Spring Home and Garden 2018

A PULLOUT SECTION

Exterior painting, Page 18 Ornamental grasses, Page 19 Flooring choices, Page 22 Easy compost bins, Page 25

On the cover:

Watering your lawn, Page 16

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Water, water … only where you want it Getting water to your lawn or garden is vital to keeping it healthy, green and growing. There are a number of ways to deliver water just where it’s needed.

Hoses and sprinklers require time and commitment to move them from place to place to get

By Jeannie even watering. BriMoraga, an Zietlow, parts Special to the manager at Lad Post-Register Irrigation’s Moses Lake operation, explained: “If the sprinkler is designed to spray 20 feet and it’s set in place for 30 minutes, you have to move it another 20 feet and then another, in a grid pattern.”

Zietlow said that setting that same sprinkler in the middle of the space would give some areas one-half inch of water while other areas got very little, so setting a sprinkler in one corner and then moving to the next corner would be better. However, an oscillating sprinkler that sends water up and over in a fan pattern could offer more even watering when set in the middle of a space.

Another issue Zietlow mentioned was that most people don’t set a timer, so they forget to move the sprinkler at the intended time.

Blair Davis of EZ Lawn Care,

in Wenatchee, said that there are timers that hook onto the hose bib to control the time the water runs.

Davis said multiple sprinklers can be run on one timer, “up to four or five, if you have enough pressure

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and water.”

Davis also said these will work with drip systems for garden areas.

Drip systems are useful for delivering water just where it’s needed without soaking plant leaves or encouraging the growth of weeds around plants.

Davis said he prefers to use emitters or drippers that can be punched into the watering systems tubing for shrubs to avoid soaking the plants’ woody parts.

If an in-ground, automated system is your preference, Zietlow said the first step is to have a professional design drawn up. He said if he has a customer come in without a diagram or measurements in hand, he will use Google Earth to search for an image of the customer’s address.

If the photo available was taken in the last year or two and is accurate to the current layout of the property, Zietlow will put that image into the design software and draw over the top of it. “We don’t even have to come out to your place, we can just look at the map and go,” he said, “pretty quick and painless doing it that way!”

In addition to knowing the layout, Zietlow said knowing how many Continued on the next page

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Half-day gardening workshop to feature speakers

Continued from the previous page

gallons per minute is available and at what pressure is important to designing the system.

Zietlow advises his customers to connect into the mainline that comes into the house rather than hooking into an outside faucet.

“If you have a one-inch mainline coming in, it drops down to three-quarters of an inch, circulates around the house and the further that pipe runs, the more pressure you lose,” he explained. “By the time it gets to that faucet, you may only have half the pressure you’d have if you hooked into the mainline direct.”

Zietlow said this can mean the

difference between being able to run only two sprinklers at a time compared to four or five at a time.

When the mainline connection is made, Zietlow can determine how much water is available with a flow tester. It has multiple nozzles, each with a valve, Zietlow explained.

“It has a gauge, so we open one nozzle at a time until we pull the pressure down to about 50 pounds.

That’s where we stop” and check the number and sizes of nozzles open.

He compares this information to a chart to determine the gallons per minute of the flow. For instance, if a 5/32” nozzle at 50 pounds pressure gives 5 gallons a minute and there were three of those open, the total

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flow is 15 gallons per minute.

Now you have the system design and know how many sprinklers can run at a time. The next step is deciding who will handle the installation.

Davis of EZ Lawn said a homeowner with some handy skills could get a parts list from an irrigation designer and tackle the job if desired, calling on the company to answer questions along the way. Having the design and installation handled by the irrigation company is the other option.

Keeping your plants well-watered and thriving doesn’t have to be difficult with so many options just waiting to be customized to fit your specific needs.

Spring is here!

Come in and check out our inventory of Spring clothing and home decor!

We need your HELP!

• Does your family have a drawn escape plan of your house, showing all exits?

• Does everyone in the family know at least 2 escape routes from every room?

• Does your family practice your escape plan at least twice a year?

• Do you have a meeting place outside of the home for all family members to gather in case of a fire?

Address markers can be purchased at the District Main Office (1201 Central Ave S – Quincy) Cost $10.00 For help with any of these items please visit the Grant County Fire District #3 office or call 787-2713.

