At Home Living 052116

Summertime cooking

Saturday, May 21, 2016 An advertising feature of The Topeka Capital-Journal

Points to ponder before buying an outdoor grill, page 6 n Jamie Kidd on planting for a winter landscape, page 2 n Pruning now helps forsythias later, page 3 n Cool furniture made of stone, page 10

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Metro Creative Connection

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Plant now to create interesting winter landscape Some time back, I wrote about adding winter interest to your yards. I suggested you look around your neighborhoods for plants that catch your eye in winter — shape, color, texture, how the snow accented them. I’m quite certain each of you made a list of those plants, right? I know, you made it and just can’t find it. So, let me help you out a bit.

This is a good time to plant some of those winter interest plants. Fall is also a good time, so what you don’t get finished now you can do then.

Winter interest plants need to be tall enough to be seen. No matter how pretty a plant may be, it will add no visual interest to the winter landscape if it lies buried all winter in snow or leaves. Plants

Jamie Kidd Jamie KiDD

jamiehan@ksu.edu jamiehan@ksu.edu

with interesting branching patterns make great winter silhouettes. Up-lighting can increase their impact.

Branches that catch the snow, shrubs with colorful berries that attract birds or evergreens with varying colors can be very exciting in winter. Trees and shrubs with bark that is silvery gray, white, green, red, smooth or curiously pocked by a peeling surface are always a plus.

The winter stems of some young dogwoods are bright

red; others are yellow, purple or green.

Dried grasses have the golden wheat color that stands out against a dark evergreen background.

Their tall, thin shafts and fluffy coiffures lend a touch of charm to a winter-laden landscape.

I’m including a list of plants that will create winter interest. To see what they look like, you can type the name in the search window on your computer and then click on “Images” on the tool bar near the top of the search page. Multiple pictures will appear. Clicking on any of them will bring up information on their size and environmental requirements. Always check their zone numbers (they indicate whether or not a plant can tolerate the low temperatures in our

UPCOMING EVENTS

n “All About Trees” will be presented by Adam Moser, forester for the city of Topeka, at 7 p.m. May 26 at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, 1515 S.W. 10th Ave. Sponsored by the Shawnee County Extension Master Gardeners, the program will focus on how trees anchor a landscape and how to choose the best trees for your needs. n A worm composting workshop will be from 1 to 3 p.m.

June 1 at the Shawnee County Extension office, 1740 S.W. Western Ave. Registration is required; call (785) 232-0062. area and survive without extra help). Shawnee County is in zones 5 and 6.

Start out simply, but give yourself permission to do something different and exciting with your yard.

Remember, landscaping can add 10 percent to 40 percent to the value of your home. n Trees: black alder (Alnus glutinosa); catalpa (Catalpa speciosa); river birch (Betula nigra); weeping cherry (Prunus subhirtella var. pendula); lilacs; amur maple (Acer ginnala); willows; winter king hawthorn (Crataegus viridis Winter King); crabapples (Malus Sugar Tyme and Malus Donald Wyman). n Shrubs: hydrangeas; sumac (Rhus glabra); summersweet (Clethra alnifolia); rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus); firethorn (Pyracantha); buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis); gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa); viburnums; American cranberrybush (Viburnum trilobum);

red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia); rugosa roses; red stem dogwood (Cornus sericea); yellow twig dogwood (Cornus sericea Flaviramea); burning bush (Euonymus alatus); glossy abelia (Abelia x grandiflora); boxwood (Buxus species); euonymus (Euonymus fortunei); Aaronsbeard St. Johnswort (Hypericum calycinum); American holly (Ilex opaca); Oregon grape holly (Mahonia aquifolium). n Perennials: Autumn Joy sedum; yarrows; black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia fulgida Goldsturm); echinacea. n Grasses: pampas grass (Erianthus ravennae); dwarf maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis Adagio); red switch grass (Panicum

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Don’t ignore forsythia just because it is green

By Lee Reich

The Associated Press

The warm glow of forsythias cools down as their flowers fade and green leaves start to unfold. For the next 11 months, this plant that displays such cheerful color on the drab heels of winter will be forgotten.

If you want the most from your forsythias next spring, however, don’t turn your back on them right after their blossoms

fade. Pruning soon after the last blossoms of spring hit the ground gets the shrubs ready for next year’s show.

