District LOCAL LIVING
5
DC
the checklist
March, time to put your house (and garden) in order
1
Clean closets
Spring officially begins March 21, a Sunday this year. So that you’re free to celebrate that day in the most appropriate
place (outdoors), devote a cold, rainy day earlier in the month to one of the spring-cleaning rituals that still makes sense:
Clean out your closets, or tackle the one or two in the worst shape. A few tips:
a71 Take out everything and sort it. Recycle whatever you don’t need.
a71 Vacuum all the crevices.
a71 If you don’t have a system that allows you to use the space efficiently, switch to high and low rods or install shelves
above, below or to the side of hanging garments.
a71 If clothes are dusty, briefly tumble them in a dryer before you put them back.
Tune up your air conditioner
While the weather’s still cool, schedule a heating and air conditioning company to tune up your air conditioner.
Maintenance should include checking the components, lubricating fans and motors, tightening or changing belts, testing
the capacitors and crankcase heater, and calibrating the thermostat.
You can also do a few things yourself. Clear leaves, grass clippings, pollen and other debris from the screen of the
condensing unit. Clean out the condensate hose so it doesn’t become blocked with algae. And keep an eye out for drip
marks on the compressor and tubes; these could point to a leak.
2
Tidy up the garden
3
As the weather warms and days lengthen, head outside for a big spring cleanup. After the record snowstorms
last month, there’s probably far more to do than usual.
a71 Clip off spent perennial foliage, and rake leaves.
a71 If you have a backyard compost system, stockpile those “browns” for the soon-to-come day when you’ll have an
overabundance of “green” garden trimmings. Then you can make compost by layering them in approximately
equal amounts into your compost bin or pile.
For specific advice on repairing or replacing trees and shrubs, see Adrian Higgins’s gardening column in next
week’s Local Living.
Plant natives
If you want more birds or butterflies in your garden, consider adding native plants, which produce nectar
and fruit when the creatures need it most. The U.S. National Arboretum (202-245-4521, usna.usda.gov) is
THE W
sponsoring a native plant symposium March 27 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The $89 fee includes early
admission to a native plant sale in a tent area across from the Bonsai Museum the same day. If you want to
skip the symposium and just shop, you can get into the sale free from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Regional nurseries ASHINGTON POST
bring the plants, so attending is one way to do all of your shopping in one trip.
If you live in Fairfax County, you can order bare-root seedlings of native trees and shrubs through the
Northern Virginia Soil & Water Conservation District (703-324-1460,
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/nvswcd). The
plants are small but easier to plant than container-grown specimens, and they aren’t as likely to have root
problems. Plus, with six of these seedlings going for $10.95 and 10 bare-root shrubs for $15.95, you can grow4
a whole landscape for what you might spend on one large potted tree or shrub.
•
THURSD
5
Gather ideas
Looking for inspiration for landscaping a small space or outfitting it for entertaining? Or do you want to learn about home
A
improvements that can lower utility bills? You’ll find plenty of tips for these and other issues at the Washington Home & Garden
Y
,
Show this weekend at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center (801 Mount Vernon Pl. NW). The hours are Friday 11 a.m. to 9
MARCH
p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Adult admission is $12, but you can print a $3 discount coupon good
for the first day from the event’s Web site,
www.washingtonhomeandgardenshow.com.
— Jeanne Huber
11,
ILLUSTRATIONS BY LINDA HELTON FOR THE WASHINGTON POST; LIGHT BULB FROM ISTOCK; BUTTERFLY AND TOOLS FROM BIGSTOCKPHOTO
20
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