Spring home and garden weeklies by KPC Media Group

SPRING HOME &

GARDEN April 2016 $1.00

Spring Home & Garden

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April 13, 2016

Finding peace in the garden of life By Vivian Sade vsade@kpcmedia.com 102 N. Main Street, Kendallville, IN 46755 (260) 347-0400

Terry G. Housholder thousholder@kpcmedia.com President/Publisher

Randy Mitchell randymitchell@kpcnews.com Chief Executive Officer

S. Rick Mitchell rmitchell@kpcnews.com Chief Financial Officer

Vivian Sade vsade@kpcmedia.com Editor - Churubusco News

Ryan Schwab rschwab@kpcmedia.com Editor - Northwest News

Matt Getts mgetts@kpcmedia.com Editor - Albion New Era

Andy Eads aeads@kpcmedia.com Advertising Director

Michael Swann mswann@kpcmedia.com Advertising Director

Ann Saggars asaggars@kpcmedia.com Creative Manager

Tracey Robideau trobideau@kpcmedia.com Special Sections Graphic Designer

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

My mother lives on, even after death, through her garden. Mother of eight, nurse, quilter, working class philanthropist and a certified Master Gardener — Mom died three and a half years ago at the age of 80. I now live in Mom and Dad’s house where they resided for over 40 years. The postage-stamp-size yard blooms from March through November with hundreds of varieties of trees, shrubs and flowers. Mom planned it so that something new was constantly coming into bloom as other plants withered and died. It’s not grandiose, opulent or even extraordinary. But it is beautiful and natural and the product of Mom’s green thumb and loving care. I never cease to wonder how she managed to maintain the flower gardens and yard work up until just weeks before the breast cancer she had fought for 10 years entered her bones and spurred her death. As hard as my husband and I try, we never catch up. When Mom wasn’t helping host Allen County Master Gardener walks, baby-sitting for grandchildren and friends’ pets, working part-time as a home health care nurse, attending events of the retired Parkview employees group, hosting family get-togethers, or upstairs listening to a book on tape while hand-stitching a quilt — she was outside —- weeding, planting and pruning. Moving into Mom’s house was eerie and disorienting. I expected to come downstairs in the morning, round the corner into the kitchen and see Mom in her floppy gardening hat, neatly penning plans in one of her many journals for a new flower bed, a new quilt or adding a book or movie to her must-read or see list. For months, there was a moment of shock when I saw the empty kitchen and felt the painful silence. Mom planted flowers for the birds, the bees and the wildlife. She would not use chemicals for fear of hurting any living thing. There is milkweed among the daisies and mums for the Monarch butterflies. There are butterfly bushes, salvia, bee balm, lupines and columbine for the humming birds. In addition to sedum, heliotrope, foxglove and calendula, the grass has been taken over by clover – all See PEACE page 3

VIVIAN SADE

Mom’s tiny yard in early spring.

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April 13, 2016

Spring Home & Garden

VIVIAN SADE

Green with envy Even a small space can be transformed into a garden.

WEST’S CONSTRUCTION

VIVIAN SADE

A butterfly alights on a flower in Mom’s back yard on Aug. 3, 2013, the one-year anniversary of her death.

PEACE From page 2

of which attract bees. She often planted lettuce just for the generations of rabbits that lived under the oleander and boxwood bushes. She liked to spend mornings on the back step or small patio, drinking coffee, enjoying the sunrise and watching baby bunnies hop, matter-of-factly, over her feet. Those first seasons were unbearably sad with Mom’s omnipresent absence. The spring after her death, when the first purple and white crocuses peeked out from beneath the last snowfall and the air smelled of damp spring, I felt Mom smiling in approval. My blood rushed with anticipation and excitement. Spring. Time to get out the hand shovel and gardening gloves and dig into the earth. It took some time for me to come to this realization, but not my brother. After the

funeral, my sister found him in the back yard, sitting quietly among the flowers and fluttering butterflies. “Mom is not in that cemetery,” he said. “She is right here — all around us.” When he came home from the hospital after having a heart procedure last summer and was strong enough to walk, he walked to our house. We were at work, but it didn’t matter — he wasn’t there to see us. He found a lawn chair and sat, feeling his own mortality and finding comfort in Mom’s garden. Did Mom know she was planting for future generations? I’ll never know, but whether cutting a bouquet, pulling weeds from around the “Mom’s Garden” stepping stone or walking under the thick, lush arbor of clematis vines, we feel her presence. I can see her so clearly — kneeling in the flower beds in her worn-out gardening pants, man’s shirt and straw hat, smiling as she sees her grandchildren approaching the gate.

