2015 Fall Home & Garden

2015

&

Fall Home Garden Renew Flower Pots Pages 2-3

Craft Bazaars & Shows Pages 6

Holiday Food Prep Page 7

Paint It Fresh Page 8

and more!

A supplement to

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Wednesday, September 30, 2015

The Wenatchee World | Fall Home & Garden

INSIDE Inside Fill Your Flower Pots

PAGE 2-3: Colorful fall

Plants to fill your tired summer pots with fabulous fall color

f

or the last few months we all worked to enjoy the brilliant colors of flowering annuals and perennials.

for richer garden soil

PAGE 5: Inspired fall décor Use thrift and resale treasures to bring fall indoors

PAGE 6: Craft season

NCW brims with holiday bazaars and craft sales

PAGE 7: Keep-it-simple food prep

Plan ahead for joyful holiday serving

PAGE 8: Paint it fresh

Fresh coat of paint, new look for a weary room. Tips!

PAGE 9: Pump up the savings

Mike Chase

Special to The Wenatchee World

Fothergilla

Renew your flower pots This is the time of year garden centers provide fall bloomers, such as mums, asters, pansies and violas, which thrive in cooler weather and have late-blooming habits. You’ll also find ornamental kale and cabbage for leaf texture and color. Some varieties of kale, such as “Redbor,” which is purple-red with curled leaves, can grow up to two feet tall and make an excellent center piece in a container.

Refresh your summer flower containers and beds with a mix of these cold-hardy plants for an extended season of color.

PAGE 10: What is it?

Odd hardware store finds. Can you name them?

Nancy Phillips

With our multiple heat waves, we defied the temperatures to maintain their health and color, watering daily and sometimes twice daily. We pruned for appearance and fertilized to promote growth and blooms.

Now, with the arrival of fall, Mother Nature brings us shortened daylight hours, cold nights, cooler days and, ultimately, exhausted flowers and plants.

With the change of seasons and diminished blooms of summer it’s time to introduce and appreciate the colors of fall.

Ductless heat pumps and energy savings explained

Publication Designer

with fabulous fall color

PAGE 4: The garden in winter

Overwinter fall crops

Produced by the Advertising Department of The Wenatchee World

Cushion Spurge

Fall color favorites Many people are familiar with Burning Bush (Euonymous Alatus) which is a green shrub, sometimes trained into a hedge, with outstanding red fall color. Below are six plant varieties that rival the performance of the burning bush but aren’t nearly as well known. They offer excellent qualities in spring and summer with their pinnacle of interest showing in the fall with a Tiger Eyes Sumac blend of colors.

Fothergilla (Fothergilla Major ‘Mount Airy’) is a deciduous shrub that blooms in spring Cushion Spurge (Euphorbia with fragrant, white bottle-brush flowers Polychroma) is an early spring before leaves appear. Summer foliage is blooming perennial with electric dark blue-green with a whitish underside. At yellow bracts above a naturally maturity the shrub is 5-6 feet tall and 4-5 mounding 18-inch plant. The feet wide. The fall appearance is the most yellow bracts fade to green in stunning aspect of the plant with distinct summer. This hardy euphorbia is yellow, orange and fire engine red. great in flower beds and borders and, in particular, areas where Tiger Eyes Sumac (Rhus Typhina ‘Bailtiger’) early spring color is desired. is a beautiful golden-leafed form of a cutleaf With “polychroma” meaning staghorn sumac. New growth is a lively “many colors,” the final show of chartreuse quickly turning to yellow. Both the season is in the fall when colors contrast nicely with its rosy-pink leaf the leaves change to a range of stems. The branches angle upward while burgundy to fiery red.

Continued on Page 3

The Wenatchee World | Fall Home & Garden

Gro-Low Fragrant Sumac

the deeply cut leaflets drape downward giving it an oriental look. At maturity this shrubby tree is 8 feet by 8 feet with some suckering but not potentially invasive like the native varieties. As magnificent as the summer colors are, the dramatic effect of yellow, orange and intense scarlet in autumn are unparalleled.

Gro-Low Fragrant Sumac (Rhus Aromatica ‘Gro-Low’) is a wide spreading, low shrub that produces fragrant small yellow flowers in spring followed by velvety red inedible fruit. In summer this drought-hardy sumac has shiny, mint-green leaves.

At maturity this noninvasive shrub is only two feet tall with an 8-foot spread. This plant works great for a mass bed ground cover and bank control on steep slopes. The fall color is spectacular with a range of orange to scarlet.

Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus Heterolepis) is an emerald green native prairie grass in the Midwest that forms an 18-inch tall mound with a soft, fountain-like look about it. The leaves are narrow and hair-like.

In late summer it produces delicate, pinkish fragrant small flowers that rise above the foliage. This ornamental grass is appropriate for mass plantings, borders or as a standalone specimen. Beautiful in summer, the fall show is even more impressive with the leaves turning gold to coppery orange.

October Glory Maple (Acer Rubrum ‘October Glory’) is a heat-resistant, broad,

Prairie Dropseed

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

October Glory Maple

oval-shaped tree with green leaves in summer.

At maturity its height is 50-60 feet with a 35-40 foot spread and it doesn’t produce invasive surface roots so it’s suitable for around lawn areas. This shade tree’s fall color is an intense orange to sizzling scarlet.

With the end of summer we open our new chapter of seasons with the colors of fall.

Whether in a container or in the landscape,

you can still enjoy colorful flowers and foliage in brilliant shades of yellow, orange, burgundy and red. We should all appreciate the cooler weather and be warmed by the rich fall colors of plants. Happy planting!

Mike Chase owns Leavenworth Greenhouse & Nursery of Leavenworth, established 2007; 548-5814, www.leavenworthnursery.com

It’s fall and time to think of what we need to do to prepare for winter 

Pick up leaves, grass clippings and other debris and dispose of in their proper place



Clean leaves and debris off nearby catch basins to prevent flooding



Excess de-icer or salt used on sidewalks and driveways can damage the concrete and harm the environment



Too much weed killer and pesticides not only kill weeds and insects, they kill fish, algae and other aquatic plant growth



Throw snow into your yard or landscaped areas rather than into the road

SPONSORED BY THE STORMWATER POLLUTION PREVENTION PROGRAM FOR QUESTIONS PLEASE CALL THE CITY OF WENATCHEE AT 888-3235 DOUGLAS COUNTY OR THE CITY OF EAST WENATCHEE AT 886-3728 CHELAN COUNTY AT 667-6415

For more information visit us at www.wenatcheewa.gov/wvstac

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Wednesday, September 30, 2015

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The Wenatchee World | Fall Home & Garden

Produced by the Advertising Department of The Wenatchee World

Nuture Garden Soil Now

o

for spring rewards

ur summer season has officially come to a close. The leaves are transitioning into their winter apparel, issuing forth a profusion of reds, oranges and yellows in the maple understory on the hills surrounding our farm.

Eron Drew

And although it may seem like a season of rest is upon us, there are still a number of jobs yet to accomplish before retiring the garden until the spring.

Maybe you are a fairweather gardener; your season encompasses the warmest months of the year that span from May until September. This abbreviated version of the growing season leaves out some of the most critical times of the year for Master Gardner

both building soil and preparing your garden for the next summer.

The time that exists between early September and early November is what I typically think of as one of the two shoulder seasons.

The fall shoulder season can be a very productive time. It is the season for planting greens, cilantro and spinach. It is the time for preparing beds for over-wintering leeks, carrots or parsnips. It is the time for planting garlic, for mulching unused beds, for pulling the weeds that are going to seed and for putting away irrigation. And although the summer squash and cucumbers may be tiring under the strain of the cooling nights, the summer-planted kale, collards, chard and choy are all thriving.

The spring-sown Brussels sprouts and celeriac are nearly ready for harvest. And it is when you

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may be tilling under your summer-sown cover crops and sowing your cover crops to A newly planted crop of rye grass will overwinter and then be turned overwinter.

So how does one go about under next spring to decompose, enriching the garden soil for a growing season crop. Photo provided/Eron Drew using these very limited last days of the growing year to the best of their abilities? How does one prioritize the jobs that are left to be done?

Perhaps it is best to begin by mentally jumping forward to the spring. What are your goals for the next season? Improving soil texture? Reducing moisture loss? Hastening your first harvest date?

Fewer irrigation repairs? All of these questions can help to pinpoint the goals for fall that will increase your enjoyment of your garden during the coming spring.

For me, soil building has been a long-standing priority. After working in many sandy gardens, it Vetches and peas newly planting as an overwinter became obvious that an increase in soil organic cover crop. They’ll be turned under next spring to matter should be a goal for every growing season.

