Home and Garden 2012

March 30, 2012 THE COMMUNITY NEWS A Special Section

HOME&GARDEN

Organic Gardening

Energy Effi ciency

Repurposing

Backyard vegetable gardens done right. page 3

Simple steps to lowering your electric bill. page 7

Old becomes new, with style and grace. page 10

2C March 30, 2012 Home&Garden www.community-news.com

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The Community News Home&Garden March 30, 2012 3C

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◗ Tips for organic gardening in your own backyardBy Martina TreviñoThe Community News

Organic gardening can be defi ned in many ways, but Judy Cain of Stuart Nursery in Weatherford breaks it down to the core.

“Basically it means not using chemicals, and trying to do things the natural way,” she said.

A major benefi t of going organic is that it’s better for the environment, and in the case of vegetable and herb gardens, it means providing the best, safest food for your family.

The use of some chemicals are not a bad thing, Cain said, but if used incorrectly, problems can arise.

One of the major challenges with the organic meth-ods is that gardens will not always meet the gardener’s preconceived expectations, she said.

Organics are not going to be picture perfect fairytale gardens and accepting the imperfections is crucial.

“It doesn’t hurt if your leaves have a few little holes,” Cain said.

In addition, unlike the instant gratifi cation of dousing something with a chemical spray and seeing it

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A Ladybug (above) is one of the organic gardener’s best friends because they eat aphids. Compost (right) is enriched with table scraps for rich soil.

bug-free right away, patience is also required in organic gardening. Time is needed for some natural methods of pest control to be effective.

Turn to ORGANICS, page 4C


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ORGANICSfrom page three

Cynthia White, Parker County Master Gardener with the Texas AgriLife extension, has been gardening for about 34 years and has chosen to go totally organic. She doesn’t use any herbicides or pesticides.

“I personally am all organic, just by choice. It’s not anything that Parker County Master Gardeners necessarily promote,” she said. “Although, they do discourage overuse of pesticides – pro-moting integrated pest management, using the least toxic approach.”

The main benefi t of the organic way is that you can pick up anything in your yard and put it in your mouth – nobody has put any nasty chemicals in it, she said.

White said organic gardening is eas-ier and more pleasurable.

“You pay closer attention to the gar-den and try to understand why things happen, instead of just reacting to it,” she said.

Knowing that you don’t have to spray your whole plant or the whole yard because you have little chew marks on a leaf is less stressful, she said.

However, planning and preparation

are essential before a single plant goes into the ground.

Organic gardening is no more com-plex than traditional gardening, but it too, requires “doing your homework, as with any project,” Cain said.

Gardening information is abundant on the Internet, and deciding what to

use can be overwhelming. Texas AgriLife extension encourages using researched base techniques and their website, www.agrilife.org is a good place to start.

“Garden Location and Set Up” Master Gardner Vegetable Specialist Training, by Thomas LeRoy, AgriLife Extension, Texas A&M System, pro-

vides information on starting a back-yard vegetable garden.

Beginning gardeners should con-sider location, available space, plant-ing zone (to determine planting times, suitable varieties and frost dates) when planning a garden.

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should be taken into consideration, including pathways, raised beds, com-post bins and water features.

The amount of time dedicated to the garden should be factored into its size. A 10’x10’ garden will take only about 30 minutes weekly to weed/cultivate with additional time required for watering,

pest control, and harvesting. However, a 30’x30’ garden (which

should yield enough produce for a fam-ily of four) requires about 4.5 hours per week to weed/cultivate, according to LeRoy.

Available daylight (6-10 hours of sun, depending on plant), access to

water, drainage, proximity to trees and shrubs should also be considered when selecting a site.

Once a site is selected, the fi rst step is to prepare, or amend, the soil. “Organic gardening is all about the soil.

The soil is the key to all gardening,” White said.

She recommends adding about 3”of compost, as well as lava sand (to aer-ate the soil and help hold water) and banded shale (to break up the clay).

This will vary depending on the soil, so testing the soil is essential. Soiltesting kits can be obtained from the county extension service, White said.

As far as what to plant, “Choose things you like,” White said. Cain sug-gests talking with a local nurseryman to see what variety grows well in the area.

“You want to make sure that thevariety is appropriate for the area,” she said. Peaches, pears, plums, fi gs, black-berries, strawberries grow well in EastParker County, she added.

Herbs are easy to grow and are highly recommended for beginners.

“Parsley, basil, rosemary, and thyme are all easy to grow,” Cain said. Some repel pests naturally and many are easy to maintain year-after-year.

