coating First, it is important to decide on how you plan to use the basement. If it is simply going to be used for storing items, then an epoxy coating applied to the surface of the concrete basement floor is the ideal option. Epoxy coatings are resistant to spills (e.g., oil spills) and make the job of cleaning and vacuuming much easier. Epoxy coating is also inexpensive, relatively easy to install and comes in many color choices. If you plan to have a finished living space basement, then ceramic tile, wood, laminate or carpeting maybe a better choice. Subfloors If you are opting for wood, laminate or carpeting you may want to consider installing a wood subfloor over the concrete basement slab and adding insulation. To build a wood subfloor, first place a sheet of polyethylene plastic against the concrete slab. This will act as a moisture barrier. Then place a grid of 2-by-4-inch pieces of lumber laid on their flat sides. In between the 2-by4s, install rigid foam insulation. Finally, install plywood over the grid of 2-by-4s and insulation. The carpeting, laminate or wood flooring can then be installed over the plywood. Carpeting Carpeting can be a good choice for a finished basement, because it can add a layer of insulation that helps make the basement feel warmer. It can also make the finished living space feel cozier. However, it is again critical that there are no moisture issues in
Building a room addition By MARK J. DONOVAN Creators.com If you are considering building a room addition, the best way to minimize the cost is to build within your home’s existing footprint. Build another bedroom by utilizing some of your home’s unfinished space, or by repurposing an existing finished space. These options can save you tens of thousands of dollars compared with adding more square footage to the exterior of your home. A homeowner can typically save 25 to 50 percent by working within your existing square footage compared to building out. Otherwise, you could be spending anywhere from $150 to $600 per square foot, depending on the desired architecture, the features you want and the real estate marSee ADDITION on Page 15
the basement. Moisture wicking up through the concrete slab and onto the underside of the carpeting will quickly lead to mold and mildew growth underneath the carpet. If basement floor moisture tests indicate there are no issues with water wicking up through the concrete slab, then a wood subfloor is not necessary. The carpeting can be applied directly onto the concrete slab. To test the basement floor for moisture simply tape down a few small pieces of plastic to the concrete basement slab, and check them 24 hours later. If you see beads of moisture underneath
the plastic, then you need to come up with a permanent solution to eliminate the moisture.
install a wood subfloor, regardless of whether there is moisture detected.
Wood flooring A wood floor is a viable alternative if installed right. If not done right, you’ll end up wasting your money: The wood will become damaged by mold and mildew growth and/or the boards will warp and swell. So before installing a wood floor, first test the concrete for moisture. Again, if there is a moisture problem, come up with a permanent solution before proceeding with the installation of a wood floor. And
Laminate flooring Laminate flooring is a low-cost alternative to wood flooring. It is also a relatively easy DIY project. However, like a traditional wood floor, a moisture barrier and a subfloor should ideally be first installed over the basement con-
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crete slab. Ceramic tile Ceramic tile is ideal for a basement, as moisture wicking up through the basement slab is less of a concern. Ceramic tile is also easy to maintain and clean, comes in a plethora of colors, shapes and styles, and is a viable DIY project. It’s especially ideal in a basement bar area.
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THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016
Take steps to help plants survive vacation By SHARON NAYLOR Creators.com If you’re planning a vacation but are worried about how your garden will fare during your absence — especially during a summer heat wave or a dry spell — there are some steps you can take to help your vegetables, herbs and flowers survive while you’re away. ■■ Know your plants’ water needs. Some plants require frequent watering and some do just fine if their soil gets a little bit dry. Over-watering can be as much of a hazard to plants as dryness, so you don’t want to overdo it. ■■ Water well before you leave and keep them hydrated. An About.com gardening expert says to give your plants a good soaking and then add a layer of mulch to keep roots cool and to provide the soil with plenty of moisture. “Mulched plants lose 25 percent less water than unmulched plants,” so your smartly layered mulch, kept away from the trunk or stems of the plant, can do the trick until you return. She points out that if your plants are already mulched, you likely don’t need to add more. Just make sure the soil is wet a few inches below the surface. ■■ Install a drip irrigation system to help you lay drip irrigation hoses throughout your landscaping or garden. You can purchase an inexpensive drip irrigation system at your local garden center. A timer on your spout allows for planned watering that keeps the water at the bases of your plants without sprinkling water on the leaves and flowers, which can cause mildew. ■■ If you have a sprinkler system in your lawn, be sure to set the timer for regular watering that will take care of your lawn and garden plantings.