The most effective way of doing this has been to incorporate a cover crop into the garden at least once a year. Many gardeners working with small spaces find the easiest way to add a cover crop rotation without giving up growing space is to plant the cover at the end of the season (September) and allow it to overwinter.

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During the winter, the fall-planted cover crop protects the soil from nitrogen loss to the atmosphere and soil erosion from wind and rain.

In the spring, the crop is allowed to grow until it is at the 50% flowering stage and is then turned under and allowed to decompose.

This added organic matter has several functions. The small pieces of decomposed plant material act like sponges, trapping some additional moisture in the soil. This is incredibly important in arid regions where maintaining good soil moisture is critical to healthy plant growth.

If cover cropping is not an option, an alternative form of soil building involves fall mulching.

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Although most people consider baled alfalfa as animal feed, it also makes a rich and effective mulch. We have been using alfalfa as a mulch for our garlic for the last two seasons. There is a noticeable increase in plant vigor in the beds that

enhance the soil. Photo provided/Eron Drew.

received the alfalfa mulch vs. straw mulch.

After some consideration, the reason for this became blindingly obvious. Straw is strictly a straight carbon source and sequesters nitrogen from the soil as it breaks down. Alfalfa (a legume) when incorporated in the spring, increases rather than decreases the amount of nitrogen available in the soil, boosting the production of following crops rather than stealing from it.

Weed-free alfalfa can be used to cover dormant beds to protect from wind erosion during the winter months. When spring arrives, it is shoveled into the beds and allowed to decompose just like a cover crop.

The list of fall-related gardening projects is long and involved. It is hard to do it all. However, taking the time to care for your soil is probably the job that will offer the most immediate and satisfying rewards. Have a great winter, and Happy Gardening!

Columns by WSU Master Gardeners of Chelan and Douglas Counties appear regularly in The Wenatchee World. Learn more about the program at http://wwrld.us/MasterGardenerCD.

The Wenatchee World | Fall Home & Garden

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Let the Season

a

inspire your home decor

nd just like that, it’s fall again! I love

the Wenatchee Valley and its defined seasons. Those very seasons provide a great opportunity for inspired decor inside your home.

Fall is an excellent time to update your home with a few new accessories before it’s time to transition into the season of Christmas, Karen Bass and the new year.

Special to The Wenatchee World

When the inspiration strikes to spruce up, the question almost immediately becomes one of “inventory” — an array of interesting items to work with. Creating a lovely seasonal centerpiece, entry, table or corner will require inventory.

So, as with all good design, sizing up the project is next. How much area are you trying to fill? To what degree do you want to fill it?

Identify a style or theme. Look in magazines or go on line and find images that get your creative juices flowing. Then it’s time to shop!

Begin with shopping your home. You probably have some favorite fall items already that are a good launching point. A table runner and some pedestal candlestick holders, are fine.

Maybe even something quirky, like antlers.

Choose anything that speaks the season and inspires you!

Since autumn is the season of harvest, rich with color, aroma, and texture, a visit to the Wenatchee Valley Farmer’s Market, or your favorite local grocery store might be next.

From pumpkins and gourds to fresh fruit and vegetables, fall produce is a great way to bring the natural beauty of fall into your home.

One very inexpensive way to add a little holiday décor to your home is to browse the local thrift shops, and the Dollar Store. I have found countless items in these types of establishments that I have repurposed, spray painted, or simply used as is. I have even spray painted old bowling balls and used them as garden orbs and Christmas decorations!

The savings are unbelievable, and the design process tends to be a little less stressful if you don’t feel the pressure of having spent a fortune.

A step up from thrift stores, but still a savings, is shopping boutiques that refurbish and sell second hand items. These shops have offerings that are one of a kind and very artistic. Locally we have several — Simply Unique, Out On A Whim, and Finders Keepers, to name a few. Of course Wenatchee also has Bloomers, The Gilded Lily and Gather, they all have beautiful merchandise with wonderful staff and inspiring display.

Once you’ve gathered enough items to work with, it’s time to create. Don’t be afraid to put it together, take it apart and put it together again. Experiment and see what appeals to your eye in your space. Take a look:

Start with your anchor pieces, in this case, a runner and some antlers.

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Next, begin the layering process. Usually the larger pieces will give the arrangement its shape. At this stage some of the smaller background elements can also be layered in. Here I used white pumpkins and green leaves Finally, complete the look with the items that give visual interest — the smaller things that are tucked, placed, and fluffed. For our centerpiece I used an array of smaller colored gourds and hydrangea blossoms.

