SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT
March 28, 2020
Home & Garden
Keep safety in mind when using lawn equipment
Spring is here and home-
owners are eager to get outside
and spruce up their yards.
The Outdoor Power Equip-
ment Institute, an international
trade association representing
outdoor power equipment,
small engine, utility vehicle,
golf car and personal transport
vehicle manufacturers and
suppliers, reminds homeown-
ers to keep safety in mind when
working in their outdoor living
spaces.
“Before you use a mower,
trimmer, blower, power
washer, chainsaw, pruner, por-
table generator or other piece of
outdoor power equipment this
season, it’s important to refresh
yourself on handling and safety
procedures,” said Kris Kiser,
president and CEO of OPEI.
“We’re all eager to get outside
and enjoy the living landscape
after a long winter, but you
should take the time to do basic
maintenance to ensure your
equipment operates safely for
the season and is ready to get
the job done.”
Here are eight tips to help:
Take time to do basic maintenance on your outdoor power
equipment to ensure that it will operate safely for the season.
1. Read your owner’s manu-
al. Follow all guidelines for your
outdoor power equipment and
familiarize yourself with the
controls. If you have lost your
manual, look it up online (and
save a copy on your computer
for easy reference in the future).
2. Inspect equipment. Check
the air filter, oil level and the
gasoline tank. Also check loose
belts and missing or damaged
parts. Replace any parts needed
or take your equipment to a
qualified service representative
for servicing.
3. If you have gasoline-
powered equipment and
didn’t empty the tank before
winter storage, drain the fuel
now. You should never leave
fuel sitting in the gas tank of
your equipment for more than
30 days. Untreated gasoline
(without a fuel stabilizer) left
in the system will deteriorate,
which may cause starting or
running problems or damage
the fuel system.
4. Protect your power by
only using E10 or less fuel in
gasoline-powered outdoor
power equipment. With to-
day’s higher ethanol content
fuels, most manufacturers are
recommending a fuel stabilizer
be used, especially if you don’t
use up all the gas purchased
right away. Some gas stations
may offer 15 percent ethanol
(E15) gas or higher ethanol fuel
blends, but any fuel containing
more than 10 percent ethanol
can damage – and is illegal to
use in – small engine equip-
ment not designed for it.
5. Store fuel safely. Label
your fuel can with the date of
purchase and ethanol content
of the fuel. Never put “old” gas
See SAFETY C7
Are you backyard ready?
Your family yard is extension
for your home – providing a
respite from stress, offering
an outside entertainment
area, expanding your living
space and giving kids and
pets and a safe place to
play.
Research shows children
reap numerous health,
social and personal ben-
efits from spending time
outside playing.
Here are TurfMutt’s top tips
to help you get Backyard
Ready this spring courtesy
of the TurfMutt Foundation.
PLAN FOR FUN: Depending
on your lifestyle and cli-
mate, consider an outdoor
room, turfgrass for a game
of croquet and a place for
kids to run and play, trees
and shrubs for privacy and
a game of hide and seek,
fire pit, pergola, sandbox
(for kids and dogs to dig!),
outdoor furniture, or a deco-
rative water feature.
PLANT FOR KIDS AND PETS:
There are many species of
turfgrass to choose from
to create pet and kids play
space. Your local garden
center or landscaper can
help you identify what will
work best for your climate
zone and lifestyle. And
don’t forget to avoid toxic
plants to pets if they are a
member of your family.
REMEMBER WILDLIFE AND
POLLINATORS: Grass,
trees, shrubs and flower-
ing plants provide food
and habitat for birds, small
mammals, and pollinators,
so plant to support them.
TAKE STOCK OF EQUIP-
MENT: Do you need to
update, upgrade or replace
your outdoor power equip-
ment, such as a lawn
mower, hedger/trimmer or
edger? Invest in outdoor
power equipment now so
you are ready to roll for
spring!
For more information, go to
www.turfmutt.com
2 • March 2020
Clear out dirt and clutter
SEASON CLEANING: In addition, try your hand at spring decluttering
By NICOLE ANZIA
Washington Post
Spring has arrived, and as the tem-
perature warms, many people are mo-
tivated to embark on annual spring-
cleaning rituals.
After several months of living with
doors and windows closed, both dust
and possessions have accumulated in
our homes, and now is the perfect time
to try to reduce both.
Along with the typical spring-clean-
ing tasks, such as getting rugs and
draperies cleaned, laundering mat-
tress covers and pillows, and clearing
out unwanted items from closets, you
might also consider these clutter cul-
prits as prime targets for removal dur-
ing your cleanup.
Everyone should have a handful of
vases in different sizes in their home,
especially in the spring when flow-
ers can be cut from the garden and
brought inside. But you do not need
two dozen large and almost identical
vases taking up valuable storage space.
People often underestimate the
number of vases they have tucked
away. Start by gathering all of them so
you have an accurate inventory, and
then decide which to discard.
Vases can be recycled or donated.
Many flower shops are happy to accept
vases so they can reuse them. Also, ma-
ny community-based organizations
that deliver flowers to people in hos-
pitals and nursing homes will accept
vase donations. Thrift stores are also
good choices for donations. A quick
search online should give you plenty of
options.
Hangers seem to multiply in peo-
ple’s closets. Most closets have a
random collection of wire hangers
from the dry cleaner, plastic hang-
ers from store purchases, inherited
wooden hangers and an assortment of
brightly colored tubular hangers.
Keep a few extra hangers, and return
excess wire hangers to your dry cleaner
for reuse.
All other types of hangers can typi-
cally be donated to a thrift store that
sells secondhand clothing or to an or-
ganization that helps people in need.
Call first to make sure they need your
donation before you show up with 100
hangers.
Although it’s not imperative to use
only one or two types of hangers in
your closet, it will make your clothes
easier to see if everything is hanging at
a uniform height.
A lot of us have tools and other hard-
ware supplies in our basements or
garages that we have never used. Ei-
ther someone gave them to us, or we
bought them for a project and never
touched them again. In some cases,
the previous owner just left them. Hab-
itat for Humanity is one example of an
organization that will accept working
tools in good condition.
Towels and linens in good condi-
tion that you don’t need anymore can
be donated to homeless shelters and
transitional-housing organizations or
thrift stores.
Worn-out or torn linens and sheets
can be made into rags or donated to
an animal shelter. It’s always a good
idea to keep some old linens on hand
in case of a plumbing issue or if water
accidentally seeps into your basement.
You do not need to keep every can of
paint you have ever used.
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Yes, it’s useful to keep some paint in
case walls need to be touched up (and
it’s a good idea to have a list of your
colors and finishes), but keeping more
than 10 cans of paint is probably un-
necessary.
Leftover paint that has been opened,
closed tightly and stored in a cool, dry
place should be used within two years.
If you have older paint, there are
many disposal options that depend
on the paint type. Water-based, latex
paint can be dried out at home and put
in regular household trash.
Small amounts of paint will dry if
you simply leave the lid off, but larger
amounts require combining the un-
used paint with absorbent materi-
als such as cat litter or sand. You can
also buy paint hardener at a hardware
store.
Oil-based paint is considered
household hazardous waste (HHW)
and should never be thrown in the
trash, even if it is dry. Instead, take oil-
based paints to your local HHW facility
for proper disposal. To find a location
nearer to you, check your local juris-
diction’s website.
Almost everything in your house
that you would like to get rid of can
be reused, recycled or donated. It just
takes a little bit of research and time to
find a recipient and to drop the items
off.
Doing some decluttering each
month will keep you motivated to do
more and will save you a lot of time in
the future.
Anzia is a freelance writer and owner
of Neatnik.
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Improve storage at home
Homes are getting big-
ger, but it seems like people
are still lamenting a lack of
storage space.
National Public Radio
says the average American
home has nearly tripled in
size during the last 50 years.
Despite that, 10 percent
of Americans still need to
rent off-site storage, ac-
cording to a report in the
New York Times Magazine.
Self-storage facilities are
one of the fastest-growing
commercial real estate seg-
ments, and the Self Storage
Association says there are
more than 50,000 storage
facilities in the U.S. alone.
The commercial real estate
company CBRE, Ltd., says
there are roughly 3,000
self-storage facilities across
Canada, and 65 to 85 per-
cent of self-storage tenants
are residential users.
Improving storage at
home can be a cost-effec-
tive alternative to renting
storage space. With these
easy tips, homeowners can
maximize space immedi-
ately.
Utilize track
storage systems
Closets may be plenti-
ful, but if not efficiently
utilized, space may still
seem lacking. Track closet
storage systems often
make greater use of closet
space than traditional shelf
and hanging rod systems.
Customizing closets us-
ing track systems or other
modifications can improve
utility of all closets in the
house.
Invest in storage beds
Storage beds typically
feature cubbies or drawers
within a platform-style bed
frame. It’s a practical home
storage solution, and does
not require any building.
Closets may be plentiful, but if not efficiently utilized, space
may still seem lacking. Track closet storage systems often
make greater use of closet space than traditional shelf and
hanging rod systems.
Think vertically
Maximize spaces by
looking up and down for
storage possibilities. Items
that are not used frequent-
ly, such as seasonal deco-
rations or travel suitcases,
can be stored in high spac-
es. Shelving on walls can go
as high as necessary and be
put to use in awkward wall
areas, such as in corners or
under eaves.
Invest in storage
benches/ottomans
A stopping area inside
the front door replete
with a storage bench can
house shoes, umbrellas,
hats, backpacks, and other
items, keeping them tidy
and out of sight. In living
rooms, look for chests or
ottomans that are decora-
tive and functional. Store
throw blankets or board
games inside.
Recess drawers
or shelves
Gain more storage by
recessing a chest of draw-
ers into what is called the
“knee wall” of homes that
have sloped ceilings in at-
tics and upstairs bedrooms.
Utilize these short walls
in an efficient manner by
sinking drawers or shelves
into them, without taking
up floor space.
Rafter shelving
While in the attic (or a ga-
rage), add hanging shelves
to rafters or exposed beams
to create off-the-floor stor-
age as well.
These are just a few of the
handy ways to improve the
interior storage space in a
home.
 SPRING HOME 2020 March 2020 • 3

