2018springhomeandgarden by The Sumter Item

2018

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018

Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894

Spring Home & Garden

Claim a plot in a community garden

12 DIY home hacks that will make your life easier

Get soil tested before planting for the season

Clean mowers before cranking up this spring

Plan ahead for renovations if you live in the historic district

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2018 SPRING HOME & GARDEN

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018

THE SUMTER ITEM

Try these easy DIY hacks for organization

Sumter woman holds seminars to teach tips BY KAYLA ROBINS kayla@theitem.com

orget spring cleaning. Think, instead, of spring organizing.

And if you’re going to

ly and quickly. “I love helping people,” she said. “And it helps me to help them, and I feel like people live better lives when they’re organized.”

SANDI’S RULE: FILE, DON’T STACK.

Take a drawer of napkins or hand towels. If you fold them, you can’t forget about however nicely, and put them on top of each other in a drawSandi Davis. er, you will only be able to take The Sumter County resident the one on top. As you use them and wash them and put has been professionally home them back in the drawer, the organizing since 2004, and she ones on the bottom will never says while the initial process be used. of going through a house and Enter Sandi Davis. setting all the bins in place If you roll them, you will be and clothes in order, which is able to see them all at the where she comes in, maintainsame time, she explained. ing the tricks and methods are Then, you can slide the unused something anyone can do. ones up to the front of the Davis said she is not a clean drawer and replace the used freak. She doesn’t like throwand ing things cleaned away. She ones in the is tidy. Orback, alganized lowing clutter. each one to “It’s got get used. to be easy. The Being neat same idea can be bad. goes with Something papers and can look records, nice and though this clean, but one may you may Davis suggested rolling items such as seem more have to go towels or napkins so they’re all easy to obvious. A through a see and use rotationally. stack of big pile to papers reget to quires flipsomething, ping or you may through never them all to know get to what where anyyou need. thing is,” If they’re she said. filed, you She got can label into the them and business of go straight organizing to them. people’s A unique homes as a Making your own drawers from plastic bins is an easy way to be able to see ev- way to career erything quickly. apply this when a rule — friend which Davis uses all over her asked her to come over and house, from closets to Tupperhelp and that she would pay her. After that first experience, ware to socks — is with plates and serving dishes. she realized she had a knack By storing them on their for it and applied for a busiside in horizontal racks, you ness license. can see each plate at the same “I have [people] come in and time, and you don’t have to lift I’ll take them around and show them what I do,” she said a pile of plates, set them aside and put them back to get the of the seminars she holds. one you need. She said she tries not to straighten up before the semiHACK: USE A PLATE nars because the spaces she is RACK TO HOLD YOUR teaching about “have to be KEYS AND CELLPHONE lived in.” It’s not about being spotlessly clean. It’s about Davis has a two-plate display knowing where what you need rack on her kitchen counter, is and being able to find it easi- but it has some modifications.

think of spring organizing,

PHOTOS BY MICAH GREEN / THE SUMTER ITEM

Sandi Davis of Sumter has been a professional home organizer since 2004. “I found some nice bowls, and it’s a good place to put your phone and your keys where you can find it,” she said.

HACK: PLASTIC BINS MAKE EASY DRAWERS Davis has plastic bins of all sizes throughout her house. They prevent kitchen items from getting lost in the back of a cabinet. They save small, loose objects from getting lost. They sort makeup and bathroom accessories. “I don’t like to get down on my hands and knees to see what’s in the back of the cabinet. So, by making your own drawers, it’s very economical, and you can see what you need. And I have these bins everywhere,” she said.

HACK: USE A TACKLE BOX FOR BEADS AND LOOSE CRAFTING EQUIPMENT A tackle box is perfect for organizing small, loose items. “Just by color coordinating and putting it in here, it makes it easy to find,” she said.

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OTHER TIPS

• Put food in drawers based on type, such as sweet snacks, salty snacks, cans and spices. • Buy greeting cards once a year, and sort them by holiday. • Use bins with holes in them, and attach strings for handles to be placed on highup shelves as a way to easily pull them down. • Place closet shelves horizontally to make cubbies for things such as purses.

• Use a plastic box with dividers for travel toiletries so the levels can be placed on counters and packed up easily. • Keep a basket by the stairs for items you need to take up so you don’t make multiple trips or forget. • Recycle greeting cards and cut them up to make gift tags. • Hang wreaths on a curtain rod to prevent them from getting squished and to make them easy to find.

Did you know?

