Published by The Journal of the San Juan Islands, Islands’ Sounder and Islands’ Weekly

San Juan Pest Control ServicesCaterpillars, Other Insects, Disease Treatment,

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Best reads for your home and gardenBy San Juan Island Librarian Heidi K. Lewis

“Prefabulous + almost off the grid: your path to building an energy-inde-pendent home” by Sheri Koones. This book has a wide variety of homes that were all built off site and are engineered to be energy efficient. These designs go far in showing that prefab homes can

be beautiful, functional, and livable.

“Kaffe Fassett: Dreaming in Color: an Autobiography” by Kaffe Fassett. Many of our island patrons are familiar with Fassett’s books showcasing his designs for the home and for the body. Everything he touches, he covers in bold colors and shapes. In this book, he shares

his inspirations and his creative path.

“Family Spaces” by Candice Olson. Olson is a Canadian designer who appears frequently on HGTV in addition to hav-ing her own design firm. She’s adept at taking dif-ficult spaces and making them work for her clients and then shares that pro-cess with her readers.

By Orcas Island Librarian Kathy Lunde

“The Timber Press Guide to Gardening in the Pacific Northwest,” by Carol and Norman Hall. This book presents all the informa-tion a gardener—wheth-er novice or expert—needs to keep their gar-den beautiful and thriv-ing. With a combined 100 years of gardening experience in the Pacific Northwest, the author explains the unique challenges and joys of gardening in the region.

“The New Sunset Western Garden Book.” The book’s features include:

• Climate Zone Maps and growing-season graphs for all regions.

• A new “Plant Finder” section helps you choose plants.

• “A to Z Plant Encyclopedia” lists some 8,000 plants that thrive in the west.

“The Not So Big House: A Blueprint for the Way We Really Live” by Sarah Susanka. Architect Susanka believes that large homes place too much emphasis on square footage rather than on current life-styles. She describes how to examine occupants’ lifestyles, how to incor-porate the kitchen as the focal point and how, with storage, lighting, and furniture arrangement, a smaller home can be comfortably livable.

By Lopez Library Director Lou Pray

“Straw bale gardens: the breakthrough method for growing vegetables any-where with no weeding” by Joel Karsten. Many island-ers have rocky soil and on-going battles with the prehistoric horse-tail (Equisetum) that makes the weeding war a forlorn endeavor. Enter straw bale gardening. This book will show you

how it’s done.

“The intelligent gardener: growing nutrient-dense food” by Steve Solomon and Erica Reinheimer Solomon cautions,“There is no place on this planet that remains free of toxic residues.” There is some-thing major you can do to reduce your risk. You can create balanced soil necessary for grow-ing the most nutrient - dense food through the ideal mix of minerals. Using this book you can tailor your own garden soil with a customized mix of fertilizer.

“The Backyard goat” by Sue Weaver. When it comes to gardening and growing your own food (even on a quarter of an acre) the inclusion of the “backyard goat” is some-thing to consider. Weaver does a thorough job of explaining the habits of milk goats, fiber goats, and pack goats.

2013 Home & Garden 3

Thank you, Orcas Islandfor your continued support!

I bow my head with gratitude…

~ Next to Island Market ~376-6801

What to know about island pestsBy Steve Wehrly

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ests are everywhere. They come in all sizes and spe-cies. Some fly and crawl, some jump and slither and

others slime their way around.Some pests can be eliminated or controlled, others

can be lived with and generally tolerated.The pests to fear, says Gordy Banry of San Juan

Pest Control, are Hobo spiders. Difficult to iden-tify and difficult to kill, Hobo spiders inject a flesh-dissolving venom which can leave an open sore for months. They’ve only come to the San Juans dur-ing the last 25 years, but they are believed to have been introduced from Europe into North America in Seattle before 1930.

They are a “funnel-web” spider, and they are

prolific, aggressive and have poor eyesight. Consult a pest control expert if you think they’re in your house or garden.

The pests that cause the most trouble and are most prevalent in the San Juans, according to Banry, are carpenter ants and rodents.