I find this process very enjoyable, and it never ceases to amaze me how much my family seems to appreciate these seasonal touches. You and yours will too!

Karen Bass is an on-staff designer at Inside Design Carpet One Floor & Home store, 2101 N. Duncan Dr., Wenatchee. Contact her at 662-9500 or via www.insidedesignc1.com.

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Wednesday, September 30, 2015

The Wenatchee World | Fall Home & Garden

Produced by the Advertising Department of The Wenatchee World

Buy Artisan-Direct at NCW Bazaars and Craft Fairs

Wenatchee Valley Senior Activity Center Nov. 14 (Saturday), 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

1312 Maple St., Wenatchee The biggest holiday bazaar in the valley.

Crafts, baked goods and more. A must-visit!

Contact: 662-7036

Wenatchee

Custer’s Arts & Crafts 3rd Annual Fall Show Oct. 16-18 (Friday-Sunday) Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Town Toyota Center, 1300 Walla Walla Ave. Admission: $5 adults (good all weekend), kids 12 and under, free. Parking is free.

More than 100 professional artists and crafters from across the West Coast in a variety of mediums. You’ll find jewelry, pottery, wood crafts, photography, whimsical metal art, seasonal décor, specialty foods and more.

Contact: custershows.com

King’s Orchard Holiday Bazaar Nov. 14 (Saturday), 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

King’s Orchard Church of Christ, 1610 Orchard Ave. Proceeds benefit the Landreth-Johnson Scholarship Fund, organized by Women for Christian Scholars.

Mostly church members – arts and crafts, pies and cookies by the pound. Café lunch with homemade chile, soup, rolls, pies.

Contact: 663-0768

Harvest and Holiday Fair Nov. 7 (Saturday), 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

United Methodist Church, 941 Washington St. Presented by the Beta Mu Master Chapter of the international cultural and social sorority Beta Sigma Phi. Christmas crafts and decorations, quilts, candies, jewelry and bird houses. Raffle of donated items with proceeds going to local charity. Cookies, coffee and tea by donation. Lunch for about $10 per person is customary.

Contact: Carole Olson, 884-7719

Holiday Artisan Fair Nov. 21-22; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Pybus Public Market, 3 N. Worthen St. More than 40 “juried” local and regional vendors selling crafts, holiday gifts, décor items, jewelry, art and more. Vendors sign up on line at pybuspublicmarket.org/artisanfair/ Contact: 888-3900

Waterville

Entiat

Waterville Federated Church Guild Bazaar and Luncheon Dec. 5 (Saturday), 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

220 Ash St. Cookie bar, soup-to-go, chili, rolls, beverages, deserts, vendors with variety of gifts. Proceeds benefit the church’s mission of giving throughout the year.

Contact Shirley Daling, 745-8369

Holiday Bazaar at Entiat High School Nov. 14 (Saturday), 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A holiday tradition for more than two decades!

Hand-crafted “everything.” Soaps, artwork, knitted goods, glasswork and more.

Contact: Marie Stenburg, 679-6270

Tonasket

20th Annual Holiday Bazaar and Gift Show Dec. 4-5; Friday, noon to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.

Leavenworth to 4 p.m.

Hilfreiche Hausfrauen Club Craft Fair, Bake Sale Tonasket Community Cultural Center Dec. 5 and 12, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

411 Western Ave. Leavenworth Community United Methodist A community tradition! More than 30 vendors Church, 418 Evans St. sell crafts galore (local made, hand-crafted items Hand-crafted gifts, Christmas ornaments and and foods – from holiday related items, essential knit sweaters, baby gifts, scarves and hats will oils, cutting boards, tote bags, felted wool items, be featured. Proceeds will go toward purchase of stained glass, more. Food served every day. Live equipment for Cascade Medical Center and local entertainment. charities.

Contact: 509-486-1328, Contact: Gen Smith, 548-6222 communityculturalcenter.org

Winter Craft Bazaar Dec. 5 (Saturday), 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Wenatchee High School Commons, 1101 Millerdale Ave. All proceeds benefit WHS Golden Apple Band All hand-made crafts! More than 70 vendors, mostly local. Raffle of community-donated items.

Contact: For general questions, Sandi Schmidt, 860-2490. For vendor applications, AnneMarie Windsor, 665-9880. For more info, search Facebook for Holiday Craft Bazaar Sponsored by GA Band Boosters.