The Columbia Basin Eco-Gardening Symposium will be held in Moses Lake on Saturday, April 21, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Columbia Basin Technical Skills Center, 900 E. Yonezawa Blvd.

The event is organized jointly by the Grant-Adams Master Gardeners and Grant County Conservation District.

The theme for the fourth annual workshop is Swing into Spring. A trio of accomplished speakers is scheduled: Allan Felsot will discuss pesticides in the garden; Karen Lewis will speak about managing home orchards; and Linda Chalker-Scott will talk about common garden myths.

The event will be accompanied by door prizes, a vendor marketplace and free refreshments. Space is limited, so applicants are encouraged to register as soon as possible through Grant County Conservation District by calling 509-765-9618; in person or through the mail at the Conservation District office at 1107 S. Juniper Drive, Moses Lake; or by registering online at www. columbiabasincds.org.

Upper Columbia Basin

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If you are interested please call or stop by the store.

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A fresh look for your house’s exterior Have you noticed a chip here and another one there on the outside walls of your home? If so, it’s time to refresh the paint.

I asked Jenny Harwood, a Quincy Hardware

By Jaana & Lumber emHatton, ployee, what we Special to the should keep in Post-Register mind when getting ready to paint exterior walls.

“Any wear or chipping indicates it’s time for a paint job,” Harwood said. “But please wait until the night-time temperature remains at 50 F or over to ensure a good end-result.”

Harwood explained that the painting process begins with thorough preparation: scraping, sanding and priming. When selecting the paint, “you get what you pay for,” she said, from personal experience.

According to Harwood it’s well worth it to pay a little more to get good results.

The essentials of house painting 1) Buy the right paint for the surface. Latex paint can be used on almost anything except for masonry, which requires a concrete

C) Blended (polyester and wool) for all paints. This type of a roller offers the extra holding-power of wool with the durability of polyester.

paint. Oil-based paints always require a primer. Their benefit is water-repellency and a smoother finish than latex.

2) The brush can make all the difference. A good quality tool will give better results and will last longer.

Brushes come in three types: A) Natural bristle, mainly for oil-based paints.

B) Blended nylon/polyester for

latex paint.

C) Polyester for latex paints.

3) Rollers can make the work go faster. However, you will most likely have to touch up with a brush immediately, before the paint dries, to ensure a consistent surface.

Rollers also come in three types: A) Synthetic, a good match for most latex paints.

B) Natural (mohair or sheepskin) for oil-based paint.

Step by step It is essential to thoroughly clean the surfaces first. Wet walls before you scrub. They should be washed with a solution of 1 gallon of water/1 cup chlorine bleach/1 cup phosphate-free cleaner. Rinse before the solution dries, and paint after two days of dry weather.

Fill cracks after priming – the primer will protect the wood. You can use an acrylic primer on most surfaces except for cedar and redwood, which require an oil-based coat.

Start from the top and work your way down. Rain can remove fresh latex in an instant, so pay attention to the weather forecast. Even though it will require more time and money, two top coats will ensure a long-lasting finish.

With good preparation and good materials, you can look forward to having a nice-looking house for the next 10 to 15 years.

In the Quincy area, the estimated cost to paint the exterior of a two-story house is about $6,000.

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Ornamental grasses: simply beautiful Remember “Sleepless in Seattle”? Apparently, there are still folks outside the area who think all of Washington is as cool and drizzly as it is on the west side. But this state’s climate truBy Rachel ly runs the gamut, DiLorenzo, from rainy, temperSpecial to the ate areas to harsh Post-Register and dry areas. The coastal areas are influenced by the activity of the Pacific Ocean. Yet mountains block rainfall from hitting the central region.

Although Washington is diverse, there is a type of plant that grows throughout the Evergreen State: ornamental grass.

Luther Belofsky, a local garden enthusiast and part-time Quincy Valley resident, said, “This is a popular option for home gardens, as grasses add great texture, color, and movement to gardens. Plus, there is such a wide variety to choose from, such as the drought-tolerant, moisture-tolerant, deer-resistant, and the ones that are colorful year-round.”

