august trends publication

PUBLISHED BY THE KEARNEY HUB PUBLISHING CO. • AUGUST 2012

The Freundbergs’home away from homeis a hole in one. Pages 8-9

Trendshome & decorating

Take a video tour of this month’s featured home at www.kearneyhub.com

Combat dreaded blackspot diseasePlan ahead to avoid the fungus, but if roses fallvictim, try pruning, spraying.

6

Take a risk with a new kindof playgroundGreen movement tackles kids' play equipmentincorporating natural fibers, natural landscape

Page 12

• Kearney Hub • Monday, August 6, 2012

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This month in Trends

PPlluuss preventing stem borers, avoiding blackspot diseaseon roses, property transfers and more!

Make the most of waterNot all plants’ watering needs are the same: Some need

very little while others require a lot.

page 15

Hole-in-oneThe Freudenbergs’ new place on Awarii

Dunes is home away from home.

page 8

Spice up kitchen decorThree easy methods, plus imagination,

yield pretty DIY dish towels.

page 6

Protect young treesPrune, deeply water, paint trunks of little fruit trees.

page 5

The Home and Decorating Trends experience contin-ues online at www.kearneyhub.com with videos, pho-tos and articles. Click on Home and DecoratingTrends under Special Sections on the Home page.

still in great shape, thanks to my Cloroxpen. But if I were starting over, I wouldcover my sofas in outdoor fabric.

3. Don’t even thinkabout getting a sofathat you wouldn’t wantto sleep on.

Many nights, whenI’m unable to sleep, Icome down to read onthe sofa and fall rightto sleep in its sink-into-comfy softness.It’s essential that yoursofa be that comfortable.

You’ll never know if a prospective sofais just right for you unless you sit in it likeyou would at home. Get in your normallounging position and see what you think.

When I’m helping a couple select asofa, I often find that what fits the wife

doesn’t necessarily fit the husband. So I doa little detective work. Where does each ofthem tend to sit? Does he gravitate toward

a big easy chair, whileshe likes to curl up onthe sofa? Whoever typ-ically sits on the sofashould have the decid-ing vote when it comesto fit.

4. Don’t buy a sofathat doesn’t fit yourroom.

First, determinewhere the sofa will be located and pinpointany special considerations. For example, ifthe sofa will be in front of a large window,you may want one with a low back so itdoesn’t block the view. If the window letsin lots of light, consider getting a light col-ored fabric that won’t fade.

Next, determine the size of sofa thatwill best fit the scale of the room. Is theroom big and lofty, full of large furnish-ings? Or is it a cozy spot? I recommendmaking a scale drawing of the room soyou can pick a sofa that’s not too big ortoo little.

5. Don’t take a sofa at face value —give it character with accent pillows.

Think of your sofa as a backdrop forthe sensational accent pillows that willgive it style and character. Pillows arethe spice of life in your living room, sohave fun designing a grouping that playsup your new sofa and finishes the lookof the room. You can change them sea-sonally.


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Mary Carol Garrity

Entrepreneur and author Mary Carol Garrity ofAtchison, Kan., writes for Scripps Howard News Ser-vice. For more information, write to [email protected].

WWhen you think about it, a lot of lifehappens on your sofa. This all-importantpiece of furniture needs to fit you, yourhome and your lifestyle. To ensure you geta sofa that’s just right, avoid these fivecommon mistakes.

1. Don’t buy a sofa upholstered in fabricyou will be sick of in a few years.

I can’t tell you how many times I’veworked with customers who want toreplace a sofa that is still in good shapebecause they are tired of the fabric. Unfor-tunately, it doesn’t take long to get sick ofa busy floral, bold plaid or strong stripe.

Since sofas can be a sizable financialinvestment, get one you will love for manyyears. Pick a neutral upholstery fabric, onethat will serve as a blank slate you canremake by pairing it with accent pillowsand throws.

If you’re itching to bring some oftoday’s bold colors and patterns into yourroom through upholstered furnishings, gofor it! Just do so on a smaller piece, like aside chair or ottoman.

2. Don’t select upholstery fabric youhave to fuss over.

Red wine is going to spill. Dogs aregoing to shed; cats are going to cough uphair balls. Spouses and kids are going toeat — and drop — pizza and popcorn andice cream on the sofa. Life happens, andyou need a sofa that is prepared to handleit. So don’t buy a sofa upholstered in anunforgiving fabric you have to fuss over.

My sofas are all covered in white fabric,which you would think would be a night-mare to keep clean, what with the cats, thedog and the husband. Believe it or not, it’s

Get comfortable before youinvest in a new sofa

Scripps Howard News Service

The all-importantsofa needsto fit you,your homeand yourlifestyle.

Get one youwill love formany yearsby picking

neutralupholstery.

You’ll never know if aprospective sofa is just

right for you unless you sitin it like you would at

home. Get in your normallounging position and see

what you think.

A

floor’s color and texture would be almostimpossible. In extreme cases, hardwoodflooring is removed from a closet or pantryand used to make repairs in the livingareas, and then the closet floors are cov-ered with any type of flooring available.

If the surface of the hardwood is in goodcondition, the floors can be stabilized andsupported by adding bracing under thehardwood. From the crawlspace or base-ment, find the areas in need of repair.Measure the areas to be repaired inbetween the floor joists and cut a piece orpieces of half-inch plywood to support theflooring above. Next, cut two 2-by-4boards the same length as each piece ofplywood. Place the plywood tightlyagainst the bottom of the hardwood, thenplace the 2-by-4s tightly against the ply-wood patch and against the side of thefloor joist. Secure the 2-by-4s to the floorjoists using wood screws.

In older homes the floor joists may beso hard that you will have to drill a pilothole for each screw. The pilot hole shouldbe one size smaller than the diameter ofthe screw’s threads. If you are workingalone, the plywood can be temporarilyheld in place with a brace wedged betweenthe plywood patch and the crawlspace

ground or basement floor.

Q:Watching the news, I notice thatsome areas of the country are receiv-

ing unprecedented amounts of rain. Butwhere I live there is an ongoing droughtand it has been suggested that I water thefoundation to prevent damage. Is this trueand, if so, can you explain why?

A:Should you water your foundation?Yes, if water is available and the

drought has not limited the municipalwater supply. A drought dewaters the soil,allowing the soil to shrink to a point wheresevere settlement of the home can lead toserious structural damage.

Improper grading of the yard, installa-tion of a sump pump or directing gutterdrains away from the foundation of anolder existing home also can dewaterfoundations.

Drastic changes to the amount of waterin the soil will alter the soil’s characteris-tics.

In areas with heavy rains and flooding,the soil becomes unstable and unable tobear the weight of the structure. Sinkholesform under homes or foundations settleunevenly, causing structural damage.

