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Napa County Master Gardeners: Preparing for winter | Home and Garden

Napa County Master Gardeners: Preparing for winter | Home and Garden

The sky is blue, the hills are green, and we will certainly have some sunny days ahead. Now is a good time to get your yard prepared for the winter. The recent rains have softened the soil, which will make your garden chores easier.

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First, take a good look at your plants. Remove plant debris, stalks, dead leaves and anything that looks diseased. It’s a little early to prune your roses, but you should remove any leaves or stems with fungus. You can chop up your dead plants and put them in your compost, but do not put any diseased material in the compost. The disease will just incubate.

If your perennial plants have seed heads, leave them for the birds to eat. You can cut them down when the seeds are gone.

Make time to weed. It is gratifying to pull weeds after a rain because they come up so easily. You can put them in the yard-waste bin. The hot compost process used by the City of Napa’s waste-management company will kill any seeds.

As long as the ground is soft, you can dig a few holes so they are ready for any planting you might want to do later in the spring.

After you weed, mulch. It will keep the weeds down. Mulch also insulates the ground, keeps it from drying out, and eventually rots, improving soil texture. You can buy mulch at a nursery or you can make your own with chopped-up yard waste, such as twigs, leaves, and grass. The larger bits of compost left behind after you sieve your compost can be used as mulch, too. So can shredded newspaper, brown paper bags, and cardboard.

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I am of two minds about raking leaves. Sometimes you just want your yard to look tidy, and you can put the leaves in the compost bin. However, I always leave several piles on the ground because eventually they rot and improve the soil. hey, are also a hiding place for insects and other creatures that are beneficial for your garden and a food source for birds. It’s fun to watch birds messing around in the leaves in winter.

You should assume that we will have a couple of nights of frost, so get ready now. Pay attention to the weather reports. Identify which plants need protection. At my house, it’s brugmansia and daphne. Perhaps you have fuchsia, bougainvillea, young fruit trees, succulents, or avocados. Citrus trees are especially vulnerable.

Start collecting vinyl sheeting, towels, burlap, blankets, and sheets. You will also need something to support the material so it doesn’t touch the leaves, which can be damaged by frozen cloth. One gardener I know used two metal chairs to balance a ladder over which he folded a sheet, protecting a row of mandevilla. The cloth should touch the ground for better insulation. Be sure to remove the cloth the next day, when the air warms.

Some nurseries sell a nonwoven polyester fabric that can be draped directly over the plant. It won’t hurt the plant even if it touches it and can be left on all day. You can wrap burlap or blankets around the trunks of young fruit trees or around shrubs to keep them from freezing.

Boxes, baskets, and buckets can come in handy for frost protection. I used to be enchanted by the bell-shaped glass cloches in the old Smith and Hawken catalog. You were supposed to place them over a plant to protect it in winter. So French! So adorable! So expensive!

Instead, fill up old plastic milk bottles with water and surround the plant with them. The water insulates them, and you can drape a cloth over it all.

Temperatures can vary widely over a single property. Tree cover, exposure to the sun, and even the height of a bed can make a difference. The lower area of my yard, under a willow tree, is a few degrees cooler than the rest of the yard.

Frost-tender plants generally do better with southern exposure, so think about that. Perhaps you can move your succulents next to the house, so they will have shelter over the winter. You can take this precaution with any container plants that are small enough to move.

When you have your yard prepared for winter, clean your tools and put them away neatly. Because of our climate, we can garden almost year-round, so it’s good to have your tools rust-free and at the ready.

This is also a good time to take stock of what did well in your garden over the last growing year, what could be improved, and, perhaps, what wasn’t worth the effort. Gardening is a perpetual learning experience.

One of my brugmansias froze a few years ago because the weather took me by surprise. I left it alone to see what would happen and, sure enough, green sprouts appeared as spring approached. I trimmed off all the dead-looking limbs, and after a dose of organic fertilizer, it was more luxuriant than ever.

We have been living with drought and fire conditions in Napa Valley for a few years. Our landscape plants, not to mention Napa County flora in general, have been severely stressed. It is probably wise not to rely too much on their resilience and to be prepared for a freeze.

Food Growing Forum: Napa County Master Gardeners will present a discussion of “Cane Berries” on Sunday, November 14, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., via Zoom. Register here to receive the Zoom link.

