Home and Garden 06/10/17

HOME & GARDEN • SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 2017

fruit trees?

Why plant

Tropical treasures to grow in pots Summer color annuals Ken Moon: Water wells, solar fans Delightful dahlias

Look inside for these specials and many others.

fruit trees?

Why plant

COURTESY OF HARDING NURSERY

G

rowing your own fruit and having access to a surplus of your favorite crop can bring a multitude of benefits such as eating fresh fruit, making jams and jellies and freezing fruit for future possibilities.

Because they are ornamental, fruit trees facilitate both beautiful landscaping and food, offering charming spring flowers, colorful fruit and scenic fall colors too.

Along with attracting local wildlife, fruit trees can provide a welcoming touch of privacy and protection.

While one fruit tree is self-fertile, two or more trees require a pollinator. Pollinators should be planted within 100 feet of each other. Cross-pollination can occur when different varieties bloom around the same time — for instance early, mid or

late blooming varieties. Early bloomers should be planted with other early or midbloomers, late bloomers should be planted with late or mid-bloomers, and midbloomers can be planted with any variety.

Early blooming varieties may need protection from frost — using frost guard if the trees are small enough — and you should avoid planting them on the south or west side.

When selecting fruit trees, keep in mind the type of fruit you prefer, and the size.

Standard sizes, such as crabapple, apple, pear, cherry, plum and peach usually stand around 15 to 25 feet tall. Semi-dwarf sizes are typically between 12 and 15 feet, and dwarf sizes are usually 8 to 12 feet tall.

To learn more, visit a gardening expert at Harding Nursery, 721 N. Powers Blvd.

HG 2 I THE GAZETTE I SATURDAY, JUN 10, 2017

Hardiness Zones in Southern Colorado: 1. Colorado Springs: Zone 4–5, depending on area 2. Monument & Black Forest: Zone 4, Zone 5 if in protected area 3. Woodland Park: Zone 4 4. Divide & Cripple Creek: Zone 3–4 5. Pueblo: Zone 5–6 6. Falcon/Ellicont: Zone 4–5

HOURS: Mon thru Sat: 8am to 6pm Sunday: 9am to 5pm

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priced at $9.99 (each),

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Offers cannot be combined. Expires 6/18/17.

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Offer cannot be combined with any other discounted offer. Expires 6/18/17.

FRUIT & BERRY BUSHES

Any 1 deciduous tree as well as any 1 evergreen tree - $149.95 and UP. Offer Valid 6/10/17 - 6/18/17. Limit one coupon per person. Must present coupon at time of purchase. Offer can not be combined with any other discounted offers. Offer expires 6/18/17.

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• Buy 1 - 10% OFF • Buy 2 – 15% OFF • Buy 3 or more – 20% OFF Must present coupon at time of purchase. Offer cannot be combined with any other discounted offer. Expires 6/18/17.

OPEN HOUSE & CUSTOMER APPRECIATION DAY!

NEXT SATURDAY, JUNE 17TH FROM 10:30 AM TO 12:00 PM FREE REFRESHMENTS & GREAT SALES.

2017

COME CELEBRATE THE ARRIVAL OF SUMMER WITH HARDING NURSERY!

719.596.5712 721 N. Powers Blvd www.hardingnursery.com SATURDAY, JUN 10, 2017 I THE GAZETTE I HG 3

It isn’t officially summer until June 21, and you can plant or replenish your garden well into the season.

WE GOT YOU COVERED! Rain or Shine!

Summer color annuals

BY HEATHER GUNNERSON, SPENCER’S LAWN & GARDEN CENTERS

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HG 4 I THE GAZETTE I SATURDAY, JUN 10, 2017

We’ve been saying it for weeks — it’s not too late to plant! It isn’t officially summer until June 21, and you can plant or replenish your garden well into the season.

Annuals such as geraniums, petunias, verbena and others are perfect for vivid color in the summer sun. Remember to deadhead (pinch or trim off spent blooms) routinely to prevent the plant from spending energy making seeds. This ensures it will keep flowering beautifully. When they start looking leggy or overgrown, trim the whole plant back to the first few sets of leaves.

Annuals need regular fertilizing to look their best. Use a good feed once a week to keep them robust. Container gardens especially need regular fertilizing, as soil nutrients are limited. Use a water-soluble fertilizer at least weekly when watering.

