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AMANDA SEBASTIANO
Staff Writer
When looking at a ower gar-
den, the non-gardeners are prob-
ably missing a lot, at rst glance.
More than likely, they arent
considering the behind-the-
scenes work it took for the bed
of daisies to look lush and full, or
the placement of certain plants in
the shade, because they require
little sunlight.
Or how the roses are bursting
out of a bush to the left of the
front door, because they are the
gardeners favorite and she likes
them up front.
Growing a ower garden re-
quires precision, technicality and
a passion.
Local ower gardener Debo-
rah Cook-Gordon has been play-
ing with owers since she was
a child, growing up in a truck
farm-family in St. Louis. Over
the years, she has tweaked and
perfected her techniques and
now has a home engulfed in
ower gardens one on every
side of the house.
She has tried various tech-
niques in her planting; digging-
up, re-planting and swapping are
all a part of her gardening rou-
tine, not that she has one per
ce. She denes her schedule as
loose, but frequent, with the help
of a landscaper and occasionally
her husband, Jim, whose thumb
isnt even close to being green,
he joked.
Gordon does interior design
work part-time when she isnt
knee-deep in mulch, like she was
last week. Wednesday, she had
just gotten 2 yards of mulch de-
livered and couldnt wait to get
her hands in it.
But rst, she had some ideas
for those considering getting
their gloves dirty this spring.
As she does with her moun-
tainous pile of freshly delivered
mulch, its important to have a
plan, she stressed.
When I rst moved here,
about six years ago, my back-
yard was nothing but red clay,
Gordon said. I stood in the mid-
dle of the yard and vowed to my-
self that I would have things to-
gether in ve years.
Gordons ve-year plan was to
have the garden to a point where
she would only have to maintain
it, and not do much more work to
it, which she joked would never
2 LI NCOLN TI MES-NEWS, Lincolnton, N.C., Wednesday, April 18, 2012 2012 Home and Garden
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What it takes
to grow flowers
Ray Gora / Lincoln Times-News
ABOVE and FRONT COVER: Deborah Cook-Gordon takes particular pride in her roses, which
can pose challenges for gardeners to cultivate successfully.
See FLOWERS, page 6
SARAH LOWERY
Staff Writer
Warmer weather certainly has
its advantages, but with it may
come one biting, stinging pest.
Due to the unseasonably mild
winter and early spring, there is
a greater likelihood for an abun-
dance of re ants this year.
Fire ants are well-established
in the area, said Kevin Starr,
director of the countys Coop-
erative Extension Service, who-
talked with the Times-News
last week. Though he hasnt re-
ceived many questions or com-
plaints about the insects in recent
years, he expects a resurgence of
the ants in 2012, having already
spotted some mounds locally.
One of the worst infestations
Starr has ever seen was in Iron
Station a couple of years ago.
According to a Department of
Entomology article on the North
Carolina Cooperative Extension
Service website, the mounds,
typically located in sunny areas
next to sidewalks, driveways and
other heat-absorbing masses,
may continue to enlarge as the
population of ants grows, with
younger colonies not always
having formed their mounds yet.
The pesky creatures can be
found in most parts of North
Carolina, after spreading rapidly
throughout the southeastern U.S.
since being introduced into Mo-
bile, Ala., in 1930, Starr said.
He was quick to point out
that though re ants can be con-
trolled, they cant be eliminated
completely. We want to make
sure people know how to man-
age them, he noted.
While they arent likely to
have an impact on gardens and
plants they are usually found
in undisturbed, grassy areas
the pests are aggressive when
bothered and will attack those in
their path. Their bites may result
in small, red pustules that are un-
comfortable at best.
For anyone allergic to their
stings, the situation is much
more serious. Starr warned that
young children playing in a yard,
pasture or hayeld are particu-
larly at risk if they unknowingly
poke or kick at a mound.
Fire ants typically surge out of
their mounds in great numbers
at even the smallest disturbance
and can get on someone before
they know it, Starr noted.
Lincoln County residents who
have moved here from colder
climates where the pests arent
commonly found may also not
be aware of the dangers they
pose, Starr said.
There are two primary
means of managing re ants
1) through bait treatment and 2)
through direct-contact treatment
with nonbait insecticides.