In areas suffering from droughts, smec-tite clay soils, which are found in all the

continental states, will shrink, leavingvoids under the supporting foundation.The voids can lead to foundation settle-ment, which could then cause major struc-tural damage to the foundation and struc-ture.

According to the American Society ofCivil Engineers, about half of the housesbuilt in the United States each year arelocated on unstable soils and about half ofthese will suffer some soil-related damage.

There’s not much you can do during adrought where water use is restrictedunless you can reduce personal use. How-ever, if this is an annual occurrence, youmight consider a well to maintain the soilwith a foundation watering system.

If your home has been damaged byflooding or drought, a series of steel piersor helical piers can be installed to supportthe foundation independent of the soil.Both solutions are expensive, and youshould contact a structural engineer beforedeciding on any type of foundationrepairs.


Q:HH

Dwight Barnett

HomeMaintenance

Dwight Barnett is a certified master inspector withthe American Society of Home Inspectors. Write to himwith home improvement questions at C. Dwight Bar-nett, Evansville Courier and Press, P.O. Box 286,Evansville, Ind. 47702.

No need to tear up hardwood floors with termite damage; repair underneath

Q:My 91-year-young mother is still inthe house she’s lived in her entire

married life. Though termite preventionhas been used, I am noticing soft spots insome sections of the floor that normallyare covered by furniture. Is there a way toperhaps install new flooring here and thereas opposed to tearing up everything?Change does not make her happy. Herrationale is that she sees no reason to starta project that may not be finished beforeshe is no longer in her home.

A:I’m assuming you are talking abouthardwood floors, because replacing

carpet or vinyl would not require “tearingup everything.” Yes, the floors can berepaired without major renovation.Besides, replacing just a few boards hereor there would show up as an unsightlypatch. Matching the existing hardwood

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GGGardening

Maureen GilmerScripps Howard

Anyone with a young fruit tree shouldunderstand the three fundamentals of sum-mer care that keep these plants healthy,protected and growing as vigorously aspossible.

■ Avoid sunburn. Young fruit trees havea very small canopy that cannot shade thetender bark of the trunk from the hot sum-mer sun. If exposed, the tender young barkburns, then blisters, and the vital cambiumlayer underneath dies. Once this occurs,the flow of nutrients and water through thecambium layer is cut off in the burn area.Many pests and diseases enter young treesthrough sunburn blisters, which are themost common cause of premature death.

Protect your young trees as orchardfarmers have for centuries by painting thetrunk white. Use white interior latex asyour sunscreen because it does not containfungicides. Thin it with water to allowoxygen to reach the bark underneath the

paint. Lightly coat the entire trunk fromsoil up to where the branches begin. Ifthere isn’t yet enough foliage to shade thecrotch and lower branches, then paintthose parts, too.

■ Prune unwanted growth. Young fruittrees are vulnerable to two types of undesir-able rank growth. These fast-growing whip-like stems can crop up quickly anytime overthe growing season, so keep a sharp eye outfor them. Otherwise, they will demandgrowth energy that would otherwise gotoward development of a larger canopy.

Suckers originate at the base of thetrunk, often below the graft union. This isrootstock material that may not match therest of the tree. It’s so named becausethese shoots literally suck off growth ener-gy before it can support the upper portionof the tree. Water sprouts are similar, butthey originate in the canopy itself.

Prune away water sprouts and suckersclose to the trunk, but not flush, to avoiddieback, which can damage the tree. Repeatthis process the moment new leaves appearin these problem areas. An old trick is to ruboff the freshly sprouted leaves with a finger,which reduces the chances of its return.

■ Deep water. Your goal for tending ayoung fruit tree is to encourage a large and

very deep root system that remains moistand cool through the heat of the summer.New gardeners tend to wet the top fewinches of soil and call it watered, but deep-er down the root ball is dry. Unless youirrigate in a way that wets the soil deepunderground, your tree will root onlywhere you’ve provided moisture — on thesurface where the soil is hot and dries outquickly in the summer sun.

Build a large berm around each fruit treefor a deep and expansive well. Fill thewell with water, then let it percolate down-ward at the proper rate for your soil type.Refill as often as you like in dry weatherand feel free to mulch the surface toreduce surface evaporation rates.

Above all, discipline yourself to cut offany new fruit that forms in the first fewsummers. This helps your tree produce astrong trunk and branches before taking onthe job of ripening a crop.

Remember that your fruit tree is just likea child — in a way, at least. What you dotoday and throughout these first years willbe key to a successful adult tomorrow.

Maureen Gilmer is an author, horticulturist and land-scape designer. Learn more at www.MoPlants.com.Contact her at [email protected] or P.O. Box 891,Morongo Valley, CA 92256.

Protect young fruit trees in the summerby pruning, protecting, watering deeply

Scripps Howard News Service

The intense summer sun can quicklyscald exposed branches if not painted

for protection.


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IIInteriors

until the image is fully transferred. Youcan peel the paper up as you work to seewhich areas of the image have transferred.

A painted towel is created by stampingwith lettuce. To make this style, cut thelettuce roughly 3 to 5 inches from the stalkend. The cut edge of the stalk end will beyour stamp. Firmly blot the cut edge on apaper towel to remove excess moisture.

Pour fabric paint on a piece of waxpaper. Place the towel over a piece of waxpaper to prevent the paint from bleeding.Press the cut edge of the lettuce into thepaint mixture and stamp onto the dishtowel. Optional: To create a leaf stamp,hold two or three leaves together in abunch and press the cut end into greencraft paint that has been mixed with textilemedium.

To make an embroidered design, choosean image to embroider onto the towel and

Spice upkitchen withfun DIY dish

towels

GGive plain kitchen towels some DIY fla-vor with image-transfer techniques thatrange from high-tech to refreshingly sim-ple. All you need to get started is a plaindish towel.

To make the image-transferred towel,first choose an image to transfer and printit out using a laser printer or a laser copier.If your picture contains text, reverse theimage before printing or copying. The keyis to use a laser machine.

Attach the transfer tip to your heat tooland allow it to warm up. (If you don’thave a transfer tool, you can use a hotiron, applying pressure to the paper withthe tip of the iron.) Place the image facedown on your dish towel and secure inplace with a piece of masking tape alongone edge. Work over a hard surface, not anironing board. Burnish the back of thepaper with the heat tool, using moderatepressure. Don’t move the tool too slowlyor you will burn the paper. Keep going Continued on next page

▲

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transfer the image using transfer paper. Weused wax-free transfer paper and a serratedtracing wheel. For this method, place thetransfer paper colored side down on top ofyour towel; place your image on top, print-ed side up. Use the tracing wheel to tracealong the lines of your image. Use a pencilor a ballpoint pen to trace the small detailsof your image. Remove the papers and

your image will be transferred onto yourtowel.

