Monday, April 9, 2012

Around The Farm And Home


A number of calls and visits come into the Extension Office at this time of year asking what to spray on fruit trees so they have good, clean fruit. My stock answer is that if you go to your local garden center and ask for an "all purpose fruit spray," this will probably do the best job for you as a backyard fruit grower.
The most important part of having good, clean fruit is timing. Because of this, 1 am incorporating a spray schedule in with this news article. We have already missed the dormant spray, but we can be ready for the pink and bloom sprays. I am putting it in the news article simply because the time to spray and pest control is so important in stone fruit. This schedule will not provide desirable control of brown rot unless Benlate is used in addition to the fungicide in the GPMix, or in addition to Captan. Benlate may also be used after harvest on cherries. The chart is laid out in the following categories: Time to Spray: Materials
for 2.5 gal. spray; Pests to be Controlled. Follow along under' these three headings.
Dormant, before green — 5 tsp. of copper sulfate a"nd 7 Tbls. spray lime and 1 CM soil — leaf euro, scales, mites.
Pink, just before blossoms open — GP mix or 3 Tbls. Imidan 50 percent WP, 7.6 Tbls. Imidan 12.5 percent WP and either 1 Tbls. Benlate 50 percent WP or 5 Tbls. Captan 50 percent WP
— brown rot, aphids.' Bloom- 1 Tbls. Benlate 50 percent WP plus 5 Tbls. Captan 50 percent WP
— Brown rot. 'Petal Fall — Same materials as pink — brown rot, cherry leaf spot, fruit moth, bud moth, curculio.
Shuck Fall, when most shucks have fallen — Same maerials as pink — Same as above.

Holiday Deals on eBay purchase water ionizer for drinking high ph alkaline water

Friday, March 9, 2012

Ways to handle fabric to get a professional look


Here are some tips for decorating with fabric from the Sewing Fashion
Council and other sources:
• If you are new to home sewing, buy a basic how-to book. It will guide you in measuring and determining yard age, and it will explain standard instruction sheets included in pattern envelopes.
• Choose a first project that's easy to sew and noticeable, such as window treatments or a bedspread or comforter. Build around it with additional accessories, using leftover or coordinating fabric.
• When shopping for fabrics, bring samples of your wall colors, wallpaper and carpet.
• Take home fabric swatches to live with for several days. Samples should be large enough to judge how the fabrics will go with furnishings.
Test how a fabric looks under different types of light. If the fabric will be used in curtains or drapes, hold the sample up to the window on a sunny day. Seen in direct sunlight, the effect of its color and pattern may change. If the curtains are to be lined, don't forget to test it with lining fabric. Curtains on a sunny window may require lining for insulation and to keep the main fabric from fading-

• If using washable fabric, make sure that trims also are washable. While most decorative fabric can be machine-washed, many trims must be dry cleaned.
• When purchasing fabric, buy all the yardage from one bolt since dye lots Can vary from bolt, to bolt. Check measurements carefully to make sure you have enough fabric to complete the project.
• When adding to existing fabric decor, patterns and colors that blend with what's there, but doesn’t match exactly, can be used for slipcovers, pillow covers and other accessories.
• Many decorating projects can be done without them, but purchased 'patterns offer ideas, demonstrate techniques, and bolster the confidence of a novice seamstress. Most pattern catalogs include sections on home projects.

Thursday, August 12, 2004

Remodeling Continues To Grow


Homeowners today are anything but "on the move." Tight mortgage monies, spiraling interest rates and rising inflation have caused them to take a second look at their homes. The result has led to a surge in home remodeling that the U.S. Census Bureau estimates will equal or exceed that of homebuilding expenditures this year.
According to John Hammon, executive vice president of the National Home Improvement Council, "All signs indicate that remodeling, which has consistently been on the rise for the past 30 years, will continue to grow at a rate of approximately 15 percent in the next few years."
And, although the do-it-yourself segment of the remodeling market seems to be growing at a rapid rate, Hammon added that, "70.4 percent of the total marketis still professionally installed remodeling." But, if money is so tight, why are people willing to remodel?
One reason is [he aging housing stock. Although there are more than 78 million homes and apartments in this country, at least half are more than 17 years old.
To maintain this aging housing 'stock, remodeling is essential.
• Secondly, the growing concern .for energy conservation, sparked by ever increasing utility and fuel costs, has motivated homeowners into updating their homes' energy efficiency through remodeling.
"The fact that reinsulation and replacement windows, storm doors and windows remain two of the most popular home improvement projects easily verifies this point," according to Hammon. "And, since a house is probably the "largest investment a family or individual is likely to make, remodeling is a way of investing in an investment," he added.

Wednesday, March 17, 2004

Time-Saving House Cleaning Tips


Want a clean house but don't have a lot of time? The key is organization and scheduling tasks. Organize and schedule? Who has time for that? Believe me, this is the only way you'll ever routinely save time and keep a clean house with the hectic lifestyle of today.

Let's get organized:
Basic Cleaning Supplies:
• Windex
• Roll of paper towels
• Sponges
• Cotton cloths [diapers work great]
• Endust [or similar product]
• Furniture oil
• Long-handled magnetic duster
• Toilet Bowl cleaner/brush
• Rubber gloves
• Broom/dustpan
• Mop [cotton work best]
• Floor cleaning product
• Bucket/attachment to squeeze out mop
• Vacuum cleaner/ attachments

Buy a large basket or a handled, plastic container. This is where you will store all of your cleaning supplies. Select a convenient place to store the basket such as beneath the kitchen sink or in a pantry. Do the same with the broom, mop, vacuum, dustpan and bucket. Always return everything to its place after using and make a note of needed supplies before you run out so you always have what is needed while cleaning.

Time to Clean:

Decide on a routine. If necessary, write down your schedule and carry it with you in your supply basket. Whatever schedule you select always remember to clean a room from the top down to the floor. Here is a sample schedule based on a three bedroom, 2 bath home