702. Ronski - Sep. 30, 1998 - 1:46 PM PT
Fried food bad?
Not according to the doctors of the future in Woody Allen's "Sleeper."
703. elliot803 - Sep. 30, 1998 - 1:56 PM PT
Ronski:
I remember that scene.
-- "What, no cigarettes? No hot fudge sundaes for breakfast?"
-- "That's right. In the 20th century, they believed that smoking and fatty food were bad for you, EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT WE NOW KNOW TO BE TRUE!"
704. bubbaette - Oct. 1, 1998 - 6:13 AM PT
You mean I'm on the right track with my hot fudge sundae diet? I see a book. Cllrdr, who's your agent?
705. Ronski - Oct. 1, 1998 - 6:45 AM PT
Since this is the closest thing to a nature thread, permit me to post that I saw in my Brooklyn backyard yesterday two black-throated blue warblers, stopping by for some water and insects (yummy!) on their way south for the winter. A friend who lives in Orange County, New York, says she has only seen them in the Bahamas, during their cold season sojourn. While they are not considered rare birds, apparently sightings of them are, somewhat.
706. ScottLoar - Oct. 1, 1998 - 8:22 AM PT
Not exactly. The field guide "Eastern Forests", one of The Audubon Society Nature Guides, on pg. 474 lists the range of the Black-throated Blue Warbler (Dendroica caerulescens)as "(b)reeds from southeastern Canada to northeastern United States and in the mountains to N. Georgia. Winters in the Gulf states as well as in the Greater Antilles." Further comments,"(t)he male is one of the easier warblers to identify since it retains its strikingly patterned plumage the year-round. These warblers are among the tamest and most trusting of this family. If the observer moves very deliberately, the bird may be approached to within a few feet without taking alarm."
Still, the numbers of songbirds common to North America have decreased in recent years seemingly by reason that the patches of dense forests have diminished, forcing more and more of the birds to nest on the fringes and so open to the depredations of cuckoos.
707. Ronski - Oct. 1, 1998 - 8:33 AM PT
ScottLoar,
Not exactly what? That sightings are not rare in S.E. New York State? My friend in Orange County is an ardent birdwatcher and has never seen them there. In ten years of birdwatching in my backyard, this is the first sighting. I have the same book, and I read the entry as meaning simply that they can be approached, when seen, not that they are plentiful, and certainly not in and near New York City.
I chose not to get too close, but they knew I was there, about ten feet away, and they did not seem at all troubled by it. They were quite charming, looking a bit like miniature Blue Jays, though the color was more slate-blue than bright blue. The black face and throat was distinctive.
708. ScottLoar - Oct. 1, 1998 - 9:23 AM PT
Not exactly nothing. Forget it.
709. bubbaette - Oct. 1, 1998 - 9:27 AM PT
I just got a bird feeder, but the birds are ignoring it. Any way to attract birds to my feeder?
710. Ronski - Oct. 1, 1998 - 9:34 AM PT
bubbaette,
Wait. They will find it.
711. shaweagle - Oct. 1, 1998 - 9:53 AM PT
(706) Cuckoos - and especially cow-birds. Warblers need at least 100
square miles of woodland to protect against cow-birds.
712. rickc2000 - Oct. 1, 1998 - 10:20 AM PT
bubbaette; Yes wait and they will come. What kind of seed are you using? I recommend black sunflower seeds sometimes called oil sunflower seeds (they don't have the prominante light stripes of other types. The birds love them and the high oil content is good for them. I suggest staying away from millet, a very common bird seed (perhaps the least expensive) but has little nutritional value.
713. rickc2000 - Oct. 1, 1998 - 10:21 AM PT
Thistle seed also will bring in lots of birds but you need the right type of feeder to hold them. Finches are particularly fond of thistle seed.