Tighten your towel in the embroideryhoop and start embroidering. Use differentstitches and colors for the various areas ofyour design. When you’re not working onyour piece, remove it from the hoop toavoid stretching or warping the fabric.

Cathie Filian is a lifestyle expert, Emmy-nominatedtelevision host, author and designer. Learn more aboutCathie by visiting her blog at www.cathiefilian.com.

Continued from previous page▲

IIff yyoouurr ppiiccttuurree ccoonnttaaiinnss tteexxtt,, bbee ssuurree ttoorreevveerrssee tthhee iimmaaggee bbeeffoorree ccooppyyiinngg

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Awariies in th

Kentcess ofEngh, courseEngh’sregardethe He

Kent25 yea26. Kebecom

An 18-foot by 18-foot maintenance-free deck puts the Freudenbergs and their guests within feet of the third tee box on the Awarii Dunes golf course south of Kearney.

A HolThis home a

KKent and Carol Freudenberg have ahome in Colorado Springs, Colo., but theyalso have a newly built home away fromhome at Awarii Dunes Golf Communitysouth of Kearney.

Kent said he and his wife and their twodaughters, Kyle, 16, and Molly, 13, cur-rently spend about half of their time atAwarii Dunes and the other half in Col-orado Springs, but it hasn’talways been that way.

The Freudenbergs pur-chased the golf course, pre-viously known as CraneView Golf Course, in 2007after Kent visited Nebraskato look at the property afterwatching a football gamebetween Nebraska and Mis-souri, the latter being Kent’salma mater. After Kent care-fully inspected the golfcourse south of Kearney, hedecided that the potential ofthe unique sand course made it too good topass up. Kent’s assessment appears to havebeen a solid one. Since that time, both GolfDigest and Golf Magazine have touted

A gas fireplacewith a

natural-stone façadeand mantelprovides afocal point

for themain-floorliving space.

It’s because o(Irish architecJim) Engh’s

influence thaAwarii Dunes regarded as th

place whereIreland meets t

Heartland.

i Dunes as one of the top new cours-he country. t is quick to credit much of the suc-f the course to the Irish architect Jimwhose creative vision made the

e what it is today. It’s because ofs influence that Awarii Dunes ised as the place where Ireland meets

eartland, Kent said. He also said thenew name, Awarii Dunes,was chosen to honor thePawnee residents who onceinhabited this area ofNebraska — “Awarii”means “windblown” in thePawnee language. Andbecause the sandy dunes atAwarii were formed bycenturies of prairie windsblowing across the centralplains of Nebraska, “wethought it was the perfectname for the property,”Kent said.

t has been practicing law for the pastars while Carol has practiced law forent admits that Awarii Dunes has now

me his second job, and because he and

his family spend so much time in the Kear-ney area, they decided it made sense tobuild a second home here — a home awayfrom their home in Colorado.

The Freudenbergs called on Chief Cus-tom Homes to be their homebuilder. ChiefCustom Homes constructs system-builthomes in an enclosed, climate-controlledenvironment and then transports the homesto the prepared site.

In May of 2011, Chief delivered threesections that would be joined together tobecome the Freudenbergs’ new home. ByJuly 2011, the process was complete. Kentsaid they chose a system-built home formany reasons. Among them were the factsthat there would be no weather delays in theconstruction process and the family wouldbe able to enjoy the home very quicklywithout sacrificing the level of customiza-tion or quality of the finished product.

The site on which they chose to buildtheir home is in an enclave called Switch-grass at Awarii, one of four enclaves atAwarii Dunes, Kent said. The Freuden-bergs also chose to build a townhome with

Pages 8-9 • Kearney Hub • Monday, August 6, 2012

e-in-Oneaway from home is

written by

Brock Arehartphotos by

Diana Dake

The master suite offers Kent and Carol a 12-foot by 14-foot sleeping space as well as a 6-foot by 14-foot closet and full en suite bath.

Thekitchen isfurnished

with solid aldercabinetry,

quartzcountertopsilluminatedby under-cabinetlighting,

andmatchingstainless-

steel appliances.

ofcts atis

heethe

Continued on next page

▲


historic Craftsman-style architectural ele-ments. Kent said he feels the Craftsmanstyle was a very appropriate choice because“it has a classic feel and fits into the coun-try environment that the course is in.”

The exterior of the home is covered withcement-fiber siding combined with astacked stone façade. The cement walkthat leads to the front porch has been cus-tomized with a stamped imprint and colorstain to resemble natural stone. The frontentry of the home has a 36-inch entry doorwith a leaded-glass three-quarters light anda full matching sidelight.

The main floor of the one-story town-home measures 1,700 square feet and hasthree bedrooms and two full bathrooms.The ceilings in the home are nine feet talland are finished with astomp-knockdown texture.

The kitchen, one ofCarol’s favorite rooms in thehome, is furnished withsolid alder cabinetry, quartzcountertops with a 6-inch by6-inch ceramic tile back-splash illuminated by under-cabinet lighting, matching stainless-steel-finish appliances, and a Swanstone under-mount sink with brushed-nickel-finishfaucet.

Carol enjoys the opennessof the kitchen space and itseffective functionality. Thekitchen design includes apeninsula feature with bi-level countertop surfaces;the lower level provideswork space and a location

for the sink while the upper level provideskitchen dining space for three. The floor isa laminate product with a rough-hewnwide-plank design. Adjacent and open to

the kitchen area is a designated dining areawith a table for six.

Next to the kitchen is a laundry roomalso equipped with alder cabinets, a washsink, a stacked washer and dryer and adurable vinyl floor with a ceramic-tilelook. Also near the kitchen is access to a24-foot by 24-foot two-stall garage.

A gas fireplace with a natural stonefaçade and mantel provides a focal pointfor the main-floor living area of the home,which is completely open to the kitchen

and dining space. Wall-to-wall carpetingand a coffered ceiling with recessed light-ing add elements of elegance and style tothe space.

Six-foot full-light double doors with afull transom light provide access to theoutside living area. An 18-foot by18-footmaintenance-free deck with a vinyl railingplaces the Freudenbergs and their guestswithin a few feet of the third tee box on

TThhee kkiittcchheenn ffeeaattuurreess ssoolliidd aallddeerr ccaabbiinneettrryy aanndd ssttaaiinnlleessss--sstteeeell--ffiinniisshh aapppplliiaanncceess


The Freudenbergs’ new Nebraska home sits at No. 4 Tullymore Lane on the Awarii Dunes golf course.


▲

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the Awarii Dunes course. Kent said thefamily enjoys walking to the top of one ofthe dunes and watching the sun set, addingthat “there is nothing as striking as theNebraska sky and the stars at night.”

