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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1968-04-11, Page 6TAKING THE EDGE OFF GARDENING CHORES IS the aim of a wide variety of products now available to assist the green- thumb set. Here, the work-saver is steel lawn edging, being in- stalled around a flower bed to prevent garden washouts and unwanted spread of grass. It's Car-Mac Color-Clad, from Carey-McFall. Beautification Plans Start With Cleaning Up Litter Lighting Accents Garden, Entrance • • TURN AN EYESORE INTO AN ASSET, is the landscaping lesson illustrated here. An unsightly tree stump becomes a dra- matic feature of a patio-barbecue center, when it's used as a pedestal base for a large clay pot of flowers. The stump is ringed by large clay containers filled with brightly-colored blooms, Pot Plants Add To Outdoor Decorating Outdoor gardens can be easily supplemented with container plants for those who want to be weedless gardeners this spring and summer. Even avid green-thumbers appreciate the addition colorful flowering plants or unusual foliage in clay containers make to outdoor landscaping effects. For maximum decorative mileage, try some of the following suggestions. • Keep the raised planting bed or planter near the entrance of the house in flower-show perfection with the varied array of plants available at nearby nurseries, florist shops or garden centers. Start with spring-flowering bulbs, then switch to annuals and tender bedding plants. Later, select hardy chrysanthemums. All are grown in porous clay pots that can be plunged right into planter box soil for a continuous seasonal display. • A hot spot on patio or terrace can be converted into a cac- tus garden. Cacti grow in all shapes and sizes and make interesting and un- usual arrangements. ' Plunge the clay-potted plants into planter soil, or simply slip them into matching saucers. They love sun and a sandy soil kept on the dry side. • Grow a selection of potted herbs on a kitchen window shelf. Nothing perks up summer mealS more than fresh herbs. Parsley, chives, tarragon, basil and mint can all be grown in small three or four-inch clay pots. • Hanging baskets or plants in pot rings do wonders for bare stretches of garage wall or fencing. If it's a bright sun area, try geraniums, lantanas or marigolds; for shade, fuchsias or tuberous begonias will provide the color. • Postlamps look still more decorative when their bases are encircled by pots of flowers. Red, pink and white geraniums make a nice combination. To give plants a bit of height, set them on inverted clay pots or saucers. • Line a flight of sunny garden steps with pots of sedums, aloes or other sncculents. . • • .,,j ..0: ,Ar 40(1174 119.. s.tenric,,Crenetktinn claypotted plants'will 'create ''a pleasing pattern. ' • Hanging baskets can be suspended from overhead lathes or rafters, even from tree branches. For Lawn and Garden YARD PLAN FOR A COMPLETE SPRINKLER SYSTEM, illustrated here, uses pop-up sprinklers and provides for sprink- ling under low trees and overhanging shrubbery. Plan reflects an actual surveyed yard, 4,725 square feet, with underground sprinkler system at a materials cost of $159.95. It's One of more than 40 plans set forth in the Yard Planning Guide prepared by Toro, marketers of Moist O'Matic sprinkler systems. Clean water at adequate pres- sure is important to the satisfac- tory performance of any auto- matic sprinkler system. Before beginning installation, the home- owner Should check with the water departmerit to determine what water pressure and gallons per minute are available at the home. Check size Of meter and line, too. Five gallons per minute at 55 pound5 per square inch will in- sure good performance and Cov- erage with the least amount of sprinklers and equipment, To simplify the job of planning a home sprinkling system, a handy "Yard Planning Guide" has been published by Tome It contains over 40 different plot plans and suggests a system for each. The plans include a list of Materials required, its well As the total cost of all parts needed. "Yard Planning Guide" may be Obtained through local Toro dealers or by sending 25 cents to yard Planning Guide, Toro Manufacturing Corporation, 8111 Lyntiale Avenue South, Minne- apolis, Minn. 55420, WHEN HOME GETS A FACE LIFTING WITH NEW SIDING, it's also time to consider other exterior improvements, such as new landscaping. Here, natural wood appearance of ply- wood siding creates a warm background for plantings of shrubs, trees, vines, around a one-story , home with carport. This plywood siding, with vertical accent lines, is Texture One Eleven. ‘Clinton. 'NewS-R,C9nrCl, Thursday, April 11, LIKE SHRUBBERY, FLOWERS AND TREES, exterior light- ing is becoming a part of landscaping. Here, two flanking wall brackets and a twin-lanterned post light, in Early American mood, complement a New England style' clapboard home. Gar- den lighting highlights shrubbery and brick rear wall. Lighting fixtures by Thomas Industries. ing Up, Too Now:you see it, now you don'f. It pops up mysteriously, does a man-size job, disappears out of sight. What • is. it? An under- ground sprinkler, and it's making the grass greener on both sides of fences all across the country. Once limited — by cost — to golf courses, institutions and mansions, underground lawn sprinkling systems are, thanks to the advent of plastic pipe, available to fit the budget of virtually every homeowner. What does "fit the budget" ac- tually mean in terms of cost? Here are figures from one manu- facturer: Materials for covering a lawn of approximately 5,000 square feet with a fully automated system cost about $170: This includes pipe, valves, sprinkler ' heads and automatic con- trol unit. To cover an area of about 8,000 square feet, cost is approximately$200.