At Home Living 100717

Saturday, October 7, 2017 An advertising feature of The Topeka Capital-Journal

College Hill Home tour

Opening doors Four houses to be showcased

page 6 n Yard waste to nutrients, page 2 n Tips for growing berries, page 2 n Weichert: Post-disaster rebuilding, page 8

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Compost recycles organic waste into nutrients Many gardeners make compost without fully understanding its purpose and applications.

Compost is a form of recycling.

It takes organic waste and turns it into nutrient-rich humus that can be used by plants.

Composting is a way of returning to your soil what we deplete with traditional gardening practices.

The largest benefit of adding organic material — or compost — to your soil is it improves the soil itself. Organic materials improve the looseness and workability of soil.

If your soils are heavy clays, compost loosens this structure, making it easier for plant roots to penetrate and grow.

If the soils in your garden are sandy, compost will improve the ability of these soils to hold water, as well as boost fertility.

In our flower beds and vegetable gardens, we are constantly planting, harvesting and removing plant materials.

All of these actions remove nutrients stored in the soil, which in nature would be returned to the soil with the decomposition of plant material.

Composting takes that organic material and in a confined space — such as a composting bin — re-creates these processes until optimal conditions.

Compost added during tilling or planting in the spring or fall will add nutrients that plants can use year-round.

If you’re adding compost at planting, the best method is to

Ariel Whitely

arielw@ksu.edu

add compost to the bottom of a trench or hole, depending on your planting method.

For perennials, tomatoes and shrubs, this allows nutrients to be released in the area that roots are developing.

For seed planting, compost may be added by “top dressing,” or sprinkling it over the top of the soil. This will prevent soil crusting.

A “compost tea” can be made by mixing equal parts compost and water and pouring this water over new plants or newly seeded plants.

This serves as a substitute for soluble fertilizers, and the remaining compost can be added to the garden later on.

A lesser-known use for compost is mulch. Mulch reduces weeds and soil crusting, holds in soil moisture and regulates soil temperatures.

Compost can provide all of these benefits when applied 2 to 3 inches deep around vegetables, flowers, trees or shrubs.

If you till your garden in the fall, you can incorporate the compost at the end of the season for added benefits.

Although leaving grass clippings on your lawn helps reduce the amount of fertilizing it needs — in the same way composting does — many homeowners don’t like the look of a newly mowed lawn with clumps of cut grass on top.

Adding a fine layer of compost, or top-dressing, each year before planting or reseeding returns some of these nutrients.

Make sure you only add a thin layer to ensure even seed germination.

As with all good things, there can be situations where compost isn’t appropriate. An abundance of nutrients, which some compost provides, can cause rapid plant growth with limited fruit production.

If you add compost that’s not completely decomposed, it may continue to break down in your soil and tie up soil nutrients in the process. This is especially true with spring applications of compost.

Also, some insects prefer dark, moist compost and may enjoy a top dressing of compost. Primarily, the insects are sowbugs and squash bugs, both of which are controllable with other measures.

To avoid issues, make sure water can penetrate top-dressed compost.

If you’re seeing a dense, impenetrable layer on top of your soil, add more soil to the compost during the creation process.

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

Tip of the week: Stubborn stains Mustard, chocolate and lipstick stains can be hard to get out of clothing.

Here’s a tip: Rub a few drops of liquid glycerin into the stains first. Then rub in stain remover or laundry detergent. Launder as usual in cool water.

Source: heloise.com METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION

LEE RICH/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Berries are the quintessential summer fruit. But with the choice of appropriate varieties, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries can go on to yield into the fall.

Plant berries in fall for a sweet summer treat

By Lee Reich

The Associated Press

Does a fresh-picked raspberry taste better early in the morning, when it’s still cool from the night air, or at noon, after it’s been warmed by the sun?

That’s debatable. But there’s no argument that few foods are as delectable as raspberries picked at their peak of ripeness, when they’re so fragile that they can’t be shipped in good condition further than arm’s length.

Blackberries, currants and gooseberries

are equally delectable, and they’re all borne on plants compact enough to grow and look at home in the vegetable or flower garden.