A lesson in building a backyard retaining wall

Flat, even landscapes are
often coveted in backyards.
However, flat backyards are
not always so easy to find.
Fortunately, varied terrain
does not mean that certain
landscaping plans are entirely
off limits, especially for home-
owners willing to build retain-
ing walls.
Retaining walls help turn
steep slopes in a yard into
terraced focal points. They
also can reduce soil erosion
in hilly areas and can be used
for aesthetic purposes, like
raised planters, or to create
more usable space within the
yard. When an inground pool
or pond is cut into a backyard
hill, a retaining wall helps keep
the remaining portion of that
hill from collapsing into the
cut-away area.
When contemplating re-
taining wall projects, a lesson
in physics and engineering
may be needed. A sturdy and
long-lasting retaining wall
needs to be built in a way that
will take into consideration
the force of the soil and the
point at which the soil will be-
gin to slide away, advises the the second course slightly
experts at The Family Handy- back from the first to help push
man. If these calculations back against the soil that is try-
seem beyond the scope of your ing so hard to push forward.
ability, installation of a retain- Repeat the process as each
ing wall is a job best left to a level is placed. Many retaining
professional. If you are ready wall products are made with a
to forge ahead, these tips can lip to create this set back.
get you started. However, it’s n Go with the grade. For es-
important to note the poten- pecially steep slopes, a gradual
tial benefits of working with step-up design may be more
others who have already built secure and more appealing
a retaining wall. than a very tall retaining wall.
n Safety first: Call to have Each level of a stepped design
underground utilities plotted should be done like the first.
and marked before beginning n Backfill with stone for
any excavation. drainage. Using a layer of
n Map out your trench stone behind the retaining
and begin to dig. The trench wall can help successfully
should have a level, com- direct water away so it will
pacted base as it will be the not increase the weight of the
foundation for which the re- soil behind the wall and push
taining wall materials, be they against the retaining wall, ad-
blocks, bricks or wood, sit vises The Home Depot.
Retaining walls help turn steep slopes in a yard into terraced focal points. Retaining walls serve dif-
in. A crushed stone base will
ferent purposes in a yard.
help anchor the courses and n Check for level. When Lowes. sonry blade will be needed to Building such a wall requires
serve to promote drainage. placing blocks or timbers, n Stagger and set back. The cut the harder materials; a cir- planning and careful execu-
The Family Handyman says make sure they are even with next row of blocks or material cular saw will cut timber. Also, tion to ensure the job is done
to bury the first course of the the first and periodically check should be positioned so that work against gravity by setting correctly.
retaining wall one-tenth the
for level as you go, advises the the joints are staggered for
height of the wall to prevent
home improvement retailer blocks, bricks or wood. A ma-
soil behind it from pushing the
bottom out. Residential & Commercial
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4 • March 2020
Improve soil quality for a better lawn
A lush, green lawn can vastly
improve a home’s curb appeal.
Thick, healthy grass indicates
that homeowners care enough
about their properties to invest
the time, effort and money to
make them beautiful.
According to the landscap-
ing tool company Troy-Bilt,
soil fertility is the foundation of
healthy lawns. In fact, the qual-
ity of the soil is essential wheth-
er one is growing acres of grass,
potted plants or vegetable
garden beds. No matter which
type of soil a homeowner is
working with, there are various
ways to make it better.
Remove thatch
Thatch is a tightly knotted
layer of leaves, grass roots,
stems, and other debris that
accumulates between the grass
blades and the soil.
Too much thatch can hinder
the movement of water, air and
nutrients into the soil. Accord-
ing to organic fertilizer com-
pany Organo-Lawn, thatch
often occurs if the production
of dead organic material in the
lawn exceeds the ability of the
microorganisms in the soil to
break down that organic mat-
ter. A half-inch of thatch is nor-
mal.
If thatch gets too thick, it will
need to be removed. The home
improvement resource DIY
Network says dethatching can
take place in the summer, fall
and winter using a thatching
SPRING HOME 2020
rake.
Aerate
A lawn aerator will create
holes in the soil. This can im-
prove drainage and encourage
worms and helpful microor-
ganisms that require oxygen
to thrive in the soil. The Briggs
& Stratton Company says the
best time to aerate a lawn is
during the growing season
when the grass can heal and fill
in any holes, such as spring and
fall. Aeration can help develop
deeper grass roots for a health-
ier lawn.
Test and amend soil
A great lawn has loamy soil,
which has a key ratio of clay,
silt and sand. Silt is a granular
material of a size between sand
and clay that originates from
quartz and feldspar.
It is the most fertile of the
three types of soil components.
Sand does not retain water, but
No matter which type of soil a homeowner is working with, there are various ways to make it better.
it helps to create spaces in the
soil that permit air to circulate.
can help. This involves add- early fall or spring, as this gives Healthy soil is vital to a lush improving soil can create vi-
Clay particles are small and
ing a thin layer of soil over the the grass time to grow through lawn. It takes a little work, but brant, healthy, green grass.
bind together tightly, but clay is
lawn. It can improve the soil three to four more mowings
naturally nutrient-rich.
without killing the existing turf. before severe heat or cold sets
The home improvement site
Ideally, it should be done in in.
BobVila.com says loamy soil
should have equal parts sand
and silt and half as much clay.
If the lawn is not yet estab-
lished, loamy soil can be cre-
ated and then the grass seeds
planted. For established soil,
after removing thatch and aer-
ating, top-dressing the lawn
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Exceptional perennials keep garden fresh, interesting
By ADRIAN HIGGINS
Washington Post
Almost everything we en-
counter in life has three stages
— anticipation, experience
and memory.
Of these, anticipation is
the most satisfying, one could
argue, because it fills us with
all the joy of the achievement
with none of the subsequent
failure or regret. Here, on the
threshold of the growing sea-
