A beginner's guide to growing strawberries
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Low-cost summer solutions Does the house you are trying to sell still look like it's in hibernation? Get rid of the heavy fabrics and bring in a soft, summery feel. Replace heavy curtain panels with lightweight sheers. Put away the heavy comforter and replace it with a lighter bedspread. Swap out dark accent pillows for soft-colored pillows. These are all low-cost solutions that make your home more welcoming. — EnergizedSeller.com
DID YOU KNOW? The Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development department will give $5.4 million for housing for 676 homeless vets. — HUD.gov
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Sweet sprouts
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Use a color wheel inside your home When choosing a color scheme, simplify the process by using the color wheel. Choose two color schemes, and make one complementary and the other analogous. Complementary colors are across from each other on the color wheel, and they are used in formal areas of the home, like the living or dining room. For example, red and green; blue and yellow; purple and orange. Analogous colors are next to each other on the color wheel, and they are used in casual areas of the home, like bedrooms, dens and family rooms. For example, yellow and green; blue and violet; red and orange. — HGTV.com
A beginner’s guide to growing strawberries BY JORDAN LAIO | GATEHOUSE NEWS SERVICE
ike other berries, most strawberries are perennials, which means their roots stay from year to year and expand with each passing year, though any particular plant will begin to decline after about two or three years. On the other hand, some types will not even produce fruit in the first year. So keep this in mind when choosing which strawberries to plant.
L
When to plant strawberries Spring is the perfect time to plant strawberries, but it’s not the only time. Depending on what type of strawberries you plant, they may produce their first summer or they may need an over-wintering period until they start producing in their second summer. If you want fruit in your first season, make sure you buy “dayneutral” or “everbearer” types of strawberries, which can produce in their first summer, though it can take up to 12 weeks from the date of planting for fruit to form. Also, you can buy mature potted plants that are ready to fruit. Junebearing-type plants will produce in their second summer. While they don't provide instant gratification, Junebearers are reputed to
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What to grow in shady locations While vegetables and herbs do best in full sun (at least six to eight hours of midday sunshine), some plants will produce a passable crop in light shade. Leaves may be broader and thinner, stems may be taller and skinnier, but a small homegrown harvest is achievable. Best are leafy vegetables like leaf lettuce, spinach, endive, arugula and other greens. You can also try smaller fruit crops like coolweather peas or hot-weather green beans. Skip the sunloving tomatoes, melons, squash and peppers, though, or you will be disappointed. Beets, potatoes, parsnips, turnips and radishes are root crops worth a try, but skip the carrots. — University of Illinois Extension
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Maintain air conditioning unit Things like low refrigerant levels, dirty fans and filters, loose or worn belts and clogged condenser coils can seriously hinder an air conditioning unit's cooling ability. If your air conditioner is several years old, has never been cleaned or is not cooling, a qualified service person may be needed to perform the necessary maintenance. To reduce the frequency of future cleanings, avoid discharging grass from the lawn mower toward the condenser unit when mowing the yard, and plug air leaks in the home so the unit runs less often. — University of Missouri Extension
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produce the most flavorful strawberries, so the wait may be worth it.
Soil and sun Strawberries need full sun and prefer a sandy loam soil with ample organic matter and a pH of 6.0-6.5, but they can really grow in many types of soil as long as there is good drainage. You should prepare your soil by adding ample compost, well-composted manure or garden soil to the area you plan to use. If using pots, fill with fresh potting soil. Soil should also be kept free of weeds.
Potted strawberry plant If you're buying a mature strawberry plant in a pot, it's probably ready to produce strawberries and all it needs is watering and a place in the sun. This is the most convenient and practical way to grow strawberries.
Strawberries in the garden When planting in the garden, space plants about 1824 inches apart in single rows. Dig holes deep enough so the crown, or
base, of each plant will be at surface level and not below it, which encourages disease. Fill the soil around the roots and press firmly, being careful not to leave any roots exposed. Water in the transplants.
When and how to water strawberries Water strawberry plants regularly and even more often in hot, dry weather. Water at the base of the plants, and don’t water on their leaves or fruits. Also, don't let water splash on the leaves or fruit, as this can encourage disease. Try to water in the morning so the surface water can evaporate by evening. How to water strawberries without splashing the leaves and fruit: Use drip lines, direct-point watering (put hose on low pressure and water at base of plants) or use drip tape. If you don't have time or patience to do those things, mulch (e.g., straw, thus the name “strawberries”). Then you can water however you want and the soil won't splash.