Gardens in the ground also need to be fed, and you can choose from fertilizers applied to the soil or water-soluble.

Granulated fertilizers can be shaken on and lightly hand raked in every two to four weeks, depending on their type.

Simply water as usual. Water-soluble can be poured or sprayed on during regular watering using a hose end sprayer. Be sure no previous chemical has been used in the sprayer prior.

Check with your local garden center to see the myriad options in fertilizers and find the ones that are right for you!

Spencer’s Lawn & Garden Centers, two convenient locations: 1430 S. Tejon St., Colorado Springs 4720 Center Valley Dr., Fountain

Tropical treasures

N

Local Raw HONEY

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BY JULIE MCINTYRE, SUMMERLAND GARDENS

ow that the days are heating up, it has finally become enjoyable to sit out on the deck or patio and enjoy the summer nights. These outdoor areas are special places where you can unwind, relax and enjoy summer.

By adding special something to your patio, you can add a splash of color, a scent to remind you of a favorite vacation spot, or just a touch of the exotic.

We’re all familiar with the more common tropical plants that add a punch to a pot, like hibiscus or cannas, but maybe it’s time to up your game a notch and try something a little different. Tropicals bring beautiful flowers, fragrant blossoms and sometimes even edible fruits right to your patio.

Most of them are fairly simple to grow — just provide a full day of sun and water consistently, and you could be enjoying a fresh fig or a homegrown lime in your summer cocktail.

Some of our favorites are citrus bushes like oranges, limes and lemons, particularly the Meyer lemon with it’s sweet lemon or sour orange flavor. The blossoms on citrus are extremely fragrant and are worth growing for the flowers alone. But then,

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add the possibility of fresh fruit and they are all the more worth the space and effort.

Another favorite is fig trees. These also enjoy full sun and regular watering and will provide fresh figs each year. Or maybe you just want to try a passion flower vine, one of the prettiest flowers on the planet. And if you want some fragrance to waft across your patio as you relax under the stars, try either a Madagascar or star jasmine.

Come by and we’ll help you select the best tropical treasure for your space and tell you how to grow it for best results.

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Do’s and don’ts for

second-floor laundry rooms METRO SERVICES

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aundry can be a cumbersome chore. In homes with more than one story, clothes are put in a hamper, carried down to the washer and dryer, where they are then cleaned, dried, folded and taken back upstairs to be put away. The entire process can be inefficient, which may contribute to why so many people delay doing laundry for as long as possible.

One way to make the process of doing laundry go more smoothly is to consider moving the location of the laundry area.

According to the National Association of Home Builders, more homeowners are moving their laundry rooms upstairs so they don’t have to transport laundry

HG 6 I THE GAZETTE I SATURDAY, JUN 10, 2017

baskets up and down the stairs.

Before moving their laundry rooms, homeowners should take steps to safeguard their homes, and that may involve finding the ideal location for the new room. Find space for an upstairs laundry room and then consult with an engineer to be sure that the plan is feasible. An engineer and an architect can assess if a home is structurally sound enough to handle the weight and vibration of an upstairs laundry.

One of the biggest concerns with regard to moving a laundry room upstairs is the fear of flooding or leaks. There are certain steps to take to minimize these risks. Experts advise installing an easily accessible water shut-off valve. Turn off the

valve when the washer is not in use. Also, steel-braided washer hoses are sturdier than standard hoses and are less likely to burst. Homeowners also can place the washer in a drain pan, which will catch overflowing water and drain it through a pipe. Some areas may require a floor drain as an alternative.

Homeowners also must recognize that noise can be a problem with upstairs laundry. Front-loading appliances may cause more vibration and movement than top-loaders. However, some front-loaders are designed to be quiet. Anti-vibration pads may help with vibration issues.

Before moving their laundry rooms, homeowners should consult with contractors to ensure things go smoothly.

AROUND THE HOUSE

The old and the new — water wells and solar fans

It’s Sum.. Sum.. Summertime!

BY KEN MOON, SPECIAL TO THE GAZETTE

Dear Ken: What do you think of the solar-powered attic vent fans?

— Marty

Dear Ken: I have an old well in the backyard that has been was covered up. Do you think it’s worth resurrecting?