way before your getaway, making it an excellent source of water for your garden. Attach a soaker hose to it and run the hose through your garden and plantings, including new saplings in your landscaping. The water will slowly come out, saturating the ground and getting to plant roots. A wellwatered garden before you leave will be even better for maximizing this extra flow of moisture. ■■ Use water bulbs. Check your local garden center for water bulbs that you’ll fill with water and then stick into the ground by your plants or into your potted plants. These bulbs are specially designed to release water slowly and as the plant or ground needs it, supplying a good supplemental amount of moisture to your plants and flowers. ■■ Secure all deer and critter netting to help protect your garden from any nibbling. Checking for loose edges around a surrounded garden can help protect your tomatoes and other plantings. Consider adding reflective ribbons or other visual deterrents to your garden, even if you don’t
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Water your plants and garden well before leaving for vacation to help them survive a dry spell while you’re away. ■■ Move your potted plants. Even if it doesn’t look as good as where they usually sit, moving your potted plants and flowers within range of your sprinklers will keep them watered regularly, which is important since they don’t have access to natural
ground water. If you can arrange for your sprinklers to hit a shady area on your property, this is an ideal spot to place your potted plants so that the sun doesn’t dry them. ■■ Use a rain barrel. Rain barrels will catch rainwater that falls
Indoor gardens refresh, add cheer By SHARON NAYLOR Creators.com If you live in an apartment or don’t have any garden space in your yard, don’t worry: You’re not doomed to live without greenery. You can still enjoy a veritable garden of flowers, plants and herbs inside your dwelling. An indoor garden will cheer you up, refresh the air in your home and perhaps — with the help of homegrown herbs — add a fresh, natural flavor to your cooking. Pick the right flowers and plants for your home’s lighting and create multiple mini-gardens throughout your living space. Choose your vessel You’re not limited to flowerpots. Visit your local garden center or floral shop to find elongated planting boxes, tiered planters, magnetic mini flowerpots to stick to your refrigerator, window boxes and other pots and planting containers. Mix and match flower pot styles and colors to coordinate your indoor garden vessels with your home decor. Look at the light Observe the lighting conditions in each area of your home throughout the day. Areas that stay sunny for eight hours or more are ideal for plants that need full sun exposure; shade plants work well in rooms with small windows or windows that don’t bring in much sunlight. Surprisingly, plants and flowers may work well in your bathroom, as a sunny window combined with the heat and
use them on a regular basis. While you’re away, they can be effective at preventing destruction of your plantings. ■■ Hire a garden-sitter. If you’ll be away for more than a week, you may find it more advantageous to hire someone to check in on your garden once or twice a week, turning on the hose or sprinklers, watering plants and perhaps mowing your lawn. (And if you have a lawncare service, insert flags along the lengths of soaker hoses you’ve run across your lawn so that your lawn care workers don’t run over them with the mower.) About.com suggests forming a garden-care plan with your neighbors so you can take turns caring for each other’s gardens whenever your families are away. ■■ Time the planting of saplings or new plants until after your trip. New plantings need regular watering and care to help them take root and thrive. Exposing them to the trauma of dryness and heat can create a danger of welcoming you home to a garden of those new (and expensive) dead trees and plants.