son, the gardener salivates
over the prospect of trying new
plants.
How does one elevate the
experience to the level of an-
ticipation? One way is to be
discerning not just in the type
of plant selected, but also in
its variety. Not all varieties of
the same plant are equal, and
one that performs well in one
locale may flop in another. It
pays to be picky and, as those
old product labels used to
bleat, accept no substitute.
Take the purple coneflower,
one of the champions of the
sunny perennial garden. There
are a few cultivated variet-
ies worth planting. Magnus is
commendable — vigorous,
perky and a strong rose-pink
color. But many of the fancy
colored hybrids, in reds, or-
anges and yellows, have prov-
en poor performers, melting
away like the Scotch mist.
In a three-year study of
coneflower varieties, horticul-
turists at Mt. Cuba Center in
Hockessin, Delaware, tested
more than 40 varieties, giv-
ing Magnus a high rating but
evaluating a few as even better,
including Pixie Meadowbrite,
short and floriferous; Elton
Knight, with vivid magenta
flowers and clean dark green
foliage; and Fatal Attraction,
tall, statuesque and scented.
The coneflower is superb —
its black seed heads haunt the
garden in autumn and winter
— but pick the right one.
The purple coneflower
(Echinacea purpurea) is the
What is an annual? What is a perennial? And why does it matter?
By Jeanette Marantos
Los Angeles Times (TNS) An
annual is a plant that lives and
dies in one growing season.
A perennial regrows and re-
blooms year after year.
In our busy world, why plant
anything but perennials?
Because annuals are the
backbone of our edible plants,
said professional gardener
Lauri Kranz, owner of Edible
Gardens L.A.
“If you like to eat, you have to
grow annuals,” Kranz said. “But
there’s definitely a movement
now toward having a balance of
annuals and perennials in the
vegetable garden.”
When you go to nurseries,
check the label to determine
whether a plant is an annual or a
perennial or ask for assistance.
Most shrubs and California na-
tive plants are perennials, al-
though some, such as California
poppies and other wildflowers,
are annuals that reseed every
year once they are established.
Many flowers and vegetables
are annuals that put their all in-
to producing flowers, fruit and
seed in a single season.
Perennials
Edible perennials include
blueberries, artichokes, as-
paragus, rhubarb, fruit trees
and vines (grapes, for example),
berry plants and woodier herbs
such as sage, thyme, rosemary,
marjoram and oregano.
“Once established, they re-
quire less care, day in and day
out, than annual vegetables,”
Kranz said, “and they are heart-
ier as a rule. You don’t have as
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standard-bearer, but a couple
of its cousins deserve more
use, including the pale cone-
flower (E. pallida), whose thin
petals droop down from the
central cone agreeably and
dance in the breeze. A variety
named Hula Dancer blooms
extravagantly.
Another species of distinc-
tion and underuse is E. tennes-
seensis, a perfect coneflower
for dry sites and distinguished
by discrete, outstretched pet-
als, an effect somewhere be-
tween the other two coneflow-
ers. These plants were heartily
commended by Jared Barnes,
an assistant professor of hor-
ticulture at Stephen F. Austin
State University in Nacogdo-
ches, Texas.
He’s also a big fan of the
black-eyed Susan’s big
brother, Rudbeckia maxima,
a towering daisy that will take
a range of soil conditions, in-
cluding wetness. There are no
cultivated varieties that I know
of. They are spindly, so plant a
group of them. Barnes wants
us to grow another sculptural
native perennial, the eryngium
known as rattlesnake master,
and asks: “Why don’t we all
have this plant? I just planted
70.”
He was speaking to an au-
dience late last month at a
symposium in Baltimore, or-
ganized by the Perennial Plant
Association and the Horticul-
tural Society of Maryland.
If you have a sunny and free-
draining site, penstemons are
elegant and long-flowering
perennials that tend to draw
hummingbirds and other pol-
linators. Some dislike humid
summers and hard winters,
but the key to their survival
is to give them free-draining
soil, especially during winter
dormancy. Don’t plant them
in heavy clay or smother them
in mulch. The one you are
most likely to see on the East
Coast is Husker Red, a variety
of Penstemon digitalis. Barnes
many critter problems with pe-
rennials.”
Kranz will sometimes plant
her tender annual seedlings
inside a hedge of fragrant rose-
mary and large-leaved arti-
chokes, which are unappealing
to rodents, opossums and other
animals that love to graze on
young plants.
Perennials grow slowly their
first year but come into their
own in subsequent seasons.
Don’t be discouraged in the fall
when your perennials (such as
blueberries) lose their leaves
or die back completely, as ar-
tichokes do. Just add a layer of
compost to the soil and wait
a few weeks for new leaves to
emerge.
Because your perennial
doesn’t reach its full size for
two or more years, make sure
you choose a location with suf-
ficient space. Research or check
the label when you buy your
plant, then plan accordingly so
it doesn’t crowd other plants.
Other notes about perenni-
als:
Artichokes grow very large
and are particularly dramatic
in edible gardens when you let
some of their buds (the part you
eat when the leaves are tightly
closed) develop into spectacu-
lar purple blooms. (Watch bees
go crazy rolling in the flower’s
generous pollen.)
Blueberries require a moist,
acidic soil, so in Southern Cali-
fornia, where most soils are
more alkaline, you’re better off
growing them in large half-bar-
rel containers in an acidic pot-
Serving
Batavia area
for 65 yrs
SPRING HOME 2020
Spindly and best planted in groups, giant coneflower (Rudbeckia maxima) is a sculptural summer
perennial. Washington Post photo by Adrian Higgins
The long-flowering native purple coneflower emerges in June.
Other coneflowers await the curious gardener. Washington Post
photo by Adrian Higgins
suggests another variety,
Pocahontas, which has Husker
Red’s maroon stems and foli-
age but with lavender pink
flowers instead of white.
Penstemons are like salvias;
a whole world of species and
ting soil. For even better results,
connect them to a consistent
drip irrigation system.
Annuals
Annuals are where the action
is if you want lots of vegetables
and flowers, Kranz said. She
grows lots of both on her new
organic urban farm.
Many annuals such as wild-
flowers, cilantro, sunflowers,
cucumber, squash and leafy
greens (for example, kale,
chard, lettuce and arugula)
do well started from seed, but
growers like Kranz and Yvonne
Savio, creator of the Garden-
ing in L.A. blog, recommend
