hAuthor helps make pruning easy

hAuthor helps makepruning easy
Can't make the cut?
Steve Bradley can help.
Bradley is the author of "The Pruner's Bible," a guide to pruning 80 of the most common trees, shrubs and plants. The book includes the basics on techniques and tools, then offers specific instructions for each of the plants. There's also information on pruning for specific circumstances, such as renovating a neglected plant or achieving a particular effect.
A chart in the back of the book explains at a glance when to prune most species.
"The Pruner's Bible" is published by Rodale Inc. and is priced at $21.95 in softcover.
Lots of ways to get ridof the smoky odor
Q. My daughter inherited a bedroom set that survived a house fire. The dresser still smells like smoke. How can the odor be removed?
A. Steve Toohey of Mr. Rapid, a disaster-cleanup company in Canton, recommended starting by cleaning the dresser once or twice with a deodorizing cleaner made specifically for smoke, such as Odor-Bane. Check warehouse clubs or janitorial suppliers for the product.
If the odor is coming just from inside the dresser, you might try sealing the inside of the drawers with shellac, suggested John Seman of Truax Restoration Service in Akron.
Another option is to have the dresser treated with ozone, Toohey and Seman said. You can buy or perhaps rent a small ozone generator, or have the work done by a professional fire-restoration company, which has more powerful equipment.