— Rose

They’re a little pricey, but are the only way to go KEN MOON if you have a cathedral ceiling. In that case, the attic space is usually too cramped to crawl into: maybe only 18 to 24 inches, and that’s filled up part way with insulation batts anyway. The solar-powered fan is installed on the topside of the roof and immediately starts purging hot air accumulated at the peak of the attic, and replaces it with cooler outdoor air pulled through those little soffit vents behind the gutters.

Check with the manufacturer’s recommendations, but if allowed, I would cover them with black plastic in the winter, so the solar heat gain is retained up there.

How much? You’ll pay less each if you order several, but expect a price tag of about $300 each.

It may not be up to you. These old wells were in fashion years ago as a way to get around lawn watering restrictions. They simply drilled down until they hit the first layer of underground water, dropped in a small submergible pump and used its pressure to soak the lawn and shrubs — you may recall “well water” signs in the front yards in older urban neighborhoods.

Dear Ken: I have a three year old refrigerator, but lately the ice cubes don’t taste right. What can I do?

— Charles This is one of those “use it or lose” situations. If you don’t run fresh ice through the system, then the cubes will start to take on the flavor of whatever is in the refrigerator.

Plus, they just get stale and nasty with age anyway, as the chemicals in the original water do their thing. Every few months, I dump all the accumulated ice cubes into the sink. In addition to getting a fresh batch, it allows me to clean out chunks that may be impinging on the inner workings of the icemaker itself and the dispenser.

By the way, how does the water side taste?

If it, too, is stale, you might consider an in-line charcoal filter system to sweeten up the incoming liquid (you attach it to the water line behind the fridge). They are pretty cheap, and usually last four to six months before you have to put in a new cartridge.

PS: Remember: no plastic icemaker lines allowed — use copper or a steel braided hose.

Things have changed, though, over the last 40 years or so. Most of these wells were unpermitted by state authorities, and, of course, that’s no longer allowed. Besides depleting the water in a given aquifer — that probably belongs to someone else who owns the water rights — these shallow wells can contain chemical contaminants that may be harmful to humans and animals as they are misted through the sprinkler heads.

The permitting of wells is the purview of the state natural resources. Check their website for further information and guidance.

Dear Ken: How can I stop squeaks and pops in my stair treads? It is finished underneath with drywall.

— Craig You could try driving a few 16 penny casing or finish nails directly through the carpet. I know it sounds pretty aggressive, but it can’t hurt and you may get lucky and tighten up the right boards that are rubbing together.

You can also find breakaway screw sets at the hardware store that can work. You twist them into place and the head eventually snaps off even with the surface.

The best way, of course, is to hire a carpet installer who can expose the wooden treads for you. He can stand by while you attack the squeaks with deck screws and maybe some resin-based carpenter’s glue.

Ken Moon is a home inspector in the Pikes Peak region. His radio show airs at 9 a.m.

Saturday and is carried on KRDO, AM 1240 and FM 105.5. Visit AroundTheHouse.com.

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YEAR ROUND GARDENING

GARDEN TRIVIA: What do tomatoes and dahlias have in common?

D

BY DEBRA STINTON OTHITIS, COLORADO MASTER GARDENER

ahlias are easy plants to grow and yield beautiful blooms from mid-summer through fall. In many respects, “dahlia culture” is similar to “tomato culture.” If you can grow tomatoes in your garden, you can successfully grow dahlias. Another similarity is that most gardeners can’t grow just one. Once you grow your first dahlia, you’ll want more — just like tomatoes!

There’s probably no plant in the flower kingdom that gives the gardener a more spectacular reward with so little work than the dahlia. There are seemingly endless types of dahlias to keep any gardener happy, and dahlias are inexpensive. There are very few flowering plants that cost just a few dollars and provide such spectacular color, variety and abundance of blooms from mid-July through the end of the growing season. Dahlia’s are also very deer-resistant.

Even though they’re often called bulbs, the roots of dahlias are actually tubers that look a lot like a bunch of brown carrots.

You can purchase established plants in pots, or start your own plants in pots indoors about a month before planting.

Both are convenient ways to get started, but the established plants will flower sooner. The most difficult aspect of growing dahlias is the selection process as you must choose from a wide range of: • COLOR: Nearly all colors except blue are available.

