The Good, The Bad & The Ugly in Your Garden - Common Garden Insects and How to Deal With Them

Combating nature in your garden can be a war, and identifying the enemy is only the first step. Knowing how to defeat the enemy is the key.

Insects in your garden are often pests that will eat, infect or destroy your plants. Some insects, however, are allies in your fight to keep your plants healthy. When you’re waging war, it’s good to know the difference.

Lifestyle expert Leah Ingram, on the site Life Goes Strong, identifies several common garden enemies:

 

• Aphid — really lice for plants — can be fought with a soapy water solution
• Japanese Beetle — a pest prodigy, this insect starts waging war on your plants from the moment it’s a larva in the ground; ironically the Chrysanthemum flower produces a natural insecticide that is particularly effective against this pest
• Snails & Slugs — completely indiscriminate, these will voraciously eat everything in your  garden from leaves to fruit, flowers to vegetables; salting the ground around your plants is good way to put a stop to these pests

There cannot be dark without light, and there are a multitude of insects that you should welcome into your garden with open arms. These insects provide natural pest control without any toxins or chemicals (or even soap).

• Ladybug — this pretty red bug is a natural enemy of aphids
• Praying Mantis — this formidable insect preys on almost every other insect, bug, pest and mite that might venture into your garden; a fine ally indeed

For more insects that are beneficial to your garden, visit Garden Insects.

Memorial Day Means Grilling - How to Make the Most of Your Outdoor Space

Memorial Day Weekend marks the unofficial start of summer — and few things are as simple and satisfying as a well-executed outdoor barbecue with friends and family. The Wall Street Journal cites research that shows 73% of Americans own a grill. Whether you are among the 27% considering getting your first grill, or in that 73% and thinking about making a few updates to what you’ve got or tackling a full-on upgrade, now is the time to do the work, so you can enjoy the benefits all summer long.

These tips from eHow.com will help you create an outdoor grilling area that’s both functional and appealing:

·        Location — Unless you have (or are building) a full outdoor kitchen, you’ll want your grill to be close enough to the kitchen for convenience, and far enough away that you don’t smoke your appliances along with your ribs.

·        Location— In addition to kitchen proximity, consider your guests. Placing the barbecue in a corner can cause traffic jams and make it difficult for the cook to serve and for the diners to select their food.

·        Location — Don’t forget about set-up and clean-up. At some point, you’ll have to bring fuel (such as charcoal or gas) as well as food and supplies to your grill area.  When the festivities are over, you’ll be glad if you’ve placed your grill where water is easily accessible and where you won’t mind rinsing down food, grease, and charcoal.

It’s also a good time to keep an eye out for Memorial Day Sales at your local home improvement stores — look for savings not only on grills but on outdoor furniture and other supplies that will help you turn your backyard into a summer paradise.

When Your House Comes Out of Hibernation

 

Spring Maintenance Suggestions for your Home

With spring well underway, it is the perfect time to take care of preventive and reparative maintenance on your home. Inside and outside, checking out these parts of your home now could save you major repair or replacement outlays later.

Gutters — clean out any leaves, branches or mud build-up that could be clogging them.

• Foundation— the winter can cause (or hide) cracks, erosion and other issues. The sooner you spot these potential problems, the simpler they are to fix.
• HVAC system— check your filters (if you’re a regular A/C user in the summer months, put a monthly reminder on your calendar to change the filters), check the vents and hoses and if you suspect any issues, call a technician.
• Windows and doors— inspect the sealing and paint, looking for leaks, cracks, or chips. Ensuring your windows and doors are well-sealed and dry will prevent unwanted mold growth, not to mention contribute toward energy efficiency.
• Plumbing— hear any drips? Check every faucet, appliance and toilet for leaks or running water.
• Roof— especially for those living in harsh winter conditions, checking the roof when spring begins is a must. Look for loose shingles, peeling, cracked or curling areas.

For more ideas, tips and spring maintenance ideas, check out these sources:

• HGTV’s Slackers’ Guide to Spring Home Maintenance
• Consumer Reports’ Spring Checklist for the Home
• Catalogs.com’s Top 10 Spring Home Maintenance Tips

And for a thorough list of tips on preparing your home inside and out for spring — from dusting your lightbulbs to moving your gardening supplies to the front of your garage and your winter equipment to the rear — see Martha Stewart’s Complete Spring Home Maintenance Checklist.

From CalculatedRiskBlog.com: Its not pretty, but it is a realistic understanding of today's Real Estate challenges!

by CalculatedRisk on 5/09/2011 12:35:00 PM

Note: The most recent Negative Equity report from CoreLogic showed 11.1 million, or 23.1 percent, of all residential properties with a mortgage were in negative equity at the end of the fourth quarter of 2010. With falling house prices, CoreLogic will probably show more homeowners have negative equity in Q1.

From Zillow: Negative equity reached a new high with 28.4 percent of all single-family homes with mortgages underwater

Negative equity reached a new high mark with 28.4 percent of single-family homeowners with mortgages underwater at the end of the first quarter, up from 27 percent in the fourth quarter of 2010. A homeowner is in negative equity when they owe more on their mortgage than their home is worth.
...
With substantial home value declines, as well as increasing negative equity and foreclosures, Zillow forecasts show it is unlikely that home values will reach a bottom in 2011. First quarter data has prompted Zillow to revise its forecast, now predicting a bottom in 2012, at the earliest.

The following table from Zillow shows negative equity percentages for the 25 largests MSAs. In a number of MSAs, more than half of single-family homes with mortgages have negative equity: Phoneix, Tampa, Atlanta, Riverside (CA), and Sacramento. Chicago, Minneapolis and Miami are all close. Las Vegas isn't included on this list, but according to CoreLogic, Nevada has the highest percentage of homes with negative equity.