Spring cleaning is a ritual that many people participate in as the last vestiges of winter disappear. Spring cleaning is a time to open windows, deep clean rooms and closets and take down and launder window treatments and linens. Others use spring cleaning as a time to sort and donate or discard clutter that might have accumulated over the winter. Even though spring cleaning seems like a modern invention, the act of spring cleaning is thought to have originated centuries ago. Some say that the ancient Chinese cleaned in preparation for their New Year as they hoped to wipe away any bad luck and misfortune from the previous year. Similarly, the ancient Hebrew practice of thoroughly cleansing a home before the springtime feast of Passover may have evolved into the spring cleaning we know today.

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2018 SPRING HOME & GARDEN

THE SUMTER ITEM

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018

Above, Bill Strickland, a Master Gardener in charge of the community garden, pours lime on a compost bin of leaves and debris. Below, Sandi Strickland and Ethel Isaac discuss whether what Strickland pulled from the walking path between plots is a flower or weed.

PHOTOS BY MICAH GREEN / THE SUMTER ITEM

Ethel Isaac and Michele Sutton pull weeds in one of the four raised bed plots managed by Sumter Master Gardeners. They both are taking the annual class to become Master Gardeners themselves.

Growing friends, flowers and produce in Sumter’s community garden BY KAYLA ROBINS kayla@theitem.com

t was a chilly, rainy Saturday morning, as if spring were trying to bloom but the tail end of

winter was overstaying its invitation. That didn’t stop a small but dedicated group of Master and Master-to-be Gardeners from digging in the dirt. Those involved in the community garden on the corner of Dingle and Wright streets in Sumter were pulling out weeds, adding to the compost bins and sprucing up the sprinkler system after a freezing winter during the weekend. The garden has plots avail$50,000 grant to build the garden and able for residents to sign up for still Manning Avenue farmers market. By and is also the site of several Master 2002, Master Gardeners had donated Gardener classes. 200 pounds of produce to the soup “Trying to [garden] at home is diffikitchen at the church. cult at best, and there’s also the social When, over time, the garden fell into aspect of it,” said Bill Strickland, a Master Gardener through Clemson Ex- disrepair, Strickland stepped in two years ago to plant a new foundation. tension and director of the community There are compost bins. He and garden. other gardeners re-mulched and plantStrickland has already seeded and ed flower beds. started growing He tried to go bell peppers and through and three kinds of contact everytomatoes to one who owned soon be transIf you think that the only way to exercise an individual planted into the and burn calories involves gym equipplot to make Master Gardensure they still ers’ four plots of ment, think again. Yard work can be just wanted to or the 38 at the as challenging as a thorough aerobics lived in the area. garden, which workout at a nearby fitness club. To reap He cleaned up they will eventhe greatest benefits, gardeners should the marquee at tually harvest use as little motorized machinery as possithe front of the and donate to ble. Manual tools will get you moving and garden, which Emmanuel can burn a substantial amount of calories. holds communiUMC Church on Try to vary positions and alternate which ty news and the South Main map of who Street. hands you use to reduce strain and get an owns what plot. The garden even workout. Fitness experts say that He added gutwas founded in gardening can improve strength, increase ters to the top of 2001 when the endurance and assist with flexibility. the marquee group got a

Did you know?

Marlene Malcolm, left, helped found the community garden in 2001, which began donating produce to those in need in 2002. ter Gardener plots pulling weeds before roof, which now allows rainwater to her classmate raked them away and funnel into a barrel to be used for crop took them to the compost bins. watering. “My kids wanted me to get out of the “We try to stay as green as possible,” house,” she said. he said. She said she has always loved being Marlene Malcolm, who was one of outdoors, whether it three Master Gardenwas fishing or walking ers who founded the or anything else she garden, said the comGET YOUR OWN PLOT wanted, but her husmunity aspect is If you don’t have enough or the band recently died. Getwhat makes it so optimal space to build and ting out of the house by much fun. maintain a garden on your own herself got harder. “It’s a neat projproperty, sign up for a plot at She had been good ect,” she said, pointSumter County’s Master Gardeners’ enough at growing toing out that it can be community garden. There is usually matoes and okra in her a big draw to resia Master Gardener around to help backyard, in a plot dents of senior living guide you, and some plots directly about half the size of communities who benefit groups like churches. one in the community often do not have the To learn more about getting space garden, that she was space to plant and at the community garden, contact able to freeze some. maintain their own Bill Strickland at (803) 773-5561. Now, she has access to garden. learn more and to garPlus, growing your den a bigger plot. Even produce in your plot better, she gets to meet new people and in the community garden gives you acsocialize with a group who enjoys doing cess to advice and help from the Masthe same things as she does. ter Gardeners. “It’s no good to be locked up inside Ethel Isaac was one of two people takall day,” she said. “I’ve thoroughly ening this year’s class to become a Master joyed it.” Gardener. She went through four Mas-