Chelan Lake Chelan Artist Alliance Arts and Crafts Bazaar Nov. 20-22; Friday, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p .m.

Campbells Park Room, 104 West Woodin Ave. Creative crafts, many by local artists. Wares include jewelry, glasswork, yard art, paintings and carvings, knitted goods.

Contact: Cindy Uhrich, 687-0837 For more info or to register, visit lakechelanart. com, chelanartshow@gmail.com, or search for Lake Chelan Artist Alliance on Facebook.

Jewelry made by glass artists Jeff and Maureen Hanson of East Wenatchee, who are regular vendors at craft shows and festivals all around the Wenatchee Valley.

Shoppers peruse colorful hair clips at the Wenatchee High School craft bazaar to benefit the Golden Apple Band. World file photo/Mike Bonnicksen.

Chumstick Grange Christmas Bazaar Dec. 4-6, 11-13, 18-20 (Three consecutive 3-day weekends) 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sundays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

621 Front St. Baked goods, some candies, lots of crafts.

Proceeds benefit the grange. Crafters pay only for their space.

Contact: Shirley Ward, 548-7853

Twisp Annual Christmas Bazaar Nov. 21 and Dec. 5, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Methow Valley Community Center 201 S. Hwy 20, Twisp (1 block west of downtown) Now in its 33rd year. Way beyond a craft fair!

65 vendors, jewelry, fine pottery, lamps, quilts, wreaths, paintings, nice recycled clothing, gift cards for school fundraisers, hand-dipped chocolates, fresh herbs and spices, soups, organic scones, pies, good coffee, lunches, snacks and multiple raffles. Oh my!

Contact: Kirsten Ostlie, community center manager, 509-997-2926.

The Wenatchee World | Fall Home & Garden

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Keep It Simple plan ahead for holiday gatherings

m

y two rules for hosting a successful holiday dinner party are: plan ahead and keep it simple.

in the kitchen, the week before would be a great time to try out a few of your recipes so you aren’t overwhelmed when the actual preparation time comes.

I keep to a schedule when I’m planning and cooking for a catering function, and it works just as well in my home kitchen, planning a party. I’ve come up with a few tips that I Kelsey Dew hope will help guide you Special to The Wenatchee World through the process of planning a holiday meal.

Serving ideas: Take a look at your platters and other serving utensils. Decide what you’ll serve on which platters and place them on the table to make sure everything fits. I’m a fan of bright colors so, when possible, I like to have a contrast between the items I’m serving and the dishes they are presented on.

Fresh basil leaves, mozzarella balls, sliced organic baby heirloom tomatoes and balsamic vinegar are the ingredients Kelsey Dew uses to prepare a tangy — and irresistible — Caprese salad.

One to three days before the event

when your guests start to arrive. It will free up some time and kitchen space you’ll need to finish your meal preparations.

One week before the event Plan the menu: Stick to simple menu ideas that don’t require a lot of “day of” preparation.

I usually start out at the Wenatchee Valley Farmers Market to see what type of fresh local items are available. I try to design a menu to utilize some of our fresh local produce whenever possible.

Do the bulk of your shopping ahead of time, buying any items that aren’t perishable. That gives you the time you’ll need later to deal with the many issues that life inevitably throws at us when we invite a crowd to our home.

Buy extra: Buy a little extra of everything just in case a last-minute guest arrives or you burn something (one of those inevitable issues I just mentioned!).

It’s good idea to have a variety of appetizers in hopes that everyone will find something to enjoy. It is fun to take a classic, like a Caprese salad, and turn it into a simple and easy-toeat appetizer. For example, Caprese skewers take advantage of locally grown ingredients, and guests can hold them in their hands.

Test-run new recipes: It’s crucial to plan for appetizers that can be made or prepped days in advance. This will reduce your stress level the day of the party. If you aren’t terribly confident

Food prep, cooking and more shopping: Begin making recipes or parts of recipes that will easily hold in the refrigerator. For example, Honey Rosemary Brie Pops or Caramelized Onion Gorgonzola Dip can be made or prepped in advance and refrigerated.

Pick up any meat, fish, or other perishables the day before, as well as any other last-minute “lapses in judgement.” It is easy to get carried away in the kitchen with simple prep work that can easily be done the day before. I like to chop all my veggies and herbs and separate them based on which step in the cooking process I’ll need them.

For example, if I am making a sauce, I measure out and mince the ingredients that get sautéed first and put them a small prep bowl.