Strawberry variety For basics, there are three categories of strawberries: the Junebearer, the everbearer and the “dayneutral” type. Dayneutrals and everbearers can be grown as annuals. They prefer long summer days and will produce fruit the first summer they are planted, while Junebearers will only start producing the second summer after planting. They generally hibernate during the winter and, thus, are good for cold regions. Jordan Laio is a writer for HomeTalk.com, a networking site for those with home-improvement projects.
The cubanelle pepper vs. the sun gold cherry tomato f you have just a little more space in your garden, the cubanelle pepper or sun gold cherry tomato is a good addition. Tropical cubanelle chili During the last decade, the tropical cubanelle chili has gained popularity, which makes it easy to find at garden centers. The only thing it has against it is appearance. Cubanelles produce long, bright-green chilies, looking a lot like a torrid Hungarian wax. Rest assured, these guys are not heat makers. They are brightly sweet and tangy throughout their growing cycle. These most often are cooking peppers. They are Caribbean natives, named for Cuba. Despite this heritage, they grow well throughout the United States,
Grow potatoes
I
If you crave those costly new potatoes, there’s time to grow your own in an unusual way — a black plastic trash bag.
JIM HILLIBISH producing large numbers of chilies on stocky, compact plants. Don’t miss this one. Golden branches — of tomatoes It’s not too late to plant an
excellent cherry tomato, the sun gold. These produce hundreds of 1 1⁄2-inch marbles in only 57 days, 10 to a branch. Cornell University’s horticultural program rates them tops for flavor and disease
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prevention. The hybrid starts a bright orange and ripens to an unusual golden color. They, too, are decorative, a real stopper for visitors. Many gardeners claim they are the sweetest of all tomatoes. Kids eat them like candy. The plants are another top seller at garden centers: “Early to bear, late to stop, a two-month amazement.” They dry well for storage.
Fill a bag about halfway with soil, rolling down the top. Plant five tubers eyes up. Punch small drainage holes in the bottom. As the plants grow, roll up the bag and add more soil. The more you add, the more you’ll get. The newbies will be ready in about six weeks, full-size ones in 10. This is a space-saving way to grow a nice potato crop in about two square feet. You could grow other stuff this way, too.
6/16/11
1:31 PM
Page 1
HOME-SELLING TIP
Home
Low-cost summer solutions Does the house you are trying to sell still look like it's in hibernation? Get rid of the heavy fabrics and bring in a soft, summery feel. Replace heavy curtain panels with lightweight sheers. Put away the heavy comforter and replace it with a lighter bedspread. Swap out dark accent pillows for soft-colored pillows. These are all low-cost solutions that make your home more welcoming. — EnergizedSeller.com
DID YOU KNOW? The Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development department will give $5.4 million for housing for 676 homeless vets. — HUD.gov
HOME HELP
Sweet sprouts
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
IMPROVEMENTS
Use a color wheel inside your home When choosing a color scheme, simplify the process by using the color wheel. Choose two color schemes, and make one complementary and the other analogous. Complementary colors are across from each other on the color wheel, and they are used in formal areas of the home, like the living or dining room. For example, red and green; blue and yellow; purple and orange. Analogous colors are next to each other on the color wheel, and they are used in casual areas of the home, like bedrooms, dens and family rooms. For example, yellow and green; blue and violet; red and orange. — HGTV.com
A beginner’s guide to growing strawberries BY JORDAN LAIO | GATEHOUSE NEWS SERVICE
ike other berries, most strawberries are perennials, which means their roots stay from year to year and expand with each passing year, though any particular plant will begin to decline after about two or three years. On the other hand, some types will not even produce fruit in the first year. So keep this in mind when choosing which strawberries to plant.