Plenty of old wives tales sug-
gest other methods. There are
lots of supposed folk recipes,
but theres no evidence that they
work, Starr said.
Baits, which should be sprin-
LI NCOLN TI MES-NEWS, Lincolnton, N.C., Wednesday, April 18, 2012 3 2012 Home and Garden
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Controlling fire ants near your home
Ray Gora / Lincoln Times-News
Lincoln County residents
could see greater numbers
of fire ants than normal this
year due to the mild winter
and early spring, warns
Lincoln County Cooperative
Extension Director
Kevin Starr.
See ANTS, page 12
JENNA-LEY HARRISON
Staff Writer
With obesity becoming a
prominent issue in todays so-
ciety, agriculture and food nu-
trition experts with the Lincoln
County ofce of the North Car-
olina Cooperation Extension are
letting people know that good
nutrition can start with garden-
ing.
According to Family and Con-
sumer Sciences Extension Agent
Melinda Houser, the entire state
of North Carolina is native to a
superuous supply of healthy
fruits and vegetables during the
spring and summer seasons,
some of which include sweet
potatoes, squash, peaches, corn,
mushrooms and beans.
We encourage vegetables and
fruits, she said.
Most people say fruits and
veggies, but we say veggies
rst.
Houser said currently straw-
berries and asparagus are the
two main foods being harvested
in the area and that unseasonable
weather patterns have greatly
affected crops time frames for
growing.
This season, a majority of
farmers and gardeners planted
the sweet red fruit two weeks
earlier than scheduled due to
4 LI NCOLN TI MES-NEWS, Lincolnton, N.C., Wednesday, April 18, 2012 2012 Home and Garden
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Good nutrition can start with gardening
Contributed
Raised-bed gardens
flourish at the Burke
County Extension Center
in Morganton. Raised-
bed gardening can have a
number of benefits such as
an extended planting season,
more efficient weed reduction
and control, and higher soil
quality than native soils.
See NUTRITION, page 13
LI NCOLN TI MES-NEWS, Lincolnton, N.C., Wednesday, April 18, 2012 5 2012 Home and Garden
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After committing to an idea of
what she wanted, Gordon hired
someone to draw up a physical
plan for her yard, so she could
see her thoughts on paper an-
other recommendation for rook-
ies.
After the plan is drafted and
the wheels are in motion, look
over the terrain where the gar-
den will soon be created. Get to
know the area its limitations,
what works, what doesnt and
why.
Gordons once-clay backyard
had erosion issues, so over time,
she found plants that would help
stop or slow down the process.
She remembers standing up to
her hip in a hole that was caused
by erosion.
Her next piece of advice for a
healthy, happy garden came as
a bit of a surprise welcome
creepy crawlers.
A good way to tell if youre
doing something right is when
you start to see red wigglers
(worms) in the soil, Gordon
said. They appear when their
environment is really healthy
and (the worms) are excellent
for owers.
Gardeners should have insects
in their gardens, just not ones
that destroy and feed on plants,
she said.
6 LI NCOLN TI MES-NEWS, Lincolnton, N.C., Wednesday, April 18, 2012 2012 Home and Garden
704-802-4593
Thurs-Fri. 10am-6pm
Sat. 10am-4pm
Cherryville Pets
& Supplies
1 |. t|arc| :treet t|err.|||e, Nt zz
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Organic
Plant Health hh
LTN73719-41112
Ray Gora/ Lincoln Times-News
Many plants like these in
Deborah Cook-Gordans
garden can serve the
dual purposes of being
ornamental as well as
providing help with
erosion control.
FLOWERS
(continued from page 2)
See FLOWERS, page 7
Soil is what draws the bugs
to the owers and plants, if the
ground is healthy. Getting the
foundation right is a key factor
in a garden. Lincoln County Co-
operative Extension will test soil
samples and will tell you what
nutrients are missing, for free.
Gordon uses a compost mix-
ture in her soil, to loosen it up
and keep it healthy a com-
bination of vegetable and fruit
scraps that she mixes with leaves
her friends bring over from their
trees. She recommends investing
in a compost machine to have
LI NCOLN TI MES-NEWS, Lincolnton, N.C., Wednesday, April 18, 2012 7 2012 Home and Garden
Call For Estimates
704-740-5810
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Shown By Referring Our Company
For Home Decorating Needs.
