At Home Living 093017

Saturday, September 30, 2017 An advertising feature of The Topeka Capital-Journal

home.cjonline.com Real estate

Flipping houses A risk that might pay off

page 6 n Bringing houseplants indoors, page 2 n Storing squash after harvest, page 3 n Halloween decor: Friendly vs. scary, page 7 metro creative connection

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Move houseplants indoors gradually, water less Summer vacation ended weeks ago for most of us, but our houseplants are still likely enjoying warm days outside. However, their leisurely afternoons of basking in the sun are fast approaching an end.

Bringing houseplants inside to overwinter extends their lives and gives you the enjoyment of plants year-round. Plants are constantly sensing light, water, air and other elements and need a gradual adjustment from outdoors to your windowsill. Proper transition technique can help reduce their stress, as well as prevent creepy crawlies from coming inside with them.

Your first consideration when bringing houseplants inside is when.

Generally speaking, for tropical plants you want to avoid nighttime temperatures of less than 50 degrees, with other plants no less than 40 degrees.

Because plants benefit from a gradual transition, you’ll want to plan a few weeks out from when you think these cold temperatures may set in. In Kansas especially, watch out for sudden freezes. It’s better to bring your plants in for the night — insects and

Ariel Whitely

arielw@ksu.edu

all — and put them out again the next day than risk damage from a sudden hard frost.

Once you’ve established the timing, begin with a transition to shade. Move your plants to a shadier part of your yard, deck or patio. This will begin to prepare the plant for the lower light conditions of your home. While in the shade, reduce water and fertilizer gradually.

Your plant will always need watering, but you’ll find it will be much less in the shade and indoors than in the heat of the summer sun.

When you’re ready to move your plant indoors, select a location. Depending on the needs of the plant, the sunniest window you have will make the out-to-in movement slightly easier. Cleaning the interior and exterior

of these windows will improve light quantity.

Make sure there are no heating or cooling vents blowing on the plants.

Selecting what plant to bring in is just as important as preparing them for the move. Diseased or pest-infected plants may be better off trashed than to risk infecting your other plants.

Of the plants you do move, remove any broken or dead leaves or branches, but avoid pruning because it encourages new growth.

Look for root-bound plants that are in need of a larger pot and make sure to scrub the outside of all the pots, including the lip, for hitchhiking pests.

To avoid bringing insects into your home, spray the foliage of the plants with a jet of water — with caution for more tender plants — and soak the pots in a bucket of warm water, up to the lip, for 15 minutes. This will drown or drive out any insects hiding in the soil.

Make sure to allow all the excess water to drain from the soil before bringing the plant to its new location.

Speaking of water, overwatering your houseplants

Tip of the week: Aluminum foil alternatives

Metro Creative Connection

Better Homes and Gardens lists these uncommon ways to use aluminum foil in your home. n Instead of a scrub pad, crumple up a handful of aluminum foil and use it to scrub your pots. n Use clean leftover strips of aluminum foil to sharpen dull scissors. Smooth them out if necessary, and then fold the strips into several layers and start cutting. Cut seven or eight times. n Line a metal paint roller pan with aluminum foil for a quick cleanup.

Source: bhg.com

Metro Creative Connection

Geraniums are among the houseplants that should be transitioned before moving them indoors for the winter. is the best way to ensure they won’t make it to next summer. Push your finger

into the soil when you think it needs watering. A dry finger signals it’s time

to water; any dampness tells you to wait.

After four to eight weeks in your sunniest window, you may move plants to a lower light location in your home. If you have too many plants — if there’s such a thing — and only one or two sunny windows, consider staggering your pot migration.

Although you certainly can buy new plants every spring, keeping houseplants over winter saves money and improves the feel and health of your home. Plants reduce air toxins, increase oxygen and, as repeated studies show, they just make us happy.

Ariel Whitely is the horticulture agent for Shawnee County Research and Extension.

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Store hard-shelled winter squashes before frost hits

By Dean Fosdick The Associated Press

Winter squash is finally nearing maturity after spending 80 to 100 days growing in the family garden. What is not generally known, though, is that these hard-shelled vegetables can be such softies when handled. That increases the odds of spoilage while they’re in storage.

