FOR RELEASE THE WEEK OF JULY 8, 2001:
We live at the edge of forestland and keep hearing about the danger of "ladder fuel." What exactly is this and how can we minimize the threat?
Ladder fuels refer to a configuration of flammable plant materials that can carry a ground fire up into the canopies, or crowns, of trees, says Yvonne Carree Barkley, University of Idaho Extension forestry associate. Starting at the bottom rung, this configuration is usually comprised of dried grass, small shrubs, tall shrubs and low-hanging branches.
"When you have ladder-fuel situations, a slower-moving, controllable ground fire can easily change into a rapidly moving, uncontrollable crown fire," Barkley says.
To reduce the threat, remove some of the rungs of the ladder. Cut down shrubs and prune off low-lying branches. If possible, keep the grass short as well.
When I'm out gardening in the summer, I make sure I drink enough water so I don't get dehydrated. I just use regular tap water, but my daughter tells me bottled water would be better for me. Is this really true?
Not according to the World Wildlife Federation International group, which recently reported that "bottled water may be no safer or healthier than tap water in many countries, while selling for up to 1,000 times the price."
In fact, says Martha Raidl, University of Idaho Extension nutrition specialist, there are more standards regulating tap water than bottled water in both Europe and the U.S.
However, she says, since the taste of tap water may be poor, many consumers are willing to pay for bottled water.
What will happen to our lawn if we don't irrigate it while we go away for two weeks this summer?
You'll find large brown and dark green spots all over it when you drive up after your vacation. "It's a depressing sight," says Wayne Jones, University of Idaho Extension educator. But Jones says most of the cool-season grasses common to Idaho yards can withstand drought fairly well.
When grass becomes water-stressed, its blades begin to die. "This process is normal--it's called summer dormancy," says Jones. Summer dormancy can also be prompted by high temperatures.
As the stress is reduced or removed--either by adding water or with a cool spell--the grass will send up new shoots from the buds on the crown's "meristem" area. "The result is a green lawn once again," says Jones.
But don't let your lawn go unwatered for a prolonged period of time. Weeds will eventually take advantage and begin to move in, he cautions.
It's very difficult for us to find time as a family to eat dinner together. I think it's important, but one thing or another always seem to interfere. Should we just give up the notion of a regular family dinner hour and go with the flow of daily events?
Studies show that sharing meals is one of the strongest predictors of positive outcomes for children, says Harriet Shaklee, University of Idaho Extension family development specialist. Children who sit down at the dinner table with their elders are more successful in school, more active in the community and more likely to graduate from high school. "They just generally navigate their teen years more easily and avoid some of the hazards teens can encounter," she says.
Shaklee believes the "family dynamic" that occurs at the dinner table explains the studies' results. "Dinner time is a real forum for connection and communication," she says. "It's an opportunity to share the day's events and show interest in the other family members at the table--and it's also a great opportunity to share the chores associated with eating."
But whether you and your children eat together at the same time every day, or even every day, is by family choice, she says. "Many families find they can't eat together every night, so don't let that frustrate you." Do try to ensure that you sit down as a family most evenings. If youth activities or parents' work schedules routinely prevent family dinner hours, look for other opportunities for connecting regularly over meals, like weekend breakfasts.
[READERS: Do you have a question about your home, yard or garden? Send it to HomeWise, University of Idaho Ag Communications, Moscow, ID 83844-2332 or e-mail it to homewise@uidaho.edu. Mention of proprietary products or firms does not constitute endorsement by University of Idaho Extension imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.]