The master suite in the home offers Kentand Carol a 12-foot by 14-foot sleepingspace, 6-foot by 14-foot walk-in closet witha built-in organizational system and an fullen suite bathroom. The bathroom has awalk-in shower with a glass enclosure andtile surround, an acrylic air tub, an aldervanity with a matching linen tower, andquartz counter tops with double undermountsinks. Kent said he and Carol love the mas-ter bedroom, adding that it is a “great roomto decompress in at the end of the day.”

The main floor also has a full bath fur-nished with an acrylic tub and shower aswell as an alder vanity, laminate counter-tops and a rectangular porcelain sink. Thebathroom is near two 12-foot by 12-footbedrooms with double-door walk-in clos-ets. Both bedrooms receive generousamounts of eastern sunlight via 30-inch by60-inch windows.

The home’s Anderson 400-series prairie-style windows are trimmed with 4-inchalder moldings that match solid alder two-panel, arch-top Mission-style doors. Allare part of Chief’s Craftsman package, anavailable option that includes many archi-

tectural elements of the Craftsman/Bunga-low architectural period.

All walls in the home — 2-inch by 6-inch exterior walls with an R23 insulationfactor and 2-inch by 4-inch interior walls— have knockdown texture and roundedoutside corners. The shared walls betweenthe two conjoined townhome units meas-

ure 8 inches thick and boast a sound barri-er rating of 50.

The lower level of the home, which alsomeasures 1,700 square feet, is primarilyopen and unfinished, although two bed-rooms have been framed into place, egresswindows have been installed and plumbingis in place for a third bathroom. Kent said

they plan to fully finish the basement bysummer 2013.

Kent said he couldn’t be happier withtheir choice of Chief Custom Homes astheir homebuilder adding that they feelthat their new home at Awarii Dunes is“nothing less than what you would get in amillion-dollar custom-built home.”


Above: The master suite’s en suite bathroom provides an acrylic air tub in addition to a walk-in shower with a glass enclosure and tile surround.

Right: A designated dining area with seating for six is open to thekitchen area of the Freudenbergs’ home.

time, he says, “but then they want to runaround. They want to climb a hill, scram-ble over rocks, listen to the wind and playin the rain. They want to explore and dis-cover rather than have their play experi-ence defined by a piece of equipment.”

So when his company, the Concord,N.H.-based Natural Playgrounds, builds aplayground for a school or community, hetries to incorporate any equipment into theexisting landscape, using or adding boul-ders, wooden beams, hammocks, waterpumps or sand. Polycarbonate slides arebuilt into embankments so the slides can

be higher but the falls aren’t as dangerous.They’re also treated so that static electrici-ty doesn’t interfere with cochlear implants,and they’re heat-resistant.

He might put in a water pump that needsto be primed, and sand that can be sculpt-ed. Cedar, steel and copper can be turnedinto drums, musical fences and tubularcontraptions that make interesting soundswhen gravel, water, sticks or hands comein contact with them. There are places toplay quiet games, and also room to runwith the gang.

Having the opportunity to do both is opti-mal, says Susan Solomon, author of “Ameri-can Playgrounds” and the upcoming “TheScience of Play” (both from University Pressof New England). The trend toward morenatural playgrounds, she says, is partlybecause of the high cost of the prefabricated,themed structures (jungle, pirate ship, tinytown) found in so many playgrounds today.

Playgrounds in recent years — includ-ing some natural playgrounds — have got-ten a little tame, Solomon says. Safety andliability concerns have driven out manytall or fast pieces of equipment.

And with them some of the fun. “Theydon’t allow kids to take chances,”Solomon says.

“Risk involves uncertain outcomes —going fast, reaching great heights or evenhiding, in order to overcome primal fears

and create exhilaration.” Restoring some of that excitement safely

is one goal of designers of natural play-grounds.

The Woodland Discovery Playground atShelby Farms Park in Memphis, Tenn., isa 3.5-acre amalgam of nature, naturalisticelements and steel and plastic structures. Itwas developed by the New York-baseddesign firm James Corner Field Operationsafter a series of workshops with local kids.

“What was so remarkable was that mostchildren actually preferred woodlandexploration to playing on the existingplayground that occupied the site,” saysthe firm’s senior designer, Sarah WeidnerAstheimer.

The resulting playground consists of sixplay “nests”; features include climbingwalls, a bright red suspended net, a varietyof swings, tree forts, vines and a place forquiet play.

A mix of natural and manmade chal-lenges is also the recipe recommended byPaige Johnson, who writes a blog calledPlayground Designs. A few natural rocksand tree stumps aren’t enough, she says.

A natural playground needs a few keyelements, according to Johnson: a hill,boulders and stumps to climb on; rocksand gravel to dig in; paths and perhaps alittle bridge to traverse; and a gate or doorthat kids can turn into a portal of their own.


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The following real estate transfers from June15 to July 23 were compiled from deedsrecorded at the Buffalo County Register ofDeeds Office. Addresses and prices are publicrecord and are provided when available fromthe register’s office. If prices were not available,the equivalent based on the Nebraska Docu-mentary Tax paid on the full amount or the cur-rent market value is listed.

Betty King, trustee and trustee of the KeithKing Trust A, and James and Brenda King toJames and Brenda King, 8790 17th Ave. Nodocumentary tax.

Platte Valley State Bank and Trust Co. toLeslie and Jacqueline Adelung, Units I-1, I-2, I-3and I-4, LaVista at Lighthouse Point Condomini-ums, $34,000.

Dale Steinhauser, trustee, to Todd andCheryl Thurston, 907 Ave. A, $96,500.

Sun Development Inc. to Brett and MeganMayo, 1107 17th Ave., $209,900.

Gary and Lecia Junker to Rocky Geiser PC,4511 Linden Drive, $140,000.

Terry Korb to Terry and Blanca Korb, 1314Ave. D. No documentary tax.

Travis Wind to Tate and Rachel Pierce, 2824Central Ave., $98,000.

Carol Anderson to Tara Kral and BradleyStolcpart, 3207 Ave. H, $128,500.

Karen Matheny to Robert and ShawnLeiskau, 4411 Central Ave., $133,000.

Rodney and Delaine Uhlman to PatriciaGamble and Jerry Marple, 2911 Ave. K,$119,000.

Sean Temoshek and Andrea Macke, co-trustees of the Donald Temoshek Revocable

Trust, to Larry Friskopp, 4504 Ave. F,$163,300.

Mandy and Harley Gant to Thomas andLisa Overleese, 1322 Ave. H, $89,900.

Ronald and Bonnie Daake to David Lin-der, 1411 Ave. H, $91,250.

