Waukesha County Home

HOME SEPTEMBER 2019 4 SALE FREE ESTIMATES 265655001 FREE FINANCING** Greenfield 4820 W. Loomis Rd. 414.744.9400 Waukesha 2142 E. Moreland Blvd. 262.524.1455 Tomorrow's Flooring Today Locally Owned & Operated www.stusflooring.com *Material & Residential only. **With approved credit. Not valid with any other offer, sale or prior purchase. See store for details. Expires 9/30/19 up to 15% OFF Laminates, Luxury Vinyl & Sheet Vinyl * SPECIAL Fast-growing vegetables for the impatient gardener Stepping outdoors and picking a freshly grown veg- etable is a joy for many homeowners who like to garden. Growing vegetables at home offers many benefits. In addition to providing a worthwhile hobby that can increase your physical activity, having control over your own produce can reduce exposure to a num- ber of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. This trans- lates into foods that are healthier for the body and the environment. Gardens also can help the average person save money on often costly produce, all the while reducing gardeners' carbon footprints. Waiting to reap the rewards of a harvest can try the patience of those accus- tomed to satisfying their needs on a moment's notice. This is especially true for young gardeners who have grown up in a society that increasingly provides immediate gratification. While tomatoes, peppers and watermelons require long growing seasons, many other fruits and vegetables grow much faster. This offers plenty of bounty in a short time for those who may have gotten a later start on their gardens or simply don't have the patience to wait on the more time-consuming growers. ■ Arugula: Some people call arugula "rocket" because of just how quickly it grows. The green has been growing in popularity as a salad starter or veg- etable side dish. Simply cut the leaves when they are large enough and as needed for recipes. Other fast-grow- ing greens include kale, chard mustard greens and watercress. ■ Radishes: Radishes are typically ready for harvest about one month after planting, making them among the fastest-growing vegetables around. ■ Snap beans: Beans can be steamed, added to salads or eaten raw with dips. They're often a summer sta- ple. Some of the fastest pro- ducers are ready to harvest in about 50 days. ■ Turnips: Both the roots and the leaves of turnips can be eaten, and this old- fashioned vegetable makes a great addition to soups and stews. Because the plants tend to be tolerant across many gardening zones, they're handy and easy-to-grow even as the weather cools. ■ Squash: Don't mistake the squash in the garden for cucumber. Both look simi- lar but green squash, or zuc- chini, can be much more versatile. Zucchini can be grilled, baked, sautéed, stuffed, fried, and even turned into noodles. ■ Green onions: To add fresh flavor to foods, green onions (scallions) grow much more quickly than it takes onion bulbs to mature. Speak with a garden cen- ter expert to learn more about which vegetables, fruits and herbs grow quickly and will thrive in your home garden. With autumn around the corner, it's that time home- owners wage battle with leaves in their gutters. "To drastically alleviate this biannual chore and save a substantial amount of time in the process, home- owners should consider installing a Gutter Topper system on their home," said Lance Dahl, senior sales rep- resentative –— exterior products with Callen Con- struction in Muskego. The system features 11 strategically placed curves that allow water to grip onto the front end of the gutter and flow through the slots that are located directly underneath. It improves water flow, discourages pre- mature rust, protects the home's structure, deters creatures from building nests, and mitigates the for- mation of ice dams. Open gutter systems can clog easily when leaves and branches fall into them, especially if the gutters aren't cleaned out regularly. "Conversely, Gutter Top- per is designed to keep debris out of your gutters so that a steady water flow is maintained," said Dahl. "More specifically, when debris falls onto the flat sur- face of a Gutter Topper sys- tem, it remains there until it dries up and eventually blows onto the ground in an innocuous manner." Gutter Topper ensures only water makes its way around the gutter's curved edge and through the slots below, he added. Soggy leaves and other debris in gutters are more than capable of instigating the corrosion process, plus mold can form over time. If water is not flowing safely away from the home, then it can pool around a home's foundation and weaken it. Water can even find its way inside a home. Moreover, clogged gutters are prone to sagging and can eventually tear away from the home's fascia boards, which jeopardizes the roof and siding. Severe weather will only exacerbate these problems. Dahl said Gutter Topper can sustain 22 inches of rain per hour as well as wind speeds as high as 110 mph. Animal nests are another reason not to overlook gutter maintenance. Open gutters are particularly susceptible to animals such as birds and squirrels because they can easily enter the gutter and use debris to form nests. Dahl said the system ensures they cannot harm the gutters since they are too large to fit through the slots underneath the gutter's edge. Leafy greens can be fast-growing additions to a home vegetable garden. Hard to top aid against leaves Callen Construction highlights the benefits of Gutter Topper system

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