Once planted, mulching is impor-tant – it keeps down the weeds and keeps the roots cooler, Cain said.

Even moisture is very essential, Cain recommends using drip irrigation when possible. Care should be taken to pre-vent overwatering.

Turn to ORGANICS, page 9C


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◗ New technology in watering systems can conserve 50 percent or moreBy Katie TerhuneThe Community News

A new technology in water conser-vation may be one way for North Texas residents to keep their lawn alive on less water as summer approaches.

Shayne Crumpler, owner of Irrigation Landscape Solutions, said there are a number of systems that allow North Texans to conserve water.

“There’s a lot of new products on the market that are designed for low volume,” he said.

The company advertises “smart” water sprinklers that can sync up with weather stations to adjust output based on local weather conditions.

The systems are programmed to respond to an area’s temperature, humidity, and rainfall to only release water when the plants need it.

SMART SPRINKLERS

“They automatically adjust your watering runtimes and how often it waters based on all those factor,” Crumpler said. “There are different sen-sors, like moisture sensors, that you can incorporate into them.”

Sprinkler systems that limit water output can be especially crucial in East Parker County, where cities and towns are looking to move to surface water because of supply concerns.

Utilizing greener systems to keep the lawn watered can go a long way towards and saving residents money on their water bill, Crumpler said.

The number of people who are seek-ing smart sprinklers to conserve their water is increasing, Crumpler said.

Some cities around the country even supply incentives for residents to choose a “greener” watering system.

“I don’t think it’s hit North Texas yet, but a lot of municipalities, espe-cially in the desert areas like Arizona, California, even El Paso…are giving rebates towards installing products like these,” he said.

Water districts in North Texas have considered similar programs, but none have been implemented yet, he said.

The systems can conserve between 20 percent and 50 percent, depending on how they are used.

“It could go even higher,” he said, cit-ing clients with subsurface drip systems that save more water.

Water conservation had always beenan issue in East Parker County but is becoming more urgent as the popula-tion expands, Crumpler said .

Without steps towards conserving water, he said, there may not always be enough to go around.

“There’s a limited amount of it,”he said. “Our water quantities are not growing as fast as our population, so we have to preserve what we have, and make it last.”

Installing a greener sprinkler system can cost hundreds of dollars, and is not the solution for everyone, Crumpler said.

Turn to SPRINKLERS, page 9C

The Community News Home & Garden March 30, 2012 7C

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◗ Simple changes can make a big difference in electricity bills By Sandra RousseauThe Community News

Like just about everything else consumers pay their hard-earned money for, the cost of heating, cooling and running a home just keeps going up.

According to ElectricityTX, an independent energy management and consulting fi rm, a typi-cal Texas family spends around $1900 per year on energy for their home, and that number continues to rise every year.

Instead of simply accepting that you have to pay big bucks to the utility companies, it pays to do a little research and institute a few easy changes that will help you to go green - and save some green in the process.

While installing new insulated windows, a high-tech refl ective roof or solar panels will certainly help cut energy costs, those are big, expensive projects.

Fortunately, there are simple, easy, inexpensive changes you can make around your home, which can add up to signifi cant savings in energy usage and translate to savings on your bill.

SAVING GREEN

Turn to ENERGY, page 8C

Switch to Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs One of the easiest electricity-saving strategies is

to replace old-fashioned incandescent light bulbs with halogen incandescent, LED or compact fl uo-rescent bulbs.

While these energy-effi cient bulbs cost more to purchase, they’ll save you money in the long run.

Cara Langford, assistant manager at Willow Park Ace Hardware, says the store carries all three types of energy effi cient bulbs.

“Not only do these bulbs use less energy, they last longer so they don’t need to be replaced as often,” she said. “I have some in my living room fi xtures, which are used all the time, and so far they’ve lasted about three-and-a-half years without burning out,” she said.

According to the United States Department of Energy, you can save around $50 per year on electricity bills when you replace 15 old-fashioned incandescent bulbs with energy-saving bulbs.

Replacing the bulbs in the fi xtures you use most often will reward you with the most money savings.

They don’t have to be done all at once; grab a package or two every time you get groceries.

Stop Air LeaksIt might seem as though tiny gaps

are nothing to bother with. However, closing them up can add

up to noticeable savings on your month-ly electric bills.

“If you can see light between the door and the frame when your exterior doors are shut, that means air is escap-ing,” said Langford.

She recommends using the light test to look for leaks, then replacing or add-ing weather stripping to problem areas.

“You don’t want to let cool air out or hot air in during the summer, or vice versa in the winter,” she said.

