2017 Spring Home & Garden Guide

Inside:

Spring home checkup

Planting Guide

Lawn replacement

Page 3

Pages 6-7

Page 8

SPECIAL PULLOUT

2017

Spring

Home & Garden

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Home & Garden

THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2017

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Tips on gardening with children

BY JEANNIE MORAGA QVPR contributor The benefits and joys of gardening aren’t just for grownups – children can grow right alongside your veggies and flowers with a little help from you!

If you’re wondering where to begin, Lisa Villegas, of Seed Cupboard Nursery in Royal City, said, “The best thing is finding a good place, whether in a container or a garden bed, with good soil.”

Make sure it’s free of chemical residues, she said, since children tend to put their hands in their mouths.

The size of the garden will depend on the ages of the children and how much time you have to devote to gardening.

The best way to get a child started is to garden with them and start with something that grows quickly. Villegas recommended peas for early in the spring and beans later in the season. Sunflowers are a longstanding favorite for children also. Mixing in some pre-planted flowers adds to the fun and gives quick results while waiting for those seeds to sprout.

One interesting option for gardening is the squarefoot method (see “Square foot gardening” on page 10).

Villegas said of this method, “It’s definitely a parent-child partnership.” Drawing out each square foot plot and what you’ll put there will help build a child’s anticipation and engagement in the garden.

Choosing a theme for your garden can add to the fun. For example, if the children love pizza, make a “pizza garden” with tomatoes, onions, peppers or other veggies to top your pizzas. Or a “salad garden” to make a variety of salads. These types of gardens can encourage the children to stay involved and look forward to the result, watching for the day when their tomatoes are ready to become part of their dinner.

It’s a great beginning point for a conversation on where the food in the store comes from and what it takes to get it from garden to plate. Maybe you will not make your own pasta sauce this summer, but you can add your own tomatoes to the store-bought sauce.

However, before harvest comes watering and weeding and waiting. Show your children how much water the

plants need and how often they need it. Make it the responsibility of your little gardeners. It’s a task they tend to enjoy and have ample time to handle in the summer.

If you choose container gardening, be vigilant about watering. Containers can dry out faster than a garden bed, particularly if they are in full sun during the summer. Use a high-quality food for the soil, to replace nutrients lost when watering. Villegas said

it’s better to have a large container and a small amount of produce in it; this will reduce the amount of feeding needed.

Another reminder for container gardening is to ensure there are drainage holes in the bottom of the container to avoid root rot. In a cruel bit of irony, a plant suffering from root rot will look dry, inviting even more watering.

Child-size tools will make gardening more enjoyable for young gardeners. Ville-

gas said that child-size hand tools are the best options because children tend to want to get down on their hands and knees and dig in the soil, “so a hand trowel or rake are fabulous tools for kids to use.”

To keep the garden safe for children and the vegetables safe to sample as they ripen, choose organic options for pest removal.

To avoid stings (and possible allergic reactions), help children be aware of bees in the garden. Tell them the bees’ important role in the garden, what times they will be active in the garden and where to look for them.

There are many milestones for children to keep track of and celebrate in the garden. (“My seeds sprouted! The vine has blossoms! The sunflowers are as tall as I am!”)

You may want to help them start a journal, or keep track on a calendar, of when to expect each stage to happen and when it actually happened.

And get a picture of that first harvested carrot before it gets devoured right there in the garden!

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Springtime checkup for the home

BY JEANNIE MORAGA QVPR contributor Spring is here, with warm sun, green grass, the trickle of melting snow and the damage left behind by a long, wet winter.

Taking time to check your home, top to bottom, could make spring much more relaxing. A close look now could be the difference between a small repair and a big problem.

Let’s start with the roof.

Look for any loose or missing shingles. Bert Langshaw, of Ameri Spec in Moses Lake, recommended taking a look on a windy day to “see if any shingles are waving at you.”

Also, look for any sagging of the roof. For a metal roof, damage to valleys, where sections come together, can allow rain to leak. If you see any damage, call a roofer, and don’t wait.

