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Spring

Spring

HomeHomeHomeandandand

GardenGardenGardenGuideGuideGuide

Moneysaver Advertising April 16, 2013

Supplement to Moneysaver Shopping Guide and Shopping News

Spruce Up Indoors and Out!Spruce Up Indoors and Out!Spruce Up Indoors and Out!Count on the professionals inside to help youCount on the professionals inside to help youCount on the professionals inside to help youwith your spring home and garden projects!with your spring home and garden projects!with your spring home and garden projects!

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The ColorQuandary

By Tresa EricksonWarm days are here

again, and its time yougot serious about yourhomes exterior. It coulduse some work, andwhile a paint job woulddo wonders, yourethinking about taking a

different route - vinylsiding. Thats right.Youre ready to shell outsome bucks to ridyourself of the hassles ofpainting. No more haulingfive-gallon buckets ofpaint home, hoistingeverything up the ladderand spending long hoursunder the sun with apaintbrush in hand.Youve found a sidingnstaller. Youve selecteda siding style. Now allyou need to do is choosethe right siding color foryour home.

Vinyl siding is easy tonstall, requires very little

maintenance and lasts along time, making it apopular choice amonghomeowners. It costsmore than paint,however, so you will wantto make sure you choosethe right color the firsttime around. If theexterior of your home hasbeen the same colorsince you bought it and

you like that color, thenthe choice might be a no-brainer. Look for a sidingcolor similar to the paintcolor already on yourhome. If you are not realfond of the color of yourhomes exterior and areready for a change, thedecision might be a littlemore difficult. Here aresome tips to ensure youselect the right color.

Consider yourneighborhood

Study your neigh-borhood. What color are

most of the homes in thearea? Brown, white andgray? If so, then youmight want to stick to aneutral shade. A brightpink home in a sea ofbrown, white and graywill get the neighborstalking and might evenbother some of them.Take your color cuesfrom your neighborshomes. If there is quite amix of colors, then youmay have more leeway.

Just be careful that youdont pick a color thatdraws unwanted atten-tion.

Consider yourlandscape

Study your yard andthe yards around yourhome. What do you see?Lush, green lawns? Citystreets? Desert land-scapes? Select a siding

color that will accentuatethe landscape. Alavender home mightlook out of place in adesert landscape butwork well in an urbanlandscape, especiallyone known for its array ofcolors.

Consider yourhomes architectural style

Study the architec-tural style of your home.What colors would suit itbest? Some architecturalstyles lend themselves toa certain color palette.

Colonials, for example,look best in white, creamor beige, while Craftsmanhomes look best indarker colors like brownsand reds. Do a littleresearch on the architec-tural style of your homeand find out what colorstraditionally work best onthe exterior.

Consider yourhomes features

Study the features ofyour home. What do yousee? Red brick? Ornatecolumns? Rustic windowboxes and shutters?Black shingles? Whitegutters? The siding coloryou select shouldcomplement the featuresof your home. Red brickand black shingles mightnot work with buttercupyellow siding. While youcould paint the brick, youdont want to causeundue work for yourself.Do yourself a favor andchoose a siding color that

will complement all of thefeatures of your home.

Consider your ownpreferences

Study your prefer-ences. Do you want yourhome to stand out orblend in? Do you have acolor in mind for yourhomes exterior that youcant live without? Itsyour home, so choose a

siding color you can livewith for years to come. Ifyou want your home tostand out andcomplement your rosebeds, go ahead andchoose the rosy pinksiding. If you want yourhome to blend in andcomplement your redbrick, choose thereddish-brown siding. Ifyou cannot bear thethought of your homebeing any color butyellow, then go aheadand choose the buttercup

yellow siding. Consider the

limitations of vinylWhile vinyl siding

does last, it will fade overtime. Understand that thesiding color you selecttoday may not be thesame color years fromnow. That deep bluecould be a much softerblue 10 years from nowand a really pale blue 30years from. Try to choosea siding color that willfade less or you can livewith as it fades.

Selecting the color ofvinyl siding takes time.Dont rush it. Study thecolor choices carefully,select the ones thatappeal to you most andstart narrowing down theoptions based upon thecriteria above. When youhave three or fourchoices in mind, ask for alist of homes featuringthose vinyl siding colorsand drive by them to see

what the colors look likein the sunlight. Vinylsiding is a costly en-deavor that you do notwant to have to redo.Make sure you choosethe right color!

Old Door, New UseBy Tresa Erickson

Old doors. Theyseem to be everywhere -antique stores, flea

markets, yard sales, inthe old home you justinherited. The older thedoor, the more likely it isconstructed from solidwood. Solid wood doorsare hard to find thesedays and cost a bundle.Beyond using them as anentrance, what do you dowith old doors? Yourepurpose them intoalmost anything imagi-nable!