Brett and Amy Springer to Brian andTiffany Friehe, 706 W. 27th St., $163,500.

Eric Nesiba, personal representative of theestate of Joyce Nason, to Eric Nesiba, 3627Ave. E. No documentary tax.

Dale Van Housen to Darcie Nightingale,5820 Ave. N, No. 2, $170,000.

Daniel Majer and Loray Hastings, personalrepresentatives of the estate of Roy Majer, toHarley and Mandy Gant, 518 Grand Ave.,Ravenna, $125,000.

Meusch Construction Inc. to Danny and Con-nie Simmons, 1012 W. 46th St. Place,$261,500.

Starostka Group Unlimited Inc. to Brett andAmy Springer, 6604 Ave. M Place, $232,900.

Dennis Duryea and Joseph Sobotka to BSBInvestments LLC, Lot 2, Colonial Estates FifthAddition, $225,000.

Helen Evans to Daniel and Debra Crook-shank, 3110 Eighth Ave., $128,400.

Kara Priess to Jason and Kristen McLean,511 E. 10th St., $171,400.

Gary and Angela Needham to Tyler Merchantand Natalie Merchant, 1510 14th Ave.,$139,000.

Kenton and Sally Young to Michael Von Seg-gern, 3319 Ave. E, $141,000.

Terry Broadfoot to Rickey and ElizabethSmith, Lot 1, Austin Estates Fourth Subdivision,$90,000.

Platte Valley State Bank & Trust Co. to Kdiv-er LLC, 104-110 W. 16th St., $165,000.

Ronald and Cassandra Hutchins to RobertKugler, part of Lot 3, Section 4, Township 12North, Range 18 West, $8,000.

Shawn and Christina Eutsler to Trenton

Nielsen, 321 E. Railroad St., Shelton, $59,750.Robert and Nancy Polk to David and Anne

Skinner, 610 W. 29th St., $82,000.Margaret Cutchall-Theis to Charles Theis,

3600 Coal Chute Road. No documentary tax.Gary Chramosta, trustee of the Raymond

and Mardella Eisele Revocable Trust, to WilliamDibbern, trustee under the William DibbernTrust Agreement, and Karen Dibbern, trusteeunder the Karen Dibbern Trust Agreement,3704 Fourth Ave. No documentary tax.

Gary Chramosta, trustee of the Raymondand Mardella Eisele Revocable Trust, to Ken-neth Ellenwood and James Ellenwood, 419 W.31st St. No documentary tax.

Gary Chramosta, trustee of the Raymondand Mardella Eisele Revocable Trust, toThomas and Connie Schulte, 301 W. 31st St.No documentary tax.

Kelven and Brenda Cederberg to Wayne andDiane Brandt, 16800 145th Road, Amherst,$289,900.

Curtis and Carla Bodey to Richard and Bev-erly Schumacher, part of Lot 4, Section 12,Township 8 North, Range 15 West, $35,000.

Jordan Schlund to Jacquelyn Schlund, 142312th Ave. No documentary tax.

Terry Broadfoot to Eric Maaske, Lot 2, AustinEstates Fourth Subdivision, $90,000.

Jon Olson to Sandra Olson, 1410 E. 67thSt. No documentary tax.

US Bank to Federal National Mortgage Asso-ciation, 3615 Ave. I. No documentary tax.

William and Carol Woodward to Galen andDorothy Dulitz, Lot 6, C.E.A. Subdivision,$35,000.

Bonnie Pabian to Community Redevelop-ment Authority of the City of Ravenna, Lot 1,Brickyard Hill Administrative Subdivision. Nodocumentary tax.

Gary Chramosta, successor trustee of theRaymond and Mardella Eisele Revocable Trust,

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Custom Homes & Remodeling


PPproperty transfers


▲


to Shayne and Annette O’Mara, 3003 Ave. I,$107,000.

Mary Mendenhall to Tracy and Ozlem Martin,626 W. 22nd St., $135,000.

Hal and Laura Roberts to Tara Arnold, 371013th Ave., $160,000.

Cash Partnership to DCC LLC, 2512 W.35th St. Tax assessed on a value of$38,000.01 to $39,000.

Erika Knapstein to US Bank National Associ-ation, 1115 W. 35th St., $121,975.

Edward and Cheryl Noller to Jarrod and LisaKjar, part of Section 28, Township 10 North,Range 15 West. Tax assessed on a value of$25,000.01 to $26,000.

Harold and Peggy Veeder to Ronald and TeresaTurek, 56310 325th Road, Ravenna. Tax assessedon a value of $399,000.01 to $400,000.

Homer Jr. and Marianne Davis to NormanRichardson, part of Section 18, Township 9North, Range 18 West. Tax assessed on avalue of $170,000.01 to $171,000.

Norman and Phyllis Richardson to HomerDavis Jr., part of Section 2, Township 9 North,Range 18 West. Tax assessed on a value of$170,000.01 to $171,000.

Uma-Mahesh Inc. to Beatrice Victorian InnLLC, 903 Second Ave. E. Tax assessed on avalue of $2,074,000.01 to $2,075,000.

Philip and Susan Conrad to Vicky Miigerl,601 Kufus Ave., Ravenna. Tax assessed on avalue of $99,000.01 to $100,000.

Platte River Whooping Crane MaintenanceTrust Inc. to Larry Woitaszewski and AnnBohan, Lots 5 and 6, Section 24, Township 9North, Range 13 West. Tax assessed on avalue of $305,000.01 to $306,000.

David and Virginia Klingelhoefer to Sidneyand Anne Klingelhoefer, part of Section 15,Township 10 North, Range 17 West, $185,000.

Larry and Shelly Achterberg to David and Vir-ginia Klingelhoefer, part of Section 35, Town-ship 11 North, Range 18 West, $725,000.

Meusch Construction Inc. to Gerald and Kim-berly Rehtus, 4510 10th Ave., $289,250.

Cameron and Nicole Brumbaugh to CurryRelocation Co. LLC, 3 Apache Lane, $170,000.

Curry Relocation Co. LLC to Hai Van Dangand Lena Nguyen, 3 Apache Lane, $170,000.

James and Nancy Graham to Hassan and DanaGhorashy, 2603 W. 46th St. Place, $312,000.

Christopher and Jill Peterson to DanaKramer, 124 Walnut St., Riverdale, $110,000.

Luis and Kristen Nieto and Sol Garcia to DorisSchuessler, 3503 Linden Drive, $127,500.

Connie Mays to Judy Hawks, 1622 FourthAve., $52,300.

Pauline Fisher to Clark and Benila Bausch,323 W. 30th St., $110,100.

Jane Musil to Steven Musil, 31 Camelot Way.No documentary tax.