Check gutters to ensure leaves or debris haven’t blocked them. Clogged gutters can allow water to damage the fascia trim along the roof.

Also, according to the home insurance website www.propertycasualty360.com, look for any cracks or areas where ice buildup forced the gutter away from the roofline. The downspout should be clear of

the weep holes at the bottom of windows clean so any water that may get in, can drain. If caulk is damaged, remove it, clean and dry the area and apply new caulk.

Around the foundation, check that the ground slopes away from the house for proper drainage, said Langshaw.

Make sure no siding is touching the dirt, as this provides a pathway for both water and pests. He recommended 4 to 6 inches of cleardebris and should direct water away from the foundation.

Look for signs of damage to the siding; any peeling paint or missing caulk.

Peeling paint may seem like a cosmetic issue, but paint is the protective skin of the house. Langshaw cautioned that damage to that skin allows water into the siding material, causing it to swell.

Around windows, look for missing caulk and check that the window closes tightly, according to Houzz.com. Keep

ance between soil and siding.

Look for any holes left by the removal of plants or a wayward dog’s digging. These could allow water to pool or to drain in the direction of the foundation.

In the crawl space, check for any ponds of water or signs of moisture. Langshaw added that if the vents were closed in the fall, now is the time to open them to allow proper ventilation of the space. This also allows any moisture that may have gathered to dry out.

If you can’t do this yourself, call in a handyman.

When sprinkler systems are turned on for the summer, make sure no water is spraying the siding, which could damage paint or force water between the boards. Also make sure no water is pooling around the foundation or running into the crawl space. Adjust spray patterns as needed.

Langshaw said this is one of the top sources of water damage that he finds each year.

Langshaw’s rule of thumb is simple: “If something doesn’t look quite right, you’d better get a closer look.” If you find signs of possible damage, find and eliminate the source. Make arrangements for repairs early and enjoy the beautiful spring ahead.

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Companion planting – or getting the most from the garden

BY JEANNIE MORAGA QVPR contributor You spent cold winter days searching seed catalogs, drawing up plans for a garden to feast from in sunnier times. Now spring has arrived, and the time to plant that dream garden is near.

And grouping your plants to benefit each could make it the best garden yet.

Some pairings, like lettuce and tomatoes, make the most of the space in a garden by putting a faster-growing plant next to a larger, slower-growing partner; by the time the larger plant needs more room, the other is ready for harvest.

Some plants repel insects, some draw in pollinators, others pull nutrients closer to the surface of the soil, and others offer shade to smaller

crops.

In an article by Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott, provided by the Washington State University Master Gardeners of Grant and Adams counties, the example of a planting system called “Three Sisters” shows how crops can benefit one another. In this system, corn, beans and squash are planted together.

The beans supply nitrogen to the soil, while the corn stalks provide structure for the beans to climb, and the squash vines’ leaves shade the soil, reducing evaporation and decreasing the growth of weeds. They don’t outcompete each other for water and nutrients, so all three can thrive.

Here are a few examples of plants that grow well together, according to the The Old Farmer’s Almanac

website com):

(www.almanac.

Beans: beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, corn, cucumbers, peas, potatoes and squash.

Cabbage: celery, dill, kale, onions, sage, spinach and thyme.

Carrots: beans, lettuce, onions, peas, radishes and tomatoes.

Corn: beans, lettuce, melons and sunflowers.

Cucumbers: cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, peas and radishes.

Lettuce: asparagus, Brussels sprouts, eggplant, peas, potatoes, strawberries and tomatoes.

Onions: beets, broccoli, carrots, peppers, spinach and tomatoes.

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Garden, from page 4 Pepper: basil, onions and spinach.

Radishes: basil, coriander, onions, spinach and tomatoes.

Tomatoes: asparagus, basil, beans, borage, celery, dill, melons, parsley, peppers and thyme.

