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Planting trees and shrubs for spring

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Ciscoe Morris shows us how to plant trees and shrubs, as this is a good time of year to do it.

Fall is a great time to plant a tree in your garden, but before you even buy it there’s a few things to consider.

Pick the right tree for the location you want to plant it in.
Make sure the tree you pick won’t grow to large for the spot your putting it, and don’t plant it too close to the house.
Choose a tree that is well adapted to the soil conditions in your garden. If you have clay soil you’ll either have to grow a tree that can handle growing in heavy soil such as a red maple, a sweetgum. or a dawn redwood, or you’ll need to bring in topsoil and plant on top of a berm of good soil. As long as you can raise the soil enough to keep 2/3rds of the tree’s roots above the clay soil when you plant it, you can grow almost any tree you desire in your garden. Make sure the tree you buy can handle the amount of sunshine in the location you are planning to plant it in as well.
Choose a healthy attractive tree. Take a good hard look at the tree before you buy it at the nursery. Don’t buy it if it has lots of dieback, spots on the leaves, or a horrible looking branching structure.
Don’t plant too deep – when you plant the tree, dig a whole 2 times wider, but now deeper than the rootball. It’s absolutely critical to plant the tree so that the roots begin just below the soil surface. If you plant the tree even a half-inch deeper it could harm or even kill the tree. Firm the bottom of the hole to keep the tree from sinking in the hole. Digging a wide hole will get the roots off to a good start by allowing them to move into the softened soil. Don’t add compost to the planting hole. Studies have proven that trees do better planted in native soil.
Add organic fertilizer. Toss a handful of organic starter fertilizer in the hole. It won’t burn the roots, but will provide nutrients to help with root growth.
Do a bit of formative pruning. Don’t make the mistake of cutting back all of the side branches on the tree to give it a round canopy. Heading cuts of this kind encourage major sprout growth, and you’ll spend an incredible amount of time removing unsightly twigs that will grow non-stop from the end of the branches for years to come. Establish a sturdy, attractive branching structure and fix any minor problems that could cause trouble down the road. Remove the three D’s: dead, diseased or damaged branches that could end up with disease problems if left on the tree. Next remove any branches that are growing into the center of the tree, or any smaller branch that is crossing over a bigger one to keep possible rubbing from creating wounds in the bark. Where two similarly sized branches are growing vertically, straight up from the same crotch in the tree, remove the weaker branch by cutting it back to its point of attachment in the tree. If left in place, as the tree matures, co-dominant branches develop weak attachment and at sometime in the future one or both of the limbs are highly likely to break off in an ice or wind storms, ruining the health and appearance of the tree. The last and most important step when pruning a newly planted tree is to obey the law of haircuts and eating hot fun Sundays. Know when to stop!

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For more gardening tips watch Gardening with Ciscoe every Saturday morning on KING5. You can also visit Ciscoe.com.

Fall Gardening Tips For San Diego

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Fall Gardening Tips For San Diego

Aired 10/28/13

GUEST

Nan Sterman, garden designer, author, botanist, and host of the KPBS television series “A Growing Passion,”

Transcript

San Diego’s climate is rare. With its hot, dry summers and mild wet winters, San Diego enjoys a Mediterranean climate that can only be found in a few parts of the world.

Nan Sterman, garden designer, author, botanist, and host of the KPBS television series “A Growing Passion,” said most people aren’t aware that Fall is the best time to plant in our climate.

“The ground is still warm, the air is cool so it’s not as hot and dry,” she said. “Plants have an easier time adapting because they don’t wilt.”

Sterman said fall is the time to plant deciduous fruit trees, shrubs, lavender and anything that’s woody or native to California.

That gives you a lot of options. There are 5,500 native plant species in California, more than any other state.

Neb. extension experts offer garden tips for fall

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LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Now that fall has arrived and cooler temperatures are becoming the norm, it’s time for Nebraska gardeners to determine what to harvest and when.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Office says some crops will need to be harvested before a frost, while others can withstand colder temperatures.