Landscaping with ornamental grasses has become popular, from home gardens, to city parks and commercial landscaping. These grasses are ideal, as there is a variety to fit almost every garden spot. It doesn’t matter whether the

spot is sunny or shady, wet or dry, cool or hot. With their diversity of size, color and texture, ornamental grasses offer an attractive addition to almost any garden.

This group of plants can be enjoyed year-round. It is outstanding in the winter, as it adds a feeling of movement to a garden. It’s noteworthy that such grass is used solely for decorative purposes (as opposed to turf, fodder or a cover crop).

Grasses can be categorized in many ways but are often grouped into cool and warm seasons, and evergreens. Knowing whether a grass is a “cool,” “warm,” or “evergreen”

will determine its seasonal growth pattern and necessary maintenance.

Cool season grasses will start to grow in late winter or early spring.

This type of ornamental grass seems to thrive, and have better foliage, during cool or drought conditions.

Some popular cool season grasses for the inland Northwest include: Blue Fescue; Hakone Grass; Tufted Hair Grass; and Feather Reed Grass.

Warm season grasses obviously thrive better during summer months, withstanding high temperatures and limited moisture. Inland Northwest types include: Japanese Blood Grass; Zebra Grass; and Blue Wild Rye. As their name implies, evergreen grasses are vibrant and beautiful year-round. Evergreens can be easygoing: When cutting them back in late winter or early spring, it might be possible to simply remove any brown leaves with gloved hands.

Hold on to that Lowe’s credit card! Belofsky recommends exercising caution when planting the “running” type of evergreen grasses.

“Running grasses spread by vigorous rhizome, which can be invasive. They can really cause havoc, if not contained,” he said.

“Take bamboo, for example – that can be a real nuisance.”

Grasses add a new dimension

to the garden with an informal, natural appearance. They usually look their best when grouped with other plants. However, they can be massed together to form hedges, or edges. A single clump of grass can act as an entrance marker, or as a punctuation mark in the middle of a flower bed.

Most grasses prefer full sun, but some can be grown in the shade.

What’s even cooler? Grasses often fare even better in poor soil, with low organic matter and low nutrient levels.

OK, it’s safe to hit the garden center. Happy planting!

The Spring Home and Garden section of The Quincy Valley Post-Register is published by Quincy Valley Media Inc., 305 Central Ave. S, Quincy, WA, 98848. 509787-4511, Fax: 509-787-2682 Editor - Dave Burgess, news@qvpr.com Ad Sales - Janette Morris, ads@qvpr.com Graphic Design - Jessica Blancas, design@qvpr.com Sports Editor - Sebastian Moraga, sports@qvpr.com Bookkeeper - Janet Lybbert, office@qvpr.com

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NTING GUIDE

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bbage rrots

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*Indicates start plant day to be April 15 Source: Washington State University Extension, http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/EM057E/EM057E.pdf

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Flooring – wood or laminate? layment for moisture protection and added noise reduction. Some brands have the bottom pad already attached.

What woods are used for hardwood flooring?

The most common flooring woods are red oak (the most popular in the United States), white oak, birch, beech, pine and cherry. The different wood types vary greatly in color, pattern and durability.

The hardiness of wood flooring is based on the Janka Rating system.

It specifies Brazilian cherry as the most durable and places Douglas fir at the bottom of the list. Red oak is in the lower third of the list. as opposed to laminate which comes with a prepared finish.

What is laminate?

Laminate flooring is synthetic.

It is composed of several different man-made layers that are sealed together. Laminate only looks like wood.

It comes in different thicknesses, patterns and textures. Laminate is much more durable than wood.

However, once it is damaged, lam-

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Is bamboo a hardwood?

Bamboo is not wood at all – it is a grass. It is fast growing (two to three years to maturity) and durable. It has a hardiness rating of 1,000-11,000, which is about a half of the Brazilian Cherry rating. Bamboo will last about 25 years with proper care and is a highly sustainable material.

inate is nearly impossible to repair.

It cannot be sanded or spot-fixed.

If the flooring has been installed as a floating surface (not nailed or glued down), the damaged piece(s) can be replaced.

Laminate is manufactured in planks, just like hardwood flooring.