We Strive On Customer Service Most
Importantly, And Detail To The Quality
Of Product We Produce. We Have A
Wide Variety Of Products Available
Within The Cultured Marble Line
Which Includes Vanity Tops, Showers
And Tubs, As Well As Custom Orders.
Lawing Marble Has Also, For The Last
15 Years, Offered Granite And Quartz
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Their Kitchens And Baths.
LTN73749-041112
Ray Gora / Lincoln Times-News
Wild daisies are among the many blossoms that adorn Deborah Cook-Gordons flower beds.
DEAN FOSDICK
For The Associated Press
A creative sideline for garden-
ers is plant propagation, or en-
hancing the landscape through
reproduction.
Its also a cheap way to ll
owerbeds and herbal containers
while prices continue to climb.
Methods of propagation range
from seed sowing to grafting,
and all require varying degrees
of skill.
For propagation, you dont
need an education but you may
need some guidance, said Ken
Druse, author of the new Making
More Plants: The Science, Art
and Joy of Propagation (Stew-
art, Tabori and Chang). Most
often, though, its all about start-
ing plants from seeds.
Seeds are an economical way
to grow in bulk, even if you must
buy them in commercially pre-
pared packets. Getting your
seeds from a proven source is a
good way to ensure high produc-
tion, Druse said.
Here is a propagation glossary,
describing the most commonly
used methods:
Sowing seeds: Druse
starts his seeds in 3-inch pots,
topping the soil with ne sand.
Moist soil is a great medium for
seeds but also for fungus, which
can kill a great many sprouts in
just a couple of weeks, he said.
Gravel is not a hospitable me-
dium for fungus.
Stem, leaf or root cuttings:
Pieces of the parent plant are cut
and placed in water or a suitable
growing medium until roots de-
velop. They become clones, or
junior versions of the originals
and soon are ready for trans-
planting.
Layering: A practice usu-
FLOWERS
(continued from page 6)
See FLOWERS, page 9
Propagation offers cheap
way to build plant collection
See PLANT, page 14
8 LI NCOLN TI MES-NEWS, Lincolnton, N.C., Wednesday, April 18, 2012 2012 Home and Garden
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on-hand, but they can be costly.
Along with a compost device,
make sure to do the research and
nd out what equipment will be
necessary; invest in strong tools.
Buying cheaper items will
cost more money later when
they have to be continuously re-
placed, Gordon promised. Buy
as expensive tools as the bud-
get will allow, she said. Main-
tenance of the tools is as equal-
ly important as purchasing the
right ones.
As a rule of thumb, look for
hardware stores that sharpen
lawnmower parts; if it works on
those parts, it will work for the
gardening tools. Sharpening and
cleaning pruners and shovels
will give them longer lives and
will make it easier to dig in the
soil, Gordon said.
When surng the Web for the
right equipment to purchase,
also think about what owers
LI NCOLN TI MES-NEWS, Lincolnton, N.C., Wednesday, April 18, 2012 9 2012 Home and Garden
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Ray Gora / Lincoln Times-News
The red clay soil found in and around Lincoln County poses challenges for successful gardening, but its growing power can be
improved with compost and purchased soils that are looser and contain more nutrients.
FLOWERS
(continued from page 7)
See FLOWERS, page 12
10 LI NCOLN TI MES-NEWS, Lincolnton, N.C., Wednesday, April 18, 2012 2012 Home and Garden
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AMANDA SEBASTIANO
Staff Writer
While performing the annual
spring cleaning ritual, stop and
take a look at the big picture
see what is swept, mopped, dust-
ed, painted and so meticulously
scrubbed after the suns rays re-
place the chilly, winter air.
The home is more than living
space used to store furniture and
keepsakes; its the most impor-
tant asset a person can have, said
Leigh Guth, family and consum-
er science agent for the countys
Cooperative Extension Services.
Guth analyzes data that an-
swers a variety of questions con-
sumers are faced with every day
in their homes, and focuses on
energy-efcient alternatives that
will save the wallet and possibly
the planet.
