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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Old House Magazine Adds New Section On Gardening

Nancy L. Ross The Washington Post

This Old House magazine, a spinoff of the long-running public television program of the same name, appeals primarily to men. So when the publication introduced a gardening section in the July/August issue, it included a story on how to drive a minibulldozer along with one on breeding petunias.

Like the TV show, starring the renovation team of Norm Abram and Steve Thomas, the magazine focuses mainly on the adaptation of old structures to modern living.

Now just over a year old, the magazine has a readership that is 70 percent male, with a median age of 42 and income of $65,000, according to Editor in Chief Stephen Petranek.

When a survey showed that 68 percent of readers garden regularly, the magazine added “This Old House In the Garden.” The section includes advice from Russell Morash, 63, executive producer and director of the TV show.

Articles emphasize the process of landscaping - building walls, breaking paths and sculpting borders rather than where to plant flowers, according to Petranek.

Just in case, the magazine includes instructive pull-out posters. In the current issue, it’s an exhaustive guide to nails, for framing, roofing, masonry and countless other tasks.

Also, This Old House contractor Tom Silva gives pointers on how to hit a nail - and why readers might want to: “Beating the hell out of them gets rid of a lot of frustration.”