Warm weather crops that do not tolerate frost and low temperatures include tomatoes, peppers, sweet potatoes, cucumbers and summer squash. Watermelon, pumpkin and corn also are sensitive to cool temperatures and can result in plant damage or death.

Crops that withstand a light frost between down to 30 degrees include beets, mustard, Chinese cabbage, radishes, collards, spinach, potatoes, Swiss chard, Bibb lettuce, green onions and leaf lettuce.

Crops that can withstand several freezes include cabbage, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, rutabagas, Brussels sprouts, and kale.

National China Garden Engages Architecture/Engineering Team – 4

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— Project Team Launches Design Feasibility Phase —

Marking a first step in the transition from concept to creation, the
National China Garden Foundation announced today the selection of an
architectural design and engineering team. Led by the architectural
firm, Page Southerland Page (PSP), the team, assumes responsibility for
site plan development, civil engineering, infrastructure design and
more. The selection comes following a competitive bidding process
directed by the National China Garden Foundation’s Board of Directors.

Page Southerland Page and its colleagues will support a Joint Design
Team comprised of Chinese and American representatives already working
collaboratively to bring to fruition the vision of a classical Chinese
garden and center for cultural study. The garden is slated for
construction at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. It is
intended as a permanent testament in the nation’s capital to the
strength and importance of U.S./China relations. Project funding is to
be raised through a $60 million capital campaign focused on private
resources needed not only for design and construction, but also
long-term maintenance and operation.

Page Southerland Page leads a comprehensive team comprised of engineers,
landscape architects, and mechanical contractors working together to
realize a plan originally created by a Chinese design team at the
conceptual stage of the project. PSP team members include:

Rhodeside Harwell with Peter Liu – Landscape Architecture

Dewberry – Civil/Structural/Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing Engineering

Schnabel Engineering – Geotechnical Engineering

Rolf Jensen Associates – Code and Security Consulting

Wells Associates – Traffic and Transportation Engineering

Harmony Ponds – Koi Pond and Water Feature Design

Belstar, Inc. – Construction Cost/Project Management

C.M. Kling + Associates – Lighting Design

Lynch Associates – Irrigation Planning and Consulting

URS Burlington – Archaeological and Historic Documentation and
Preservation

“Our selection committee was especially impressed that Page Southerland
Page assembled such a diverse pool of expertise for this important
project,” said Bob Stallman, chairman of the National China Garden
Foundation board of Directors. “We have utmost confidence in their
ability to complement the Joint Design Team and cooperatively construct
a classical Chinese Garden,” Stallman concluded.

Collaboration, continuity and compatibility are hallmarks of the design
concept for the National China Garden. From the outset, a collaborative
effort between the Chinese and American governments helped bring the
original vision to life. That vision arose from a 2004 agreement between
the China’s Ministry of Forestry and the U.S. Department of Agriculture
to build a Chinese Garden in Washington, D.C. A formal agreement to
construct the garden at the Arboretum was signed by both governments and
extended with a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2011 by Secretary
of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and China’s Ambassador to the United States
Zhang Yesui. The MOU calls for a 12-acre facility on an undeveloped
parcel at the Arboretum donated by the US Congress for the project and
managed by the USDA Agricultural Research Service.

While there are other examples of classical Chinese gardens in the
United States (California; Missouri; New York) the National China
Garden at the Arboretum is expected to be the finest demonstration of a
harmonious balance of man-made structures, plants, water and rockeries.
More than just a beautiful garden for the public to visit and enjoy, the
project is envisioned to be a venue for visitors from around the world
to learn, enjoy and gain an appreciation for the profound influence of
China’s history of horticulture and garden design.

“Page Southerland Page is delighted to have the opportunity to
contribute to the cultural landscape of our nation’s capital,” said
Thomas McCarthy, AIA, LEED AP and Principal with Page Southerland Page.
“The National China Garden will offer an exceptional location for
experiencing the sensual delights of a classical Chinese Scholar’s
Garden as the backdrop to exhibits, events and classes. Designed to be a
beautiful destination during every season, the Garden will be
particularly poignant when hosting programs and events to celebrate our
evolving relationship with China,” Thomas concluded.

