FOR RELEASE THE WEEK OF NOV. 4, 2001:
Our family continues to be edgy over world events. We've been staying home a lot more together--cocooning, I suppose. Is this healthy?
Sure it is, says Harriet Shaklee, University of Idaho Extension family development specialist. Whether you go out together or stay in together, this is "a good time to increase your face-time," she says.
"Being together goes a long way towards a creating a reassuring environment for your children," says Shaklee. "This is a time to bond, to reconnect and to affirm that we're still a family together--that we protect each other and provide a safe environment."
Be sure to enjoy meals together during these uncertain weeks and months, and plan to spend holidays engaging in special family activities for which you don't ordinarily have time.
What happens if I don't get a chance to rake up my leaves this fall? Will they harm the lawn?
Fall clean-up is important for a number of reasons, says Yvonne Carree Barkley, University of Idaho Extension forestry associate. Primarily, it greatly reduces the number of places that insects and diseases can overwinter. Consequently, it also greatly reduces the number of pests that will live to infest and infect your plant materials next year. That's especially true for fungi, which are very well adapted to spending the winter on fallen leaf litter and branches.
"Another reason to rake up those leaves in the fall is that once they are wet, they tend to mat together and prevent air and water from circulating to the ground below," Barkley says. "This can cause problems with molds and mildews, especially in lawns."
Finally, a good fall cleaning will give both you and your landscape a jump-start on spring.
Is it always okay to wash clothes at a cooler temperature than the label recommends? Or is that sometimes not as satisfactory?
"Doing laundry got a lot more confusing this last summer," says Sandra Evenson, University of Idaho associate professor of clothing and textiles. "In an effort to reduce energy use, power companies recommended washing clothes in cold water."
Cold water won't damage washable fabrics and it works satisfactorily when you're laundering clothes that aren't really soiled to begin with, Evenson says. But it doesn't rise to all of the challenges you typically encounter in the laundry room.
If you're washing protein-based fibers like wool and silk, expect cold water to perform best, she says. With engineered fabrics like Tencel and Supplex, cold water may or may not cleanse effectively, depending on the product. But if you're laundering cellulosic fibers like cotton and linen, cold water often disappoints, Evenson says.
The cleansing power of cold water also depends on the type of soil. Removing particles of dust, lint and dead skin requires only cold water and agitation, as does cleaning water-soluble stains like pop and juices. But organic soils--like skin oil, perspiration and latte stains--demand hotter water and detergent along with agitation.
"Most soil on clothing is a combination of soils, so a combination of warm water, detergent and agitation is what cleans most items efficiently," Evenson says. And the care label, with its implied warranty, is still your best insurance for returning garments to near-new condition after laundering.
I moved to Idaho from a warmer climate and am wondering what needs to be done in the way of fall clean-up in my vegetable garden. Can you help me?
JoAnn Robbins, University of Idaho Extension horticulture educator, is glad you asked. "A little work now can put you weeks ahead in the spring," she says.
First, remove all dead plants--roots and all--and add them to your compost pile. That will eliminate the diseases and insects that overwinter on that material.
Then, turn your attention to your herbs and perennial vegetables. Cut off the tops of your herbs and Jerusalem artichokes and add a layer of mulch to help them bear the cold; the more cold-susceptible the plant, the thicker the mulch layer should be.
You can continue to harvest spinach, broccoli and cabbage during the colder months. To keep them available for later harvest, Robbins suggests covering them with a layer of floating row cover and mulching them with a foot or two of such porous materials as straw.
Next, till your garden and incorporate either finished or partially finished compost. Rake it smooth and--if you've already firmed up your plans for next spring--mark out your rows. "This prior preparation will assure that you will be ready to plant even before the ground is ready to be worked," she says. "It's really essential for gardeners who want to plant early, cool-season crops or to extend the season with cloches in the spring."
[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 or imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.]