thegardenisland.com
Friday, April 14, 2023 • B5
THE GARDEN ISLAND
Planting a meadow?
Heed conditions in your garden, yard
Jessica Damiano ASSOCIATED PRESS Wildflower meadows have been growing in popularity among gardeners, and for good reason. They’re low-maintenance and drought-tolerant, provide food for birds, wildlife, pollinators and other insects, and they’re pretty. Wildflowers are native plants, so your options will vary according to where you live. Start your search on the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s website (www.wildflower.org). Select your state, and narrow the search to other parameters like plant habit and sun exposure. Then browse the list for plants that strike your fancy. A typical meadow comprises roughly 60 percent native grasses and 40 percent flowering perennials, but there’s no harm in straying from that ratio. If you’d rather buy ready-made wildflower seed mixes formulated for your region, ensure that the species included are appropriate for the type of soil, sunlight and moisture conditions your garden provides. Don’t be fooled into believing you can just sprinkle the seeds and walk away. Soil prep is an essential first step for any garden, wild or not. Skip it, and
PHOTOS BY AMERICAN MEADOWS INC. VIA ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lush wildflower meadows are shown growing in place residential lawns. your results will likely disappoint. First, remove weeds and turfgrasses from the area. Digging them up would be the most labor-intensive way of doing this, and risks moving weed seeds to the surface, making the problem worse. An easier, often more effective strategy is to smother or solarize the existing vegetation, which requires patience. Layer cardboard over the lawn or weedy area, then cover it with 4-6 inches of mulch. The grass
and most of the weeds beneath it will suffocate by fall. Alternatively, cover the area with plastic sheeting or a tarp, and secure it with a stone or brick placed on each corner. This method can be quicker because as the plastic heats up, it essentially cooks the plants beneath it. In autumn (or next spring), turn the soil in the new bed and incorporate a modest amount of compost. If you have heavy clay soil, mix in sand to im-
prove drainage. Don’t add fertilizer (or use too much compost) because wildflowers prefer low soil fertility. Annual wildflower plants should be planted only in spring, to allow time for them to mature, produce and drop seeds, which will sprout the following year. Perennial plants, however, can be planted — and perennial and annual seeds sown — in fall. Most wildflower seeds are tiny, so combining one part of your seed mix with
10 parts of dry sand can make spreading them easier. Scattering by hand may be fine for small beds, but using a seed spreader is preferable in larger areas. To ensure the seeds make good contact with the soil, walk over them or pass over the area with a lawn roller, but don’t bury them. If you’re sowing in spring, keep the area lightly watered in the absence of rainfall, as the season’s warming temperatures will threaten