Julie Bachman, successor trustee of theHugo and Ann Larson Trust, to Steve Baye and

Karen Baye, co-trustees of the Steve Baye andKaren Baye Revocable Trust, 4008 Ave. H. Nodocumentary tax.

Harbour Portfolio VI LP to EH Pooled 512LP, 811 Grand Ave., Ravenna, $2,850.

Judye Gregerson to Nancy De Santiago,2612 Seventh Ave., $100,000.

Richard Cepel to Dean and Janet Johnson,622 W. 25th St., $160,000.

Randall and Paige Purdy to DiAnn Jones,Suzanne Davis and Michelle Martinson, 1415W. 37th St., $175,000.

Brandon and Amy Schade to Matthew andChamonix White, 1416 E. 33rd Drive,$140,500.

Earl and Donna Michel to Samuel Pearse,trustee under the Samuel Pearse Living Trust,5618 Ave. N. Tax assessed on a value of$159,000.01 $160,000.

Kevin and Karin Lange to John Tenhoff, 3215Ave. I, $135,000.

O&O Farms Inc. to William and WhitneyShapley, 32860 130th Road, $40,000.

Neil and Jodi Davies to Lance and MistyZobel, 310 Ellis St., Shelton. Tax assessed on avalue of $134,000.01 to $135,000.

Rocky Geiser PC to Nathan Lightle, JeanneLightle, Larry Lightle and Kathleen Lightle,4511 Linden Drive, $141,500.

Harold and Tammy Harmon to James andGail Herrmann, 1308 E. 31st St., $126,500.

Linda and Robert Ryan to Jake and CarleyRiley, 507 W. Cherry St., Riverdale, $119,550.

Robert and Gail Axtell to David Zorn andMandy McLean, 2220 Ave. Q, $142,500.

Danny and Connie Simmons to Scott and SaraNachtigal, 9575 Rio Madera Drive, $171,000.

Ryan Brehmer to Shannon Thompson, 2521Central Ave. Tax assessed on a value of$69,000.01 to $70,000.

NP Construction Inc. to Dann and PatriciaSharp, 5820 Ave. N, No. 20, $205,000.

David and Anita Kucera to Ronald and PeggyCruise, 20 Skyline Drive, $149,900.

Ahmed Kutty to Good Samaritan Hospital,3015 Ave. A, $560,000.

Jerilyn Daugherty to Robert and JenniferSkiles, 1710 Ninth Ave., $109,000.

Scott and Sara Nachtigal to Tyler and Kim-berly Swearingen, 23 La Vista Road,$141,000.

Tiffani Young and Robin Bennett, co-personalrepresentatives of the estate of Betty Beavers,to Tiffani Young and Robin Bennett, 515 W.36th St. No documentary tax.

Marty and Lori Samuelson to Jerrin and Bar-bara Karel, 502 Pavia Ave., Ravenna, $4,000.

Michael Donald Construction LLC to Michaeland Stephanie Svoboda, 1804 E. 62nd St.,$250,000.

Chiu-Sen and Chu-Hua Liang to Elton and Eliza-beth Schmidt, 4611 N. Regency Place, $260,000.

Mark and Pamela Thomas to Merle Gifford,3908 Ave. E, $146,900.

William Taylor to Gene and Nancy Coakley,

Lot 1, Block 3, Sunny Acres Second Subdivi-sion, $106,000.

Peak Enterprises Ltd. to Brent Carmody, Lot4 and part of Section 3, Township 8 North,Range 17 West. No documentary tax.

Thomas and Lori Fuller and Anthony Daley toTFD Investments LLC, 2023 First Ave. Taxassessed on a value of $65,000.01 to $66,000.

Irene and Evert Anderson Jr., co-trustees ofthe Irene Anderson Trust, to Larry and MyrnaJohnson, 3 Indian Hills Drive, $165,000.

Virgil and LeAnn Kenney to Teresa Furby andAnnette Furby, 201 N. Main St., Amherst,$16,000.

Tyler and Kelli Carey to Dale and KarlaBroekemeier, 1804 W. 49th St. Place,$295,000.

Aaron and Beverly Clark to Kerry and CarrieCarpenter, 8 Wedge Way, $214,000.

Charles and Louise Landis to David andDawn Salyer, 4102 Palamino Road, $140,000.

Neil Miller, sheriff of Buffalo County, to Fed-eral National Mortgage Association, 32775Poole Road, Ravenna, $123,255.

Jack Nickman to Kerri Dealey, part of Lot 15,Block 4, Original Town of Pleasanton. Taxassessed on a value of $3,000.01 to $4,000.

Charles Johnson to Bernard and Leona Ket-teler, 3914 Ave. L, $170,000.

Larry and Cindy Habe to Casey Loomis, 502Kufus Ave., Ravenna, $71,000.

Albert Hauschild III and Edda Schlund toAlbert Hauschild IV, 603 Milan Ave., Ravenna.No documentary tax.

Neil Miller, sheriff of Buffalo County, toGuardian Property Services LLC, 23665Watertown Road, Miller, $6,976.

Scott and Jean Anderson to Dan Schumach-er, Lot 2, Western Trails Fourth, $25,750.

Rocky Geiser PC to Jodi Johnson, 3915 Ave.L, $148,500.

Robert Irvine to Keith Keaschall, part of Sec-tion 14, Township 11 North, Range 14 West.Tax assessed on a value of $239,000.01 to$240,000.

Grand West LLC to Sutton Rentals LLC, Lot1, Block 6, Fountain Hills First Addition. Taxassessed on a value of $49,000.01 to$50,000.

Platte River Whooping Crane MaintenanceTrust Inc. to Richard and Susan Summers, Lots9 and 10, Section 13, Township 8 North,Range 14 West. Tax assessed on a value of$201,000.01 to $202,000.

Philip and Kathleen Shade to P&K ShadeLLC, part of Section 8, Township 9 North,Range 15 West. No documentary tax.

Nathan and Jeanne Lightle and Larry andKathleen Lightle to Lucky Dog LLC, 4511 Lin-den Drive. No documentary tax.

Dorothy Lueders to Greg Poland and Shan-non Mercer, 523 W. Genoa St., Ravenna. Taxassessed on a value of $98,000.01 to $99,000.

Cory Gilmore, attorney-in-fact for AngelaGilmore, to Matthew King, 924 Grand Ave.,

Ravenna, $4,000.Margaret DeBrie to Brad and Jennifer

Samuelson, 602 First St., Gibbon, $46,000.Kenneth and Phyllis Janulewicz to Trevor and

Amy Lee, 816 Westridge Drive, Ravenna,$113,000.

