2020 August/September
Pg 8 - The Sunshine Express
Home & Garden
Learning how to grow spearmint isn¡¯t much
different than growing other mint plants
Spearmint is a hardy perennial up to USDA plant
hardiness Zone 5 that grows best in partial shade
with well-draining, rich, moist soil and a pH of 6.5
to 7.
Mint is easiest to grow from plants, but you can
sow seed once the ground has warmed in the
spring. Keep seeds moist until they germinate and
thin plants to 1 foot (30 cm.) apart.
Spearmint, once planted takes off quickly and can
take over quickly as well.
Many people question how to plant spearmint due
to its invasive nature. Some cautious gardeners
grow spearmint in hanging baskets or containers
to avoid having to pull out runners constantly.
Another way to plant spearmint if you want it in
the garden is to plant it in a 5-gallon (18 kl.)pot
with the bottom cut out. This will help keep the
runners of growing spearmint plants from invading
other spots of your garden.
Care of Spearmint
As with most types of mint, the care of spearmint
is easy.
Mint in the garden should be mulched annually to
keep the roots cool and moist.
Potted mint does best when fertilized monthly dur-
ing the growing season with a liquid fertilizer.
Divide plants every two years to keep them
healthy. Prune potted plants regularly to keep neat
and tidy.
If you live in an area with very cold winters, it is
best to bring potted spearmint indoors and place
in a sunny window.
Read more at Gardening Know How:
www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/mint/
growing-spearmint-plants.htm
First Lady Melania Trump Announces
Plans to Restore and Enhance
the White House Rose Garden
July 27, 2020: First Lady Melania Trump is
pleased to announce a significant renewal of the
White House Rose Garden this summer.
The restoration of this historic garden is a
much-anticipated project meant to improve one
of the most iconic locations on the White House
grounds.
The final design plan is the result of a collabo-
ration by two premier landscape architecture
firms, Perry Guillot, Inc and Oehme, van Swe-
den & Associates/OvS.
The plan will provide a renewal of the design
first implemented by Rachel Lambert ¡°Bunny¡±
Mellon during the Kennedy Administration,
which has been the guiding blueprint for the
Rose Garden since that installation in 1962.
Decades of use and necessary changes made to
support the modern presidency have taken a toll
on the garden and have made it more difficult to
appreciate the elegant symmetry of the Mellon
plan.
The refreshment of the Rose Garden will return
it to its original ¡®62 footprint and help ensure it
will thrive with improved infrastructure, better
drainage, and a healthier environment for plant-
ings that reduce the risk of leaf blight.
In addition, the plans include improved Ameri-
cans with Disabilities Act accessibility, utilities,
and support for audiovisual and broadcasting
needs that will allow for the continued enjoy-
ment of the garden¡¯s natural beauty and storied
history.
¡°The very act of planting a garden involves hard
work and hope in the possibility of a bright
How To Grow Spearmint
Refreshing The Rose Garden
future,¡± said First Lady Melania Trump.
¡°Preserving the history and beauty of the White
House and its grounds is a testament to our na-
tion¡¯s commitment to the care of this landscape
and our dedication to American ideals, safe-
guarding them for our children and their children
for generations to come.¡±
The plan for renewal went through the approval
process of the Committee for the Preservation
of the White House (CPWH) and aligned with the
recommendations of their sub-committee, Com-
mittee for the Preservation of the White House
Gardens (CPWHG).
As the honorary chairwoman of CPWH, the First
Lady established CPWHG to ensure the standards
of the Rose Garden are maintained and ensure
scholarship and research went into its renewal.
The project is supported by the National Park
Service, who has cared for the White House and
its grounds since 1933, and funded with private
donations.
DIY Landscaping
Without Spending a Fortune
Hi Taylor - I¡¯ve got high hopes for fixing up my
yard this summer, but I¡¯m starting to worry I
don¡¯t have the money to make these dreams
come true. Do you have any advice for a DIY
landscaper who wants things to look good with-
out spending a fortune? - Jared
Hey Jared - This sounds like a worthy goal and
I¡¯d love to help. I wouldn¡¯t describe myself as a
green thumb, but I have some ideas about how
you can spruce things up in a cost-effective way.
1. Use what you have. It sounds like you¡¯re
ready to put in some time and effort, and lazi-
ness is usually what causes people to overspend
on these types of projects. It¡¯s really easy to
drop $300 on the materials needed to make a
fancy flower bed, whereas it takes a little more
time to find old household items that can be
deconstructed and repurposed. However, if you
waterproof shelves from old desks or place the
bars of an old bed frame in the right place, you
can create some neat visuals without even going
to the store. Think about creating clear, defined
areas using whatever materials you have around
and then getting affordable plants to make ev-
erything look a little nicer.
2. Add some lighting. I¡¯m constantly impressed
by what you can do with well placed Christmas
lights. There¡¯s no reason your yard can¡¯t look
good at night as well as during the day, and us-
ing a strand of cheap lights to either line a walk-
way or decorate some shrubs can go a long way.
You don¡¯t have to leave them plugged in and
wasting power throughout the day. These small
lights are also a great way to fight frost when the
temperature starts dropping below 30 and hurt-
ing some of your vegetation.
3. Get water-conscious plants. If you buy ex-
otic flowers and things that need daily watering,
you can¡¯t avoid paying that utility. These fancy
plants often cost more than some of the heartier
options as well.
Look into succulents and cactuses and some of
the ferns that can get by with just a little bit of
hydration. You¡¯ll still be able to keep your yard
green and lush looking without providing the
same amount of water that jungle plants expect.
You can also use nice rocks and other non-living
decorations to avoid increasing your water bill.
If you get creative and put in the effort, I¡¯m sure
you can design a lovely landscape that doesn¡¯t
break the bank. If you have any luck with the op-
tions above, please let me know!
(Taylor J Kovar, CEO, Kovar Wealth Manage-
ment, Phone: 936.899.5629, Firm: KovarWealth.
com Blog: GoFarWithKovar.com)
Go Far With Kovar