to dry them out. Expect annual species to flower the first year, but you may have to wait a year or two for perennials to bloom. In the meantime, keep the bed free of tall weeds, which could shade out your fledgling wildflowers. At the end of the growing season, leave your meadow standing to provide food and shelter for overwintering insects and wildlife. Mow it down in spring just before new growth begins.
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Average long-term mortgage rate drops a 5th straight week ASSOCIATED PRESS
The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate inched down for the Visit us in a branch or online at fifth straight week, positive news for potential home buyers and a real estate market that’s been Federally insured by NCUA. chilled by the Federal Reserve’s series of interest rate hikes the past year. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the average نzƺɯ ȅƺȅƫƺȸɀ ǔȒȸ ɵȒɖɎǝ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎ ȒȇǼɵِ kƏɖƏٻǣ I!È ɯǣǼǼ ȅƏǸƺ ɵȒɖȸ ˡȸɀɎ ƳƺȵȒɀǣɎ Ȓǔ ِדאڟɯǝƺȇ ɵȒɖ Ȓ on the benchmark 30-year rate Visit us in a branch or online at kauaicreditunion.org to learn how to get started ticked down to 6.27 percent from ȸƺȷɖǣȸƺƳ ɎȒ ȸƺƬƺǣɮƺ Ɏǝƺ ƫȒȇɖɀِ (ƺȵȒɀǣɎ ɯǣǼǼ ƫƺ ȅƏƳƺ ƏɎ Ɏǣȅƺ Ȓǔ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎ ȒȵƺȇǣȇǕِ xɖɀɎ ȅƏǣȇɎƏǣȇ Ə ȅǣȇ 6.28 percent the previous week. Visit us in a branch Federally insured by NCUA. ƺƏȸȇ ۏِȇȇɖƏǼ ¨ƺȸƬƺȇɎƏǕƺ çǣƺǼƳ Ȓȇ Ə ȵƺȸɀȒȇƏǼ ɀƏɮǣȇǕɀ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎِ ۏِǣɀ ƏƬƬɖȸƏɎƺ Əɀ Ȓǔ Ɏǝƺ ǼƏɀɎ Ƴǣɮ The average rate last year at this time was 5 percent. Federally insured b ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎِ çȒɖɎǝ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎ ȸƺȷɖǣȸƺɀ Əȇ ƏƳɖǼɎ זȒȸ ȒǼƳƺȸ Əɀ Ə ǴȒǣȇɎ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎِ The average long-term mortgage rate hit 7.08 percent in the fall — a two-decade high. The recent decline in mortgage ɖƏٻǣ I!È ɯǣǼǼ ȅƏǸƺ ɵȒɖȸ ˡȸɀɎ ƳƺȵȒɀǣɎ Ȓǔ ِדאڟɯǝƺȇ ɵȒɖ Ȓȵƺȇ Əȇ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎ ƫƺɎɯƺƺȇ ِבאٖבٖגٮבאٖٖגzȒ ȅǣȇǣȅɖȅ rates is good news for prospective نzƺɯ ȅƺȅƫƺȸɀ ǔȒȸ ɵȒɖɎǝ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎ ȒȇǼɵِ kƏɖƏٻǣ I!È ɯǣǼǼ ȅƏǸƺ ɵȒɖȸ ˡȸɀɎ ƳƺȵȒɀǣɎ Ȓǔ ِדאڟ ƫƺ ȅƏƳƺ ƏɎ Ɏǣȅƺ Ȓǔ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎ ȒȵƺȇǣȇǕِ xɖɀɎ ȅƏǣȇɎƏǣȇ Ə ȅǣȇǣȅɖȅ ƫƏǼƏȇƬƺ Ȓǔ ِדאڟɎȒ Ǹƺƺȵ Ɏǝƺ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎ Ȓȵƺȇ ƏȇƳ homebuyers, many of whom were pushed to the sidelines during the ȸƺȷɖǣȸƺƳ ɎȒ ȸƺƬƺǣɮƺ Ɏǝƺ ƫȒȇɖɀِ (ƺȵȒɀǣɎ ɯǣǼǼ ƫƺ ȅƏƳƺ ƏɎ Ɏǣȅƺ Ȓǔ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎ ȒȵƺȇǣȇǕِ xɖɀɎ ȅ ȸɀȒȇƏǼ ɀƏɮǣȇǕɀ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎِ ۏِǣɀ ƏƬƬɖȸƏɎƺ Əɀ Ȓǔ Ɏǝƺ ǼƏɀɎ ƳǣɮǣƳƺȇƳ ƳƺƬǼƏȸƏɎǣȒȇ ƳƏɎƺِ «ƏɎƺ ȅƏɵ ƬǝƏȇǕƺ ƏǔɎƺȸ ȒȵƺȇǣȇǕ past year, as the Federal Reserve ƺƏȸȇ ۏِȇȇɖƏǼ ¨ƺȸƬƺȇɎƏǕƺ çǣƺǼƳ Ȓȇ Ə ȵƺȸɀȒȇƏǼ ɀƏɮǣȇǕɀ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎِ ۏِǣɀ ƏƬƬɖȸƏɎƺ Əɀ זȒȸ ȒǼƳƺȸ Əɀ Ə ǴȒǣȇɎ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎِ raised its main lending rate nine straight times in a bid to beat back ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎِ çȒɖɎǝ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎ ȸƺȷɖǣȸƺɀ Əȇ ƏƳɖǼɎ זȒȸ ȒǼƳƺȸ Əɀ Ə ǴȒǣȇɎ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎِ stubborn, four-decade high inflation. Visit Though supply remains low, Visit us us in in a a