Lori Dobish, personal representative of theestate of Ernest Trubl, to Lori Dobish, part ofSection 25, Township 10 North, Range 15West; part of Section 24, Township 12 North,Range 15 West; part of Section 18, Township12 North, Range 14 West; part of Section 14,Township 11 North, Range 15 West; and partof Section 23, Township 11 North, Range 15West. No documentary tax.

Patrick and Anita Treffery to Nicole Gardner,4114 Sunset Trail, $150,000.

William and Susan Smith to Christopher andJill Peterson, 3621 Cottonwood Road,$317,000.

Scott Allen Development Inc. to Robert andMuffy Gregg, Lot 2, Deer Crossing SecondSubdivision, $28,750.

Justin and Josette McConville to Jeffrey andKrystal Hebb, 3611 Sixth Ave., $134,000.

Kenneth and Michelle Lorimer to Kirby andBrooke Johnson, 301 W. 29th St., $137,000.

Jerry and Tami Hellman and Bronson andJolie Bosshamer to Michael and Kathleen Math-ews, 702 W. 17th St. and 1622 Seventh Ave.,$112,000.

L. Jean Porter to Justin and JosetteMcConville, 3203 20th Ave., $224,900.

K.R. Shafer to Ellen Shafer, 715 N. Easy St.,Elm Creek. Tax assessed on a value of$131,000. 01 to $132,000.

U.S. Bank to Secretary of Housing andUrban Development, 1423 Ave. C. No docu-mentary tax.

Jason and Stefanie Steggs to SavannahDorn, 5106 Ave. E, $219,900.

Shawn and Irish Kreis to Marvin and JudyCrouch, 3106 Ave. G, $116,900.

Darrel Kominek, trustee of the Darrel andHelen Kominek Trust, to Darrel Kominek, trusteeof the Darrel Kominek Living Trust, 3018 Sev-enth Ave. No documentary tax.

Teresa Holthaus, Cathy Fortin, Karla Wildand Robin Kalba to Anthony Finke, 716 W.27th St., $102,500.

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. toShayne Riley, 120 E. 29th St., $73,000.

Grand West LLC to Meusch ConstructionInc., 4508 10th Ave. Tax assessed on a valueof $42,000.01 to $43,000.

Federal National Mortgage Association toDale and Shanna Duggan, 614 W. 20th St. Nodocumentary tax.

Antelope Park LLC to Dallas and KelleyWatkins, Lot 3, Block 1, Antelope Park Estates,$21,000.

Marilyn Newcomb to Casey Roberts, 811 E.51st St., $188,500.

Delores Wietjes to Joan Lewis and ThomasGodfrey, 4614 Pony Express Road, $189,600.



Timely watering is vital during summer

Lee ReichFor The Associated Press

GGGardening

IIf it happens to be raining hard whenyou read this, my words might make youwant to pelt me with ripe tomatoes — ifyou had them yet. Still, I’ll say it: Timelywatering can eke the best plant growthfrom any plot of ground in any season.

Even in wet seasons, watering usuallyhelps, because the water that falls thenisn’t all available to plants. Roots need airto function, and a “cats and dogs” raintemporarily drives all the air out of theground. Roots start to breathe and functionagain only after gravity has pulled excesswater deeper into the ground. A timelywatering will spur plant growth in thosedrier periods between rains.

Watering triage This doesn’t mean you need to set up

elaborate irrigation systems to water everymaple, marigold, lettuce leaf and lawn grass.Such a degree of control would take toomuch of what is natural out of gardening.

Too much perfection in watering caneven cause trouble in some settings, suchas when it spurs an invasion of aggressivegrasses into a wildflower garden. Depend-

ing on what you grow, how you take careof your plants, and general rainfall pat-terns in the region, most of your yardmight not justify being watered.

The part of the garden that cries outmost for timely watering almost every-where is the vegetable garden. Most veg-etables are annual plants and have theirthirst quenched by just a season’s growthof roots. What’s more, we want our veg-etables tender and juicy, qualities thatcome from cells plumped full of water.

Not all vegetables, though, are equallydemanding of water. Lettuce and radishesdo reach perfection only in consistentlymoist soil, but tomatoes actually taste bestif kept slightly dry.

Annual flowers need water until theirroots establish themselves. Beyond theestablishment phase, though, there areplenty of annual, biennial and perennialflowers that grow well with little or nowatering. Some such flowers that come tomind are Russian sage, potentilla, pinks,coneflower, lavender and yarrow, as wellas globeflower, strawflower and otherflowers known to dry well after cutting.

Of course, if your goal is an Englishflower garden lush with roses and spires ofdelphinium, supplemental watering is prob-ably needed. In that case, moving your gar-den to England also might be justified.

Like annuals, newly planted or youngtrees, shrubs and vines need to be watereduntil they get established. These plantsalso eventually get along fine without sup-plemental watering if plants are chosenthat are adapted to their locations.

Making the most of water Whether you’re growing vegetables,

flowers or trees, how you care for the soilcan have as much impact on satisfyingyour plants’ thirst as can watering itself.

Applying plenty of organic materials, suchas compost, leaves and straw, makes any soilbetter able to sponge up extra moisture.

Another way to preserve moisture is toavoid digging or tilling — these activitiesdisrupt capillary water connections in thesoil and “burn up” those water-retainingorganic materials.

Laid on top of the ground as mulches,those organic materials prevent evapora-tion of water from the ground’s surface atthe same time they enrich the soil withorganic matter and obviate the need for

tilling to control weeds. Whenever some plants justify watering

because of a freak dry season or justbecause of the kinds of plants they are, doit right. Figure, on average, on plantsneeding a 1-inch depth of water per week,as rainfall or sprinkler-fall, measured intoa straight-sided container. If you use dripirrigation, a watering can or a hose, trans-late that figure into a half-gallon persquare foot of planted area or estimatedspread of roots. Double or triple thatamount for deep-rooted plants, such aslarger trees.

If you’re going to stand there with hose inhand, supplying that much water is going totake you longer than you think. No matterhow you water, dig down into the soil occa-sionally and check for moisture yourself.

Associated Press file

A womanuses a hose-end sprayerto water agarden inNew Paltz,N.Y. Timely

watering caneke the bestplant growth

from anyplot of

ground inany season.

Greg CharlesTampa Bay (Fla.) Times

Q:Be proactive in preventing stem borers with straight neem oil

Q:I have a medium to large backyardgarden. Over the past three years, I

have successfully grown potatoes, sweetpotatoes, green beans, okra, peanuts, toma-toes, peppers, radishes, carrots, gourds,luffas, kolabra, watermelons, cantaloupe,onions, cucumbers, strawberries, etc.

My problem is squash. I get large beau-tiful plants, loaded with blooms, and thensquash. Then it ends. The stem borersmove in and take over. They bore into theyoung squash and the vines and destroythe plants and fruit.