The site also offers a list of plants that do not grow well together and recommends a distance of at least 4 feet between them. Some examples include: Beans do not grow well with: garlic, onions and peppers.

Employ simple fire prevention measures to maximize safety Did you know that, according to the National Fire Protection Association, most people have a false sense of security regarding house fires, believing that they would have approximately six minutes to evacuate their home in the event of a fire?

In reality, smoke and fire spread rapidly and can overcome occupants in less than three minutes.

When a fire occurs, there’s no question that time is critical. The good news is there are several important steps you can take to maximize your escape time. With the following measures in place, you’ll create critical protection for what matters most –– your home and family.

1. Install smoke alarms. You should have one in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement. For the best protection, make sure all smoke alarms are interconnected. When one sounds, they all sound.

2. Inspect and clean smoke alarms monthly. Replace batteries in spring and fall. To clean the alarm, open the cover and gently vacuum the interior.

3. Prepare and practice a fire es-

cape plan. Draw a floor plan of your home, marking two ways out of every room — especially sleeping areas. Discuss the escape routes with every member of your household, and agree on a meeting place outside your home in case of emergency. Practice your escape plan at least twice a year.

4. Select building materials that provide passive fire protection.

Passive fire protection is part of the core of the building and helps control fire by limiting its spread. One very effective form of passive fire protection is the installation of insulation. When adding or upgrading insulation, look for products made from naturally fire-resistant, inorganic materials. A favorite among builders, contractors and homeowners is a stone wool insulation called Roxul Safe ‘n’ Sound, which offers fire resistance up to 2,150 degrees.

Its melting point is higher than the temperature of a typical house fire, which means it will stay in place longer to provide passive fire protection when every second counts, allowing more time for safe evacuation and for first responders to arrive.

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Cabbage: broccoli, cauliflower and tomatoes.

Carrots: anise, dill and parsley.

Corn: tomatoes.

Cucumbers: melons and potatoes.

Lettuce: broccoli.

Onions: beans, peas and sage.

Peppers, radishes: beans and kohlrabi.

Tomatoes: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale and potatoes.

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A more complete list of each can be found on the almanac’s website.

If pest control is a concern, the almanac’s website advises these companions: Dill and basil protect tomatoes from hornworms.

Sage reduces the risk of cabbage moths.

Marigolds repel beetles and nematodes.

Nasturtiums will draw aphids away from other plants.

Carrots, dill, parsley and parsnip attract praying mantises, ladybugs and spiders that will eat garden pests.

The website GreeninRealLife. blogspot.com adds these to the list: Lavender repels whitefly and moths, while attracting bees.

Mint deters moths, aphids, ants and rodents. (Many varieties of mint are invasive, so container planting is a good idea, the website states.)

This site also offers a chart of planting ideas for a quick reference.

When you head out to plant this spring, try some beneficial pairings to get your best harvest yet.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2017

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Less lawn may be right for you

BY JEANNIE MORAGA QVPR contributor Whether the idea of another long summer of watering and mowing has you tired already or you’re ready to relax next to a shaded water feature in the backyard, lawn replacement may be for you.

There are a number of reasons that a homeowner might be ready to either scale back the size of or remove a lawn.

According to Jan Smith-Heit, a Wenatchee-based landscape designer with Livable Landscapes Designs, many clients want to reduce water use and maintenance, specifically the need to mow a lawn.

“Grass is the highest-maintenance and most water-guzzling plant you can have,” Smith-Heit said.

For clients who want to replace a lawn, Smith-Heit will design a space using ground cover, low-growing plants and shrubs, and drought-tolerant plants. Bark and river rock are both common ground covers used.

If you want to tackle the project yourself, Smith-Heit recommended researching drought-tolerant plants that will thrive in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant

Reviving a lawn If your lawn is damaged but you want to keep some or all of it, refurbishing may be possible.

Ron Hanson, owner of Clearwater Granite in Moses Lake, which specializes in landscape remodeling, said, “Most lawns are salvageable and just need some care.”

Some lawns just need to be reseeded and watered well.

