Home & Garden
18 The Jewish Journal – jewishjournal.org – may 26, 2011
Creating a Lush, Green, Healthy Lawn
H
omeowners generally take great pride in their lawns, but a lush, green lawn can do more than boost egos. A healthy lawn can reduce allergens and dust, increase the value of a home, and reduce erosion and runoff. Reducing allergies Of all Americans who are
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A healthy lawn can reduce allergens and dust, increase the value of a home, and reduce erosion and runoff.
allergic to pollen-producing plants, 75 percent are allergic to ragweed. While a single ragweed plant may only live for one season, it produces up to one billion pollen grains during that time. A well-maintained lawn can help limit the amount of ragweed in the air, as it is typically free of many pollen-producing plants, as well as other weed problems, such as poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac. More than one half of the U.S. population is allergic to these noxious weeds. Boosting real estate value Nothing beats a first impression. When prospective buyers are searching for a new home, well-landscaped lawns and nearby parks are important factors. A study conducted by Virginia Tech University estimated that attractive landscaping can increase the value of a home anywhere from 5 to 11 percent, depending on location. It was also reported that landscape investments are recovered fully, and sometimes doubled by the increased home values. “Potential buyers can be immediately swayed by an unsightly yard, leaving them to wonder if the lack of care and attention to the lawn has been carried to the inside of
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the house,” said Gray Mattern, a realtor in St. Petersburg, Fla. “If the buyer doesn’t get past the negative first impression, he or she may decide to bypass the home completely without looking at the interior. In this buyer’s market, it’s important to appeal to a wide range of prospective buyers.” Reducing dust and soil erosion Healthy grass holds soil in place and prevents runoff from being washed into lakes, rivers and streams. “Proper lawn care practices will be rewarded by an aesthetically pleasing property and will result in a variety of environmental benefits,” explained Dr. Cathie Lavis, horticulture professor, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan. “A key factor to success is selecting the right grass variety for both your region and particular site conditions.” “Lawn maintenance includes timely mowing and watering. Additionally, grass quality is generally measured in terms of color, density and uniformity,” said Lavis. “Scheduled fertilization and an awareness of pests and their control will contribute to lawn quality.” — Family Features
Home Improvement from page 17
of Energy. Home appliances account for about 20 percent of your utility bills, so efficient choices can cut costs while helping the environment.
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• Room additions can be costly and risky, especially if the space added is customized, such as a sauna or wine cellar, which may not appeal to future buyers. • Marble countertops may look nice in the beginning, but the porous stone needs constant maintenance. Marble can be damaged by water, burned by hot pans and eroded by cleaning products. Unless extreme care is used, it is possible that marble countertops will need to be replaced at the time of sale. • High-tech systems for the Internet or sound are a nice luxury, but because technology is continuously improving, updates will become outdated rather quickly.
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— Family Features