Determine acidic from alkaline soil
HINTS FROM HELOISE
HELOISE
Dear Heloise: All this talk about soil being acidic or alkaline has my head spinning! The place where I buy my plants sold me a kit to use to determine the pH level of my dirt. But it's a mess, it takes too long, and frankly, I'm confused. Got any hints for me to determine the pH level of my yard? — Patsy M., in Greenville, North Carolina
Patsy, the pH level of your soil can often be determined by the plants that are growing there. Here are a few indicators to help you:
■„ A rich abundance of white or red clover usually indicates a soil that is alkaline. For these areas, buy plants that thrive in alkaline soil.
■If you have hard water that is filled with minerals and/or calcium carbonate (in other words, lime), your soil is most likely alkaline. This is also generally true where people have wells or natural springs. „
â– If there are native trees of black spruce, red spruce, oak, white pine or hemlock, you'll find that the soil's fairly high in an acid.
■„ However, the Eastern white cedar and white spruce trees usually show up in a soil that is alkaline.
■„ Rhododendrons, most ferns, wild blueberries and bayberries indicate an acidic soil.
— Heloise
Ink stain on shirt
Dear Heloise: My husband signs everything with a fountain pen, which was gifted to him by his father. The pen has been known to leak ink on occasion.
Last week, I found ink on the cuff of one of his white shirts. How can I get the ink out? I normally use a laundry service for his shirts, but they can't get it out. So, I thought I'd give it a try at home. — Alice N., in New York
Alice, there are commercial products that you can use, but try to soak the ink spot in warm milk for 30 to 40 minutes. Rinse, and if you feel that the stain's still too obvious, repeat this process. The last step is to pour liquid laundry detergent on the spot and rub this in, then wash as usual. — Heloise
Holes in paneling
Dear Heloise: I have wood paneling in my family room, where we used to hang pictures and a few shelves with various items. This means there are hole, and I have no idea what to use to fill them. We're going to stain the wood paneling a darker shade afterward, and I'm hoping the filled holes won't be a different color from the newer shade. — Jill H., in Titusville, Pennsylvania
Jill, you can make a wood filler by mixing sawdust from similar wood as the paneling with enough white glue to make a thick paste. Work the paste into the holes, and after it dries (about 24 hours), sand the spot to make sure it's smooth. It should take the stain fairly well. — Heloise
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