Category: Growing

Autumn is a Prime Time to Tend Lawns and Gardens

September 6, 2018MBEhleAdvice, Autumn, Garden, Gardening, Growing

Autumn is gardening season. That statement may not seem right to those who think of the spring as the peak time to care for lawns and gardens. However, autumn is an ideal time to get into the garden and ensure that flowers, trees and garden beds will over-winter successfully.

A number of things make autumn a prime gardening season. The cooler days of fall enable gardeners to spend ample time outdoors without the threat of blazing heat. In addition, soil harbors a lot of residual warmth in autumn. Also, the colder temperatures haven’t yet arrived in autumn, nor have the leaves completely fallen, making fall a prime time to assess what’s already in the landscape, what needs pruning back and where to address planting for next year.

Gardening enthusiasts can focus their attention on these areas this fall.

• Pamper perennials. As annuals and perennials start to fall back, mark the spots where perennials are located so they can be easily identified later on. This way, when planning spots for spring bulbs or other spring layouts for next year, perennials won’t be overlooked or covered over.

• Prune shrubs. Look at shrubs and trees and cut out dead or diseased wood.

• Clean up borders. Weed and tidy up borders and lawn edging.

• Install pavers or rock wall. Embrace the cooler temperatures to work on labor-intensive projects, such as putting in a garden bed, retaining wall or walkway.

• Remove spent summer veggies. Take out vegetable garden plants that have already bloomed and borne fruit. Tidy up vegetable gardens and start to sow cooler weather plants, such as onions, garlic, beans, and sweet peas.

• Rake and compost. Rake the leaves and gather grass clippings to add to the compost pile.

• Plant spring bulbs. Get tulips and other spring bulbs ready for planting so they’ll burst with color next year.

• Dig up herbs. Relocate herbs like parsley or basil to indoor gardens. Otherwise, strip all leaves and freeze for storage during winter.

• Consider mums. Chrysanthemum plants are perennials. While they look beautiful in pots, if planted, maintained and winterized, they can bloom every fall.

• Fertilize the lawn. Fertilizing in autumn helps ensure grass will stay healthy throughout the winter.

• Add mulch and compost to the garden. Replenish spent soil with mulch and compost so garden beds will be revitalized for spring planting.

• Prune hedges. Tidy up hedges, as they won’t be growing much more this year.

• Clean and store equipment. Clean, sharpen and oil all equipment, storing lawn and garden tools properly so they are ready for spring and not lying out all winter.

Autumn may not seem like gardening season, but there are plenty of lawn and garden tasks to tend to during this time of year.

Early-Blooming Spring Flowers

March 8, 2018MBEhleAdvice, DIY, Garden, Gardening, Growing, Outdoors, Spring

The arrival of spring is a welcome occurrence for many people. Budding flowers are among the harbingers of spring. Spring flowers can revitalize winter-weary people just when they need it most — and provide reassurance that brighter, warmer and longer hours of sunlight are just around the corner. Cold-tolerant flowers are hardy enough to start blooming before the last frosts have dissipated. Other flowers will begin to fill in as days warm a little bit more, according to Better Homes and Gardens. Home gardeners looking to warm up their gardens with early blooms can use these flowers in their early-season containers, window boxes and planting beds.

Pansy

Pansies prefer cool weather, which can make them one of the best flowers to plant in early spring and late fall. Pansies come in a variety of colors, so there’s bound to be an offering that will blend with any homeowners’ landscape design.

Creeping phlox

Also known “moss phlox,” creeping phlox is a short ground-cover that is a herbaceous perennial. Phlox produces small, fragrant flowers in dense clusters, which can attract wildlife, such as butterflies, to their mats across the soil surface.

Snowdrops

Snowdrops can peek out even when there is snow still on the ground — sometimes as early as January and February. But their name is actually a reference to their appearance, as snowdrops have three white petals that hang down like drops dripping off the stem.

Violets

These flowers are closely related to pansies and, as a result, prefer cool seasons. Violets are generally slightly smaller than pansy blooms, but they can be just as beautiful. But as with pansies, violets will start to fade when the heat arrives.

Crocus

Crocus plants are relatively small, only reaching three to six inches in height. However, their grass-like leaves are some of the first sprouts that can be seen among bulb and corm plantings. Preferring full to partial sun, these gold, purple, lavender, white, or yellow flowers can be enjoyed during the earliest days of spring.

Daffodil

Daffodil bulbs produce cheerful, yellow flowers in early spring. They’re one of the most recognizable flowers thanks to their familiar shape and fragrant aroma.

Lenten rose

Hellebores, also called the Lenten rose or Christmas rose, can tolerate light frosts. These blooms get their name from the time of year when they bloom, which is typically around the Christian Lenten season. Despite their name, these delicate flowers are not actually related to roses, however.