L
When to plant strawberries Spring is the perfect time to plant strawberries, but it’s not the only time. Depending on what type of strawberries you plant, they may produce their first summer or they may need an over-wintering period until they start producing in their second summer. If you want fruit in your first season, make sure you buy “dayneutral” or “everbearer” types of strawberries, which can produce in their first summer, though it can take up to 12 weeks from the date of planting for fruit to form. Also, you can buy mature potted plants that are ready to fruit. Junebearing-type plants will produce in their second summer. While they don't provide instant gratification, Junebearers are reputed to
STOCK.XCHNG
GARDEN GUIDE
What to grow in shady locations While vegetables and herbs do best in full sun (at least six to eight hours of midday sunshine), some plants will produce a passable crop in light shade. Leaves may be broader and thinner, stems may be taller and skinnier, but a small homegrown harvest is achievable. Best are leafy vegetables like leaf lettuce, spinach, endive, arugula and other greens. You can also try smaller fruit crops like coolweather peas or hot-weather green beans. Skip the sunloving tomatoes, melons, squash and peppers, though, or you will be disappointed. Beets, potatoes, parsnips, turnips and radishes are root crops worth a try, but skip the carrots. — University of Illinois Extension
TIP OF THE WEEK
Maintain air conditioning unit Things like low refrigerant levels, dirty fans and filters, loose or worn belts and clogged condenser coils can seriously hinder an air conditioning unit's cooling ability. If your air conditioner is several years old, has never been cleaned or is not cooling, a qualified service person may be needed to perform the necessary maintenance. To reduce the frequency of future cleanings, avoid discharging grass from the lawn mower toward the condenser unit when mowing the yard, and plug air leaks in the home so the unit runs less often. — University of Missouri Extension
STOCK.XCHNG PHOTOS
produce the most flavorful strawberries, so the wait may be worth it.
Soil and sun Strawberries need full sun and prefer a sandy loam soil with ample organic matter and a pH of 6.0-6.5, but they can really grow in many types of soil as long as there is good drainage. You should prepare your soil by adding ample compost, well-composted manure or garden soil to the area you plan to use. If using pots, fill with fresh potting soil. Soil should also be kept free of weeds.
Potted strawberry plant If you're buying a mature strawberry plant in a pot, it's probably ready to produce strawberries and all it needs is watering and a place in the sun. This is the most convenient and practical way to grow strawberries.
Strawberries in the garden When planting in the garden, space plants about 1824 inches apart in single rows. Dig holes deep enough so the crown, or
base, of each plant will be at surface level and not below it, which encourages disease. Fill the soil around the roots and press firmly, being careful not to leave any roots exposed. Water in the transplants.
When and how to water strawberries Water strawberry plants regularly and even more often in hot, dry weather. Water at the base of the plants, and don’t water on their leaves or fruits. Also, don't let water splash on the leaves or fruit, as this can encourage disease. Try to water in the morning so the surface water can evaporate by evening. How to water strawberries without splashing the leaves and fruit: Use drip lines, direct-point watering (put hose on low pressure and water at base of plants) or use drip tape. If you don't have time or patience to do those things, mulch (e.g., straw, thus the name “strawberries”). Then you can water however you want and the soil won't splash.
Strawberry variety For basics, there are three categories of strawberries: the Junebearer, the everbearer and the “dayneutral” type. Dayneutrals and everbearers can be grown as annuals. They prefer long summer days and will produce fruit the first summer they are planted, while Junebearers will only start producing the second summer after planting. They generally hibernate during the winter and, thus, are good for cold regions. Jordan Laio is a writer for HomeTalk.com, a networking site for those with home-improvement projects.
The cubanelle pepper vs. the sun gold cherry tomato f you have just a little more space in your garden, the cubanelle pepper or sun gold cherry tomato is a good addition. Tropical cubanelle chili During the last decade, the tropical cubanelle chili has gained popularity, which makes it easy to find at garden centers. The only thing it has against it is appearance. Cubanelles produce long, bright-green chilies, looking a lot like a torrid Hungarian wax. Rest assured, these guys are not heat makers. They are brightly sweet and tangy throughout their growing cycle. These most often are cooking peppers. They are Caribbean natives, named for Cuba. Despite this heritage, they grow well throughout the United States,
Grow potatoes
I
If you crave those costly new potatoes, there’s time to grow your own in an unusual way — a black plastic trash bag.
JIM HILLIBISH producing large numbers of chilies on stocky, compact plants. Don’t miss this one. Golden branches — of tomatoes It’s not too late to plant an
excellent cherry tomato, the sun gold. These produce hundreds of 1 1⁄2-inch marbles in only 57 days, 10 to a branch. Cornell University’s horticultural program rates them tops for flavor and disease
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
prevention. The hybrid starts a bright orange and ripens to an unusual golden color. They, too, are decorative, a real stopper for visitors. Many gardeners claim they are the sweetest of all tomatoes. Kids eat them like candy. The plants are another top seller at garden centers: “Early to bear, late to stop, a two-month amazement.” They dry well for storage.
Fill a bag about halfway with soil, rolling down the top. Plant five tubers eyes up. Punch small drainage holes in the bottom. As the plants grow, roll up the bag and add more soil. The more you add, the more you’ll get. The newbies will be ready in about six weeks, full-size ones in 10. This is a space-saving way to grow a nice potato crop in about two square feet. You could grow other stuff this way, too.