“Broken skin allows bacteria to enter into the sweet interior and multiply like crazy by digesting the sugars and thus rotting the fruit,” said Jim Muck, of the Agricultural Sustainability Institute at the University of California-Davis.

The longer that squash remains in the garden, the greater the risk, said Alexandra Stone, a horticulturist with Oregon State University.

“Once they reach that har-

vestable stage, it is best to get them out of the field, as they are prone to sunburn, rodent damage, cracking and other problems,” she said.

If nothing else, they should be harvested before the first hard frost.

“Very low temperatures will cause the water in the squash cells to freeze, which breaks the cell walls of the fruit and causes the flesh to turn to mush,” Muck said.

Different squash varieties mature at different rates. Use the thumbnail test as a reliable, quick and easy indicator, Muck said: Try to stick your thumbnail through the rind.

If your thumbnail easily penetrates the skin of the squash, then the fruit is not mature.

If the squash resists the pressure, it’s time to harvest.

When done properly, home storage can keep winter squash optimal for eating for

up to six months after being harvested. The Big Three storage requirements are temperature, humidity and ventilation.

Store the squash in a shed, basement, breezeway, enclosed porch or garage at 50 to 55 degrees.

“Winter squash are damaged at temperatures below 50 degrees, and once damaged start to rot,” Muck said, adding humidity should be kept at 50 percent to 60 percent. “Ventilation is not as key as temperatures and humidity, but the air does need to be moving a little bit.”

Other storage suggestions include: ■■ Curing. Hold the squash at 70 degrees for 10 days and then move it into cold storage at 50 to 55 degrees. “Squash will store longer if they are cured first,” Muck said.

■■ Dispense with washing.

“Washing shortens the time they will last in storage because it removes the natural waxy coating the squash develops as they mature,” Muck said. “Use brushes to remove the surface soil.”

■■Know which varieties store the longest. Acorn squash, for example, doesn’t need curing and won’t store very long no matter what the conditions.

“Eat them first of all the winter squashes,” Muck said.

Butternut squash will remain in prime condition for two to three months when stored, while turban, Hubbard and sweet meat squash will retain optimal flavors for up to six months.

Acorns and delicatas are generally ripe if harvested at maturity, while kabochas, buttercups and butternuts need to ripen after harvest for best eating quality, Stone said.

Dean Fosdick/The Associated Press

Be careful when harvesting winter squash.

These hard-shelled vegetables are fragile and can be easily damaged, allowing bacteria to enter their interior and rot the flesh.

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Is cost of gutter guards worth it?

By Cynthia Wilson Angie’s List

Is it worth spending money to install gutter guards if you still have to clean them sometimes?

For many homeowners, the answer is yes, especially for those who want to climb a ladder and scoop leaves out as few times as possible each year.

However, “worth it” is a subjective term, and in the case of gutter guards, it means picking the right type for your roof. That starts with understanding how gutter guards work.

How do gutter guards work?

Gutter guards and covers form a filter over your gutters, catching debris — or redirecting it over the gutter — to prevent

clogs. At the same time, they allow water to continue running off your roof and into the gutter.

Although gutter guards are often advertised as a cure-all solution, it’s important to understand that they don’t all work the same and you’ll still probably need to clean your gutters, though not as often.

What types of gutter guards are there?

There are many types of gutter guards — screens, inserts, reverse curves — and all perform differently. For example, some may block large debris, such as broad leaves and long pine needles, while allowing seedpods and other small bits to enter the gutter.

Therefore, you need to know the unique condi-

tions of your roof when shopping for gutter guards. Start with identifying the types of trees growing around your home, and what debris they drop throughout the year.

So how much do gutter guards cost?

It depends on two factors: the length of your gutters, and the type of guards you need. And, of course, if you want professional installation, or if you feel comfortable installing the guards yourself.

Gutter guards and covers typically cost between $7.50 and $10 per lineal foot installed. Given that the average home has about 200 feet of gutter, GUARDS continues on 8

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real estate

Flipping homes can be a risk that pays off

By Linda A. Ditch

Special to The Capital-Journal

Are you a fan of one of the television shows featuring house flips? Maybe you’ve heard or seen the infomercials touting a path to wealth through buying cheap real estate, fixing it up and selling it for big profits. House flipping is a hot trend right now.