And don’t wait too long, because forsythia is among those shrubs that make flower buds the year before they actually open into flowers. Delay pruning too long and those buds will not have time to mature enough, before the weather cools in autumn, to open into flowers next spring.

Why prune at all?

Forsythia flowers most abundantly on stems that are just a few years old.

One goal in pruning is to remove decrepit older stems that might cough forth a few blossoms but really are no longer capable of putting on a good show. Removing some of those old stems also lets more sunlight shine in on younger stems growing up from the base of the plant. Stems need to bask

in sunlight if they’re going to make good flower buds.

Like many other shrubs, forsythia sends up many new stems, called suckers, from the base of the plant. (That’s what makes them shrubby.) It sends up so many, in fact, that they crowd and shade each other. Another goal of pruning, then, is to thin out enough of these young suckers so that those that

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A forsythia was in all its glory this spring because it was pruned well last spring.

Delay pruning too long and buds won’t have time to mature enough.

Lee Reich/THE Associated Press

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Kidd: Make sure to pick plants that will tower above snow or add bit of color Continued from 2 virgatum Shenandoah); little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium). n Evergreens and conifers: Spruce, pines, junipers and yews come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors.

A more unusual evergreen would be Sawara false cypress.

n Plants with interesting forms or branching: bald cypress; dawn redwood; dogwood; cotoneaster; cockspur hawthorn; oakleaf hydrangea; weeping crabapple and cherry; weeping mulberry; sumac; corkscrew willow; weeping willow. n Plants with interesting or colorful bark: Japanese

maple; shrub dogwoods; burning bush; Japanese kerria; Russian sage. n Trees with shredding or multicolored bark: paperbark maple; river birch; shagbark hickory; sycamore; lacebark elm; sweetgum; cherry; Japanese tree lilac. n Woody plants with interesting fruit: chokeberry;

holly; crabapple; sumac; roses; viburnum. n Plants with interesting dried flowers: black alder; catalpa; red bud; honey locust; sycamore; Japanese pagoda tree; linden.

This list is a sample of plants that can provide good winter interest. Take a look, and then take a chance. Pick one or more

of these plants and give it a try. This next winter, when we could be covered in snow, you will look out your window and enjoy the wonderful addition to your yard. You will smile knowing that last spring you did the right thing.

Note: A big “Thank you!” to those who supported our Shawnee County Extension

Master Gardeners plant sale on May 14. It was a big success, and the funds generated will be used to support the Master Gardeners’ demonstration gardens, educational programing and scholarships.

Jamie Kidd is a horticulturist with K-State Research and Extension in Shawnee County.

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Forsythia: Pruning will lead to better flowering Continued from 3 remain can develop to their full potential.

Shearing and shaping

For most of us, the tools for pruning a forsythia are not hedge shears, but a pair of hand shears and a lopper and, if pruning has been neglected for years, a small pruning saw.

Hedge shears shape forsythia bushes into globes and cubes, which is fine if that’s the look you like in forsythia. Hand shears, a lopper and a saw create an arching fountain, which brings out forsythia’s natural growth habit.

Crawl or reach into the base of your shrub to do your pruning.

First, cut some of the oldest stems right to the ground or to vigorous,

young branches originating near ground level.

Then grab your hand shears and cut some of the youngest stems — those suckers — also to the ground. Preferentially remove the most spindly young suckers, as well as those straying too far from the base of the plant.

Suckers might also be growing where the tips of older branches have arched to the ground and

taken root. Yank their roots out and cut them free of older branches to prevent the bush from becoming an impenetrable, spreading tangle.

Growing new shrubs

Those rooted tips testify as to how easy it is to multiply forsythia. You could expand your planting by tucking those rooted tips

into the ground wherever you want new shrubs.

You could also deliberately bring a stem tip to the ground and anchor it with the weight of a brick or a stone; by autumn or spring, it should be rooted and ready for transplanting.

Forsythia also roots easily from cuttings — easily enough that you could just stick a few cuttings in the ground where you want a

new shrub and then bank on at least one of them rooting.

The best time to stick such cuttings was before growth began for the season, though.

Be careful, however: Too much forsythia could be too much of a good thing.