humidity from your shower will create a thriving environment for growth. Choose the right plants Mary-Kate Mackey, co-author of “Sunset Secret Gardens,” says that sansevieria, also known as “mother-in-law’s tongue,” works well in low light and cleans the air. When you live in an apartment, you may not be able to clean the building’s air ducts, so a plant that cleans the air for you can help stave off allergies. “Display this pot in a saucer, so that any water runoff from your watering process stays in the saucer, helping to keep the humidity this plant loves,” says Mackey. Tillandsia is another favorite of Mackey’s, who says she likes the look of displaying this
beautiful airy plant with lowmaintenance succulents. Mixing and matching different plants is a great creative exercise; planting them in separate pots also lets you easily rearrange them. A groundplanted garden is versatile. Additional plants and flowers recommended for apartment living include: ■■ Braided ficus tree: They’re low-maintenance and look great in a tall space with high ceilings, preferring bright and indirect sunlight. ■■ African violets: These pretty and inexpensive flowers enjoy moderate, indirect sunlight. Move them away from windows during a cold day or hot weather snap, See INDOOR on Page 16
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Addition (Concluded from Page 13) ket conditions relative to where you live -- and that’s not even considering furniture, other cosmetic details or construction labor costs. Though the numbers might be scary, it’s important to understand exactly what’s required for a build-out, both financially and logistically. Consider the following practicalities before making your decision. Creating another room outside of your blueprint requires excavation and foundation work. In addition, you’ll have to do some demolition to your home, such as knocking down the walls adjacent to your add-on. Hiring an architect is highly advisable, and sometimes necessary, to ensure the new room is structurally sound, functional and matches your home’s aesthetics. Making this new room seamlessly attached to your house will positively affect your resale value. That being said, hiring an architect, building contractor or interior designer can significantly increase the bottom line of the project. You will have to judge the value based on your property. There are a few different ways to transform unused areas or change the functionality of a currently used room in your home. One way is to go vertical, by finishing a basement or attic. This could depend on what you’d like to use the new room for: It may be suitable for an office or storage closet, but maybe not for a guestroom for the grandparents. These expansions are beneficial because they don’t require exterior construction, painting or landscaping. Otherwise, expanding your square footage will absolutely require exterior construction. You’d have to plan out (and pay for) exterior framing, siding, insulation, the installation of windows and doors, a new roof, painting the walls and landscaping. If the paint on the exterior of your house looks worn-out, you may have to repaint the whole house so the shades of paint match. You may be presented with other unforeseen issues that you’ll need to investigate prior to breaking ground. For example, does your lot even have enough space to allow an attached room addition to be constructed? Also, are there any covenants in your housing development or city council that may preclude you from building an attachment? It is highly advisable to check with your local building inspector to determine if an attached room addition is feasible. So, if you are contemplating building a room addition and want to minimize the costs, think about building within your home’s existing footprint. Not only will you save money, time and headaches but also you’ll save in annual property tax bills.
HOME, LAWN & GARDEN ■ PAGE 15
Driveways: Asphalt vs. pavement By MARK J. DONOVAN Creators.com The two most popular types of driveway materials are asphalt and concrete. They each have their own unique pros and cons. Asphalt driveways are better suited for cooler climates, whereas concrete driveways are best for hotter ones. With both, however, a solid foundation is critical for ensuring a long-lasting driveway. The base should be comprised of a thick layer of stone and gravel that has been thoroughly compacted down before pouring the asphalt or concrete over it. Without a thick and compact base, the driveway will end up cracking and/or settling from the weight of vehicles. Concrete driveway Concrete driveways are ideal for hotter climates because they do no soften under intense heat and sunlight. They also require minimal maintenance. However, concrete shows oil stains much easier than asphalt driveways and are more susceptible to salt damage. Salt is frequently used on roads in colder climates to mitigate road ice. As a result, concrete driveways are infrequently installed in colder climate areas. Concrete driveways are also difficult to repair. If a crack forms, there is not much you can do about it other than replacing the section of driveway — or the entire driveway. Also, concrete can shear off of the driveway foundation over time, which can lead to unwanted cracks. Asphalt driveway Asphalt driveways typically cost less to install, which is why they are so popular. However, asphalt needs more maintenance. They should be sealed every few years, which takes some time and
Asphalt driveways are ideal for cold and damp climates. DAVID MANNEY CREATORS.COM
money. Sealing a driveway is an easy do-it-yourself project, but it does require some heavy lifting of asphalt sealer buckets; depending on the size of your driveway, it can take upwards of several hours to complete. In addition, the driveway cannot be walked on or driven over for two to three days after it has been sealed. Please note that a new asphalt driveway should not be sealed for at least six to nine months after it has been installed. This is because a fair amount of time is required for the light oils in the asphalt to evaporate. If you seal a driveway prior to the evaporation of the light oils, the driveway will become soft, thus making it more susceptible to damage. Asphalt softens up under intense summer heat. As a result, these driveways are vulnerable to damage from heavy vehicles that drive over frequently or are parked for long periods of time. Ruts can form over time due to driving on them in intense heat. Similarly, depressions can form
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where the wheels typically sit when parked. Lastly, the driveway edges are susceptible to compression and cracking if run over on a very hot day. Asphalt driveways are also easier to repair than concrete driveways. There are asphalt crack fillers that can be used anywhere, anytime. Colorful driveways Asphalt driveways do not necessarily have to be black. They can be mixed with dyes to color or tint the asphalt. It is a similar story with concrete driveways: Dyes can
be mixed with the concrete to deviate from the standard black or white cement. Make sure to check with your contractor to see what options they can offer you. Life span If an asphalt driveway is properly installed on a solid base and maintained regularly, it can last for 25 to 30 years. Concrete driveways can last even longer, but again, a solid foundation base is critical to maximize longevity. Otherwise, the concrete will crack over the years from use and weather.
