At Home Living 062516

Saturday, June 25, 2016 An advertising feature of The Topeka Capital-Journal

Home decorating

Entryways: Make a good first impression, page 6 n Jamie Kidd on tomato diseases, page 2 n Selling a home that needs repairs, page 3

n Wallpaper’s ‘in’ again, page 5 n Tips for growing delphiniums, page 9

REALTOR

®

REX WOLF/SPECIAL TO THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

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Wilt diseases, viruses attack tomatoes Welcome back! Apparently, my last article on problems with tomatoes didn’t scare you off. There is an old science fiction movie titled “Attack of the Killer Tomatoes.” I am calling this article “What Attacks and Kills My Tomatoes” — not quite as gory, but just as deadly.

This week’s article is a sequel to last week’s column and will cover wilt diseases and viruses. Keep these two articles handy to help when growing your tomatoes.

Wilt diseases

The two major wilt diseases are fusarium and verticillium. They live in the soil, enter through the roots and block the waterconducting tissues of the tomato.

Plants are deprived of

Jamie Kidd Jamie KiDD

jamiehan@ksu.edu jamiehan@ksu.edu

water and wilt, especially during dry conditions.

Fusarium wilt is the more prevalent wilt. It generally occurs in midsummer when air and soil temperatures are high, about 80 degrees.

Older leaves near the ground turn yellow. Often the yellowing is restricted to one side of the plant or to leaflets on one side of the petiole, according to Kansas State University publication L-723. The affected leaves wilt and dry up, but they remain attached to the plant.

UPCOMING EVENTS

n The Shawnee County Extension Master Gardeners will talk about growing potatoes, squash and cucumbers 9 a.m. July 9 at the Master Gardeners vegetable garden on the southeast corner of the Kansas Expocentre parking lot, S.W. 21st and Topeka Boulevard. n The Master Gardeners Sick Plant Clinic will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 11 at Fairlawn Plaza, 2114 S.W. Chelsea Road. A panel of Kansas State University specialists in entomology, plant pathology, plant identification and other areas will inspect sick plants, insects and unknown plants and answer questions. The clinic is free.

Younger leaves soon are affected, followed by the death of the plant.

The stem will still appear green, but if you slice through the stem at ground level and look inside, you’ll see a narrow brown column between the center (pith) and the outer green portion.

Verticillium wilt tends to develop in the cool of late spring, when soil temperatures range from 55 to 75 degrees. Older leaves are

affected first, turning yellow and wilting. Leaves are uniformly yellow, not one-sided like fusarium wilt. The infected leaves drop prematurely. The diseased plants continue to live, but will be stunted, weak and produce small fruit. The stem will display the same symptoms as fusarium wilt and will take a laboratory analysis to tell the difference.

KIDD continues on 7

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Tips for selling a residence that is part of a family member’s estate

By Angie Hicks Angie’s List

Dear Angie: How can you sell a home that’s a part of an estate without putting a lot of money into it? My siblings and I have been trying to sell my mother’s home, after she passed.

It is a wonderful home, but she was 86 years old and the basement has not been cleaned in probably 10 to 15 years. We have not gotten an offer in over six months.

— Lucy S., Saginaw, Mich.

Dear Lucy: First, condolences on the loss of your

mother. Managing the estate of a loved one isn’t an easy task, but it sounds like you and your siblings are handling it well. Some people think you have to be wealthy in order to have an “estate,” when in actuality an estate comprises anything you own, such as homes, cars, bank accounts and retirement funds.

When selling a house that’s part of an estate, you may assume potential buyers should expect a certain degree of repairs would be necessary upon purchasing the property.

Unfortunately in today’s

hot real estate markets, that isn’t always the case.

Many buyers are looking for a home that is turnkey.

The good news is there is a lot you can do to help improve its chances on the real estate market.

Selling a house that’s a part of an estate is like selling any other house. Your situation isn’t uncommon, in that when an elderly family member dies, the house typically is dated and sometimes unkempt.

The first thing you can do, which doesn’t cost a dime, is to clear out her belongings. Once your family

has taken what they want, sell, donate or toss the remaining items. You want to give potential homebuyers an empty canvas instead of a cluttered mess when they walk through the house.

A deep cleaning would be next on the list. If you don’t want to do it yourself, consider hiring a house cleaning service, which averages $200 to $400 for a deep clean, depending on the size of the house. If the house really is in a shambles, it may cost a bit more, but you may be able to split the expense with your siblings.

Fix anything that needs to be repaired, or be prepared to compensate for broken items in the home’s final sale price. Any experienced buyer will want to conduct a home inspection before signing on the dotted line, so if the house needs a new water heater and furnace, you will have to either put in a new one or lower the price, most likely.

