2008 fall home improvement

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HOMEIMPROVEMENT

fall • 2008

Tips to keep gardens growing through fall!

Great savings to help finish projects before winter!

Business spotlights!

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S2 Fall Home Improvement 2008 A Hersam Acorn Newspapers publication

Autumn in the GardenBy Toby Raymond

Just because Labor Day has come and gone it doesn’t mean that gardening chores are all done for the year. There is just as much to do in the autumn as there is in the spring and summer, in fact even more so!

Garden preparation, planning and work all continue well into November, even here in the colder climate of our region. The autumn garden presents an excellent opportunity for adding new plants, bulbs and trees, tending to those already established, and preparing indoor plants and bulbs for a colorful winter full of bloom.

At this time many of the area garden centers and nurseries are reducing prices on their remaining stock and inventory that must be in the ground in order to survive the winter. There are some great deals to be found at the area’s farmers’ markets as well. This is a great time to seek out perennial plants and shrubs that will make an impressive showing in the coming season.

Autumn is an excellent time to plant container grown and balled or burlap wrapped nursery stock, but it is important that the plants receive adequate maintenance and care leading up to the time that the ground freezes.

To properly handle woody, ornamental, perennial or fruiting plants and trees, a gardener should dig an appropriately sized hole – one at the same depth as that the Examples of container grown plants

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A Hersam Acorn Newspapers Publication

Melissa Miller, cover designMary A. Garcia, page design

Berkshire PennySaver154 West Park Street, Lee, MA 01238

413-243-2341

Yankee Shopper20 Cleveland Road, Dalton, MA 01226

413-684-1373

TriState Pennysaver News109 South Street, Bennington, VT 05201

802-447-3381

Vermont News Guide99 Bonnet Street, Manchester, VT 05254

802-362-3535

Renee Tassone, General Manager

A Hersam Acorn Newspapers publication Fall Home Improvement 2008 S3

plant is currently resting in its pot or burlap. Water the plant thoroughly and often. Mulching protects against the variations in temperature that can occur throughout the last part of the year. Staking or wiring is also recommended for taller plants that may be in danger from strong winter winds.

Existing trees should be free of twigs, leaves and fallen fruit to eliminate potential disease and insect troubles. The fall is also a good time to prune trees, once their leaves have fallen, removing dead, damaged and diseased branches altogether. Frost cracking can be prevented by wrapping the trunks of trees with a wrap or with the use of outdoor latex paint. This is a particular need for younger, thin barked trees like maples and fruit trees.

If a family prefers a “live” Christmas tree, the autumn is the perfect time to prepare the site for planting the tree after the holidays. The hole should be dug and heavily mulched to prevent freezing. Soil or fill should be stored in a sheltered area, such as a garden shed or basement to keep it from freezing.

Before the ground freezes a gardener should also install as many barriers against nibbling wildlife as possible. Many gardeners construct “cages” for groups of bulbs from chicken wire fencing. This allows the bulbs to flower, but prevents rodents and squirrels from digging up the bulbs in the spring.

This is also the season when many shops also make flowering bulbs of all varieties available as well, and this can be an exciting project for an entire family. Digging, amending and planting a brand new garden is a great deal of fun for people of all ages.

Autumn in the Gardencontinued from page 2

Beautiful bulb plants growing happily into late Autumn.

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Flower gardening is still incredibly busy work through the autumn season, and often includes:

• Digging and storing some tender plants, bulbs and flowers for winter storage. Most bulbs and roots prefer to be air dried, packed away in dry peat moss or vermiculite, and stored in a dark, cool location.

• Planting, transplanting and dividing plants including peonies, lilies, iris and phlox.

• Planting spring f lowering bulbs beginning in late September through mid-October - allow at least four to six weeks before the ground freezes for good root formation and bulb safety.

• Saving annual and tender plants such as coleus, wax begonias, impatiens, or fuchsia for indoor enjoyment throughout the winter. Such plants can be dug, cut back about halfway, then replanted in moist vermiculite, soil mix, or perlite.

• Keeping newly planted items well watered up until the ground freezes.