Old doors makegreat headboards. Justremove the hardware,

paint or stain the exteriorif desired, turn the dooron its side, hang it behindyour bed, and voila,youve got a greatheadboard. Door doesntquite fit? No problem. Cutit down and trim it out fora more finished look.

Old doors makegreat screens. Find threesomewhat equal in size,remove the hardware,paint or refinish them ifdesired, attach themtogether with hinges, andyour folding screen iscomplete. Need a largerscreen? Add anotherdoor or two. Want tomake the screen morepractical? Add a panel ofchalkboard paint and apanel of corkboard for abulletin board. You canalso create a messagecenter out of one door.Just paint a panel withchalkboard paint, attacha whiteboard in anotherpanel and a corkboard inanother, and youve got a

large, message center atyour service. You caneither hang the door onthe wall, stand it againstthe wall or attach somefeet to it for afreestanding messagecenter.

Old doors makegreat desks. Take a door,remove the hardware,paint or refinish it ifdesired, add four legs,trim it out and youve gota great desk. Use thedoorknob hole for a cupor cord holder. Door has

panes of glass? Noproblem. Slide some pho-tos or postcards onto theglass panes for deco-ration and lay a largepiece of glass on top ofthe door to create a solidsurface for working. Youcan also turn an old doorinto an instant table usingthe same process. Justcut the door down to thesize you need, paint orrefinish it if desired, addsome legs and trim, andyouve got a great sidetable, sofa table andmore. Want a dining

table? Use two doorsside by side.

Old doors makegreat additions togardens as well, either as

s c r e e n s ,shutters orpotting ben-ches. To turnan old doorinto a pottingbench, turnit on its sideand addsome legs,or make itfreestanding

with feet and use it as abackdrop to a real pottingbench.

There are do-zens of new uses for olddoors. Head to your localhardware store or gardencenter for ideas. Consultsome home magazinesand the Internet forfurther ideas. Get crea-tive and design your ownproject. Then post itonline and share it withothers!

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MONEYSAVER

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Performance.

Durability. Innovation.

Less, Yes, But ThatDoesnt Mean

NoneBy Tresa EricksonIn an effort to go

green and save time,many homeowners todayare opting for compositedecks made of wood flourand plastic. Compositedecks generally lastlonger and require farless maintenance thantraditional wooden decks.

Less, however, is the keyword. Composite decksare not indestructible.They do require somemaintenance. Here aresome tips to keepingyours looking like new.

Care for your deck asyou would any woodenkitchen floor. Sweep itregularly, taking extracare to remove debrisbetween boards and ingaps. Clean up spillsright away to prevent

stains. Place a vinyl-backed splatter guardbeneath your grill tocatch grill spills.

Keep water awayfrom the deck. Grade thesoil underneath toprevent standing water.Use the downspouts andsplashguards to directwater away from thedeck. Ensure adequateventilation below andbetween the deckingboards to prevent mold.

Should you ever come

across mold, take stepsto eradicate it right away.

Clean your com-posite deck, at least twicea year, preferably in thespring and the fall. Use asoft-bristled brush and amulti-purpose cleaner foreveryday grime. Forserious grime, you mayneed additional products.Whatever you do, do notuse a power washer onyour composite deck.This could result inserious damage.

Even with the best ofcare, composite deckswill fade over time. Youcan live with the changein color or apply a coat ofstain to revive the color.Just make sure you usethe right product for yourdeck.

Composite decks dorequire some care, but

far less than traditionalwood decks. Dont havea composite deck in-stalled and leave it be.Take the time to care forit to ensure it lasts andlooks lovely for years.

Sod Or Seed?By Tresa EricksonWhen youre faced

with the choice of sod orseed, it can be a difficult

decision to make. Theyare both good options fordealing with a less-than-perfect lawn. There arepros and cons to each,and you must thinkthrough your decisioncarefully.

Sod has beenprofessionally cultivatedand is ready to go. Theroots are already thereand just need to beplaced into the soil for

them to grow. Sod can be

installed fairly quickly andeasily and applied toalmost any surface, flator inclined, and it will stayput, even in heavy rains,though you may have tostake it. It is alsogenerally weed-free andrequires little care. All youwill have to do is waterthe sod heavily for thefirst few weeks of start-up, and it should takeroot and provide you withthe lush lawn youenvision.

Because it is readymade, sod can beexpensive, much moreexpensive than seed. Youhave to get it on theground quick to protectyour investment, whereaswith seed, you have moreleeway and morevarieties to choose from.Most experts recommendseeding in the spring orfall. It does take somework to get seed into theground, from fertilizing toraking to rolling. Seedalso takes longer to growand establish, and whenplaced on an incline, it

can easily wash away.Although it may requireless watering in the first

weeks, seed will requiremulch or hay, both ofwhich can contain weedseeds and lead to weeds.Again, seed is lessexpensive, so if it does

not work as well as you

had hoped and you endup with some patchiness,it will be much less of aloss.