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2018 SPRING HOME & GARDEN

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018

THE SUMTER ITEM

Follow these tips to get your lawnmower ready for spring Experts: Clean it before you crank it BY KAYLA ROBINS kayla@theitem.com The grass is greener — and longer — on the other side of winter. Just as any car or home appliance, it is important to follow the right steps and care guidelines when starting up a lawnmower after months of inactivity. There are a handful of tips to remember to complete before that first blade gets snipped, and while they’re not especially hard to do, they’re vital to remember. Servicing should be done in late fall or early spring, so now is the perfect time to wheel your mower out of the shed and get started, according to Don Neiman, owner of Dad’s Small Engines on Myrtle Beach Highway just east of the intersection with U.S. 378. “It’s all pretty standard stuff, but you’d be amazed at some of the stuff I see,” said Neiman, who both sells and services mower and lawn equipment.

Don Neiman, owner of Dad’s Small Engines, points out where the air and oil filter is in this Husqvarna riding mower. PHOTOS BY KAYLA ROBINS / THE SUMTER ITEM

TUNE IT UP Remove the spark plug before doing any maintenance or servicing, and replace it with a new one when you’re done.

CHANGE THE OIL

Did you know?

One of the ways homeowners can keep their lawns looking lush and green is to aerate the turf when the need arises. Aerators perforate the soil with small holes. These holes allow air, nutrients and water to penetrate all the way to the roots, helping them grow deep and strong. Deep, strong roots are essential to healthy, lush lawns.

Take the drain plug out, and let the oil empty into a container. Replace the plug, and refill with the type and quantity of oil the machine’s owner’s manual recommends.

Help make your community less trashy at event Sumter Litter Alliance organizes event to improve Sumter’s neighborhoods BY KAYLA ROBINS kayla@theitem.com Keeping your own home, backyard and garden clean is not the only part of having a welcoming, enjoyable community. If the rest of the neighborhood is unkempt, no one will want to be around long enough to see your lawn. A new group in Sumter County formed to help solve that problem, and it’s hosting a Garbage Crawl community clean up challenge tomorrow. The Sumter Litter Alliance is a group of representatives from the city and county government, public school system, Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Board and privatesector professions that rely on people wanting to come to the area. “Trash sucks,” said Erika Brian Broadway

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Williams, communications and strategic initiatives manager for Sumter Economic Development, after the alliance’s first public meeting after forming last fall to solve the issue of Sumter’s litter and illegal dumping problem. “And it really impacts the quality of life for everyone here.” Helping each other clean up their neighborhood’s trash can only improve your own home and property. Anyone wanting to participate in the cleanup should meet behind the USC Sumter Nettles Building. Registration will begin at 8 a.m., with the cleanup going from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. A picnic and prizes will be at noon. Trash bags, gloves, safety vests and hand sanitizer will be provided. To register a team, visit www.sumterchamber.com. C.W. Ard

CHANGE OR CLEAN THE AIR FILTER Neiman said he has seen people come into his store and ask why their mowers won’t start, and a common reason is the air filter needs to be cleaned or changed. They won’t have cleaned or replaced it once, he said. Whether you use a foam or paper filter, this part of the engine is vital to protecting it against dust and debris.

USE THE RIGHT FUEL It is widely recommended to use

fresh fuel with an octane rating no lower than 87 and an alcohol content no higher than 10 percent for a gaspowered motor.

OTHER TIPS • Make sure the battery is charged. • Sharpen the blades on the mower. • Check the tire pressure. Neiman said this is important for blade cutting levels because if the tires are low, the blades will cut the grass at a shorter length than is intended. • Servicing should be done every year, he said, to clean the engine out and allow the filters to breathe.

An old tire and metal frame are seen in the woods at Dillon Park recently. Below, a discarded shoe floats in Swan Lake-Iris Gardens.

PHOTOS BY MELANIE SMITH / THE SUMTER ITEM

Waterways around Sumter such as this creek in Dillon Park need to be cleaned of debris.

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Before

2018 SPRING HOME & GARDEN

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018

BY KATHERINE ROTH Associated Press

And after!

PHOTO PROVIDED BY NICOLE NORRIS DESIGN STUDIO INC.

This photo from Nicole Norris Design Studio Inc. shows a kitchen before and after its renovation.