714. Ronski - Oct. 1, 1998 - 10:48 AM PT
In Brookyn, I have had bad luck with black thistle (niger) seed. But I have good luck with safflower seed (a white shelled seed that is somewhat hard to find in stores); it has brought lots of house finches, those little charmers with the reddish breasts (the males). And the ubiquitous sparrows are not so fond of safflower and thereby tend not to congregate in stupefying numbers, chasing away rarer birds.
My brother and sister-in-law in Vermont have better luck with niger, getting goldfinches and such in good number.
715. rickc2000 - Oct. 1, 1998 - 11:21 AM PT
yes I had great luck with goldfinches and niger seed.
Also had good luck bringing in woodpeckers with suet cakes. Even got some flickers a couple of times!
716. Fraaank9 - Oct. 1, 1998 - 11:33 AM PT
Anyone:
What exactly is "crabgrass" ? In my front lawn I have a type of grass that is acting in a very predatory fashion and moving in on the existing lawn.
But you know what ? It is actually tougher and stays greener than the existing lawn. So what is wrong with this ?
I'm in awe in its ability to expand ... it just takes over anything in it's path.
717. bubbaette - Oct. 1, 1998 - 11:46 AM PT
Frank
My motto is if it's green and in the area of the lawn, leave it alone.
Thanks for the bird feeder suggestions. What I've got now is a basic mix from the grocery -- mostly millet. I'll get the oil sunflower seed next time I hit the Southern States. It might be a bit early yet for the birds, since it's about 90 degrees outside and just barely fall. In fact, I have peas out there I could pick if I had the energy.
718. Fraaank9 - Oct. 1, 1998 - 11:49 AM PT
Thanks Bubbaette.
I always thought that crabgrass was a clump of grass that just disrupted the consistency of the lawn in place.
This stuff just goes and goes and goes.
719. JustSayYo - Oct. 2, 1998 - 7:11 AM PT
You'll know it's 'crab' grass, if it yells back at you.
Mine is a broad leaf variety, not silken sinewy stalks. This neighborhood seems to prefer the later.
A neighboor across the street has been using a service to trim, mow and blow his firm succulent lawn.
720. Ronski - Oct. 2, 1998 - 7:25 AM PT
Yo,
I recall that you are the flooring maven. Can you replace just a few floor boards if the sub-floor is in reasonable shape? There are two spaces in my first floor front room where a non-weight-bearing wall stood in direct contact with the subfloor; when the wall was removed, it left the subfloor showing. Can you advise how to go about fixing this?
There are also a couple of spaces in the house near radiators where the wood rotted away, and the subfloor is missing entirely, so you can see through the floor. These are very small spaces in the corner which you cannot see without going to look for it, but I think it should be fixed, and I'd like to patch it myself if possible. Or am I crazy to even try; should I call a professional? The house is going to be sold, soon. My guess is that new owners might want to carpet the floor, or have the floors redone entirely. Would I be better off to offer a small credit on the agreed price of the house? Thanks for your help.
721. JustSayYo - Oct. 2, 1998 - 8:15 AM PT
Go to Home Despot and buy the cheapest version of your plank floor. Match width and depth (of course) and buy some wood floor adhesive. Cut off the tongues and glue those suckers right in there.
Dig out the old working from the middle of the bad plank to the outside edge and pry gently. 1st- Cut it length wise with a sawzall or chisel it out with a wood chisel and wooden mallet. Rent them if you have to.
You'll need a small portable table saw to cut off the tongues, feed slowly, watch your fingers, let no one help you, watching is ok.
sand 'em and finish as best you can,
IF possible, just glue in and keep off for 2 days, sand them before or after gluing. As you prefer.
Not impossible, but not easy.
Call a pro and ask them questions if you're thinking of it. Home Despot is supposed to have PRO's and sometimes there available, call for a schedule.
722. JustSayYo - Oct. 2, 1998 - 8:23 AM PT
Where holes exist I would prefer that you put a subfloor plywood, stapled up inside the joists of the floor. The question of course is can you get them up there? I hope so it would improve the longevity of the repair. From what you've said, subfloor exists in the middle areas. I doubt the middle of the floor repair will hold without support from underneath.