Remember that once the blossoms fade, forsythia is nothing more than a mass of greenery. So save room for other plants also.

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‘‘

All types of grills can and will do a great job. However, there are very large differences in the advantages and disadvantages of each.”

Travis O’Quinn

assistant professor and meat Extension specialist for Kansas State University

Getting grilled

Do you use electric, gas or charcoal?

By Linda A. Ditch

Special to The Capital-Journal

What’s there not to like about grilling? Not only can a summertime meal be prepared without heating up the kitchen, but you also can enjoy the outdoors and cook while socializing with family and friends.

Unlike barbecue, which is done at a low temperature for a long time, grilling is hot and fast. The food is cooked over direct heat to create the characteristic grilled flavor.

When buying a grill, one of the biggest debates is whether to purchase a gas, charcoal or electric model.

“All types of grills can and will do a great job.

However, there are very large differences in the advantages and disadvantages of each,” said Travis

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mETRO cREATIVE CONNECTIONS

Be sure to have the tools you need before you start grilling outdoors. Among the must-haves are tongs and a spatula.

Utilizing right tools makes grilling easier

By Linda A. Ditch

Special to The Capital-Journal

Linda A. ditch/THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

When buying a grill, one of the biggest debates is whether to purchase a gas, charcoal or electric model. Each are different, so weigh your options.

Whatever type of grill you choose, here are a few tips for operating one safely and effectively to produce a tasty meal: n Be sure to have the tools you need: long, spring-loaded tongs and a long-handled spatula.

The tools shouldn’t be too heavy and fit well in your hand. Also, a pair of heavyduty gloves can protect your hands from the heat, especially when dealing with charcoal. An instant read thermometer and a timer also are useful tools. n Only use your grill outside (No, inside the open door of your garage

doesn’t count). Place the grill safely away from the house and out from under the roof eaves. Also, keep it away from deck railings and overhanging branches. n Remove built-up grease from the grill grates and the trays underneath. n For gas grills, make sure your propane tank is connected securely to the grill to prevent leaks.

Check the tank hose for gas leaks by applying a soapand-water solution to the hose with a brush or spray bottle. Turn on the tank. If you see bubbles, turn it off and replace the hose. n If you ever smell gas

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Grilled: 3 types feature different benefits Continued from 6 O’Quinn, assistant professor and meat Extension specialist for Kansas State University’s Department of Animal Sciences and Industry.

Gas and wood pellet

Gas is the most convenient way to grill. The flame is instantaneous and easily adjustable. Plus, it’s clean — no black charcoal grime on your hands and no ashes to clean up later.

Gas is perfect for cooking at short notice or after a

long day at work. The primary drawback is running out of fuel, which can leave your meal stranded while you hurriedly race to the store for a new tank.

The new kid on the block is an electric pellet grill. While they look like a standard gas grill or large offset barrel smoker, they are fueled by electricity and food-grade wood pellets. Those little wood cylinders give food a smoked flavor, using about 2 ½ pounds of pellets per hour when set on high.

Cold or windy weather can increase the amount of pellets consumed while

cooking. You also won’t get any grill marks since the heat is circulated by a fan.

“Gas grills or electric wood pellet grills are typically the easiest to use, because they can be used by simply turning a knob or flipping a switch,” O’Quinn said. “Temperature control is fairly easy just by increasing or decreasing the amount of gas or wood pellets going to the heat source. However, these types of grills are often more expensive than charcoal grills, and gas grills don’t provide any ‘smoky’ flavor to meats.”

Charcoal

Charcoal generates more heat than gas, which increases the grilled flavor of the food. It’s easier to smoke foods over charcoal, and you get a more intense smoke flavor. Plus, charcoal grills typically cost less than their gas counterpart. However, it’s hard to control the temperature of charcoal. The coals take time to heat up and more may be needed for longer cooking times.

“Charcoal grills are the least expensive, but certainly the most difficult to use,” O’Quinn noted.

“Charcoal grills require significant time to heat up, and this means added planning for the consumer as far as cooking. Additionally, temperature control on charcoal grills requires the opening and closing of vents and can be a challenge to many novice grillers. Charcoal grills do, however, provide a distinct smoked flavor to grilled meats that is preferred by many consumers that gas grills do not provide.”

nient because all you have to do is plug them into a power source. Plus, there is no open flame to worry about, which makes them more apartment- and condo-friendly. Some models are even made to use indoors.

