A Walk in Tucson

I spent some time with my son and his lovely wife in 

Tucson, Arizona recently.  When I flew out of Pittsburgh it was snowing.  The plane had to be de-iced.  When I arrived in Tucson and walked outside the airport into Shangri La, it was quite surreal.  Needless to say, I savored the perfect weather

on my daily walks.  Here are my walking "friends."

Are Your Plants Ready For Winter?

I don't prune much before winter because our weather tends to be so extremely cold. I want my plants to be as 
strong as possible during those low temperatures.

I leave my roses big and prune the dead branches next spring.

I try to mulch extra around any plants that are vulnerable, like my delphiniums, lavender, and astrantia.  But most of my perennials are really tough.  If they last for a few winters I know they are going to make it for the long haul.

In the garden we pull out all the tomato plants and amend the soil with compost and manure to be ready for next spring.

I keep my succulents outside in the summer to enjoy the sun and heat.  But they enjoy their winter home in my sunny office.  Here they are all tucked into their winter beds!

I take my Rosemary plants inside for the winter.  When he grills a steak, Tony like to infuse butter with rosemary and garlic for a sauce!  It's delicious.
First I take the plants out of their beds and shake off all the dirt.  This is SO important or you could bring unwanted critters into your home!!

Then I use new potting soil to repot them into a container.

They are nestled into their beds, 
ready for a long winter's rest!

The Dirtiest Areas in Your House

I read an article recently about the

"Dirtiest Areas in Your House" 

and naturally my attention was piqued!

Most people think about the bathroom,

but the obvious places were not on this list, 

probably because we clean those areas regularly.

I thought I could guess all of them 

but there were some novel suggestions. 

Here's my takeaway: 

The areas I knew would be 

on the list were:

floors - This is especially true if you wear your shoes in the house.  Just think about all the parking lots and stores your shoes walk on...do you want all that dirt in your house???  I dust mop often and use an antibacterial spray on my cloths.
And my grandson loves to help!!

door knobs and all handles - Having worked over 2 decades in a public school made me reflect on all the unsanitary surfaces in those buildings.  During cold and flu season I would avoid touching door knobs and handles with my bare hands.  This required some creative sleeve pulling and sweater usage:)
Think about it, we touch knobs and handles all the time but rarely clean those surfaces!

coffee pots -  If you think about where mold and mildew thrive, you should realize that coffee pots, and especially Keurig and steam pressure pots, are susceptible to mold growth.  I have a drip pot that I clean by running white vinegar through the system to thoroughly remove residue.  Don't forget to air it dry daily and 
put the baskets in your dishwasher!

computer keyboards

remote controls

light switches - 

Just think about these surfaces... they get touched 

all the time yet rarely cleaned!

The areas that surprised me were:

furnace filters (especially if you have pets)

and air purifier filters

I change our furnace filter with the change of the seasons, but pet hair might mean you have to do it more often!

dehumidifier water reservoir 

I notice when my basin looks "funny" and put a few drops of bleach inside.  It takes care of all traces of mold overnight!

And the area I never thought about was...

reusable grocery bags

I guess these are breeding grounds for bacteria from being exposed to stores, hands, cars, parking lots, etc. 

So, I retrieved all my bags from the car, turned them inside-out, and ran them through a warm wash cycle with a few tablespoons of bleach.  I hung them on my line to dry.  The author of the article said these bags should be washed after every use!  I don't think I can do that, but I will think 
about it every so often.

Do you have any more suggestions??

Early September Blooms 2019

I'm so pleased with the color and variety that is still going strong in the garden!  Chilly nights haven't stopped any of these bloomers.  My roses are prolific.  My delphinium came back after I pruned it.  And my hydrangea is still producing!  I can't complain:)

Unwelcome Guests in the Garden - August 2019

This month I feel like all my plants and my lawn are like a classroom full of misbehaving children!

Plants that I carefully nurtured in a good spot are outgrowing their boundaries and taking over their neighbors.  

This salvia plant is crowding my lemon drop and cherry stone!!

"Look-alike" weeds are thriving in between my flowers and tomatoes, and probably hurting their root systems.

Crab grass, creeping ivy, clover, and a host of other weeds are taking over my beautiful lawn grass.

So, I've decided to approach this unruly bunch of bullies 

just like I handle most problems in my life, 

one small step at a time!

Here's my plan of action:

1. I have already planned to move the "takeover" plants to other spots as soon as the weather cools down a bit.

2. When I have a few minutes, I grab a handful of weeds wherever I see them.  I don't have to spend much time, and it can be very productive.  I'm determined to win this battle!

3. I don't like to spray chemicals on the grass that my grandson plays on.  So again, when I have a few minutes, I grab my trowel and dig up some crabgrass, creeping ivy, or clover.  

How do you handle unwelcome guests in your garden??

Don't Use Black Plastic or Fabric in Your Landscaping!!

I was walking through the parking lot of a grocery store recently and I saw this in one of the "landscaping" areas:

Do you see all the grass and weeds growing on top of the plastic???

Do you see the sunflower growing there also???

Please allow me to make this suggestion when you are landscaping...Don't Use Black Plastic!!

I took a Penn State Master Gardener's Course many years ago with a friend.  We learned so much about gardening, botany, pruning trees, growing herbs, and even what to do with the "hell strip" between your sidewalk and the street.  It was a very comprehensive, worthwhile experience.

One of my favorite classes was called "The Deadly Sins of Landscaping."  I don't remember all of the points, but I DO remember being told

"Never, ever, ever put down landscaping fabric or black plastic!!"  

And here's what the instructor told us:

1. The heat and darkness trapped underneath the plastic/fabric is a perfect breeding ground for all sorts of insects!!  Yuck.

2.  The soil underneath the plastic/fabric will turn hard as rock after extended time with no exposure to moisture.

3.  The myth that it "prevents weeds" is only true for ONE season.  After that, weed seeds that are constantly blowing around in the air will land on top of your mulch/plastic and start to grow weeds.  See above photos*****

4.  Many weeds have root systems that run through the fabric and establish themselves into the soil underneath.  It may take years to actually rid the ground of the horrible weeds once the fabric is removed.  

  I help lots of friends take care of their landscaping.  And I have spent many hours undoing the terrible effects of black plastic and fabric in landscaping.  I'm still fighting a battle with Goldenrod and Thistle that were thriving underneath my friend's fabric.  I refuse to give up, but it's going to take many more years to get rid of those weed roots! 

So, the lesson here is that there is NO SUCH THING as "No Maintenance Landscaping."  

Here are 2 tips to have "Low Maintenance" beds:

1. Use a thick layer of mulch (3-4 inches) then you'll have fewer weeds and it will help all your plants' roots to stay cooler.

2. Plant ground covers that are effective at choking out weeds.  I'm very fond of sweet woodruff and ajuga.

3. Weed often so that they don't take over your beds.

Do you have any other tips for low-maintenance landscaping?