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THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016
Hybrid seeds create entirely new plants By JEFF RUGG Creators.com Q: I see that some seeds in my vegetable catalogs are listed as F1 hybrids. They are usually more expensive than other seeds and other hybrids. Is it worth the money to get F1 hybrids? Is there an F2 or F3 hybrid? A: It might be worth the money if the desired traits you need in that kind of plant are why the F1 hybrid was created. It is time for a quick botany lesson. An open pollinated plant has seeds produced from parents that are of the same species. The resulting offspring may or may not be similar to the parents. In some plants that are self-fertile, like tomatoes, only one plant is needed and the offspring do appear to be like the parent. Beans, lettuce, peas, and tomatoes are self-pollinating so they are easier to continue year to year without having to isolate them from other varieties. Over the generations, the offspring of many open pollinated plants are pretty consistently similar. If you have two plants that are different, such as one red flower and the other white, you can cross them to get a whole bunch of offspring. Some of them will have red flowers, some white and maybe some will have pink, striped or spotted flowers. All of the new offspring are hybrids, but only a few could be useful to continue growing. Since the genetics are not easy, the offspring of the hybrid may not continue that new characteristic. In some cases, the two parents are very different, but when crossed, some of their offspring exhibit markedly increased growth. This is called hybrid vigor and it can result in useful offspring. Because the parents were so different, the offspring are often sterile. Mules exhibit this hybrid vigor and are the usually sterile offspring of horses and donkeys. To help guarantee a good outcome in the crossing of plants, it is best to have great parents. For example, if plant breeders see two plants that each have a good characteristic that the other
Indoor (Concluded from Page 14) because they don’t like extreme temperature changes. Only water them when soil is dry to the touch. ■■ Cacti: They’re low-maintenance and don’t require a lot of water, so they can survive if you leave them to go on a trip for a few days. Place them in front of windows for sunlight. Mackey says that a great danger to indoor plants is overwatering. Keep the instructions for your plants and flowers on hand so that you can remind yourself of proper watering schedules. And be sure to keep potted plants situated away from where pets or kids can get into them, potentially spilling the potting material and soil or ingesting plants to their great harm. Herb gardens create wonderful opportunities for your kitchen, with your herbs growing together in one pot or placed in individual pots along your windowsill. A trend in home gardens is placing small herb plants in a vertical rack, where they can grow together and you can pick them as needed. Herb gardens save on your grocery budget and provide you with fresh, tasty flavor for your food and beverage creations.
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Through cross-pollination, whole new breeds of flowers are created. plant doesn’t have, they could try to cross them. The resulting offspring may not consistently have the combined characteristics. So, the breeders take the best of each parent and cross them among themselves. To ensure the proper pollen gets to the right flower, all of the crossing is done by hand. After several generations, the parents are grown into a pure line. The two pure lines are now crossed, and if everything works, an F1 hybrid with hybrid vigor and the best characteristics of both parents will be the result. The pure lines can take many years to create and they may be the result of previous cross-
ings that try to build in desirable characteristics. Pure lines and F1 hybrids are expensive to produce. Every year that the F1 hybrid seeds are available, both parents had to be available the year before to create the F1 seeds. Since no self-fertilization is allowed, all of the pure lines and F1 hybrid seeds have to be produced with hand pollination.