Researching the life expectan-
cy of certain household items,
like vacuum cleaners, will save
from having to buy a new one
later on. Keeping eyes peeled
for Energy Star-labeled items
gears shoppers in the direction
of products that meet or exceed
government expectations for en-
ergy efciency.
While reading labels, be sure
to check the amount of lumens
on the front of light bulb packag-
es. Lumens measure the amount
of light output and will eventu-
ally be shown in a table resem-
bling a nutrition guide found on
food, drinks and just about any
item made up of multiple con-
tents, Guth told the Times-News
last week.
Cooperative Extension recom-
mends saving 1 to 3 percent of
the value of the home to use to-
ward maintenance and repairs.
We go to the doctor for check
ups and get the oil changed on
our cars why not pay the
same amount of attention to our
homes? Guth asked.
Making a home maintenance
checklist is a good start to get-
ting the ball rolling on home-
health this spring.
The extensions website offers
a guide for things to inspect in
various areas of the home, from
the windows and walls to gutters
and roof shingles.
To keep the eco-friendly theme
going, check windows and doors
for problems with insulation, a
quick at-home x, Guth assures.
Caulking and weather strip-
ping are easy to do and are rel-
atively inexpensive as opposed
to replacing the problem area.
Properly insulated homes keep
cold air in and warm air out.
Frequent vent-checks and mak-
ing sure all are clear of obstruc-
tions will help cool things down
during the upcoming warmer
months as well.
Less obvious factors to con-
sider that may be making the
home feel as hot as the outside
temperature, are the under-the-
house vents and ducts. A main-
tenance person may have shifted
something while working, a rac-
coon could have bumped it or
even the wind may have separat-
ed the two and will alter the way
it feels inside the home.
Guth stresses three areas of
importance for home improve-
ment this spring: be conscious of
energy-efcient practices; evalu-
ate the safety and practicality of
the home; and shop around.
Back to light bulbs, quickly.
Compact uorescent and LED
bulbs are said to have the longest
duration and can save up to $50
a year if replacing 15 other bulbs
with these more efcient ones,
Guth said.
As homes age and need re-
pair, unfortunately, so too do the
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Certain owers bloom for
short periods of time and dur-
ing particular seasons annu-
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found in Gordons bouquet, have
staggered blossom times, so she
has something blooming all year.
If youre looking for low-
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Ray Gora / Lincoln Times-News
Deborah Cook-Gordon has successfully grown a large variety of attractive flowers.
kled around the mounds, are in-
secticides that the ants mistake
as food and carry down to their
queen. Starr said the bait treat-
ment is slower-acting but offers
better overall control, and he rec-
ommends giving it time to work
before going for the quicker kill.
The mounds of re ants are
distinctive, well-dened and
raised, with honeycombed inte-
riors. Though much faster, the
nonbait insecticides are harder
to get all the way down to the
queen, making it more difcult
to eliminate the entire mound.
If looking to treat mounds in
your lawn, the North Carolina
Cooperative Extension Service
website recommends the follow-
ing tips.
For bait treatment: Make sure
you buy fresh bait. Dont store
it for lengthy periods of time.
Avoid storing the bait near oth-
er pesticides, fuels or products
whose odors may be absorbed.
Apply baits to dry grass. Do
not apply them if it has recent-
ly rained or is supposed to rain
within 24 hours. When applying
the bait, be careful not to disturb
the mound so the ants wont be
distracted from foraging.
For direct-contact treatment:
Make sure you mix the insecti-
cides with the correct amount of
water (1.5-2 gallons per mound)
before drenching the mound.
Ants are nearest to the surface in
midmorning, so apply the treat-
ment then.
Try not to disturb the nest, as
the ants will move the queen out
of danger and she wont be as
likely to come into contact with
the treatment. Check back a few
days after the initial treatment
to see if any satellite mounds
have sprung up.
For more information, vis-
it www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/
not es/ O&T/ l awn/ not e145/
note145.html.
You can also contact the coun-
tys extension ofce or most gar-
den centers for questions about
treatment products or processes.
FLOWERS
(continued from page 9)
See FLOWERS, page 15
ANTS
(continued from page 3)
warmer temperatures, but with
a cold spell hitting the area this
past week, early-planted crops
may cease to thrive.
