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The Perks of Buying over Renting

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  The Perks of Buying over Renting Thinking about buying a home? While today’s  mortgage rates  might seem a bit intimidating, here are two solid reasons why, if you’re ready and able, it could still be a smart move to get  your own place . 1. Home Values Typically Go Up Over Time There’s been some confusion over the past year or so about which way  home prices  are headed. Make no mistake, nationally they’re still going up. In fact, over the long-term,  home prices  almost always go up ( see graph below ): Using  data  from the  Federal Reserve  (the Fed), you can see the overall trend is home prices have climbed steadily for the past 60 years. There was an exception during the 2008 housing crash when prices didn't follow the normal pattern, but generally, home values kept rising. This is a big reason why  buying a home  can be better than  renting . As prices go up and you pay down your mortgage, you build  equity . Over time, this growing equity can really increase your net wort
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February Gardening Tips

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Grow Now: Roses
Add roses to your garden this month. consider disease-resistant shrub types such as the edtior's favorite, 'Carefree Beauty' (3 to 5 feet, pink); 'Knock Out' (4-6 feet, red); 'Cramoisi Superieur' (4 to 6 feet, red); amd 'The Fairy' (2 to 3 feet. pink). Plant them en masse for best results. Climbing roses such as 'New Dawn (pale pink), 'CI. Cecile Brunner' (pink), and 'Reve d'Or' (beige-yellow) need the support of a large trellis or arbor to best show off their blooms. A sunny location ensures the best blooms.

Fruit Plants
Purchase now for best selection. Try Southern favorites such as blackberries. ‘Kiowa’ is a large-fruiting selection with thorny stems. Thornless types such as ‘Arapaho’ and ‘Apache’ offer large fruit on upright plants. Other fruits include blueberries, figs, pears, muscadines, Oriental persimmons, and apples. All prefer full sun and well-drained soil.

Soil Prep
The mild days of winter are an ideal time for improving your soil. Work the ground when it is dry, using a garden fork to loosen the soil. Add organic matter, such as chopped leaves’ composted manure, or mushroom compost to improve fertility and drainage.

Forcing Branches 
Quince, forsythia, cherries, winter honeysuckle, and deciduous magnolias will bloom indoors with a little help. Choose stems with flowerbuds that have begun to swell. Cut stems at an angle, and place in a bucket of water. Indoors, recut stems, and place in a container of warm water with a floral preser- vative. Place in a cool spot in indirect light. When you begin to see color in the flowerbuds, move them to a brighter room.

Original Article via Southern Living

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