Carpenter ants, which don’t eat wood, carve living quarters and incubation chambers out of the wood in a house, a planter box or a tree. As they destroy wood, they quickly spread to form multiple satellite colonies within months of moving into a house or planter. Left unchecked, they can cause severe damage quickly.

Banry says to look for small piles of sawdust or for the ants themselves, which regularly leave their nests

to hunt for food. Poisonous bait doesn’t work well; cer-tain pesticides do, however. They are especially active in May, around Mother’s Day, when they develop wings and exit nests in large numbers seeking to make new homes. (Termites develop wings and exit their nests in August.)

Rats and mice are prevalent on all islands. They transmit diseases and they can be a fire hazard because they chew insulation off wires, leading to shorts and then electrical fires. Rat baits can be effec-tive to avoid an infestation, but care for pets must be exercised and traps work better to decimate estab-lished populations.

For more info, visit schoolipm.wsu.edu.

Publication Information The Journal of the San Juans: 640 Mullis St., Friday Harbor, WA 98250P: 360‑378‑5696, F: 360‑378‑5128 ‑ www.sanjuanjournal.com

The Islands’ Sounder: 217 Main Street, Eastsound, WA 98245P: 360‑376‑4500, F: 360‑376‑4501 ‑ www.islandssounder.com

The Islands’ Weekly: 211 Lopez Road #7, Lopez Island, WA 98261P: 360‑468‑4242, F: 360‑376‑4501 ‑ www.islandsweekly.com

ContributorsPublishers: Roxanne Angel, Colleen Smith Armstrong

Editor: Cali Bagby

Contributing Writers: Colleen Smith Armstrong, Cali Bagby, Cyndi Brast, Jody Burns, Heidi K. Lewis, Kathy Lunde, Steve Wehrly, Doug Poole, Lou Pray, Matthew “Wally” Wallrath

Advertising Sales: Roxanne Angel, Colleen Smith Armstrong, Dubi Izakson, Howard Schonberger

Production Manager: Scott Herning

Creative Artists: Scott Herning, Kathryn Sherman

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23

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1) Pavers

2) Garden Pottery

3) Natural Stone

4) 9 ft. Steel Tree

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he San Juan Islands are historically famous for

their orchards. However, many of the trees plant-ed by our predecessors need some attention. Dead, rubbing or cross-ing branches, or fruit that falls before it rip-ens are signs that a tree is overgrown and needs

structural pruning. This is best done when the tree is dormant, which is from when the last leaf falls to when the buds begin to leaf out. These cuts can be extended all the way until flow-ers start to emerge. It’s best to remove dead weight and unproduc-

tive growth from a tree as soon as possible. Otherwise, there is risk of heavy snow or wind storms that can split a tree in half.

Trees have different responses to pruning depending on when and how it is done. Dormant pruning will invigorate

trees to send forth new growth. Re-growth will be limited when pruning in the summer. Vertical growth (suckers) can be removed after fruit is set so trees will focus their energies on fruit production. Leave some vertical growth to “calm” trees and prevent over-production of suckers in the spring.

Most of the year is fair game for small-scale pruning. However, avoid pruning when a tree’s leaves are yellowing. The exception to this is stone fruits, which are more susceptible to damp weather diseases, and should be pruned right after harvest. Frost damage is caused by sub zero temperatures, so avoid pruning in extreme cold.

Whenever it’s time to prune, it’s also time to sterilize tools. Basic cleaning components

include 70 percent iso-propyl alcohol, a jar, a toothbrush and a clean rag. Remove any big chunks of wood from the tool, swish it in alcohol, and then give it a good brushing. Clean off sap and extra alco-hol with the rag. Doing this before starting, between trees, and at the end of the day will help prevent the spread

of pathogens and keep tools in good shape.

Successful pruning is a multi-year process. Keep at it, and most seemingly feral trees can come around to look beautiful and bear good fruit.

Wallrath is the owner of Wallrath Fruit and Forest on Orcas.

• Wondering where your property line actually is?

• Thinking of building a fence or a garage?

• Planning a garden?