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Spring Home & Garden

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Fretz eager for life outdoors

Carroll grad starts landscaping, lawn care, snow removal business By Ryan Schwab rschwab@kpcmedia.com

HUNTERTOWN — Aaron Fretz is such a fan of being outdoors that when he was disciplined as a child, his punishment was to stay inside. Now, the 2012 Carroll High School graduate is making certain he can be outdoors whenever he wants. Fretz has started his own landscaping business, Fretz Outdoor Remodel. He specializes in landscaping (new or existing), lawn care and snow removal. “Owning your own business is scary in itself,” Fretz said. “I’ve enjoyed being outside and doing this type of work, but I never thought it would be a possibility.” Fretz has worked for A Plus Irrigation for six years, which sparked his interest in landscaping. After graduating from Carroll, he spent three years at Indiana University in Bloomington, which included a switch in majors. He started as a Spanish education major, but quickly realized that wasn’t for him. He switched to studio art and graphic design, which he loved. It wasn’t outside, however. “My ultimate goal wasn’t to sit behind a desk all day. That was just not for me,” Fretz said. “I just didn’t see the point in going to get a degree I was never going to use and spending the money.” Conversations with his fiance, Becca Dvorak, mother, Sherry, and best friend Tanner Ginder guided him away from college and back home. “I just wasn’t happy with where I was. Things were stressful and I just didn’t know what I was going to do,” he said. “There was nothing but support from everybody. That made the decision a lot easier.” It was shortly after Easter Sunday of 2015 that he decided to venture on his own. He worked one last summer with A Plus Irrigation to build some capital and began working on his own this winter with the snow removal portion of his business.

RYAN SCHAWB

Aaron Fretz, a 2012 Carroll High School graduate, has started his own landscape, lawn care and snow removal business — Fretz Outdoor Remodel. He can be contacted at 433-9073 or fretz.outdoor.remodel@gmail.com.

With spring upon us, jobs are slowing coming in. Fretz is prepared to work seven days a week. “I know this will be a lot of work and I am not afraid of that,” he said. “I tend to be one who works more than I should (The stress of owning a business) is easier to deal with, because I have an end goal. It’s a different level of stress. The uncertainty now is where it is going to go and how soon it will take off and what I will do in the mean time. I’d choose this

stress over college stress though, any day. “I am just trying to get my foot in the door and make a name for myself.” Fretz and Dvorak plan to be married on Feb. 4, 2017, shortly after she graduates from IU with a degree in psychology. He also spends some of his free time building furniture out of used wood pallets. Fretz can be contacted at 433-9073 and fretz.outdoor.remodel@gmail.com.

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April 13, 2016

Spring Home & Garden

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Spring Home & Garden

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April 13, 2016

Tips to follow for successful gardening 1. Start with good dirt. Water the soil and the dig down to a depth of 8-10 inches. Rake and smooth. Add a few common ingredients such as compost, manure, sphagnum peat moss or wood products to replenish the soil. Consider having the soil tested. Some nurseries or local extension services provide this service. If the soil is deficient in any minerals or nutrients, follow the recommendations for amending the dirt and continue to add compost regularly. 2. Make your life easier by planting lots of perennials, especially plants like sedum, hostas, leadwort, daylilies or astilbes, that thrive all season with little maintenance. Plant a few new ones every year and within a few years, your yard will be filled with plants that require little from you but occasional watering and weeding. 3. Consider raised beds and containers — it’s easier on your back, for one thing. And it’s much easier to control a garden with boundaries. Beds should be raised 6 inches or more. Check out Pinterest or YouTube for easy instructions on building a knee-or waist-high raised bed, which are particularly easy on the joints of senior citizens. 4. Container gardens can dry out quickly, so when planting, add some slow release fertilizer pellets to the soil and throw in some polymer crystals that release water to the plant roots. 5. Check out some of the great gardening tools that can make gardening so much easier — bent rakes, ratchet pruners, cushioned handles and trowels that don’t require you to bend your wrist. 6. Gardening is why wheels were invented. Invest in a good garden cart, wheelbarrow or both. You won’t regret it. If you have a large garden or lot, consider motorized wheels. 7. Watering — morning or night? By