There are pros andcons to sod and seed.Consider the optionscarefully, consult with anexpert and make the rightdecision for your lawnand your budget.

Dollar StretcherTip: CuttingDryer Use

Dryers are hard onbudgets and clothes.When doing laundry,hang up t-shirts directlyout of the washer indoorways to air dry. Thiscuts the time that the

dryer has to run, makesthe t-shirts last longer,and you wont have tofold them. Preserve ex-pensive elasticized itemslike bras and pantiessimilarly. This practicesaves money and time. Ifyou clean your linthalfway through thecycle, your drying timewill be cut down as well.

-Janet in California

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a garbage bag for theseason. You can also drillsome holes into thestump and fill them withsalt. For speedierdecomposition, you mightwant to take the chemicalroute. Check with salesassociates at your localhardware store to seewhat chemicals areavailable to speed up thedecomposition of treestumps. Then apply thechemical as recom-mended by the manu-

facturer. Usually thisinvolves drilling severalholes into the stump andfilling them with thechemical. .

Fire is another option.You can burn out thestump, but first youshould check with localauthorities and makesure fire is permitted inyour area. If so, clear thearea around the stump,place some wood on topof the stump and start afire. Tend to the fire andlet it burn until the stump

is gone.If the stump is rather

low to the ground, yourbest option might be tobury it. Remove as muchof the stump as possibleand then cover whatremains with dirt. Youmay have to do this a fewtimes as the dirt aroundthe stump settles.

These are just a fewless-invasive, cost-friendlier options for

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DollarStretcher Tip:

Helping Birds NestI have a suggestion

about bird nestingmaterials. Save an oldmesh onion bags, andwhen you brush your dogor cat, save the shed fur,put it in the onion bag,and hang it out in youryard for the birds to usefor their nests. It costsnothing and providesnatural nesting materials

for the birds and somecheap entertainment foryou. -DW

DollarStretcher Tip:

Great Shelf LinersWhen I moved into a

new house, there werebig scraps of vinyl leftover from kitchen andbathroom floors. I neededshelf liners and decidedto cut the vinyl to fit theshelves. The vinyl piecesare easy to clean in thesink and keep the

shelves in pristine con-dition. After nearly 20years, they are still asgood as new. -P.

Gone, Gone, GoneBy Tresa Erickson

You put a lot of timeand effort into your yardand it shows. Your lushawn and grand gardenare the talk of theneighborhood. Sadly, inspite of your best efforts,

you just lost a tree. Youcut it down, put thebranches into thecompost pile and stackedthe wood for use later inyour fireplace. Now allyou have left to contendwith is the unsightlystump. You could rent astump grinder or hiresomeone to come in withone, but you would rathernot expose your lawn andgarden to that. What arethe alternatives?

If the tree was smallwith shallow roots, yourein luck. You can dig outthe stump. Grab a goodshovel, slide on yourgloves and get to work.Dig until you expose the

roots. Then cut the rootsand pull the stump out.

If the tree was largeand had a wide rootsystem or deep roots,you might want to trysomething other thandigging. Aiding thedecomposition of thestump is one route. Youcan do this naturally bycovering the stump withold leaves, dousing it withwater and covering it with

removing stumps. Thereare others. Check out theInternet and consult withthe sales associates atyour local nursery, gar-den center or hardwarestore. For those whoinsist on getting thestump out quickly and donot mind a little yard workafterwards, a skid-steeror backhoe might be anoption.

A Night in theGarden

By M.L. Wells, CornellCooperative Extension

Master GardenerIt has been said

electricity kills the dark,candle light illuminatesit. I think the same canbe said of moon light. So,one night in mid-summerwith the moon to guideme, I went out to explorethe garden. As anynaturalist will tell you,what you find is asdifferent as night andday. Those familiar daytime creatures: birds,

bees and butterflies have

all gone to bed with thesetting of the sun. Toads,moths, bats and owlshave replaced them.

I remember one mistynight in July when ahoard of small whitemoths hovered like afractured ghost over themonarda (bee balm).Was this a mating ritualor just a food orgy? Tworows over, far too many 2inch dastardly slugs werechowing down on mypotato leaves! A pair ofscissors soon doubled

the number and put anend to the depredation.

Most memorable wasthe eerily quiet, glidingflight of two barn owlsover the moonlit pond likethe ghosts of long lostHurricanes from WW II.The bark of a fox,ungodly screech of acoon, cough of a deerand the howls and yips ofcoyote all travel far onthe still, damp night air.

Humans are trulycreatures of sight and

being in the dark, even if

moon lit, put us at adisadvantage. We areuneasy; not at home.What is out there in thedark, just beyond ourseeing but alive in ourimagination?

Luna Moth thatcommonly comes out atnight in June/July.