A fresh coat of paint can do wonders for a house — stick with neutral colors. If you are feeling ambitious, replace old light fixtures and faucets with

more contemporary styles.

Don’t forget about curb appeal. Make sure the lawn is mowed, shrubs trimmed and add seasonal flowers for a touch of color. All of this can help your mom’s house wish a warm “welcome home” to its potential new owners.

Tribune News staff writer Staci Giordullo contributed to this report.

Angie Hicks is founder of www.

AngiesList.com, provider of consumer reviews and services.

Send questions to askangie@ angieslist.com or tweet with #AskAngie. Follow her @Angie_ Hicks.

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Wallpapers reflect journeys

By Kim Cook The Associated Press

Wallpaper goes in and out of fashion. Right now, it’s enjoying an “in” moment.

There are wildly creative designs coming out of studios all over the world. Some of the best take us on a journey to farflung places both real and imagined. n Londoner Nina Campbell’s new Fontibre collection for Osborne & Little is inspired by the travels of her great uncle, watercolorist Robert Hello Hutchinson Keightley.

Her design Keightley’s Folio is a gallery of his small landscape paintings, punctuated by little rosettes. Barbary Toile depicts a troupe of mischievous monkeys gamboling around the Rock of Gibraltar. (www.osborneandlittle.com) n Matthew Williamson, also of London, found inspiration for his new col-

lections in pre-revolutionary Cuba and the Amazon.

Tropical motifs meet lush colors in wallpapers that are vibrant and evocative.

Flamingo Club has a retro feel, with pale pink flamingos strutting among orchids and ferns against a turquoise background.

A summer trip to Costa Rica led to the creation of Williamson’s Arici paper, on which playful parrots perch and swoop, their brightly hued wings brushed with gold.

Slinky big cats prowl through a forest of peacock feathers on Leopardo, a print with a ’70s vibe.

“I usually reference leopards when I’m looking to create a print that feels powerful, dynamic and full of energy,” Williamson says. “The print is a little bit wild — just like the animal itself.” (www. matthewwilliamson.com) n Beastie Boy band member Mike Diamond and designer Vincent Ficarra of the company Revolver

New York collaborated on a design for Flavor Paper called Brooklyn Toile. It incorporates Diamond’s favorite memories of Brooklyn, featuring vignettes of Coney Island, the elevated subway, stroller moms and rap artist Notorious B.I.G. (www.flavorpaper.com) n The Australian company Milton and King’s Funky collection of wallpapers depicts city life around the world, in far from conventional ways.

Cheeky, colorful illustrations give us a sky-top view of giant robots battling between Tokyo’s skyscrapers; discos and firemen’s cookouts light up the streets of New York City; imps ride the London Eye. (www.miltonandking. com) n German designer Katja Behre, based in London, takes us in a different direction: a dream-like journey into surreal worlds. In a color palette that blends moody blues and grays with bronze and starlight,

the wallpapers are playful and evocative.

In Les Voyages Fantastiques and La Terre a La Lune, characters in vintage photographs find themselves on faraway worlds, leaping from rocky promontories or boating on celestial seas.

Behre says she and her design team were captivated by Jules Verne’s stories.

“Tales of journeys through space, or deep into the center of the Earth. We’re inspired by turn-of-the-century scientific discoveries and travels, as well as other worlds and the cosmos,” she says. (www.ellipopp.co.uk) n Finally, at Anthropologie, Louisianan artist Rebecca Rebouche brings us into her Enchanted Forest, a whimsical wood where butterflies are the same size as hot air balloons, trees don party hats, and seahorses have tea on a sunken ship. Wonderland’s Alice would love it. (www. anthropologie.com)

SIMON BROWN/OSBORNE & LITTLE

Londoner Nina Campbell’s new Fontibre wallpaper collection for Osborne & Little is inspired by the travels of her great uncle, who was an accomplished watercolorist.

Campbell’s Fontibre pattern is named after the source of the River Ebro in the Iberian Peninsula and features an arrangement of stylized painted foliage.

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Entryways: A visitor’s first impression Extend the hallway’s design concept throughout the residence

By Shanna Sloyer Special to The Capital-Journal

PHOTOGRAPHS BY REX WOLF/SPECIAL TO THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Design experts say a well-designed front entryway can leave guests with a positive first impression, provide cohesion with the design concept for the rest of the house and add to the appearance of increased square footage in a smaller home.

The front entryway or hallway is one of the most traveled spaces in a home, but often it’s one of the most under-utilized.

Design experts point out that a well-done front entryway can leave guests with a positive first impression, provide cohesion with the design concept for the rest of the house and add to the appearance of increased square footage in a smaller home.