The alternative is a horrid personal task but well worth it to have pro's do. Have them tear it all up, put in new subfloor and install new plank; IF you're staying, however, moving time is usually not the time to spend that kind of dough.
723. Ronski - Oct. 2, 1998 - 8:31 AM PT
Yo,
Many thanks.
724. rickc2000 - Oct. 2, 1998 - 9:10 AM PT
"My motto is if it's green and in the area of the lawn, leave it alone."
Not a bad approach but it depends on what you want from your lawn. Crab grass is tough stuff. It spreads rapidly and outcompetes more desirable lawn grass species because it is much more hardy. But is is not as attractive and lush. If you walkor play in your lawn barefoot your feet will notice the difference. Crab grass is "thinner" it does not root as thickly as lawn grasses so the soil is usually more exposed (or less densly covered). It doesn't feel as nice to walk on.
So if you want a nice lawn to roll around or walk across barefoot. Get rid of the crab grass. If you don't use the lawn and you just need it to cover the ground and keep the neighbors quiet, don't worry about it.
725. thoughtful - Oct. 2, 1998 - 10:26 AM PT
Bbbtt, re birds, if it's hot yet, attract them with water -- a bird bath or a fountain would be great. It's been an especially dry summer here and our birdbath has had a lot of activity this summer, especially in the evening.
I agree about sunflower and thistle seeds and have attracted house, purple and gold finches with them. I save the suet for the cold winter when the birds need the fat for calories (I should have such a problem!) Also, be sure to sprinkle seeds on the ground as some birds are only ground feeders -- though the squirrels usually pick up on that pretty fast. Peanut butter is also a favorite though some avid birders object. Hey, they eat it, they like it, and the fat helps keep them warm.
For feeders, I use different types. The thistle feeder has a small opening so you don't lose the seeds too quickly. I use another tube feeder for just the sunflower seeds. It has a small perch so it keeps the jays & starlings at bay (though it is hilarious when they occasionally try to use it). I then have a "bird barn" or that's what we call it -- it's a platform feeder with a small edge and a roof to keep the snow off in the winter time. The large birds use this and some groundfeeders will too if the squirrels have eaten everything down below.
For the suet and peanut butter, we took a 15" piece of 2x4. Used a hole saw to drill two large holes in it. We then drilled a smaller hole beneath the large one through which we pounded a small dowel for a perch. We screwed in a large "eye" at the top to hang it. Then I just use a knife to fill the holes -- one with p. butter and one with suet. Works really well. I get Downey & Hairy woodpeckers all winter and come spring I've had flickers and sap suckers and an occasional wood thrush.
726. bubbaette - Oct. 2, 1998 - 10:57 AM PT
Thoughtful
Thanks! The birds have finally found my birdfeeder. Smaller birds use it (black and dark glossy green?) and the cardinals and pigeons feed from the ground. I want to get some more feeders this fall -- especially a glass-topped sill-mounted feeder for my kitchen window.
727. Fraaank9 - Oct. 2, 1998 - 11:37 AM PT
Rick2000:
Thanks for the take on the crabgrass. I have to wonder now whether the stuff taking over my lawn is actually crabgrass or just another type of "plant" moving on in.
It seems extremely hardy and the blades are of a very thick and short variety, and one cannot see any sod underneath it's growth. It's almost as though it's interwoven in its texture.
You are right though in this respect,it's not a pleasure to walk on.
This stuff is extremely tough ,as I found out last week when I removed two clumps that actually required my pickaxe and a soggy ground to break through.
Also, if it isn't water regularly, it looks like crap.
With winter coming, it will only spread like wildfire,as it has in one corner already. I think I'm gonna start with those clumps surrounding my front door and progress toward that corner without making my lawn look as if has been carpet bomb.
On the other front, my Double-delight roses look fantastic!