The exception is a lawn with fungus, which will need to be removed and replaced. An infected lawn will have dead patches that look similar to fairy rings (rings or arcs of mushrooms grow-

Hardiness Zone 5, picking a palette for your plants, choosing a few ground covers and low shrubs, and rounding out the mix with some perennials.

Next you’ll want to ei-

ther create a design yourself or have one created for you.

Ensure that plants are placed where they will have enough room to grow and will receive the right amount of sun. Using

drip irrigation in your design prevents wasting water, putting the water exactly where your plants need it.

To aid in visualizing your plan, Craig Bong, of Lone Pine Nursery and Landscape in Quincy, recommended using spray paint or even a garden hose to outline borders of planting beds or other features.

ing in a lawn).

Hanson said fall is the best time to reseed the lawn, usually in September or early October. When reseeding is done in the spring, weed infestations can be a problem.

Once you’ve done the hard work of removing damaged areas, tilling up the soil and working in new seed, then water and fertilize with care to protect your new lawn.

Take a walk in the spring sun and imagine the possibilities for your special space. Whether that lawn stays or goes, there are many options available for exploration.

To get rid of grass that’s already established, Smith-Heit advised killing it using either a chemical application or by covering the area with a tarp.

Bong said that for a large area, a sod cutter would speed up the task. Smith-Heit advised covering the area with about 3 inches of bark to suppress See Lawn, next page

The Quincy Valley

Post Register Lawn, from page 8 weed growth.

If your design will be implemented in stages, SmithHeit said to first focus on any construction needed, such as adding a patio or a pad and wiring for a hot tub. After the big items are finished and you’re ready to add plants, make sure your soil is good; remove any rocks and amend the soil with apple pomace (the solids remaining after apples are pressed for juice).

Then add your irrigation system before planting.

To keep water use low and efficient, the Chelan County PUD’s website (www.chelanpud.org) recommends using xeriscape. The site estimates that using xeriscape landscaping will save 20 to 80 percent

THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2017 in outdoor watering.

The site lists the seven components of xeriscape.

1. Plan and design Using a scale drawing of your space, identify sunny, shady or sloped areas. Figure out how much room is needed for activities. Group together plants with similar watering needs.

2. Soil improvement Having the right soil is the best way to help plants consume all the moisture available. You may need to add decomposed organic matter to improve your soil. If soil is especially poor, raised beds with purchased topsoil may be best.

3. Turf Fescue and buffalo grass are popular xeriscape grasses because of their drought-re-

sistance, tolerance of varying soil conditions and low maintenance requirements. A new lawn that combines grass and low-growing perennials, called Ecoturf, is available.

4. Plant selection Research plants for each zone of your space, considering climate and drought tolerance. You may want to add edibles also.

5. Efficient irrigation Find options that work best for each zone and put these on timers to ensure the right amount of water is provided.

6. Mulch Whatever form you choose, it should be 2 to 4 inches deep, applied directly over landscape fabric.

7. Maintenance How much time you will spend watering, weeding,

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feeding, pruning or controlling pests, depends on your initial planning and design.

The PUD’s website also has a list of xeriscape plants (which you can see in the RivThe Quincy Valley

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erfront Park Demonstration Garden in Wenatchee) as well as sample plans to get you started on your design journey.

Sebastian Moraga contributed to this story.

509-787-4511. Fax: 509-787-2682 305 Central Ave. S, Quincy, WA, 98848

The Quincy Valley Post-Register's Spring Home and Garden section is published by Quincy Valley Media Inc.The Quincy Valley Post-Register is published weekly and distributed free to in-city residents in Quincy, Wash. and George, Wash.

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Square foot gardening

BY JEANNIE MORAGA QVPR contributor Small-space gardening doesn’t have to mean lowyield harvests.

When space is at a premium, try a square foot garden to make the best use of what’s available.