- Improved design of systems and efficient, low-cost compon- ents even make it possible for the homeowner to install his own system. The budget-Minded homeoWn- er can start With a wave Sprink- ler and a Manila! control, Then, at his convenience, he may add a controller that completely auto- mates the system and runs up to font' waterlog stations. The completed system could include sprays and bubblers for plantings and shrubbery as well as pop-up or wave sprinklers. The installation of a basic sprinkler system can be done with only the simplest of tools: screwdriver, pliers, knife and square-tipped spade. Because the plastic pipe used in hooking up the sprinkling systems is fire- proof, it need only be buried a few inches below the sod, oUt of the way of mowing equipment. Since it is flex- ible, it will easily bend around obstructions and curves. It can be quickly buried by simply slitting moistened soil with a square-tipped spade, then forcing the pipe down into the v-shaped groove with the edge of a board. The installation of the sprinkler head •will vary with the type of head used. Usually, it is placed in a hole deep enough to accom modate several inches of coarse gravel for drainage. If he wishes, the homeowner can install the underground sprinkler heads,_ and then con- nect therri directly to an existing house faucet, so they can be turned on and Off manually, Later, the system can be, auto- mated, if desired: . Healthy, beautiful trees spread shade, bear fruit, bring greenery to home scenery. But if they're to keep on doing all these things, they must be pruned. More and more homeowners are tackling the important job of pruning on a do-it-yourself basis. For their guidance, here are some tips. Winter and early spring are the best times to prune, giving cutting wounds on the tree a chance to heal during late spring growth. Exceptions are "bleeders" — notably, imaples and birches. They exude much sap when cut during the dormant period, and should be cut during the full growth of summer. When pruning, make the cuts at a joint and make them clean and even. If a stump or lip is left behind, a callus won't be able to form over the wound and it will remain open to in- fection. In severing large limbs, avoid tearing the bark. Try undercut- ting about a third or a quarter of the way through 'the bottom of the limb before starting to cut from the top. It's also, help- ful to lessen the weight of the branch by removing several sec- tions before making the final cut Secure large limbs with a rope before cutting. For safety's sake, be sure no one is under the tree during pruning, or in position to be struck by a falling limb. If prun- ing requires climbing high, use a safety rope. When any limb larger than twenty-five cent piece is cut, the wound ShotIld be dressed to speed' healing. Asphalt mixtures are popular for this work, be- cause they are easy to apply and weather Well, but pine tar is al- so effective, as Well as Bordeaux mixture, or copper sulphate. To apply mixture, try tying a brush to a pole and working from the ground. Balancing on a Willi With a WWI irl one hand and a can .in the other can be dangerous. How To Make Plans For Landscaping Why landscape a home? For most people, the self-evi- dent answer is the right erie— to improve the aPPearalloo of the home. Another reason has great importance. Beautiful land- scaping increases home value, too. When to do landscaping? This qaestion is more complex, since it usually involves another; How to pay for it? Many older homes need a re- newal of landscaping, because plants have grown too large for available space or have become untidy or diseased. And many newer homes need additional landscaping. The plantings around the brand new home may be very basic—a lawn, a few shrubs and frees. Yet the homeowner who wants landscaping is likely to have other demands on his finances. He's paying for his new home, or, if it's an older home, he's paying for major home improve- ments such as new siding, He may wonder about taking on the added responsibility of paying for a complete landscaping job. In many cases, landscap- ing costs can be added to an existing mortgage, if the same bank handles both the loan and the mortgage. Other types of loans to fi- nance landscaping are available from banks and savings and loan associa- tions. Or, nurserymen may offer their own financing plans. MAKE CUTS clean and even, is advice for do-it-yourself tree pruners. Photo courtesy Omark Industries, manufacturers of cutting chain. With their high speed and light weight, Chain saws can ease the work of tree pruning. In fact, pruning is one of the major uses homeowners find for chain saws, according to a recent survey which also showed that one American household in 20 now numbers a chain saw among its tools. The survey, which was con- ducted by Omark Industries, manufacturer of cutting chain for use in forestry work, reported that of thousands of saw owners interviewed, 24.2 per cent said they had been asked at least once to lend the tool to a friend or neighbor — a statistic which led Guy Sabin, vice-president of Omark, to remark: "Homeowners who have a chain saw soon find their