Untitled Document The word “pruning” actually means “to cut in layers” — something to keep in mind when you start whacking away at your shrubbery. “We prune to make selective cuts, to maintain the natural form of a plant by preventing overgrowth, rubbing branches, and to direct future growth,” says Richard Hentschel, a horticulture specialist […]
Community & Lifestyle
Posted inArts & Culture
First domino to fall
Untitled Document Because she doesn’t want her name used, I’m going to call her Sue. For more than 10 years Sue has worked for a drug-abuse and mental-illness treatment center in Decatur. Her job is administrative; she doesn’t deal directly with patients — at least not at work — but Sue has a drug-addicted son […]
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More beetle mania
Untitled Document Japanese beetle adults are munching on roses, lindens, raspberries, and apple trees in your neighborhood. These voracious foliage and fruit feeders, which dine on nearly 300 species of plants, are busiest from late June until mid-August. The Japanese beetle, Popilia japonica Newman, is metallic green with coppery wing covers. The half-inch-long beetles chew […]
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The great meltdown
Untitled Document Recent NASA photos showed the opening of the Northwest Passage and revealed that a third of the Arctic’s sea ice has melted in recent years. Are sea levels already starting to rise accordingly — and, if so, what are the effects? Researchers were astounded when, in the fall of 2007, they discovered that […]
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Why mow electric
Untitled Document What’s available now in lawnmowers that’s easier on the environment — and runs on something more than human power? Traditional gas-powered lawnmowers are a public nuisance, to say the least. Using one of them for an hour generates as many volatile organic compounds — dangerous airborne pollutants known to exacerbate human respiratory and […]
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Cool beans!
Untitled Document The tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and green beans in my vegetable garden are in bloom, and I’m excited. It won’t be long before my family’s meals will consist primarily of garden-fresh produce. In recent weeks my children have enjoyed eating sugar snap peas fresh from the plant. Soon they will be just as excited […]
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Medicine woman
Untitled Document Some of our earliest settlers’ stories are so fantastic, they’re hard to believe. Take Mary Neely Spears, also known as Granny Spears. At 19 she was kidnapped and enslaved by American Indians until she escaped and was discovered by her brother several states away more than two years later. She ended up near […]
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Knocked out by Knock Out Roses
Untitled Document One of my favorite flowers is the rose. Roses are beautiful, but they require a great deal of time and maintenance. Growers must spray for diseases and insects, prune, water, fertilize, and provide protection during the winter. For this reason, the only rose I have in my landscaping is the Knock Out rose, […]
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Alternative to AC
Untitled Document What’s the best way to keep cool indoors without running energy-hogging air conditioners all the time? According to Harvey Sachs of the nonprofit American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, the movement of air over the skin is what’s key to keeping the body cool. So instead of turning on the air conditioner, see […]
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Safely repelling tiny bloodsuckers
Untitled Document Is it true that the DEET used in most mosquito repellents is toxic? If so, what problems does it cause? And what are some nontoxic alternatives for keeping mosquitoes at bay? DEET is commonly known as the king of mosquito repellents, though not all of us are keen to slather it on our […]
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Fungus takes the fun out of mulch
Untitled Document Gardeners are encouraged to mulch around their plants to conserve moisture, moderate soil temperature, reduce weed-seed germination, and beautify the landscape. With the recent heavy rainfall, however, many gardeners are finding unwanted guests in their mulch. Wood mulch, bark mulch, and other organic matter can be a source of interesting fungi and funguslike […]
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China’s green Olympics
Untitled Document The 2008 Summer Olympics in China is drawing a lot of attention right now for political reasons. Less known is that China has made an effort to make the event as green as possible. What’s going on in that regard? It’s true that China is using the upcoming Beijing Olympics as a sustainability […]