Neutrals are still trending for kitchen paint color schemes Sumter interior design experts recommend accent pattern, backsplash liberating, too. It depends on the size of the space and the amount of natural light in the kitchen, Hulme Spring cleaning often is synonymous with subtracting. Get said. Other aspects to consider when thinking of a kitchen rid of old clothes. Throw away. The time when winter wears color or tones are the metal and appliance finishes. off can also welcome adding a Overall, she said, whites and new look to your kitchen, and grays and other earth tones go the simplest form of that is a well with, for example, a chevnew coat of paint in a new shade. Where to start and what ron patterned backsplash or one accented bright color. can to get is the harder part. Using wallpaper as tile in the There are countless options, kitchen is another way to bring combinations and palates, and color into the space, she said, getting the right one for your and people have been using it space can be overwhelming. If as an avenue to make it more you want to go with the sea“funky. Neutral, but add an elson’s trends, neutrals with an ement.” Like traditional cabiaccent color or pattern should nets with modern lighting. be on the check list, according The neutral color theme in a to Mary Kathryn Hulme with kitchen makes the space clean Nicole Norris Design Studio and crisp, Inc. Hulme said, Norris has which has been in busibeen popular ness, curto create a rently runcoastal space ning a stuin areas like dio on GuigCharleston nard Drive but also in Sumter, works well in for more than 20 KAYLA ROBINS / THE SUMTER ITEM more inland southern years, so Neutral and earth tones make a communities they’ve seen space look crisp and clean. like Sumter. their share Hulme of trends said, when it comes to color, and phases and styles. patterns and overall look, in“Neutrals are definitely still terior design often follows in, and [Norris] is in Charleston, too, and she’s still seeing it fashion trends by a year or so. there with the same neutral“You know floral is still big toned colors with a unique in fashion, like long floral backsplash or one different dresses, so we’re now seeing a pattern,” Hulme said. lot of floral wallpaper and fabPicking a color can feel like an obstacle, especially when an rics,” she said. Adding neutrals also plays entire kitchen is being redesigned. Homeowners may want well when you want to bring in to prioritize a counter top style natural elements like wood or concrete. over the color of the cabinets At the end of the day, the or walls, but the options can be

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Get the latest apps for improving your home inside and out

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BY KAYLA ROBINS kayla@theitem.com

color of a kitchen has to be something the individual homeowner enjoys. A color they want to look at. Because the kitchen is the center of many homes, whether a family that enjoys home-cooked meals or couples or individuals who entertain guests, it has to be livable. Luckily, there are endless colors to choose from.

Planning out how to arrange furniture in your home — or plants in your garden — used to involve a pencil, graph paper, a measuring tape and a lot of imagination. The process has gotten easier — and way more streamlined — thanks to a burgeoning selection of home and garden apps. Furniture companies, interior design firms and even landscapers have been rolling out a new generation of apps and online programs to make the process more foolproof for novices and pros alike, often using virtual and augmented reality technology. "Design apps are really great for generating ideas and deciding on materials and sources for do-it-yourself projects," says Margaret Mayfield, an architect in Los Osos, California. "And they're also very helpful for communicating design ideas to contractors and architects." The technology allows you to see what furniture would look like in your home before you buy it, using just the camera on your phone, for example, instead of dealing with the hassle — and back pain — involved in returning, say, an ill-chosen sofa. And the design apps do not stop at the door. With spring around the corner, there are landscaping apps to help take the guesswork out of deciding what to plant and where and when. Among the most popular home apps is Houzz, a free app with 40 million users around the world each month, according to Liza Hausman, vice president of industry marketing for

Houzz. Features include a huge database of design photos — searchable by style, country or color, for example — to create a personalized "idea book." The site's "Visual Match" feature allows visitors to order furniture and other products that are the same or similar to those seen in the magazine-type photos. You can work with a friend by using the "Invite a Collaborator" feature, or, through "Directory," contact local designers, architects or landscapers. One of the newest features is "View in My Room 3D," which invites you to look at your room through your phone and then — using augmented reality technology — place a selected piece of furniture there to see what it would look like. Other indoor design apps include Hutch, Home Design 3D, and Home Design 3D, Rooms and interior design apps from stores like IKEA and Overstock.com. For outdoors, Houzz features articles and advice from gardening pros and a forum where home gardeners can share ideas and suggestions. Another popular landscaping app is iScape, which helps you visualize your garden, save and share ideas and buy gardening products. As with all technology, though, the apps have a learning curve that in some cases is far greater than the old graph paper and pencil method of laying things out. And professionals warn that for major jobs, it's still best to seek out a pro. Just don't be surprised when your landscaper or designer pulls out his or her phone to consult an app.