VIVIAN SADE

This fish pond was made from discarded rocks found in farmer’s fields and some free landscape rocks that the

watering in the morning your plants will experience the least evaporative water loss and will dry quickly in the sun, which reduces the chance of mildew. Fill your watering cans in the evening for hanging baskets and pots. This allows the tap water time to decholorinate. 8. Recycle, Reuse. Come on — do we really need to stress the importance of recycling water? If local ordinances permit grey water use, you can easily capture a watering can’s worth from your daily shower without the need for any special

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grey water system set up. Purchase a rain barrel, or build one yourself with a plastic trash can. 9. It sounds difficult, but it’s not. A drip irrigation kit for watering the roots of plants with a slow application of water, is a great way to water those flowers on the deck or in containers. There are many types of irrigation kits available for both indoor or outdoor plants. Kits usually include drip lines and emitters, water pressure regulator, backflow regulator and an end cap.

10. Build your own Moment of Zen. Consider building a small water feature or fish pond. There are numerous how-to videos on YouTube. Purchase a kit that contains the necessary equipment and a liner. Search nearby, freshly plowed farmer’s fields for interesting rocks for landscaping. Most farmers are happy to get rid of the rocks, but just to play it safe, ask them first. Getting the rocks home is another story. Maybe call that brotherin-law who works out, has a pickup truck and owes you a favor.

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April 13, 2016

Spring Home & Garden

What to know before renovating a home By StatePoint Media Building a home or making upgrades? One of the most important factors to consider is the material used. While “all-natural” may be an appealing quality on your plate, in construction, man-made products often provide more options and value. Seek out materials offering durability, energy-efficiency and resistance to threats like fire and wicked weather. Many such high-quality products are domestic, so you can support US manufacturing while making key choices. Boost home beauty, strength and efficiency with these projects: Solid foundation Start a new home with a solid pre-cast concrete foundation. Those from Superior Walls are customized for individual homes and installed in one day — far faster than alternatives like poured concrete. Rigid foam insulation in these concrete panels wards off heat loss and creates a barrier against sidewall water penetration. These features make the basement dampfree and a more comfortable area for extended living space in the home. Plucky plumbing Perhaps your toilet rattles and leaks; maybe your tub and sink look dingy no matter how much you clean them. If it’s time to replace bathroom elements, use newer materials offering water efficiency, style and safety benefits. Look for a toilet marked with the WaterSense label, which indicates it’s been certified to be at least 20 percent more efficient without sacrificing performance. The free Water Savings Calculator at the Mansfield Plumbing website can help you determine your return-on-investment. For a coordinated look, consider a suite of products that work together, like the Affordable Style Designer series from Mansfield Plumbing. You get a toilet, tub and sink, all in the same style. Switching to an easy-access SmartHeight toilet can be another smart move. Options in the bathroom like grab bars, walk-in tubs and pedestal sinks, all provide enhanced safety and comfort. Gorgeous windows Over time, windows can look old and become difficult to operate. Make wise replacement choices that add beauty and privacy to key areas of your home without compromising light entry. Whether it’s an acrylic block window over a bathtub or a set of decorative glass windows in the kitchen, privacy windows

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are a great accent for any room. Those from Hy-Lite are offered in a variety of styles, sizes and enhancements. Operable awning, casement, slide and single hung units can easily be opened to encourage airflow. Their Home Designer Collection features nods to architectural styles like Metro, Mission, Prairie and Baroque to complement any home. The roof Your roof is your protective layer, between the elements and you. Ideally it should be impact- and fire-resistant, as well as beautiful. Natural slate and shake roofing materials evoke traditional charm; however they tend to degrade over time. Look for the manmade alternative. Polymer slate and shake roofing tiles capture the authentic look of natural materials but are more resistant to chipping, flaking and splintering. For example, DaVinci Roofscapes offers an impressive array of more than 50 colors and blends for an enhanced look, plus they resist fire and severe weather. Their roofs also come with a lifetime limited warranty, saving you big on repairs, inspection and maintenance down the line. To be a savvy homeowner, don’t leave it to chance. Select durable, high-quality man-made products.