Once completed, the U.S. National Arboretum will own the China Garden.
In addition to the garden itself, the venue will feature some 22
structures, art and furnishings provided by the People’s Republic of
China. It will serve as the location for meetings, conferences, special
events in addition to public tours and year-round cultural and
educational activities.

The national China Garden at the U.S. Arboretum is expected to become an
important tourist destination and cultural center in the nation’s
capital.

About the National China Garden Foundation:

The National China Garden Foundation (NCGF) was formed in 2011 with a
mission to create the premier classical Chinese garden and center for
cultural study and practices in the nation’s capital with the high-level
cooperation of the US and Chinese governments, and in particular the US
Department of Agriculture under that Department’s authorities, and with
the Government of the People’s Republic of China, and in particular, the
State Forestry Administration, under that Administration’s applicable
authorities. For more information go to www.nationalchinagarden.org

About Page Southerland Page:

With roots extending back to a two-person partnership formed in 1898 in
Austin, Texas, Page Southerland Page is one of the most prolific and
enduring architectural and engineering design practices. This
partnership–one of the very first to offer integrated architectural and
building engineering services– has evolved into a widely diversified
planner and designer of the built environment. A staff of over 425
architects, engineers, interior designers, strategic analysts, planners
and technical specialists provides Page Southerland Page with the
resources and the network of professional affiliations to responsibly
handle projects of all scales and schedules anywhere in the world. The
firm’s international portfolio includes projects in the
government, healthcare, academic, science and technology, corporate and
urban housing sectors, located throughout the United States and in over
50 countries worldwide. Learn more about the firm at www.pspaec.com.

About Rhodeside Harwell:

Rhodeside Harwell has provided landscape architectural services for
projects from New York to California, as well as many sites overseas.
The firm’s design philosophy and processes encourage creativity,
contextual sensitivity, and a disciplined sense of respect for
environmental considerations, cost parameters, and most of all, client
objectives. Our portfolio reflects decades of experience working within
both the public and private sectors. Rhodeside Harwell offers a
diverse set of skills–from feasibility studies and site analysis through
community outreach and final design and construction administration. The
firm’s projects have frequently earned awards for design excellence and
have been published in many prominent magazines and other publications.

About Peter Liu:

Peter H. Liu, ASLA, is the founding principal of Peter Liu Associates,
Inc. Mr. Liu is a landscape architect with over 30 years of experience
in landscape architecture and planning. Prior to the founding of his own
firm in 2002 he worked at the renowned firms of Skidmore, Owings
Merrill (SOM) and EDAW (now AECOM) through the late 1970s and early
1980s. He was a founding principal of Lee Liu Associates, Inc. in
Washington, D.C. from 1987 to 2002. As a member of the D.C. Mayor’s
advisory Chinatown Steering Committee, Mr. Liu routinely reviews the
design of all new development projects and new signage in the Chinatown
District and constantly coordinates the approval process with the D.C.
Government’s Office of Planning, Historic Preservation Review Board,
Department of Transportation, and Department of Consumer and Regulatory
Affairs.

Among Mr. Liu’s many notable projects are his work on the new Chinese
Embassy at Van Ness Center and installation supervision of the Penjing
pavilion at the US National Arboretum.

About Dewberry:

Dewberry is a leading professional services firm with a proven history
of providing architecture, engineering, and management and consulting
services to a wide variety of public- and private-sector clients.
Recognized for combining unsurpassed commitment to client service with
deep subject matter expertise, Dewberry is dedicated to solving clients’
most complex challenges and transforming their communities. Established
in 1956, Dewberry is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, with more than
40 locations and 1,800+ professionals nationwide.

About Schnabel Engineering:

Schnabel Engineering’s experience dates back more than half a century to
1956, when founder Jim Schnabel established one of the first firms in
the Mid-Atlantic to offer services in soil mechanics engineering. Today
Schnabel Engineering is an energetic and dynamic company offering
professional services within the United States and abroad from 18
offices throughout the continental United States. Schnabel Engineering
offers highly specialized services in geotechnical engineering;
geostructural design; dam engineering; tunnel and underground
engineering; environmental, geophysical and geosciences; construction
monitoring; and resident engineering from locations throughout the
United States.