Shown is View in My Room 3D, an augmented reality tool in the Houzz app that lets people preview furniture and decor products from the Houzz Shop in 3D, within their homes, before they buy. HOUZZ VIA AP

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2018 SPRING HOME & GARDEN

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018

THE SUMTER ITEM

Planning ahead is essential for historic district homeowners BY TREVOR BAUKNIGHT trevor@theitem.com

f you are one of the fortunate few Sumterites to make your home in the heart of the

shady, stately historic residential district around Memorial Park near downtown, you are probably

already aware that changes to the exterior of your home may require a Certificate of Appropriateness from the city’s Historic Design Review Committee before your project can move forward. According to Julie Herlong, a member of the committee, however, many are not aware of this situation and can find matters complicated by delays and additional expense after not following the process. “A lot of people don’t realize they’re in the historic district,” said Herlong, who is also the owner of Naomi and Warner on Main Street. “One of the first problems we encounter is a lot of times, people go to do a renovation and start putting up a fence or changing out windows or painting, and they get halted because they don’t realize they fall within that district.” The city established the committee in 1996 with two overlay districts, the Downtown Historic District and the Hampton Park Design Review District. The former extends from Washington Street east to Harvin Street and from Bartlette Street north to Calhoun, an area that no longer includes any freestanding residences. The Hampton Park Design Review District includes dozens of properties on both sides of West Calhoun Street and West Hampton Avenue and along all the connecting streets from the east side of McQueen Street east to Church Street and also includes houses on both sides of Church Street between Calhoun and Broad streets. Many homes in that area are in need of repair, and the committee is anxious to approve renovations to pre-

Didyou know?

TREVOR BAUKNIGHT / THE SUMTER ITEM

This Victorian-era “Painted Lady” at 104 Church St. is undergoing extensive repair and renovations after a February 2017 fire caused some $350,000 in damage. serve structures that might be lost without them, Herlong said. The city recently enlisted the help of a Virginia design firm to revamp its guidelines to make them more accessible to the people that need the information. “It’s very user-friendly,” Herlong said of the guidelines, which are posted on the city’s website. Property owners are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the guidelines that apply to them and be prepared when applying for the COA with detailed information about paint colors, material selection and design elements. Contractor David Trapp, who fell in love with historic preservation work while his company worked on a large renovation project of a hotel and much of the surrounding block in Highlands, North Carolina, returned to Sumter and does some of the kind

of repairs that can be peculiar to historic structures. Trapp said specialized construction and reconstruction work can sometimes be more expensive, particularly if his crew encounters the unexpected, which is often the case with hundredyear-old homes, he said. “Be prepared for the cost, and be prepared for some surprises,” said Trapp, a 1986 graduate of Sumter High School. “One thing I do is I look very hard at what I’m getting ready to get into and try to price it so there won’t be a bunch of wild changes.” He said planning is essential. The city’s planning office is inside the Liberty Center at 12 W. Liberty St. and is staffed with professionals that can approve some minor changes inhouse or help you prepare a more extensive application for the committee’s

review during its monthly meetings on the fourth floor of Sumter Opera House at 21 N. Main St. “When you go down there, the people are very friendly and knowledgeable, and they will tell you exactly what you need to do,” Herlong said. “But you do have to submit an application and explain what your project is. Be specific and explain as far as paint colors and materials. If it’s something the office cannot approve in-house, it will come before the committee.” Herlong said the process can be frustrating but that it’s for the protection of other property owners and the residents of the city. “You’ve got a project, and you’re ready to move on it, and you’ve got everything picked out and your people are ready to go or you’re ready to do it, and since the committee only meets once a month, it can push the project back and be frustrating,” said Herlong, who said she encountered that in the renovation of her own business facade. “But it’s a very straightforward process once you know.” Herlong said the office takes care of writing up the formal proposal based on the property owner’s details and can recommend changes to make the process proceed more smoothly. Planning office personnel generally make the actual presentation to the committee, as well, though the property owner is invited to participate. “It’s actually a lot of work for them,” Herlong said. “They’ll take your information and write it up for you, and I don’t even think you have to speak. They give you the opportunity, of course, and some people want to, especially if they have something a little outside the norm that they want to explain your reasoning, or if there is a hardship we’ll take that into consideration.” An example of a hardship may be something like renovating a slate roof, which can be exorbitantly expensive for most property owners, and a more affordable substitute may be recommended. For further information, contact the Planning Department at (803) 774-1660 or email planningdepartment@sumtersc.com.