Library Talk

Napa County Master Gardeners will present a talk on “Chasing Sun in Shaded Yards” on Thursday, December 2, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. via Zoom. Does your yard have a limited supply of sunny locations to grow vegetables? Learn about site selection and cultural requirements for the plants you want to grow. Register here to receive the Zoom link.

Workshop

Napa County Master Gardeners will lead a workshop on “The Art of Raising Succulents” on Sunday, December 5, from 1 pm to 3 pm, at the Yountville Community Center, 6516 Washington Street, Yountville. Discover how to care for and design with these colorful, unthirsty plants in your garden or on your patio. Attendees will get plant starts to take home. Yountville residents: $16; Non-residents: $18. Free to Golden Ticket members. To register, visit online registration or telephone the Parks & Recreation Department at 707-944-8712.

Got Garden Questions? Contact our Help Desk. The team is working remotely so please submit your questions through our diagnosis form, send any photos to mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org or leave a detailed message at 707- 253-4143. A Master Gardener will get back to you by phone or email. For more information visit napamg.ucanr.edu or find us on Facebook or Instagram, UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.



Check out Napa Valley’s most expensive home, a $25m estate located in Deer Park at 850 Sanitarium Road. “The warm modern design features an open floor plan connecting living, dining, cooking, and family rooms, a 2,000 bottle wine library, luxurious primary suite, massage room, gym, two offices, media/theatre room, infinity edge pool, outdoor kitchen, and a full two-suite guest apartment with its own living room and view deck.”



Got Garden Questions? Contact the Master Gardeners’ Help Desk. The team is working remotely so please submit your questions through the diagnosis form, sending any photos to mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org or leave a detailed message at 707- 253-4143. A Master Gardener will get back to you by phone or email. For more information visit http://napamg.ucanr.edu or find them on Facebook or Instagram, UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.

A peek inside the most expensive home for sale in Weston, Florida

A peek inside the most expensive home for sale in Weston, Florida

Aerial view of 3030 Meadow Lane in Weston Florida at twilight.

Daniel Petroni

This 12,323-square-foot mansion recently hit the market with a $14 million price tag, making it the most expensive listing the city of Weston, Florida, has ever seen.

The 27-square-mile city is about 31 miles northwest of Miami in the westernmost part of Broward County. Its northern and western borders flank the Florida Everglades.

Aerial view of the lakefront Monarch Estate in Weston, FL.

Daniel Petroni

The seven-bedroom, 11-bath lakefront residence is in the Windmill Ranch Estates community, Weston’s first residential development, dating back to 1984, according the city’s website. Weston has a population of 68,305, according to the University of Florida’s Bureau of Economics and Business Research. Its median household income is $107,908, according to the latest census data.

“Weston is far enough from dense urban centers like Fort Lauderdale and Miami to give it a peaceful suburban feel, but it still gives residents easy access to bigger city life,” said Senada Adzem, the property’s listing agent.

Real estate records show the most expensive home to ever sell in Weston fetched $7 million in 2012. That home, also located in the Windmill Ranch Estates, spanned 25,000 square feet with a price per square foot of $280.

Manicured landscaping lines the driveway of the Monarch Estate.

Daniel Petroni

The residence at 3030 Meadow Lane, built in 2017, according to the listing, is about half the size of that record-setting mansion, but its owners are asking double the price, making it four times the price per square foot, at $1,136.

If the home, known as the Monarch Estate, sells for anywhere near its asking price, it will shatter a local record and put the home’s value on par with some of Broward’s biggest sales 25 miles to the east in Fort Lauderdale, where you’ll find the county’s priciest real estate. In April, a waterfront home in Fort Lauderdale sold for $23 million, breaking the record for the highest sale in the county, according to Multiple Listing Service.

For context, the average sale price for a single-family home in Broward County was $658,274 in October, up 19.3{d4d1dfc03659490934346f23c59135b993ced5bc8cc26281e129c43fe68630c9} over last year. Sales volume last month across the entire county totaled $912.4 million, according to the Miami Realtors October market summary.

“Weston has its share of estates valued at $10 million or more,” said Adzem. “The Monarch Estate is the first of this magnitude on the market. We expect to see more of these multimillion-dollar properties for sale as time goes on, given the high demand in the luxury sector.”

Here’s a look at what makes this Weston home stand out.

Aerial view of the Monarch Estate.

Daniel Petroni

The Monarch Estate was named after the monarch butterflies that are attracted to the flowering bushes planted around the property.

