The Home News Home & Garden supplement 2018

www.homenewspa.com | March 22, 2018 | Special

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Front Cover

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Special | www.homenewspa.com | March 22, 2018

TED’S ROOFING

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www.homenewspa.com | March 22, 2018 | Special

Keep your lawn green and healthy all season long

By MELINDA MYERS A healthy lawn is your best defense against lawn diseases and other problems. But when the weather favors the disease more than your lawn, problems can occur.

Reduce the risk of disease by keeping your lawn healthy. Mow high to encourage deeply rooted grass that is more drought tolerant and resistant to disease problems. Water early in the day so the grass leaves, blades, dry quickly and less water is lost to evaporation.

Apply the right type and amount of fertilizer at the proper time to limit the risk of disease. Regular fertilization, three to four times per year, encourages

The Home News Office Location: 255E S. Best Ave. (Rt. 145) Walnutport, PA 18088 Phone: 610-923-0382 Fax: 610-923-0383 E-mail: AskUs@HomeNewsPA.com Paul & Lisa Prass - Publishers William J. Halbfoerster, Jr. - Editor Emeritus Catherine Stroh - Associate Publisher Kristy O’Brien - Account Executive Tony Pisco - Art Director Deby Beuscher & Jenna Miller - Delivery Drivers

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better results since most soils do not contain the essential nutrients for optimum growth.

Avoid high nitrogen quick release fertilizers that promote lush succulent growth that is more susceptible to disease. Instead use a low nitrogen slow release fertilizer like Milorganite (milorganite. com) that promotes steady growth that’s more drought tolerant and resistant to disease.

Take a closer look at the lawn if you suspect a disease problem. As the snow recedes, watch for circular gray to straw colored areas of matted grass caused by snow mold. Use a leaf rake to lift the matted grass, remove leaf litter and reduce the risk of this disease. Keep mowing throughout the fall and avoid heavy fertilization late in the year.

Monitor lawns for Brown Patch when temperatures and humidity rise and grass remains wet for long periods of time. Infected lawns will have somewhat circular patches of thin light brown grass. Look for white cottony strands of fungal mycelium early in the morning on dew covered lawns. Check grass blades for small irregular tan spots with dark brown borders on the individual grass blades. Avoid heavy fertilization with fast release fertilizer in early spring and summer.

Look for dollar size to 6-inch diameter spots of bleached or light tan grass if you suspect Dollar continued on Page 4

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Green and healthy continued from Page 3

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Spot. Infected leaves have white lesions with reddish tan margins that often resemble an hourglass. Over and under fertilization, drought, water on the grass blades for extended time, and mowing too low all increase the risk of this disease.

Closely examine lawns with a reddish hue to confirm the presence of rust disease. Rust infected lawns are covered with an orange or yellowish powder, the fungal spores, that can leave an orange residue on your shoes. Newly seeded and lawns weakened by inadequate fertilization and drought are most susceptible.

Stay alert for leaf spot diseases that can attack lawns. Avoid excess fertilization and watering late afternoon and evenings.

Once you discover a disease, visit Milorganite.com

for more detailed information and photos to help with diagnosis. Correct your lawn care practices to speed recovery and avoid problems in the future.

Proper care and reseeding dead areas with diseaseresistant grass varieties is usually enough to manage the disease. Be sure you need a fungicide before applying. These chemicals are costly, the results can be disappointing and when used improperly they can be harmful to pollinators and the environment.

Further speed recovery with a change in mowing habits. Continue to mow high but cut the healthy portions of your lawn first. Then cut the grass in the diseased areas. Once done, use a disinfectant to clean the mower blades then rinse with clear water.

This along with collecting and disposing of clippings from the diseased areas of the lawn reduces the risk of spreading the disease next time you mow.

Provide proper care and monitor your lawn throughout the growing season. Discovering problems early means better results with less effort on your part.

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Decorative Landscape Mulch

Nazareth Pallet wood mulch does not contain any of the contaminants found in natural mulch materials, such as tree bark or yard waste.

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Special | www.homenewspa.com | March 22, 2018

Farmers Market Schedule

• Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers Market- Open

• Downtown Allentown Local Food Market- Opens

• Bethlehem Farmers Market- Opens May 3. Open

• Nazareth Farmers Market- Opens May 5. Held

May 4. Open Fridays from noon to 4 p.m. at all year. Open Thursdays from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m., Fridays from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. and Saturdays from Seventh and Walnut Streets, through October.

8 a.m. until 6 p.m. 1825 W. Chew St., Allentown.

• Easton Farmers Market- Regular season May through December in the Centre Square, • Bath Farmers Market- Open May 18. Held every Friday from 3 to 7 p.m. at Keystone Park in Bath, Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Winter season January through April, Church St. parking lot second and located at Green Street and Route 329 (Race fourth Saturdays 10 a.m. to noon.