planting seedlings as well, when
available, to give you a head
start on harvests.
Try mixing flowers with your
edibles, said Kranz. They beau-
tify the garden while attracting
bees and other beneficial in-
sects.
Lettuce, peas, parsley and
broccoli thrive in cooler tem-
peratures and need only about
five hours of sunlight a day.
Such crops tend to wither and/
or go to seed when tempera-
tures get too hot, so they are best
planted in mid-fall for harvest
in late winter or early spring.
Warm-season annuals such
as tomatoes, cucumbers and
sunflowers need lots of sun-
light and heat (along with con-
sistent watering) to flourish
and produce. The plants won’t
grow until the soil warms to
around 60 degrees, but plant
them in spring (March or April)
in Southern California so the
plants can settle in and mature
varieties awaits the curious.
Barnes advises East Coast gar-
deners to avoid species from
the high, dry Rockies and to
pick ones from hot, humid
states. He suggests a species
named Penstemon tenuis,
before the searing heat of sum-
mer.
Savio has a handy month-by-
month planting guide on her
website.
Choose your garden plants
based on the foods you like to
eat, Kranz said, and try differ-
ent varieties to see which grow
best in your area. Also prioritize
your planting based on the size
of your garden. You may love
cauliflower, for instance, but
unless you have lots of room, it
may not be practical because
it’s a large annual that produces
just a single head per plant. But
broccoli will give you a bigger
bang for your buck; the plants
keep producing small tender
florets once you cut off the main
head.
Check your favorite nursery
to get a good idea about what
plants grow best in your region.
Kranz uses only organic seeds
and seedlings. Her favorite
plant sources are Sunset Nurs-
ery, 4368 Sunset Blvd. in Silver
Lake, and online seed sellers
High Mowing Seeds, Adap-
tive Seeds, Row7 Seeds and the
Theodore Payne Foundation
for Wild Flowers & Native Plants
(shipped only in California).
Recommendations for be-
ginners
For cool-season edibles:
Kranz and Savio recommend
easy-to-grow annuals such
as broccoli, radishes, lettuce,
chard, kale, parsley and peas
during the cool season. Plant
seeds but also buy a few seed-
lings to speed up and stagger
your harvest. And try differ-
which can take wetter condi-
tions and produces a cloud of
violet-purple blooms in late
spring. Then there’s P. mur-
rayanus, a lanky orange-red
penstemon with coarser leaves
that’s an absolute magnet for
hummingbirds, Barnes says.
Some of these penstemons
are tricky to find, but you can
get seed from various sources.
Most will germinate willingly
in seed trays and, once in the
garden, will flower heartily in
their second season, within
their comfort zone.
The Stokes aster is one of
my favorite summer perenni-
als and grows happily in hot,
humid conditions. It forms
robust clumps smothered in
fluffy daisies. The bare bases
would benefit from some low-
growing companion, cranes-
bill or leadwort, perhaps. Why
Stokes aster isn’t more used is a
mystery. The variety Peachie’s
Pick is widely favored for the
size, quantity and endurance
ent varieties to see which ones
grow best in your soil and best
suit your tastes. You’ll know
your greens are done when the
leaves turn bitter and the plant
produces a tall flower stalk and
goes to seed. That’s not all bad.
Arugula flowers, for instance,
are beautiful and as tasty as the
leaves.
For cool-season flowers:
Flowers are an integral part of
Kranz’s gardens. Among her
favorites are poppies, both the
bright orange California na-
tive annuals that bloom and
reseed themselves every year
and more exotic poppies. such
as breadseed, peony and Jimi’s
Flag poppies. She keeps an eye
on the weather forecast and
tries to scatter poppy seeds be-
tween Thanksgiving and New
Year’s Day, just before a rain, so
the tiny seeds can get watered
into the soil.
Other cool-season favorite
flowers are sweet peas, which
produce tons of fragrant, color-
ful flowers that require staking;
bachelor buttons; and nigella,
which Kranz said reminds her
of fairy flowers.
For warm-season edibles:
Again, consider how much
space you have and prepare to
plant thickly, Kranz said. To-
matoes are a summer must, but
grow these from seedlings and
try different varieties to stagger
your harvest. Sweet cherry to-
matoes such as Sungold, one of
her favorites, will produce more
abundantly and quickly than
heirloom tomatoes, which can
take many more weeks to set
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of its blooms.
At the symposium, New
York landscape designer Han-
na Packer brought her own
palette of underused perenni-
als. In addition to her work, she
also assists the Dutch designer
Piet Oudolf in his North Ameri-
can projects, not least in find-
ing large quantities of the pre-
cisely specified varieties that
are the hallmark of an Oudolf
feast of perennials and grasses.
We are thick here in the art
of intensive combinations of
plants, where forms, textures
and stages of growth form a
four-dimensional canvas. In
images from a New England
garden, Packer offered a series
of mouthwatering combos.
Molinia grass, variety Moor-
hexe, was used as an accent
among masses of the savory
calamint. The latter forms
plumes of foliage frosted with
thousands of tiny white flow-
ers that bloom for weeks.
Another fabulous grass,
Eragrostis spectabilis, was
paired with Iris prismatica, a
native bog iris that isn’t much
seen in commerce. The grass,
happily, is more common. It
is low-growing, fine-textured
and with hints of purple in its
inflorescences.
One perennial that is com-
monly available and univer-
sally liked is the threadleaf
bluestar, Amsonia hubrichtii,
which sports powder blue
blooms in spring but is most
valued for the fine texture of
its foliage and golden color-
ation in the fall. I’ve seen it ef-
fective in block plantings, or
you might use it as an accent
plant — say three in a field of
low-growing grasses. Oudolf
pairs it this way with the prairie
dropseed, a superb, clumping,
fragrant native grass whose
only fault is that it takes three
or four years to reach a mature
size. While you are pulling the
interloping weeds, the antici-
pation will be rapturous.
fruit and ripen.
Other good summer crops
for beginners: summer squash,
hot peppers (bell peppers can
be tricky, unless you try baby
bells, she said), cucumbers
(which need support, such as a
trellis) and green beans, which
don’t need staking as long as
you choose bush varieties. Corn
and pumpkins are fun and easy
to grow from seed, Kranz said,
but require a lot of space. If you
have room, try putting them
in the same space with beans,
which use the corn for support
and add nitrogen to the soil.
For warm-season flowers:
Sow flowers throughout your
garden to make it pretty and to
encourage beneficial insects.
Kranz always plants African
basil seedlings and lets them
bloom because the fragrant
purple stalks are bee magnets.
Sunflower, cosmos and fennel
can be planted from seed.
Dahlias are one of her favor-
ite summer flowers. They grow
from bulbs that must be dug
up each fall in colder parts of
the country but can stay in the
ground in temperate South-
ern California. Dahlia blooms
come in a variety of colors and
sizes, but Kranz said she pur-
chases organic bulbs. Her three
sources are Zephyros Farm and
Garden, Siskiyou Seeds and
Fruition Seeds.
———
(c)2020 Los Angeles Times
Visit the Los Angeles Times at
www.latimes.com
Distributed by Tribune Con-
tent Agency, LLC.
6 • March 2020
Knowing what to expect during a bathroom remodel can help homeowners get through the renovation process.
What to expect during a bathroom remodel
There are many reasons
to renovate a home. Some
homeowners purchase fixer-
uppers and commit to mak-
ing major renovations before
they even move in, while oth-
ers may renovate their homes
with an eye on resale value.
But many homeowners also
take on renovation projects to
make the homes more livable
for themselves.
Bathroom renovations are
popular projects. In fact, a
2018 survey from the National
Association of Home Build-
ers found that bathroom re-
models are the most popular
remodeling projects. But just
because bathroom remod-
7 essentials to inspire your new bathroom
What began as a utilitarian
space for personal sanitation
has, in modern times, trans-
formed into one of the most
coveted rooms in the house.
Bathrooms have become a
place to relax and unwind,
and new bathrooms are on
the tops of many homeown-
ers’ wishlists.
Bathrooms can be as lav-
ish as budgets allow. Wish
lists can include everything
from luxurious soaking tubs
to rainfall showerheads to
chaise lounges to televisions
or home entertainment sys-
tems contained in the space.
Those contemplating their
own bathroom renovations
may draw inspiration from
the following features:
n Hot water recirculation
system: Few things can be
as disappointing as desiring
a hot bath or shower only to
find that the hot water tank
has been drained. The home
remodeling company Nor-
mandy Remodeling says that
water recirculation systems
provide on-demand hot
water. In such systems, hot
water may continuously run
through the pipes or there
may be a pump underneath a
sink. Either way, one needn’t
wait for the water to warm up
any longer.
n Double undermount
eling projects are popular
doesn’t mean they’re easy
to endure. Knowing what to
expect during a bathroom re-
model can help homeowners
get through the renovation
process.
Cost
Bathroom remodeling
projects can be expensive. Ac-
cording to Remodeling maga-
zine’s “Cost vs. Value 2019”
report, a mid-range bath-
room remodeling project cost
an average of $20,420 in 2019,
while an upscale remodel cost
just under $64,000. Home-
owners should develop bud-
Those contemplating their own bathroom renovations may draw inspiration from a variety of contemporary features.
sinks: Bathroom time is at a
premium, especially when
people must prepare and
leave the house together.
Rather than jockeying for
position around a single
SPRING HOME 2020
gets for their bathroom reno-
vation projects to determine
which type of project they can
afford. In addition, setting
aside a little extra money for
overruns is a wise move that
can help homeowners handle
any unforeseen expenses that
arise during the project.
Noise
Few home renovation proj-
ects can be undertaken quiet-
ly, and bathroom renovations
tend to generate a lot of noise.
The noise can be difficult to
overcome for professionals
who work from home full-
time, and it also can be hard
sink, dual sinks enable more
breathing room and time ef-
ficiency. Undermount sinks
are easy to clean because
there is no lip around where
the sink meets the vanity,
on parents of young children
who still nap and don’t yet go
to school. Parents of young
children may find it best to
delay bathroom renovation
projects until their children
are school-aged and out of
the house for most of the day
on weekdays.
Mess
The debris generated by
bathroom renovation proj-
ects is another thing home-
owners must prepare for.
In addition to preparing for
the waste generated by the
project, first-time renovators
must realize that dust might
preventing the accumulation
of grime and gunk.
n Glass-free shower: Soap
scum and water deposits can
form on shower doors, even
for homeowners who are
be a big issue once the proj-
ect begins. Dust can pose a
threat to residents’ overall
health, particularly the health
of youngsters whose bodies
haven’t yet fully developed.
As a result, parents of young
children may want to sched-
ule renovations during fam-
ily vacations so their children
are exposed to as little dust as
possible.
Changes
Few renovations go off
without a hitch. Once a proj-
ect begins, contractors often
uncover issues that weren’t
noticeable to the naked eye.
diligent with cleaning. A siz-
able shower prevents water
spray and affords the ability
to forgo glass doors or cur-
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These issues may increase
the cost of completing a proj-
ect or force homeowners to
change their plans to make
the project stay as close to
their budgets as possible.
Recognizing that these deci-
sions may have to be made on
the fly can help homeowners
feel more prepared when un-
expected issues arise.
Bathroom renovation
projects are worthwhile in-
vestments. Knowing what
to expect during a bathroom
renovation project can help
homeowners handle all the
twists and turns that may
arise.
tains, thereby cutting down
on cleaning and making the
room feel more modern.
n Multihead shower:
When redoing the shower,
account for various shower
heads so that the water can
cascade across the body
more completely. This pro-
vides a spa experience at
home.
n Touchless faucets and
soap dispensers: These
aren’t just for public bath-
rooms anymore. Touchless
faucets and dispensers are
more sanitary and conve-
nient.
n Separate toilet room: A
shared bath almost necessi-
tates this type of set-up. The
toilet is housed inside its own
small space and closed away
from the rest of the bath-
room. It’s more private and
convenient this way.
n Heated flooring: You
need not worry about step-
ping out of a warm shower
onto a cold floor when heated
flooring is part of the equa-
tion. This option is available
in various flooring materials
as well.
Remodeling a bathroom
boils down to certain coveted
features that can really set a
space apart.
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 SPRING HOME 2020 March 2020 • 7