As this years springseason continues towarm, venture out atnight and enjoy thechange in the landscapethat you know so wellduring the daytime. Oryou may be like the birds,bees and butterflies thatfeel it is best to head forbed where we belong, allsafe and sound.

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PAGE5

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585-928-1735(1) 0% Interest for 36 months with equal payments: A minimum purchase amount of $3,000 required and is available on garden tractor and residential zero-turn riders. During the 36 month

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* Product Price - Actual retail prices are set by dealer and may vary. Taxes, freight, setup and handling charges may be additional and may vary. Models subject to limited availability.** See your local dealer for limited warranty details and information. Certain restrictions apply. as rated by engine manufacturer Specifications and programs are subject to change without notice. Images may not reflect dealer inventory and/or unit specifications. The Best Buy Seal and other

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A Fresh StartTo Cleaning

(Family Features)Freshen up your homewith a simple pantrystaple that can handle allyour cleaning needs with-out the harsh chemicalsor heavy price tag. Hereare some fast and easyways to get your homeooking, feeling andsmelling fresh in no time

with baking soda.Destroy Kitchen Odors

Deodorize smellydrains and disposals, andkeep lingering odors fromresurfacing by pouringbaking soda down thedrain while running warmtap water.

Absorb lingering foododors in the dishwasherwith just a sprinkle 1/2cup of baking soda in thebottom.

Soak stale-smellingsponges in a strongbaking soda solution toneutralize the odor (4tablespoons baking sodadissolved in 1 quart ofwarm water).

Keep recyclablesfrom smelling unpleasantby sprinkling baking sodaon top as you add to thecontainer. You can alsoclean the recycling con-tainer with baking sodaon a damp sponge.Safely Clean KidsRooms and Toys

Freshen up stuffedanimals that can collecteveryday odors bysprinkling with baking

soda. Let sit for 15minutes and then brushoff to remove residue.

Refresh your closetand keep clothes smel-ing like new with an openbox of baking soda onthe shelf. Remember toreplace every 30 days.

For a safe, gentle,clean, soak plastic babytoys in a solution of 4tablespoons baking sodadissolved in 1 quart of

warm water. Wash themoff with a clean, dampsponge or cloth, rinseand dry.

Deodorize the diaperpail with baking soda,sprinkling some on top ofdirty diapers to neutralizeodors until you can emptythe container.Tackle the Bathroom

Glub in the tub? Forsafe, effective, scratch-

free cleaning of bathroomtubs and sinks sprinklebaking soda lightly on aclean damp sponge,scrub as usual and rinse.

Clean and deodorizea vinyl shower curtain bysprinkling baking sodadirectly on a clean, dampsponge. Scrub theshower curtain, rinseclean and hang it up todry.

To get rid of dirt andgrime from tile or no-waxfloors, mix 1/2 cup bakingsoda in a bucket of warmwater. Mop and rinse the

floor clean.Bring Life to the Living

Areas Guests on their way?

Freshen carpets, uphol-stered furniture and petbeds fast by sprinklingbaking soda on thesurface. Wait 15 minutesand then vacuum.

Keep the litter boxfresh, too. Cover thebottom of the box withbaking soda, and then fillas usual with litter. Inbetween litter changes,sprinkle baking soda on

top of the litter.

Weeping WillowKnow-How

By Tresa EricksonOh, how you love the

look of weeping willowtrees. Theres justsomething entrancingabout the way the leavesbillow in the breeze. Youlike the trees so muchyoure considering addingone to your landscape.

Before you take theplunge, you might want toget more information onthe planting and care ofweeping willows toensure you are ready forthe commitment.

The best time to planta weeping willow is in thespring. Weeping willowscan get quite large, veryfast, with roots thatspread out, sometimesthree times more than thecanopy. You will need anarea that receives full orpartial sun away from

structures, power lines,concrete, septic tanks,etc. Weeping willows lovewater, and in fact, canhelp alleviate waterissues in certain areas. Ifyou have an area nearwater where you canplant a weeping willow,that would be ideal.

When you have a siteselected, the planting ofthe tree will not take long.Just turn over the soil,mix in some compost anddig a hole twice as wideand deep as the root ball.

Then, place the rootballinto the hole, fill around itwith soil and fertilize it.Add a layer of mulcharound the base andsome deer repellant ifneeded. You will want thetree to grow straight, sostake it if necessary.

You will need to waterthe tree regularly for thefirst year, being careful toaim away from the baseof the tree. You dontwant root or trunk rot.Make sure the top inchesof soil are dry beforewatering the tree again.You should prune thetree in late winter or earlyspring. You want the tree

to be strong, so pruneaway smaller branchesgrowing toward theground. Finally, you willneed to clear awayweeds and add moremulch on a regular basis.

After your weepingwillow passes the three-year mark, it will requirefar less care. You mayhave to prune back someof the branches from timeto time, but you will onlyneed to water it indrought conditions.