Insulate WindowsWhile replacing windows is a large,

expensive project, there are easier, less costly ways to make your windows more energy effi cient.

Langford recommends clear win-dow insulation fi lm, which is sold in sheets and is easily applied.

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ENERGY from page seven


Transparent window film, carried at most home improvement stores, can block heat while allowing natural light in to your home.

it,” she said. “One average-sized window takes about fi ve or 10 minutes.”

According to Langford, the insula-tion is virtually invisible but effective.

“It helps keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter,” she said.

The U.S. Department of Energy offers many energy-saving tips on their website. Some are cheap and easy, oth-ers take more time and investment, but all pay off in the log run.

Fast and Free Energy Savers

EFFICIENCY TIPS• Take advantage of daylight

rather than turning on bulbs during the day. Keep curtains open during the day, and use thin, lightweight sheer curtains for privacy.

• Teach children to turn off lights, and the computer and print-er when they’re finished with them. Unplug chargers when not in use, and turn off power strips when TVs and computers are off.

• Run dishwasher or clothes washer only when fully loaded.

• Hang clothes to dry rather than putting them in the dryer.

• Instead of using your dishwash-er’s drying cycle, allow dishes to air dry.

• Lower your water heater’s ther-mostat to 120°.

• Ask your electricity provider for an audit. Most companies will send an auditor to your home, free of charge. The auditor will check for poor insulation or air leaks, evalu-ate appliances for efficiency, and help with a cost-benefit analysis of energy efficient appliances or a new heating and cooling system.


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SPRINKLERSfrom page six

Residents who wanted to conserve their outdoor use should take other steps as well, he said.

“Be more selective on your land-scape,” Crumpler said. “Choose plants that are specifi cally native to this area like sparse turf: Bermuda grass, buffalo grass, and things like that.”

Native plants use less fertilizer and water, and will be more suited to the hot Texas summers, he said.

Another important factor in keeping water use to a minimum was “hydro-zoning,” or grouping together plants that need similar amounts of water, he said. Hydrozoning allows lawn owners to make the best use of their water by being selective about where it goes.

“You’re putting grass with grass, shrubs with shrubs-you’re trying to group them according to what they are, and according to their sun exposure,” he said. “That way, when you do your water scheduling, you can set it up to give it the water that it needs, and you’re not over-watering one area and under-watering in other areas.”

ORGANICSfrom page five

“It is very tempting to overwater, especially for beginners, as bad as it was last year I even killed a couple of things in my concern to keep them from dying,” White said.

A visual inspection can be deceiv-ing, White said.

In the intense summer afternoon heat some plants may get droopy or limp as natural response and not be

in need of watering, however, if it is droopy in the morning it probably does need watering.

She suggests checking the soil by sticking a fi nger down in the ground 3 or 4 inches to see if it’s wet, “and if it is, don’t water.”

White also stressed the importance of identifying insects. They may not be pests at all, but benefi cial insects.

“A lot of times people will see an early stage ladybug – it’s a real interest-ing creature, looks sort of like an alliga-tor, real small of course. They think,

‘what do I do to get rid of this pest,’ but they shouldn’t,” she said.

The ladybug larvae are voracious eaters of harmful insects and should be welcome in the garden, White said.

Alternatives to pesticides include such things as benefi cial nematodes,praying mantis, ladybugs, lacewings, and insecticidal soaps. Sometimes a strong spray of water is suffi cient, liquid seaweed and soapy water are also good repellents if not overused, White said.

She successfully used Trichogramma wasps to get rid of cankerworms in her oak trees. The tiny insects, which mea-sure about 1 millimeter, are harmless to humans.

However, they prevent pests from reproducing by injecting their own eggsinto the pest’s eggs, the wasps’ larva then feed on the embryos, stopping the infestation.

For additional information, White recommends Aggie Horticulture, http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu and the Parker County Master Gardeners web-site, pcmg-texas.org, and their monthly seminars.

The Ask A Master Gardener/Plant Sale will be April 14, from 8 a.m. to noon, at the Parker Co. Extension Offi ce, 604 N Main St., Weatherford.


◗ Using old things in new ways — with beautiful resultsBy Sandra RousseauThe Community News

As the general public has become more aware of the need to the keep our earth and its environment clean and healthy, the term “repurposing” has become a buzzword, not just in ecologi-cal circles but also in the home decorat-ing and furnishing industry.

Smart, savvy homeowners and deco-rators have learned to get creative and are reusing old items in new ways.

Repurposing proponents say it helps the environment by keeping items out of the landfi ll, is often easy on the budget, and the unique, repurposed creations give a home an artsy, eclectic look.