Since the breeders are the only ones with the right parents, they are the only ones who
can produce the right seeds. No one else can sneak in and get some of the financial reward as they could with open pollinated plants. Even with all this work, not every F1 hybrid is great. The plants are tested at trial gardens such as the All-America Selections program gardens, where some will fail. Vegetable F1 hybrids are often bred to have the highest yields, most uniformity, best disease resistance, need the least water and produce as early as possible. So, paying a little more per seed can have a high reward of better produce. The vegetable gardener can collect the seeds of an open pollinated plant and grow more of the same the next year. The seeds of hybrids and F1 hybrids will not produce the same plants the next year. Crossing a pair of F1 hybrids will get an F2 generation, but the offspring are not guaranteed to be good. Gardeners can choose hybrids or open pollinated varieties, or a combination of both types for the garden. Compare the characteristics of each variety with the qualities you want. Select varieties that are best for your garden.
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Conflicted cupboards: Organize, beautify kitchen By TERESA IQBAL Creators.com It’s often said that the kitchen is where we spend most of our time. So why not make that time more enjoyable by organizing it in the way that works best for you? How you organize your kitchen should depend on how it’s used on a daily basis. That is, do you love to prepare professional grade dishes regularly and need access to lots of kitchen gadgets? Maybe you’re a large family who needs a setup that is sturdy yet efficient and makes the most of every nook and cranny available. On the other end of the spectrum, we have those who have embraced the new trend known as minimalism. If so, you may be looking for a way to organize your limited set of kitchen supplies and dishes. Regardless of your family’s particular lifestyle, the kitchen organization tips listed below can help you create a space that reflects your needs and makes cooking and gathering in the kitchen that much easier. For those with a passion for cooking, finding a way to efficiently store your ample supply of kitchen gadgets can make all the difference. Try separating tools by their purpose. Hand mixers, cake decorating tools, flour sifters, and other baking tools can share space on one shelf while the meat thermometer, box grater, vegetable peeler, and other gadgets typically used for cooking main courses can share their own shelf. Organizing a tool by its purpose will lessen the chance that you’ll need to reach behind other items to get what you need. Take the same approach and apply it to your pantry. Baking soda, powder, brown sugar and flour can all sit on one shelf while you group pasta, broth and other similar items together. Having a general idea of where a tool or food is can make all the difference when pulling together a
complex recipe. If you have a large family, then simply finding a place to store all of the pantry goods can become quite the task. There are several clever ways to approach a full kitchen. If you or someone you know is handy with some basic tools, then consider making a large, vertical pullout drawer on wheels that can fit between the refrigerator and the wall. Fashion on some shelves that are the appropriate size to fit canned foods and you’ve instantly made valuable pantry space available for other big items such as small appliances, Tupperware or large boxes of staple items while making canned food easy to view and find. Consider using other spaces in your kitchen efficiently as well. Rather than a knife block taking space up on your counter, consider a magnetic knife holder. Use the space above the cupboards for storing rarely used items such as a turkey platter. Consider even using the space below your cupboards by hanging wine glasses from them. Clearing your kitchen of unnecessary and unused gadgets is a great approach if you’re looking for a more accessible kitchen that won’t overwhelm. Misty McNally of Modern Earth Living points out the transforming effect that ridding a kitchen of these unused items can have as she claims, “The first step to a great kitchen isn’t to remodel, but to clear away the space and energy guzzlers that clutter your counters and eat up storage. Underneath all those gadgets, you might already have the kitchen of your dreams.” Swapping out large appliances such as food processors and electric mixers with their more simple counterparts, such as a box grater and small hand held electric mixer can prove sufficient while leaving you with ample space to maneuver around your kitchen. This transition may best benefit smaller
Organizing your kitchen not only makes it easy to clean but keeps it easy on the eyes. NANCY HUGO CREATORS.COM
families or individuals who do not cook large amounts of food on a regular basis. If you find yourself opting for a more minimalistic approach to your kitchen, then there are a few tips to keep in mind, starting with opening up your cupboards, which can easily transform your space. This is because open cupboards allow you easy access to your dishes while simultaneously
showcasing them. This approach arguably looks much better with a tidy set of dishes and a few memorable statement pieces, rather than a large amount of dishes that may be a little too cluttered for the eye to look at. Another great tip comes from Abby Stone of Apartment Therapy. She says to consider the items that you plan to use in your kitchen, “If the canister that you use to store flour is hard
to open, it’s not useful. Before you buy something, try it out in the store and consider how you’ll use it.” This practice ensures that you are only filling your kitchen with items that you’ll get lots of use out of, allowing the opportunity for maximum efficiency, which of course means less time between walking in the door and sitting down to your next home cooked meal.