Quality CountsBy Tresa Erickson

If you have beengardening for years, youprobably have a shed orgarage full of all the righttools. If you are just

starting, you may needsome tools, and to getyour moneys worth, youshould shop smart.

Before you goshopping, determine firstwhat tools you need themost. Basic gardeningrequirements include atrowel, rake, hoe, hedgeshears and pruners. Youmight also want to investin a quality pair of gardengloves, a hose and awheelbarrow.

When shopping for

gardening tools, a budgetis a must. Figure outwhat you can afford tospend and stick to it.However, dont skimp.Buy the best you canafford. That way, youwont have to purchase atool over and over. Lookfor tools with sharpblades, strong handlesand good safety catchesto avoid accidents. Pickup the tools you find andmake sure you arecomfortable handlingthem. They need to be

lightweight enough foryou to carry and use for along period of time. If youhave limited handstrength, look for toolswith a ratchet mechanismthat will make cuttingeasier.

Once you have foundsome quality tools andbrought them home, youmust care for themproperly to ensure theirlongevity. Clean them

after every use and drythem off completely toprevent rust. Apply a lightcoat of oil to any metalparts-wiping them downwith a lightly oiled clothwill suffice. Store yourtools in a safe, dry space,either in a tool rack orhung on the wall of agarden shed or garage.Have the bladessharpened periodically toprevent damage to plantsand needless accidents.

As you continue to

garden, you will no doubtcollect more tools.Remember, buy the bestyou can afford and takethe time to care for themproperly afterwards.

Dollar Stretcher

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Kitchen ChairsI recently waxed my

kitchen floor, but it madethe kitchen chairs difficult

to slide out from underthe table. I rememberedseeing cloth "pillows" thatattached to the bottom ofchairs. I had no idea howto make or buy them, butas I walked through thethrift store recently, I sawnewborn infant socks.They were extremelyinexpensive, so I boughtenough to cover my chairlegs.

When I got home, Iput them on the chairlegs and then used

rubber bands to holdthem up. Then I foldedthe cuff of the sock overthe top to cover up thebands. They look cuteand cost me next tonothing, and now mychairs slide out fromunder the table easilyand don't scratch thefloor. These were a lotcheaper than what Iremember the "pillows"being. -Cammy

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Step Up TheTransformationBy Tresa EricksonAlong with entrances

and exits, stairways aresome of the most heavilyrafficked areas of thehome. You and yourfamily probably go upand down the stairs adozen times a day, and ifhere is carpeting under-foot, that can lead to a lotof wear and tear.Fortunately, there aremany options for dealingwith a carpeted stairway

hat has seen betterdays.Study the carpeting

on your stairs. What kindof condition is it in? Is itust soiled and stained?Give it a good cleaning.Fill up a bucket withwarm water, grab a bottleof carpet cleaner and ascrub brush, and getbusy. For a deepercleaning, you might want

to rent a steam cleaner or

hire a carpet cleaningservice.

falls down hard steps can

lead to serious injury.Bring warmth, comfortand cushioning to yourstairs with new carpet.You can opt for wall-to-wall carpeting or arunner, though with arunner, you may have tohave the stairs refinished.

While nice, carpetedstairs can be difficult tokeep clean. Along withregular vacuuming, youmay have to do a deepercleaning from time totime. If youre not one forhauling the vacuum

cleaner or steam cleanerup and down the stairs,consider some alterna-tives. Many homeownersthese days are replacingthe carpet on their stairswith hardwood. Althoughexpensive to install,hardwood is durable andeasy to clean. Laminateis a more affordableoption, and like hard-wood, it is easy to clean.Just sweep and dust witha wet-dry mop.

If hardwood andlaminate are not yourstyle, paint is anotheroption. Paint is veryaffordable and offersendless possibilities. Youcan open up the spaceby painting the stairswhite. You can brightenup the space with bolderpaint color choices andfreehand designs. Youcan add some whimsy tothe space with stenciledor tiled stairs. Just paintthe stairs whatever coloryou want and stencil insome designs or applytile to the risers. Tiledrisers are a feature in

many homes of theSouthwest. For thoseconcerned about fallingon slick, painted stairs,carpet tiles are availablefor the treads.

The sky is the limitwhen it comes totransforming your stairs.Rethink that tired, worncarpet. New carpet.Hardwood. Paint. Itsyour choice, anddepending upon the route

you take, you might justcut down your cleaningtime.

For carpet beyondcleaning, replacementmight be your best bet.This can be costly, but ifyou live in an area withcold weather or withyoung children or seniorsprone to falls, it is worthconsidering. Tramping upand down hard, coldsteps is never fun, and

Choices For TheLong Haul

By Tresa EricksonYour toddler is

growing up quickly, andbefore you know it, theywill be in grade schooland done with that race-

car or princess bed.H

ereare some tips fortransforming their roominto one they can live infor a long time.

