Spring 2021
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Get Ready: Early Spring Landscaping Tips
D
uring the cold months of winter, many people stare longingly out of the window dreaming of spring and time spent outdoors. For those with green thumbs, images of tending to the garden and other aspects of their landscapes no doubt dominate such daydreams.
Draw inspiration from those budding crocuses and daffodils pushing through the last remnants of snow and employ these tips to prepare
for the upcoming gardening season. · One of the first steps is to apply a preemergent weed killer to get a head start knocking out weeds that can plague the lawn during the growing season. Killing weeds at the roots early on can mean far fewer hassles in spring and summer, and may prevent new generations of weeds from cropping up each year. · While it may be tempting to take a prematurely warm day as a sign that spring is in full force and purchase a bunch of annuals, it’s better to know the last of the possible frost dates (check “The Farmer’s
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Almanac”); otherwise, you may waste time and money planting flowers or vegetables only to have them zapped by another frosty day. · Amend the soil so that it is the right consistency - just crumbling when lifting it. Soil that is too muddy after spring thaw can harden, making it difficult for plants to flourish later on. Speak with representatives at a local lawn and garden center about which types of amendments you can add to the soil in your particular area to enrich it. · Lawn and garden experts at The Home Depot suggest filling in bare patches of lawn now by mixing a few shovelfuls of soil with grass seed. Then apply this patch to the bare areas, water, and continue to care for the area until the spot fills in. · Spend a day in the garage or shed tending to the lawn mower and other gardening equipment. Clean all tools
and ensure that everything works, repairing parts as needed. · Give outdoor entertaining spaces a good scrubbing, clearing away dirt and grime that may have accumulated over the winter. Use a leaf blower to blow away any leftover leaves. · Check if the front porch, railings or
decking need painting and/or staining. Tackle these projects when the weather is cooler so everything will be ready for those peak spring days. · Think about any annuals you might want to plant in the landscape this year that will complement any existing shrubbery or perennials. Come up with a theme so that the entire yard is cohesive. Before homeowners know it, winter is gone and it is time to once again enjoy long days spent outdoors. Get a jump start on spring lawn prep as soon as you can.
Page 3 | HomeStyle/Spring - March 27, 2021
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6 Steps to Creating
fairy gardens for Kids
G
ardening can be an enjoyable activity for adults and children alike. Gardening encourages creative thinking and can make for an eco-friendly activity as well.
well with little reclining chairs, sea grasses and succulents. You can then complete the theme by adding some seashells and colored stones.
Adding a touch of whimsy to gardening can make it that much more attractive to children. Perhaps that is why fairy gardens have become so popular among youngsters. Fairy gardens can be designed in outdoor gardens or in containers that children can nurse and enjoy indoors. Here are six steps to get your fairy garden up and running.
3. Draw up your design. Before securing anything in the container or digging into your garden bed, sketch out a garden design. This gives you an idea of how the finished product will look. Even before planting, gently place plants and other components in their spots and move them around accordingly until you find the desired look.
1. Choose your container or location. Decide where to place the fairy garden. Hollowed-out tree stumps are both contained and outdoors, and kids may feel like the fairies inhabited this neglected area of the yard and made it their own. Otherwise, use containers you already have, such as old pots, hanging baskets, picnic baskets or cookie tins. Wooden birdhouses with their roofs removed also can make for clever places to house the gardens. 2. Choose a theme. Fairy houses can take on any theme their creators prefer. Themes help children decide what to include in their gardens. For example, a seaside retreat may work
4. Include similar-needs plants. Mixing plants that have different requirements can make it challenging to care for the fairy garden, so select plants that require similar levels of sunlight, prefer similar soil conditions and require roughly the same amount of watering. Herbs are a smart choice because they stay small and are easily maintained. 5. Don’t forget a fairy dwelling. You will need to add a house for the fairies to inhabit. Small bird houses can work, but you also can consider old teapots, bird-nesting boxes or even homemade houses assembled out of bark and twigs. Use your
imagination and the garden will take on a life of its own. 6. Invite the fairies. Children can invite fairies to take up residence (fairies often show up at night and tend to remain
unseen), or children can create their own fairies using craft materials. Fairy gardens are a fun way to introduce children to gardening. Once families get started, they may want to create entire fairy villages.
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HomeStyle/Spring - March 27, 2021 | Page 4
Spring Cleaning Checklist S
pring cleaning is a chance for a fresh start. After a long winter spent cooped up at home, spring is a natural time to declutter, clean and organize your home. Here is a checklist of spring cleaning jobs to remember. You can go it alone, or consider hiring a local cleaning service to help you really make your home shine. MarthaStewart.com recommends replenishing your cleaning supplies before you get started. That way you’ll have all the tools you need for the job. • Basic cleaning. Sweep, mop, vacuum, clean toilets, the works. This is the time to tackle deep-cleaning jobs you’ve been putting off. Sanitize the hardto-reach area behind the toilet. Scrub off caked-on soap scum and grime on the bathroom faucet. Really get in there and finish the job.
