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Show 14 FARM, RANCH GARDEN Edition & April, 1978 Reduce energy waste, save your money By Marilyn B. Noyes reduce wasted energy. Thirty to 50 percent of all Extension Family Resource Management Specialist Utah State University To reduce con- energy sumption in the home, the energy consumed in the in our homes by U.S. heating and lighting unused areas, by letting heat escape, by overuse, and by inefficient decisions. transportation It is possible to have a comfortable standard of living, and still use less energy. West Germany and Sweden have comparable standards of living as the U.S., yet use about half as much energy per capita. Home space heating and cooling uses about 60 percent of home energy. Obvious adjustments here Killing bugs Reed S. Roberts, extension entomologist, Utah Referring to the shortcomings of bilogical control alone he said, Using predators and parasites to control pest species sometimes works. When effective, they will of pest below economical However, in levels. the evolutionary scheme of things we know that in time the predator or parasite host relationship and techniques of in- tegrated pest management (IPM) in fact sheets he has Copies are prepared. available from the local county extension office or by writing to him at the university in Logan. He explained, Pests often have great powers of adaptability. Just when we may think that we have the best of them, they seem to be able to tolerate our current recommended control procedures. We must continually seek to cope with their ability to adapt. Roberts pointed out that in our environmentally conscious age more and more restrictions are being placed upon the use of pesticides. Many people are captivated by the idea of using predators and parasites as a natural biological control of the various pests. is LAMb So Expensive? Sheep, a renewable natural resource, provide the only way to market woody, shruby, weedy vegetation that grows on steep mountain slopes. Regardless of what our environmental friends say, coyote predation is putting the sheep industry out of business. From a birth rate of 130 percent to a rate of 70 percent at market time, it is not possible for us to stay In business. No amount of theorizing can change that fact. We had VA million breeding ewes in 1967. Now we have Vi million. It's plain economics. Government laws mean lamb Is reserved for coyotes and the wealthy few. Utah Wool Growers Salt Lake City Water heating uses about percent of the home energy. This can be reduced by lowering the heat setting on the tank; insulating the tank if it is older and not well insulated, and using less hot water, by taking short showers rather than tub baths, and washing full loads of dishes and laundry. Also, look at the use of appliances and lights. 15 often moves toward a balance. That means we must use biological control with skill and reason. We should be careful not to put all of our eggs in one basket. These use about 25 percent of the energy consumed in homes. To save energy in using appliances and lights, simply reduce either the wattage or the time they are used. Although appliances and lights are small users of electricity, the energy they use does add up, as drips from a leaky faucet, so every effort should be made to use them efficiently. We can use more muscle power. About as much energy is used for transportation as in home operation. Here is a great save. to opportunity Combine or eliminate trips, bicycle, or even walk when possible. National Garden Bureau Plan State University, essen- tially answers that question what by explaining scientists are doing to cope with insect pest problems. He explains the concepts in- sulation, adding weather- stripping, caulking, storm windows, adjusting the thermostat downward, warm wearing more in winter, clothing eliminating all air leaks from the warm areas of the home. Balance needed for good results If scientists are so smart, why dont they eradicate the pests that plague crops, animals and people in and Carbon Emery counties? include: increasing Vegetable Garden PLANTING YOUR FIRST VEGETABLE GARDEN? FOLLOW THIS PLAN Research by the National Garden Bureau indicates that many beginning gardeners have only a hazy idea of the mature size of vegetable plants. Also, beginners often fail to leave sufficient space between rows. All it takes is one successful garden to make each succeeding vegetable garden a breeze. Yet, first gardens are, more , often than not, crowded and poorly arranged, with tall plants in the front and frequently harvested vegetables stuck way in the back. Your next vegetable garden can be as pretty as a picture, sensibly arranged and of a practical size. Use this National Garden Bureau plan as a model and be sure to: Plant no more than you can care for with ease in four to six hours each DIVIDE GARDEN INTO FIVE BEDS, EACH 2ft. WIDE, WITH 1 ft. WIDE WALKS BETWEEN BEDS Six plants Swiss chard with onion sets alongside plant early v Two 12ft. rows bush beans NOTE: plant two rows 6 inches apart down the center of the bed. overly-large- Two rows sweet corn space plants 9 to 12 inches apart Two rows lettuce interpianted with parsley and Two rows beets plant early Three plants tomatoes J week. Select varieties that are adapted to your area. Plant at the season recommended on seed packets. Allow plenty of space for plants to grow; thin ruthlessly. The 300 sq. ft. National Garden Bureau garden is 20 x 15 ft., about the size of a garage. It is designed to accommodate 13 kinds of vegetables and will supply most of the fresh vegetables needed by a family of three. It can be weeded, watered and harvested within an average of two hours' time each week. Seeds for this garden will cost about $6.50 yet, from it, vou This exact garden was can harvest $150 or more of deand photographed by licious vegetables, depending planted National Garden Bureau to on the length of your gardening set "Planproduce an season. and a Vegetable ning Planting You might not care for some Garden." The set is designed of the vegetables shown in the for beginning specifically plan. Substitute others of comgardeners and is not recomSeed size. packets parable plant mended for Teatperienced vegeand gardening books can advise table growers or garden clubs. Your County Cooperative you. Rental for one week is $7.50. Extension Service offers free National Garden Contact bulletins on vegetable gardenBureau, Inc., 4546 El Camino ing and lists of locally recomReal, Suite A, Los Altos, CA mended varieties. 94022. The slides are in heavy of on the length Depending alternative specify the gardening season in your demand; dates. "succession can area, you plant crops" as soon as you have harvested the vegetables shown Vegetable Garden plan featured in the slide set in this plan. Over most of the "Planning and Planting a Vegetable Garden." country, leafy salad vegetables roduced by Nationa Garden Bureau, Inc. cabbage family members, and Selections, root crops can be planted as 3nd succession crops as late as 4546 El Camino Real, LosAltos, CA 94022. August for fall harvest. Three plants summer squash (or bush type winter squash or bush cucumbers) Six plants cabbage or broccoli plant early Four plants peppers (or two eggplant bushes) Two rows carrots mixed with radishes plant early |