Early-blooming flowers give winter-weary gardeners hope that spring has arrived.

Recognize & Avoid Youth Sports Injuries

May 8, 2017MBEhleAdvice, Growing, Healthy, School, Seasonal

Children benefit in various ways from their involvement in youth sports. Being part of a team fosters feelings of belonging, inspires collaborative play and strategy and can be an excellent form of exercise. Still, despite the benefits, parents often worry about the injury risk their children face on the playing fields.

Those fears are justified. A Safe Kids Worldwide survey of emergency room visits found that a young athlete visits a hospital emergency room for a sports-related injury more than a million times a year, or about every 25 seconds. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more than 2.6 million children 0 to 19 years old are treated in the emergency department each year for sports- and recreation-related injuries.

Some of the more common injuries young children face have to do with the skeletal and muscular systems of the body. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons stresses that children’s bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments are still growing, making them more susceptible to injury. Fortunately, with some education, many youth-sport injuries can be prevented.

Sprains and strains

Sprains are injuries to ligaments, or the bands of tough, fibrous tissue that connect two or more bones at a joint. Strains impact a muscle or a tendon, which connects muscles to bones. Clinical research has linked acute strains and sprains to improper warm-up before sports, fatigue and previous injuries. Preparticipation conditioning and stretching can help reduce the risk of injury.

Periostitis

Periostitis is commonly known as “shin splints.” This is an overuse injury that occurs in athletes who are engaged in activities that involve rapid deceleration. Periostitis causes inflammation of the band of tissue that surrounds bones known as the periosteum, and typically affects people who repetitively jump, run or lift heavy weights.

To head off potential pain in the shins, young athletes can gradually build up their tolerance for physical activity. Supportive shoes or orthotic inserts may also help. Incorporating cross-training into a regimen also can work.

Repetitive use activities

Swimmers, tennis players, pitchers, and quarterbacks may experience something called a repetitive use injury. This is pain in an area of the body that is used over and over again. Inflammation of muscles and tendons may appear, but repetitive use injuries also may result in stress fractures, which the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases defines as hairline fractures in bones that are subjected to repeated stress.

Rest between exercises can help alleviate these types of injuries. Ice, compression, elevation and immobilization may be used if pain is persistent.

Growth plate injuries

Kids Health says growth plates are the areas of growing tissue near the ends of the long bones in the legs and arms in children and adolescents. A growth plate produces new bone tissue. If the growth plate is injured, it cannot do its job properly. That may contribute to deformed bones, shorter limbs or arthritis. Growth plate injuries most often result from falling or twisting.

While there’s no surefire way to prevent growth plate injuries, getting proper and immediate care after an injury can help prevent future problems. An orthopedic surgeon has the expertise to diagnose and treat these injuries.

Youth sports injuries are common but preventable. Warming up, being in good physical shape and not overtaxing a growing body can help kids avoid pain and impairment.

Financial Pointers for Expecting Parents

December 20, 2016MBEhleAdvice, DIY, Growing, Healthy, Organize, Saving

Couples expecting their first child often find that the months leading up to the birth of the baby are an exciting time filled with anticipation. But those months are also a time for expectant parents to make some important decisions regarding their finances.

Raising a child is an expensive endeavor, one that couples must start preparing for the moment they learn a baby is on the way, if not earlier. Expecting parents likely know their lives are about to change, and those changes must extend to their finances. The following are a few financial pointers for parents-to-be.

* Determine your necessary income. Many couples have hypothetical discussions regarding children and their finances, but until they receive the news that a baby is on the way, those conversations have a way of being put on the back burner. Now that a baby is on the way, couples need to revisit those discussions, and determining how much income they need is a great place to start. The dual-income household has become the norm in the 21st century, when the cost of living has skyrocketed. But couples must determine if it’s in the family’s best interest for both parents to keep working once their child is born. The cost of childcare is considerable, and it may be in a family’s best interest for just one parent to work until the child reaches school age. Consider your total income as well as your financial obligations (i.e., mortgage, car payments, etc.) and then shop around for the cost of childcare. If it makes more sense to become a single-income household, even if it’s just for a few years, then you will have another important decision to make.

* Determine who is staying home. Couples who have decided that it’s in their best interests to become a single-income household once their child is born must decide who will be staying home and who will continue working. It’s easy to say the parent who is earning the most should continue working, but that decision is not so black and white. Consider the cost of healthcare offered by each of your employers. Some healthcare plans are significantly more affordable than others, and this might weigh heavily on your decision, especially if both parents are earning relatively similar incomes. Another thing to consider is each of your opportunities for advancement at your current company and within your field. Earning potential should factor heavily into the decision as to which parent will continue working, especially if you plan to have another child down the road. The conversation as to who will continue working should be treated delicately.