• Once-in-a-while jobs. This is the time to clean the oven, open all the windows and clean the tracks, glass and screens. Degrease the kitchen cabinet doors and hinges. Give the refrigerator a deep clean, including the door seals and glass. Defrost the freezer, if needed. Deep clean the kitchen sink disposal. Polish any silver. Dust the blinds and wash or vacuum the curtains. Shampoo rugs. Clean washing machine seals. Dust and wipe down baseboards and crown molding. Clean and sanitize remote controls. Check or replace smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries. Replace air filters. Dust and clean light fixtures and ceiling fans. Vacuum refrigerator coils. Flip mattresses. Wash comforters and other large bedding, or take them to the
cleaners. Reseal grout. Polish or wax wooden furniture. Wax flooring. • Seasonal maintenance. Clean gutters. Clean and repair outdoor furniture. Pressure wash the deck or patio. Clean any debris from the roof. Consider having your air conditioning unit cleaned and serviced. • Declutter. Spring is a great time to go through adults’ and kids’ closets to see which clothes no longer fit or have holes/stains. Make a donation pile and organize the remaining clothes in drawers and closets. Do the
same with toys and books. Toss any food that’s been hanging around in the refrigerator a bit too long. Inventory the deep freeze so you can use up foods that have been lurking there.
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Fast-growing vegetables for the impatient gardener
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tepping outdoors and picking a freshly grown vegetable is a joy for many homeowners who like to garden.
Growing vegetables at home offers many benefits. In addition to providing a worthwhile hobby that can increase your physical activity, having control over your own produce can reduce exposure to a number of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. This translates into foods that are healthier for the body and the environment. Gardens also can help the average person save money on often costly produce, all the while reducing gardeners’ carbon footprints. Waiting to reap the rewards of a harvest can try the patience of those accustomed to satisfying their needs on a moment’s notice.
This is especially true for young gardeners who have grown up in a society that increasingly provides immediate gratification. While tomatoes, peppers and watermelons require long growing seasons, many other fruits and vegetables grow much faster. This offers plenty of bounty in a short time for those who may have gotten a later start on their gardens or simply don’t have the patience to wait on the more time-consuming growers. • Arugula: Some people call arugula “rocket” because of just how quickly it grows. The green has been growing in popularity as a salad starter or vegetable side dish. Simply cut the leaves when they are large enough and as needed for recipes. Other fast-growing greens include kale, chard mustard greens and watercress. • Radishes: Radishes are typically ready for harvest about one month after planting, making them among the fastest-growing vegetables around. • Snap beans: Beans can be steamed, added to salads or eaten raw with dips. They’re often a summer staple. Some of the fastest producers are ready
to harvest in about 50 days. • Turnips: Both the roots and the leaves of turnips can be eaten, and this old-fashioned vegetable makes a great addition to soups and stews. Because the plants tend to be tolerant across many gardening zones, they’re handy and easyto-grow even as the weather cools. • Squash: Don’t mistake the squash in the garden for cucumber. Both look similar but green squash, or zucchini, can be much more versatile.
Zucchini can be grilled, baked, sautéed, stuffed, fried, and even turned into noodles. • Green onions: To add fresh flavor to foods, green onions (scallions) grow much more quickly than it takes onion bulbs to mature. Speak with a garden center expert to learn more about which vegetables, fruits and herbs grow quickly and will thrive in your home garden.
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Introduce earthworms into the garden G
ardeners eager to revitalize their lawns and gardens may spend hundreds of dollars on tools and products designed to improve soil and growing conditions. Although many of these items can be advantageous, gardeners also may want to look to nature’s best garden helpers: earthworms.
It is believed that nearly 3,000 different types of earthworms inhabit the planet. Worms have been around for hundreds of millions of years.
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Worms can be seen as bait dangling on fishing lines or as meals for red-breasted robins. But these subterranean dwellers play their biggest role beneath the soil. Earthworms move through dirt as they search for food. The worms consume particles in the soil, helping to recycle materials like dead leaves, plant parts, decaying animals, and feces. Through their travels, worms also serve to aerate the soil. Worms bring the subsoil closer to the surface and mix it with the topsoil. Earthworms’ castings also help naturally fertilize the areas in which they reside. The slimy mucus that worms
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HomeStyle/Spring - March 27, 2021 | Page 6
leave behind contains nitrogen, which also helps to amend the soil. The University of Illinois Extension says most earthworms found, particularly in North America, can only grow so long, even though some worms seem like they stretch forever underneath the ground. Depending on the type of worm and how many segments it has, as well as its age and ability to get nutritious foods, worms typically reach only a few inches in length, offers National Geographic. There are some anomalies, however. The Oregon giant earthworm is one of the largest earthworms found in North America, growing to more than three feet in length. That worm is very rare, however. In 2016, a 16-inch-long earthworm was discovered in England and became part of the collection at the Natural History Museum in London. Some Australian and South American earthworms are known to grow much larger. Worms need the correct mix of oxygen, moisture and favorable temperatures to survive. If they do not have these components, they will seek them out elsewhere. Because of the many benefits earthworms provide, they can be a boon to landscapes.