About Rolf Jensen Associates:

Rolf Jensen Associates, Inc. (“RJA”) is a leading consulting firm
providing a range of professional services involving life safety, fire
protection, security and mass notification on commercial, institutional
and industrial projects for clients worldwide. Founded in 1969, RJA is
headquartered in Chicago with 21 offices located in major U.S. cities,
China, the Middle East and the Western Pacific. To date, RJA has
participated in more than 50,000 projects worldwide. These projects
include government facilities ranging from military installations and
embassies to courthouses and the headquarters for the FBI; landmark
high-rise buildings in the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle East;
major gaming complexes from Las Vegas to Macau; biomedical, applied
science and laboratory facilities on the campuses of leading colleges
and universities; world-renowned hospitals; hotels owned and operated by
the leading names in the hospitality industry; manufacturing plants; and
large venue assembly and convention centers around the world.

About Wells Associates:

Wells + Associates is a nationally recognized transportation and traffic
engineering firm delivering traffic engineering services to private real
estate developers, public agencies, corporations, and institutions. In
the past 20 years, Wells has worked in 34 states, the District of
Columbia, and four foreign countries. The principals of the firm each
have 15 to 35 years of individual experience in the fields of
transportation planning, traffic engineering, parking management,
traffic signal design, traffic control plans, travel demand management,
transit planning, and transportation master plans.

About Harmony Ponds:

Harmony Ponds is an award-winning design/build firm with over 18 years
of experience in the design, construction, and maintenance of ponds,
fountains, splash parks, waterfalls, streams, storm water management
ponds, and related systems for commercial and residential clients.
Harmony Ponds specializes in the technical design and installation of
water features; water handling systems for fountains and water features
including ornamental and koi ponds, utilizing the latest technology in
biological filtration, ultra-violet sterilization, and energy-efficient
pump systems; water quality management for large ornamental and storm
water management ponds using floating fountains and laminar flow
aeration systems; and consulting on habitat design, aeration, and
filtration.

Belstar, Inc.:

Established in 1985, Belstar, Inc., is a construction cost/project
management company providing comprehensive services related to the
design, pre-construction, procurement, construction, and
post-construction phases of building and infrastructure development.
With four home offices in Virginia and Maryland, Belstar offers a highly
experienced team of experts, fully automated technical resources, and
the flexibility to perform the entire scope of cost/project management
services from the concept phase to the post-construction phase, either
in-house or on-site, as may be required. Belstar clients include a
multitude of public and private sector organizations, including
architectural/engineering companies, general contractors, commercial
developers, municipalities, state and federal agencies, military
agencies, and educational and religious organizations.

C.M. Kling + Associates:

Since its establishment in 1980, C.M. Kling Lighting Design, later C.M.
Kling Associates, Inc. has collaborated on and designed the lighting
for over 2,500 projects worldwide, with such diverse scope and scale as
convention centers, hotels, religious institutions, corporate campuses
and headquarters, office complexes, and theaters. Kling’s staff is
trained in various fields, including architecture, engineering, and
design, providing a wide perspective and skills that aid in all aspects
of project development. Kling lighting designers understand that
lighting is only a component part in the establishment of the
experienced environment, whether in architecture, landscape, or
cityscape; through the collaboration and integration with each other
design component, successful projects are created.

Lynch Associates:

Lynch Associates was originally founded in 1988 by Brendan Lynch as
Eastern Irrigation Consultants, Inc., with offices in Boston and
Washington. Since 1992 the firm has been known as Lynch Associates,
Ltd., Irrigation Consultants, consisting of the Washington (now
Annapolis) office. Lynch Associates, Ltd. is a Native American-owned
Maryland Sub-Chapter “S” Corporation dedicated to providing the client
with the most efficient, cost-effective means of replacing water lost
from soil through evapotranspiration. In pursuit of this objective, a
heavy emphasis is placed on overall master planning, central control,
weather monitoring, precipitation and soil-moisture sensing, and, where
applicable, development of alternate water sources including groundwater
withdrawal, river/stream, lake/pond, as well as the use of treated
effluent, gray water, and other harvested recycled/reclaimed water.