Houser hopes that through
N.C. Cooperative Extension
classes and other available infor-
mation the organization offers
on nutrition and agriculture, lo-
cal residents can learn healthier
eating habits.
Its about learning behavior
changes and lifestyle, she said.
Houser was more than disap-
pointed to learn that after a sur-
vey of local Lincoln County stu-
dents, most admitted to eating
very few fruits and vegetables in
their diet.
Its a big problem, she said.
Obesity is an uphill battle.
She pointed out how simple
backyard gardening can be both
mental therapy and exercise
for those willing to do the work.
You can work at your own
pace, Houser said.
Gardening gives you plea-
sure; its a joy to watch and see
it grow You know its fresh
from your garden to table.
She noted that Cooperative
Extension agents often encour-
age elderly citizens to grow
plants and vegetables using sim-
ple gardening methods such as
raised-bed or container gardens.
Raised-bed gardens, some ex-
amples of which are located be-
hind the Cooperative Extension
Ofce, are comprised of a spe-
cic type of wooden frame and
housed above ground. Items are
contained in a small space, mak-
ing it easy to maintain and water,
according to Lincoln County Ex-
tension Director Kevin Starr.
They work really well if you
dont want a big garden, he
said.
Houser suggests that those
who are just starting out cultivat-
ing their own gardens plant veg-
etables such as onions, tomatoes,
lettuce and cucumbers, crops
that are the easiest to both care
for and maintain.
With backyard gardens, you
know what you grow and can
pick it fresh and eat it, she said.
Houser pointed out how gar-
dening can be cost-effective and
safer than purchasing the same
imported items from local gro-
cery stores.
A lot of food nowadays is
transported from other coun-
tries, she said.
Growing ones own crops may
also save money, Houser said,
particularly for a small family.
Starr gave three important fac-
tors for those wishing to start a
garden.
He said soil preparation is of
most importance, particularly
making sure the soil is nearly
neutral, falling somewhere be-
tween 6 and 6.5 on the PH scale.
In addition, Starr advised that
gardeners use lime to raise soil
PH as well as incorporate organ-
ic matter into the soil to break up
the areas indigenous clay.
Proper soil leads to more suc-
cess and less pests, he said.
In addition, Starr said plant-
ing early also prevents worms
from gathering and eating crops
but that using pesticides to keep
bugs off plants should be a last
resort.
First, identify the pest cor-
rectly and if its even necessary
to use a pesticide, he said.
In addition to vegetable gar-
dens, Houser pointed to herb
gardens, which she said can pro-
vide extensive nutrition.
They are great to use rather
than salt to season food, she
said.
Most have good nutritional
properties and add avor.
Herbs are also prominent in-
gredients in certain types of
medications, she added.
Gardening is on the rise,
Houser said, but before ama-
teur gardeners start the process
of building their own backyard
sanctuaries, she advised that
families plan ahead by research-
ing their favorite foods and talk-
ing to local farmers and other
seasoned growers for tips and
other advice.
They (farmers) love to share
stories, she said.
Houser said that through the
local Extension Ofce, county
ofcials are working to move
people in another direction
health-wise.
When obesity increases,
health insurance rates also in-
crease because people make
more doctor visits and require
more medications, she said.
Houser pointed out how sug-
ars other than those found
in fruits have been liked to
chronic diseases such as diabe-
tes.
While fruits have sugar, she
said, its natural and they
have other good properties that
arent in a candy bar.
A recent study of on the
healthiness of North Carolinas
100 counties, conducted by the
University of Wisconsin Popu-
lation Health Institute and the
Robert Wood Johnson Founda-
tion, ranked Lincoln County at
No. 34 out of 100.
Mecklenburg County lled
the No. 4 position while Gaston
County ranked quite low at No.
79, and neighboring Catawba
County took the No. 29 spot.
Houser said she believes that
that all counties could improve
their rankings if people took
more time to cook and snack on
fruits and veggies rather than
dining out at restaurants.
The Lincoln County ofce of
the North Carolina Cooperative
Extension plans to host summer
classes on canning and pickling
as well as making homemade
jams and relishes.