Largest 25 Metropolitan Statistical Areas Covered by Zillow	Zillow Home Value Index
	Q1 2011	QoQ Change	YoY Change	Change From Peak	Negative Equity*
United States	$169,600	-3.0%	-8.2%	-29.5%	28.4%
New York, N.Y.	$346,600	-1.6%	-5.3%	-24.2%	17.1%
Los Angeles, Calif.	$386,400	-3.0%	-7.6%	-36.1%	21.0%
Chicago, Ill.	$167,900	-4.8%	-13.8%	-38.1%	45.7%
Dallas, Tex.	$125,400	-1.2%	-6.9%	-13.2%	n/a
Philadelphia, Pa.	$187,600	-3.2%	-10.3%	-20.5%	22.1%
Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Fla.	$137,300	-1.8%	-12.8%	-55.4%	47.7%
Washington, D.C.	$305,900	-1.5%	-7.0%	-30.3%	29.5%
Atlanta, Ga.	$121,100	-4.4%	-17.3%	-33.7%	55.7%
Detroit, Mich.	$70,600	-5.2%	-17.3%	-55.5%	36.3%
Boston, Mass.	$305,800	-2.6%	-5.3%	-23.2%	16.9%
San Francisco, Calif.	$467,000	-3.8%	-10.2%	-33.9%	25.7%
Phoenix, Ariz.	$126,100	-2.3%	-11.2%	-55.3%	68.4%
Riverside, Calif.	$185,800	-1.8%	-3.2%	-53.8%	50.7%
Seattle, Wash.	$259,200	-1.7%	-11.7%	-32.1%	34.4%
Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.	$159,000	-4.8%	-15.1%	-35.6%	46.2%
San Diego, Calif.	$347,500	-2.1%	-5.5%	-35.3%	26.0%
St. Louis, Mo.	$127,900	-4.0%	-9.6%	-18.7%	31.2%
Tampa, Fla.	$107,200	-3.8%	-10.9%	-50.6%	59.8%
Baltimore, Md.	$218,300	-2.5%	-9.8%	-27.5%	29.6%
Denver, Colo.	$192,300	-2.7%	-9.6%	-17.2%	41.0%
Pittsburgh, Pa.	$105,800	-0.2%	-0.1%	-5.1%	6.8%
Portland, Ore.	$203,300	-3.0%	-12.1%	-30.6%	35.9%
Cleveland, Ohio	$108,500	-3.9%	-9.1%	-24.7%	41.4%
Sacramento, Calif.	$207,400	-4.2%	-11.0%	-50.1%	51.2%
Orlando, Fla.	$115,700	-2.9%	-7.8%	-55.2%	n/a
*Negative equity refers to the % of single-family homes with mortgages.

Zillow on Negative Equity: 28.4% of all single-family homes with mortgages are

Fantastic blog post from CalculatedRiskBlog.com: Not the most uplifting report but certainly realistic.

Zillow on Negative Equity: 28.4% of all single-family homes with mortgages are

Replace or Repair?

 

3 Easy Steps To Evaluate Your Appliances

As a homeowner, making the decision to replace or repair a broken appliance can feel like an exercise in frustration. Although there is no easy answer, there are definitely some guidelines to consider that can smooth the decision-making process.

1)  Identify and Resolve

Do your best to correctly identify and solve the problem. Is the appliance plugged in? Is the problem listed in the manual? Most appliance manuals have a section addressing common problems and easy troubleshooting techniques. (Hint: if you can’t find the manual, try searching for the manufacturer, make and model and the word “manual” online — many manufacturers provide electronic versions. Appliance411.com has a list linking to the manual sections of most major manufacturers.)

2) Covered or Not Covered?

Determine if the appliance is under warranty and if the problem appears to be covered by the warranty. If so, that’s a good reason to repair. If it’s not under warranty, consider how old it is. If it’s nearing the end of its average lifespan (see this simple chart at MrAppliance.com), that could be a good reason to replace.

3) Cost Benefit

Is the repair worth it? A good rule of thumb is if the repair will cost more than 50 percent of a replacement, go ahead and replace it if you can. If the repair is not quite that much, but still seems expensive, consider the energy usage — would a replacement be more energy-efficient? In the long run, the replacement could not only save you money, it could also contribute to saving the planet.

For more, check out this very useful “Repair or Replace?” guide from DCU.org’s “Streetwise,” a consumer education program.

75 Percent of Refinancing Homeowners Maintain or Reduce Debt in First Quarter

75 Percent of Refinancing Homeowners Maintain or Reduce Debt in First Quarter

Flowers for Mother Day

 

And Curb Appeal Too

Mother’s Day is coming up (May 8) and it offers a great opportunity to buff up your home’s curb appeal.

Flowers are a traditional Mother’s Day gift. This year, why not give live flowering plants rather than cut flowers? Spring is prime planting season and a great time to add color and lushness to your front landscape.

When it comes to choosing what type of flowers you’re going to plant, make sure you keep these tips in mind:

Know Your Zone — you live in something called a “growing zone,” which helps define what plants will thrive and what will wither in your area. Ask at your local garden center, or check it out online here.

Sunny or Shady — are you planting where it’s mostly sunny? Some plants, like Mountain Laurel, thrive in the shade, while others, like Lavender, need plenty of sun to blossom.

Keep The Thirsty Ones Together — when planting, try to keep plants with similar water requirements grouped together, so you don’t have to drown your cacti when you water your marigolds.

For more gardening tips, check out these sites: GardeningTipsnIdeas

Martha Stewart

AZ Central (for southwest gardens)

Northscaping (for northern gardens)

And if you don’t have a garden, consider a potted flower or bush instead of the traditional bouquet — they last longer.