• Phone: (360) 378-2300

• Email: sjs@rockisland.com

Robert Wilson, PLS Je� Iverson, PLS Patrick Kirby, PLSAndy Holman, LSIT

When to prune or not to prune? By Matthew “Wally” Wallrath

Prunus serrulata (Cherry Blossom) Colleen Smith Armstrong photo

Spring is here… stop in to see what’s fresh at

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(360) 376-458018 Haven Road

Eastsound (Orcas Island) Washington 98245 10 am to 5:30 pm Dailywww.nest�owers.com

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Got the buzz? Island beekeeping 101 By Cyndi Brast

pring comes a bit later to the islands, but that can work in your

favor if you’re thinking of beekeep-ing this year. And if bees are on your mind, you’ve already taken the first step of a journey “buzzing” with enchantment for years to come.

A little planning is all it takes to start. Background reading is essen-tial. Good introductory books for the novice are “Honey Bees and Beekeeping: A Year in the Life of an Apiary” by Keith S. Delaplane or “Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping” by Dewey M. Caron.

Once you’re ready, you’ll need to select a bee hive, along with some basic, but important accessories. For some, a “Langstroth” Hive with moveable frames, which can give that extra bit of structure helpful the first year. Others may choose the less traditional “Top Bar” Hive instead. The bees seem to be happy with either as long as their home is in a good spot. Word of caution – most seasoned beekeepers advise against buying “used” hives and frames to prevent spread of pests

and disease to your bees.The accessories? Some equipment

basics you can’t be without: bee veil, smoker, bee brush, gloves and a hive tool. Don’t forget a hive stand to keep your bees off the ground and dry. It also keeps you from having to stoop. Lifting full supers of honey can become backbreaking work.

Your next step? Hive placement. Really put some thought into this! Bees thrive in sunny spots (southern or southeast facing), with a wind-block. Avoid roads, penned animals, and your neighbors. If you live in town, check zoning ordinances and comply or defy. Above all, when sit-ing your hive, “bee” considerate!

Once your hive is ready, you’ll need to purchase your bees. Ask other beekeepers for recommenda-tions on where to buy, or do your own search online. Producers will either ship bees to you or require you to pick them up. Order your bees early to guarantee availability.

Brast is a beekeeper and freelance photographer on San Juan Island.

Cyndi Brast & her happy hive.Contributed photo

Hints for your Hive • Bees need water, espe-cially on warm days

• Plant native landscap-ing for your bees to enjoy Check out honey-b e e n e t . g s f c . n a s a . g ov /Honeybees/ForageRegion.php?StReg=WA_2 for plant pollen and nectar sources for bees in this region

• Subscribe to American Bee Journal or Bee Culture Magazine for helpful tips and industry-related research and news

• Also for the “new-bee!” Join the Washington State Beekeepers Association – wasba.org, for hobbyists and professionals

• Network with beekeep-ers by joining the San Juan County Extension bee-keeping list-serve, email candace_jagel@wsu.eduto receive emails for news and events.

• Register your bee hive with the Washington State Department of

Agriculture at agr.wa.gov/PlantsInsects/Apiary/docs/ApiaryRegistrationForm.pdf

• Most important: Find a mentor or join a beekeep-ing club. You’ll get help-ful advice from those more experienced and form new friendships in the process. Find out more about first year beekeeping when you follow The Daily Buzz at talesfromthehive.com or join the community on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TalesFromTheHive.

100’s of• Air plants• Bonsai• Cactus

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JILLERYThis spring you'll fi nd a plethora of garden art, including hand blown, solar powered glass mushrooms & garden pods, a variety of sturdy garden stakes and lanterns....plus baskets, pots, terrariums, watering cans, frogs and so much more! For indoors, we have added fun new glassware, handmade utensils, clocks, candles & votives and the usual 'unusual' collection of accessories for your home.

EastsoundOrcas Island

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Story of sweet succulents By Colleen Smith Armstrong

ith their chubby, dense leaves and desert landscape coloring,

I’ve got more succulents than I know what to do with.

Plus, they are really hard to kill – as long as you don’t over-water them.

Anyone following decorating trends on Pinterest knows that suc-culents are popu-lar: they can grow in just about any-thing, whether it’s a mason jar or a screen door tacked to the wall.