Alicia Collins of Forte Gifts and Flowers in Aledo refers to repurposed items as “gifts that keep on giving.”

Collins says Forte strives to offer cus-

THE ART OF REPURPOSING

SANDRA ROUSSEAU/THE COMMUNITY NEWS

An old birdcage, a cookie jar and a pitcher turned into planters.

tomers as many multi-purpose items as possible.

“Most of our gifts can be used more

than one way in your home,” said Collins. “For example, our fresh fl ower arrangements normally don’t come in

a plain vase,” she said. “We like to put them in a beautiful pitcher or a pretty cup and saucer – something that can be used again for another purpose.”

Forte also offers merchandise thathas been reincarnated from something old and unwanted into something new and beautiful.

“We have these precious bracelets that are made from antique spoons,” said Collins. “A woman in Weatherford makes them. She shops for antique spoons, her husband pounds them out and then she stamps them with sweetmessages like ‘You can see in the dark if you walk in the light.’”

Jan Orr-Harter, owner of HotTamale Antiques in Aledo, points out that while repurposing is a currently a popular decorating trend, it is actually nothing new.

Orr-Harter says that in the past, when people had much less, repurpos-ing was a necessity.

“Repurposing is an old trait in the American character. It goes back to

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people making quilts from fabric scraps and building furniture from old wood,” she said. “We get antique furniture piec-es in and often we can tell the wood was used for something else before it was made into furniture.”

Orr-Harter sees two main repurpos-ing trends happening today.

“One is making new items out of old; for example using antique indus-trial items like a metal chicken feeder, and turning it into something useful, such as a light fi xture,” she said. “The second trend is simply putting an old, beautiful on item on display and appre-ciating it as art. Clear Fork Station has a number of old farm implements they display as art.”

Amy Hetzler-Milner of Old Town Aledo’s Fal De Ral Home and Design has been repurposing items in her store for years, and is currently in the process of converting three old iron grates into pot racks, which will hang from the ceiling.

“Using items in unusual ways is really what makes your home unique,” she said. In addition to grates remade as pot racks, Hetzler-Milner has used old doors as tabletops, iron fence panels as wall hangings and birdhouses to hold plants.

SANDRA ROUSSEAU/THE COMMUNITY NEWS

Unique bracelets repurposed from antique silver spoons at Forté in Aledo. The spoons are heated and stamped with inspirational messages.

Hetlzer-Milner is also a proponent of re-imagining old furniture pieces.

“Older pieces are made better than new ones,” she said. “I tell my custom-ers to look at the lines of a piece and not to worry about the fi nish. If a piece has good lines, we can repaint it or redo it

and turn it into something gorgeous.”Some manufacturers are using recy-

cled goods as raw materials for truly special items.

Chattel, also in Aledo, sells beautiful pieces of Vietri glassware made from recycled glass.

Beatriz Ball serving pieces, also sold at Chattel, are handcrafted from recy-cled aluminum.

These classic-looking metal serving pieces can go from the freezer to the oven to the table and never need pol-ishing.

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◗ Family owned landscapers celebrate 25 yearsBy Sandra Rousseau The Community News

While small businesses often strug-gle to survive in today’s tough economy, Mike and Trena Farnham are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their business, Farnham Landscape.

Mike Farnham started the business as a one-man mowing enterprise when he was a college student.

“I actually started mowing lawns when I was probably 12 years old,” he said. “I may have started off as a one-man show, but it is absolutely a team effort now and I’m very proud to work with the fi ne people we have on our team.”

Over the years, Farnham Landscape’s services have grown far beyond mowing.

Today the company specializes in complete landscape design and installa-tion, including outdoor areas, stonework, custom concrete work, water features

and landscape lighting, as well as lawn fertilization programs, deep root fertil-ization, aeration and drainage solutions for both commercial and residential cus-tomers.

In addition to landscape design and installation of landscape and outdoor living spaces, Mike Farnham is licensed by the state of Texas to provide irrigation services as well as turf and ornamental care, such as insect/disease and weed control and fertilization services.

The Farnhams pride themselves on personalized customer service.

“We’ve realized over the years that if you really make your customers happy and do what you tell them you’re going to do, it comes back to you in so many ways,” Mike said.

Mike and Trena are both Aledo High School graduates who have lived in the community for many years.

They have two daughters; Macey is in seventh grade at Aledo Middle School, and Morgan is in 10th grade at Aledo High School.

GOING STRONG

The Farnhams are proud Bearcat supporters, attend Trinity Bible Church, are members of the East Parker County Chamber of Commerce and are pleased to have located their thriving business in Aledo.