branch branch or or online online at at kauaicreditunion.org kauaicreditunion.org to to learn learn how how to to get get started started home prices are retreating slightly, Visit us in a branchby or online at kauaicreditunion.org to learn how to get started another development that could Federally Federally insured insured by NCUA. NCUA. lure buyers back into the market. The national median home price Federally insured by NCUA. slipped 0.2 percent from February *New members for youth account only. Kaua‘i FCU will make your first deposit 2022 to $363,000, marking the first annual decline in 13 years, accordof $25.00 when you open an account between 4/1/23-4/30/23. No minimum ȒɖȇɎ ȒȇǼɵِ kƏɖƏٻǣ I!È ɯǣǼǼ ȅƏǸƺ ɵȒɖȸ ˡȸɀɎ ƳƺȵȒɀǣɎ Ȓǔ ِדאڟɯǝƺȇ ɵȒɖ Ȓȵƺȇ Əȇ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎ ƫƺɎɯƺƺȇ ِבאٖבٖגٮבאٖٖגzȒ ȅǣȇǣȅɖȅ ȒɖȇɎ ȒȇǼɵِ kƏɖƏٻǣ I!È ɯǣǼǼ ȅƏǸƺ ɵȒɖȸ ˡȸɀɎ ƳƺȵȒɀǣɎ Ȓǔ ِדאڟɯǝƺȇ ɵȒɖ Ȓȵƺȇ Əȇ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎ ƫƺɎɯƺƺȇ ِבאٖבٖגٮבאٖٖגzȒ ȅǣȇǣȅɖȅ ing to the National Association of required to receive the bonus. Deposit will be made at time of account opening. Realtors. ِ (ƺȵȒɀǣɎ ɯǣǼǼ ƫƺ ȅƏƳƺ ƏɎ Ɏǣȅƺ Ȓǔ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎ ȒȵƺȇǣȇǕِ xɖɀɎ ȅƏǣȇɎƏǣȇ Ə ȅǣȇǣȅɖȅ ƫƏǼƏȇƬƺ Ȓǔ ِדאڟɎȒ Ǹƺƺȵ Ɏǝƺ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎ Ȓȵƺȇ ƏȇƳ ِ (ƺȵȒɀǣɎ ɯǣǼǼ ƫƺ ȅƏƳƺ ƏɎ Ɏǣȅƺ Ȓǔ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎ ȒȵƺȇǣȇǕِ xɖɀɎ ȅƏǣȇɎƏǣȇ Ə ȅǣȇǣȅɖȅ ƫƏǼƏȇƬƺ Ȓǔ ِדאڟɎȒ Ǹƺƺȵ Ɏǝƺ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎ Ȓȵƺȇ ƏȇƳ ȒɖȇɎ ȒȇǼɵِ kƏɖƏٻǣ I!È ɯǣǼǼ ȅƏǸƺ ɵȒɖȸ ˡȸɀɎ ƳƺȵȒɀǣɎ Ȓǔ ِדאڟɯǝƺȇ ɵȒɖ Ȓȵƺȇ Əȇ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎ ƫƺɎɯƺƺȇ ِבאٖבٖגٮבאٖٖגzȒ ȅǣȇǣȅɖȅ Rising borrowing costs can add Must maintain a minimum balance of $25.00 to keep the account open and earn ƺ çǣƺǼƳ Ȓȇ Ə ȵƺȸɀȒȇƏǼ ɀƏɮǣȇǕɀ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎِ ۏِǣɀ ƏƬƬɖȸƏɎƺ Əɀ Ȓǔ Ɏǝƺ ǼƏɀɎ ƳǣɮǣƳƺȇƳ ƳƺƬǼƏȸƏɎǣȒȇ ƳƏɎƺِ «ƏɎƺ ȅƏɵ ƬǝƏȇǕƺ ƏǔɎƺȸ ȒȵƺȇǣȇǕ hundreds of dollars a month in ƺ çǣƺǼƳ Ȓȇ Ə ȵƺȸɀȒȇƏǼ ɀƏɮǣȇǕɀ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎِ ۏِǣɀ ƏƬƬɖȸƏɎƺ Əɀ Ȓǔ Ɏǝƺ ǼƏɀɎ ƳǣɮǣƳƺȇƳ ƳƺƬǼƏȸƏɎǣȒȇ ƳƏɎƺِ «ƏɎƺ ȅƏɵ ƬǝƏȇǕƺ ƏǔɎƺȸ ȒȵƺȇǣȇǕ ِ (ƺȵȒɀǣɎ ɯǣǼǼ ƫƺ ȅƏƳƺ ƏɎ Ɏǣȅƺ Ȓǔ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎ ȒȵƺȇǣȇǕِ xɖɀɎ ȅƏǣȇɎƏǣȇ Ə ȅǣȇǣȅɖȅ ƫƏǼƏȇƬƺ Ȓǔ ِדאڟɎȒ Ǹƺƺȵ Ɏǝƺ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎ Ȓȵƺȇ ƏȇƳ 0.10% Annual Percentage Yield on a personal savings account. 0.10% is accurate costs for homebuyers and cooled ǣȸƺɀ Əȇ ƏƳɖǼɎ זȒȸ ȒǼƳƺȸ Əɀ Ə ǴȒǣȇɎ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎِ ǣȸƺɀ Əȇ ƏƳɖǼɎ זȒȸ ȒǼƳƺȸ Əɀ Ə ǴȒǣȇɎ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎِ ƺ çǣƺǼƳ Ȓȇ Ə ȵƺȸɀȒȇƏǼ ɀƏɮǣȇǕɀ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎِ ۏِǣɀ ƏƬƬɖȸƏɎƺ Əɀ Ȓǔ Ɏǝƺ ǼƏɀɎ ƳǣɮǣƳƺȇƳ ƳƺƬǼƏȸƏɎǣȒȇ ƳƏɎƺِ «ƏɎƺ ȅƏɵ ƬǝƏȇǕƺ ƏǔɎƺȸ ȒȵƺȇǣȇǕ as of the last dividend declaration date. Rate may change after opening account. off a red-hot housing market. Before surging 14.5 percent in FebruYouth account requires an adult 18 or older as a joint account. ǣȸƺɀ Əȇ ƏƳɖǼɎ זȒȸ ȒǼƳƺȸ Əɀ Ə ǴȒǣȇɎ ƏƬƬȒɖȇɎِ ary, sales of existing homes had fallen for 12 straight months to the slowest pace in more than a dozen years.
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