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2018 SPRING HOME & GARDEN

THE SUMTER ITEM

FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018

Get soil tested, ID plants before making a spring garden Sumter County Cooperative Extension can help, offers tips BY KAYLA ROBINS kayla@theitem.com As you get those shovels, gloves and seeds out from the shed for the first time this season and get ready to plant your new vegetable garden or flowers, you should know what you’re digging into. January is said to the best time to test your soil because it is long enough before you start growing for the spring, but sending in soil samples any time before you start is better than never, according to Pat McDaniel with Clemson Extension in Sumter County. “You should test the soil before you begin growing anything for the first time and every few years after that,” she said. The Extension office will send soil samples to get lab tested so you know if you need to add anything to grow specific plants or crops. There is a fee to test soil, plants, trees and other samples when they need to be sent to the Agriculture Service

Lab or the Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic, McDaniel said, but it will prove a good choice in the long run when you don’t have to replace the plant or start over. The lab also tests insects if you have an infestation and will test plants for diseases. McDaniel said samples of branches should be about a foot long of each a good part and an affected part for the lab can compare and test to diagnose for diseases and other problems. “If it is a weed you want identified, pull it all up and bring in the whole thing,” she said, which should be easy because you’ll likely want to get the weeds out of the ground anyway. Knowing what’s in your backyard and what is going to be the foundation of your garden is vital to growing a successful one, and Clemson Extension has a number anyone can call with questions. Diagnostic, identification or analysis forms can be downloaded from its website at www.clemson.edu/extension/ sumter.

PROVIDED BY CLEMSON EXTENSION SERVICE

TAKE AN ACCURATE SOIL SAMPLE Soil sample bags can be picked up from and returned to your local Cooperative Extension office. 1. For home gardens, lawns or ornamental beds, submit one sample per uniform area. For large areas (fields/pastures), one soil sample can represent up to 10 acres. Areas that are fertilized differently or those with different soil types should be sampled separately. 2. Use a soil auger, spade or shovel. Samples from cultivated areas should be taken from the surface to a depth of 6-8 inches. Samples from pasture or turf should be taken only 2-4 inches deep. 3. Soil cores should be approximately the same size throughout their depth. No adjustments are needed if using a soil probe. To do this when using a spade or shovel, take a thin slice from the side of a V-shaped hole. Take sub-samples from at least 12 locations within the sample area. 4. Place the sub-samples in a clean plastic bucket and mix thoroughly. 5. Do not heat a moist soil sample to dry. Spread it out on newspaper and let air dry overnight. Crumble and mix before it hardens. 6. Label or number the soil bag*. Fill bag to fill line (2 cups). Do not use the same number for more than one sample. * If soil sample container is not available, put soil in a plastic bag (simple sandwich bag is fine) or clean, plastic or glass container.

Try these strategies for achieving professional-looking planters BY ROSE SHILLING Associated Press A flower planter or hanging basket bought ready-made at a nursery: lush with showy, vibrant blooms, providing an instant splash for your porch, stoop or deck. Your DIY flower container: sparse-looking for weeks, with one plant that dies and scraggly stems, small blooms or yellowing leaves as the season goes on. Still, many gardeners keep trying. "The benefits of doing it yourself would be choosing your own color scheme, choosing plants that are going to work best for your area, and getting to see it grow in," says Jamie Gulley of Gulley Greenhouse in Fort Collins, Colorado. So how DO you get the look of those perfect, professionally designed planters that you've envied at the garden center or on someone else's front steps? Some tips from the experts:

STICK YOUR FINGERTIP IN THE SOIL — YES, REALLY Gulley relies on this triedand-true method of testing the dampness of potting mixture about an inch below the surface.

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At the height of summer, expect to water containers daily, or even twice a day if it's dry and sunny. Water less frequently when the weather's cooler. Consider buying a selfwatering product or a basic drip-irrigation system, used commonly in hot climates where plants might not survive a missed watering.

Too many people skip fertilizer or don't use enough, says Gulley Greenhouse owner and head grower Jan Gulley, Jamie's mother. "It would be just like being in a prison and somebody just giving you water and no food," she says. Slow-dissolving pellets that feed plants for several months are a favorite, but poke holes in the soil to reach the roots, she says. Fertilizer that comes in pottingmix bags runs out after a few months — or more quickly in high heat, when frequent watering leaches soil nutrients. Start applying additional fertilizer midsummer for spring-potted plants that use these mixtures.

DO A LITTLE RESEARCH Or try succulents — jade, hens and chicks, agave — that require less water.

FERTILIZE RIGHT Fertilizer encourages blooms and prevents leggy shoots. But too much of it can burn up plants. And applying liquid versions or organic options like chicken manure or compost every week or two can be difficult to maintain.

Impulse buys of gorgeous plants are inevitable, but your arrangements will be stronger if you first find some images that inspire you, says horticulturist Noelle Johnson, who runs AZ Plant Lady landscape consulting in Chandler, Arizona. "When it comes to pots ... most people like to do that themselves," she says. "That's very personal."