Blueberries are handsome landscape plants — the highbush varieties as stand-alone shrubs, the lowbush as creeping groundcover plants.

The case for berries

In addition to having delicious and diverse flavors, berries are remarkably easy to grow. Pest BERRIES continues on 3

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Berries: Various types do well in shade, but require careful pruning Continued from 2

problems are rare if the plants have a good site and regular pruning.

Blackberries and raspberries, collectively called bramble fruits, grow best bathing in full sunlight. The same goes for blueberries. Currants and gooseberries are among the few fruits that bear well even in some shade.

All these berries are comfortable in a variety of soils, but they do like their roots kept cool and moist beneath a permanent mulch of wood chips, leaves, straw or other organic material.

Pruning tips

Pruning berries is straightforward.

Bramble roots are perennial, so an obvious first step in pruning is to cut away, in late winter, any 2-year-old canes.

Because brambles grow so exuberantly, they could quickly create a dank jungle, so winter pruning also entails removing enough young canes that the plants grow in a swathe no wider than a foot, with about 6 inches between canes.

Some people keep their brambles in clumps rather than rows, in which case you reduce each clump to the best halfdozen young canes.

Blackberries and black raspberries bear fruit on side branches, so they need two further pruning steps. Increase side-branching in summer by pinching out the tip of any young cane when it is 3 feet high. In winter, shorten each of those side branches to about 18 inches long.

Gooseberries and currants bear fruits mostly on 2-year-old and 3-year-old stems, so grow them as bushes with

young stems constantly replacing older stems that you eventually prune away.

All that’s needed each winter is to cut to the ground any stem older than 3 years old, and to cut away all but a half-dozen or so of the sturdiest, youngest (1-yearold) stems.

If you grow so-called everbearing varieties of red, yellow or black raspberries or blackberries, you could forgo all the previous pruning steps and just cut the whole planting to the ground each winter.

This limits the crop to late summer and fall only, but does bypass possible threats from deer or cold — and it’s easy.

Highbush blueberries bear well on stems up to 6 years old. Once plants reach that age, every year cut a few of the oldest, thickest stems to the ground, and reduce the number of new shoots coming from ground level to three or four of the healthiest looking ones.

Prune lowbush blueberries to the ground every two or three years.

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Friends in high places: Toilets rise up Posture-supporting comfort-height commodes more popular

By Ed Del Grande Tribune News Service

Dear Ed: We’re in the market for a new toilet, and I’ve noticed that some toilets are called “comfort height.” I assume they are different than a standard toilet, but I’m a little confused. Can you please tell me what is meant by the term “comfort-height toilet”?

— Peter, Michigan A: Comfort-height toilets are becoming popular because they of-

fer a little extra floor-to-seat bowl height than standard toilets.

In most cases, the height difference may only be a couple inches higher. But, this difference can vary depending on the make and model of the toilet.

A good way to get the feel of this style toilet is to sit down on a dining room chair, because comfort-height toilets are basically standard chair height.

Other than the slightly raised bowl, most comfort-height toilets install the same and have the same

features as regular toilets.

Bottom line: “Comfort height” just means a higher toilet bowl, but I know keeping up with new toilet terms can sometimes be a tall order.

Master contractor/plumber Ed Del Grande is known internationally as the author of the book “Ed Del Grande’s House Call,” the host of TV and Internet shows, and a LEED green associate.

Kohler

Visit eddelgrande.com or write eadelg@cs.com.

Always consult local contractors and codes.

Comfort height toilets are becoming popular because they offer a little extra floor-to-seat bowl height than standard toilets.

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HOMES TOUR

Houses to open on College Hill

By Shana Sloyer

Special to The Capital-Journal

Scott and Gina Holloman moved to the College Hill neighborhood in April 2002 with their three young children. Before they purchased the 1920sera Mediterranean Revival at 1515 S.W. Jewell, the Hollomans were looking at new construction on the southwest side of town.

Scott discovered the College Hill home when he was running one day and convinced Gina to go and look at it because of its location.