neigh- bors aren't coming &bund to borrow the lawn mower any more. The.y want the chain saw!" WHICH IS WHICH? Daffodil or jonquil, which is which? All daffodils belong to the plant genus Narcissus. The jonquil is a particular type of daffodil. FERTILIZE TURF Spring fertilizer should be ap- plied to lawns just as the green grass blades start to show. CONTROLLING WEEDS' To prevent weed growth, main- tain a dense, vigorous-growing lawn. Thinning lawns with slow grass growth invite weeds. Some Weeds Need Chemical Treatment While most weeds die under regular mowing, there are stub- born varieties that resist the lawnmower and capture the lawn. These are the types that require chemical treatment. Basically, chemical weed kill- ers fall into four classes: Selec- tive ones that kill broadleaf plants; selective types that kill crab and Dallis grass; preventive, pre-emergence killers that keep crab grass from appearing; and non-selective sterilant weed kill- ers that destroy everything. Tbese non-selective chemicals are ideal for driveways, tennis courts, sidewalks and other areas where all vegetation should be eliminated. Best time to treat broadleaf weeds is when they are growing rapidly, although some chemi- cals kill them any time during late spring, summer or fall. Dandelions respond better to treatment in the summer ()ready fall, while wild onion, garlic And knotweed should be treated in the spring, according to hertieul- tural experts at Arachent Prod- ucts Co., makers of Weedone, LAWN SPREADER Newly-developed for spraYing weed-killing chemicals directly on lawns is the Meter Miser liquid lawn spreader, from Am- chem Products, Co., Ambler, Pa, Unit can be pttshed or pulled like a reel-type lawnmower, It's for rent, er sale at hardware stores, ARE ROSES PINK? Pink is a favorite rose color in this country — but one gar- den's pink is another garden's orange. Color of roses may vary greatly according to soil, loca- tion or even season of the year. WATERING LAWN Most'lawns need approximate- ly one inch of water every seven to 10 days, to wet the soil about six inches deep. F'OR GROWTH Pot plant stopped growing? Try a bigger pot, new soil. NEW TRIMMER for hedges and Shrubs has blades 15 inches long, with reciprocating motion. Bail-type handle makes the gar- den tool more maneuverable, By General Electric. GROUND C OVER A new permanent, flowering ground cover, developed for many uses, adds beauty to banks and slopes—and one planting is, forever! Once in the ground, it requires no maintenance beyond a 'thorough watering during the first 15-day period, and nev.er needs mowing. Nainc of the plant is Penngift Crownvetch. These other advan- tages are cited: This tough perennial is winter-hardy and drought-resistant, chokes out weeds, grows well in full sun or semi-shade, Its Pink, white and lavender blossoms increase in profusion from year to year. Until recently, industrial users have Snapped up all the Crown- vetch Obtainable. Now it is avail- able in sufficient quantitieS to aceonimodate hoMewoners too. Additions Hold Key To Luxury rounds grams in many sections of the country are actively- supported by real estate and builder groups. How such improvements affect property is strikingly demon- strated by this example: Property values increased 26 times after a clean-up and beautification pro- ject along a four-mile boulevard in Los Angeles. A few years ago, the street was left littered and unsightly after a street railway was re- moved. Property was selling for as low as $50 per front foot. Property owners, in coopera- tion with the city government, cleaned up the area and planted flowering trees along a center island that replaced the tracks. Sparked by the beautification; a fine business and'professional district developed along the street. Property values soon rose to $1,300 per front foot. One of the most encouraging things about litter prevention is that neatness breeds neatness. "VVhen a piece of property has been cleaned up, it lends to re- main litter free, and it sets a good example that is likely to be followed by the neighbors," says Mr. Seed. "One good ex- ample can mushroom into a com- munity trend." Lighting and landscaping work hand in hand, welcoming visi- tors to a hospitable home with a cheery "Hello." Carefully- placed lighting helps shrubbery and other plantings around the entrance stand out effectively; in the garden, lighting highlights various landscaping features. Several types of garden light- ing units are available to draw attention to the work of a green thumb in garden and shrubbery areas of the yard. These units range from various types of walk lights to• spot lights. Nearly all of these fixtures are designed to blend inconspicuously with their surroundings. In most cases, the exterior appearance of a house can be im- proved immeasurably by dress- ing up the entry way. An easy, way to do this is by the addition of a pair of flanking outdoor wall bracket lighting fixtures on both sides of the door. Keep their size in balance with the house. ' Post lights, too, add a tremen- dous amount of personality to a home. Now, many are available in extra high, double lantern models, very reminiscent of the light posts of bygone eras. These units give the yard and What Does It Cost To Get into the Swim? Suppose that a swimming pool is on the agenda for this year. How much will it cost? National averages for in- ground pools (as contrasted to the plastic pools that go on top of the ground) run like this: Small pools (under 15' x 32')— $2,757 Medium pools (about 18' x36') —$4,140 Large pools (over 20' x 40')— $6,727 These rates, of course, are averages, and are for the "basic" pool with no frills. Diving boards, extra ladders, landscaping, fenc- ing are added costs. How They're Making Grass Greener 1113.43. Luxury additions to a house may or may not add markedly to its resale value, but they add inestimably to its use. Once the second bathroom is added and the kitchen is imprdved, it's the swimming pool, the greenhouse, the sauna, the- barbecue area or garden living room that make a house a home. More leisure and more money make all these contributions to the good life a possibility, no longer a dream, to millions of homeowners. Swimming pools are a dramatic -example of the growth of lux- urious living in America of the '60's. Nine years ago, according to the National Swimming Pool Institute, there were 87,500 resi- dential pools in the country. This year the number has grown to more than half a million. Ways to Finance Financing a luxury addition— whether swimming pool or tennis court—can be done in a number of ways. Banks will make home im- provement loans, for property im- provements that they consider realistic—that is, in line with the money value of the house. Aver- age interest rates vary from five to seven dollars per $100 dis- counted in advance. Repayment time usually goes up to five years for $5,000. However, the low-cost FHA loans, available for some struc- tural improvements, do not ap- ply to "luxury" improvements. Get Three Estimates Contractors, too,will make im- provement loans through their own banks. The home improver should shop for a contractor, getting at least three cost esti- mates. Once a contractor is chosen, he may arrange the fi- nancing for the addition. - Contractors' loan rates are six to nine dollars per $100 discount- ed in advance. More expensive than bank loans, these loans are useful when the borrower for some reason cannot get a loan himself or simply wants to save time and legwork. The homeowner who is fortu- nate—or foresighted—enough to have an open-end mortgage can borrow for home improvements up to the amount that has al- ready been paid off. From a homeowner's individ- ual efforts to improve his home grounds to complete urban, re- newal, home and community beautification projects are on the increase, for both practical and aesthetic reasons. Nearly all such projects start in the same way, with one es- sential step: Cleaning up litter. And there's good cause for this. Litter prevention is a prerequi- site to property beautification, according to Keep America Beau- tiful, Inc. "Just as a woman would not put cosmetics on a dirty face, so must littered property be cleaned up and kept clean, before it can be beautified," says Allen H:Seed Jr., executive vice presi- dent of the national litter-fight- ing organization. Loss in property values is a big factor, too. • "Property owners who permit yards and surrounding neighbor- hoods to be cluttered with litter are depreciating their invest- ment," Mr. Seed explains. "There seems to be mutual agreement that litter-free prop- erty will appreciate much faster." While it is difficult to place an accurate price tag on this loss, real estate • men and builders agree that it is considerable. Anti- litter and beautification pro- entry way of a home an extra dimension, as well as providing a safe passage along the walk or driveway to the door. In situations where a sizeable overhang projects from the house, perhaps above an entry door or perhaps along, a wall above a patio, fixtures hung from chains and matching the wall brackets and yard lights are used to add a family look to outdoor lighting, and of course, provide additional illumination. Many post lanterns, wall brack- ets and ceiling fixtures for out- door use are styled traditionally, with a variety of Early American types available. A good selec- 'lion of contemporary fixtures are also easily found in the mod- ern manner. Local lighting cen- - ters carry a complete line. 'Most outdoor lighting efforts are further enhanced by the use ,of an electronic dimmer that var- ies the light levels from total darkness to full brightness with the turn of a knob, The nice thing about such home improvements as outdoor lighting is that these projects can be planned totally, well in advance of installation, and then done in stages, depending on flexibility of the budget. For the homeowner who pre- fers to arrange for landscaping on a cash basis, there's a simple solution: Do it step by step. Start with an over-all plan for the final effect desired, and take care of most urgent landscaping needs first — foundation plant- ings or replantings, for example. A "garden living room" might be next. Other plantings can be added as time and money permit. Additional pleasure for the family comes from watching the home landscaping grow. How to choose the right land- scaping plan? The homeowner's creativity can be 1:Tpught • into play here, and look 4t.146141(frill6,11rOnsii erties may suggest. ideas, too. However, professional advice is usually called for. Local nurserymen can provide helpful information on choosing trees and .plants best for the area, landscaping for year-round beauty and low maintenance, providing proper drainage—and many other pointers to help homeowner and family get maxi- mum value and enjoyment from landscaping. • Pruning Tips Tell Way To Keep Trees Healthy What's Happening around Lawn and Garden