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December 15, 2004 |
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Wind's Blowing Colder, Gettin' A Little
Older...
I awoke yesterday morning at 6:30
with Sam Parker on my heels patiently waiting for his morning
walk. The thermometer read a bone chilling 13°F.
Brrr... and winter doesn't officially start for another six
short days! Once I bundled up
- coat, scarf, hat and gloves, out the door we went. The
wind stung my face until it hurt so I encouraged Sam to hurry up
and finish his business. He seems to find the cold air
exhilarating and is always a bit wound up once
we get back inside. It is probably a good thing that Sam
has to be walked three times a day. It forces me outside and if
dressed appropriately I am always glad I had the opportunity to
enjoy the fresh air.
I
celebrated my 42nd birthday yesterday. I remember when I was in
my thirties how old that number sounded. I use to shudder about
the thought of growing older. Isn't that silly? What a great life
I have. I have a great husband, three terrific children and
everyone in our family has been blessed with good health. Getting
older has made me wiser. It has made me evaluate what is really
important. I have reached a level of maturity that I have never
had the opportunity to explore. If getting older means getting
wiser then bring on those birthdays. I will embrace them for what
they are - a chance to continually
rediscover the person I truly am.
~
Shelly
Poinsettia Pointers...
Here are some quick tips for keeping those
holiday poinsettias looking good through the season:
- Give
them sun
for at least half the day.
- Keep
away from drafts, registers & radiators.
- Night
temperatures in 50’s or low 60’s, days at 70°
F.
-
Soil should dry only slightly between
thorough waterings. Discard the drainage.
- Punch
holes in decorative foil wraps to prevent soggy soil
conditions.
Source
Acid Test...
Mulching your perennials is very important in wintertime. If
possible mulch the root zones of your azaleas and rhododendrons
with oak leaves, shredded oak bark or pine needles. Each will
add a little bid of acidity to the delight of these acid-loving
plants.
Guy-Wire
Guidelines...
If you are using guy wires around newly planted trees make
sure hose sections (or other protection) are still covering the
supporting wires or ropes. Without sufficient protection the
recent windy weather could cause a young tree's bark to be
stripped away by bare wire or rope.
Winterize
Power Tools...
Power tools
and other gas-powered equipment need winterizing before being put
away for the season. Here are some basics:
-
Oil should
be changed and moving parts lubricated.
-
Fuel systems
should either be drained or have a gas stabilizing additive
mixed into the fuel.
These simple
steps will help ensure a longer lasting machine as well as a
better chance of a successful "cold-start" next spring.
Goin' Buggy...
Most homes in winter become dry as bone meal. Keep an eye out
for spider mites on your houseplants - they thrive in that dry
air. Females lay about 200 eggs and the life cycle may be
completed in just 7 days. Do the math - it gets ugly fast!
At the
first sign of any insect infestation, isolate your plant.
Several thorough washings with soapy water (two teaspoons of mild
detergent to a gallon of water) should bring them under control.
Special Thanks
to These Savvygardeners
for Supporting Shelly in the
Breast Cancer 3-Day
Allison Randall
(in support of Inez Duncan) |
Jodi
Hermstedt
(in support of survivors over 40) |
Anonymous
(in memory of Doris and Charles Joss) |
Anonymous
(in honor of Brigette Guenther)
|
Kathleen Ford
(in memory of Carmela)
|
Mary
Kieffer
(in honor of Barbara Summers)
|
Constance Jordan |
Kathy
Godden |
Larry &
Mary Marsh |
Ella
Szeto |
Nancy
Klunder |
Rebecca
Bornhoft |
Jane
Golub |
Sally
Huggins |
Sephie
Bruns |
Suzie
Nelander |
Carol
Rothwell |
Bette E.
Croes |
Becky
McGuire |
Deb Mahoney |
Janet Cullison |
Ron &
Judy Brohammer
(in
honor of Alverda Softwedel) |
Fortress Security
(in honor of Elizabeth McKay and Elaine Perry) |
E.
maxine Liechti |
Pledge Your Support Here
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Winter Wisdom...
Despite (or due to) the recent wintery
weather, there's been no shortage of curious callers on the
hotline this week. Questions concerning watering top the list
followed by pruning and cutting back. Get the scoop in
this week's
Winter Wisdom...
Preventing Snow Mold...
Two early snows this season caught many of
us a bit off guard. We still had a fair amount of unraked leaves
on the ground and bet that you did too. Don't leave them there!
First on your weekend "to do" list - rake up those leaves.
It's just not healthy for the turf to have wet leaves smothering
it all winter. Additional snows that may have greater longevity
(on top of those unraked leaves) can lead to snow mold - a
possibility and it is best avoided.
Finally... "The spirit we have,
not the work we do, is what makes us important to the people
around us." ~
Sister Joan Chittister, Benedictine
Sister and Author |