• FLOWER SIZE: These range from miniatures just a few inches diameter, to the huge-flowered “dinnerplate” flowers up to twelve inches in diameter.

• PLANT SIZE: You can find dahlias ranging in height from 12 inches to seven or eight feet.

Go to https://store.extension.iastate. edu/Product/Growing-Dahlias for an overview of the many different varieties of dahlias. Your choice will depend on where you plan to grow them and how much space you have either in your garden

There’s probably no plant in the flower kingdom that gives the gardener a more spectacular reward with so little work than the dahlia.

Photo by Fredricka Bogardus

beds or containers. Remember that your dahlias will require some support so drive a stake into the ground 12 inches deep and six inches behind the root at the time of planting. Tomato cages or a trellis are simple alternatives to using stakes to support your dahlias.

Only plant your dahlias after all danger of frost has passed and ground temperature reaches 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Select a planting site with good drainage and keep in mind that six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily will produce the most blooms on your plants. Containers are also an increasingly popular way to grow dahlias — choose shorter border dahlias for pots. If starting your dahlia from tubers, put them in a hole several inches deep with the “eye” facing up — the eye is the point on the crown of the tuber from which the plant grows. If planting a number of dahlias in the same

HG 8 I THE GAZETTE I SATURDAY, JUN 10, 2017

location, you should separate them by two feet to give each plant room to grow.

After planting, maintenance of your dahlias is minimal. They require little water, and in fact, excessive water can lead to rotting of the plant. A good rule of thumb is to water if the rainfall is less than one inch in seven days. Naturally, potted dahlias require more regular watering.

Your plants will generally benefit from regular treatments with a water soluble or granular fertilizer. Dahlia flower size can be increased by removal of flower buds throughout the season; however, keep in mind that this practice may reduce the overall showiness of the plant.

At the end of the season after the vegetation is killed by frost, prune back the stalks to six inches. Leave the tuberous root in the ground for two weeks to harden before carefully digging them up so the tuberous roots do not break

away from the clump. Dry the tuberous roots enough to shake off excess soil, pack in sawdust, perlite or vermiculite, and store them in a cool, dry place until spring when you can plant them once again. Some gardeners do not bother with over-wintering their bulbs and instead treat dahlias like annuals, purchasing new ones each spring.

When you have questions, Colorado State University Extension has research based answers. Get answers to your horticulture questions by calling a Master Gardener Volunteer at 719-520-7684 or emailing CSUmg2@elpasoco.com. Volunteers are available to help you Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. — 12 p.m. For current garden tips visit www.facebook. com/ColoradoMasterGardeners.EPC. For current classes visit elpaso.extension. colostate.edu.

How to clean and prepare

outdoor furniture ••

METRO SERVICES

As temperatures rise, people increasingly venture outdoors to soak up the sun, enjoy the mild breezes and entertain under the open sky. Clean and comfortable furniture can make outdoor entertaining that much more enjoyable.

After months in storage or nestled under protective tarps, outdoor furniture likely needs a good cleaning before it's put to the test once again. Mildew may have formed, insects may be hiding out within cushions or other crevices and dirt may have accumulated — even if the furniture was cleaned before being stored away. Experts recommend cleaning outdoor furniture between three and four times per year to keep it in optimal condition.

Before cleaning, determine the material your furniture is made of, as some cleaning products may not be safe for all materials.

When in doubt, read the care tags on cushions and other products or refer back to the original packaging for cleaning instructions. Always test a cleaning solution in an inconspicuous area first.

The following are some additional general furniture cleaning guidelines:

WOOD

Wood comes in many varieties, from hard and softwoods to wicker furniture.

Mild oil-based soaps and products geared especially to cleaning wood can be handy.

On wicker and painted woods, it may be best to dilute the solutions before use.

Hardwood furniture and built-in decking structures may benefit from annual sanding and then reapplication of a protective finish to maintain the look of the wood for long periods of time.

Automatic dishwasher detergent mixed with a gallon of warm water also may do the trick. The detergent contains a mild bleaching agent that will not cause damage like straight bleach.

GLASS

Dish detergent and general home cleaning solutions work well on glass surfaces. Remember to clean all sides, including bottom-facing areas. After cleaning, use vinegar or a glass cleaning solution and a microfiber cloth to produce a streak-free shine.