“Part of what distinguishes the Monarch Estate is that this is the kind of sprawling sanctuary typically seen in Palm Beach,” said Adzem.

Twilight view of the infinity pool and lake.

Daniel Petroni

The home is situated on 1.5 acres overlooking a lake, with a 93-foot infinity pool, a 14-person hot tub, a built-in trampoline and a half basketball court.

At the heart of the home is an open-concept layout that seamlessly connects a massive great room, kitchen and breakfast dining area. Adzem said the combined space spans 2,600 square feet.

The kitchen includes two large islands, topped in ivory marble, and features white wood cabinets with stainless steel appliances.

Breakfast dining area

Daniel Petroni

Retractable floor-to-ceiling glass doors in the great room and breakfast area open to a loggia and pool.

The lounge area in the home’s air-conditioned loggia.

Daniel Petroni

The loggia, an open-air covered patio, is air-conditioned and includes a lounge, dining area, barbecue, fireplace and television. With the touch of a button, the room’s open archways can be sealed by floor-to-ceiling screens that Adzem says are storm-proof.

Soho-loft themed bedroom.

Daniel Petroni

One of the home’s seven bedrooms was inspired by a New York City Soho loft complete with a wall clad in exposed brick, wood plank floors and oversized arched windows.

Balcony view

Daniel Petroni

However, the view from the New York City-inspired bedroom’s balcony looks nothing like the Big Apple.

Owner’s suite seating area and fireplace.

Daniel Petroni

The owner’s suite includes a seating area with a two-sided fireplace.

Owner’s suite sleeping quarters.

The king-sized bed delivers views of the manicured landscaping that surround the pool and lake.

One of two owner’s suite baths.

Daniel Petroni

Off the owner’s sleeping quarters are a pair of baths clad in Turkish Carrara marble, along with a pair of steam showers and a soaking tub.

One of two owner’s suite walk-in closets.

Daniel Petroni

The suite also includes a pair of walk-in closets.

The home’s cinema is equipped with 4K projection, 3D glasses and a Dolby Atmos sound system that can be channeled through 50 speakers hidden in the walls and ceiling and embedded behind the movie screen.

Living room

Daniel Petroni

Adzem said the home’s furnishings were custom designed and are included in the $14 million asking price.

Aerial view from the waterfront.

Daniel Peroni

According to the listing, the monthly maintenance charges are $289, and the current property tax is $69,202.

“After the home trades, taxes will be reset to an estimated annual amount of $245,000,” Adzem said.

Property118 | Double Your Money With Property Investment – Property Elevator #6

Property118 | Double Your Money With Property Investment – Property Elevator #6

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The heat is on for fire safety as officials urge seasonal precautions

The heat is on for fire safety as officials urge seasonal precautions

A fire last week in a Nisswa home — likely to have originated in the chimney — was an opportunity for Nisswa Fire Chief Shawn Bailey to remind residents of the importance of cleaning and checking chimneys before resuming use in the winter months.

The Nisswa Fire Department responded to the fire call on Clark Lake Road about 4:30 p.m. Nov. 19. Upon arrival, crews found the fire inside the home spreading, and while ensuring no one was inside, the wind fanned the flames, Bailey said.

“We had a wind off the pond back there that was feeding the fire and causing the fire to grow,” he said. “That was a little bit challenging. The fire was starving for oxygen when we got there. At first we weren’t sure if there was someone home. We went after a primary search, then fire extinguishment. After that, fire had spread through the attic space in the house and caused a lot of damage.”

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Once the building was confirmed empty, the crew — consisting of more than two dozen firefighters from Nisswa, Pequot Lakes and Mission Township — fought to extinguish the fire. Also present were North Memorial Health Ambulance, the Nisswa Police Department and Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office.

“We believe it started with a chimney fire,” he said. “Those are pretty common if people haven’t cleaned their chimneys. That’s what I recommend. Please get your chimney cleaned and checked every year, especially if you’re using it for primary heat.”

Furnaces, space heaters, wood stoves and candles are all common sources of wintertime fires as well. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety reported in 2020, 421 fires occurred in Minnesota because of heating equipment. Almost half of those — 197 — were caused by heating units like boilers and furnaces. Next in line, causing 192 fires were fireplaces and chimneys.

Fires are not inevitable, however. Precautions such as hiring a professional to check furnaces and fireplaces annually, ensuring items are not within 3 feet of space heaters and refraining from using the oven or stove as heating sources help to prevent dangerous and potentially life-threatening situations.