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PAGE 18 ■ HOME, LAWN & GARDEN
THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016
Pet-friendly gardens keep Fido, Fluffy safe By DIANNE CROWN Creators.com Yes, you can have beauty and variety in your garden and still keep your dog and cat healthy. Here’s how, and why, to make sure your plants are safe for pets. Depending on the animal’s breed, size, age and other characteristics, the plant in question and the extent and type of contact, symptoms from exposure to toxic plants can range from mild irritation and nausea to death. So, the best choice is a garden design with pet-friendly annuals and perennials. Search according to your planting region for comprehensive lists and photos online. The Association for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals offers resources to determine which plants are safe for dogs, cats and horses. Each entry in its list of plants includes the safety level and a description of toxicity symptoms. For example, the vivid large-leafed Caladium is toxic to dogs and cats, producing the following clinical symptoms: “Oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of the mouth, lips, tongue, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty in swallowing.” But dozens of flowering plants, such as the lovely Madagascar jasmine, are nontoxic to dogs, cats and horses,
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Make it pets before beauty when planning this year’s planting. as are dozens of other flowering plants. The Humane Society of the United States also provides a list of toxic plants and specific plant parts on its website. Writing for the Animal Health
Foundation, veterinarian Lee Pickett notes problem gardening practices. “Cocoa mulch is toxic if ingested because it contains theobromine and caffeine, which can cause vomiting, diarrhea, elevated heart rate and seizures.
Use a mulch of hardwood or pine instead. “Insecticides and herbicides can pose problems too,” Pickett continues. “Research on phenoxytype herbicides shows they increase the incidence of cancer.
Nonphenoxy herbicides ... do not increase cancer risk. “Don’t use slug bait that contains metaldehyde, which can be fatal to pets and wildlife. Check the Internet or your cooperative extension service for safe alternatives. “Many plants are toxic to pets, including chrysanthemums, clematis, coleus, daffodils, geranium, hibiscus, hosta, hyacinths, most ivies and lilies, peony, sweet William, tulips and vinca. “Finally, don’t forget to plant catnip, cat thyme and cat grass for your kitties,” says Pickett. For a list of medicinal garden plants for dogs, visit PetMD.com. Helpful plants for dogs include burdock, milk thistle, peppermint, astragalus, barley grass and others. For cats, the site recommends catnip, cat thyme, valerian, chamomile, calendula, Echinacea, licorice root, cat’s claw, dandelion root and more. An alternative to landscaping solely with pet-friendly plants is to separate sections of your garden with fencing. Pets and children can move freely in the safe zones, apart from plants, products and practices that pose contact and ingestion risks. Your tender loving care will help ensure a healthy life for your pets.
Assemble, preserve beautiful bouquet HA RDW OOD FL OORIN G W hite Oak – Red Oak – Poplar– Hard M aple – Cherry – Hickory By DIANE SCHLINDWEIN Creators.com
Whether you are celebrating a special occasion or just want to bring nature indoors, flowers are a sure way to brighten your — or someone else’s — day. But if you want those beauties to last, you have to properly care for cut flowers. When designing bouquets, florists choose flowers based on color, symbolic meaning or simply because they last longer than others. “Carnations and chrysanthemums last a long time. Two weeks is not uncommon,” says Mary Hockenberry Meyer, professor and extension horticulturist at the University of Minnesota. Other good bets for long-lasting beauty are lilies and gladiolas, which both survive in water for up to 14 days. White carnations slowly absorb water. For fun, add food coloring to the vase water and watch them drink up the dye and change color. And what about the world’s most romantic flower? Meyer admits that roses are lovely but may be short-lived. “It depends on how long ago they were harvested and how they are held prior to being placed in water,” she says. Flower arranging enthusiast Becky Donaldson agrees that mums and hydrangeas are a good pick. “Freesia are also a good flower for the price and last a long time,” she says. Folks who want to harvest bouquets from their own gardens should cut flowers during the coolest hours of the day. It’s best to place the stems in warm water and then keep them in a cool place for an hour or two. Always clean the vase well. Cut off any leaves that will be submersed in water because they will quickly deteriorate. Donaldson warns that many flowers are fragile and should be handled with care: “As a rule of thumb, do not touch the edges of roses, lilies and orchids. They will bruise.”
