Home Sweet Solutions

Creating a colorful spring display by planting bulbs in fall is a task gardeners love. For one, it reminds us that spring will come again in the not-too-distant future. It’s also a simple and inexpensive way to give a lackluster yard instant personality.

A parade of cheery flowering bulbs along the path to the front door, for example, or beside the garage, where visitors spot them every time they come and go, will boost your home’s curb appeal.

Bulbs that can be planted in fall include tulips, crocuses, daffodils, and hyacinths. Tulips, everybody’s favorite, can last several years providing plenty of color. And cheery daffodils naturalize or multiply allowing us to transform even those larger trouble spots.

If you haven’t started yet, there’s still time: Bulbs can be planted right up until the ground freezes. A little soil preparation and a small bit of digging is all it takes. Here’s how to fashion your fabulous spring bed or border.

What You’ll Need

Bulbs (all one kind or an assortment)

Organic matter, such as compost or manure

Trowel, bulb-planting tool or shovel

 

Directions

1. Select a sunny, well-drained location (not one where water gathers).

2. If your location is not an already established garden site, prepare the soil by adding several inches of compost or organic matter. Look for natural organic soil enhancer or all-organic manure at your local hardware store.  

3. Dig a trench to plant a bed or dig individual holes. Check package labels to determine depth and spacing. In general, a hole should be about two to three times as deep as the width of the bulb. Figure about 8 inches deep for larger bulbs (e.g., tulips) and about 5 inches deep for smaller bulbs (e.g., hyacinths). As a rule of thumb, bigger bulbs are spaced farther apart.

4. Place the bulbs in the holes pointy side facing up. Refill the hole with soil and lightly tamp down. Water.

5. Cover your planted areas with 4 to 6 inches of mulched leaves, bark or straw to protect them from thawing and freezing cycles.

Design Considerations

• Plant sizable groups of same-variety bulbs. Think 12 of the larger kind or 50 of a smaller kind. And think of it like a class photo: Plant tall-growing bulbs in back, low-growing bulbs in front.

• Keep the color going by planting bulbs that bloom early, midseason and late. Make the colors pop by planting the bulbs in front of evergreen or foundation plantings. And mark spots in your yard that you look at from inside the house so you can fill them with color.
• Think about the look you want. A more formal path will benefit from straight rows of flowers. A casual garden is the ideal place for irregular groupings.

Almost 15 percent of an average household’s energy consumption can be traced back to the water heater. That's significant, so having an energy-efficient model in your home can make a difference in your quality of life -- and your wallet -- in the long run. 

IS IT TIME TO REPLACE YOUR WATER HEATER?
It might be, if you've had it for 8 to 12 years. This estimate varies, however, depending on where you live and the severity of your local weather, your unit’s design, and the quality of installation and maintenance it has received.

Generally, if your water heater is more than 10 years old, leaks around the base of the tank or works erratically or not at all, you should probably replace it.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT WATER HEATER FOR YOUR HOME
When it’s time to replace your water heater, follow these easy steps to take the guesswork out of selecting the right unit for your home.

Step No. 1: Calculate capacity.
For a water heater with a storage tank, compare its first hour rating (the FHR is listed on the yellow EnergyGuide label) to peak demand for the fixtures and appliances it will serve. Here’s how:

• To figure peak demand, use this handy worksheet from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
• Choose a water heater with an FHR within 1 or 2 gallons of your peak demand.

For tankless (demand) water heaters, look at:

• Flow rate Add up the amount of hot water that your fixtures and appliances will draw at the same time, and choose a water heater with the same or a higher flow rate, typically 2 to 5 gallons per minute (gpm).
• Temperature rise is how much the water heater will need to warm incoming groundwater to reach the desired temperature for use. Groundwater that is warmer or cooler than the average of 60 F will influence flow rate.

Step No. 2: Choose the fuel type.
Determine whether you need a gas water heater or an electric one, depending on the fuel source in your home. To compare water heaters, use the estimated annual operating cost on the yellow EnergyGuide label. This number is based on a national average for fuel costs. To refine the estimate, consult your local utilities for fuel costs and use this DOE calculator.

Step No. 3: Factor in efficiency to save money. 
The higher the water heater’s energy factor (the EF is listed in the manufacturer and retailer product information), the more efficiently the appliance uses energy. Water heaters with an EnergyStar rating meet or exceed energy-efficiency standards set by the DOE and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These are some of the newest types of energy-efficient water heaters:

• Hybrid water heaters supplement electric heating with a heat pump and can cut energy bills in half. An evaporator and fans on top of the unit pull in ambient air and transfer heat to the water.
• Gas-condensing water heaters capture heat from exhaust fumes and transfer it to the water.
• High-efficiency gas storage heaters offer some energy savings by means of extra insulation, heat traps, efficient burners and perhaps a power vent.
• Tankless (demand) heaters save as much as 30 percent on energy costs by eliminating the standby heat loss of a storage tank. When you turn on the tap, water flows past a heat exchanger and is quickly warmed to a preset temperature.

Step No. 4: Focus on features.
Anything that makes your new water heater safer, easier and more efficient is worth considering. Think about:

• The location and visibility of hookups and controls.
• Multiple settings, such as energy-saving and vacation modes, that can help control energy costs.
• Sealed combustion and power vents that increase safety on gas water heaters.
• Low NOx models that reduce environment-harming emissions from gas water heaters.

Step No. 5: Confirm your choice.
Installation requirements -- such as wiring, venting and clearances -- vary greatly among water heaters. Before you buy, run your top picks by a qualified installer who can verify that they are right for your home and can estimate installation costs.