Repair bare spots in the lawn Safety

From C1

in your outdoor power equip-

Caring for a lawn to keep
it lush and green can require
equal measures of patience
and hard work. Various invad-
ers can attack grass or contrib-
ute to its demise. One problem
many homeowners face is
bare spots.
Bare spots can occur for
various reasons. Heavy foot
traffic, grubs or other pests,
fungi, pet urine, or too much
or too little water can contrib-
ute to bare spots. The how-to
resource The Spruce says that
correcting the source of bare
spots can prevent new issues,
particularly if grubs or other
pests are damaging the grass.
Then homeowners can ad-
dress existing bare areas.
It is unlikely that bare spots
will just fill back in on their
own. Reseeding spots or us-
ing sod to fill in bare areas can
help lawns look lush.
n Begin by raking and re-
moving any dead grass and
other debris from the lawn.
Check to make sure that grubs
or insects are not attacking the
lawn. If they are, use targeted
treatment options for those
pests.
n Break up and aerate any
soil that is compacted in the
bare spot.
n Amend the soil in the bare
area with loamy soil or com-
post to improve on the nutri-
tional makeup and texture so
that it is amenable to grass-
growing. If you notice that the
entire lawn is looking a little
sparse, top-dressing the rest of
the lawn at this point also can
help improve its vitality.
n Sprinkle seeds in the bare
spot (disperse seeds over the
rest of the lawn if you want to
over-seed and improve the
thickness of the lawn). If you
prefer sod, cut a portion of
the sod to fit the bare area and
place on the amended soil.
n The Scotts company says
to lightly water newly seeded
or sodded areas daily for at
least two weeks to keep the top
inch of soil consistently moist
but not soggy. Gradually water
more as the seedlings develop
and the grass begins to fill in.
Deep water at least once or
twice a week after the new
grass reaches mowing height.
n The grass should grow
slightly longer than the rest
of the lawn, and wait until the
color of the patched area be-
gins to blend in with the rest of
the lawn before mowing. This
could take a few weeks, and
the area should be avoided un-
til then.
Eventually, and with treat-
ment, bare spots can be rem-
edied and become indistin-
guishable from other areas of
the lawn.
ment. If you don’t know the
date of purchase, dispose safely
of the fuel in the can and buy
fresh fuel. Always store fuel out
of the reach of children or pets
and in approved containers.
6. For battery-powered
equipment, recharge only
with the charger specified by
the manufacturer. A charger
that is suitable for one type of
battery pack may create a risk
of fire when used with another
battery pack. Follow all charg-
ing instructions and do not
charge the battery pack or tool
outside the temperature range
specified in the instructions.
7. Store batteries safely.
When the battery pack is not
in use, keep it away from other
metal objects, like paper clips,
coins, keys, nails, screws or oth-
er small metal objects, that can
make a connection from one
Reseeding spots or using sod to fill in bare areas can help lawns
terminal to another. Shorting
look lush.
the battery terminals together
may cause burns or a fire.
8. Clean your equipment

Signs that voles are invading your garden and store it in a dry place.
Remove any dirt, oil or grass.
Clean equipment will run more
efficiently and last longer.
All sorts of uninvited marks on bark and plants. A and potatoes by pulling root vegetables. Young trees and prevent vole infesta- Never store your equipment in
guests can compromise the careful inspection of trees them down into their tun- and shrubs that are leaning tions. But first they must be a place that is damp or wet.
look and vitality of a garden. and other plants may be nels. The result is partially over may have fallen victim certain the unwanted guests To learn more, go to www.
Some gardens are trampled necessary to uncover this eaten vegetables in the gar- to vole infestations. tunneling their way through opei.org. For more informa-
by foot traffic, while others symptom. den. Homeowners can employ their lawns and gardens are, tion on safe fueling, go to www.
are plagued with weeds. Still LookBeforeYouPump.com
n Partially eaten root n Damaged trees and various strategies to control in fact, voles.
others are plagued by small,
tunnel-building rodents vegetables: Voles may eat shrubs: Voles don’t limit
known as voles. root vegetables like carrots their victims to grass and
Voles are often confused
with moles. While they
Design & Drafting by Gina, LLC
do bear some similarities, • ReSIDEnTIAL • PoLe BARnS
namely that both travel
• NeW COnStRUCTeD • OfFICE
through lawns and gardens HOUSeS ReNoVATIOnS
via tunnels, voles and moles
are not one and the same. In • ADDITIOnS • “LIGHT COmMeRCIAL”
fact, moles are not even ro-
• GARAGe
dents. ADDITIOnS
The Old Farmer’s Alma-
nac notes that voles eat
mainly vegetarian diets.
That makes vegetable gar-
dens prime targets for these 8468 SeVEn SpRINgS RD., BATAVIA
small rodents that some
mistake for mice. But Pests. 585-469-1113
org, a comprehensive re- GInA PeStILlO GpEsTILlO@GmAIL.COm
source for anyone looking
to learn about pests and
the threats they pose, notes
that voles’ eyes and ears are
considerably smaller than
the eyes and ears of mice.
In addition, voles’ tails are
much shorter than the tails
on mice.
Correctly diagnosing is-
sues is essential to main-
taining a healthy garden,
and identifying vole infes-
tations is no exception. The
following are some signs
that typically indicate a lawn
or garden has been infested
with voles.
n Shallow tunnels
throughout the property:
Voles create shallow tunnels
between one and two inches
wide, and these tunnels can
è
typically be found all over
the lawn. Grass stems and
blades are part of volesÕ è
diets, so don’t just look to
the garden for signs of vole
infestation. è
n Markings on bark and
plants: Pests.org notes that
voles may leave small gnaw

CHOOSE FROM HIGH QUALITY VARIETIES:

OVER SEED YOUR LAWN!

While they do bear some

similarities, namely that both
travel through lawns and
gardens via tunnels, voles
and moles are not one and the
same. In fact, moles are not
even rodents.