* Discuss your housing needs. Couples who are expecting a child often feel this is a great time to abandon apartment living and buy a home of their own. But chances are you can comfortably manage to live in your apartment for a few more years after your child is born. Those extra years of apartment living can give you the chance to save more money so you can afford a nicer home in a better neighborhood that boasts better schools. Or apartment living for a few more years may give you more time to save and place a larger down payment on your home down the road. The larger the initial down payment, the lower your monthly mortgage payment, so it might be in your best interest to squirrel away a few more dollars before you go house hunting.

* Establish a financial safety net. Many financial advisors suggest both singles and couples have between three to six months’ income saved in case of emergency, such as a layoff or an accident that prevents you from working. This is especially important for expecting couples, who will soon have an additional mouth to feed. This safety net should be big enough so you can comfortably pay all of your bills, including those for housing, transportation and food, for three to six months. If saving that amount of money is not realistic, save as much as possible and continue to do so once your child is born.

* Purchase life insurance. Life insurance is perhaps the most important purchase expectant couples can make once they learn a baby is on the way. It’s understandable if young couples without children have no life insurance, but that child on the way will be relying on his or her parents for financial support for at least the next 18 years. Life insurance ensures you can provide that support even if something happens to both you and your spouse.

The months leading up to the birth of a child is an exciting time for the expecting parents, but it’s also a time to make some important financial decisions.

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How to Sneak Fruits & Vegetables Into Any Recipe

November 20, 2016MBEhleAdvice, Cookout, DIY, Growing, Healthy, Recipes, Seasonal

Fruits and vegetables are the building blocks of a healthy diet. But many people do not eat the recommended number of servings of produce.That’s especially true among growing children, who can benefit greatly from the vitamins and nutrients fruits and vegetables provide.

According to the latest data from the NPD Group, a market research firm, Americans eat a little more than half a cup of fruit and a cup of vegetables per day. This is less than half of what the government recommends. The data is similar in Canada, where researchers at Concordia University found that Canadian adults ages 30 to 60, especially those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, aren’t consuming the daily recommended levels of fruits and vegetables.

Anyone who eats roughly 2,000 calories per day should strive to consume between two to three cups of vegetables and two cups of fruit per day. Produce helps to fight disease because it contains healthy antioxidants, fiber, minerals and vitamins. Eating four cups per day may seem difficult, but there are many ways to incorporate fruits and vegetables into everyday recipes.

* Substitute pureed fruit, like figs, pears and apples, for oil in recipes for cakes and cookies. This will ensure the baked goods are moist but with a lot less fat.

* Add fresh berries or raisins to breakfast cereals and oatmeal.

* Add cauliflower or squash to boiled potatoes before mashing them to increase the nutritional punch and flavor of mashed potatoes.

* Blend fruits and vegetables to create smoothies for breakfast or lunch on the go.

* Bake hearty muffins or breads with sweet potato or carrots in the batter.

* Mix stewed tomatoes in with your broth soup base to make a vegetable or chicken soup even more nutritious.

* Opt for vegetables piled high atop a slice of pizza in lieu of meats or extra cheese.

* Divide your dinner plate into quadrants, filling half of the plate with vegetables, one quarter with meat and the remainder with a whole grain.

* Replace lettuce on a sandwich or burger with a fresh leaf of spinach. While you’re dressing your sandwich, add a slice of tomato, too.

* Substitute fresh vegetables and fruit slices for chips when serving dips and salsas. Kale chips are growing in popularity.

* Give children a cup of sliced grapes with their lunches as a refreshing and healthy snack.

* Shred vegetables into a hearty “slaw” and top it with a vinaigrette or a typical mayonnaise-based dressing.

* Blend other vegetables into your pasta sauce.

* Use vegetables instead of pasta in traditional dishes. Layer eggplant slices to make a lasagna. Or use a spiral slicer to slice zucchini or carrots when making homemade noodles.

* Fruit salad is often a refreshing snack or dessert. Having fruit already diced in a large bowl makes it more convenient to eat and possibly more enticing to children.

* Make a vegetable roll-up, filling pizza dough with broccoli or spinach and shredded cheese.

* Mix together an avocado, 1/4 cup of cocoa powder and 1/4 cup honey to create a healthy alternative to chocolate pudding.

* Use pureed vegetables to thicken cheese sauce for macaroni and cheese recipes.