URS:

URS Burlington conducts studies for projects involving construction of
industrial and institutional facilities, transportation improvements,
installation of aboveground and underground utilities, and commercial
and residential development, along with developing and implementing
extensive public outreach programs in support of these projects. These
services are provided to increase sensitivity and stewardship in
historic preservation. URS is committed to community involvement,
providing broad public outreach products, and is particularly sensitive
to the needs of culturally diverse, transitional, and traditional
communities. Staff members also have extensive experience dealing
directly with state and federal agencies, and several staff members have
worked for state historic preservation offices, state departments of
transportation, and federal agencies throughout the Eastern United
States.

National China Garden Foundation
Sandra L. Gibson
Executive
Director
202.327.5425 (office)
202.277.8856 (direct/cell)
sandra@sandralgibson.com
sandra@nationalchinagarden.org

Wynn hopes to use casino license as boost for Fishtown

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PHILADELPHIA In the early days of Philadelphia, the riverfront near Penn Treaty Park was known for its sandy white beaches.

In the early 18th century, it became a hub for shipbuilding. Much later, in 1920, the Philadelphia Electric Co. built a coal-fired power station on that stretch of the Delaware River.

Today, Beach Street in Fishtown looks like a sad monument to the city’s lost industrial past.

The old power station is gutted and defaced with graffiti, surrounded by acres of empty land used for storing construction equipment.

After years of wrestling over ways to revitalize the area, city planners are hearing fresh suggestions – from Wynn Resorts.

The Las Vegas casino operator’s group is one of six vying for the city’s second casino license. A decision on the license is still many months away and rests with state gaming commissioners, not city officials.

But Wynn Resorts is talking informally to city planners and neighbors about what the company would do to spur additional development if it emerged the winner.

Wynn Philadelphia has a vested interest in the future of the neighborhood: Beach Street would be at its front door.

Alan Greenberger, the city’s deputy mayor of economic development, said it would be “odd” to have Wynn’s $925 million investment surrounded by urban wasteland.

“It makes us wonder what’s the attraction of being in this place, if you’re surrounded by highways and undeveloped waterfront,” he said in an interview.

Wynn Resorts has an option to buy 60 waterfront acres where North Beach Street bends into Richmond Street. The site is also next to the new I-95 interchange for Girard Avenue.

To improve Beach Street, the company would invest in the streetscape, including lights, road improvements, landscaping, and sidewalks, said Terry McKenna, a principal of Keating Consulting, developer of the Wynn project.

“We recognize the street is a mess,” McKenna said. The investment would be “north of $5 million, inching closer to $10 million,” he said.

In addition, Wynn Resorts has decided to change the orientation of 18 acres of open space from the northern to the southern side of its site, McKenna said.

“That will spur further development on Beach Street,” he said.

The city’s current master plan for the central Delaware River waterfront calls for light industry on this stretch of Beach Street.

McKenna said that if the Wynn project were awarded a license, the area would be better suited for a mix of residential, retail, and office space.

But he said the company was not interested in acquiring additional land or spearheading ancillary development.

“It’s not our focus,” McKenna said.

He added that the Wynn project and PennDot’s improvements to the Girard Avenue interchange would amount to almost $2 billion in new investment for the area.

“That’s unheard of,” he said.

At a September hearing before the state’s Gaming Control Board, Greenberger raised concerns about having a second casino just a mile from the SugarHouse Casino in Fishtown and Northern Liberties.

But he testified that if the Wynn proposal were “augmented” with ideas for improving the area in between, “a powerful transformation could take place on our waterfront.”

Otherwise, Beach Street would have two significant developments “without anything in between,” he said.