I’ll prep the next ingredients in another bowl so all I have to do is toss them into the sauce at the appropriate times. This is better than measuring them out while cooking and running the risk of burning the butter or garlic.

Day of the Event Cooking and cleaning: You will be amazed at how much fun you will have cooking the meal when all your prep work is already done!

Get the appetizers ready for serving before you really start cooking and need to use the oven or stove top. Have a few items available

I try to do my dishes as I go because it helps avoid a huge mess at the end of the night and helps me relax during the party.

When your guests have arrived and had time to snack, you can sit down and enjoy with them the wonderful meal you have created. Cheers!

Kelsey Dew is the owner of Dilly Deli, a locally owned sandwich shop specializing in homemade soups, salad dressings, and fresh roasted meats for sandwiches. Dilly Deli has been serving the Wenatchee valley for At holiday gatherings, these Caprese skewers are as delicious as a fresh lunch and catering events salad, but in a format that’s easier to serve and handle while socializing since Feb. 2011. Visit us — a big plus when planning a party. at 903 N Wenatchee Ave., Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Follow us on Instagram: @dilly.deli, or Facebook, www.facebook.com/thedillydeli.

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Wednesday, September 30, 2015

The Wenatchee World | Fall Home & Garden

Produced by the Advertising Department of The Wenatchee World

Warm Days, Crisp Nights,

w

colorful strokes

ant to change the look of a “tired” room? Paint it.

Christine Pratt

World Staff Writer

A fresh coat of paint is the most effective and lowest-cost option for a fresh, clean-looking room. Paint adds pizazz and it’s relatively easy.

Here are some tips gleaned from a variety of websites, local experts and the school of hard knocks:

Color selection: This is a toughie. The colors of a favorite pillow or rug or accent piece in the room may serve as inspiration for complimentary wall colors. This is logical, since you’d want your favorite things to look nice with the walls around them.

Buy sample-size containers of the colors you like and brush them on in small splotches (10” x 12”) of the wall. Leave some space between each color. Leave them there for a few days and look at them under changing light conditions.

This is very important! Once you’ve chosen the main wall color, the trim color should be easier.

An “eggshell” sheen is great for every room in the house and is theoretically more washable than a flat sheen. Flat is a favorite in older homes of the lath-and-plaster era. Semigloss is best for accents, bathroom and maybe kitchen and kids’ rooms, but it’s best used sparingly. It’s pretty shiny.

Paint stores, like Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore have website tools that allow you to upload photos of your rooms and digitally apply colors to see what they’d look like. Their websites are also full of useful tips and videos. Well worth a visit.

If you’re stumped, pay a local decorator for a few minutes of his/her time. A suggestion from a pro can lift the weight of the world from your shoulders — and help ensure a good result.

Look for them in furniture stores, fabric stores and on the web. Or ask around. Word-of-mouth is a good way to narrow the field.

Room prep: Move all furniture into the center of the room. Remove draperies, switch and receptacle covers, and light fixtures. Cover the floor and furniture, if necessary, with a drop cloth.

Surface prep: Insufficient surface preparation is the leading reason why a paint job fails or doesn’t cover well.

Use shrink-proof spackle to repair nail holes and cracks. Use a damp cloth or sponge to wipe off the excess while it’s still moist. This beat’s sanding. Let dry.

Slip on some rubber gloves and wipe down all surfaces to be painted with a cleaner/ grease remover, like Trisodium phosphate (TSP).

If the surface contains water stains, find out what caused the stain (Leaky roof? Pipe?) and fix it.

Painter’s tape: Painter’s tape (the blue or green tape) is much better at protecting a not-to-be-painted adjoining surface than the old, beige masking tape. Even so, it’s not fool proof, especially on textured surfaces. If you must apply tape to a newly painted surface, wait until the paint is totally dry. Paint sparingly around tape – just enough to cover without glops or drips — and brush from the tape surface onto the painted surface, not vice versa. This will prevent paint seeping under the tape. Remove the tape while the paint is still wet.

water-based, you’ll need to clean up with mineral spirits. It’s stinky and nasty, but gets the job done.

Consider patterns: Stripes, swirls, crackles, polka dots, sponge finishes, glazes, metallic finishes, leaf patterns, accent walls – the sky’s the limit with paint. When you get tired of the look, it’s a lot easier to switch out than wallpaper. Paint stores and home-improvement centers have specialized paints and kits to obtain different looks with great results. Check out the Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore websites to whet your appetite.