“We needed a larger house for our children,” Gina said. “Scott’s sister worked at Randolph (Elementary), and we wanted our kids to go there.”

She fell in love with the eclectic blend of Spanish Colonial and Italian architecture featuring a trademark red tile roof and stucco siding.

The Hollomans became the fourth owners of the home.

The Hollomans’ home and three other College Hill houses will be open to the public from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 15 as part of the annual College Hill HOUSES continues on 7

Above: This 1920s-era Mediterranean Revival at 1515 S.W. Jewell is among the four homes featured during this year’s College Hill Historic Homes Tour.

Left: A 1926 brick American Foursquare at 1520 S.W. MacVicar is among the four homes featured during this year’s tour.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY KEITH HORINEK/THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

COLLEGE HILL HISTORIC HOMES TOUR When: 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 15 Locations: Craftsman bungalow

Address: 1328 S.W. Plass Year built: 1932 Owner: Elizabeth Herbert Features to look for: Natural light provided by the home’s many windows.

Colonial Revival

Address: 1435 S.W. Jewell Year built: 1922 Owners: Joe and RaLynn Schmidt Features to look for: Custom cabinets in the master bath.

Mediterranean Revival Address: 1515 S.W. Jewell Year built: 1920 Owners: Scott and Gina Holloman Features to look for: Original slate floors in the entryway.

American Foursquare Address: 1520 S.W. MacVicar Year built: 1926 Owner: Gail Kennedy Features to look for: Updated kitchen and living space addition at the back of the house.

Tickets: $5 in advance at Flowers by Bill, 1300 S.W. Boswell Ave.; Porterfield’s Flowers and Gifts, 3101 S.W. Huntoon; University Flowers, 1700 S.W. Washburn Ave.; and Hy-Vee Topeka, S.W. 29th and Wanamaker; $6 at the door of tour homes on day of the event.

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Houses: Upgrades meant to show potential of older homes Continued from 6

Historic Homes Tour. In addition, the induction of Bryan Sewall Stoffer, one-time president of Washburn College (now Washburn University), to the Wall of Fame will take place at 4:30 p.m. at Boswell Square.

Built by architect Charles Cuthbert for physician Milton Miller, the Hollomans’ home boasts a front entryway that runs the length of the house, providing natural cross-ventilation when both front and back doors are open. The original slate flooring in the hallway is in the process of being refinished back to its more natural state.

Alongside photos of the Holloman children, now in their teenage years and beyond, is a black-and-white rendering of the house as it stood in 1920, which has been passed from owner to owner throughout the years.

While many things about the house have stayed the same, it also has been brought into the modern era over time.

Originally heated by coal and then oil, the house now has central heating and air. What once served as a maid’s room off the kitchen was converted into a breakfast room, and some of the kitchen cabinetry has been updated. The butler’s pantry was converted for functionality, and a kitchen island was added to increase counter space.

The Hollomans have chosen appliances with a period appearance as a nod to the home’s 1920 beginning.

New French doors frame the entrance into the sunroom, and the home has fresh interior and exterior paint, as well as resurfaced hardwood floors in the bedrooms. The Hollomans also moved the basement laundry room to the main floor for ease of use.

Even with updates and modern conveniences, the home exudes a charm that can only be found in houses of days gone by.

The wavy glass windowpanes, common in College Hill homes, are original, and crown molding and built-in display cabinets

KEITH HORINEK/THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

As part of the remodeling of her American Foursquare home at 1520 S.W. MacVicar, owner Gail Kennedy had its hardwood floors sanded and varnished and a skim coat put on the walls. grace the formal dining room.

An enclosed extension off the kitchen features a lean-to roof and was used by the milkman for deliveries.

A main-floor washroom is tucked away under the front staircase, complete with original 1920s tile work. Adjacent is a small coat closet, which makes use of every available inch of space.

Two staircases lead to the second-floor sleeping areas.

The family would have used the front staircase, while the back stairs were reserved for the servants of the home.