The biggest hurdle in the way of development on Beach Street is the hulking former Peco power station, now owned by Exelon Corp.

Exelon still operates four combustion turbines on Beach Street, but the old, five-story Delaware Station is empty. Designed by John T. Windrim, the noted commercial architect whose firm also designed the Franklin Institute, it was built during an era when even utilitarian structures conveyed the same civic pride as museums.

Robert Judge Sr., a spokesman for Exelon, said the company had no plans to redevelop the station. But he added that Exelon “periodically evaluates alternatives to redevelopment or reuse of all its sites.”

There is precedent for finding new uses for power stations. In 2003, Preferred Real Estate Inc. finished a $65 million conversion into office space of the Chester station of the Delaware County Electric Company.

McKenna toured Exelon’s Delaware Station several weeks ago. All the giant turbines have been removed. “It’s massive inside,” he said.

He said Keating Consulting had contacted “a handful of major developers” in the United States and abroad to test the waters of potential interest in the area.

“People are coming back and saying, yes, it has all the makings of significant development,” McKenna said. But without the Wynn project, he added, “I don’t see anything happening on Beach Street anytime soon.”

jlin@phillynews.com

215-854-5659 @j_linq

www.inquirer.com/

doubledown

Symposium to continue exploring technology use

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Posted: Sunday, October 27, 2013 9:30 pm

Symposium to continue exploring technology use

By Samantha McDaniel/Associate News Editor

The Daily Eastern News

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A symposium with a number of remaining sessions will explore technology, its history and its use in modern society.

The Revolutions in Science and Technology Paradigms has a series of upcoming session, running until Nov. 7, that will showcase effects of technology, people who had a major influence on technological development and current implementations of new technology.

Wafeek Wahby, a professor in the School of Technology and one of the symposium coordinators, said technology has such an impact on peoples’ lives and it is important to understand the extent of its impact.

“Classes are different. The part of having teachers stand in front of student is changed by the Internet,” Wahby said. “You name it, any communication is different.”

Wahby said one of the goals of the symposium is to bring the campus and Charleston community together to discuss the effects of technology.

The events will take place over the next two week and the schedule of events is available on the Eastern website.

Booklets about the symposium are also available.

The next session is at 10 a.m. Monday in Room 4440 of Booth Library. The session, titled “A Concrete Advantage: Production of Portland Cement” will discuss how new cement changed landscaping.

The following session at 11 a.m. Monday in Room 2153 of the Physical Sciences Building will feature information about Sir Isaac Newton, an influence on science.

Other studies will talk about female inventors, technology and health and the Internet.

The closing session will take place at 10 a.m. Nov. 13 in the Charleston-Mattoon Room in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

The session “An Inspiring Look at New Fundamental of Technologies and How to Use Them in Your Future Career,” will focus on how the world uses technology and how it will continue to change to fit the needs of the global community.

The idea behind this symposium came from the idea that communication has changed because of technology.

This year’s symposium was supposed to be on ancient Rome, following the ancient Egypt and ancient Greece symposiums the last two years, but a technology-themed symposium was decided on instead.

Wahby said student should come to the symposium because they will be the ones affecting future technology.

“Look at these guys who did Facebook, Myspace and other social sites, mostly they were young,” Wahby said. “It is interesting to see how young people spark ideas that really influence the world.”

Samantha McDaniel can be reached at 581-2812 or slmcdaniel@eiu.edu.

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Boy Scout’s faith inspires space for others to find strength – Omaha World

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When Boy Scouts build a footbridge or something similar for an Eagle Scout project, concrete is often the foundation.

Paul Brunetti tackled a construction project that started with a different type of base — his Catholic faith.

Paul, a junior at Millard North High School, built a rosary garden at St. Philip Neri Catholic Church, a project that helped him earn his Eagle Scout Award during a ceremony Oct. 20. His brother, Phillip, received his Eagle award during the same ceremony.

Even as a young boy, Paul displayed a strong faith and a love of reciting the rosary, a form of repetitive prayer and meditation used by Catholics. The beads of the rosary are separated into five decades or sections, each representing a mystery or event in the life of Jesus. The Hail Mary is the rosary’s central prayer.