A house is considered a flip when it is bought and resold within the same year. According to an online article by Market Watch, in the first quarter of 2016 the number of houses being flipped counted for 6.6 percent of the total number of homes sold in the United States. The article suggested the popularity of house flipping is due to a shortage of single-family, entry-level homes.

“The attraction to flipping houses is the possible $10,000 or more you can get in the turnaround,” said rookie house flipper Carrie Thompson. “It’s risky, because you don’t know how long it will take to redo the house and sell it. The project I’m working on now, I thought it would take three or four months, but now I’m five months into it and not finished yet.”

If you want to try your luck flipping houses, here are some things to consider: ■■ The current real estate market.

What size houses are in demand? Is it a buyers market with lots of houses available for sale, or a sellers market with few houses available? Homes for sale are in high demand right now, because there are few currently on the market.

Look into recent sales and the average number of days a home is on the market. A conversation with a real estate pro can be a big help.

■■ Assess your finances.

One of the biggest mistakes first-time flippers make is underestimating how much money they will need. You should check if you’re in a financial position to

The old bathroom was gutted and all of the old fixtures were removed and replaced.

Photos by Keith Horinek/The Capital-Journal

Rookie investor Carrie Thompson says flipping houses is a risky business because the time it takes to upgrade a home before it’s put on the market may take longer than expected. She has been working on a home (above) for the past five months. Improvements include upgrading the kitchen. invest in real estate on top of all your other financial obligations and goals.

Also, make sure to account for remodeling costs on the house.

“You need available cash on hand because when you’re told you have a problem, you’d better have cash on hand for the repairs or it will slow down the whole project,” Thompson said.

■■ Find a house.

Of course, ideally you will want to purchase the cheapest house so you can get the biggest return. However, be mindful of big-ticket repairs, such as the foundation, roof, sewer and mold removal. It’s also a good idea to buy a rentable home, just in case you need to rent it out for a time

should the real estate market take a downturn.

Look at comparable home sales in the area of the house you’re considering to get an idea of how much you can hope to get once the house is sold. Plus, getting a home inspection or a general contractor to weigh in on the cost of the remodel is a good idea. The rule of thumb is to take that estimate and add 10 percent to the total.

■■ Set a schedule.

Whether you hire people to do the repairs or do them yourself, set a timeline for getting the house ready and on the market.

Unlike those flipping television shows that complete a project in six or seven weeks, in reality

it will typically take four to six months.

Thompson hires other people to do the bulk of the work.

“I can paint, but that’s about it. I do clean them, too, and I get filthy doing it. If you can do most of the work yourself, you’ll save a lot of money,” she said. “But, whether you hire people or do the work, it will take longer than you think.”

Now, it’s time to try and get the reward for your hard work by listing the house for sale. First, stage the house with furniture to help the buyer imagine living there. It doesn’t have to be fully furnished. Just a few pieces will do.

Next, look at comparisons

The updated bathroom features a new shower/bath, toilet and counter space. with other houses sold in the area and then list yours accordingly. Don’t let all your hard work make you think the house is worth more than its actual value. In fact, underpricing it just slightly can cause a bidding war between buyers, leading to a sale well above asking price.

Linda A. Ditch is a freelance writer from Topeka. She can be reached at lindaaditch@ gmail.com.

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Spooky or sweet? Choosing a Halloween theme

By Lisa A. Flam

The Associated Press

Before they even know whether the candy will be top-notch or king-size, trick-ortreaters are drawn to houses decked out for Halloween.

“When kids are trick-or-treating, that’s the first thing they see,” said Tanya Graff, style director at Martha Stewart Living magazine (marthastewart.com). “It’s fun when they see these amazing, decorated houses. It really makes it feel like Halloween. It makes your house look more inviting.”

Halloween offers the first big chance of fall to decorate — “the first big opportunity for people to really go for it,” said Graff.

And you can go for it in different ways, from sophisticated to playful, subtle or over the top. Halloween decorations range from traditional harvest to familyfriendly to maximum spookiness, with ghosts, ghouls, skeletons and more.

Any way you do it can make a big impact, and it doesn’t have to cost a chocolate-covered mint.

When you’re creating a spooky scene, be sure to keep your theme consistent.

“You want it to be unified,” said Barbara DeVos, category manager for Halloween decorations at the retailer Party City (partycity.com). “Whatever kind of theme you’re going for, you want all the lighting and all of the props to have the same kind of feeling.”