“Set the tone for the rest of the way as guests enter the driveway and come up the walk,” said Dan Brungardt, designer and owner of Home at Last, 5331 S.W. 22nd Place. “Paint a beautiful picture for them and then continue it with consistency in the home decor.”

Brungardt highlights the importance of blurring the line between the outside of the house and the inside.

Repeating colors and design concepts from the front entryway into the house and onto the back patio or deck can make a smaller house appear larger, because the spaces are viewed as extensions of the house and not constrained by four walls.

“Color is always a way to draw attention and spruce up,” Brungardt said. “Grays are trendy right now, but they are not going to provide that pop of color. Look at the surroundings of the home.”

Brungardt draws from his experience traveling in Dublin, Ireland, where each front door is painted a different color. He recommends reds and kelly or grass greens. He also emphasizes the importance of choosing a high-sheen finish, which will provide light bounce and achieve a softer lighting effect.

A brightly colored decor can make a small space seem larger. Although grays are trendy, colors provide the pop needed to really draw attention to an area.

Vickie Lynch, designer and owner of Soho Interiors, 3129 S.W. Huntoon, suggests choosing color for your front door based on your personal style. Lynch also leans toward greens, blues and salmon.

Adding colorful accessories

Adding color can make a big impact in a small space, but if painting your door isn’t possible or if you’re hesitant to commit to a color, consider buying a chair at a thrift shop and painting it a bold color instead.

Displayed on your porch or in your entryway, the chair will add interest and serve as a place for a planter to rest without the commitment of painting the door.

Incorporate planters, pots or urns that compliment the architectural style of your home in the same color palette. Select plants carefully, and pay attention to color and texture, which can be repeated in the interior entryway and throughout the house. Remember that plants grow, so consider scale in your choices.

“One large pot is better

than 12 smaller pots, which can have a more cluttered appearance,” Brungardt said.

Another way to add color is to incorporate an indoor/ outdoor area rug. There are many available in a variety of colors that are mildewand fade-resistant, ensuring they will continue looking great season after season.

For smaller porches and outdoor entryways, Lynch recommends a brightly colored welcome mat. Other ideas include replacing the glass window in the door with a work of art, such as leaded, stained, beveled or frosted glass. Replace a worn or outdated door handle or light fixture, and coordinate the hardware used.

Outdoor furniture should be of high quality, durable and functional. Lynch suggests quality benches and furniture without cushions, which show wear and soiling quickly. Stick with hard surfaces that can be wiped off easily.

“Less is more,” Lynch said.

“Good function and making good use of the space. Don’t overcrowd.”

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Kidd: Crop rotation a key to prevention Continued from 2 Verticillium can attack a wide range of plants, including strawberry, black raspberry, potato, eggplant and many common weeds.

Both wilts can be introduced into your garden by contaminated seed or infected transplants. The diseases can survive in the soil for many years. There is no cure for wilts and viruses.

Fusarium has at least three known races or strains. The term “race” refers to the organism’s ability to infect certain crop varieties but not others.

Race 1 is known to occur in Kansas, and Race 2 likely occurs in the

state. Race 3 could easily spread to Kansas.

Measures to control wilt diseases include: n Resistance, the most practical means of control.

Scientists have been working to breed tomato varieties that have a resistance to wilt diseases. Many tomatoes today will come with a notation in the catalog or on their label such as “VF12.” This means the tomato is resistant to verticillium and fusarium Races 1 and 2.

Heirloom varieties are gaining popularity for having unique characteristics, but most are not resistant to wilt diseases. n Crop rotation.

Grow crops that are not hosts to wilt diseases

in place of tomatoes.

Move the tomatoes to a new location for four to six years. n Sanitation.

Remove and destroy diseased plants at the end of the season. Clean stakes, cages, tools and anything that came into contact with the soil or debris in the infected area. n Fertilization.

Healthy plants can resist disease better than weak ones. Fertilize appropriately and irrigate regularly to maintain good plant health.

Root knot nematodes attack roots of tomato, potato, eggplant, sweet potato, radish, geranium, and peony. Diseased tomato plants are stunted and pale green. They

Entryways: Make design minimal Continued from 6

Extending design indoors

REX WOLF/SPECIAL TO THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Repeating colors and design concepts from the front entryway into the house and onto the back patio or deck can make a smaller house appear larger, because the spaces are viewed as extensions of the house and not constrained by four walls.

Once inside, coordinate indoor area rugs and artwork in similar hues, patterns and textures, repeating the design scheme begun outside. Add a mirror or reflective piece if you have room, which makes a small space look larger.

Consider adding functional pieces, such as a console, where you can place car keys and other last-minute items you will need on your way out the door. A coat rack or umbrella stand also can be useful pieces and add interest to the entryway.

“Make it warm and welcoming, but minimal. Simple, elegant and functional,” Lynch said.