OUTDOOR CUSHIONS

Outdoor fabrics are derived from different materials. However, this general-purpose recipe, courtesy of the DIY Network, may help clean many outdoor fabrics. Mix one teaspoon dishwashing detergent, one quart warm water and one tablespoon borax together. Saturate a sponge and use it to wash the cushions. Let it sit for 15 minutes and then spray it off with a high-force hose.

Stand the cushions on their edges to dry outdoors.

Remember, vinegar can help inhibit mildew growth. Keep a bottle of diluted vinegar around to spray on plastic mesh and furniture that gets wet from the rain or pool.

Store outdoor furniture away from inclement weather whenever possible.

PLASTIC RESIN

Commercial cleansers may be too harsh to use on plastic resin furniture. Before risking discoloration or scratching, try some ingredients that may be lying around the house. For example, use a wet sponge dipped in baking soda as a mild abrasive to clean resin. Just be sure to thoroughly rinse off the powdery residue afterward.

Gophers, Moles, Voles, Burrowing and Rodent Control

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SATURDAY, JUN 10, 2017 I THE GAZETTE I HG 9

GOREN BRIDGE

WITH BOB JONES ©2016 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

weekly bridge quiz

Serving Colorado Springs Since 1934 “Putting garden success in the palm of your hand since 1934.”

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q 1 - Neither vulnerable, as South, you hold:

As dealer, what call would you make?

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q 5 - North-South vulnerable, as South, you hold:

Right-hand opponent opens two hearts, weak. What call would you make? q 2 - North-South vulnerable, as South, you hold: ♠ q J 4 ♥ J 10 6 4 ♦ k q 7 5 4 ♣ q weST NOrTH eAST 1♥ dbl Pass

SOuTH ?

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As dealer, what call would you make? q 4 - Both vulnerable, as South, you hold: ♠q6♥A♦Ak94♣Akq876

♠ 10 8 7 4 ♥ q 9 5 3 2 ♦ k 8 7 ♣ 3 NOrTH 1NT

eAST Pass

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(Bob Jones welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency, LLC., 16650 Westgrove Dr., Suite 175, Addison, TX 75001.

E-mail: tcaeditors@tribpub.com)

Father’s Day Sale!

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4720 Center Valley Drive

1430 South Tejon Street

Fountain, CO • 392-2726

CO Spgs, CO • 632-2788

Hours: Mon. – Sat. 9 – 6, Sun. 10 – 4 WWW.SPENCERSGARDENS.COM HG 10 I THE GAZETTE I SATURDAY, JUN 10, 2017

While Supplies Last.

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Plants for the Western Garden

719.477.0267 www.summerlandgardens.com 1885 Briargate Parkway New Location- Open Daily 10-6

124 E. Cheyenne Rd.

near the intersection of S. Nevada & Cheyenne Rd.

denniS The menaCe

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PiCkleS

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rhymeS wiTh orange by hilary Price

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SATURDAY, JUN 10, 2017 I THE GAZETTE I HG 11

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HG 12 I THE GAZETTE I SATURDAY, JUN 10, 2017

loS angeleS TimeS CroSSword

non SequiTur

by wiley

edited by rich norris and Joyce lewis

lola

by Todd Clark

BeeTle Bailey across 1 One who may start a rally 11 Borg’s land: Abbr.

14 Crunchy chocolate-covered candy brand 15 Pull 16 Meets expectations 17 Reference 18 Golf course units 19 AutoZone brand 20 “Hannibal” co-screenwriter David 21 Chateau __ Michelle winery 22 Luge medium 23 Put in stitches 24 Gmail lifesaver 27 Network debut of 1970 28 Group of experts 30 Expedia shopper’s plan 31 Took the worm 32 Banned 34 Online game figures 36 Miss identification?

37 Fivers 39 Jacquie Lawson online offering 40 Office fixture 41 Addresses capped at 18 minutes 43 Fashion house founder Marant 45 Golf’s “Big Easy” 46 Parisian pronoun 49 __ Circus: ancient Roman arena 50 Beach top 51 Seasonal temp 53 “My word!”

54 Persevere 56 Mint holders 57 Preliminary research procedure 58 Bug big-time 59 “I’m with you, girl!” down 1 Monastery figures 2 Choose 3 Italian love infinitive 4 Healthy amount?