Kentucky Tall Perennial

Bluegrass Fescue Rye Grass
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8 • March 2020
Small garden boxes are perfect to tend without actually getting in the soil and causing it to compact.
Plot your victory garden
Self reliance can be a comfort in hard times
By NORMAN WINTER
Tribune News Service
Shazam! All of a sudden
everyone is thinking about
growing a vegetable garden.
Essentials disappearing from
the local supermarket is at
best a wake-up call. One thing
for certain now that families
are all together — there is no
better way to teach children a
little horticulture, pollination
and where food comes from
than a vegetable garden. If you
want to, call it a corona vic-
tory garden or a victory garden
2020.
You are probably thinking
you have no plot, and besides
don’t you need an acre? The
answer is, no you don’t need an
acre. You can go small and in-
tense. French intensive, square
foot, interplanting, vertical,
wide row, gardening by the
yard and succession planting
are all names for intensive gar-
dening.
The purpose of intensive
gardens is to harvest the most
produce from a limited space.
These spaces usually are small
blocks, compared to traditional
gardens which consist of long,
single rows widely spaced.
Much of the traditional garden
area is taken by the space be-
tween the rows.
An intensive garden mini-
mizes wasted space, but there
Advice for a bountiful yield
By Dave Reville
Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension
To ensure healthy vigorous
plants and abundant yields for
succeeding years, both rasp-
berries and strawberries need
some summer care.
Strawberries
Immediately after harvest
is complete, renovation of the
strawberry bed may be in or-
der. At that time, cut the plants
down with a lawn mower set at
a height of 2-3 inches. If rows
have become wild and unman-
ageable, narrow them down
to a more desirable width of 18
inches.
Also, take care to remove ex-
cess plants in the row so that the
plants are 6-9 inches apart.
Finally, apply 3 pounds of 10-
10-10 or equivalent fertilizer per
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is a limit on how much you
can reduce open space. When
you go beyond those limits,
you open the door to control
nightmares from disease and
insects.
Intensive gardens concen-
trate efforts to create better
yields with less labor. Fewer
pathways and closely spaced
plants often mean less weed-
ing, but the work usually must
be done by hand. Some gar-
deners prefer using machine
cultivation on long rows to
hand weeding.
Soil preparation is the key
to successful intensive gar-
dening. Plants must have ad-
equate nutrients and water to
grow together so closely. Pro-
viding fertilizers and irrigation
helps, but there’s no substi-
tute for deep, fertile soil, high
in organic matter — just 3% to
5% would probably give you
that proverbial green thumb.
Humus rich soil will hold
extra nutrients, and existing
elements locked up in the soil
are released by the actions of
earthworms, microorganisms
and humic acids. Nurser-
ies and garden centers have
specially prepared mixes that
are excellent to use alone or
incorporated in your soil. Use
landscape timbers or railroad
cross ties to enclose your bed.
A 6- to 8-inch high bed would
50 linear feet of row.
Raspberries
When harvest has been com-
pleted on summer bearing red
raspberries, save yourself some
work next fall or spring. Remove
all old fruiting canes, damaged
or diseased canes; thin out the
small or weak canes, leaving
only two or three of the more
robust canes per linear foot of
row.
Then, cut all the young vigor-
ous canes back to a more man-
ageable height of 3-1/2 to 4 feet.
For fall bearing varieties such
as Heritage, it is suggested that
all canes be pruned to ground
level in the early spring only.
This eliminates the summer
crop and results in a larger and
earlier fall crop.
Asparagus
A little post-harvest care is
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be ideal. I even bought a kit
from a local grocery store.
A good intensive garden
requires early, thorough plan-
ning to make the best use of
time and space in the garden.
Consider the interrelation-
ships of plants before plant-
ing, including nutrient needs,
shade tolerance, above and
below ground growth patterns
and preferred growing season.
It is suggested if possible to
run your rows north to south
which allow for most sun ex-
posure,
The raised growing bed is
the foundation of an intensive
garden. Several beds allow the
gardener to focus soil prepara-
tion in small areas, resulting
in effective use of soil amend-
ments and creating an ideal
environment for vegetable
growth. Beds are generally 4 to
5 feet wide and segregated into
blocks. This allows gardeners
to work from either side of the
bed, reducing the compaction
on the soil.
The first step in deciding
what to grow is to select what
your family likes to eat. Next,
look at what costs you the
most at the market per pound.
Tomatoes, green onions,
leaf lettuce, turnips, summer
squash, beans, beets, carrots,
cucumbers, peppers, broccoli,
head lettuce and cauliflower
the best way to encourage an
abundant asparagus harvest
next year. June is the time to fer-
tilize asparagus and continue
efforts to control asparagus
beetles and weeds. Fertilizing
after harvest helps build up root
reserves for next year’s growth,
and a complete fertilizer such as
5-10-10 at a rate of 2 to 3 pounds
per hundred square feet of gar-
den area should be sufficient.
Asparagus beetles are small,
oblong, brightly colored insects
that lay their eggs on asparagus
spears and feed on the foli-
age. If they’re present in large
numbers, their eggs will con-
taminate the harvest and their
feeding will defoliate the plants.
Plants then have to use their
energy reserves to produce new
foliage rather than use foliage to
build reserves. The result is re-
are all among the top 15 eco-
nomic crops to grow.
Consult your local county
agent for recommendations
on spacing for interplanting.
In general, however, add the
inches of recommended spac-
ing for the two crops to be
planted together and then di-
vide the sum by two.
Prime example, tomatoes
have a 24-inch spacing and
leaf lettuce has a 4-inch space
recommendation. The total
of 28 inches divided by two
means that you can plant your
leaf lettuce 14 inches from
your tomatoes. A caged to-
mato surrounded by lettuce
sounds like a good salad com-
bination. By all means, grow
up! What I mean by that is take
every opportunity to grow
vertically with pole beans, cu-
cumbers and more.
Try a smaller garden but
one that is intensive and your
success may be greater. Even
if you live in an apartment you
can grow and harvest a bounty
of produce from baskets and
containers. If you are blessed
with a large plot then grow
enough to share. Your local
garden center will have every-
thing you need from seeds to
transplants, soil and fertilizer
and best of all, expertise.
duced yield next year.
Keep an eye on the plants
and contact your local Cornell
Cooperative Extension for a
control recommendation of
beetles.
Weed control reduces com-
petition for water and soil nu-
trients and removes potential
hosts for insect pests or disease
organisms. Shallow cultivation
alongside rows augmented by
hand pulling weeds among
spears is the usual home garden
choice. Troublesome perennial
weeds such as quack grass need
to be controlled before aspara-
gus is planted since they are
very difficult to control after the
crowns are in place.
Dave Reville is an educator
with the Orleans County Cornell
Cooperative Extension.
Tips to successfully
grow tomatoes
Slicing into the first to-
mato of the season is a
much anticipated moment
for gardeners. Tomatoes
are among the most popu-
lar fruit or vegetable plants
grown in home gardens.
Much of that popularity
may be credited to the fact
that red, ripe tomatoes
have a delicious, juicy fla-
vor that serves as the ba-
sis for all sorts of recipes.
And since tomatoes can
just as easily be grown in a
full backyard garden or in
a container on a patio or
balcony, tomatoes appeal
to gardeners regardless of
their living situations.
While tomatoes are rela-
tively easy to grow, they are
prone to certain problems
and pests. Knowledge of
what to expect when plant-
ing tomatoes and how to
start off on the right foot-
ing can help produce a
season’s worth of delicious
bounty.
n Wait until after the
last average frost date. To-
matoes can be grown from
seeds outdoors in warm ar-
eas, but tomato gardeners
often find success starting
seeds indoors six to eight
weeks before the last frost
date. Gradually introduce
seedlings to the elements
for a few hours each day,
increasing the duration of
time outside. Then they can
be transplanted outdoors
when temperatures are
consistently over 60 F.
n Choose a sunny spot.
Tomatoes love to soak up
sunlight, according to The
Home Depot. Place the
plants in a sunny spot so
they can thrive.
n Space out plants. The
experts at Better Homes
Knowledge of what to expect when planting tomatoes and
how to start off on the right footing can help produce a
season’s worth of delicious bounty.
How to get nice white
cauliflower heads
Remember to tie up the
leaves around cauliflower
when heads are 1 to 3 inches
across.
This will cause blanching
for nice white heads. Even the
self-blanching varieties may
and Gardens say to leave
anywhere from 24 to 48
inches between plants to
accommodate for growth
and ensure the plants will
not get stunted.
n Plant deeply. Toma-
toes tend to root along their
stems. If transplants are
long and lean, dig a trench
and lay the stem sideways
in the dirt, and then bend
the top of the plant upward.
Snip off the lower branches
and cover with soil up to
the first set of leaves. This
will produce extra root
growth and stronger, more
vital plants.
n Give the plants sup-
port. Tomato cages or
stakes can help keep the
leaves and fruit from touch-
ing the ground, which can
cause rot and, eventually,
death to the tomato plant.
n Lay down a layer of
mulch. Tomatoes grow best
when the soil is consistent-
ly moist. Mulch can help
retain moisture from wa-
tering and rain. Mulch also
will help prevent soil and
soilborne diseases from
splashing on the leaves and
plants when it rains. While
you amend the soil, make
sure that it drains well and
is slightly acidic.
n Prune away suckers.
Tomatoes produce “suck-
ers,” which are leaves that
shoot out from the main
stem. Removing these
leaves promotes air circula-
tion and keeps the plant’s
energy focused on growing
fruit.
Tomatoes are a rich ad-
dition to any garden. A few
simple tricks can help even
novice gardeners grow deli-
cious tomatoes.
need a little help.
Keep track of possible prob-
lems from cabbage worms
and loopers on cauliflower,
broccoli, and cabbage. Easi-
est control is with Bt, Bacillus
thuringiensis
 SPRING HOME 2020 March 2020 • 9

These days, home trends are about more than good design and aesthetics Ñ they’re about creating spaces that reflect our values and are more comfortable and enjoyable to live in.

