TheState.com: Home and Garden

Home remedy myths are as persistent as the mosquitoes

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:52 EDT

Some people wipe themselves down with Bounce fabric softener sheets before heading outdoors. Others swear by a little Vicks VapoRub.

People will try almost anything to keep those pesky mosquitoes from taking a bite out of them. They've gobbled bananas, tried Joy dishwashing detergent and rubbed on Listerine mouthwash.

The list of home remedies and natural products keeps growing as people seek alternatives to chemical pesticides. Some people are convinced these home remedies work, but solid research is harder to find.

Here's a sampling of common remedies:

Garlic: Eating garlic emits an odor that mosquitoes (not to mention humans) find offensive. But it's unclear how much garlic must be eaten to get the full effect. There has been at least one study on the use of garlic as a repellent, but the participants apparently didn't eat enough garlic to make a difference.

Black Thai banana offers staggering beauty

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:09 EDT

The Black Thai banana was one of the most sought-after bananas at the early spring Mississippi Garden and Patio Shows. Unfortunately I dawdled and missed my opportunity to grab one. A friend of mine in another town purchased one and now I am green with envy.

She says her Black Thai seems to grow a foot a day. I was shocked to see how much it had grown from April through the first of July. Some commercial producers suggest that it can grow to 18 feet tall and reach a second story roof. This plant makes you want to invite the neighbors over to cook out and sit and watch it grow. The Black Thai is the perfect choice for those of us who love tropical plants.

While the northern United States has been inundated with rain, the south has been battling heat and dryness. In these brutal conditions the tropical plants have risen to the occasion, and the Black Thai banana is no exception.

A few weeks ago, I told you about the new and popular Siam Ruby banana, which is dark red with lime green variegation. The Black Thai differs in that it has a deep purple, almost black, color from its pseudostem, or trunk, up to the petioles of the large leaves. The leaves are slightly thinner than most banana plants' leaves; if you don't like the torn island look, protect them from the wind.

Botanically speaking, the Black Thai is a selection of Musa balbisiana. The species has played a critical role in banana hybridizing. It is also an important species for the production of yarn and fiber. Additionally, it is another cold-hardy banana choice. The Black Thai is close to rivaling the Japanese fiber banana Musa basjoo, able to survive in zone 7 and possibly zone 6.

Home improvement Q&A: Getting that deck cleaned, better late than never

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:39 EDT

Q: I know you've written many times about cleaning decks, but mine is looking kind of dingy and, because it sits on the north side of our house, is coated in mildew. The deck is gray, but the color is more greenish-black. Can you dig into your files and see if you can find your advice? I would have liked to have gotten it done for July 4. Maybe I'll get it done in time for Labor Day. Thanks.

A: First, if you don't want to do the job yourself - especially if it has been a while since the last cleaning - there are companies that will do it for you. Check out the Yellow Pages or ask your friends or neighbors for recommendations. (I can't provide names because of newspaper policy and personal ethics.)

We had a mixed bag of weather in the last six months: Dampish fall, cold and dry winter, wet and cool spring. If the weather had been dry and sunny, as in the Southwest, and you had cleaned your deck last fall, you might need to just spot-clean and add a coat or two of waterproofing that needs 24 to 48 hours to dry between coats.

At least three days of good drying weather should elapse between cleaning and coating the deck. A cloudy day is best for cleaning, because the deck needs to stay wet to thoroughly clean the surface.

If you haven't cleaned the deck in a couple of years, you might want to rent a power washer, but check them out first and read the instructions when you get one.

Summer homework: Benefit or burden?

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 06:14 EDT

For many students, the last day of homework precedes the last day of school. But for those teens choosing to take Advanced Placement (AP) courses, the homework doesn't stop, even over the summer.

Teachers often have their AP students complete a few assignments over the months between school years. The assignments may range from reading a novel and writing a 10-page essay on it to outlining a few chapters of the course textbook, depending on the subject at hand.

But why do teachers feel the need to give summer homework?

Elizabeth Qutob, the AP calculus teacher at Ripon High in Modesto, Calif., explains her reasons.

"Summer homework is assigned to keep students' minds fresh over the summer, so we are ready to go when school restarts," she said. "AP courses are extremely rigorous and there is so much to cover before the exams in May. By assigning the prerequisite chapter of the textbook over summer, it allows us to get to the 'meat' of calculus quicker."