I have both indoor and out-door succulents. There are outdoor varieties that do fine during the winter. They thrive when tucked into rock crevices or in between pavers. They can provide some much-needed color during the drab winter months. Winter pansies are

also wonderful for that – but I digress.

A succulent stores water in its leaves, stems or roots and they have adapted to survive arid conditions all over the world. Because of their versatility, they come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

My all-time favorite is hens and chicks. The name is adorable and watching the “chicks” shoot off from the “hens” is always a treat. You can also pinch off the chicks with their long stems to make new starts.

I like to find old glass containers, fill the bottom

with rocks and plant a variety of succulents, all nestled together in a happy succulent family. Throw in some seashells and beach glass and you have a gorgeous centerpiece.

Hens & Chicks Contributed photo

Flowers:• Baby’s Breath • Calendula • California Poppy • Cosmos • Chinese forget-me-not • Marigolds • Snapdragon • Snow-on-the-mountain • Sunflower • Sweet Alyssum• Zinnia

Deciduous Shrubs:• Butterfly Bush • Cotoneaster • Daphne • Elderberry • Golden Currant • Hazelnut (Filbert) • Lilac • Potentilla • Red-flowered Currant • Red-twig Dogwood • Snowberry

Evergreen Shrubs: • Evergreen Barberry • Holly • Juniper • Oregon Grape • Rabbitbrush• Sagebrush

For more informa-tion about deer resis-tant plant visit mas-tergardener.wsu.edu.

A list of deer-resitant plants

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How to make your garden grow By Jody Burns

ome of your friends and fam-ily might think March Madness

refers to those tall guys running back and forth on the court, drib-bling and dunking the ball. But there is another March Madness: the irresistible feeling that your hands should be in the dirt, even if there’s a hail storm streaming through the garden knocking the daffodils to their knees.

If dirty fingernail season has started for you too, here are some items for your to do list: soil test; early spring vegetables; remay; slugs.

The single most important thing you can do it pay attention to your garden soil. Thinking you should amend it? Stop! Before you buy anything get a soil test. Go to Umass/Amherst at http://soiltest.umass.edu/. It’s easy and cheap! The results are emailed to you within a week. (Hard copies mailed too.) They are detailed with specific recom-m e n d a t i o n s about what and how much to add to your soil. Soil is the least understood component of most home gardens. Much of what you think you know, you’ve learned from advertisements and wandering the big box store gar-den isles. UMass/Amherst will tell you the latest scientific infor-mation about how to make your soil qualify for a photo spread in Sunset magazine.

Early spring vegetables? Those are the ones your doctor recom-mends you eat more often: kale, mustard, pak choy, spinach, chard, arugula, and lettuce. If you’ve a cold frame, you can plant seeds outside now. If you buy starts, you can plant them and cover the row

with remay. You’ll be eating out of the garden in no time. It’s time to plant peas, too, but you won’t enjoy their sweet taste until June. Broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, and cabbage seeds can be started indoors or in a cold frame.

Remay is lightweight spun poly-ester used as a row cover in the vegetable garden. Sunlight and water permeate it. Insect pests can’t penetrate it. Best of all in our cool springs, the air temperature beneath it is 5 degrees warmer than the outside air. Available at most garden centers, it will make your early spring vegetables think they’re in California.

Are your slugs back from win-ter vacation? Vigilance now will save you grief later in the sum-mer. Slugs hide under boards, rocks, piles of vegetation, and

deep inside overwintering orna-mentals. Remove all these hid-

ing places and hand pick the slugs. Beer poured into

a buried plas-tic container, with a hole cut in the

lid, is irresist-ible. You have

to replace the beer every few days, but it works! If you use commer-cial slug bait, be cautious about which one and how much. It can kill beneficial soft-bodied bugs too. And as you mutter under your breath about yet another invasion, remember that at the University of Washington School of Medicine research shows that the slime a slug leaves behind may be extremely useful in treat-ing medical problems. It’s prov-en that slug slime rubbed on a nettle sting stops the pain. Even our worst garden enemies have redeeming qualities.