The width can vary from 3 inches to 11 inches. Lengths can be found from 46 inches to 80 inches. The thickness is generally 0.31 inch.

Laminate may require an under-

Installation Laminate may be a do-it-yourself option with the proper tools

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With spring comes bright sunshine and all the things it reveals in your home, such as worn floors. You may start to consider renewing them.

The floors in a home must endure more wear and tear than any other portion of a house.

By Jaana Floors also create Hatton, a significant visual Special to the impact. With both Post-Register practical and aesthetic matters to consider and with a range of options, it can be overwhelming to decide which flooring type to choose. Let’s focus on two choices, hardwood and laminate.

I talked to Bill Friend of Wm Construction Inc. in Quincy to receive a professional opinion on flooring matters.

“We definitely install more laminate than wood in the Quincy area. In order to purchase laminate flooring you will have to go to Moses Lake or Wenatchee. With the hardwoods we do install, oak seems to be the favorite,” Friend said. “The current trend seems to be vinyl plank wood.”

He also said that laminate can be done on your own, but hardwood flooring requires a professional with the right tools and knowledge. In addition, hardwood is finished onsite,

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FFA plant sale set

The annual Quincy FFA Plant Sale is scheduled for April 21 at 8 a.m. at the Quincy High School Agriculture Education Department greenhouse. The sale will include bedding plants, patio pots, garden pots, hanging baskets, vegetable starts and metal yard art.

Master Gardener program regroups

Continued from the previous page

and skills. Hardwoods, however, do require professional equipment and expertise.

Maintenance Laminate is an easy-care surface: dry or wet mopping takes care of its maintenance. Hardwoods require more attention and specific products.

Wood gets worn over the years and generally has to be sanded every 10 years or so. Laminate finish cannot be redone; instead, an entire piece must be replaced.

The lifespan Even though laminate is durable, it is not eternal. It may have to be replaced every 20 years due to the wear of the finish.

Hardwoods may last 80-plus years. They can be sanded and refinished several times over.

Although there was some question late last year about the viability of the Washington State University Grant-Adams Master Gardener program, Master Gardeners in Grant-Adams counties report that the program is as vital and vibrant as it was before. It will continue to operate using the science-based principles and practices that make it a credible program, providing the public with recommendations for sustainable gardening as well as good training for Master Gar-

dener volunteers, a press release from WSU Grant-Adams Master Gardeners stated.

The program will continue to depend on the Washington State University Extension for oversight, with assistance from support staff at the Moses Lake WSU Extension office. The primary change is that the WSU-supported Master Gardener coordinator position is no longer a paid position due to budget cuts.

The public may continue to bring samples to the office at 1525 E. Wheeler Road, Moses Lake, call with questions at 509-754-2011, ext. 4313, or request assistance through the online clinic (ga.mgvolunteers@ad.wsu.edu).

Plant clinics will operate through the growing season on most Saturdays in Moses Lake, Ephrata and occasionally in Othello.

For answers to gardening questions, contact the Master Gardeners at 754-2011, ext. 4313, or email to ga.mgvolunteers@wsu.edu.

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Lots of options for container gardening Container gardens fit any size and shape space, adding a burst of color and possibly flavor, too.

In addition to flowers and shrubs, vegetables and herbs are options, even in small spaces.

Whatever you

By Jeannie choose to plant, Moraga, start with good soil.

Special to the Lorean Kruiswyk, Post-Register a longtime and award-winning gardener in Cashmere, said there are a number of good choices available commercially. Some bagged soils hold moisture better than others, lengthening times between watering. Some soils may also contain enough fertilizer to last for three months. After this period, you should add a separate fertilizer.

When adding soil to the planter, leave enough room to water the plants without washing out soil.

“Leave at least an inch,” advised Kruiswyk.

Containers for gardening come in all sizes, shapes and materials.

When choosing pots, be sure they will fit your available space and accommodate the size of the plants you intend to grown in them. They also need to have drainage holes to avoid waterlogged soil and dead

plants.

If flowers and foliage top your wish list, Kruiswyk said to choose a tall plant for the middle, adding a few plants to hang over the edge and finishing with smaller plants for a full arrangement. Rodale’s Organic Life website, www.rodalesorganiclife.com, calls this “a thriller, a spiller, and a filler,” making it easy to remember. The site recommends 12543 Road H SW Royal City, WA (509) 989-0428

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a total of five or six plants for an 18- or 24-inch container.