Fresh air: Even today’s low-odor paints are a bit stinky. Always paint in a well-ventilated space. Fall is a great time of year for painting, because days are still warm enough to keep windows and doors open.

Have fun: It’s your room. Have fun with it.

Painting takes a bit of practice, but mistakes are usually nothing that can’t be fixed with a little more paint. Do your research, buy quality paints and brushes, put on some shabby clothes, turn on the radio and dive right in.

Christine Pratt is a fairly fearless do-ityourselfer and longtime student of the home improvements she inflicts on her 1947 home.

She daylights as a Wenatchee World reporter.

Primer: If walls have stubborn stains, apply a quality, blocking primer. A primer coat is usually a good idea, but may not be necessary if the existing painted surface is in good shape, clean, and the new color is similar.

Paint in the right order: Ceilings first, then walls and floors. Begin each surface by using a brush to paint a strip several inches wide into corners around the entire surface. Then finish the rest of the surface with a roller.

Use quality brushes, rollers: $15 for a paint brush! Are you kidding? Nope. A quality brush gets the job done faster and better because it holds more paint and applies it evenly. It’s well worth the investment. A 2” to 3” angled brush is especially useful for cutting into corners.

Use a roller with a “nap” — degree of fuzziness — suitable for the surface, from smooth to textured.

Clean up: Most paints clean up with water.

When you’re finished, soak brushes and rollers in a bucket of water and then rinse well to protect your investment in painting supplies.

The next time you need them, they’ll be ready to serve. Obviously, if the paint you used is not

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The Wenatchee World | Fall Home & Garden

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Go Ductless

t

Save money and energy with PUD rebates

for heating and cooling that suits to a T Outside ductless unit

hey’re hard to pronounce and difficult to explain, but “ductless” heat pumps (yes, there’s a “T” in there, not “duckless”) – are perfect for many homes.

Susan Gillin

As the name implies, ductless heat pumps don’t need ductwork — the “tubes” or channels that convey heated or cooled air from a furnace or air conditioner throughout your home.

Conservation Programs Administrator, Chelan County PUD

A ductless system may be exactly what you need to make your home more comfortable if you have aging electric baseboards, cranky wall heaters or an inadequate electric furnace. The bonus: This relatively new technology distributes warm or cool air much more quietly and efficiently than any of those old systems.

Ductless heating and cooling systems consist of:

• An outdoor unit that sits on the ground. Like a

standard, ducted heat pumps, ductless units have an outdoor compressor/condenser. This connects to the indoor unit through a conduit, which houses the power cable, refrigerant tubing, suction tubing, and a condensate drain. The conduit requires only a 3-inch hole in the wall for installation, eliminating the need for expensive and invasive ductwork.

• An indoor unit mounted on a centrally

located wall. Keeping your existing heating system in place ensures bedrooms and bathrooms remain at desired temperatures, while the centrally located ductless system keeps your home’s main living areas as warm or cool as you’d like.

Small units do a big job The main advantages of ductless systems (also known as mini splits) are their small size and flexibility for zoning or heating and cooling individual rooms. Many models can have as many as four indoor air-handling units (for four zones or rooms) connected to one outdoor unit. The number units depends on how much heating or cooling is required, based on the home’s size, number of zones and amount of insulation. Each of the zones has its own thermostat, so you only need to heat or cool occupied spaces. This saves energy and money.

They’re super-quiet and super-efficient, using 25 to 50 percent less energy than traditional electric heat sources, such as baseboards or furnaces. Even at North Central Washington’s low electricity rates of about 3 cents per kilowatt hour, switching to a ductless system as

Moving and Storage

General Manager

frequently cover nearly all the cost. indows Replace old single-pane or • Wdouble-pane metal framed windows with

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a PUD payback of $6 per square foot.

Inside ductless unit

a primary heat source can save single-family home owners about $105 per year.

Installation costs can be high The cost of installing ductless systems can be higher than some systems, which is a downside. The average cost of an installed ductless system with a single indoor heating/ cooling head is $3,000 to $5,000. Additional heads and greater heating and cooling capacities make the price tag go up.

Chelan PUD offers a $750 rebate to help offset the cost. The rebate is limited to one head. Lower operating costs offset the initial expense, too.

It’s important that your installer correctly size each unit (indoor and outdoor)and determine the best location. Oversized or incorrectly located air handlers can result in “short cycling,” which wastes energy and does not provide proper temperature or humidity control.