Paul’s mother, Beth Brunetti, said that ever since he made his First Communion in second grade, Paul loved saying the rosary. He’d come up to her and ask that they say it together.

“It gives me strength,’’ Paul said.

Paul, a member of Troop 408 at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, got the idea for the project two years ago when he was at Harold’s Koffee House with his mom. They ran into friends who are members of St. Philip Neri, and his mom asked them if they had any ideas for an Eagle project.

One of the friends suggested a rosary garden at the church, 8200 N. 30th St. There was already a grassy area on the south side of the church with a statue of the Virgin Mary.

Paul thought it was a great idea. He brought up the idea to the priest at Philip Neri, and then to the parish council. The parish agreed that it would be a nice addition to the church grounds.

Paul has family ties to Philip Neri and the neighborhood. His mom grew up in the parish, and his grandfather founded the nearby Harold’s Koffee House. Paul works there, and relatives own it.

The rosary garden features flat, round granite stones representing each bead of the rosary. The stones encircle the Virgin Mary statue, with some of the stones leading to it. Two benches are set in a mulched area near the statue, and the garden is filled with geraniums and other colorful flowers.

The garden was completed last fall, and the flowers were planted this spring.

Paul raised money for materials by making the granite stones memorials. Parish families donated money so each stone could be engraved with either a blessing or the name of a relative.

About 300 total hours of work went into building the garden, including Paul’s time and help from volunteers. Paul said he received lots of help from his family, fellow Scouts and members of Philip Neri, including a man who owns a landscaping business.

Paul said what’s most satisfying about the project is hearing from people who visit the garden, say the rosary and draw strength from it.

* * * * *

Get to know: Paul Brunetti

Age: 17

Hometown: Omaha

Education: Junior at Millard North

School Activities: Cross-country, wrestling and Latin Club

Family: Parents Beth and Mark, and brothers Phillip and Anthony.

Vegetable Garden For Working People: Tips

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Having a vegetable garden requires tactical planning and if you’re basically a working person then you need to also spend time to maintain it. However it is not as difficult as it seems to be. Growing vegetables and fruits in your garden can be a great joy and accomplishment but it can only be achieved with appropriate planning and garden maintenance. Once you have established the vegetable garden, the next essential step is maintaining it. For most people gardening is a passion and they love to see their garden grow in an appropriate way.

A thriving vegetable garden can be created only if the growing conditions are precisely maintained for the complete growing season. Optimism and creativity are mandatory for maintaining your garden. There are a number of factors that need to be taken into account for maintaining your garden. Always try to ensure that the young plants are regularly watered so that your garden can provide you a bountiful harvest.

Vegetable Garden For Working People

Moreover gardens also need to be guarded based on the erratic climatic conditions and from recurring pest problems. The most essential elements that are required for the development of a garden are water, sunlight and nutrients. It is definitely a pleasure to walk into your own garden where you grow mushrooms, tomatoes, cucumber and lemons; however the most important job of a gardener is to make sure that the basic health and vitality of the plants are retained to make them produce more. If you start abandoning your garden it can definitely lead to lower yields because of the pest problems or weeds which can rob the essential resources that plants need to grow.

The more time and effort you incorporate in your vegetable garden, the better the end result that can be expected. If you are a working person, make sure to at least spend a little time in your garden on a regular basis to get huge returns from the fruits of your labour. Remember that more time spent on maintaining your plants will help turn vegetable garden into a high yielding and delectable one.

Here are some useful tips on how to maintain a vegetable garden for hectic working people.

Water your vegetable garden consistently
Regular watering should not be taken as a chore. Water your vegetable garden with several different techniques like creating simple furrows and basins. Watering with a hose is also the best technique for individual or large plants. Try to regularly water the vegetable bed and also sustain even soil moisture so that plants don’t dry off. If the soil is dry about 3 to 4 cm down, then it needs watering. Watering erratically can lessen the required yields in most vegetables that it will start to taste bitter, especially vegetables like cucumber and lettuce. Even soluble fertilizers will be oozed out from the soil.