Street).

Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. through October.

Located in Farrington Square at Lehigh University.

in the Center Square in Nazareth every Saturday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. through October.

• Bethlehem Rose Garden Farmers Market-

• Northampton Farmers Market- Opens May 15.

Opening beginning of June. Open Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. through mid October. Eighth Avenue, Bethlehem.

New location at the corner of Laubach Avenue and Smith Lane, in the Municipal Park Complex.

Held every Tuesday from 3 until 6:30 p.m. May through September.

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Special | www.homenewspa.com | March 22, 2018

19 Smart home hacks That’ll make you say “Why didn’t I know about this sooner?”

1.

buzzfeed.com

Drill a hole through the side of your trashcan or plastic trashcan liner to prevent the garbage bag vacuum effect.

10.

Keep your chargers from falling off your desk or nightstand by stringing them through a binder clip.

11.

2.

Pick up — and even squish — nasty bugs with a sticky lint roller.

3.

To remove food that's burned onto pans, simmer with a baking soda and water solution for 15 minutes, let cool, and then clean.

Store sheets in their own pillowcase so your linen closet looks neat, and it's easy to grab everything you need when you want fresh sheets.

Hang an over-door shoe organizer in your bathroom to organize makeup, hair tools, lotions, toothpaste...the list goes on.

4.

Start a "crap basket" system on the stairs if your family's always leaving random stuff around the house.

5. Put plastic wrap on fridge shelves, and when

the shelves get dirty, just change the wrap.

6.

Hang conversion and temperature "cheat sheets" on the inside of your cabinets, so you can easily get the info you need when you're in the middle of a recipe.

7. When you're threading a needle, use a little

bit of (plain, no-color) lip balm to stiffen the thread.

8.

Those little plastic ties from bread or rolls make it easy to label everything plugged into a power strip.

9.

Attach upside-down Command Hooks to your trashcan to keep the bag from slipping off or moving around.

12.

13.

Or use dryer sheets, warm water, and dish soap to soak off the gunk.

14. Use a magic eraser to clean light-colored

grout.

15.

Get rid of white rings or marks on your wood furniture with the help of Guardsman's white ring remover.

16.

Scrub down your bathtub or shower insert with dish soap and a new broom (or a broom you keep just for that purpose).

17.

To clean carpet strings, hair, and whatnot from the rolling bar under the vacuum, use a seam ripper.

18.

Newspaper (or coffee filters) will clean your mirrors and windows without leaving any streaks or little fuzzies.

19.

Make your glass shower door look shiny and new by scrubbing it down with Barkeeper's Friend.

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Special | www.homenewspa.com | March 22, 2018

4. Whiten your teeth You can safely whiten your teeth and increase your gum health by including hydrogen peroxide as part of your dental hygiene routine. The key is to accurately dilute the hydrogen peroxide with a 1-part Listerine and 1-part water to 1-part of peroxide.

Nine uses for hydrogen peroxide that you might not know about

Continued on Page 12 hometips.cooktopcove.com 1. Disinfect your countertops Hydrogen peroxide is an excellent disinfectant.

You can use it on your hard surfaces by mixing it in equal parts with water. Just give the surface a spray, let it work its magic for a few minutes, and wipe with a clean sponge. Your counters and sinks will be clean, disinfected, and scent free.

2. No scrub carpet cleaner This easy stain removal method uses the power of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and concentrated dish soap to power through the toughest carpet stains. Just mix according to the recipe and spray on your carpet. Allow to dry, then vacuum. No scrubbing necessary.

3. Brighten your whites Adding two cups of hydrogen peroxide to your load of whites helps you maintain bright whites.

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Hydrogen Peroxide continued from Page 10

without having to rinse them for fear they will get chemicals in their mouths. To clean toys with hydrogen peroxide, place toys in a plastic container and pour peroxide over the toys until they are covered. Once the fizzing stops, shake off the toys and allow to dry.

9. Banish stinky fridge odors You can easily eliminate odors by spraying the inside of the fridge with hydrogen peroxide and then wiping clean. The peroxide will disinfect, absorb the odors, and clean at the same time.

5. Disinfect your cutting board Do you ever feel like your cutting board is harboring harmful bacteria? You can quickly and efficiently disinfect it by pouring hydrogen peroxide over the clean board. Let it fizz for a few minutes, then wipe off. It is a food-safe disinfectant, so no worries about harmful chemicals.

6. Make a homemade produce wash Don't spend your money on expensive produce washes. Hydrogen peroxide works well to remove waxes, chemicals, and dirt from your fruits and veggies. Add ¼ cup of peroxide to a sink of cold water. Soak the produce for a few minutes, then shake off and let dry.

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Got a green thumb?

