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really have to : wonder about *â€"some people these days. Here are perfectly sane individuals, many running big corpoâ€" rations, who seem to go brain dead when it comes to selling their homes. Fix up and add value to a home Wish List Just for fun I asked a few of these worldlyâ€"wise people to draw up a wish list of items they think might increase the value of their homes. I heard everyâ€" thing from putting in a dog kennel, to building a threeâ€" car garage, so at "to water or _ not to k. water? That is the question, especially when summer‘s searing heat _ threatens havoc on your yard. Luckily, it‘s not a trick quesâ€" fion. In . fact, depending on the situation, either answer is the right choice. â€" Here‘s why: To water, or not to water Most _ lawns need about an inch of water every five to seven days durâ€" ing mowing seaâ€" son. Some of this will certainly come from spring or summer showers, which you can measure with a rain gauge. But if nature â€" doesn‘t cooperate, you might begin to notice telltale sings of thirst: + The lawn turns a bluishâ€" green color. e Footprints show in the yard as you walk on it. * Eventually, the grass turns brown and the soil is hard _ and cracked. By now, you have an important decision to make: water as soon as possible or don‘t water at all. Most kinds of grass can survive o e c as tFo n al droughts. In fact, arid conditions may even kill w aterâ€"loving weeds and discourâ€" age diseases. If the least they‘d have room for one car. The best, however, was the gentleman who thought that including a full time housekeeper was a great idea! Couldn‘t you just see the ad in the real estate section? "This little charmer comes with pressed shirts and three meals a day!" Needless to say, these people are not in the mainâ€" stream of the real estate industry these days. With the help of a good realtor, most recognize the obvious priorities ‘A once in a while sprinâ€" kling promotes a cycle or growth and dormancy that can actually harm your lawn.‘ weather forecast calls for an extendâ€" ed dry spell and water is expensive or rationed, then you might decide not to water your lawn at all. ing so that wate droplets on the blades will evapo rate by sundown These droplets can harbor disease causing organisms so you want then This â€" option, believe it or not, is preferable to givâ€" ing your yard just an _ occasional watering. A once in a while sprinâ€" kling promotes a cycle or growth and dormancy that can actually harm your lawn. Roots use food to grow when water is available. When all available water has been used for growing and for making and storing food, the grass goes dorâ€" mant. This pattern, if set irregularly, can weaken your lawn and make it more susceptible to damage from stressful condiâ€" tions. With this in mind, if water is available and affordable, water your yard thorâ€" oughly and reguâ€" larly as soon as it shows signs of thirst. A few simâ€" ple guidelines will ensure your lawn makes the most of every drop. First, â€" water early in the mornâ€" to consider when fixing, adding or improving a home. During boom time in the ‘80‘s converting a bedâ€" room into a sumpâ€" tuous master bath was the thing to do. Now, the ©90‘s finds us replacing furnaces and installing energy saving upgrades. Not a dog kennel in sight! That is not to ing so that water droplets on the blades will evapoâ€" rate by sundown. These droplets can harbor diseaseâ€" causing organisms, so you want them to dry as quickly as possible. Mow on the bigh side: higher grass blades will shade the soil and slow evaporation of water from the soil. Return grass clippings to the lawn as you mow. The finely chopped clippings can form a thin compost layer and help hold moisture. In fact, clippings are 85 per cent water; they decomâ€" pose to feed that grass roots, withâ€" out adding to a thatch problem. Next, â€" gauge how long it takes to water your lawn by using a few flatâ€"bottomed plasâ€" tic _ containers. Make a mark one inch from the botâ€" tom of each conâ€" tainer. Spread the containers throughout your yard and time how long it takes to fill them to the oneâ€" inch mark. Then water for that length of time once a week during the growing season. Remember, say that cosmetics don‘t count anyâ€" more. Au conâ€" traire! Topping the list was giving the inside of the house a face lift â€" paintâ€" ing ceilings, walls and trim, applying wall coverings and reâ€"carpeting strateâ€" gic high traffic areas. Winning Addition On the exterior, a proven winning when your summer starts to simmer, your lawn could wither. So water regularly and you‘ll have a healthy, attractive lawn... come rain or shine! Now for a few questions: How does soil affect watering? Sandy soils are characterized by large pores that hold very little water. These soils should be watered more frequently, but with less water since it drains away so quickly. On the other hand, clay soils have tiny pores that hold a great deal of water but don‘t drain very fast. So be careful not to overâ€" water clayâ€"based lawns: too much water could make your lawn suscepâ€" tible to root rot and other diseases. I‘ve â€" always heard you shouldn‘t â€"mow your yard when it‘s wet. Why not? Mowing wet grass can compact dump soil, preâ€" venting the moveâ€" ment of air and water into the ground. This could contribute to thatch buildâ€"up and spread fungus disease. _ More importantly, you shouldn‘t mow a wet lawn to avoid slipping or falling, particularly _ if you‘re using a w a l k â€" be h in d addition is a good landscaping packâ€" age. It can add thousands of dolâ€" lars to the value of any home. When disâ€" cussing the exteriâ€" or, a well mainâ€" tained driveway is essential as it creâ€" ates a good first impression. Grass growing between interlocking bricks or â€" cracks ~ in asphalt is a real turn off upon approach. It is interesting to note that many of the perceived bells and whistles didn‘t even get a mention. Items like skylights â€" Tracinski is conâ€" sumer information manager for the John Deere Lawn Grounds Care Division and a Certified Master Gardener. * Purchasers interested in a 4 bedroom Bronte house in the $210,000 price range. * Purchaser looking for a $200,000 2 or 3 bedroom home on large lot. * Purchaser looking for an 8â€"10 acre horse farm with 3 or 4 bedrooms. "CGOOD AS GOLD® (905) 845â€"9180 Sales Representative * CGall for Free Market Evaluation * nice but not top on the list. Swimming pools â€" too much maintenance and sometimes a worry with small kids around. Hot tubs, nah, passe! RF/Z ABXK m I had a real Professional offices available in downtown Oakville. 300 sq. ft. to 4,200 sq. ft. â€" light, bright, modern. Choice of excellent suites. Call IAN DARROCHK 842â€"7000. (905) 845â€"9180 chuckle when one of my relatives from _ Sudbury piped up that vinyl siding would be a perk. Believe me I‘ve been â€" to Sudbury and she‘s right! Just north of Oakville on sixth line. Two storey, two bedroom updated house with open concept main floor. Situated well back on picturesque lot. ROLLING HILLS â€" 1.03 ACRES Ian or Linda 418â€"2 North Service Rd. E. Janice Johnston is President of Adcom Advertising and Design which specializes in resiâ€" dential marketing. Adcom is located at 440 Reynolds St. in Oakville.