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Spring Home & Garden

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April 13, 2016

Spring clean away the mess on your counter By StatePoint Media Birds are chirping, flowers are blooming and the ever-daunting spring cleaning checklist is looming. As you take on tasks this year, make the kitchen a top priority. In addition to a little extra deep cleaning, it could be time to rethink its organization. With a few inspired solutions, counters can be freed from clutter, allowing more space for food preparation and cooking. Cast off and get creative The easiest way to make room in the kitchen is to clean out excess. Go through dishes, pots, pans, appliances and utensils. Consider giving away anything you haven’t touched in the past year or simply don’t like. Find creative ways to clear the counter. Use a Lazy Susan to store supplies in hard-to-reach corners. Reimagine a cake stand as a shelf to elevate favorite spices, salt, pepper and olive oil, while leaving an area around the base for additional storage. Rethink nooks and crannies, such as

STATEPOINT MEDIA

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can hold stainless steel or copper pots and pans, allowing for easy access when needed. Arrange by use When choosing appliances to occupy prime countertop real estate, think about how often they are used. Everyday multi-tasking tools deserve a spot on the counter. Save space with versatile appliances like the Vitamix S55, a personal blender with four convenient pre-programmed settings that can prepare everything from smoothies and whole-food juices to soups, sauces, vinaigrettes, frozen desserts and more. Plus, because of its compact size, it leaves plenty of room for other kitchen tasks. You can also arrange serving ware according to how often it reaches the table. Store items such as holiday dishes and platters in the back of cabinets or open shelving. Place everyday items like bowls and salad plates in easy-to-reach cabinets and drawers. Cooking utensils should be

housed in a holder close to the stove. Work with your walls The usual kitchen organization employs drawers, cabinets, shelves and countertops. However, you can also work with your walls to make your kitchen more efficient. Apply hooks to hang pot holders and aprons, ensuring they are a safe distance from the stove. Install a pot rack, which will make room in cabinets for appliances that are not used often — just make sure your walls or ceiling are strong enough to support the extra weight. To squeeze extra space out of your kitchen, hang magnetic strips for items like knives and kitchen scissors, freeing up drawers and removing the knife block from the counter. Spices can also be hung on the strips with the use of magnetic canisters. If you simply minimize what’s kept on countertops and reimagine everyday items, you can optimize the functionality of your kitchen, making it a more user- and guest-friendly destination.

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April 13, 2016

Spring Home & Garden

How to take care of your trees METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION

Lawns and gardens tend to draw the bulk of homeowners’ attention come spring and summer. But it’s important that property owners tend to the trees that dot their property as well. The types of trees homeowners have on their property may influence when it’s time to trim and prune the trees. Homeowners concerned about tree maintenance should speak with local landscaping professionals and tree services about caring for the trees on their specific properties, but there are a few tricks to pruning trees that homeowners should keep in mind when dusting off their gardening tools. • Prune at the right time. The Arbor Day Foundation notes that pruning during dormancy (i.e., winter) is the most common practice. Pruning in late winter, after the season’s coldest temperatures have passed, can lead to impressive and healthy growth in the spring. The ADF advises that some trees, including maple and birches, may bleed sap during pruning. But this is normal and should cease as the tree starts to bloom. Novice landscapers should confirm with landscaping professionals about the best time to prune trees on their properties to ensure they are not inadvertently harming the trees or making them more vulnerable to fungus. • Use appropriate tools. When removing branches, use sharp tools to minimize damage to the bark. The ADF notes that

young trees are best pruned with one-hand pruning shears with curved blades. For trees with high branches, use a pole pruner or hire a professional tree service. Novices should avoid anything too risky when pruning their trees, leaving the more difficult jobs to the professionals. • Follow the rules of pruning. When pruning trees, the ADF advises homeowners follow the one-third and a quarter rules of pruning. In adherence to these rules, no more than a quarter of a tree’s crown is removed in a single season, and main side branches are at least one-third smaller than the diameter of the trunk. When trimming deciduous trees, homeowners should never prune up from the bottom more than one-third of the tree’s total height. Finally, where possible, homeowners should aim for side branches that form angles that are one-third off vertical to form 10 o’clock or 2 o’clock angles with the trunk. • Water correctly. Like lawns and gardens, trees need water to thrive. Insufficient watering can make it hard for trees to thrive in summer, but overwatering can be harmful, too. The ADF suggests that watering each tree for 30 seconds with a steady stream of water from a garden hose equipped with a diffuser nozzle should be sufficient. Newly planted trees may need more help as they try to establish deep root systems, so consider laying mulch around newly planted trees. Mulch helps the soil retain moisture and form deeper, stronger root systems.