According to Master Gardener George Roper, of Othello, it’s a very efficient gardening method. For example, he said, a gardener may plant four leaf lettuce plants in a square foot of soil, 6 inches apart, rather than planting all the seeds in a row and then thinning the seedlings to be 6 inches apart later.

Other examples of what you can grow in a square foot include 16 radishes, carrots or onions; nine bush beans, beets or spinach; four leaf lettuce

or Swiss chard; one broccoli, cabbage, pepper or tomato plant. In a garden that’s 16 square feet, numerous possibilities exist.

Roper said most square foot gardens are a 3-foot-by3-foot square or a 4-by-4.

Instead of tending long rows and walking back and forth, you have a 9-foot or 16-foot square, allowing you to tend to your plants from all sides.

Roper said that using square foot gardening in a raised bed is a good option for people who need (or want) to avoid bending down or kneeling.

This type of garden is also wheelchair-friendly.

Weeding these gardens is easy. Reach in to pull or dig them. If you use a soil mixture, as Mel Bartholomew recommends in his book “All New Square Foot Gardening,”

you have to do less weeding than when using dirt that may already contain weed seeds.

Once plants begin to grow, filling in the space and shading the soil, they will suppress any weed growth.

Watering these gardens is quick. You don’t need to drag a watering can or hose along the rows or move a sprinkler from area to area. Each square takes only seconds to water, Roper said.

Instead of fertilizing a large area where you might just plant a few rows, in square foot gardening you will use almost the entire planting area.

However, Harriet Custer, of the WSU Skagit County Master Gardeners, noted that if you use good compost, the plants will get all the nutrients they need without fertilizing.

In addition, Custer recommended in her 2016 Master Gardeners article on square foot gardening, that beds remain at or below 4 feet wide, so you can reach the center of the bed.

Once your soil is ready, measure and mark squares that are 1 foot by 1 foot. Rope, twine or lath can be used to make the grids.

Plant each square with the chosen crop, according to the spacing advised on the seed packet or plant tag.

Custer advised putting a couple seeds in each hole, then snipping off the tops of the seedlings you don’t need at thinning time. You can then

leave the tops on the soil to compost, adding nutrients for the remaining plants.

The addition of a trellis or frame to one end of the raised bed provides space for cucumbers, peas or other vining crops to grow, Custer said.

Custer added that succession planting is easy in square foot gardens since once the crop in a square have been harvested, all that’s needed is to trowel in fresh compost, mix it in and plant again.

If you’ve wondered how you could squeeze in a good garden in a small space, this may be your ticket to a varied and productive growing season.

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Gardens are great, except for the kind with dirt and plants

W

hen it comes to gardening, I’m all thumbs. And none of ‘em is green.

When I mow the lawn, my rows are rarely straight.

When I pick dandelions, the 4-year-old in me takes over faster than you can say “don’t do that!” and I blow away the seeds one gulp of air at a time.

And when I drive past a large, lush, green expanse of land, manicured and well cared for, my first thought is never the amount of work that took, but how great it would be to take that green rectangle and use it the way God intended, with 22 people in shorts on it, chasing a soccer ball.

Needless to say, the list of things I would rather do than get my knees muddy is long.

Which, ironically is kind of a disappointment to my sainted wife, who likes nothing better than to tinker around with her

garden.

Not me. For instance, when it comes to gardening, I would much prefer to do other things.

Gardening is bad for your health, your career and your finances. The band Soundgarden hasn’t had a hit in 20 years.

Who’s the hot artist nowadays?

Bruno Mars. There are no gardens on Mars. Can’t be a coincidence.

Same in sports. I guarantee you that if onetime Washington State football star Ryan Leaf had a different last name, today he would be a Hall-of-Famer. Like Warren Moon. Then again, the Hall does have a QB named Bob Waterfield.

What’s a word for a treacherous man? A rake.

Anne Wareham, author of “The Bad-Tempered Gardener,” called gardening outdoor housework. I disagree. There are things about housework that I enjoy, like washing dishes and

By Sebastian Moraga, writer for The Quincy Valley Post-Register

rolling up socks to play living-room baseball with my son.