Top 5 hottest home building trends

(MS) – These days, home trends
are about more than good design
and aesthetics – they’re about cre-
ating spaces that reflect our values
and are more comfortable and
enjoyable to live in. From net-zero
and net-positive construction to
tiny minimalist homes, trends are
all about your family’s lifestyle.
Whether you’re shopping for a
new home, renovating your own or
creating a new build from scratch,
here are some of the biggest trends
you need to know for inspiration.
n Sustainable design: This one
has been popular for a long time,
but green design has evolved to
be about much more than energy-
efficient appliances and LED light
bulbs. Now, it’s all about making
sure everything in your home re-
duces your carbon footprint and
minimizes any impact on the envi-
ronment.
To try the trend yourself, think
big and get creative –install solar
panels on your roof, choose build-
ing materials that don’t require
deforestation and upcycle old
furniture for decorative elements
instead of buying new.
n Disaster resiliency: Climate
change affects us in so many
negative ways, and one of the top
concerns is the increase in natural
disasters. From wildfires that last
for months to major floods that
affect entire cities, we now need to
prepare for the worst when build-
ing our homes.
Switching to disaster-resilient
materials is an important first step.
Many builders now prefer to use
stronger, more energy-efficient
materials like insulated concrete
forms (ICFs) instead of more tradi-
tional materials like wood. For ex-
ample, Nudura ICFs can withstand
winds of up to 250 miles per hour
(equivalent to an F4 tornado) and
offer a fire protection rating of up
to four hours.
n Outdoor living: Many of us
are now choosing to forgo getting
a cottage or summer home and
recreate the experience in our own
backyards. This trend helps you
make the most of your existing
space and take full advantage of
your yard or patio during the sum-
mer months.
You can design a full living space
outside, complete with an outdoor
television and comfy couches, as
well as a kitchen and refrigerator
for entertaining. Consider adding
a fireplace or firepit to keep warm
during cool summer nights and
enjoy the outdoors through spring,
fall and even winter if you’re brave.
n Home automation: This is
another longstanding trend that
shows no signs of slowing down.
It has also evolved to encompass
more of the home to make life even
more comfortable and convenient.
From an oven that can be turned
on remotely to preheat, to skylights
that can open and close automati-
cally to create the perfect ambient
temperature, there are more ways
than ever to integrate smart home
technology into your living space.
You can start small with voice
assistant and smart light bulbs and
work your way up to a total smart
home system that includes home
security, temperature controls and
all your electronic devices.
n Customization: You don’t
have to settle for what mass manu-
facturers decide to build, or what
works for everyone else. Creating a
home that’s as unique as you are is
the latest trend, with custom-built
storage and personalized architec-
tural features to make your space
stand out.
You can even go as far as build-
ing a custom home that’s suited to
your family. Older home demoli-
tions and purchasing land-only
properties is becoming more com-
mon, allowing you to work with an
architect to create exactly what you
want with a new build.
Find more information about the
benefits of building a home with
ICFs at nudura.com.

Custom home-buying tips for first timers

(MS) – Even considering
being able to design your
own custom home is an ex-
citing prospect. Whether
you’re ready to take the
plunge or just exploring your
options, here are tips to keep
in mind.
Know what you’re signing
up for. Building a custom
home is a significant under-
taking and a major life deci-
sion. It’s a big commitment
in terms of time, money and
energy. While this shouldn’t
scare you away from your
dream home, it’s important
to know what you’re get-
ting into. If you’re feeling
overwhelmed with the kids
or busy caring for an ailing
parent, it may be best to start
this later.
Hire the right profession-
als. You may be a DIY pro,
but this isn’t a project you
labor.
Think about furniture
layout early. While it may
seem a bit premature to start
decorating your living room
before the foundation is laid,
knowing how you’ll want to
use and lay out each room
can help you during the
building and design process.
For example, you can save
time and money down the
line when you know from the
get-go you’ll want a window
seat and two large couches to
face the fireplace.
Even considering being able to design your own custom home is Know where to save and
an exciting prospect. Whether you’re ready to take the plunge or spend. Costs can quickly add
just exploring your options, here are tips to keep in mind. up, so it’s important for you
to decide early on what mat-
want to take on yourself, designer who can help with ters most to you, and what’s
even partly. Key profession- the interiors to make sure the worth investing in. You can
als you’ll need to work with space is as functional as it is always upgrade your floor-
include an architect, plumb- beautiful. Do your research ing or cabinetry, but you can
er, electrician and more. to find quality pros – this never change the founda-
Consider also working with a isn’t the time to skimp on tion. Build your home to last
longer and perform better
with innovative building ma-
terials like insulated custom
forms (ICFs) from Nudura.
This alternative to wood
framing can withstand fire
and high winds and provides
superior insulation, leading
to significant savings on your
energy bills year after year.
Prepare for the unexpect-
ed. Building a new home is a
process, and you can mini-
mize stress by embracing
that it will be unpredictable
and can change throughout
the journey. Plan for things
like weather delays and
higher costs. The unexpect-
ed can also lead to positive
changes in your plans. For
example, you might come
across a new flooring mate-
rial that’s more eco-friendly,
or a smart home automation
system might hit the market
and you’ll want to integrate
it into the design. Be flexible.
Find more information
about building your new
home with insulated con-
crete forms at nudura.com.

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10 • March 2020 SPRING HOME 2020

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with similar Stop by and see us at the
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landscapes, homeowners
should always group plants Batavia, NY 14020 April 3 - April 5
with similar water needs to- at Falleti Ice Arena
gether.
According to the U.S. De-
partment of Energy, group-
ing plants with similar water
Springtime is Bursting With Opportunities
needs together helps to con- If you are thinking about buying, selling or investing now is the time to consider your options. Getting
serve water, which can be an the assistance of a professional Realtor® can help you determine the best options for you.
especially useful strategy if
drought restrictions go into
effect in summer.
Homeowners also can em-
brace additional strategies
to landscape with water con-
servation in mind. For ex- Margaret Tuerk
David Adams Linda Beaumont Sharon Boyle Nancy Crocker Michelle Dills Adam Dixson Karen Gabbey Deborah Gillen
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off, helping to ensure that Visit Our
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likelihood that homeown- The Home
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