Do-it-yourselfer Q&A

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:19 EDT

Q. I have a 1915 house with the original wood entry door. The door sags and rubs the frame so that it is difficult to open and close, even through I have removed it and planed it to fit better. I think the door is out of square. What next? -Paul

A. Many doors, and especially heavy doors like entrance doors, sag because the hinges are not holding them tightly against the frame. This should always be checked before any wood is removed from a door. In many cases, installing new hinge screws about 3 inches long, and securing the screws tightly, will solve the sagging problem. Long screws are necessary so they penetrate to the house framing. It is also possible that the door frame, not the door, is out of square because of the house settling over the years. Unfortunately, there isn't much that can be done about settling. However, you should make sure that the jambs are securely attached. If the door rubs at the latch side, try adding screws to the jamb to pull it tighter. Again, use 3-inch screws with countersunk heads. If the door sticks at the bottom, tighten the sill, again using screws if necessary to pull it tighter.

Some doors stick only in humid or very wet weather, and work well in drier periods. If your door is one of these, it often pays to be patient and give the door a chance to dry out. Refinishing the door in dry weather might help reduce swelling problems.

If all these treatments fail, it might be necessary to remove a bit of wood from the door. Unless the door is sticking at the bottom, this can often be done with the door in place. Identify the points where sticking occurs and mark them on the edge of the door with a pencil. Then use a belt sander with 100-grit sandpaper to carefully sand off the marks. When the door is opening and closing freely, refinish the sanded areas to prevent swelling.

Q. There are a number of brown stains on the painted ceiling of our bathroom, which has no vent fan. We think the stains are either water stains or mold spores, possibly caused by the high humidity in the room. Can I just paint over the stains? -M. McCullough

Fixit: How to get a presidential greeting

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:39 EDT

Q: I sent a letter to the White House requesting a greeting for my mother's birthday, but it never came. Isn't the Obama White House sending out presidential greetings?

A: Yes it is. No doubt there are lots of requests for cards from the popular president. It's possible your request didn't arrive in time, didn't contain all the information necessary, or it could have been overlooked.

Special occasions

The White House will send signed greeting cards and recognition to U.S. citizens to commemorate special events and accomplishments. They include:

-Birthday greetings to those 80 years and older.

Home and garden news and notes

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:14 EDT

THE SHELF: LEARN TO KNIT OUTFITS FOR BABY

A little bit of yarn and a lot of whimsy go into the projects in "Wacky Baby Knits: 20 Knitted Designs for the Fashion-Conscious Toddler."

The book teaches knitters how to create fanciful outfits and accessories for little ones - cupcake hats and bear-paw slippers, frog outfits and biker jackets.

All of the projects can be accomplished by a beginner, author Alison Jenkins says. They're also quick and inexpensive to make, since they're small and don't require much yarn.

"Wacky Baby Knits," a Perigee Trade Paperback Original, is due out this week. It sells for $16.95 in softcover.

Home energy Q&A

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:34 EDT

Q: Now that hot weather is here, I'm not going to be going up to our attic again until fall. It gets totally unbearable up there in summer. I wonder sometimes how much damage this intense heat can be doing to the ducts and pipes in the attic as well as all the valuables we store up there. Are there any easy ways to cool off our attic?

A: You left out one of the biggest worries a homeowner should have about a hot attic - what happens to all that heat once it gets into the attic? It usually flows downward, heats up the insulation, and then keeps on moving into the living space.

Research has found that on a hot summer day with outdoors temperatures in the 90s, the temperature inside an attic can easily reach 140 degrees or more. That's why energy experts usually recommend a well-vented attic with soffit and ridge vents, light-colored roofing material to help reflect the sun's heat, and strategies like foil radiant barriers to keep the heat out of the house. Reducing the built-up heat in the attic is an important step in keeping the home's living area comfortable.

A key strategy you need to think about is to keep the attic as ventilated as possible to get hot air flowing out as well as in, and some type of forced ventilation system can be very effective. A problem that research has dealt with for many years is that the motors that operate electrically powered attic fans often use more energy than the potential savings from the ventilation.

This is a key reason for the growth in popularity of solar-power attic ventilation fans. Powered by photovoltaic cells, they operate quietly and efficiently, and are easy to install because no wiring is necessary. Though these fans have been around for more than 20 years, I'm seeing more of them all the time. Usually located at the highest point on the roof, these small units move air that might otherwise stay stagnant in the attic. This helps lower humidity and condensation, and reduces the possibilities of damage to ducts and other equipment and stored items in the attic.