It may be hard toimagine now, buteventually that little onedragging toys from oneend of the house toanother will be ateenager, and thatteenager wont like thesweet striped wallpaperyou selected for theirbedroom. Better to get ridof that wallpaper andmake choices now that

will work for toddlers toteens.

While wallpaper isnice, changing it out asyour child grows can be ahassle. Paint is a betterchoice, especially for theyounger years whenmessy hands are notuncommon. Removingdabs of chocolate pud-ding from a painted wallis far easier than it isfrom a wallpapered wall.Trade the wallpaper forpaint, and to reduce colorchanges over the years,

choose a somewhatneutral shade that yourchild can live with for along time, such as amossy green, pewtergray or golden caramel.

Think neutral for allother aspects of theroom, in particular theflooring and lighting.Forget the rose-coloredcarpeting and the pinkand purple ceiling fan.Opt for beige carpetingand a black, white orwooden ceiling faninstead. You can bring

color and character intothe room with fabrics andaccessories that caneasily be changed out.

Continue the neutralbackdrop with thewindow coverings andlinens. White or woodenblinds will grow with yourchild, as will solid-coloredsheets and bedding. Yourchild may have a favoritecartoon character orcolor, and you can honorthat in the valances,pillows, throws and duvetcovers. Keep the sheetsand bed ruffle khaki and

pump up the color with ac a m o u f l a g e - t h e m e dduvet color and darkgreen pillows and windowvalances.

Get rid of the race-caror princess bed and anyother furniture that wontstand the test of time.Look for sturdy, multi-functional pieces that willappeal to your child nowand later. Bunk beds aregreat for young kids who

like to have sleepoversand can be separatedlater for older kids. Thesame goes for thatmodular cube storageunit. You can stack thecubes one way whenyour child is young andanother way when theyare older. As for furniturecolor, neutral is the bestchoice, be careful withwhite furniture, as itdoesnt always appeal toteen girls.

Accessories caneasily be changed out, sorely on them to add colorand character to yourchilds room. Do keep inmind, however, how oftenkids tastes change, sodont spend a fortune onthe accessories for yourchilds room. Shop foritems at flea markets,yard sales and clearancesales. Choose inexpen-sive posters, prints and

calendar pages you canframe rather thancustom-framed artwork.Hang a bulletin board forhandiwork and add somewallpaper stickups tofurniture and walls forpops of color.

Decorating your childsroom for the long haul isnot hard. It just takessome thought of todayand tomorrow. Good luck,and dont forget to get theinput of your most

important critic, yourchild. It is their room afterall. Give them a say inhow it looks, and youmay not have to badgerthem as much later tokeep their room clean!

Making smart choicesfor your childs bedroomwill make the decorativetransitions smooth asthey grow up.

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Spring

Gardening TipsBy: Cornell CooperativeExtension (CCE) MasterGardeners Lyn Chimera

& Carol Ann HarlosThe following are

some great ideas forearly spring gardening.Keep in mind you have totake weather conditionsnto account. Wait till thesoil is above 50 degreesbefore planting.

Winter damage:- Clean up and remove

eaves and winter debris,which are loaded withphosphorus, from paved

surfaces and drainagesewer openings. Thishelps preserve drainagewater quality and reducesalgae buildup.

- Snow, wind and icecan cause damage totrees and shrubs. Pruneout any damaged branches.

- Plants that haveheaved from the freez-ng and thawing action ofthe soil should bereplanted as soon as the

soil is workable. A layer

of leaves will help protectthe exposed root mass ifthe soil is still frozen.

Pruning:- Early Spring is the

time for pruning manytrees and shrubs. Theexceptions to this areones that bloom in thespring like forsythia andlilac. These should bepruned after flowering.

- Cut back and pruneroses when forsythiablooms. Cut back dead orcrossing canes to aboutone-quarter inch abovean outward facing bud.

- Prune back pussywillows after the catkins

are finished blooming.

Remove dead branches.

Cut the older gray bran-

ches to the ground. Cut

back the branches from

this years growth to a

height close to what you

can tolerate next year.

- Cut back lavender

into green wood late in

April.

Perennials:- Cut back grasses and

other perennials thathave been left up forwinter interest. Ideallythis should be donebefore the new growthgets more than a fewinches high so you dontdamage the new growthwhile cutting back theold. Any plant materialthat has not harboreddisease can be put in thecompost pile.

- Sow coriander, orach,babys breath, poppy,phlox, and cornflowerseeds directly into gardenbeds.

- Once the threat ofsnow has passed,remove winter debris orany leftover mulch fromaround areas wherespring bulbs are planted.

- Wait until the soil isworkable to divide per-ennials. This means itshould be above 50 de-grees and dry enough notto stay in a clump whensqueezed in your hand.

- Hostas, liriope,

daylilies, dicentra, choralbells and Shasta daisiesare some perennials thatcan be divided beforenew growth starts inspring.