* Shred vegetables and add them to beaten eggs for omelets or scrambles. LS148384

Help Kids Get Ready for Fall Sports Season

June 26, 2016MBEhleAdvice, Growing, Healthy, School, Seasonal

Summer is a season of relaxation, especially for school-aged children who are not yet old enough to work. Such youngsters no doubt enjoy the chance to spend summer days lounging poolside or at the beach, all without a care in the world or any homework to complete.

Though summer is synonymous with R&R, parents of young athletes who hope to compete in scholastic athletics when the school year begins in autumn may need to take steps to ensure their kids aren’t at risk of injury once the curtain comes up on fall sports season.

· Examine and replace equipment if necessary. The right equipment can protect kids from injury and help them realize their full athletic potential. But damaged or outdated equipment can increase kids’ risk of injury. Examine kids’ equipment long before fall sports season begins so you have time to bargain hunt should anything need to be replaced.

· Schedule a physical for your child. Many school districts mandate that athletes receive and pass physicals before they can compete. Speak with the athletic director at your child’s school to learn the guidelines that govern athletic physicals. The physical will need to be conducted by a predetermined date, but you may also need the physical to be conducted after a certain date for it to be considered valid. Speak with your child’s physician if any problems are found during the physical.

· Let kids heal. Kids’ schedules are busier than ever before, and many youngsters play several sports during the school year. Summer vacation may be the only extended period all year that youngsters’ bodies get to heal. While it’s important that kids stay physically active throughout the summer, make sure they don’t overdo it, as you should emphasize the importance of rest.

· Gradually get back in the swing of things. While rest gives kids’ bodies a chance to heal and develop, it’s important that young athletes stay in shape over the summer. As the fall sports season draws near, help kids gradually get back in the swing of things. Tryouts tend to be physically demanding, so kids who have not lifted a finger all summer may be at risk of injury or missing the cut. Let kids ease back into regular exercise to make sure they are not starting from scratch come their first tryout.

· Speak with coaches. Coaches can be great assets to parents who want to make sure their youngsters enjoy the summer without sacrificing their chances of making the team in the fall. Speak with kids’ coaches to determine if there is any area your son or daughter can work on over the summer to improve his or her chances of making the team. Make sure kids are the ones leading the charge to improve their games; otherwise, they may feel pressured into doing so and that can take away the fun of playing sports.

Scholastic athletes should take advantage of the opportunity to relax and recover that summer presents. But athletes who hope to compete in the fall can still work with their parents to ensure they’re ready once the school year and sports season begins.

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Maximize Your Farmer’s Market Trip

June 19, 2016MBEhleAdvice, Farm, Food, Garden, Gardening, Growing, Produce

Community-based farmer’s markets can introduce shoppers to an array of foods they may otherwise never experience. Farmer’s markets are great places to find fresh, locally grown foods, and many market customers are happy to know they’re benefitting both the environment and local businesses with every dime they spend.

Farmer’s markets can range from the very large to the relatively small, and first-time visitors may not know where to begin. The following are a handful of ways to maximize your visit to farmer’s markets of all sizes.

· Take time to explore. Farmer’s markets tend to have many of the same fruits and vegetables you can find at the local chain grocery store, but farmer’s markets also are known for offering more than what you may find in the produce aisle. Take time to explore the market and you may just find foods you typically only find at your favorite restaurant. Exploring also may introduce you to new foods you may otherwise never have tried.

· Consider the timing of your visit. The popularity of farmer’s markets has increased dramatically as more and more people embrace the concept of buying locally grown foods. While that’s great news for the planet and local farmers, shoppers should keep that in mind when planning their visits. If you love trying new foods, arrive early to the farmer’s market before the more unique offerings have been snapped up. Foods that have small yet devoted followings may not be available in abundance, and you may end up leaving empty-handed if you arrive late. If it’s a bargain you want, then visit later in the day when farmers with substantial remaining inventory may be more inclined to lower their prices.

· Know your seasons. Some fruits and vegetables are better at certain times of the year than others. Freshness draws many people to farmer’s markets, and foods that are in-season are more likely to have that unforgettable freshness than those that are out of season or nearing the end of their season. Knowing the seasons is important for budget-conscious shoppers as well. If you’re shopping on a budget, purchasing foods while they’re in-season may save you some money, and you can always stock up on your other favorites later on when it’s their turn to be in-season.

· Speak with the sellers. First-time farmer’s market shoppers may feel like they’re lost in the woods while everyone else seems to know exactly what they want and where to get it. If you find the farmer’s market somewhat intimidating, speak with the sellers. Shopping at the local farmer’s market tends to be more intimate than shopping at the chain grocery store, and many sellers would be happy to offer you some tips and make some suggestions based on the meals you like.

Farmer’s markets are great places to support local businesses and find fresh foods.

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