Qualified local installers can provide

entry doors The PUD rebate • Iisnsulated $40 per Energy Star door. ir source (ducted) heat pumps • AUpgrade your existing heat pump or furnace to a super-efficient heat pump and get rebates of $500 or $1,400. ppliances Upgrade to Energy Star• Arated clothes washers, refrigerators and freezers for rebates of $30 to $75. uct sealing If you live in a manufac• Dtured home, a PUD contractor can inspect and seal your ductwork for free.

Go to the PUD’s energy efficiency web page, ConservationMakesCents.org , for rebate forms and details.

estimates. Chelan PUD works with the Northwest Ductless Heat Pump project to certify contractors. You can find participating contractors on the PUD website: chelanpud.org/ductless.html. Or call the PUD at (509) 661-8008 for help. Get at least two bids for comparison. Another good source of information is the regional website: goingductless.com

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Add insulation to keep heat• Iednsulation air in and the cold out. PUD rebates

• A remote control to adjust settings. No

need to fiddle with the temperature.

Just set it and let your unit do the work.

(Ductless heat pumps provide air conditioning, too. In fact, that’s why many people like them – they make great replacements for noisy, old window air conditioners.)

If a ductless heat pump isn’t your cup of “T” (as in ducTless), there are plenty of other options to consider for improving the comfort of your home. Chelan PUD offers rebates for customers on:

Heidi Ohta

Sales & Marketing

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9

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Wednesday, September 30, 2015

The Wenatchee World | Fall Home & Garden

Produced by the Advertising Department of The Wenatchee World

What Is It?

Can you guess how to use these unusual tools? They can make specialty jobs a lot easier. Ask about them at your hardware store.

1

2

4 3 6 5 ➊ Right-Angle

➌ Quick Clamp

Handy for drilling holes or driving screws in tight places. This gadget clamps into a drill chuck the way a drill bit would. The drill bit installs in the secondary chuck.

These come in all sizes.

This one’s tiny. They’re great when you need a “third hand” to hold something in place while you work on it. They’re also handy for light-weight gluing. Easily adjustable. Easy on, easy off.

Drill Attachment

➋ Corner Tool Used for finishing drywall (“Sheetrock” is a brand name). Smoothing drywall mud into inside corners can be difficult, especially for beginners. This tool takes some practice, but it can make it easier to get a smooth result.

➍ Line Level Laser levels are replacing this triedand-true measuring

device, used to establish a level grade between two points over longer distances, such as between a house and what will be the end of a wood deck. Stretch a nylon string tight between the two points, hang the level from the center and adjust until the bubble is dead center.

➎ Scoring Tool These sturdy, often carbide-tipped tools are used for trimming cement board needed for tiling projects. Use the tool to scratch a firm line at the desired location on one side of the board. Then “snap” the board along the line, away from the cut. If you pressed hard, it should break evenly. Usually does.

➏ Spline Tool Fiberglass and aluminum screening for doors and windows is pressed into a channeled frame using a rubber chord called “spline.”

This pizza-cutter-looking tool is used to press the spline and screen into the channel, all the way around the frame. It definitely takes some practice.

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The Wenatchee World | Fall Home & Garden

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

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150 Marr Street, Wenatchee

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Wednesday, September 30, 2015

The Wenatchee World | Fall Home & Garden

Produced by the Advertising Department of The Wenatchee World

Score with rebates on home-efficiency products Energy Star Appliances

Windows

Heating & Cooling

Refrigerators $50

Energy-efficient upgrades $6 per square foot

Freezers $50

Super-efficient windows $8 per square foot

Clothes Washers $30 - $75

Sliding glass and French doors $6 per square foot

Super-efficient heat pumps $500 - $1,400 Ductless heating and cooling $750 Hot Water

Recycling We provide FREE pickup of old refrigerators or freezers (must be in working condition), then send you a check for $30 Duct Sealing Site-built existing home $500 Manufactured homes FREE inspection and sealing of ductwork

Exterior Doors Energy Star, insulated $40

Heat pump water heaters $300 - $500 Manufactured Homes

Insulation Attics, walls and floors 50¢ per square foot

$850 rebate after purchase of a new, super-efficient manufactured home

Lighting LED recessed retrofit kits $10

Learn more at

ConservationMakesCents.org or call (509) 661-8008 Business owners: Switch to better lighting with help from Chelan PUD. Email scott.stanford@chelanpud.org