Remember the first impression guests or potential homebuyers have of your home begins in the driveway and extends from the curb to the door and beyond.

Brungardt encourages homeowners to keep lawns manicured and landscaped, and to begin design concepts outdoors and follow them through into the interior of the house.

“It extends the living space, and when you’re talking resale, that’s a huge deal,” Brungardt said.

may show signs of nutrient deficiencies even though there are plenty in the soil.

Plants wilt during the day and recover at night.

Roots develop multiple small tan galls and can cause extensive swelling and distortion of roots.

Control root knot nematodes by avoiding introducing the nematodes in the first place.

Check new transplants before planting for distorted roots.

Rotate crops every three to five years and plant resistant varieties, which is listed on the plant label.

Viral diseases

Three of the most common viruses in Kan-

sas are tobacco mosaic virus, cucumber mosaic virus and tomato spotted wilt virus.

Tobacco mosaic virus attacks a wide range of vegetable plants and flowers. On tomatoes, the infection causes light and dark green mottled areas on the leaves. Plants are stunted, and leaves may appear fern-like and distorted. Some strains cause mottling, streaking and death of the fruits, but not the plants.

Cucumber mosaic virus appears as mottled, yellow leaves that become twisted, curl downward and develop a “shoestring” appearance.

Tomato spotted wilt virus appears on young fruit. White to yellow concentric rings, a half-

inch in diameter, feel raised and give the fruit a bumpy appearance.

Bright yellow rings on red fruit are easily diagnosed as spotted wilt.

Control measures for the viruses are the same as the wilt diseases, with the addition of thorough hand washing with soap and water for smokers before working with plants. Tobacco mosaic virus can be transmitted from tobacco products.

For a list of resistant tomato varieties, go to www.shawnee.ksu.edu.

For publication L-41, “Recommended Vegetable Varieties,” go to www.ksre.ksu.edu.

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

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Delphiniums a test of gardening skills

phiniums self-sow. I keep my eyes out for these tiny “volunteers” and then transplant them to where I want tall, blue spires.

No need to pine away for the blue spires once this bloom season passes: If the stalks with spent blossoms are cut back to the bottom whorl of leaves, new flower stalks will spring forth that should bloom again later this season.

By Lee Reich The Associated Press

My delphiniums are now in all their stately glory, the 5-foot blue spires reaching for the sky as they guard the gate to my vegetable garden.

I have to admit that besides their beauty, I also enjoy growing delphiniums to show off. On the one hand, they aren’t hard to start from seed, and seedlings bloom quickly, often in their first season if started early enough. On the other hand, growing delphiniums to perfection is one barometer of a gardener’s skill.

Years ago, when I first grew delphiniums from seed, I went through all the machinations suggested in gardening books for ensuring good germination. Fresh seed was said to be a must.

The seed also was said to have a cold requirement before it would sprout, and the suggestion usually offered was to make ice cubes with the seeds in them, then leave the cubes in the freezer for a few weeks. This directive always struck me as odd, because it is refrigerator temperatures, not freezer temperatures, that generally snap seeds out of dormancy. Still, I followed the directions and wound up with a bevy of delphinium seedlings that grew into a forest of blue spires.

Good soil

Delphiniums thrive only in soil that is very fertile, very moist and very welldrained. You can’t just sprinkle some 10-1010 on the ground and expect bragging rights for your delphiniums. The best way to get that very rich, moist and well-drained soil is to use compost, and plenty of it. My best delphiniums grew where one of my compost bins had been for the previous seven years.

LEE REICH/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Blue delphinium spires, in the background, are nestled amongst blue bachelor buttons.

Compost does only so much as far as retaining moisture, though. In a dry summer, delphiniums in any soil need regular watering. Unlike perennials such as coneflower, liatrus and coreopsis, which thrive in lean, dry soils, delphiniums need coddling. My delphiniums drink water from the drip irrigation line in the vegetable garden on the other side of the fence.

Not forever

Even with coddling, delphiniums are usually short-lived for perennials. No matter how well you treat them, they lose steam after a few years. How long depends on how well you treat them, which you can control, and on the weather, which you can’t control.

Hot summer nights favor their demise,

and wet winters sometimes cause them to rot. That’s why delphiniums thrive in British gardens and, in America, in northern regions and along the Northwest and Northeast coasts.

Don’t try to keep delphiniums cool by putting their heads in too much shade; they tolerate some shade but generally like full sun best.

If you really love delphiniums, have some replacement plants ready for when older ones expire. Older plants can be — should be, eventually — divided, or new ones can be started from seed.

These days, I’m not nearly so fastidious about sowing delphinium seeds as I once was. I just shake out seeds from a reasonably fresh packet and sow them without any special treatment. Occasionally my del-

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Service Directory

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