T h e D a i l y S t a r , A p r i l 2 9 , C o o p e r s t o w n C r i e r , A p r i l 3 0 , a n d T h e W e e k l y S t a r , M a y 1 , 2 0 0 9

By Curt Hagedorn

hough there are a lot of people who wait onpins and needles all winter until they canget a chance to go outside and dig in thedirt, there are others who love the idea of abeautiful garden but really don’t relish the idea of muddy knees and dirty fingernails. While you can’tavoid those things entirely unless you’re luckyenough to have a gardener in the family or the extracash to hire one, there are things you can do to keepgarden maintenance at a minimum. Here are a fewof the best ideas, all available at your local homestore or garden center:

Mulch, Mulch, Mulch.

Mulch looks attractive,keeps down weeds and can help the soil retainmoisture and mulch requires no maintenanceother than renewing it when it gets thin. There aremany types of mulch to choose from, from tree barkof various sizes and shapes and colors to various agri-cultural by products like nut shells and hulls andcorn cobs to pebbles, stones and gravels. It is impor-tant to know what is in your mulch and for it to beeither neutral or beneficial to the soil and plantsaround it. Some types of mulch can add elements orchange the pH of the soil underneath in ways thatmay not benefit your prized azaleas or tomatoes, soask at your garden center or do some research beforepurchase.

Plant Perennials.

While not exactly “set itand forget it” perennial plants will come up yearafter year and, if you know their growing andflowering habits and plan correctly, each planting willcome into its own about the time the other plantingis fading. For example, spring bulbs can be sur-rounded by hostas that will grow and spread slowlyas the foliage from tulips and daffodils (which mustbe left to deteriorate for next year’s bloom) yellowsand dries up.

Rein (and Reign) In The Landscape:

It’s fareasier to maintain raised and bordered bedsthan a riot of different plantings all over thegarden. Whether or not you’re growing flowers or vegetables, beds created and filled with a good soilmix and adequately mulched with organic materialand covered over winter, can require only few turnsof the spade and maybe a scattering of manure torenew them in the spring.

Ground Yourself in Ground Covers:

Anything that creeps, crawls and spreads willnot only choke out weeds, but pretty much takecare of itself. Aside from chopping off the ends if itstarts to go where you don’t want it (ivy is just one of many examples of handy plants that can becomemonsters if left completely untended) there’s very lit-tle to do, just pick the slowest growing varieties.

Fool Mother Nature.

If you really hate gar-dening but want a good show, take a lessonfrom many malls and other commercial opera-tions and buy perfect specimens of annual plants andput them in the ground or your beds directly in theirpots. They may require a little extra watering, butthey’ll look beautiful and when they’ve faded, tossthem and replace them with something else. Yes,that’s why the beautiful bed of bulbs outside the mallturns into the beautiful bed of impatiens and then ismagically transformed into the beautiful bed of mums. It’s expensive, but if you can afford it or if you plan for maximum impact, there’s just aboutnothing that requires less work.

When In Doubt, Pave It Out.

The bigger yourpatio or deck, the smaller your garden, all that’sleft can be some low maintenance planters andpots which, if you buy concrete or stone or terracotta, will take care of themselves and only look bet-ter with age. You’ll find your garden center or homestore is more than willing to help you with an everincreasing variety of beautiful paving stones, pots andplanters most of which require no more upkeep thanan occasional squirt with a hose. And if you reallycan’t stand gardening, and you’ve got the ready cash,exchange that messy backyard for a nice, clean swim-ming pool – but remember to include the cost of maintenance.

Get Small:

Choose dwarf and slow growing varieties of perennial plants and shrubs.Though you may have to plant more of them tofill in a hole, they’re not going to get out of hand andrequire you to do much trimming.

Lower Your Expectations.

Nothing looks worse, and costs more, than an elaborate gardenthat’s not cared for. So don’t think you’re goingto have the most spectacular and varied year rounddisplay if you’re not willing to pay the price. So if you love roses but don’t want to spend the hours andhours it takes to take care of them, either buy heir-loom varieties that have survived since time began with no help from you, or buy them at the flowershop and put them in a vase. A big bed of moss roses(portulaca) will provide you with a lot of color andonce they’re planted all you have to do is stand backand watch them bloom.

Eight Tips for Growing a Garden With Very Little Work

By Curt Hagedorn

If you’ve looked at the real estate section of thepaper lately, you’ve probably noticed that most of theadvertisements for previously owned homes list anumber of upgrades to attract potential buyers. Thereamong the new roofs, new kitchens and new bath-rooms you’ll usually find a phrase like “new win-dows” or “some new windows.” Replacing outdatedwindows is one of the best ways you can not onlyincrease the value of your home but also increase itsenergy efficiency, ease of maintenances and, of course, sheer attractiveness. And while there aremany brands of windows to choose from, mosthomeowners choose from the top few brands that,while expensive, are worth the price both in efficien-cy and return on investment. You’ll find your localdealer in replacement windows will provide you withAnderson, Pella or other top brands, sometimesexclusively, and you’ll need to shop around a bit tofind the best windows for you at the best price. If you’re replacing a significant amount of windows, orreplacing old-fashioned windows (whether they’reold wooden double hung sashes or those multi-lay-ered sliding aluminum windows so popular in theSeventies) with a new style, you might want to con-sult with both your window dealer and an architectabout the best choices both cosmetically and func-tionally for your home.Like roofing, carpeting and other long lastinghome improvements, windows are a place where youdo not want to try to cut corners on costs for theunits themselves or installation. Get the best qualitywindows you can afford.Two things you want to look for in replacement windows are R-value and U-factor. Both of these arenumerical ratings that tell you something about a window’s energy efficiency. R-value is a measurementof a window’s ability to prevent heat loss through thesolid part of the window. The higher the value, themore efficient the window. The U-factor is a measure-ment of window’s ability to prevent air leakage…it’stightness. Again, the higher the value, the better the window. Depending upon the weather conditions in your area, your dealer should be able to recommendappropriate values for your windows. They are able togive you choices that can help you compare and con-trast the cost of the windows versus any energy sav-ings over time.Other features you want to look for in your win-dows include the ability to tilt the double hung sashfor easy cleaning of the outside of the windows fromthe inside, various locking features and hardware and windows for special applications. For example, theymake patio door/windows that have, basically, blindssandwiched between the panes of glass for light con-trol. Whether you choose wood, vinyl, metal or somecombination of windows is up to you. In some appli-cations, for example where moisture is a problem, vinyl is preferable over wood or metal over vinyl andso on. The American Architectural Manufacturer’sassociation rates windows, doors and so on, so lookfor their label and ratings when you’re shopping for windows.If you live in a historic home you may also wantto consider having your windows restored, whichbasically means the components of the windows arecarefully removed, stripped, cleaned and repaired,sash cords and pulleys replaced if necessary, etc. andthen carefully put back together, reglazed, repaintedand so on.This is, of course, an expensive though not pro-hibitive procedure. In some cases it could actually beless expensive than having new windows custommade, and should be done by experts.But if you live in a home with rare or unusual window configurations you should consider having windows restored.Finally, if you are replacing all your windows anddoors, this is a good time to think about your home’soverall window configuration. If you’ve always want-ed a window over the sink or one in the master bath,or to swap out that sliding patio door for French win-dows, now is a good time to consider adding win-dows or changing window styles as part of your over-all order. Your dealer will be able to show you a wide variety of styles and shapes of windows and doorsthat could increase the beauty and convenience of your home.

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