Now that I think of it, there are gardening-related items that I enjoy. Like the movie “Being There,” with Peter Sellers, easily one of the best five movies I have ever seen.

The story deals with a simple-minded man who watches a lot of television, has little clue about anything and who gets mistaken by many others as a powerful, wise businessman who could make a great

president.

Sellers plays a gardener in the movie and most of his sayings deal with how to tend to a garden. Most people, however, start reading between the lines and think he’s talking about the world at large, and thus begin to think of Sellers’ character as a sage.

“We are going to have the most beautiful garden, it’s going to be great, and our neighbor is going to pay for it.

Bigly.”

OK, he doesn’t say that.

But anyway, it’s a great movie. Other gardens I enjoy are the ones by the mall in East Wenatchee and by the big theater in Yakima. The ones with the endless plates of pasta. Being a bit of an anachronism, I have always loved Dean Martin’s music, and the Olive Garden in Yakima plays his stuff all the time, and the one in East Wenatchee has (or had) killer

pasta fagioli, the one Martin sings about in “That’s Amore.”

But for the most part, gardening and its gross, disgusting, awful-smelling cousin composting are two big no-nos for me. Composting? Are you serious? Egg shells, papers, leaves and lawn clippings?

Who came up with this one?

“No, don’t throw that away, let’s collect it until it almost stinks, turn it, then use it to grow our next salad.” Mmmm.

Knowing my luck, my son is going to read the gardening-with-children article, take gardening to heart, and that will mean the end of my mudfree wardrobe days. Maybe next year’s article will be about how much I love gardening and how much it meant to me that my son introduced me to it.

And how many pasta dishes I bought with the money the gypsies gave me for him.

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Remodel for maximum ROI with these top projects

By Scott McGillivray As a contractor and real estate expert, I am often asked by homeowners for advice on the best projects for their remodeling dollars. While it’s important to first consider the purpose of the remodel (is it for yourself, for resale, or as part of an income-generating suite?), there are some remodels that have proven to be reliable investments over time. Some of these include: - Kitchens and bathrooms. Remodels here top the list. High-end finishes, like marble and quartz countertops and stainless steel or commercial-grade appliances, are greatly coveted. Clever storage is desirable, along with home automation –– a new and growing trend.

- Bathrooms. This one is simple.

The hottest bathrooms right now aim to replicate a spa-like experience.

From color and accessories to scents and lighting, transforming this room

into a relaxation haven will maximize its appeal.

- Basements. Basement remodels are among the best ways to gain space without going the route of a costly addition, but the key is doing it right.

Address moisture issues first, and hire professionals for plumbing, electrical and mechanical work. Insulate with a water-repellent insulation made from inorganic materials to improve energy efficiency, and then focus on the finishes.

- Insulation. Installing, topping up or replacing insulation is one of the most cost-effective ways to increase energy efficiency and save money over the life of your home. For exterior walls, basements headers, cathedral ceilings, and attics, I recommend a product called Roxul Comfortbatt stone wool insulation for exceptional thermal performance. For interior walls and between floors, I’m a big fan of Roxul Safe ‘n’ Sound for its excellent sound dampening qualities. Both products are fire resistant up to 2,150 degrees, resistant to mold and mildew, and Greenguard-certified to the highest level for air quality.

- Smaller fixes. Know that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to realize a good return. Can’t afford a full-out kitchen or bathroom remodel? Consider painting walls and cabinets, replacing outdated hardware or fixtures and installing new lighting for an impactful refresh. When it comes to living spaces, it’s amazing what a splash of color, some new flooring, careful-

ly selected accessories and strategic lighting can do for the look and feel of a room. Save a little extra by doing it yourself. With a positive attitude and some elbow grease, you can make a big difference with projects that require low to moderate know-how.

Scott McGillivray is the award-winning TV host of the hit series “Income Property” on DIY Network, a fulltime real estate investor, contractor, author and educator. Follow him on Twitter @smcgillivray. Distributed

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