You probably have more ques-

tions about your garden than list-ed here. The Master Gardeners of San Juan County are here to help. We have volunteers on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan Island. Our Diagnostic Clinic begins April 18 and continues through the sum-mer months. When you submit a plant sample and complete an information sheet, we respond with suggested solutions to your

problem. Samples can be submit-ted to the WSU Extension Office (378-4414) in Friday Harbor. We’re also available to answer home gardening questions. Find us at sanjuan.wsu.edu/mastergarden-ers or call the WSU Extension office (378-4414).

Burns is a Master Gardener for the WSU Master Gardener program.

w w w . b r o w n e s h o m e c e n t e r . c o m860 Mullis Street Friday Harbor, WA 98250 | Open Weekdays 7am - 6pm, Weekends 8am - 5pm

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Just in! 2013 Outdoor Living CatalogOutdoor & Patio

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New garden art, a selection of maple trees, oak barrels & colorful new pottery.

Just in! 28 pallets of custom pottery in over a 100 different shapes, sizes and colors.

Garden supplies: seeding soil, peat pots, seeds & seed trays. Or-ganic seeds from Territorial, Bo-tanical Interests & Burpee.• Wide selection of bird seed & suet, of hummingbird & seed feeders & roosting pockets.• Two sizes of greenhouses, easy to assemble and easy to store. City Pickers self contained growing unit

San Juan Islands Conservation District

2013 LandownerWorkshops & Events

2013 LandownerWorkshops & EventsGrowing Great GrassPasture Management Techniques to

Increase Production for Horses & Livestockas well as Prevent Weeds & Mud

To Register ...April 19th • San Juan Island • 4:30 - 7:30pm • FREE!

greatpasturessanjuan.eventbrite.com

April 20th • Orcas Island • 1:00 - 4:00pm • FREE!greatpasturesorcas.evenbrite.com

Making a Paddock ParadiseCreating Winter Confinement Areas for Horses & Livestock

To Register ...October 1st • San Juan Island • 4 to 7pm • FREE!

paradisepaddock.eventbrite.com

What is Biodynamic Farming?Learn about the origins of the CSA movement and get ideason how to manage your own garden or farm from the soil up

To Register ...May 22nd • Lopez Island • 10 am - 1pm • FREE!

lopezbiodynamic.eventbrite.com

visit www.sanjuanislandscd.org to learn more

Creating SuccessIn Your Small Farm Education Program

To Register ...April 20th • San Juan Island • 8:45 - 10:45am

$15 for non-SJICD staff • coffee & light breakfastsmallfarmeducation.eventbrite.com

Steps to a greener homeBy Doug Poole

here are many options available to homeowners in their efforts to

green their homes, with a wide vari-ety of investment levels.

If your aim is energy conservation (and saving money on your power bills), then look to your home’s exte-rior shell. Most homes benefit from a peek in the attic or crawlspace to determine the conditions of the insulation that serves to keep your home snug and warm. Adding or repairing insulation lowers heating costs and makes your home more comfortable.

Air-sealing floors and ceilings, light fixtures and doors, also helps to keep warm air in your home, and has the benefit of improving your indoor air quality and the health of your home. We have a very active rodent population in the islands, and the damage critters cause to insulation not only reduces its effectiveness, but also creates seri-ous health hazards. Air leaks allow the compromised air from below your home to seep into the breath-ing spaces of your home’s interior.

Heating, of both air and water, requires significant energy. Installing a heat pump will improve the effi-ciency of your current heating sys-

tem, lower your electricity bills, and also currently qualifies for an OPALCO rebate.

Installing a heat pump water heat-er is an option for quickly reducing water heating costs. They also qualify for an OPALCO rebate, so if you have heavy hot water use (or teenagers taking showers), consider a new heat pump water heater.

Indoor air quality is essential for health. You can improve the IAQ of your home by carefully selecting building materials to limit Volatile Organic Compounds and also by installing a quality whole-house exhaust fan. Mechanical ventila-tion, in conjunction with proper air-sealing, will ensure the flow of fresh air to your home.

Most of these steps toward green-ing your home benefit from expert advice. There are many programs and organization offering guidance and rebates.

Poole has over 25 years expe-rience in residential construction, both remodel and custom home. He is a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Accredited Professional and is BPI (Building Performance Institute) Certified.

8 Home & Garden 2013