Homes
8 CASTRO VALLEY FORUM Wednesday, March 2, 2022
REAL ESTATE REALITY
By Carl Medford, CRS
GUEST COMMENTARY
Special to the Times
God is in the Details
J
olted recently by a sharp, intense pain originating from a finger, I discovered a tiny, almost invisible sliver. The pain was so intense I literally stopped everything, focused on my hand and did nothing else until the offending piece of wood was removed. I was amazed at how such an extremely small object produced such a negative effect. It is no secret that small details matter. Meis Van der Rhoe, one of the most significant architects of the 20th century, is credited with the statement, “God is in the details.” Simply put, the small things matter. Attention to detail is critical. Van der Rhoe is also credited with the phrase, “Less is more,” inferring that too much of anything, no matter how good, can spoil the overall effect. This explains the mindset behind the effective preparation of a home for the market. People are stimu-
lated visually and consequently, when they see a home that has been carefully prepared and effectively staged, it triggers a pleasing emotional response which can lead to an offer. The more attractive the home, the higher the potential for awesome offers. Beautiful staging is like the icing on the cake; effectively done, it showcases the home and sets the stage for a sale. Ironically, no one would typically live in a home the way it is staged – the staging is done to provide a visual effect, not demonstrate effective living. In contrast, homes that are not effectively prepared can cause a reaction similar to a sliver: instead of motivating a buyer to engage, they can effectively prevent meaningful offers. Many sellers, looking at the current overheated market, believe that all they need to do to get an amazing sale price is put their home up for sale without spending time or money on preparation. While
it is true that, due to the current inventory crisis, they will more than likely get an offer, it will not match offers they could have obtained had they spent the time and money on the details. Today’s buyers, on the whole, do not want to improve a home after the purchase. They want turnkey properties and, with many real estate companies providing property preparation and remodeling services along with funding options, there is almost no excuse for a home to hit the market without the details effectively sorted. Like it or not, it is the details that make or break the sale. Carl Medford is a licensed Realtor with Keller Williams Realty and a licensed general contractor. This article is sponsored by the Central County Marketing Association. Association.
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How to Get the Lemon Tree to Produce More Fruit BUZZ BERTOLERO
THE DIRT GARDENER
A BOTH PUBLICATIONS
Your Title
Judy Grubb, Realtor The Grubb Team 510-909-2930
By Buzz Bertolero The Dirt Gardener
Most citrus is budded or grafted onto a rootstock, which is a different type of citrus. The rootstock is an aggressive grower, producing rapidly growing shoots or suckers throughout the canopy of the desired variety. The shoots
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Q
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I have a five-year-old healthy lemon bush that only produces lemons on the lower branches. There are no flowers or fruit in the upper two-thirds of the lemon tree. How do I get lemons on the upper portion of this plant?
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originate from below the ground or off the main trunk or stem, below the point from where bud or graft union is located. The area is visible to the naked eye and is a diagonal line on the trunk. The desirable portion is a vivid green color, while the rootstock is a dull tan or brown. Extremely long, nasty-looking thorns characterize this growth with leaves in three groups. Also, it produces no flowers or fruit. The desirable shoots decline over time and are pruned off, leaving the rogue growth to dominate. This is what I believe has happened with your lemon. Here is what I’d do. First, examine the plant closely and divide the fruiting section from the non-bearing part. Then, prune off the fruitless area after St. Patrick’s Day. With monthly feedings of
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an organic Citrus Food, you’ll encourage the new growth that increases the fruit-bearing portion of the lemon bush. Be on the lookout for more rogue growth during the growing season and prune off as soon you see it. NOTE: The rogue growth from below a bud or graft is also a problem with roses deciduous fruit trees such as peaches, plums, apples, flowering trees, and other plants.
Q
Three years ago, I grew some beautiful lettuce. But then, I had problems. First, the seeds would sprout, but they would not grow. Then, someone told me that I needed to disinfect the plastic containers. So, I washed them with soapy, bleach water. I’m now growing Lettuce again. Did the container have bacteria, toxins, or something? Would I have the same problem with ceramic, terracotta, or wood containers?
A
The advice you received is correct. It’s advisable to disinfect any container that you are recycling. Damping Off (Rhizoctonia solani) and Pythium are problems with seedlings. Before sowing your seeds, disinfect the containers with a mixture of nine parts of water to one part of bleach and let them air dry. Also, be sure to watch the watering while the seeds are germinating. The problems mentioned above can still be a problem from keeping the soil too wet. I’d suggest that you pre-moisten the soil first and then sow the seed. It also helps to use a heating mat for bottom heat. The heating mat increases the soil temperature speeding up germination. Be careful not to splash water around the plant as the splashing water spreads the disease to healthy seedlings. Heating mats are available at many garden centers or online.
3/1/22 8:42 PM