Try to mimic the gardening industry’s planting strategy of using “thrillers, fillers and spillers.” Use a tall plant, such as a grass, in the middle as a thriller, surrounded by mid-height fillers and finished with a trailing plant. A nursery worker can look at the image (probably on your phone) and find those plants or ones with the same look or colors. Some nurseries, including Gulley, offer guides on winning plant combinations by hue or growing condition. Simply pick up the suggested plants and pot them according to the diagrams. Jan Gulley suggests limiting colors and plant varieties to two or three. If the planter's too busy, the eye doesn't know where to focus: "We call them circus pots," she says.

PICK A PLANTING STRATEGY One strategy is to pack the pot for a full look right away, removing plants later to avoid overcrowding, or pruning hard around July Fourth. For example, an inexpensive sixpack of pansies could supplement featured plants early in the season and be removed later.

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"We want a planter to be beautiful immediately," says Richard Hentschel, a horticulture educator with the University of Illinois Extension in St. Charles. If you space plants with room to fill in, the arrangement "just looks weak. It doesn't look like the store-bought version." Or you could be patient, planting with expansion space. Decorative rocks or attractive mulch can cover temporarily exposed dirt patches. You might mimic the gardening industry's planting strategy of using "thrillers, fillers and spillers," Hentschel says. Use a tall plant, often a grass or other spiky shape, in the middle as a thriller. Softer, mid-height fillers surround it, and a trailing plant or vine spills out for drama. For any strategy, pinch off or trim unsightly, dead flowers ("deadheading"). That encourages further blooming.

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Plants can thrive with no care at all in Wardian cases BY LEE REICH Associated Press

n 1827, a London physician with an interest in caterpillar metamor-

phosis built small glass boxes to contain the cocoons and emerging butterflies. Peering into the "dirt" in one of the boxes one day, the physician, Dr. Nathanial Ward, noticed that a fern spore had germinated. Ward became so enthralled with the way the developing plant was able to flourish without care in the box that he changed his course of study. In 1836, he published a book entitled "On the Growth of Plants in Closely Glazed Cases." Wardian cases, as the glass boxes came to be called, became all the rage in Victorian England. Plants were protected in the cases from the chilling drafts, dry air and gas fumes of Victorian homes. Plant explorers also found a use for Wardian cases. Live plants from exotic lands could be transported by ship to England, protected in the cases from salt air and changing climatic conditions. Today, we usually call such plant cases "terrariums."

CARE-FREE GARDENING Whether in the home or on a

ship, plants in Wardian cases need little care. The small amount of water that the leaves give off in their humid environment condenses on the glass and dribbles back to the roots. Oxygen released each day from photosynthesis is used each night in respiration. Ward reputedly grew ferns in one of his cases for 15 years without any care at all. A Wardian case full of lush green plants is a year-round oasis, even if today's homes are less drafty and the air is cleaner than in the homes of Victorian England. Aside from decorative value and ease of care, a terrarium provides the humid, boggy environment essential to the cultivation of certain plants.

Plants can live in a Wardian case, now usually called a terrarium, for months or years, with little or no watering or other care.

MANY OPTIONS FOR A WARDIAN CASE

You won't get another chance once it is planted.

Many kinds of containers can serve as Wardian cases. I have made my own, using glass and silicone glue. Other possibilities include 5-gallon water jars, 1-gallon canning jars, aquariums and oversize brandy snifters. Large plastic soda bottles are easily converted into small terrariums. Some bottles have a dark plastic piece that covers the domed bottom. Pry that plastic piece off the bottom and then cut the bottle in half crosswise. Invert the dome over the base you initially pried off, and you're almost ready to plant. Once you have settled on a container, wash it thoroughly.

LEE REICH VIA AP

SOIL, PLANTS, WATER To plant, start with a layer of charcoal, which will keep the soil "sweet." Next, add potting soil, the amount depending on the container and the type of "landscaping" you want. Perhaps, depending on your "landscape," one or more rocks also. Finally ... the plants. Dexterity with chopsticks helps in planting. Choose plants that thrive in high humidity and will not grow too fast. A spider plant in a terrarium I made for my brother a few years ago has pushed off the wooden lid and now is climbing

out the top. Good plant choices for larger terrariums are dracenas, diffenbachias and palms. Low-growing plants include English ivy (choose small-leaved cultivars), prayer plants, ferns, baby's tears and mosses. The climate within a closed container allows cultivation of insectivorous plants like the Venus fly trap, pitcher plant, and sundew, all of which need moist, boggy soils and very humid air. (And perhaps a fly every now and then.) The final step, watering, is the most critical. Add water gradually so as not to form puddles in the soil. Add enough water to moisten the soil without making it sod-

den. Then set the terrarium in its permanent location, in bright light but out of direct sun, and watch for condensation. If the right amount of water has been added, there should be slight condensation on the glass each morning. If you have over-watered, let the case dry out for a few days with the lid off. Note the succession of plants and perhaps other organisms that thrive in the unique ecosystem created within each terrarium. Something always thrives. My first terrarium was far too sodden, but it did grow an attractive and interesting crop of mushrooms, in addition to the plants that survived.