An original porcelain tub remains in the bath the Holloman children shared, while a replica period soaking tub was brought in to replace the original tub in the master bath. The sleeping porch was converted into a fourth bedroom.

In addition to falling in love with the house, the couple also grew to love the neighborhood, seamlessly blending their lives and the lives of their children

WALL OF FAME INDUCTION Bryan Sewall Stoffer, eighth president of Washburn College, now known as Washburn University, will be inducted into the Wall of Fame at 4:30 p.m. Oct. 15 at Boswell Square.

Stoffer was president from 1942 until his death is 1961. During those 20 years, Washburn had its greatest growth, increasing from 700 to more than 4,000 students and greatly expanding the number of buildings on campus. Stoffer led Washburn’s evolution from a private college to a municipal university.

Refreshments will be served in the gazebo. into the fabric of College Hill through Fourth of July parades, chili feeds, numerous events and play dates at nearby Boswell Park, and an annual haunted house and Halloween party that the neighborhood children designed and operated themselves at the Holloman home.

“This neighborhood is very vivacious, and the neighbors are very friendly. There was everything community here,” Gina said.

Community is what keeps College Hill resident Gail Kennedy in her home as well. Ken-

nedy purchased a 1926 brick American Foursquare at 1520 S.W. MacVicar in 2014 with her husband, Bobby, who was an adjunct professor at Washburn University. The home will be featured during this year’s home tour.

“We didn’t really choose College Hill,” Kennedy said.

“I think College Hill chose us. We were looking for ranch homes, and the Realtor asked if we wanted to see it between appointments. People waved at us when we were coming in. It seemed like the neighborhood was friendly.”

The front porch was the next thing that drew Kennedy to the house.

The traditional American Foursquare style of architecture called for a four-roomover-four-room layout that could be modified by builders through varying construction materials and finishes to make each unique.

Kennedy’s home has finishes typical to many College Hill houses, such as a fireplace and crown molding.

One unusual feature for a home of its period is the threecar garage, which was added in 1996 by previous owners, Norman and Betty Bomar, who lived at the property for 40 years.

The Bomars brought in central air in 1980, and a large wooden deck followed in 1987.

They also partially finished the basement, adding a half bath, with the help of their son, Nolan, and updated the kitchen at least twice over the years they lived there.

In 2004, the Bomars hired Joe Little Construction to build a 400-square-foot addition that created a family room, laundry room and additional bathroom at the back of the house.

Kennedy has made her mark on the property as well, adding landscaping with the help of her brother.

She also has had the hardwood floors sanded and varnished, skim coat put on the walls, and ceilings refinished, and has done a complete remodel of the basement, which included the addition of a full bath.

“This lets people see what they can do with a 90-year-old house,” Kennedy said. “If they’re looking for a home, not a house, and a neighborhood that’s a real neighborhood, this is it. I know my neighbors of two years better than the neighbors I lived by for 25 years. They look out for one another.”

Shanna Sloyer is a freelance writer from Topeka. You can reach her at ssloyer@ yahoo.com.

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Choosing the right contractor when disaster strikes

By Liz Montano

Special to The Capital-Journal

Hearts are with recent victims of natural disasters in our own country and those outside our borders. Rebuilding will certainly take many months and likely even years.

Whether devastation is a weather event or Weichert earthquake on a worldwide platform or a fire or flooding in a single home, Topeka Home Builders Association president and CEO Ivan Weichert says every disaster affects someone personally.

And, when it happens, victims are especially vulnerable to flyby-night contractors.

Weichert recently spoke about how disaster victims can prevent becoming victimized a second time.

Q: What’s the first thing a person should do when disaster hits?

Weichert: Fortunately, we don’t have too many wide-scale disasters here. However, many of us have friends and family in some of the affected areas. I recommend they suggest their loved ones go to NAHB.org (National Association of Home Builders) for local information on reliable contractors.

But there are always individual disasters everywhere, including here in Topeka.

Example: A family is on vacation, and a washer or hot water heater springs a leak. Eleven or 12 days later, the family comes home to find their house flooded and belongings ruined.

The family is devastated.