Contrary to popular belief, adding aspirin, wine or pennies to cut flowers does not keep them fresh longer. But no matter what flowers you choose, always add preservatives or “plant food.” They reduce bacteria that plug the water-conducting vessels, they adjust the water’s pH for better uptake, and they provide a carbohydrate boost to the plant, she explains. Preservatives packets are usually included in bouquets at the store. If not, you can purchase them separately. Meyers says to “Mix the preservatives well in warm water and place the freshly cut flowers -- I always re-cut the stems.” Any container can be used as a vase, Donaldson says, as long as wooden containers are lined with plastic, and floral foam is protected with foil or plastic. “Arrange-
ments can be low to the container or taller,” she says. Tall arrangements should be one and a half times the height of the container. Short or cropped arrangements require fewer flowers. After completing your arrangement, check the water level every day and add more water and preservatives as needed. Keep the flowers out of drafty or warm rooms in your home. To make the flowers last even longer, trim the stems regularly and remove wilted flowers. One last suggestion: If you’re searching for the freshest flowers in your garden and see some that are especially lovely, you might just let them be. They’ll look beautiful in your home, but will last longer on the plant, letting you savor the beauty for several weeks to come.
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HOME, LAWN & GARDEN ■ PAGE 19
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Accent walls are an easy, affordable way to add style to a room.
Accent wall: Simple touch can beautify room By KRISTEN CASTILLO Creators.com Adding an accent wall is a stylish touch for your home. Best of all? It doesn’t have to be pricey or complicated to be pretty. “Accent walls are very versatile and great in small or open plan spaces, as they can help to define an area,” says Kevin Pleasants, do-it-yourself expert and operations manager at Handy, an on-demand supplier of cleaning and DIY professionals, noting you can use a bold paint in a corner to define a home office within a larger room. “If you want to define a sleeping area, fabric or a tapestry can be hung on the wall behind the bed to create a cozy nook,” says Pleasants, who recommends installing a metal or wire hanging rack, like one used for hanging curtains. “Just attach this to the top of the wall using screws, and hang the fabric using the tracks clips.” Adding paint is the easiest accent wall to create. The job is typically easy to do and low budget — think a few gallons of paint as well as the right tools. “The most common accent walls are a deep color in the same family as the color of the rest of the rooms,” says Scott Specker, owner of Five Star Painting, men-
Accenting tips ■■ Set a budget. Highlighting a wall with paint, tile, wallpaper or other designs ranges from affordable to a little pricey. “It depends on the request and complexity,” says Specker, noting that prices can range from $150 to over $1,000. ■■ Choose a focal point. Here’s how you decide which wall to accent: “Consider where you want the focus to be in your room, or where the eye is naturally drawn,” says Pleasants, suggesting walls
tioning the accent wall should “enhance and brighten” the room. He recommends accenting a wall with straight lines that’s a focal point in the room and says patterns work well in kids’ rooms. No matter what color you choose, invest in good supplies. Specker suggests using a quality tape that won’t damage the wall and won’t allow paint to bleed through when applied properly. Plan your design, too, using real dimensions on a template. “We have also used a projector to display the enlarged image on the wall,” says Speck, who uses satin or flat-finish latex paint for accent walls and acrylic for murals.
with architectural significance like a fireplace, make great accent walls. ■■ Have a plan. It’s easier to change a design before you’ve bought the supplies or done a lot of work. “Make sure you know what you want before you start,” says Specker. ■■ Consider lighting. Play up your accent wall with clever lighting. Pleasants recommends installing a strip light along the bottom of the wall for soft lighting or mounting spotlights overhead to
One more paint tip from Pleasants: “If your paint isn’t that bold, you may need to apply a white base coat first.” The concept of an accent wall may have started with paint but that concept has expanded. “I recommend hand-painted murals, wallpaper and tile,” says interior designer, Mikel Welch of Mikel Welch Designs, the set designer and on-air design expert for “Steve Harvey.” Wallpaper options include hand painted wallpaper, as well as removable wallpaper, which is great for rental properties and apartments since the removable paper is, “like a sticker that you can place anywhere and won’t
draw the eye to the wall’s features. ■■ Know your wall materials. Want to hang mirrors, frames or artwork on your accent wall? Consider whether the wall is loadbearing or a partition wall. “Some interior walls or dry walls are there simply to separate the room and have no structural purpose, so are often not strong enough to support heavier objects,” says Pleasants, mentioning that you might have to buy specialist drill bits and extra equipment to hang items on partition walls.