Vegetables:- Take the time to plan

your vegetable gardentaking care to userotation. Do not plantmembers of the sameplant family (tomatoesand peppers for example)in the same spot as lastyear.

- Seed tomatoes,

eggplant, and peppers.Be sure they will receiveadequate light.

- Check your seedpackages to see whetheryou should start seedsindoors or direct sowthem outside. Also checkinformation on theenvelopes for theappropriate number ofweeks prior to plantingoutside.

Houseplants:- Houseplants are

coming to life with theincrease in hours ofsunlight. This is a goodtime to resume feeding.Natural fertilizers arepreferable to syntheticones as the nutrientsarent bound to salts. Itsthe salt that causes thewhite buildup on the soiland outside of clay pots.

- Check yourhouseplants for diseaseand insects and the rootsto see if they needdivision and/or repotting.Once the outdoor gar-dening season beginsyou will have less time forthem!

- Give houseplants agood shower in the sinkor tub to clean off dustbuildup from the wintermonths. For plants toolarge to move, give theleaves a sponge bath.

- Prune off any dead oryellowing leaves andbranches.

- Any plants that haveoutgrown their pots canbe repotted. If you wantthe plant to continue

increasing in size justrepot it in a larger con-tainer. If you want to keepthe plant in the same sizecontainer the roots canbe trimmed back.

FlowerbedFactors

By Tresa EricksonYou love flowers, and

lucky for you, you have anice lawn with plenty ofroom for flowerbeds. Youhave some idea of theflowers you would like togrow, but your selectionswill depend upon a hostof other factors.

One of the first factorsyou will have to consideris when you want theflowerbeds to bloom.Spring, summer, fall oryear-round? While aflowerbed that bloomsthroughout the yearwould be ideal, it wontbe easy to attain,especially if you are a

beginner, live in a areawith harsh winters, travela lot or change resi-dences throughout theyear. Choose a seasonwhen you will be aroundto care for the flowerbedsand appre-ciate the fruitsof your labor and selectflowers that grow duringthat season.

Along with the season,you will also have toconsider the site con-ditions. Where will theflowerbeds be located?Does each site receive

full sun, partial sun or nosun at all? Does the soildrain properly? What isthe soil pH? The answersto these questions willdictate the types offlowers you can grow.While you may envisionrows and rows of tulips infront of your cottageduring the early spring,the soil conditions theremight not warrant it.

The characteristics of

the flowers themselveswill also have bearing inyour decision. Someflowers require morespace than others. If youhave a fairly small bed,you will need to selectflowers that spread little,whereas if you have arather large bed, youmight be able to choosea wider variety of flowers,including some that takeup a great deal of space.Height, color and textureshould be considered aswell. Flowerbeds usuallyfeature flowers of varyingheights, often with theshorter species in frontwhere they can be seen.Colors and texture mayvary but should com-plement each other andthe landscape. Soft pink

blooms might look out ofplace in front of a rough,red cedar plank fence.

When you arechoosing species for yourflowerbeds, take thesurroundings into consi-deration and do yourhomework. Know whatflowers grow best when,where and with what.Read everything you canabout flowerbed designand go shopping armedwith the right information.The more you know, thebetter choices you will

make and the better yourflowerbeds will look. Andremember, thingschange. The flowerbedsyou create today may notlook like the ones youcreate 10 years fromnow. Prepare for yourflowerbeds to evolve asyour gardening skillsimprove.

Dollar StretcherTip:

Onion StorageTo keep onions fresh

for a long period of time,take a pair of pantyhoseand cut each leg top off

and place onions in oneat a time, tying a knotabove each onion as youfill the nylon. You canhang this string of onionsin a cool dry place. Whenyou need an onion,simply take scissors andsnip the bottom one off.Onions keep for anunbelievable length oftime since they are nottouching each other.

-Terri M.

DollarStretcher Tip:Winter Basil

During the summer, we

plant a lot of basil. When

I pick the basil, I clean it

and put it in the food

processor with fresh

garlic, olive oil, and

parmesan cheese. After

blending a large amount,

I spoon it into ice cube

trays. When frozen, I put

the ice cubes into a

plastic bag to use all

winter long. I drop acube into soups, tomato

sauce, pasta dishes, etc.

Theres nothing like the

taste of fresh basil and

garlic all winter long!

-Marlene M.

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Wrought IronRestored

By Tresa EricksonWrought iron is a fix-

ture in many home exter-ors from porch railings todriveway gates to fences.While durable, wroughtron is not invincible. It issubject to the elements,n particular water, and itdoes rust from time totime. Fortunately, a rustywrought iron railing, gateor fence can be dealt withfairly easily.

Rust is wrought ironsworst enemy, and if leftuntreated, it will eatthrough and destroy themetal. Removing rusttakes some work. First,you need to inspect thepiece to determine theextent of the damage. Ifthe rust is just beginning,you may be able to buff itout with some steel wool,

neutralize it with somelemon juice and vinegar,and touch it up with somerust-resistant paint.