The first thing they should do, of course, is to call their insurance company. Often, insurance companies can recommend reputable contractors.

They can also certainly call our office.

‘‘

Say something happens while workers are on your property that affects your neighbors.

Unless the contractor has general liability insurance, you’re liable for any damage.”

IVAN WEICHERT

Topeka Home Builders Association

Q: What are some of the things to keep in mind when choosing a contractor?

Weichert: One, verify they have a contractor’s license. No one should enter into a contract with someone who isn’t licensed.

Two, they need to have general liability insurance. Say something happens while workers are on your property that affects your neighbors. Unless the contractor has general liability insurance, you’re liable for any damage.

Three, verify the contractor carries workers compensation insurance. If they do not and

one or more of the crew members are injured, the homeowner is responsible for any costs associated with those injuries.

Q: Not the contractor?

Weichert: No. The contractor can be fined, but they aren’t liable for the costs. The homeowner would have to foot the bill.

It’s also important to have patience in selecting a contractor. One of the issues we face in situations like Texas and Florida, for example, is that a number of local contractors do the noble thing of going to those areas, for as long as sev-

eral months, to help out. Well, since there’s such a nationwide shortage of workers in this line of business, it makes it even more difficult to get a timely response.

We’ve talked before about how Washburn Tech (Washburn Institute of Technology) is sympathetic to the problem and how they have focused on training workers in our field to try and help solve that problem, but we are still sorely understaffed. The situation’s bad enough that one of our members has said if a person has gone through Washburn Tech’s program and they can show up and pass a drug test, they’re hired.

Unfortunately, in the meantime, the shortage of workers means more people are having to wait to get work done, so they turn to less reputable or qualified contractors.

CONTRACTOR continues on 9

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Contractor: Roofers must turn in registration, or they’re illegal Continued from 8

The roofing industry is one that has had some problems, because it’s a get-in-and-get-out job in just a day or two.

An important thing to remember is that roofers are required to register with the secretary of state’s office. If they don’t have that certificate of registration, they are doing business in Kansas illegally.

Q: Should it be a red flag if a contractor asks for part or all the money up front?

Weichert: It’s reasonable for a contractor to request maybe 10 or 15 percent up front for materials. But if they’re

‘‘

It’s reasonable for a contractor to request maybe 10 or 15 percent up front for materials. But if they’re demanding all the money up front ... that should definitely be a red flag.”

IVAN WEICHERT

Topeka Home Builders Association

demanding all the money up front or even 50 percent, that should definitely be a red flag.

If you get a bad feeling about someone proposing to do work for you, pay attention to that feeling.

At the very, very least, get references.

Liz Montano is a freelance writer from Topeka. Contact her at (785) 230-3907 or newsbizliz@gmail.com.

TOPEKA HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION

Address: 1505 S.W. Fairlawn Road For a list of qualified contractors in the Topeka area or information on THBA membership or upcoming events: Visit thba.com; email thba@thba.com; or call (785) 273-1260.

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Power’s out? A list of must-haves

By Cathy Hobbs

Tribune News Service

Being caught off guard in the case of a natural disaster or sudden power or water outage may not only be inconvenient, but it also may be devastating and costly.

Being properly prepared for the whatif’s may come in handy and be potentially life-saving in the case of an emergency.

Here are some must-haves for your home: ■■Flashlight and batteries.

■■Tarps. Tarps come in different strengths and sizes and can be used for various applications.

■■At least four jugs of water. In the case of a power outage, there will come a point when toilets will no longer be able to flush and water will drain from faucets.

■■More than one source of communication. For example, be sure to have both a landline and cellphone in case one goes down. Have backup for Wi-Fi connec-

DREAMSTIME

Having properly working flashlights could play a critical and vital role in the case of a short-term or long-term power outage. tions. Also, consider purchasing a portable, battery-operated radio that will inform you of important updates.

■■Generators. Whether it’s a standby generator or one that is portable, a generator can help you weather the storm with your power on. homes.cjonline.com | The Topeka Capital-Journal | Saturday, July 29, 2017 | 9

Service Directory

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