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SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 2016
Weeds, such
as dandelions,
can quickly
take over lawns
and gardens.
METRO PHOTO
Stop weeds before
they take over
F
ew things can be as troublesome
to gardeners and landscapers as
weeds, which seemingly spring
up overnight and quickly can overrun
lawns and/or garden beds. However,
preventing weed growth need not be
so difficult.
According to the experts at “This
Old House” and The Family
Handyman, the secret to preventing
weeds is to maintain a thick, healthy
lawn. A vigorously growing lawn will
crowd out weeds and block the sun
weed seeds need to germinate and
thrive. As a result, fewer herbicides
may be needed and homeowners can
spend less time pulling out weeds.
Crabgrass is a notoriously virulent
weed that can quickly snuff out blades
of grass. Crabgrass likes hot, dry con-
ditions, and it only takes one plant to
spread the seeds that can overtake the
lawn. Preventing these conditions can
stop crabgrass from flourishing.
Mowing at higher heights and leav-
ing grass blades taller can shade the
soil, helping to prevent the germination
of crabgrass. Shady conditions also
will help the soil retain moisture and
prevent the arid conditions crabgrass
likes so much.
Weeds are accustomed to growing in
adverse conditions, including especial-
ly hot temperatures. When such condi-
tions arise, weeds establish deep roots
while the roots of the grass can easily
die off. Instead, when watering, wet the
soil to a depth of four to six inches.
This helps grass to establish strong root
systems that will help lawns overpow-
er pesky weeds.
Whether you manually remove
weeds or apply weed killers, timing is
key. Combat weeds in the early
spring before they have a time to fully
form and start proliferating through
seed dispersement.
Once seeds spread, their growth is
difficult to control. Recognize that no
single herbicide or weeding tactic
will work for every type of weed.
Broadleaf weeds, like dandelions,
unwanted grasses, and sedges are the
three most common types of weeds.
Homeowners will have to adapt
based on the type of weed that is most
prevalent in their lawns.
Strike a balance with fertilizer,
finding the right amount to deliver
continuous nutrition to the lawn, but
not overfeed it so that weeds can
thrive. Many lawns only require fer-
tilizer once or twice annually, in the
autumn and spring.
By following these guidelines, lawn
and garden enthusiasts can prevent the
proliferation of unsightly and potential-
ly harmful weeds. —Metro
Top 5 home projects
to help you save money
It’s remodeling season,
and with so many projects
on the to-do list, which
should you tackle first?
While some projects pro-
vide great long-term return
on investment, a few sim-
ple ones can provide
instant savings.
Here are the top home
spring projects to help you
save money:
1. Caulk around win-
dows and doors — Stop air
leaks around your home by
sealing existing gaps and
cracks. Use caulking or
weather stripping around
doors and windows.
Installing a door sweep is
also a good idea.
2. Insulate your home —
Use insulation with a high
R-value, which can be
used to top up insulation in
your attic. Aim for an R-
value of 50 or a depth of
16 inches. For whole home
efficiency, ensure other
areas of your home, such
as crawl spaces, basement
headers, walls and ceil-
ings, are well insulated. It
will keep your house cool
in the warm weather and
take the stress off your air
conditioning unit.
3. Clean your AC unit —
Come spring, it’s not
uncommon to find an air
conditioner’s condenser
and compressor blocked
up with dirt and debris.
This can result in greater
stress on the unit, causing
it to work harder. Giving it
a thorough cleaning is easy
and can help maximize
your AC unit’s service life
while minimizing your
energy bill.
4. Plant trees — Direct
sunlight can heat up sur-
faces and building materi-
als, as well as the interior
temperature of your home.
Consider planting trees in
strategic locations to pro-
vide shade and reduce
cooling costs.
5. Install a rain barrel —
Water is an important, but
costly resource. Installing
a rain barrel is an easy and
affordable measure to
reduce your water con-
sumption, while keeping
your lawn and garden
looking great.
These simple home
maintenance tasks can be
well worth the effort,
potentially providing hun-
dreds of dollars in annual
savings. —Metro
All Creations Construction
specializes in home remodeling
The general contractor
of All Creations
Construction LLC, Eddie
Osorio, has been working
in the Florence area as a
contractor for the past 6
years; and, 17 years total
in the construction and
remodeling industry.
Osorio specializes in
home remodeling, paint-
ing, siding, windows,
patios and decks.
Licensed and bonded,
Osorio freely gives of his
time for good causes in
the Florence area, such
as Florence Food Share.
He has fixed broken
refrigerators, replaced
shingles on the ware-
house roof and installed
bicycle racks free of
charge for Food Share.
In addition to his good-
will projects, Osorio was
the general contractor for
Food Share’s latest proj-
ect, the installation of the
commercial emergency
generator.
This project was com-
pleted on time and with
excellent attention to
detail.
I would highly recom-
mend Osorio for any
construction project, big
or small.
—Submitted by Norma
Barton, executive direc-
tor, Florence Food Share
Midgleys offers full service
for stoves, fireplaces and grills
Midgleys Stove and
Fireplace Center has
been serving Lane
County since 1881.
They are the exclusive
Lane County Dealer for
some of the top stove and
fireplace inserts on the
market today including;
Jotul, Valor and Lopi.
Midgleys just received,
“The Best Stove and
Fireplace Store” Reader's
Choice Award in The
Register-Guard, four
years running.
Midgleys offers full
service and installation
for wood, gas and pellet
stoves, inserts and fire-
places. They invest in
training annually to
ensure they continue to
lead the way in fireplace
and stove installations.
They also offer chimney
sweeping and repair by
certified sweepers.
Midgleys maintains a
complete inventory of all
the accessories to make
your hearth the center of
your home. They have a
great selection of tool
sets, rugs, steamers, log
racks and more.
When it comes to bar-
becues, Weber and Broil
King are just two of their
high-quality grill lines
available at their store.
Midgleys carries com-
plete outdoor kitchens
from Twin Eagles and
Delta.
These luxurious out-
door grilling islands are
built to last, even for
those folks who live on
the coast. Midgleys car-
ries gas and wood fire
pits, too.
Midgleys is located on
the corner of Seventh and
Chambers in Eugene.
They look forward to
assisting you will all of
your stove, fireplace and
grill needs soon.
Mortgage Lending
Finance your dreams with the help of our local lenders!
Construction & Home Improvement Loans
C o n v e n t i o n a l & M a n u fa c t u r e d H o m e L o a n s
Brian Connelley • Florence, OR
F H A , VA , & U S D A L o a n s
A Tile Contractor for over 30 yrs
Email: brianconnelley@gmail.com
L o t & Ju m b o L o a n s
WHATEVER YOUR NEEDS:
Carpet • Vinyl • Hardwood • Laminate • Tile • Stone
Window Coverings • Supplies • Area Rugs • Binding
WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED!
At Goodmans’, we enjoy helping you select the right
products for your home or offi ce. We ensure that you receive quality
installation by our professional installers—guaranteed.
“We put the ‘fl oor’ in Florence!”
CCB#84593
394 Kingwood St. • (541) 997-1080
member
www.opbc.com (541) 997-7121
Kim Erickson
VP, Manager of Residential Lending
NMLS #402699
541-902-9807
kim.erickson@opbc.com
Mimi Teachout
Residential Loan Officer
NMLS #1011695
541-902-9815
mimi.teachout@opbc.com
Carl a Lowe
Credit Analyst,
Consumer Loan Rep.
541-902-9809
carla.lowe@opbc.com