Container grown plants perfect for fall

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• Mounding soil around roses to protect their graft union – this should happen after all of the leaves have fallen from the plants and after several killing frosts, usually late November. The soil should be about twelve inches around the plant with a layer of mulch on top.

Most active gardeners see the autumn months as a time of promise and as a great chance to “put their house in order”. Organizing and cleaning garden tools, preparing for the next growing season and tucking in gardens for the coming winter are just a few of the many tasks ahead for gardeners over the next few months.

The region has abundant resources for inspiration and for purchasing plants, bulbs, trees and gardening supplies. This means that it is also a great time to note the gardens of neighbors, friends and other areas in order to see what blooms well in your region, especially in the later, cooler months.

Autumn in the garden is just as much fun, and just as busy, as the spring and summer months. Many gardeners enjoy the cool weather, the ever-changing sunlight, the brilliant colors and the excitement that is the constant companion of the changing of the seasons.


Autumn gardens yield beautiful colors

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Doran Carpet CenterBy Telly Halkias

Living in Vermont, I wasn’t always aware of available home suppliers in Berkshire County, MA. However, a few years back I agreed to do some heavy lifting for a friend who was renovating a home in Pittsfield. That’s when we discovered Doran Carpet Center.

Don’t take the name literally. While originally named as a carpeting outlet, Doran is much more, as evidenced by the truckload of hardwood and vinyl my friend and I left with that day. Of course, as might be expected, the original specialty is still its stalwart. The carpet varieties are highlighted by the Milliken brand.

A visit to the showroom will be met with informative demonstrations and attentive customer service. Products offered include ceramic tile by American Olean, Bella Sera, and Huntington, hardwood flooring by Kahrs, laminate by Armstrong and Wilsonart, vinyl floors by Armstrong, and a number of building accessories to suit construction and home improvement requirements.

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My friend noted the speed and ease with which we conducted our business and Doran filled his order. Past that, the North Adams supplier has also shown an innovative approach to allowing customers to picture their needs. This initiative is found

on their website: an interactive tool called Design-A-Room.

Design-A-Room, which is powered by an Armstrong application, allows prospective buyers to pick and choose from an extensive menu of flooring products. This enables you to plan the choice of materials in a virtual room, and to see your design components fit together as finished products.

Doran Carpet Center is located at 401 Curran Highway (Route 8) in North Adams, MA. For more information call 413-664-6585 or visit www.brandsource.biz/welcome/doran

Telly Halkias is a writer and editor from Vermont. E-mail: [email protected]

An exterior view of Doran Carpet Center on Curran Highway in North Adams, Mass.

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Bennington House of TileBy Telly Halkias

I have a theory about how to approach home improvement projects, especially if you have many needs and a limited amount of funds available at once.

The first thing is to identify your home needs and work out a budget for them. Next you need to figure out how to spread that budget out over time. Finally, you’re lucky if you can find a materials supplier that always has a cache of affordable, quality items available, as well as a comprehensive stock.

I found that supplier close to home, in fact, at Bennington House of Tile and Carpet. Founded over two decades ago by Andrew Sparta as a modest local tile distributor, it has grown into arguably the premier source of flooring for Southwest Vermont and adjacent Massachusetts and New York.

The varieties of flooring materials don’t just stop at tile as the original name suggests. Carpet, vinyl, hardwood, stone and laminate offer names from some of the largest national manufacturers, such as Avalon, Mannington, Noble House, and Daltile. In addition, BHOT has added a full line of kitchen and bath outfitting.

So over eight years I was able to redo three floors in my house: the mudroom and laundry room in ceramic tile, and the master bedroom in hardwood. Each time I was able to visit BHOT and find an affordable flooring item that didn’t sacrifice on quality. Judging by the proven durability of the finished projects, I can vouch that my home got its money’s worth.

Bennington House of Tile is located at 1267 Harwood Hill Rd (Route 7A) in Bennington, Vt. For more info call 802-442-2494 or visit www.benningtontile.com

Telly Halkias is a writer and editor from Vermont. E-mail: [email protected]

The Bennington House of Tile and Carpet, on Harwood Hill in Bennington, Vt.

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2008 fall home improvement

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