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Oct. 24 at 12:09 a.m. No tall grass for winter _ It sounds right to let the lawn go into winter at a tall height for insulation. But Ward Upham of K-State says that tall grass can get matted and be more prone to winter diseases. He recommends staying within the usual heights for whatever type of grass you have: tall fescue, 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches; Kentucky bluegrass, 2 to 3 inches; perennial ryegrass, 2 to 3 inches; buffalograss, 2 to 3 inches; Bermudagrass, 1 to 2 inches; and zoysiagrass, 1 to 2 inches.
Oct. 24 at 12:09 a.m. Legacy sugar maple
BY TERRY KOVEL | Oct. 17 at 12:05 a.m. Decorators used to try to hide a phonograph or radio because it did not match the rest of the room's decor. They still worry about how to hide a stereo or television, but attractive speakers and flat screens have made technology less intrusive.
Oct. 17 at 12:05 a.m. When Damon and Jodie bought their house, they focused all their energies on renovating the kitchen so they could start a catering business. They spent many hours uncovering the room's beautiful brick and building a restaurant-inspired island with lots of cooking space. But now that they have a great kitchen, all they do is work.
Oct. 17 at 12:05 a.m. Frosty lawns — We may have dodged the frost bullet last week, but it could happen any night now. Ward Upham of K-State warns not to walk on turf that is frosty. Walking on grass that is frosted before it has gone dormant injures the grass even if it doesn't kill it, Upham says, so stay on the sidewalks.
By Ken Sheinkopf, McClatchy-Tribune News Service | Oct. 17 at 4:47 a.m. Q: Lowering our energy bills would make a huge impact on our budget, but I frankly don't even know where to begin figuring out what to do. My bigger concern first, though, is not what problems my house has, but what do I need to know before I even start figuring it all out. There is so much written about saving energy that it is simply overwhelming to someone like me. Where do we begin?
By Mary Beth Breckenridge, Akron Beacon Journal | Oct. 17 at 4:48 a.m. The best time to buy a new furnace is before you need it.
Oct. 17 at 12:05 a.m. Botanical name: Rosa floribunda "Enchanted Evening"
Oct. 17 at 12:05 a.m. Plenty of stimulus money for energy improvements
Oct. 10 at 12:07 a.m. Hold on for the ride _ This is the time of year when the forecast really gets interesting: Not only has the first frost been mentioned, but so has freezing precipitation. Keep your ear to the ground on the weather, but don't let it freeze there.
BY TERRY KOVEL | Oct. 10 at 12:07 a.m. Recycling isn't a new idea. Our ancestors reused bits of cloth for quilts, made clothing out of flour bags, and used old cigar boxes to make chip-carved picture frames and boxes. Their rule was "waste not, want not," so it's not surprising that the bare wooden spools left after thread was used seemed too practical to ignore.
BY ANNIE CALOVICH, The Wichita Eagle | Oct. 10 at 7:42 a.m. Jerome and Sue Streit like opening the doors of their historic landmark house to the public, and in that they are like the first couple who lived there starting in 1913. Marc and Florence Clapp received the house at 1817 Wellington Place as a wedding present and invited the public to walk the one-acre grounds every year. Members of the public can join in the tradition today and Sunday — and also go into the house — during the Historic Midtown Citizens Association Walking Tour of Homes.
Oct. 10 at 7:44 a.m. Botanical name: Coreopsis verticillata Big Bang "Redshift"
Oct. 10 at 12:07 a.m. In my hometown of Atchison, we have all the ingredients for a chilling Halloween celebration, from creepy Victorian mansions to so many spooks we've been declared the Most Haunted Town in Kansas.
Oct. 3 at 12:06 a.m. Cooling off — Tropical plants shouldn't consistently be out in temperatures under 50, but it's hard to bring them in when days are so warm. Keep an eye on the forecast and on the plants. And keep watering; the wind has been drying plants out.
BY ANNIE CALOVICH, The Wichita Eagle | Oct. 3 at 6:36 a.m. The arts-and-crafts-fair season is upon us, and it's taken on heightened importance this year for those who are selling their homemade wares at churches, schools and community centers. Some crafters or their spouses have lost their jobs, and the seamstresses, quilters and jewelry makers are finding themselves trying to turn their hobbies into moneymaking ventures to help support them and their families.
Oct. 3 at 12:06 a.m. Sylvia is a sophisticated young woman who juggles two big jobs: one as a busy lawyer and the other as a single mom to a 2-year-old named Chloe. She and her daughter recently moved from a small condo in the city to a great house in an older, well-established neighborhood. But with most of her time spent working or taking care of Chloe, Sylvia had little time to enjoy her new house, let alone any kind of social life.
BY TERRY KOVEL | Oct. 3 at 12:06 a.m. Costume jewelry is among the best-selling collectibles in the United States today. Much of the costume jewelry made in the mid-20th century is well-designed and was created with materials that have lasted. Pieces usually are more durable and less expensive than modern costume jewelry.
Oct. 3 at 12:06 a.m. Sedgwick County master gardeners answer gardening questions from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. weekdays at 316-660-0190. Here are some of the questions they've been fielding this week.
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