The focal-point plant could be an eye-catching flower, an ornamental grass or even a climbing vine with the addition of a small trellis or pillar, according to the website.

When planting in a container, Kruiswyk said to plant closer than indicated on the plant tags. Plants can be pruned later as they fill in the space.

When using hanging baskets to garden, stick to shorter plants.

“Petunias are wonderful for hanging baskets,” Kruiswyk said.

Keep in mind, these smaller baskets dry out more quickly, requiring careful attention to watering.

If you dream of picking fresh vegetables to grace your table, options abound. Kruiswyk said many varieties are available for patio planters. Lettuce, carrots and onions are all easily grown in pots. There are also dwarf varieties of corn for container gardening.

“You can get bush cucumbers that only grow 12 inches across,” Kruiswyk said. “However, beans tend to take a little more room. You’d want short bean plants unless you had a fence they could grow on.”

Rodale’s Organic Life suggested theme gardens such as a salad garden with a variety of lettuces, dwarf tomatoes, chives and parsley, or a

pizza garden with several types of basil, plus tomatoes and peppers.

Kruiswyk recommended buying from a local nursery that carries varieties that will do well in your area. Local nurseries are also a good source of information and advice when choosing all the elements for your best container gardening experience.

With so many options available, you’re sure to find just the right container and plants to create the container garden you’ve envisioned for your space.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2018

Composting for ‘the lazy gardener’ Ah, it’s that time of year again … time to prepare for juicy tomatoes, those abundant rosy clusters ripening on the vine ... the short window of time to enjoy sweet local cherries and peaches ... time, once and for all, to build a functionBy Rachel al outdoor compost DiLorenzo, pile. That way, I’ll Special to the stop wasting all of Post-Register my nutrient-rich coffee grounds, egg shells and veggie peels. And on the hottest days of the year, I just might awaken the next-door neighbors with the richly fertile aroma of fermenting waste. But best of all, I can brag that my homemade soil is my trade secret for producing those perfect tomatoes, carrots and kale.

Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as dumping the foul-smelling contents of my crisper drawer (or as my son calls it, “the compost prep station”) on to my garden. No, the leavings must be aged as a fine wine, gently stirred and churned. Such mixing is best accomplished within a designated container; thus, the compost bin.

Just like an eternal flame of biological matter, my compost is a delightful concoction of old and new.

In fact, I get downright nostalgic, seeing the plum pits and apple cores

Photos by Rachel DiLorenzo

A cinder block bin for composting (left) turns various forms of organic material into soil. A “kitchen sink bin” (right) can be made from random scraps of wood.

from last fall ... but I digress.

In the past, I simply designated a cleared backyard corner as the place for the compost heap. But this year, I am determined to step up my efforts. So, after a quick search on Pinterest.com (the online fountainof-project-ideas site), I have a plan: a simple, open compost bin, created from 40 cinder blocks.

There are other intriguing options, i.e., the upcycled pallet bin, or the “kitchen sink bin,” made from random scraps.

Charles at my neighborhood garden center has promised to set

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aside the “gently used” blocks I need. They are being recycled from their former life as a partition wall.

Once I have heaped the compost into a neat square, I silently pray for calm weather. I head to the garden center … fast-forward to the backyard, three hours later. I am staring at my stacks of cinder blocks. Pinterest failed to tell me how to fasten the blocks together. With a sigh, I straighten my compost into a stinky tower, and my crew and I get to work.

The blocks are cumbersome and heavy but actually fit together easily.

After we heave the last block into

place, I heap the foul matter so it hugs the inside walls. Viola! While I may smell like an unshowered weasel, I am also feeling smugly professional.

So, that’s it! The truth is, if someone as technically disadvantaged as I am can create a nifty compost bin from scratch, then you can, too.

But, if you’d rather not take on a bin project or wait for the deposits to crumble, an alternative for clean yard waste, such as leaves or grass clippings, is to take it to the Quincy city-run compost facility at 18655 Road 9 NW and drop it off for free.

THE QUINCY VALLEY

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THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2018

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