damage the wall when you take it off,” says Welch. He recommends installing antique mirrored glass to a wall to
“add interest and character” to the space. Local glass and hardware stores sell 12-by-12-inch panels of glass that homeowners can install themselves. “A mirror is a great addition to any room, as it will give the illusion of space, and hanging a mirror on an accent wall will give it even greater impact,” agrees Pleasants, reminding homeowners to hang mirrors safely. “Hooks will need to be drilled into the wall for each ‘D hook’ on the back of the mirror to properly carry its weight.” In addition to mirrors, you can also install tiles on a wall. These wall options, “can take less than a day to install and are so simple and easy that anyone can do it,” says Welch.
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PAGE 20 ■ HOME, LAWN & GARDEN
THE HERALD ■ FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016
Lettuce hope: Art of mindful gardening By MARILYNN PRESTON Creators.com Are you into gardening? Please say yes. It’s a kind of miracle. Food you grow tastes better, costs less, has greater nutritional value and it leaves a carbon footprint the size of a grape. Gardening isn’t an aerobic sport, and it won’t grow your fitness the way running, walking and biking will, but it sure can produce lots of pleasure, not to mention kale, spinach and tomatoes. Gardening also helps you cultivate a calm, focused mind while putting all the major muscles of your body to work — digging, lifting and carrying. Besides burning calories, gardening connects us to the earth, and it’s that mindful exchange of energy — you plant; nature grows — that is so joyful and satisfying. Growing stuff in a garden is also a splendid way to plant ideas in your child’s brain about what is real food, and how good it can taste. Next thing you know, your 10-year-old is snacking on cauliflower chunks instead of corn chips, and goes to sleep at night dreaming of broccoli stalks the size of baseball bats. Well, not immediately, but over time. Tending to a little garden — even a flowerpot on the windowsill — can give your child a wondrous sense of being connected to nature. It’s a good thing. In the best of all worlds, gardening is a low-injury sport. But who lives there? If you rush into your garden chores carelessly, talking and texting, your mind a million miles away, you can wrench your back, destroy your knees, create excruciating tension in your shoulders and wind up with a neck stiffer than a newborn zucchini. So before you start growing a list of gardening aches and pains, consider the following: ■■ Learn to lift and carry. Prepare before you lift. Take a breath or two and make sure your body is aligned and ready. Relax your head and neck, drop your shoulders, and when you lift, engage your core muscles (your abs, glutes, torso muscles on both sides of your spine, front and
back.) Lift slowly, pushing down through your feet, and drawing up through your legs. No grabbing and snatching, and no undue pressure or strain on your lower back. Carry heavy items (bags of fertilizers, decorative stones) close to your body. Don’t hold them out in front of you, arms outstretched. And finally, think it through before you do. If you think something is too heavy to lift or carry by yourself, it probably is. Why be macho when you can be smart? Get help, and avoid a nasty injury. ■■ Small bites avoid big problems. When you shovel or dig, be content to take small bites with good tools that fit your hand. And just like in the gym, don’t overdo it. Big shovels loaded with heavy dirt can easily strain your back, shoulders and knees. To avoid post-planting strains and sprains, keep your mind focused on the task at hand: smaller loads, no sudden twisting or torqueing, moving with awareness so you stay balanced and aligned. ■■ A little protection goes a long a long way. Start with your knees. Protect their delicate structure by kneeling on a foam pad or towels. Protect your eyes with sunglasses and a hat. Protect your skin from the burning sun with a proper cover-up — clothes or nontoxic sunscreen — and by moderating exposure. Begin your gardening with a little warm-up, simple range-ofmotion stretches that juice up your joints and energize your muscles for the work ahead. If you feel pain when you garden, back off, relax, and find an easier way to work. Drink enough water to stay hydrated, and don’t stay in any one position too long. ■■ Cultivate calmness. To make all your gardening chores more effortless, move with the flow of your breath. It’s true for all your activities, from the basketball court to the compost heap. Focusing on your breath gets you started, but then it’s up to you to immerse yourself in the moment and not ponder the past or worry about the future. Let your time in the garden nourish your understanding of how important it is to let go of stress and anxiety.
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Mindful gardening can be a great stress reducer.
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