Courtesy of Northampton Nursery & Northampton Building Solutions
August 2011
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| Landscaping |
Tips from the Pros
Proper Mulching Can Help Trees Beat the Heat With apologies to dog lovers, trees are man's best friend in the summer months. Leafy trees provide "natural air conditioning" for homes, keeping direct sun off roofs and siding and holding temperatures down both inside your house and out. Unfortunately, summers like the one we have had this year are tough on trees. Intense heat causes the soil to dry out and puts stress on everything from the leaves at the top to the roots underground. But did you know mulching can give your trees a boost and help them beat the heat? According to the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), mulching is one of the most beneficial things a homeowner can do to keep trees healthy. It makes growing environments more "friendly" for trees by re-creating conditions that might be found in natural forests. When applied properly - a depth of two to four inches is ideal - mulch helps maintain soil moisture, control weeds, improve soil structure, and inhibit plant diseases, according to the ISA. Other tips for successful mulching: - If mulch is already present, check the depth. Do not add mulch if there is already 2 to 4 inches in place. Instead, rake the old mulch to break up matted layers and refresh the appearance.
- Avoid placing mulch against tree trunks. If mulch is already piled against the trunks, pull it back several inches so that the base of the trunk and the root crown are exposed.
- Use organic mulches, because they're better for enhancing the soil. At Northampton, we buy our mulch locally, from a Bucks County business that chips its own from trees it collects from area tree services. More information on tree mulching is available at the ISA's Trees Are Good website.
 Plant of the Month
Coreopsis  One of the great things about gardening year after year is that you get to discover what plants you like and which ones are easy to grow. Coreopsis is a plant that many homeowners feel is a winner on both fronts. Coreopsis is a bright, sunny-yellow flower that blooms most of the summer and doesn't require a lot of work. Coreopsis species are happy in almost any well-drained garden soil in full sun. They are great for borders or accents in flower beds, in containers or for wild gardens. The smaller types also are handsome in hanging baskets. Coreopsis is excellent for cut flowers and will keep going strong if the spent blooms are dead-headed. But if you find the abundance of blooms daunting to dead-head, simply wait until the first wave has gone by and cut the whole plant back. The plant will recover quickly and bloom again. As an added bonus, coreopsis attracts both birds and butterflies. It's Time To...
Water Wisely to Keep Things FreshAugust is perhaps the most laid-back month of the summer. But it offers some big challenges if hot and dry weather persists. Here are ways to make the most of watering so your yard will be healthy this fall.
- Water first thing in the morning or, if you can't do that, in the evening. Avoid midday waterings, because the moisture evaporates quickly.
- Water deeply and selectively. Deep watering gets the moisture 3 inches or so into the soil, will promote deep root growth and will help keep plants from drying out.
- If you have the time, water directly around plant roots with a hose instead of using broad spray sprinklers. You'll concentrate the water where it's needed.
- Capture waste water. The runoff from air conditioners can be used in your gardens.
- Recycle that water from the bird bath when you change it. It's rich in nutrients and can help your plants.
- Check your hanging baskets and container plants for moisture every day in hot weather by sticking your finger an inch or two into the soil. Water thoroughly each time you water, but don't overwater if they're still moist.
- Add mulch to planters or hanging baskets to help retain moisture, if yours are drying out quickly.
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Masterpiece Project
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Saving a Project That Had Gone Off Track  | | The expanded patio blended new and old pavers around the original to create a seamless surface. |
 | | The old patio was isolated by suspended construction. |
One of the things we love about our business is that we never know where the challenges will come from. This month's Masterpiece came in the form of a call for help. A couple in Chester County had a big back yard but a tiny patio that didn't really work on any level. It was too small to be useful as an outdoor space and too bland to provide eye appeal or tie the back yard together. So the couple hired a local contractor to enlarge the patio, give it some pizzazz with new pavers and turn the space around. Unfortunately, the contractor got jammed up when he got into the project and didn't have the manpower to finish. With the yard dug up and unusable, the homeowners were desperate for a solution and the contractor called his paver distributor for help. The distributor, whom we've worked with for years, recommended us. This was an unusual situation for us, but we take pride in finding solutions when people have problems. So we went out to the home, surveyed the site and spoke with the original contractor. He hired us to resolve the situation. It took some creativity, because the homeowners did not want to replace the original patio and lay an entirely new surface of pavers. So we had to lay a solid foundation around it and then blend the new pavers with the old in a way that would look seamless. In the excavated area, we went in and compacted the soil and laid a sheet of Geo-Textile Fabric to separate the soil from the modified stone that would go on top. This is important to keep the stone from settling or weeds from coming up through the patio. On top of the stone, we spread a layer of concrete sand to hold E.P. Henry's Old Town Cobble Harvest Blend pavers in place. Around the edges of the old patio, we selectively removed some old pavers and replaced them with new to create a blended look that wasn't jarring to the eye. At the end of the day, everyone was happy. We had met an unusual challenge, the contractor was out of a jam and the homeowners had the space they had dreamed about at the start.