A flowing stream (above) makes a focal point for a garden built by Farnham Landscaping. A stone side-walk (right) through a garden, and stone retaining wall around a patio.

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◗ Slow-growth, low-maintenance and simple beauty make for a perfect container gardenBy Katie MartinezThe Community News

Succulents are so-named for their ability to retain water, which allows them to flourish in arid conditions. Virtually all cactus plants are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti.

There are countless species of succulent that have all the carefree quali-ties of a cactus, without all

SUCCULENT TIPS• DrainageSucculents should be allowed to dry out between watering. Adding gravel to the bottom of the pot and using a sand/soil mix can help keep the moisture levels right.

• LightMost succulents like a bright light, but different species like more or less and extreme temperatures intensify the effects. Watch newly established plants for signs of bleaching.

• TemperaturesContainer gardens will do fine outside most of the year in Texas. During winter months, and espe-cially before a hard freeze, bring it indoors and place in a sunny windowsill.

• WateringSucculents require a little more water during their growing season, which is usually spring through fall. During the winter months the plants will become dormant.

• PlantingSucculents are slow-growing and can be planted fairly tight; there aren’t a lot of spacing require-ments. Keep light and water needs in mind when choosing species to plant together.

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the spines.Tori Rutledge

of Willow Park Ace Hardware

said container gar-dens are a great

option to spruce up a patio table

or walkway with minimal expense

and effort.“They are huge right

now,” she said. “One of the things people are really moving toward on container gardens

are natural pots.”Succulents can be

planted in an endless variety of containers from

traditional pots to driftwood or rocks.

“I really like the wooden pots and barrels,” she said. “A popular item at our store right now is the raised garden made out of cedar wood. The wooden pots would last as long as the plastics, but they look so much better and you don’t have any of the weird chemicals seep-ing into the soil because it’s all natural.”

The particularly crafty might consider a wall panel, put together using an old frame and some chicken wire and ply-wood. But a simple container garden can be put together in an hour or so.

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◗ Create a spacious retreat without breaking the bank or the showerBy Kate SullivanCTW Features

Don your overalls and bust out the hammer – here’s how to breakthrough a boring bathroom without sending your savings down the drain.

Think Outside the Bathroom Bold and bright colors light up a lav-

atory. Working with a number of home-design fi rms in California, Christina MacDonald, of DRS & Associates, says choose a sink that makes a statement.

“Today, there are so many designs made from innovative materials like bamboo, onyx and colored glass.”

American Standard’s 2008 Bathroom Habits Survey, revealed that being com-fortable and being able to multitask are top priorities bathrooms.

Add homey décor touches or dou-ble-duty fi xtures and shelving units to meet your needs.

Let there be LightDon’t be trapped by tradition. When

it comes to lighting don’t think you can’t use something glamorous like a chandelier.

Create old world style by swapping out the current light fi xture and bring-ing in ornate illumination. No re-wiring necessary.

Floor CoverageLove the faucet but hate the fl oor? For a quick fi x to cover tile or lino-

leum forget limiting yourself to bath-mats. opt for an indoor/outdoor rug that you would typically use in a front foyer or living room.

Built to absorb water and heavy foot action, carpet of this variety offers col-ors, patterns and sizes that go beyond the traditional range of bathmats.

THINK BIG

Shower Door BoreThink of the shower stall as a wall

for art. Hanging a beautiful shower cur-tain in front of sliding glass doors adds instant style.

No doors? Go mod by removing the shower rod. Bring this style saving look to your bathroom by attaching a really beautiful, textured fabric.

Fun with FixturesBoth Hall and MacDonald agree for

the quickest bathroom fi x-up, look no further than your fi xtures.

Hit up the local hardware store to change out the existing hardware like the towel bar, toilet paper holder and cabinet knobs, suggests Hall, which means minimal effort and money for a maximum makeover.

For an upgrade that appeals to the body as much as the eye, MacDonald suggests swapping out your old show-erhead for a spa rain canopy.

A fan of a clutter-free surface, MacDonald also recommends wall-mounted accessories like soap dishes and toothbrush holders for a cleaner, more pulled together look.

“Opt for a suite of furnishings in the same pattern for a fresh transforma-tion.” Simply switching from your sleek shower curtain holders to a decorative detailed set changes the look from mod squad to French Country without con-sulting an interior decorator.

From new knobs to a fancy faucet, picking a new pigment or swapping the shower curtain, get the biggest bang for your buck by taking on the bathroom yourself.

© CTW Features


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Documents

Home and Garden 2012