For more information on Co-
operative Extension programs
and classes, call (704) 736-8452.
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NUTRITION
(continued from page 4)
SARAH WOLFE
For The Associated Press
Ceilings are the Rodney Dan-
gereld of homes. They get no
respect.
But there are plenty of easy
ways to make over this oft-over-
looked area, from the quirky
charm of Victorian-era, pressed-
tin tiles and beadboard to a sim-
ple splash of color.
Historically, ceilings were
highly decorated, but it seems as
houses have become more mod-
ern they have been forgotten,
says San Francisco-based interi-
or designer Cecilie Starlin.
Once again, though, ceilings
are starting to get the attention
they deserve.
Here are some suggestions
from the simple to the complex
to transform your ceilings
from drab white squares into the
focal point of a room.
Ceiling medallion
Probably the easiest way to
bring the eye upward in a room is
with a ceiling medallion, a white
or colored decorative disk typi-
cally mounted around a lighting
xture.
The pieces come in a variety
of styles and can be found in any
home improvement store.
Another bonus?
Todays lighter polyurethane
models are much simpler to in-
stall and easier on the wallet than
those from decades past, says
Alex Bandon, online editor of
Thisoldhouse.com.
I personally like that look in
the bedroom, she says.
Its a really unusual thing, but
it makes a simple bedroom much
more romantic and exciting.
Paint
If you have tall ceilings or
want a cozy feel, extend the wall
color onto the ceiling, or go bold
and throw a darker or contrasting
color up above to make the area
appear smaller.
Color on the ceiling is not
forbidden, Bandon says. Its
something you can play around
with a bit.
Go with a at paint on ceilings
to minimize light reection and
mask imperfections, says Puji
Sherer of the eco-paint manufac-
turer YOLO Colorhouse in Port-
land, Ore.
Since ceilings are not in dan-
ger of greasy ngerprints and the
regular wear and tear that walls
receive, higher gloss nishes are
not necessary, she says.
Paneling
For a classic New England
cottage look, you cant beat the
charm of wood paneling such as
beadboard on the ceiling.
Amy Matthews, a contractor
and host of the DIY Networks
Sweat Equity, prefers the ease of
gluing and nailing larger bead-
board sheet panels to the ceiling
rather than tacking up individual
tongue-and-groove pieces.
The panels, which can be cut
with a power or handsaw, should
be nailed to ceiling joists, and
can then be stained or painted.
Bandon likes the look in bath-
rooms, where wainscoted walls
are common, or on front-porch
ceilings, in a traditional light-
blue color that was thought to
keep insects away.
Pressed-tin panels
These are a popular ceiling
option if youre looking for a
folksy, vintage feel, and they
also come in larger patterned-
metal sheets for easier installa-
tion, Bandon says.
The panels can be nailed in
place with a hammer or nail gun
onto furring strips that must rst
be nailed up, according to thisol-
dhouse.com.
Overlap the edges and seal the
panels with a clear polyurethane
or apply an oil-based paint.
Drop panel ceiling
Many people shudder at the
thought of a drop panel ceiling,
envisioning the white utilitar-
ian grids and uorescent light-
ing common in 1960s basements
and ofce buildings.
But Matthews says todays
drop ceilings are handsomer, de-
signed in many more colors and
textures.
Several companies even make
individual panels in materials
such as wood and tin that t into
existing metal grid systems.
That can give homeowners a
cheaper way to bring their drop
ceiling into the 21st century,
Matthews says.
14 LI NCOLN TI MES-NEWS, Lincolnton, N.C., Wednesday, April 18, 2012 2012 Home and Garden
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ally done with woody plants
where living stems are placed on
the ground with their tips forced
downward. They receive nour-
ishment from the parent plants
while roots form on the planted
ends, enabling them to eventu-
ally be separated and grow un-
aided.
Grafting: Branches are re-
moved from one woody plant
and secured to another until they
take or begin to grow. That
unites certain desirable charac-
teristics from one plant say
hardiness, dwarng or faster
fruiting with those of its host.
Apple trees commonly are graft-
ed, as are Japanese maples.