Gardening clubs near you Catty Garden Club

Founded in 1959, this club meets the first Wednesday of each month from April through December.

Call 610-231-0603 for more information.

Indianland Garden Club

Meets March through November on the second Tuesday of the month. Hospitality 6:30 p.m., program at 7 p.m. at Hope Lutheran Church in Cherryville.

The Moorestown Garden Club

Founded in 1953, this garden club meets the first Tuesday of the month from March until November at 7 p.m. in the Salem UCC Church in Moore Township.

Nazareth Area Garden Club

Meets third Tuesday of the month from March until November.

Meetings start at 7 p.m. at Dryland UCC, 4415 Newburg Road, Nazareth. For more information call Patti Moser at 610-462-2664.

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hom owne e

www.proudgreenhome.com Insulation We lose 35 percent of heat through the walls and even more if insulation isn’t of good quality. Check your local authority to see if they offer government grants to improve home insulation.

Lighting Encourage everyone in the home to turn off lights

Special | www.homenewspa.com | March 22, 2018

when rooms aren’t in use.

Install lighting timers especially for things like outdoor lighting; this could also be used as a security measure.

Switch to energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs, which use just 25 percent of the electricity of regular incandescent bulbs.

Appliances Appliances on stand-by mode use valuable electricity. When finished with a computer, TV and chargers, shut them down fully at the source.

In terms of your washing machine, dryer or dishwasher, wait for a full load to run them.

Clear the lint filter after every dryer load to encourage drying efficiency and air-dry clothes when possible.

Fill the kettle for the amount you’ll actually use.

Check what temperature your fridge and freezer are at so they’re not working harder than necessary.

Furniture Invest in high quality furniture that will last a long time as opposed to “fast” furniture that isn’t durable and will inevitably end up clogging landfills.

Where possible, try furniture that utilizes reclaimed wood.

Heating Solar panels are an obvious addition to your home

BUT FIRST, FLORALS.

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and they can be utilized to heat your water also.

Lowering your thermostat by even one degree could result in savings.

Find sources of heat loss around the house; a temporary fix would be a padded draft excluder for the door.

Heavy curtains and blinds can work well to prevent heat loss from old windows.

Keeping your boiler serviced on a regular basis will increase efficiency.

Ecology Indoor plants around the home act as natural air

filters.

Create a composting station outside from kitchen scraps such as tea bags, fruit and vegetable waste etc. This will reduce your waste output cutting down on bin charges and reduce your landfill contribution.

Water Each washing cycle uses more than 20 gallons of water, so only use your washing machine when it’s full but don’t overfill.

A five-minute shower uses about 50 percent less water than the average bath.

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Special | www.homenewspa.com | March 22, 2018

Ready, set, grow: The benefits of gardening with kids www.babble.com

If you’re looking for an engaging outdoor activity that allows the whole family to participate, consider a family garden. From selecting your vegetables and flowers, preparing the earth and planting, and finally harvesting, gardening can be a wonderful way to involve your children in a healthy hobby you can all enjoy. Along with the fun of getting dirty, gardening helps children learn valuable lessons about patience

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as they wait for vegetables to grow, responsibility as they see how necessary their care is to the garden, and even loss when flowers die at the end of a season.

“They learn about nurturing a life and what it takes to keep something alive,” says Amy Gifford, an education associate for the National Gardening Association.

Gifford extols the value of exercise as children physically work in the garden, that families learn to work together and share, and that gardening helps build a child’s senses.

“One of the most important things about [vegetable] gardening is understanding where food comes from,” says Gifford. She says young children are fascinated in seeing food when it’s pulled from the ground, and they notice the similarities and differences from their

www.homenewspa.com | March 22, 2018 | Special

garden vegetables and produce from the grocery store.

If you’ve decided to involve your kids in gardening, you need to make some decisions—most importantly where and what your child will be gardening. “The essentials for a children’s garden are clear paths, narrow beds, and edible plants,” says Taylor. “Kids should be able to reach across the beds. They can learn where people go and where plants go.”

Gifford encourages parents to set aside a small plot in the garden or flowerbed the child can experiment with. “I like to see less regulation in the garden. The way to approach it best is that there’s nothing the kids can’t handle and get them involved from the very beginning. Let kids have their own spot,” says Gifford.

“If they want to toss 10 seeds in one hole, let them and they will see what happens. Let them learn from the experience.”

Once you’ve decided where to let your children garden, it’s time to decide what to plant. Gifford recommends planting crops that are hearty enough to succeed and don’t require unusual care. A local nursery, good gardening book, and even the backs of seed packets should answer questions about growing habits of plants, the soil and nutrition needed, and proper watering. Instant gratification helps a lot. Plant radishes even if you don’t like them—they come up in three or four days.