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Remodeling Trend
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Homeowners Warming Up to Radiant Floor Heating Remodeling has always been popular with homeowners, but in today's economy, more and more people are considering it. "Don't move," the thinking goes, "improve." And what do homeowners want to improve? In more and more cases, our clients want to know about radiant floor heating. This makes sense for economic reasons, since radiant is more economical than traditional heating systems. But it makes sense for comfort as well. With a radiant floor heating system the warmth is supplied by hot-water tubes or electric wires installed beneath the floor. The tubes or wires heat the floor and the heat rises. The higher you set the thermostat, the higher the heat rises. But you never have to heat all the air in a room, and you never have the problem you get with traditional systems in which the hot air from radiators rises to the ceiling while the floor remains cold. With radiant floor heating, your toes remain toasty, and you only heat the space you use. "You're heating where the people are," says Richard Trethewey of the TV show "This Old House." Hot-water radiant systems cost more to install than traditional ones, but after they are up and running they can be up to 30 percent more efficient. Electric systems are often used when retrofitting a single room instead of a whole house. "This Old House" offers homeowners a nice overview on radiant at its website.
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Home Improvement
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It's a Good Time to Do a Leak Inspection
In hot summer months homeowners worry a lot about water outside the house. But it's a good time to take a look around for water issues inside the house as well. There are bound to be a couple too-hot-to-go-out days this month, and those provide perfect times to look around for leaks. Start in your basement or utility room and check the washing machine and water heater. Either could cause big problems if they spring a leak. Washer hoses should be checked regularly for bulging, cracking, fraying and leaks around hose ends. Replace the hose if a problem is found or every three to five years otherwise. Most water heaters last eight to 15 years, but wet spots on the floor or a rusted tank may signal a leak. Water heaters should be on the lowest level of the home, next to a floor drain, or inside a drain pan piped to the floor drain. In the kitchen, periodically check for leaks under the sink around water supply lines, drainpipes or where the dishwasher hose connects to the water supply. Look around the base of the dishwasher for discolored, warped, or soft flooring materials, or water damage to nearby cabinets. If your refrigerator has an icemaker, make sure the hose connection is securely attached to the water supply line. In bathrooms, remove and replace deteriorated or cracked caulk and grout. Water can leak through these damaged sealants, causing stains or worse in walls and floors.
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| Living Green & Well |
Help Plant a Million Trees
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society is world famous for running the Philadelphia Flower Show, but that's not all it does. It runs programs ranging from community gardens to youth education, and this summer it is pushing a be-good-to-the-Earth initiative called the "Plant One Million" campaign. "Plant One Million" is the nation's largest, multi-state tree-planting effort, involving individuals and organizations in southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware. The goal is to restore the "tree canopy cover" in the region to 30 percent in the years to come. The tree canopy is formed by the upper branches or crowns of mature trees, and it has been diminished by development in this area. The program seeks to raise money for tree planting, teach people about the importance of trees and encourage homeowners, other landowners and businesses to plant trees on their properties. Trees are an important part of the ecosystem, since they improve air quality by removing the global warming gas carbon dioxide. They also boost water quality and help reduce erosion, water pollution and flooding. More information can be obtained about the "Plant One Million" program at the PHS website. And of course if you want to plant more trees on your property, Northampton is ready to help!
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Check Out Our Video Series
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On our website we're now featuring our new Northampton Nursery Video
Series, in which we show how we work and share our ideas for creating
home masterpieces. Click on this link to view. |
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