Dividing: Perennials
should be divided once they out-
grow their sites. That improves
their health, bulks up foliage and
produces more owers. De-
pending upon the species, these
divisions may grow to be as
large as the original plant by sea-
sons end: more plants for free,
Druse said.
Sowing seeds, cuttings and
division are the most prevalent
forms of propagation done by
home gardeners, said Rosie
Lerner, an extension consumer
horticulturist with Purdue Uni-
versity. Its a little work but
well worth the effort. Its a mat-
ter of knowing which parts of
the plants to split off and divide.
Many have a high degree of suc-
cess.
And then there are plant swaps,
which add a social component to
garden building.
Be careful of those pass-
along plants from neighbors
and friends, though the kind
theyre willing to trade because
they have so many. Some could
be infested with mites, while
others may be invasive.
Some plants are thugs,
Druse said. Anything so easy to
propagate may not be that great
to have around your yard.
Online:
For more about expanding
your plant collection through
propagation, see this University
of Minnesota Sustainable Ur-
ban Landscape fact sheet: http://
www.sustland.umn.edu/maint/
propagation.html
You can contact Dean Fosdick
at deanfosdick@netscape.net
PLANT
(continued from page 7)
Remember the ceiling when decorating the room
See CEILING, page 15
Coffered ceiling
Originally used during the Re-
naissance and popularized in the
late 19th and early 20th centu-
ries, coffered ceilings are one of
the more complex ceiling proj-
ects, but also the most formal
and dramatic.
The process involves attach-
ing at or more intricately mold-
ed beams to the ceiling to create
a square, grid-like pattern that is
then typically trimmed out with
crown molding, Bandon says.
It drops your ceilings down, so
use caution in a small room, but
it adds instant classic elegance to
a dining or living room.
Its a great way to hide aws
in your ceiling, Bandon says.
Its also a great way to hide duct
work or something you have to
put in your ceiling.
Building a soft box around
the perimeter of a ceiling also
can give the look of a layered,
coffer-like ceiling, says Ken
Collier, editor-in-chief of The
Family Handyman magazine.
Install recessed lighting in
the soft box or run downlights
along the top to make the light
kind of wash along the walls.
It looks very dramatic, Collier
says.
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maintenance, short-life owers,
annuals are the way to go, Gor-
don said.
Finally, sharing is caring.
Gordon frequently meets with
friends and other gardeners to
swap plants, owers and seeds.
This adds diversity to the garden
and sometimes-unexpected addi-
tions that will pleasantly surprise
you, she said. Trading secrets
with other like-minds will also
help get excess plants or owers
out of the garden to make space
for new ones.
Something is always over-
taking our gardens; sometimes I
look at their (friends) plants and
say, I dont know what you are,
but youre interesting and Ill
take you, Gordon said.
FLOWERS
(continued from page 12)
homeowners. Over time, start to
make plans and assess the func-
tionality of the home and how
it will work with the lifestyle of
those living there.
Think about the staircase that
leads to the master bathroom up-
stairs is it getting harder to
climb them?
Sometimes remodeling may
be necessary to help homeown-
ers make their living space ap-
propriate for their new needs,
Guth said.
Weigh the options rst and re-
ally evaluate what is going to
be done to your home and if its
practical.
Sometimes big, costly renova-
tions seem like a good idea at the
time, but may not add value to
the home or be of much use later,
Guth said.
Just remember to explore the
options. Guth recommends get-
ting three opinions before choos-
ing a handy person to work on
home repairs do the research.
Read ratings online; ask around
to friends and others who have
used the company, or person, be-
fore.
Having to go back and have
the same job done more than
once will add up.
On the other side of the safe-
ty issue, think about the possi-
bility of inclimate weather that
may head North Carolinas way
as hurricane season draws closer.
Have a safety plan ready that
shows what areas of the home
to take shelter, should the need
arise.
With that plan, have items
like batteries and ashlights and
other storm season supplies at-
reach, too.
Guth will be teaching home
improvement courses in May.
For tips and course information,
visit www.lincoln.ces.ncsu.edu.
CLEANING
(continued from page 11)
CEILING
(continued from page 14)
16 LI NCOLN TI MES-NEWS, Lincolnton, N.C., Wednesday, April 18, 2012 2012 Home and Garden
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