FOR RELEASE THE WEEK OF SEPT. 13, 1999:
In the event of Y2K power disruptions, we’re planning to stock up on wood this fall. How much will we need and what kind should we get?
If you were to heat your home all day, every day, with a low-efficiency fireplace, you would go through at least 10 cords for the whole winter, says Yvonne Carree, University of Idaho extension associate in forestry. (A cord is defined as a stack of split wood containing 128 cubic feet of wood–usually 4 feet high by 8 feet wide by 4 feet deep.) By contrast, today’s new slow-combustion stoves can cut your wood use in half.
For maximum wood-burning efficiency, choose a wood high in BTU output. In the West, your best choices are Douglas fir and western larch or tamarack, says Carree. Hardwoods like apple or locust offer more BTUs but are difficult to find, to split and to start.
If what you want is a cheerful, easy-to-start, crackling fire that needn’t last long, use pine.
Our bluegrass lawn is developing a thatch layer. Should we remove it and, if so, when and how?
Cut and lift several plugs 2 or 3 inches deep and look for a distinct layer of stringy, fibrous or felt-like mat. If that thatch layer is less than a half-inch thick, remove it with vigorous hand-raking. If it’s thicker than a half-inch, use a power-raker.
According to Michael Colt, University of Idaho extension horticulturist, early fall is the best time to power-rake in Idaho’s warmer regions–although cooler-climate homeowners can choose between spring and fall. In the spring, aggressive annual weeds will quickly fill in the thinned-out spots in southern Idaho lawns.
Don’t wait too long to dethatch in the fall: to recover from mechanical injury, the lawn needs at least three to four weeks of good growing weather. Applying a light rate of fertilizer after power-raking will help restore its health.
If you’ve got a serious thatch problem, Colt says you may need to power-rake every fall until the thatch layer is less than a half-inch thick.
As the nights get cooler, I’ll be bringing my houseplants back inside from the patio. Is it enough to just hose them off or should I spray them with insecticide to avoid bringing bugs inside with them?
"A thorough inspection–and rubbing or washing off any pests you find–is one of the easiest things to do," says Bob Stoltz, University of Idaho extension entomologist. He recommends starting this process at least a week before you plan to bring the houseplants inside; that gives you time for two inspections and cleanings.
You can simply wash off any aphids, spider mites or immature, "crawler-stage" scale that you find, or you can treat them with insecticidal soap or an approved houseplant spray. Move the plants into the shade where soaps and chemicals won’t burn tender leaves, spray them on a warm day in September or October, then let them dry and bring them in.
"Don’t do this too late," Stoltz says. "If you’re out there spraying at 45 degrees, the chemicals won’t be effective."
Adult scale–flat ovals or hemispheres that can be yellow, gray or brown and that attach themselves firmly to stems or leaves–are more difficult to control. "Insecticides will work to some extent," says Stoltz–or you can try picking or scraping them off.
Insecticides labeled for potting soil will also kill fungus gnat larvae. If you prefer a natural control, use Bacillus thuringiensis or Steinernema nematodes to destroy the larvae before the gnats start flitting around your reading lamps.
Now that people are using all those bactericidal hand soaps and household cleansers, isn’t there a risk that bacteria will become resistant to them? Should we be using these products over and over again?
With about 200 of these products introduced into U.S. markets last year, that’s a very good question and an area of current scientific investigation, says Sandy McCurdy, University of Idaho extension food safety coordinator. A recent research report out of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital suggests that bacteria may be able to develop resistance to one of these antimicrobials–triclosan–which is used in soaps, mouthwashes, tooth pastes, fabrics and plastics. More research is needed to determine if the laboratory results are applicable in our bathrooms and kitchens, she says.
"I wouldn’t worry about it right now," says McCurdy. However, when using these products, be sure to read and follow the instructions on each one. "They do vary: some kill bacteria and others only inhibit bacterial growth."
But McCurdy says you don’t really need to use antibacterial soaps. Good, old-fashioned hand-washing with regular soap and lots of water is still "very effective at removing germs–and it doesn’t destroy the beneficial bacteria on the skin."
For proper washing: use warm or hot water, rub soap around hands and wrists for at least 20 seconds, then dry thoroughly with a clean towel or–better yet–a throw-away paper towel.
Regardless of which soap you use, food-safety experts say hand-washing is the most important aspect of personal hygiene.