If the piece is ex-tremely rusty, you willneed to take further stepsto restore it. Start by

removing any peelingpaint with a paint scraper.Then go over the piecewith a wire brush toloosen up any remainingpaint and rust. Depen-ding upon how thick therust is, you may need totackle it with a drill with awire wheel.

Once you haveloosened up the old paint

and rust, you can startremoving it by sanding.Use coarse grit sand-paper for the first fewpasses and then mediumgrit sandpaper to removeany remaining paint andrust and smooth out therough patches. For deep-er rust, you may need touse your drill with a sand-ing wheel. When youhave removed all of thepaint and rust, buff thepiece with steel wool andrinse it with cold water.

Even though you maynot be able to see anyrust, there could still besome minuscule spotsleft. To prevent thesefrom spreading, you willneed to neutralize thepiece. You may use acommercial rust neutra-lizer, or you may makeyour own from one partlemon juice and one partvinegar. Apply the neutra-lizer with a wire brush,using a circular motion,and then wash the piecewith soapy water and let

it dry.With the rust removed

and neutralized, you canpaint the piece. First,apply a coat of rust-resistant primer for metal.Let it dry and then applya coat of a rust-resistantpaint for metal. Using amedium bristled paint-brush, make smooth,even strokes. Let thepiece dry and then apply

To prevent therecurrence of rust, youwill need to maintain yourwrought iron. Clean ittwice a year with warm,soapy water. Apply somemineral oil to all latchesand springs. At the firstsigns of rust, buff, clean,neutralize and touch upthe piece. Ensure thelongevity of your wroughtiron by caring for andmaintaining it properly

Dollar Stretcher

Tip: Handy WindowInsulationAlthough our home is

fairly new, the upstairsfloor has vaulted ceilingsand large windows thatget a lot of sun, making itvery hot in summer andcold in winter. Using thethinnest gauge of rigidinsulation sheets and aknife from the kitchendrawer, we cut panels tofit the windows for thoseextra hot or cold days.Our house is now muchmore comfortable, and

we save on heating. Thepanels are white and looklike lined curtains fromthe street. On the inside,we already had existingwindow dressings tocover them. -K.

Home Office Spots

By Tresa EricksonHome offices set up ina spare room make greatworkspaces. You can geta lot done from payingbills to filing paperwork toconducting onlineresearch. Add a sofa anda TV, and you also havea great space to relax.Unfortunately, not every-one has a spare room fora home office. If youdont, do not despair. Youcan still create a homeoffice in a much smallerspace in your home.

Almost any under-

utilized space in yourhome will work for ahome office. Here aresome of the more com-mon spaces homeownershave set up home office.

Attics or BasementsTake a look at your

attic or basement. Seeany place you could setup a home office? If it isnot finished and hasissues with water, tem-perature fluctuation andmore, your attic or base-ment might not be asuitable place for a home

office, especially one witha computer and otherelectronics. If it doesnthave any issues, yourattic or basement mightbe ideal. Just choose thebest part, perhaps undera window, move in somefurniture, set up somescreens and make it aprivate space to work.

ClosetsTake a look at the

one you could do without?Convert it to a home office.Clean it out and either setup a desk inside it or buildone. Attach some 2x4s tothe sides of the closetwalls, set some shelves ontop, and youre ready to

go. You can use the lowestshelf as a desk surfaceand the ones above forbooks and other officeitems. You can remove thecloset doors or leave thembe. That way, you can shutaway your office and yourmess whenever you wish.

CornersTake a look around

your home. See aneglected corner? Turn itinto a home office with adesk, chair, file cabinetand whatever else youhave space for. You can

set up a home office inthe corner of almost anyroom from the kitchen toyour bedroom.

EntrywaysTake a look at your

entryway. Could it servethe dual purpose ofwelcoming guests anddoing paperwork? Moveover that hall tree, slide ina desk, and youve got aplace to work, a place forsomeone to sit and aplace for guests to hangtheir coats.

HallwaysTake a look at the

hallways in your home.Have one that is ratherwide or extra long? Tucka home office into it. Allyou need is a bit of spacefor a small desk and chair.

If there is a nook in yourhallway, you might beable to build a desk into it.

Sofa BacksTake a look at your

sofa. Could you use atable behind it? Desksmake great sofa tables.Rearrange the room, pullthe sofa to the middleand add a small deskbehind it to serve as botha sofa table and a homeoffice.

Stair LandingsTake a look at your stair

landing. Wouldnt it make

a great home office?Depending upon howlarge the space is, youmight be able to have aneasy chair for reading.

Home offices do nothave to be large. You canset one up almostanywhere in your home.Look for under-utilizedspaces, like nooks andcrannies, then make thebest use of the space tocreate the home officeyouve always wanted butnever had the room for.