Yes, there are houseplants for the horticulturally impaired BY LEE REICH Associated Press Hints of impending spring weather might stir a desire to grow plants even in people not usually drawn in that direction. If you are one of them, yet your thumbs lack the slightest hint of green, take heart: There are houseplants even you can grow. You'll have to forgo color if you require a truly tough houseplant. Flowering takes too much of a plant's energy, which comes from good (or at least reasonably good) growing conditions, including abundant light. Don't look for color in leaves either, because plants with colorful leaves have them only when there's plenty of light so that they can do more with less green.

THE WAYS HOUSEPLANTS ARE ABUSED Poor light is not the only abuse you might suffer upon a houseplant. Many people forget to water them, or water them too much. Also, as plants grow, they need to be divided and repotted, or shifted to larger pots. A houseplant for the horticulturally impaired should not grow so fast that frequent repotting is necessary.

SOME HOUSEPLANTS TOLERATE ABUSE Yes, there are plants that can survive, and even look perky, with little light, neglectful or excessive watering, and little other care. And they're not all cacti. Take dumbcane and spider plant, for instance. Both are hard to kill, yet keep up appearances with little attention. Spider plant can fill its pot rapidly and send out new "babies" all over the place, but that's only with good growing conditions. For best results, grow an all-green variety of spider plant, rather than one with white stripes in its leaves. All green spider plants, with more chlorophyll, tolerate low light better. Geraniums also tolerate an amazing amount of abuse. They won't flower under these conditions, so in that

case why not grow scented geraniums? Many have frilly foliage and, depending on the variety, their leaves carry aromas such as chocolate, rose or lemon. If in doubt about whether a geranium is thirsty, don't water. Cyperus is a houseplant whose especially graceful appearance belies its tough-asnails constitution. This is a water plant, closely related to papyrus, so it cannot tolerate drying out. But watering cyperus is a no-brainer; just set the pot in a deep saucer that

you always keep filled with water.

SUCCULENTS Succulent plants — which include but are not limited to cacti — are obvious houseplant candidates for non-gardeners. If you've killed them in the past, it was probably because of too much water, a situation easily avoided if, when you first get the plant, you repot it with an equal volume of perlite or sand mixed into the potting soil. The perlite or sand lets water

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run right through the mix, making it impossible to overwater. Alternatively, repot the plant in potting mix formulated especially for succulents. Succulents present an amazing array of shapes and textures of greenery. In that well-drained potting mix, it would be almost impossible to kill an aloe plant. Its leaves remain soft, fleshy and smooth, just as if you've been lavishing it with care. (I water mine about every six months, sometimes even less

frequently!) Kalanchoe hardly looks like a desert plant, yet it survives neglect in proper style. The same could be said for burro's tail, ideal for hanging baskets with its ropy stems swathed in fat leaves. Jade plants respond to good conditions by growing rapidly and flowering, but they look almost the same when grown in utter neglect. Grow this succulent as a bush or a small tree. When the plant grows too large for your likes or its pot, it'll get along fine for a long time with its stems just trimmed back to whatever size you want, rather than needing to be repotted. You would think that plants called living stones would be tough houseplants — and they are. They do look like stones, however, so they might not satisfy the seasonal urge for lush greenery. Then again, if you just need some kind of garden experience this time of year, you don't need greenery. Get a decorative tray and emulate in miniature the famous Zen landscape at Ryoan-ji in Kyoto, Japan; it consists of a rectangular plot of neatly raked quartz sand surrounding artistically clustered groups of rocks.

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Springtime scenes

ew flowers and plants are abundant this season across the area. Several of these photos were taken at Swan Lake-Iris Gardens, Cuddo

Unit in Santee National Wildlife Refuge and my own backyard. One was taken at Goodale State Park in Camden right before the sand beneath my foot gave way and I took a plunge into that murky water (the dropoff is steeper than I would’ve imagined, and the water’s still cold, so I don’t recommend a swim). Spring began March 20, and many of us have plans for veggie gardens, landscaping our yards and doing some muchneeded spring cleaning. Enjoy the cool, warm breezes and seasonal flowers because we’ll be fighting the 100-degree weather and skeeter swarms before we know it.

PHOTOS BY MELANIE SMITH / THE SUMTER ITEM

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