I have tried dusting and spraying,mulch, neem oil, fish oil, organacide andpicking and disposing of the young affect-ed squash. I have tried it all early andoften before I see any signs at all, but theyalways get me.

I live less than 2 milesfrom a farm that grew about200 acres of squash withwhat seemed to be no prob-lems. I have four 12-foot by4-foot above-ground boxes,a 15-foot by 40-foot tilledarea, and a 20-foot by 20-foot tilled area. I rotatecrops every six months. Iuse drip and mister irriga-tion. I fertilize and compostregularly.

A:The squash-vine borer hatches froman egg, bores into the vine and

begins feeding and growing in the hollowpith inside the stem, which in time willdestroy the vine.

There are many approaches to controlborers, used singly or in conjunctionwith others. Above all, be ready beforethey arrive.

To begin, place yellow sticky cards inand around your squash plants to moni-tor their arrival and begin spraying theplants and vines weekly with neem oil,following label directions.

The purest 100 percentneem oil that I’ve found isNimBioSys, available onlineat www.neemtreefarms.com.This product comes from agrower of neem trees in theTampa Bay area and con-tains azadirachtin, a naturalgrowth regulator that blocksthe larva from molting intoan adult,reducing

the population and actingas a deterrent.Azadirachtin is missingin 70 percent of neem oilproducts. It will alsocontrol powdery mildew,a common fungus prob-lem on squash.

If you see a sawdust(worm poop) pile by astem, slit the stem open,remove the worm andbury the section of vine with some soil.

Another proactive approach on viningsquash is to bury nodes (part of the vine

where leaves are attached) every few feetto encourage rooting. If a borer gets in,only a small section will die, not the entireplant.

Lastly, rake the squash bed or vigorous-ly till, then look for and destroy any pupaethat got past your firewalls throughoutyour crop season.

And the reason your 200-acre squashgrower down the road doesn’t have a

problem is that he or shehas an arsenal of profes-sional-use insecticides attheir disposal, such asThiodan, Ambush andPounce. They also havethe advantage of acresof squash, so they canlose a few plants.

Having 200 acres ofsquash down the road isprobably the reason youhave such a problem. Theones that get away from

the farm come to pay you a visit, so bevigilant and give 100-percent neem oil achance.

The reason your 200-acre squash grower

down the road doesn’thave a problem is that

he or she has an arsenalof professional-use

insecticides at their dis-posal, such as Thiodan,Ambush and Pounce.

There are manyapproaches to control borers,

used singly or inconjunction withothers. Above all,be ready before

they arrive.


GGGardening

ILee Reich

For The Associated Press

If it’s your rosebush rather than yourdog that you’re calling “spot,” then it’stime for action.

And getting rid of blackspot — the dis-ease that’s marring your roses — need notmean dowsing the plant with chemicals.

Let’s first get to know the enemy:Diplocarpan rosae, a fungus feared byrosarians almost everywhere. Those blackspots, if you look closely, have fringededges and black pimples at their centers todistinguish them from other possible leaf-spotting diseases. Infected leaves soon yel-low, then drop, meaning less energy forthe bush which, in turn, means fewer flow-ers and sometimes the death of the plant.

Over the almost 200 years that the dis-ease has been known, its causal fungus hasparaded under about 25 different scientificnames. Still, its life cycle is simple.

A year in the life of blackspot diseaseBlackspot disease spent the winter most

ly in infected leaves that fell to theground. Spring warmth and rain awakenedthe fungus to shoot spores up into therosebush and infect young, unfoldingleaves. Moisture was needed to get thosespores moving, and then the leaves had tostay moist for a few hours before infectioncould set in. Another, lesser source ofinfection is infected areas wintering onyoung canes.

Once spores get up into the bush inspring, infection can continue through thesummer as spores hopscotch from leaf toleaf. As with the initial infection from fall-en leaves, spores are released and getfootholds only when moisture is presentfor enough time.

First steps in preventionBlackspot needs moisture to take hold,

so one way to control it is to plant rose-bushes where they will dry off quicklyfrom dew and rain: in full sunlight (whichroses need for best flowering anyway), andaway from walls or dense shrubs where aircan stagnate. This also means pruningaway enough stems that remaining onescan bathe in drying light and air. And, ofcourse, wet the ground, not the leaves,

when watering and avoid working amongthe bushes when they are wet.

We can also put roadblocks inblackspot’s life cycle.Gathering up and compost-ing the leaves the bushdrops in autumn can lessenthe amount of diseaseinoculum the followingspring. Even better is tomulch the ground some-time between late autumnand late winter, each yearleaving old mulch in placeas you pile on new. Besidesmulch’s usual benefits, in this case it alsoacts as a barrier to keep that first batch ofspores from the leaves.

As for those spores that come frominfections on the stem, drastic pruning is agood way to deal with them.

Plan before planting Roses vary in susceptibility to

blackspot, and the easiest way to deal withit is to grow a plant that won’t get diseasedin the first place.

Unfortunately, the most commonlygrown roses, hybrid teas, are also general-ly the most susceptible to disease. Evenamong hybrid teas, though, there are vari-eties that resist blackspot, such as Tropi-cana, Mister Lincoln, Pink Peace, CarefreeBeauty and Keepsake. Some grandifloraand floribunda types that resist blackspotinclude Queen Elizabeth, Sonia, BettyPrior and Bonica.

Don’t put too much stock in blackspotresistance, though, because there are anumber of races of the blackspot fungus, so

a variety may be resistantin one locale but not inanother.

More reliable resistanceis found among so-calledspecies and shrub roses.Blackspot usually doesn’tcause problems withFather Hugo’s Rose,rugosa roses, and some ofthe newer varieties ofshrub and landscape roses,

such as some of the David Austin roses(especially the variety The Mayflower),the Knock-Out and the Canadian Explorerseries of roses, and varieties of BuckRoses.

Spray as a last resort If you already have roses in the ground

and don’t want to replace them, and theyhave a relatively good site, and you pruneand mulch them, you could still be callingyour rosebush Spot. Even then, before youreach for some highly toxic pesticide, try amore benign alternative: baking soda, thatuniversal cure for everything from dirtydishpans to smelly refrigerators.

Mix a tablespoon and a half, along witheither a few drops of dish detergent or twotablespoons of summer oil (also calledhorticultural oil) per gallon of water andspray weekly. For some gardeners, thisspray makes Spot a dog’s name again.

Associated Press

WilliamBaffin rosesare one of

theCanadianExplorerseries of

blackspot-resistantvarieties.

Combat dreaded blackspot diseasebefore it defeats rosebush

Once spores get upinto the bush in

spring, infection cancontinue through the

summer as sporeshopscotch from leaf

to leaf.

august trends publication

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