Choosing good green living a spiritual journey

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 08:44 EDT

Nancy Sleeth doesn't use her oven very often. At least not her conventional oven. Instead, she turns to her more energy-efficient toaster oven, microwave and convection oven. When Sleeth bakes bread, she uses a bread machine.

She also uses fresh ingredients and avoids processed foods. Her pantry is filled with grains, fruits and vegetables. The family eats very little meat; when they do, it's locally raised.

Their next-door neighbor grinds wheat for them, and Sleeth and her husband, Matthew, share a garden with their neighbors. "We share our talent and gifts and resources," Nancy Sleeth said.

The Sleeths' food choices and cooking habits are just part of their bigger effort to help the environment. Eight years ago, they decided to face the issue head-on.

They were "living out the American dream. My husband was an emergency-room physician, and we were living in a big house in New England," Sleeth said.

Quest to catch a home run ball keeps baseball's magic alive

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 08:10 EDT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - My friend's voice erupts from the other side of the phone with a degree of giddiness usually heard only in the voices of children.

"Dude," he says excitedly, "it's a Monday and the Royals are sucking! The place is going to be empty."

Let me explain.

There is, for true baseball fans, a Holy Grail we know exists, a unicorn you can actually capture: a home run ball.

If you can be lucky and quick and in the right place at the right time-if a piece of the American pastime can find your outstretched hand-you can go home with proof that something good and pure still exists in the game.

Corralling collections: The things you save and show can quickly become clutter and chaos

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 08:09 EDT

Collections are a blessing.

Photographs, books, hula girl figurines: They speak to our memories and passions like nothing else in the home. They make us different and special.

But collections also can be a curse. Once friends and family figure out what you like, watch out. You could have a menagerie of monkey statues to wrangle.

"People accumulate without really knowing what they're going to do with it or where to put it," says Kevin Sharkey, executive editorial director of decorating for Martha Stewart Living.

So, unfortunately, because we don't know what to do with our collections, they end up packed away in cardboard boxes. Sure, the clutter of a haphazardly displayed collection is gone. But then the personalities in our homes vanish.

An ‘eclectic’ garden: Garden of Mike Donkle, Craig Street, Forest Acres

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:32 EDT

As an architect, Mike Donkle said he is used to dealing with straight lines.

In his garden, he prefers curves.

The yard behind his Forest Acres-area house is home to rounded beds filled with perennials, a small fish pond and a curved stone patio.

Down a few steps from the patio, a path leads to a new art studio, where Donkle paints.

“I wanted the building to be simple, and I wanted a lot of light,” he said.

Highest-priced property transfers: July 5, 2009

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:31 EDT

RICHLAND COUNTY’S TOP 3

The highest-priced property transfers listed this week:

$540,000, 19 Holliday Court, Columbia 29223, from Ted Rentz to Cer Goins

$434,500, 524 Wild Hickory Lane, Blythewood 29016, from Andrews Construction Inc. to Adriane Wiggins

$405,000, 137 Brody Road, Chapin 29036, from Richard Sanford to Arthur State Bank

Garden chores for July and August

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:31 EDT

It’s the Fourth of July weekend, and the heat is on.

Here’s a list of garden chores for July and August from the Midlands Master Gardeners Association Calendar and “Month-by-Month Gardening in the Carolinas” by Clemson’s Bob Polomski.

JULY

• Apply fertilizer to zoysia, Bermuda and St. Augustine grasses.

• Mow lawn when grass is dry.

Home-buying seminar

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:36 EDT

A home buyers seminar is planned for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Irmo library, 6251 St. Andrews Road.

Jeff Riley, an agent with Russell & Jeffcoat Realtors, will talk about the home-buying process and explain how some buyers can take advantage of an $8,000 tax credit.

He and a team of other industry professionals will speak about how to obtain a copy of your credit report, historically low interest rates and the tax benefits of homeownership.

To register, call (803) 467-6440 or e-mail jeffriley@bellsouth.net.

Dress up your home to attract a buyer

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:31 EDT

The house was what real estate agents call a cream puff. Located in a desirable suburban neighborhood, the “For Sale” property was immaculate inside and out.