VIVIAN SADE

Encouraging words Some people believe talking to plants encourages them to grow and sometimes one must be firm in that encouragement.

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Tree maintenance should be a priority as homeowners once again start tending to their lawns and gardens. More information about caring for trees is available at arborday.org.

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Spring Home & Garden

April 13, 2016

Homegrown flavor possible from an indoor garden BY MELINDA MYERS

Add some homegrown flavor to your winter meals. From microgreens to tomatoes, it is possible to grow produce indoors. Microgreens are a quick and easy way to add some flavor and crunch to your plate. Just plant seeds labeled for sprouting or microgreens in a shallow container filled with a sterile potting or seed starting mix. Within two weeks you will be harvesting nutritious mini vegetable and herb leaves for salads, sandwiches or snacking. Take it one step further and grow a few of your favorite herbs on a warm sunny windowsill. Select a container with drainage holes and set on the appropriate size saucer to protect your woodwork. Fill the container with well-drained potting mix and plant seeds or transplants. Purchase basil, chives, parsley, oregano and rosemary plants from your local garden center or the produce department. Greens, like lettuce and spinach, will also grow in a sunny window or better yet, under artificial lights. Grow them in a container filled with a well-drained potting mix similar to your windowsill herb garden. Plant seeds according to the seed packet. Continually harvest the outer leaves when they are four to six inches tall. Those that like a bit of a challenge may want to try growing a compact tomato, pepper or eggplant. You’ll get the best production with a combination of natural and artificial light or full spectrum lights. Natural sunlight and full spectrum lights contain the variety of light plants need to grow, flower and fruit. Blue light promotes leaf and stem growth, while red

combined with blue promotes flowering. Consider investing in energy-efficient and long-lasting high-intensity grow lights for the greatest yields when growing tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and other fruiting plants indoors. Leave lights on for 14, but no more than 16 hours each day. Plants need a dark period as well as bright light each day to grow and thrive. Use a timer to ensure the plants receive the right duration of light. Most flowering and fruiting plants need a high intensity of light, so keep the lights six to twelve inches above your plants. Use reflective surfaces under and around the plants to bounce light back into larger plants. Increase your indoor growing space by going vertical. Shelf units with built-in light fixtures like the Stack-n-Grow Light System (gardeners.com) provide multiple layers of growing space. And once your tomatoes, peppers and eggplants start flowering, you will need to shake things up a bit. Gently shake the plants several times a week, better yet daily, to move the pollen from the female to the male parts of the flower so fruit will develop. A gentle breeze from a fan or vibrations from a battery-operated toothbrush work well. Indoor gardening won’t yield the same results as a sunny outdoor garden, but the flavor can’t be beat when gardening outdoors is not an option. Gardening expert, TV/radio host, author and columnist Melinda Myers has more than 30 years of horticulture experience and has written more than 20 gardening books, including Small Space Gardening and the Midwest Gardener’s Handbook.

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METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION

Fairy gardens are a fun way to introduce children to gardening. Once families get started, they may want to create entire fairy villages.

Six steps to creating fairy gardens for kids METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION

Gardening can be an enjoyable activity for adults and children alike. Gardening encourages creative thinking and can make for an eco-friendly activity as well. 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. 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 well with little reclining chairs, sea grasses and succulents. You can then complete the

theme by adding some seashells and colored stones. 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. 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.

