Gardening Trends for 2010: ‘Smart and Green’

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Jennifer Smith starts each new year raking around and digging up what’s likely to be “hot” in landscapes and gardens during the months ahead.

“We’ve always got a few new plant releases and a few new tools for every growing season. One or two items may gain popularity through an infomercial. This year’s trends, however, are also indicating some real culture shifts,” said Smith, horticulturist with Kansas State University Research and Extension.

Her predictions for what will be “in” in 2010 include:

1.  More fruits and veggies -- even if that requires adding some edibles to existing landscape beds, planting them instead of annual flowers, or plowing up and gardening part of the lawn. Fresh-picked taste, money saved, self-satisfaction and food safety will all drive this on-going change.

Spurring it along will be last year’s upside-down tomato planter, as well as Topsy Turvy containers for strawberries, hot peppers, and a combination of tomatoes and herbs. To help gardeners grow lettuce and basil year-round in their home, the market will be offering tiny indoor gardens with their own grow light.

2. More green – a rapidly building trend toward more eco-friendly yards, which this year will bring more containers made from recycled materials, more electric-powered equipment, and more native or near-native plants that need few to no chemicals to thrive.

3. More gadgets – tools for today’s technology junkies, ranging from robotic lawn mowers to gardening applications for smartphones.

4. Tropical foliage plants in the landscape – which in Kansas may mean moving houseplants outdoors for summer, using tropicals as annual plants, and/or planting more tender bulbs (e.g., giant elephant ears, caladiums, calla lilies).

5. Moving-water sounds without pond maintenance -- bubbling fountains and/or pondless waterfalls. The fountains will also provide water to attract pest-controlling songbirds.

6. Smarter irrigation controls – whether person- or technology-driven. For the latter, weather stations that work with irrigation systems are becoming both smaller and more affordable.

Tips Help Build Emergency Fund, Financial Security

MANHATTAN, Kan. -- No one plans to have an emergency, yet most people will face unexpected expenses in their lifetime from an accident, illness, car repair, storm damage, or, in these economic times, a job loss or reduced hours, said Carol Young, Kansas State University Research and Extension financial management specialist.

Emergencies are typically unpredictable, and there's no telling how much expense will be involved, she said.

And, those who are without an emergency fund or other savings to draw from will face added stresses in seeking a bank loan on short notice (and without time to shop for the best loan rate) or, in Young's opinion, worse yet, running up a credit card bill -- and adding the cost of interest to the cost of the bill. 

Saving the equivalent of six months' salary is suggested as a long-term goal in building an emergency fund, but, for many who are struggling in the current economic climate, such a goal might seem unattainable, she said.  

Still, Young said: "It's important to make saving a habit," and noted that saving a minimum of $10 a week for a year can yield a $520 base for an emergency fund. In two years' time, the balance could exceed $1,000.

To jumpstart an emergency fund, consider designating all or part of any income tax refund to an interest bearing account using IRS form 8888, Young said.

"There's a tendency for taxpayers to think of an income tax refund as a gift," said Young, who explained that a tax refund means the taxpayer has overpaid and provided an interest-free loan to the government. 

If a taxpayer is entitled to a refund, the financial management specialist advises filing electronically and opting for direct deposit into an interest-bearing savings account to reclaim money due and access funds as quickly as possible. 

Filing electronically and early in the tax season can shorten the waiting time for a refund to as little as 2-3 weeks. Taxpayers also are encouraged to avoid the temptation of paying the tax preparer for a high-interest, refund-anticipation loan that will diminish the value of the refund. 

While some people earmark income tax refunds for short- or long-term goals, if a refund is substantial ($1,000 or more), Young recommends contacting a worksite human resources financial professional to adjust withholding to better match tax liability.

Ideally, she said, deductions should be adjusted to put the overpayment in the monthly budget throughout the year and add to savings.

More tips on managing money successfully and building financial security are available at county and district K-State Research and Extension offices and online at www.ksre.ksu.edu/financialmanagement/ and www.kansassaves.org.

Grain Nutrition Focus of First Centennial Lecture

MANHATTAN, Kan. -- Kansas State University’s Department of Grain Science and Industry will kick off its Centennial Celebration Lecture Series with a renowned expert in grain foods and nutrition on Feb. 17 at 2 p.m. in the Hale Library Hemisphere Room.

Grains of Truth: Separating Grain Nutrition Myths & Facts” will be the focus for speaker Julie Miller Jones, nutrition science advisor to government, the food industry and the International Life Sciences Institute.

Research has associated grains -- particularly whole grains and the cereal fiber they contain -- with the reduction of such chronic diseases as obesity, coronary disease, diabetes and certain kinds of cancers, Jones said.

Yet, grains and whole grains are eschewed by some consumers for a variety of reasons,” she added. “The reasons can include allergies and gluten intolerance, an avoidance of refined or wheat products, concerns about such componentsas high fructose corn syrup, adherence to such regimens as low carbohydrate or Paleolithic diets, or the simple omission of breakfast.”

The nutritionist will address those concerns, as well as the health-promoting aspects of grains and whole grains.

Jones has received the highest honors bestowed by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, while also serving as a judge for the annual James Beard awards, which recognize the best U.S. chefs, restaurants and cookbooks. During her 35-year career at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minn., she won repeated teaching awards, plus became known as a leading advocate for public health education and for women in the sciences and technology.

More information about the Centennial Celebration Lecture Series, its upcoming speakers and the department’s 100-year history is available on the Web at www.grains.ksu.edu/centennial.

Kansas Environmental Leadership Program Names New Class Members



MANHATTAN, Kan. – The Kansas Environmental Leadership Program (KELP) has named its class of 2010 members.

The members, in alphabetical order and including their community, are: Libby Albers, Newton; Dane Baxa, Wichita; Jenni Carr, Atlanta; Jerry Clasen, Nickerson; Alice Hannon, Overland Park; Janet Meyer, Abilene; S. Kim Nettleton, Miller; and Roberta Spencer, Holton.

Class members will participate in five training sessions held in several communities throughout the state over a 10-month period.

The sessions are designed to help members hone their leadership skills and learn about the environment and water resources in Kansas, said Judy Willingham, KELP coordinator. The program is administered through the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at Kansas State University.

More information about the Kansas Environmental Leadership Program is available on its Web site: www.ksre.ksu.edu/kelp/ or by contacting Willingham at 785-532-2936 or email kelp@ksu.edu.

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