Did you know?
iring a landscape architect may be a smart move for homeowners who are planning major overhauls of their properties.
“The Operational Outlook Handbook” defines a landscape architect as “a person who designs parks, outdoor spaces of campuses, recreational facilities, private homes, and other open areas.” Landscape architects typically must be licensed and many hold degrees in landscape architecture from accredited schools. Architects who work on residential spaces often work with
homeowners to design gardens, plantings, stormwater management, and pools. Landscape architects design spaces to do more than merely look good. Designs also are about functionality and meeting the
needs of the homeowner. Outdoor spaces are designed after considering what the homeowner wants to experience and how homeowners want to use a given space. Landscape
architects often do not plant and maintain these spaces. Rather, architects collaborate with other landscaping professionals to produce the final results.
Page 7 | HomeStyle/Spring - March 27, 2021
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Enjoy Safe Backyard Barbecues ackyard barbecues B are synonymous with warm weather. And why
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wouldn’t they be? Grilling over an open flame when the weather is warm embodies the relaxing spirit of spring and summer, prompting many people to leave their oven ranges behind in favor of charcoal and gas grills.
Only use grills outdoors. Grills should never be used indoors. Even if rain unexpectedly arrives during a backyard barbecue, keep the grill outside. If unexpected rain is accompanied by lightning and thunder, extinguish the fire in the grill and go indoors.
As relaxing as backyard barbecues can be, they can quickly take a turn for the worse if cooks don’t emphasize safety when grilling out. According to the National Fire Protection Association, an average of 9,600 home fires are started by grills each year. In fact, the Consumer Product Safety Commission notes that, between 2012 and 2016, an average of 16,600 patients went to the emergency room each year because of injuries involving grills. Such statistics only highlight the need to balance the fun of grilling with safety when hosting a backyard barbecue or cooking for the family. The following are some steps people can take to ensure their backyard barbecues are safe. · Recognize that gas grills pose a threat as well. It’s easy to assume gas grills don’t pose as great a threat as charcoal grills, which produce soaring flames once the charcoal is lit. But the NFPA notes that gas grills are involved in 7,900 home fires per year. No grill is completely safe, and cooks must emphasize safety whether they’re using gas grills, charcoal grills or smokers.
· Place the grill in a safe location. Grills should be placed well away from the home. Avoid locating grills near deck railings or beneath eaves and overhanging branches. Cut overgrown branches before lighting a grill fire if they are in close proximity to the grill. · Keep your grill clean. The buildup of grease and fat, both on the grill grate and in trays below the grill, increases the risk of fire. Clean the grill routinely. · Properly light the grill. Lighting gas and charcoal grills requires caution. Before lighting a gas grill, make sure the lid is open. If you must use starter fluid to light a charcoal grill, the NFPA advises using only charcoal starter fluid. Never add any fluids to the fire after it has been lit. · Do not leave a grill unattended. Cooks should never leave a lit grill unattended. If you must leave the grill, only do so if another adult can stand in your stead. Lit grills pose a threat to children and pets, and unattended grills can be blown over by gusts of wind or tipped by wild animals, such as squirrels. Standing by a lit grill at all times can protect against such accidents and injuries.
Grilling is a favorite summertime activity. For more information about grilling safety, visit www.nfpa.org.
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Did you know? D
amage to a lawn may be indicative of various problems
Everything from insects to rodents to the family pet may be responsible for causing burnt patches, holes and other eyesores. Getting to the bottom of the problem is the first step in remediation. Burning and discoloration of the lawn is often a result of high concentrations of dog urine pooling in one area. Diluting the urine by hosing down areas of the lawn can clear up many problems. Birds, raccoons, skunks, moles, and other rodents may feed on grubs that reside just
under the thatch of the lawn, and animals may tear up lawns in search of this delicacy. Treating the grub problem usually alleviates damage caused by animals. Mole crickets are another common
lawn destroyer. These insects resemble crickets, but they burrow beneath the turf to feed on plant roots. The mole crickets can push up channels of turf as they
burrow, exposing roots to the elements and causing the grass to die. Getting rid of the insects can revitalize the lawn.
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