Gifford says vegetables are fun for children to grow

Page 17

because they germinate so quickly. If you are worried your little one will lose patience waiting for plants to sprout, you can germinate seeds indoors while it’s still too cold to plant outside, or you can purchase flats of vegetables or flowers ready to put in the ground. Both Taylor and Gifford emphasize that a family garden should only contain safe, non-poisonous plants and flowers.

Taylor says it’s important that parents teach children the names of plants, vegetables and flowers, especially if they have a taste or smell children can identify. “Kids love to learn the names of the plants…teaching them is a good way to teach respect for even the smallest things.”

Looking for the wildlife in a garden is a great part of the fun for little ones. “Kids love insects and worms,” says Taylor. “Gardening introduces them to some of the living creatures in the soil, under rocks and on plants.

It’s all a part of opening the world up to them.” At Seattle Tilth, Taylor lets the kids build bughouses. “We let them be creative. They build beds for the bugs, hot tubs, waterslides—things they think the bugs would enjoy.” Children are natural nurtures, she says, and understand the importance of caring for plants and other things in the garden.

Gardening can be a wonderful family project filled with adventure, experimentation, and learning; and children love to learn when they’re having fun.

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Special | www.homenewspa.com | March 22, 2018

10 best essential oils for cleaning helloglow.co Essential oils are one of the best-smelling, naturally antibacterial options for homemade cleaning recipes. Add oils to green your laundry routine, sanitize the kitchen and nix mold in the bathroom – all while making your house smell ‘clean’ – no scary fumes needed.

1. Lemon Loved for its light, clean scent, this essential oil is also a powerhouse in homemade cleaning recipes. Naturally antibacterial and antiviral, lemon is commonly used to degrease stubborn stains as well as freshen the air. Use it to deodorize your fridge, clean the floor or combine 10 drops with ½ cup olive oil for a natural wood or leather polish.

2. Tea Tree (Melaleuca) Is there anything tea tree oil can’t do? It fights germs, bacteria and viruses in everything from homemade wipes to hand soap to daily shower spray. Tea tree oil is a handy weapon against bugs, too. Add tea tree to a spray bottle with water, shake well, and spray outside and inside the home to deter lice and other pests.

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3. Rosemary Rosemary’s natural antibacterial and antiseptic properties make it a great addition to homemade dish soap and laundry detergent. Essential oils are perfect for homemade air freshener sprays, and the combination of peppermint and rosemary is perfect when you need to stay focused and on task.

4. Wild Orange Not only does orange oil have a happy scent, but it’s great against grease. Use 1-2 drops to lift grease or glue from surfaces or combine 12 drops with ¼ cup castile soap and water to wipe down stovetops and counters. There are tons of ways to use orange oil, including homemade fabric softener crystals, natural floor cleaner, and an energizing kitchen spray.

5. Lavender One of the best-smelling naturally antibacterial essential oils is lavender. Lavender pairs well with another common natural cleaner, vinegar. Just add 4-5 drops of lavender to your vinegar cleaning mixture for its natural antibacterial properties – and for a more bearable scent. Harness lavender’s soothing scent in homemade dish soap and linen spray to elevate washing dishes and laundry day.

6. Eucalyptus This natural germicide is a powerful dust mite buster. Use it with baking soda to deep clean your mattress and in a dry wash for stuffed animals or just put a few drop in your next wash cycle. And with its clean smell, eucalyptus is great for stinky jobs in the kitchen and bathroom. Eucalyptus leaves and essential oil are great in cupboards to deter pests.

7. Peppermint There are countless uses for peppermint oil around the home. Its cool, invigorating scent and antibacterial properties make it a great addition to spray cleaners and natural deodorant spray. For an air freshener that also deters ants and spiders mix 10-15 drops of peppermint essential oil with 1 cup of water in a spray bottle. Shake well and spray along cracks and crevices or wherever ants are seen.

8. Cinnamon Leaf Cinnamon is naturally antibacterial and antiseptic.

Powerful against mold, it’s a great addition to homemade mold and mildew spray. Ground cinnamon and its essential oil are both effective against pests.

Sprinkle the ground cinnamon anywhere that pests are seen or apply pure undiluted cinnamon essential oil to the areas with a cotton swab.

9. Pine Already a common ingredient in cleaners, pine oil is effective at killing yeast spores, E. coli and other household germs. Pine is perfect for ridding the bathroom of mold and mildew and cleaning hard floors while leaving a natural fresh scent.

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10. Thyme Thyme is one of the most powerful essential oil weapons against germs. Thyme is effective against salmonella so you can add it to homemade dish soap and use it to clean cutting boards that have come in contact with raw meat.

• Blacktop Paving • Sealcoating • Excavating • StoNing Work • Repairs www.gibsonpavingservices.com

610.262.8213

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