High temperatures and sun can lead to evaporation of water, so the ideal time to water the plant is when the air is still, either do it in the early morning or late evenings.

Fertilise frequently
For strong growth, the vegetable garden should be noshed with nitrogen fertilizer at least every 6 weeks. However never try to overstuff the plants with fertilizers as they could reduce the vegetable produce.

Mulches
Make sure to keep the vegetable beds mulched by applying 3 inches of organic matter applied over the roots of your vegetable plants to keep the soil cool. Mulch has the tendency to seal the soil moisture and they also try to stifle weed growth. There are many types of mulch available. Mulched gardens make the garden healthier and drought resistant than unmulched gardens. Organic mulch like straw or composted leaves helps to prevent gusty winds to other areas of your yard. Organic mulch picks up the soil texture and keeps the soil underneath it cool hence it is best not to use them until warm weather.

Suppress weeds
Even though your garden is mulched, still weeds would always grow. Sometime mulching can help however some weeds need to be potted and then removed with hand. A passionate gardener needs to be on his toes routinely to check the plants’ progress and to remove some weeds from growing. Weeds try to deprive the vegetables of water, nutrients and sunlight, thus this could eventually reduce the yields.

Control insect pests
Keep a complete eye on the insects and try to shield your plants by applying a solution that can be used on vegetables. Even the smallest pests can do damage to your vegetable garden. To keep away from creeping pests lik snails and caterpillars try to spread egg shells completely underneath the targeted plants since this would make them difficult to move along.

Harvest regularly
Some vegetable plants like peppers, green beans, tomatoes and cucumber will not produce if they are not harvested on a regular basis. If you don’t like to eat them frequently then try to share with friends or neighbours. Always make sure to keep a basket to pick up vegetables that have been ripened. It is better to take them away when they are ripe so as to help the plant produce more.

If you are looking for a perfect garden try to spend an hour everyday from your busy schedule to make your vegetable garden have a bountiful harvest. Follow these simple procedures to make your vegetable gardening venture successful and productive

Garden Tip: Hands off the roses!

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Leave the last blossoms of the season on rose plants. Some varieties will form beautiful hips for fall and winter interest.

Do not cut roses back in fall. Pruning or deadheading encourages new growth that may or may not harden off before frost hits. It is best to leave canes up during the winter as cold damage begins at the tips. The longer the cane the better chance you have of living stems in spring.

Some roses need winter protection, but many do not. If you have hybrid tea, floribunda or grandiflora roses, they do best with protection.

First, clean up the area around the rose, disposing of any diseased leaves. Make sure the plant is well watered until it loses its leaves and goes dormant.

When the ground has frozen (usually after three hard frosts or mid- to late December), apply a mound of compost, shredded leaves, mulch or topsoil over the base of the rose. You may find a ring of chicken wire works well to keep material contained. Remove any protection in spring, once temperatures are consistently above freezing. Shrub roses do not need winter protection, especially if they are grown on their own roots.

Varieties such as Knock-Out, Oso-Easy and Flower Carpet are all winter hardy and can be left alone.

Garden Tip is courtesy of Heather Prince, The Growing Place, 630-355-4000, www.thegrowingplace.com.

Extension experts offer garden tips for fall

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Posted: Sunday, October 27, 2013 3:15 am

Extension experts offer garden tips for fall

LINCOLN (AP) — Now that fall has arrived and cooler temperatures are becoming the norm, it’s time for Nebraska gardeners to determine what to harvest and when.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Office says some crops will need to be harvested before a frost, while others can withstand colder temperatures.

Crops that withstand a light frost between down to 30 degrees include beets, mustard, Chinese cabbage, radishes, collards, spinach, potatoes, Swiss chard, Bibb lettuce, green onions and leaf lettuce.

Crops that can withstand several freezes include cabbage, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, rutabagas, Brussels sprouts, and kale.

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Sunday, October 27, 2013 3:15 am.