April 13, 2016

Spring Home & Garden

Stop weeds before they take over areas METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION

Few things can be as troublesome to gardeners and landscapers as weeds. Weeds seemingly spring up overnight and quickly can overrun lawns and/or garden beds. Landscaping enthusiasts may spend countless hours and weekends coping with weeds without truly getting to the root of the problem. However, preventing weed growth need not be so difficult. According to the experts at “This Old House” and The Family Handyman, the secret to preventing weeds is to maintain a thick, healthy lawn. A vigorously growing lawn will crowd out weeds and block the sun weed seeds need to germinate and thrive. As a result, fewer herbicides may be needed and homeowners can spend less time on their hands and knees pulling out weeds.

Mow at the right height Crabgrass is a notoriously virulent weed that can quickly snuff out blades of grass. Crabgrass likes hot, dry conditions, and it only takes one plant to spread the seeds that can overtake the lawn. Preventing these conditions can stop crabgrass from flourishing. Mowing at higher heights and leaving grass blades taller can shade the soil, helping to prevent the germination of crabgrass. Shady conditions also will help the soil retain moisture and prevent the arid conditions crabgrass likes so much.

Water deeply Weeds are accustomed to growing in adverse conditions, including especially hot temperatures. When such conditions arise, weeds establish deep roots while the roots of the grass can easily die off. Instead, when watering, wet the soil to a depth of four to six inches. This helps grass to establish strong root systems that will help lawns overpower pesky weeds.

Time weed killers Whether you manually remove weeds or apply weed killers, timing is key. Combat weeds in the early spring before

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Weeds, such as dandelions, can quickly take over lawns and gardens.

they have a time to fully form and start proliferating through seed dispersement. Once seeds spread, their growth is difficult to control. Recognize that no single herbicide or weeding tactic will work for every type of weed. Broadleaf weeds, like dandelions, unwanted grasses, and sedges are the three most common types of weeds. Homeowners will have to adapt based on the type of weed that is most prevalent in their lawns.

3630 Goshen Rd. Fort Wayne, IN

13350 State Street Grabill, IN

Watch fertilizer amounts Strike a balance with fertilizer, finding the right amount to deliver continuous nutrition to the lawn, but not overfeed it so that weeds can thrive. Many lawns only require fertilizer once or twice annually, in the autumn and spring. By following these guidelines, lawn and garden enthusiasts can prevent the proliferation of unsightly and potentially harmful weeds.

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Spring Home & Garden

April 13, 2016

Mulch can keep soil moist, discourage weeds METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION

Lawns and gardens can often benefit from the laying of mulch. Mulch serves various purposes in lawns and gardens, and many experienced lawn and garden enthusiasts lay mulch to ensure their properties make it through spring, summer and fall unscathed. First-time homeowners with little or no landscaping experience may not understand the benefits of mulch, which can be used to strengthen soil and protect properties from the elements.

What is mulch? Mulch refers to a material spread around or over a plant to enrich and/or insulate its soil. Many homeowners prefer mulch made of wood chips, which is both effective and readily available. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notes that organic mulches, which include leaves, wood chips, compost or grass clippings, can be used by homeowners who want to develop eco-friendly landscapes.

Why mulch? Mulching can benefit plants around a property in various ways. Many people lay mulch because the mulch helps soil retain moisture in the summer, when temperatures tend to be at their hottest. This can help plants survive summer heat waves. Mulch also can be used to suppress weeds. Weeds, which steal moisture plants need to build strong roots and survive summer, need light to grow. When laid correctly, mulch deprives weeds of the light they need to grow. Organic mulches can even provide homes for crickets and a type of beetle that feed on weed seeds. Mulch also can deter harmful pests depending on the type of mulch homeowners choose. When purchasing mulch, homeowners will have to choose between the aforementioned organic mulch or man-made mulches, which may be made of plastic or rubber. While man-made mulches may repel pests, they also can have adverse effects. Plastic, for example, can heat up in the summer and cause plants to burn. Certain organic mulches can repel insects that can threaten plants. That’s because the

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Mulch is a potentially valuable tool homeowners can use to improve the look and health of their properties.

majority of organic mulches increase the amount of beneficial bacteria in the soil, and they also increase the presence of helpful insects that do not pose a threat to plant life. Those helpful insects help keep harmful insects at bay. Compost is

a type of organic mulch that may attract harmful insects. While that does not mean homeowners should shy away from using compost as mulch, they should know that they may need to employ organic insecticides to combat their unwanted guests.