And have a focal point that draws in passersby — “some kind of wow factor,” DeVos said.

Party City/The Associated Press

Halloween offers the first big chance of fall to decorate your home, and there are lots of ways — from spooky to sweet — to get into the holiday spirit. This bloody skull will put the scare into trick-or-treaters.

Traditional harvest

For a simple and subtle look, try a wreath on your front door. Take a dried grapevine wreath, add moss, and give it a creepycrawly twist by adding black plastic bugs and snakes. Or spray-paint the wreath black and add faux black roses, Graff says.

A seasonal harvest look is easy to get with pumpkins. Besides the traditional jack-o’-lanterns, you can add pumpkins to urns for a fall display, or turn carved pumpkins into outdoor vases for fall mums.

The easiest idea, Graff says, is to place pumpkins up your front steps.

“You could do different shapes, different colors, or ombre, starting in one color and graduating down to another,” she added.

With pumpkins now available in many different hues, you can create an ombre look with pumpkins ranging from gray to THEME continues on 10

Party City/The Associated Press

Halloween decorations can be as elaborate as you can imagine. This home went with a graveyard theme, complete with skeletons, ghosts and ghouls.

John Dolan/Martha Stewart Living/The Associated Press

An urn can take on a Halloween theme when filled with and surrounded by pumpkins and gourds.

8 | Saturday, September 30, 2017 | The Topeka Capital-Journal | homes.cjonline.com

Guards: Time saved cleaning a factor in cost Continued from 5

many homeowners can expect to pay about $1,500 to $2,000 for professionally installed gutter guards. The price goes up from there for more complex gutter guard systems.

Is it worth it?

As mentioned at the beginning, this is a subjective question that each homeowner will view differently. For example, some may understandably be turned off by the initial cost. Others may see it as an investment that will pay itself back by eliminating the need for professional cleaning.

In addition to cost, it’s also worth considering time. If you’re used to cleaning your own gutters, guards can greatly cut down on how often you’ll need to scoop leaves, seeds, animal feces and other goop out of them.

But no matter whether you clean your own gutters or hire a professional, they’ll still need occasional attention.

Experts recommend gutter cleaning at least once every two years, even with gutter guards and hoods installed. Still, that’s far better than the two or more times a year many homeowners spend cleaning uncovered gutters.

One more thing to consider: Because a gutter cleaning will require removing the guards, you’ll probably want ones that pop in and out easily.

Overall, the process of finding the perfect gutter guards will require spending a bit of time researching and making a substantial upfront investment.

However, you may find that faster and less frequent gutter cleanings justify the cost.

Frank Espich/Angie’s List

Gutter guards come in a variety of designs and some are better suited for blocking some types of debris than others.

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Theme: Add drama with spiderwebs Continued from 7C

green to white, or peach to brown to orange.

Family friendly

For a fun and family-oriented look, think about adding color and smiling faces, says DeVos. “It’s having more color, like purple and orange and black tied in together, and having friendly witches,” she said. “There is no blood or death. It’s all about friendly pumpkins and friendly ghosts and scarecrows.”

You can share a happy Halloween vibe using garlands or gel clings for the windows, DeVos says, or cute yard stakes or trick-or-

treating signs.

Add some drama with paper-bag lanterns: Cut Halloween shapes or words like “Boo!” into black paper bags and put electric lights inside, Graff says.

There are so many decorations to choose from, including skeletons, skulls, reapers, ghosts, witches, bats, crows and other critters, not to mention semblances of blood and gore.

For maximum impact, accessorize with spider webbing, lights and a fog machine, DeVos says. You can hang spider webbing from your roof to the ground and fill it with giant spiders crawling down, she said.

Add to the scene by creating

a crow-filled graveyard in your front yard with tombstones.

“You can stick bones into the dirt so it looks like someone might be coming out,” DeVos said.

Bats, snakes and giant spiders can greet trick-ortreaters from a tree in your front yard.

“You can put them onto the tree and have them hanging down, and have webbing and cloth coming down and drape it all over the tree,” she said.

Skeletons can greet trickor-treaters from rocking chairs or stools on the front porch; decorate around them with bones, skulls or cauldrons. homes.cjonline.com | The Topeka Capital-Journal | Saturday, July 29, 2017 | 9

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