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Small 50-Across size One may be taken under a tree Luxury resort amenity Crane, e.g.

Some licensing requirements “Shoo!”

Facial treatment Avery product Relatives of whimpers Article in Vogue Paris Cancels out Stalin __ Start of a Dickensian request Comparative Web traffic statistic Q50, e.g.

Took control UCLA aides Unproductive 12-step offshoot Blue-clad youngsters?

Babe feature Practice piece Pan pal Panama border?

“Certainly, señor!”

“The Good Wife” figs.

Coll. admissions criterion Rehab woe

by mort, greg, and Brian walker

hagar The horriBle

moTher gooSe

by Chris Browne

by mike Peters

Friday’s Puzzle Solved

Tundra

by Chad Carpenter

SATURDAY, JUN 10, 2017 I THE GAZETTE I HG 13

Bizarro

by dan Piraro

argyle SweaTer

by Scott hilburn

CeleBriTy CiPher by luis Campos Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

B.C.

by hart

ziTS

by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

JumP STarT

Frazz

by robb armstrong

by Jef mallett

HG 14 I THE GAZETTE I SATURDAY, JUN 10, 2017

dilBerT

by Scott adams

Sally ForTh

by Francesco marciuliano and Jim keefe

BaBy BlueS

by Jerry Scott and rick kirkman

PearlS BeFore Swine by Stephan Pastis

PooCh CaFe

by Paul gilligan

SATURDAY, JUN 10, 2017 I THE GAZETTE I HG 15

TAKE OUR ADVICE

Dear Amy: I have a niece who lives with me. She is 22 years old, and she is the laziest person ever.

She is manipulative, jealous, self-centered, dirty, a liar, a user, and basically thinks the world revolves around her. Her mom has convinced her she is a princess.

AMY I don’t know what to say or do DICKINSON about it, but her living with me is a pain in the neck. I have my own three kids to pick up after, a house to clean, a husband to care for, and this young woman is living here for free. She won’t even clean a dish!

What can I do? — Had it Aunt ADVICE

Dear Aunt: You don’t provide any backstory, or say how or why this niece landed in your home, and so my answer is very straightforward. Given your obvious and extreme dislike for your niece, and the fact that this is your home, it is not good for either of you to cohabit.

I don’t know if your husband has imposed this presence on you, or why you seem to lack the power to control who lives with you, but the obvious answer is to give your niece a move-out date with a little boot behind it. The fact that you don’t know what to say or do about this makes you seem powerless in your own household, but if you are the adult who cooks, cleans, and manages the household, then you may have more power than you think. You are not a maid. You are a mom.

There is a difference. You just need to realize it and be brave enough to say, calmly, “This isn’t working. It’s time for you to find another place to live.”

Dear Amy: I wanted to weigh in with an idea for “Want to be my Own Magic Wand,” concerning how to battle inertia at home.

The way I do it is to promise myself small rewards, once I’ve completed a chore. For instance, I’ll watch a favorite movie after I’ve cleaned the kitchen. — Also Inert Dear Also: I sometimes play a favorite movie while I’m cleaning.

—

Send questions to askamy@tribune.com or to Ask Amy, Chicago Tribune, TT500, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611.

Question: My 16-year-old was just told that she has asthma.

She’s about the sixth girl in her grade diagnosed with this condition. What can DR. OZ AND DR. ROIZEN moms do to help their daughters deal with asthma? — Rebecca G., Evanston, Ill. ADVICE

Answer: We are sorry to hear about your daughter and her classmates, but unfortunately we’re not very surprised. One out of every 10 school-age children in the U.S. has asthma. After puberty, females are much more likely than males to develop asthma. It turns out the male sex hormone testosterone suppresses an immune system cell involved in allergic asthma.

A recently published study in the Journal of External Medicine revealed testosterone blocks innate lymphoid cells, or ILC2s. When these cells in the lungs are exposed to asthma allergens — pollen, dust mites, cigarette smoke or pet hair — they produce proteins that can lead to lung inflammation and damage. But, the study showed, when ILC2s detect testosterone, the cells stop reproducing. That’s the “why” of women and asthma, but now you need to focus on “how” to manage it.

