B4 • Friday, September 2, 2022
thegardenisland.com
THE GARDEN ISLAND
Got House?
Julie Black, Principal Broker & Owner (808) 652-6174 with daughter Kela Caspillo, Realtor Sales Person (808) 652-6173 kauaidreams.com
Featured Turning no-man’s land into curb appeal Homes Jessica Damiano ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kalaheo 4460 Ikena Pl. #34
A 3 bedroom/2 bath end unit at Kalaheo Pali Kai with a private location overlooking the valley. Completely remodeled with quartz counter tops, new cabinets, new vanities, new flooring, and new paint. There is a community swimming pool and the location is within walking distance of Kukuiolono Community Park and golf course. MLS # 664423; $750,000. Call Julie Black, RB-14203 (808) 652-6174 Kauai Dreams Realty, to see this property.
You know that boring strip of grass — or weeds — between the street and the sidewalk that technically belongs to your city or town but whose care ultimately falls to you? It goes by many names: median, verge, tree belt, boulevard, parkway, utility strip, parking strip — and my favorite, the hell strip, which best describes the growing conditions there. This slice of no-man’s land is typically plagued by compacted soil, tree roots, exhaust fumes from passing cars, and “gifts” from neighborhood dogs. But with a little effort, the hell strip can become a heavenly garden addition that adds to your home’s curb appeal. First things first: Before investing time and money into planting the strip, check local zoning regulations to ensure it’s legal to do so. Your municipality’s website will likely offer guidance or a phone number to call for information. If you share the strip with a neighbor, have a conversation to make sure they’re OK with your plan. With the authorities and neighbors on board, give careful thought to plant selection. Opt for tough, low-maintenance, droughttolerant plants, preferably native to your region, that will thrive in the likely hot, dry conditions of the strip. And be sure to select plants suited for the amount of sunlight they’ll receive there. It’s best to stick to perennials, which will anchor the soil and return year after year, and select
JIM CHARLIER VIA ASSOCIATED PRESS
A densely-planted hell strip garden in front of a home in Buffalo, N.Y. plants with a range of bloom times so there will be multiple seasons of interest. In colder climates, small evergreen shrubs and spring bulbs will extend the season. Avoid planting edibles, which could become tainted by car emissions, road salts and other pollutants. Also don’t plant large trees, which over time might interfere with overhead utility lines, and whose roots could disrupt sidewalks. Thorny plants should be avoided, too. Consider how high plants will be at maturity, especially if the strip is on a corner; blocking the view of drivers or pedestrians could create unsafe conditions. The width of plants matters, too: Avoid those that will grow to block the
sidewalk. As for design, you are limited only by your taste and imagination. Select styles and colors that complement your home, fence or other plants growing in your garden. Fill the entire bed with low, mounded plants and groundcovers or use low-growing plants on the ends of the strip and taller ones in the center. Incorporate ornamental grasses or sow wildflower seeds. To prepare the long-ignored strip, clear away grass and weeds, and turn the soil over. Mix in a generous helping of compost to improve drainage, water retention and soil nutrition. Then plant your selections, observing the spacing recommendations on their tags. Consider installing a barrier,
such as one made of stakes and twine, around the perimeter of the strip to protect it from trampling by passersby. And keep the bed well weeded until plants fill in. Even drought-tolerant plants will need to be watered regularly throughout their first growing season to ensure they develop a deep, vigorous root system. Going forward, they may require some additional watering, particularly during hot, dry spells. Proximity to a garden hose would be ideal, but because hell strips tend to be small, a few trips with a watering can may suffice. With relatively little effort, your little hell strip garden will improve the view of your home. It might even increase its value.
Hawaiiana Management Company, Ltd. Serving Kauai’s Condo & Community Associations with award-winning service
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Mortgage rates rise to 5.66%, weighing on housing market ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON — Average longterm U.S. mortgage rates rose to their highest level in two months this week, providing no relief for a slumping housing market. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the 30-year rate rose to 5.66% from 5.55% last week. One year ago, the rate stood at 2.87%. The average rate on 15-year, fixed-rate mortgages, popular among those looking to refinance their homes, jumped to 4.98% from 4.85% last week. Last year at this time the rate was 2.18%. A once red-hot housing sector has cooled considerably, with many potential home buyers getting pushed out of the market as higher interest rates have added hundreds of dollars to monthly mortgage payments. As a result, sales of existing homes in the U.S. have fallen for six straight months, according to the National Association of Realtors. “The increase in mortgage rates is coming at a particularly vulnerable time for the housing market as sellers are recalibrating their pricing due to lower purchase demand, likely resulting in continued price growth deceleration,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. Mortgage rates don’t necessarily mirror the Fed’s rate increases, but tend to track the yield on the 10-year Treasury note. That’s influenced by a variety of factors, including investors’ expectations for future inflation and global demand for U.S. Treasurys. Recently, faster inflation and strong U.S. economic growth have sent the 10-year Treasury rate up sharply, to 3.24%. The Fed has raised its benchmark short-term interest rate four times this year.
Sunshine Ruiz Hatto Vice President Kauai Operations
awaiiana currently serves over 60 residential and commercial associations on the Island of Kauai, with a staff of nine management executives, three local support professionals and the property management industry’s most experienced accounting and technical personnel. Kauai native Sunshine Ruiz Hatto serves as Hawaiiana’s Vice President of Kauai 2SHUDWLRQV IURP LWV RIŅFH LQ /LKXHģV .XNXL *URYH ([HFXWLYH &HQWHU +DZDLLDQD 0DQDJHPHQW &RPSDQ\ /WG LV +DZDLLģV FRQGR DQG FRPPXQLW\ DVVRFLDWLRQ management company, with over 750 association clients throughout the state.
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