Despite taking precautions, homeowners may still experience a fire. The Department of Public Safety reports people inside a burning home typically have three to four minutes to escape because modern homes and furnishings can go up in flames quickly. A working smoke alarm improves the chances of safely exiting. Officials recommend testing alarms monthly and changing batteries twice a year.

Testing carbon monoxide alarms is a good idea as well, given fuel-burning appliances can malfunction and lead to deadly levels of the odorless, colorless gas.

Following are safety tips to keep in mind when using heating equipment.

Space heaters

  • Place heating devices 3 feet away from combustibles, including paper, drapery, bedding and clothing.

  • Space heaters need constant watching and should be turned off before bedtime or before leaving the house.

  • Drying mittens or other combustibles over a space or portable heater is a fire hazard.

  • Make sure all cords are in good shape and checked for any frays/breaks in the insulation surrounding the wires.

  • Check the cord and outlet for overheating. If it feels hot, turn it off.

Liquid-fueled and gas-burning heaters

  • Any heating appliance with an open flame needs to be vented to outside to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.

  • When using these types of heating devices, follow manufacturers’ instructions and recommendations.

  • Cool units before refueling; this should take place outside of the structure. Fuel must be stored in a container approved by the fire department and clearly marked with the fuel name.

Wood stoves

  • Follow manufacturers’ recommendations for proper installation, use and maintenance.

  • Properly ventilate the stove. Other household venting appliances can diminish proper venting. Test all other appliances (bathroom fans, stovetop venting, HVAC units, etc.) to ensure they don’t interfere with venting.

  • Maintain clearances around stoves, flue pipes and floors according to manufacturers’ recommendations.

  • Check all connections at the beginning of the heating season.

Fireplaces and wood-burning stoves

  • Chimneys need to be inspected by a professional sweep prior to the start of each heating season and periodically throughout the year.

  • Have chimneys cleaned if there is a buildup of creosote, which is a highly combustible chemical substance that forms when wood burns and builds up on the chimney wall.

  • Fireplace screens should be firmly in place while burning fires.

  • Burn only clean, well-seasoned, dry firewood in the fireplace.

  • Make sure home smoke detectors are installed and working.

Candle safety

Residential candle fires peak in December, and 2 out of every 5 home decoration fires are started by candles. Candles and open flames are the third-leading cause of Minnesota structure fires.

  • Choose flameless candles. Most offer the same flicker effect as real candles and come in scented varieties.

  • Keep traditional candles in a sturdy container that cannot be tipped over.

  • Extinguish candles before leaving the room or going to sleep.

  • Use flashlights — not candles — for emergency lighting if the power goes out.

Christmas tree safety

One of every 3 Christmas tree fires is caused by electrical problems, and Christmas tree fires are more likely to be fatal than other types of fires.

Holiday lights that show signs of fraying, bare wires or other wear should be thrown out.

  • Never block an exit with a Christmas tree.

  • Only use non-flammable decorations.

  • Keep trees away from heat vents and other heat sources.

  • Pick a tree stand that can hold the tree securely. The stand should hold enough water for two days.

  • Discard a tree when the needles are brittle or begin to fall off.

Sources: Homeland Security and Emergency Management division, Minnesota Department of Public Safety and Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office.

Echo Journal Staff Writer Travis Grimler contributed to this report.

Midlands families seeking community’s help after home fires

Midlands families seeking community’s help after home fires

STATEWIDE, S.C. (WIS) – One family in Richland County, and another family in Kershaw County are seeking assistance by the American Red Cross after their homes were damaged by fires Thursday.

One family’s home is located in Watermark Place in Columbia, near Riverbanks Zoo and Garden off Greystone Boulevard, and after the fire they are in need of clothing, food, shelter, and referrals for resources. The American Red Cross says the family includes three people.

The other family, according to the American Red Cross disaster-trained volunteers, includes two people in Camden who experienced a home fire on Lyttleton Street, near Camden High School Thursday afternoon.

The American Red Cross also says the holiday season is a good time to prepare and brush up on fire safety. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact communities, the American Red Cross says celebrations could be different this year, as well.

The Chief Executive Officer for the Red Cross of South Carolina, Rod Tolbert says home fires are a real threat to communities across the state over the Thanksgiving holiday.