However, not having a flame also means the food won’t have that grilled flavor. They also can take a while to get really hot and be awkward to operate if there isn’t an electrical outlet nearby.

Electric

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

Electric grills are conve-

Tools: Improper food-handling a common mistake Continued from 6 while cooking, turn off the grill and propane tank immediately. If the smell doesn’t stop, call the fire department and stay away from the grill until they arrive. Have a professional service the grill before using it again. n If you use a starter fluid to get charcoal going, be sure to use one made only for charcoal. Also, never

add starter fluid to an already lit grill. n Don’t have your grill heated to a single temperature. Ideally, you will have a hot side and a cooler side.

For a charcoal grill, this means banking the majority of the coals to one side. n Learn to check the grill’s temperature with the hand method. Hold your hand over the fire and count (“One Mississippi, two Mississippi,” etc.) Two

to 3 seconds is a hot, high fire; 4 to 5 seconds is medium-high; 6 to 8 seconds is medium; 9 to 10 seconds is medium-low; and 11 to 14 seconds is low. n Before using, get the grate hot, brush it clean with a wire grill brush, and lubricate the grate with oil (a paper towel wad and tongs do the trick) just before you add the food. This will help prevent food from sticking.

n Don’t use water to tame flare-ups. Just move the food to a different area on the grill until the flames subside. n Don’t put too much food on the grill. There should be room to maneuver, whether it’s to avoid a flame-up or slow down the cooking if the temperature is too high in one area. n Put barbecue sauce on at the end to prevent burning.

n When you’re finished with a charcoal grill, let the coals completely cool.

Then dispose of them in a metal container.

“A mistake that people commonly make when grilling is improper foodhandling techniques,” Travis O’Quinn, assistant professor at Kansas State University, pointed out.

“Cross-contamination of raw and cooked meats is the No. 1 cause of foodborne

illness related to grilling.

Care should be taken to make sure that only clean plates and utensils are used for cooked meats. Often, consumers will use the same plates, spatulas, forks and knives for removing cooked meats from the grill that they used for putting the meats on the grill.

This is the single-greatest foodborne illness mistake that consumers make when grilling at home.”

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Service Directory

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Looking for furniture? Consider stone If you’re on a tight budget, stone may not be best option

By Cathy Hobbs

Tribune News Service

Traditionally, furniture is made of wood or metal, because of their appealing aesthetic quality and durability.

These days, there is a new material many designers and homeowners are considering: stone.

Granted, stone is an unlikely material choice for furniture-building, but in the design community, stone is quickly building momentum and gaining popularity.

Stone has long been a desirable material. Available in a host of colors and variations as well as durability, stone

Tribune news service

This custom-made lamp, created by Zicana, has a base that’s entirely made of stone. provides long-lasting quality.

Even so, stone is considerably more expensive than traditional materials.

For those looking for oneof-a-kind designs and crafts-

manship, stone is a creative alternative. From light marble to agate and dark blue tiger eye, the outcome of your furniture piece can be light and bright or dark, smoky and rich.

One slight warning: Stone pieces are extremely heavy and even small pieces can require more than one person to lift or move.

While stone furniture appears to be entirely made of stone from the outside, in most cases, the piece begins with a wood foundation or mold, and then large pieces of stone are veneered onto parts of the foundation.

The goal in creating such a piece is to have as few seams as possible.

The fewer the seams, the smoother and more cohesive the piece will look.

The beauty of stone is that it no longer has limitations. The

advantage of working with a custom designer or craftsman opens up a world of possibilities. From console tables to table bases, table lamps and even chairs, stone can be used to create nearly any piece of furniture.

If you are on a budget, stone isn’t likely the option for you.

Essentially when you buy a stone furniture piece, you are not only buying the stone itself, but you also will be paying for all of the design, prep work and execution.

Also, when it comes to maintenance, be sure to speak to a reputable stone fabricator to properly learn about how to seal and protect your stone furniture.

Cathy Hobbs, based in New York City, is an Emmy Award-winning television host and a nationally known interior design and home staging expert with offices in New York City, Boston and Washington, D.C.

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