Asthma demands an action plan that describes the daily treatment schedule and when to call the doctor or head to the emergency room. Your doctor should give you a written version, or you can print a form out at www.nhlbi.nih.gov. Search for “asthma action plan.”

Your daughter’s medication regimen probably will include the use of a long-term-control medicine, such as an inhaled corticosteroid. Fully 40 percent of children with asthma do not take longterm-control medication regularly. That leads to asthma attacks, overuse of rescue inhalers and hospitalization. Don’t count your daughter among those! Her treatment plan also will call for having a short-acting rescue inhaler on hand — at school, in her backpack and at home. That can save her life she gets a flare.

—

Dear Readers: A short list of things to not feed the dog: • Avocado. Contains an acid that’s toxic to dogs.

• Cherries, plums, peaches and apricots have a cyanidelike compound that can lead to breathing problems.

HINTS • Chocolate. Caffeine and theoFROM bromine are stimulants (bad!), HELOISE and chocolate is high in fat.

There are many more foods that are bad for a dog, but some “people food” may be OK as an occasional snack. Ask your veterinarian. — Heloise ADVICE

Dear Heloise: Thank you for mentioning the feeding of feral cats. You might want to mention TNR. — John L., San Dimas, Calif.

John, this is a wonderful opportunity to bring this topic to light. “TNR” stands for “trap, neuter, and release (or return).” Feral cats are sometimes called “community cats,” and TNR helps to get the cats spayed or neutered and vaccinated.

Catching the cats may be a challenge, but it is worth it to control the population of homeless animals. Many agencies will spay and neuter feral cats for free or for a very low cost. Contact shelters in your area for more information. — Heloise Dear Heloise: My complaint is people who let their dogs, either leashed or unleashed, approach my leashed dog despite my cautions that my dog may not be friendly to their dog.

Usually their response is, “Oh, it’s OK; my dog is friendly.” That may be, but I’m telling them that my dog may not be, especially to a strange, larger or more rambunctious dog.

My dog is leashed for a reason, either because she’s supposed to be or because I want to control her contact with other dogs. I would hate for an interaction to go bad and someone to get hurt.

People always should ask dog owners if it’s OK to let their dog approach, and pay attention to what they say. And if the dogs are supposed to be leashed, for pete’s sake, leash them! — Becky in Lincoln, Neb. —

Email your health and wellness questions to youdocsdaily@ sharecare.com.

Send hints via email to heloise@heloise.com or via post to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001.

TODAY’S HOROSCOPES BY JERALDINE SAUNDERS ARIES (March 21-April 19) The more often you flex muscles the more flexible you will become. Practice careful analysis of your financial situation and make clearheaded decisions.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Discretion is the better part of amour. Keep romantic fantasies to yourself unless you are sure they are shared.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Swimmers know the initial kick off the pool wall is important. Take off from a solid foundation to achieve your ambitions.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Keep your head out of the clouds. Avoid flights of fancy and stick to the facts. Assess a new relationship carefully and avoid imagining that it is better, or worse, than it really is.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Get outdoors to soak up some rays. The summer sun operates like a battery charger. You will benefit from a break from routines.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) A brief stalemate with a partner or companion could slowly collapse under the weight of understanding and compassion.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) You can improve your life on many levels if you remain determined. It may be tempting to relax in the TV room with a special someone.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Parade in your own private place. Take time for quiet reflection, meditation or deep contemplation.

Ignore the hustle and bustle of the crowd and march to the beat of your own drummer.

HG 16 I THE GAZETTE I SATURDAY, JUN 10, 2017

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Romantic fantasies might bubble up. You may hit the target if you aim for lasting affection. Evaluate financial matters carefully.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) It isn’t impertinent to ask pertinent questions. If you take people for granted you won’t give them a chance to show you what they can really do.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) You may get what you need, but not what you want.

The expert you want may be on vacation and your favorite shampoo out of stock at the grocery store.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Careless meddling could break down structures that are in place for a good reason. Perfectionists may strive to make something better but risk making a mess.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

June 10

A focus on achieving your ambitions can get in the way of harmonious relationships during the next three to four weeks. Since your way may be blocked this isn’t the best time to make investments or to make a career change. Work hard and by August you will begin to see where your best interests lie. August is the best time to put business, financial or career plans into motion.