“In particular, cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires, and year after year Thanksgiving is the peak day for these tragedies. We at the Red Cross are urging families to follow cooking safety steps to help prevent your holiday celebrations from going up in smoke,” Tolbert said.

The American Red Cross offers these safety tips to keep families safe this Thanksgiving and holiday season:

  • Keep an eye on what you fry. Never leave cooking food unattended. If you must leave the kitchen, even for a short period of time, turn off the stove.
  • Move items that can burn away from the stove. This includes dishtowels, bags, boxes, paper and curtains. Also keep children and pets at least three feet away.
  • Avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking.
  • Keep a pan lid or a cookie sheet nearby. Use it to cover the pan if it catches on fire. This will put out the fire. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.
  • Turn pot handles to the back of the stove, so no one bumps them or pulls them over.
  • Use a timer to remind yourself that the stove or oven is on. Check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving home to ensure all stoves, ovens and small appliances are turned off.

The American Red Cross also says testing your smoke alarms monthly and practicing a home fire escape plan until everyone can get out in less than two minutes is imperative. Two minutes is the amount of time you may have to get out of a burning home before it’s too late, according to the Red Cross.

There are ways to help families in need through the American Red Cross Hometown Hero program.

According to the American Red Cross, Hometown Heroes provides assistance so families financially, so they can pay for food, clothes, personal care items, and a safe place to stay.

Become a Hometown Hero by clicking here or visiting www.redcross.org/HometownHero.

Copyright 2021 WIS. All rights reserved.

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Home Improvement’s Zachery Ty Bryan Is Engaged: See the Ring

Home Improvement’s Zachery Ty Bryan Is Engaged: See the Ring

Home Improvement’s Zachery Ty Bryan Is Engaged
Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock

Congrats are in order! Zachery Ty Bryan is engaged — and he couldn’t be more thankful for his fiancée.

The Home Improvement alum, 40, made his recent engagement Instagram official on Wednesday, November 17, with a sweet post dedicated to his soon-to-be bride.

“You win some and you lose some,” he wrote alongside a photo of him hugging his lady love as she showed off her diamond ring. “I’m thankful for a win … finally!”

Bryan was previously married to his high school sweetheart, Carly Matros. The estranged pair, who called it quits in September 2020 after 14 years of marriage, share three daughters Taylor Simone, Gemma Rae and Jordana Nicole.

Following his separation, the former child star was arrested in October 2020 for allegedly strangling his then-girlfriend. In February, Us Weekly confirmed that Bryan agreed to a plea deal in the domestic violence case in which he pleaded guilty to menacing and fourth-degree assault.

Bryan received three years of probation and prosecutors agreed to drop six other charges against him, including strangulation and coercion. He also agreed to have no further contact with the alleged victim.

In recent months, the Dark Tourist actor has become known for his nostalgic Instagram posts featuring his former Home Improvement costar Jonathan Taylor Thomas. On the ABC sitcom, which ran from 1991 to 1999, Bryan played Brad, the oldest son of Tim Taylor (Tim Allen) and his wife, Jill Taylor (Patricia Richardson). Thomas, 40, starred as middle brother Randy, while Taran Noah Smith played youngest brother Mark.

In September, Bryan posted a throwback pic of him and JTT posing for the teen magazine 16 way back when. “The 2nd best looking guy in a photo of 2,” he jokingly captioned the shot in which the two teens stand side-by-side, their hands in the pockets of their acid-wash jeans.

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift actor also poked fun at his second-banana status to the ‘90s mega heartthrob. When someone asked whether he and Thomas still kept in touch, he responded in the comments, “Nah, never met him. He’s handsome tho, ya?”

Thomas and his TV older brother reunited back in 2013 at the Los Angeles premiere of Dark Tourist. One year prior, Bryan told Hollywood.com that he still kept in touch with both of his onscreen siblings. “I mainly stay in touch with Jonathan,” the First Kid actor said at the time. “We’ll go out, hang out for an evening, catch up. All good stuff. … I also keep in touch with Taran via Facebook.”

In September, Bryan hinted that he would be interested in reuniting with his Home Improvement family after a fan asked how cool it would be if he made a cameo on Allen’s History Channel show, Assembly Required, which the Toy Story actor, 68, stars on with fellow Home Improvement alum Richard Karn. “Pretty cool. Maybe NFT some of those projects,” Bryan wrote — or, maybe, the Taylor family can just reunite at his wedding.

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