But after 10 showings in as many days, the home’s owners were nervous because not a single visitor submitted a bid. Only after they reduced the home’s price by a notch below market value did a serious bidder emerge to buy the place, recalls Lisa Atkinson, a veteran real estate agent who listed the property.

“These days buyers are extremely hard to satisfy. This creates major frustrations for the owners of unsold property. To succeed as a seller, you have to deal with the situation proactively,” says Atkinson, who’s affiliated with the Council of Residential Specialists.

Given the high level of inventory on the current real estate market, owners in many neighborhoods need to take extra steps to hasten the sale of their property. One key move that could intensify interest in your unsold home is to reset the list price slightly below comparable properties in the same area.

Atkinson also says many sellers should resist the urge to submit a counter-offer to any bid that is reasonably close to the current fair market value of their place.

Salvia keeps going all summer

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:31 EDT

Usually, if a plant can persist through the hot and often dry South Carolina summers, then I consider it a keeper. Salvia ‘Indigo Spires,’ commonly know as Indigo Spires sage, falls into that “keeper” category. It gives a lot and asks for very little.

Salvia ‘Indigo Spires’ has 12- to 15-inch-long flower spikes covered with dozens of blooms that are blue-purple in color. When mature, expect it to be 3 to 4 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. In late spring, ‘Indigo Spires’ begins blooming and continues to bloom its little heart out until the first frost.

Be sure to give ‘Indigo Spires’ plenty of space; it has a tendency to sprawl a bit and can easily cover up other plants nearby. Because it gets fairly tall and wide, I would recommend planting it in the middle of the border.

Like most salvias, ‘Indigo Spires’ is not terribly finicky. Give it full sun to light shade, and it will be happy. You’ll get the best performance by planting in fertile, well-drained soil, but it can tolerate lesser conditions.

Very little care is required during the growing season. Occasional deadheading will help promote more new and larger blooms (deadheading is a great practice for many perennials). It is moderately drought tolerant, but don’t expect it to go for weeks on end without water and continue to look good like some other salvias do.

Home and Garden Calendar

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:32 EDT

Workshops

• The Garden Like a Master Series continues this summer at area branches of the Richland County Public Library. Richland County Master Gardeners will present these workshops:

Heat and Drought Resistant Plants, 6:30 p.m. July 21, St. Andrews branch, (803) 772-6675; 6:30 p.m. July 23, Sandhill branch, (803) 699-9230; 6:30 p.m. July 30, Southeast branch, 7421 Garners Ferry Road, (803) 776-0855.

The workshops are free to the public, but reservations are required.

Keep the firefly light shining

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:36 EDT

Most adults remember the childhood delight of observing and chasing fireflies in summer. The fireflies came out like stars — first one, then another — until their blinking filled your backyard or the nearby woods.

The lightning bug paparazzi of our childhood seem to have disappeared from some landscapes entirely. Only on a recent owl prowl in the Congaree National Park did appreciable numbers light up the night. We watched an incredible display of synchronous flashing on and off.

The decline of fireflies has been attributed to a number of factors. Municipal mosquito spraying regimens control more than targeted pests. The destruction of habitat that has reduced butterfly and bird populations also affects fireflies. Fireflies need darkness to find their light mates, and humans have polluted their dating scene with vehicle, street and security lights and a carnival of glaring signs and billboards.

Knowing the lifestyle and cycle of fireflies can entice families to bring lightning bugs to the garden. These nocturnal insects are members of the Lampyridae family with 2,000 species worldwide; 125 are found in the United States.

Although dissimilar species of fireflies appear in swamps, woodlands, stream beds and open meadows, generally fireflies like the same moist conditions as mosquitoes. They frequent undisturbed wild spaces and unkempt overgrown areas of a garden.

Lower your energy bill

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:31 EDT

A big chunk of your monthly summer power bill could come from trying to cool heat generated inside your home.

A great deal of indoor heat is generated by the use of home appliances and cooking and bathing. Save money by using the oven less. Cooking on an outdoor grill or using the microwave are easy ways to generate less indoor heat.

If you do use the oven, use an exhaust fan to vent heat and humidity to the outdoors.

If you still use incandescent bulbs in lighting fixtures, turn them off when not in use. As much as 95 percent of the energy going into incandescent bulbs comes out as heat.

Another big problem is air infiltration — the unwanted flow of air into and out of your home. Much of this is caused by cracks and poorly sealed areas in walls and around windows and doors. Fill these openings with caulk, weather-stripping material and foam inserts.