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??