728. rickc2000 - Oct. 2, 1998 - 12:17 PM PT
Frank; Good luck with the lawn and congrats on the roses. My roses seem to be doing especially poorly this year (but then I have been too busy to attend them as they need. They have bugs, bad. But they are getting better.
bubbaette; Now that the birds have found you, you will need to get yourself some small binoculars and a bird guide. I recommend Petersons eastern bird guide. It is quite excellent.
729. Ronski - Oct. 5, 1998 - 8:00 AM PT
Latest bird sightings, in the small woods adjacent to an apartment in N. New Jersey: goldfinches, and a rufous-sided towhee!
730. bubbaette - Oct. 5, 1998 - 8:13 AM PT
I got a finch feeder this weekend and some thistle seed. Went looking for a bird bath, but didn't find one. Where should I go to get a decent but not too expensive bird bath?
731. rickc2000 - Oct. 5, 1998 - 11:30 AM PT
bubbaette; do you get freezing weather where you are? If so you might want to make a heated bird bath. One of the hardest challenges for birds is finding water in the winterin frozen climes. A simple waterer can be made with a low wattage light bulb and an aluminum pie pan. If you don't have freezing weather you can use most anything that holds water and is fairly shallow. A large pot plate (like you use under clay pots) can work real well. I was going to make a bird bath from one of those once. I had planned to decorate it by gluing on a mosaic of marbles, shiny stones and pieces of other broken ceramics, but I moved and lost all the junk I collected to glue on to it.
A bird bath can be a design element in your landscaping so what you use will depend on how you want your yard to look. Didn't I read that you had a frontend loader decorating your yard or something like that? Maybe a nice hubcap set on top of a piece of terra cotta drain pipe would fit your aesthetic? (g)
732. bubbaette - Oct. 5, 1998 - 11:40 AM PT
Rick
No I *want* a frontend loader for the backyard, but have yet to convince my husband that we really need one. He wants to know where we would keep it. I think that if we have a frontend loader, we can always dig a hole and then cover it up.
At any rate, my mom has a ceramic one. It does freeze occassionally, but she takes hot water out in the morning to thaw it. I like the hubcap idea.
733. rickc2000 - Oct. 5, 1998 - 2:36 PM PT
bubbaette; I thought I had you pegged (g). Btw, is your thistle feeder one of the "tube" varieties. I have a number of tube feeders, for a variety of seed types, and I really like them. "Intrepid Yankee" makes very good ones if the name does not upset regional sensitivities (g).
734. lolagets - Oct. 5, 1998 - 3:50 PM PT
I have three gorgeous hibiscus about 4 ft tall that I lugged back from Key West year before last. They're in tubs on my deck. Does anyone know how much cold they can take before keeling over -- the nights are dropping to 45F. in my area. Should I haul them in. Days are still sunny and warm.
735. bubbaette - Oct. 5, 1998 - 4:56 PM PT
Howdy Lolagets!
Are you new to the Fray? If so, welcome. My mom has hers in pots and takes them in the unheated basement in the winter. She lives in central Virginia and we sometimes often have freezing weather. Hope that helps. (By the way, my pansies and such usually make it to mid-November in a sheltered area before they freeze.
736. spiffy - Oct. 6, 1998 - 11:12 AM PT
Now that fall is fast approaching, does anyone have any recommendations as to what I should do with my Aloe Vera plant? It almost died last winter even though I moved it inside. I thought about keeping it in a place with more synthetic light, however I am not sure that this will do it any good in the long run. Not to mention it is inconvenient to place a huge plant in a place near artificial light inside my house. Also, do Aloe Vera plants require more or less water during the winter?
737. Ronski - Oct. 7, 1998 - 12:36 PM PT
Seen in Brooklyn yesterday: house wrens.
738. bubbaette - Oct. 7, 1998 - 12:40 PM PT
Spiffy
Aloe Vera is a succulent. Think of it as a cactus. They like lots of light and the soil should be completely dry to the touch before you water it. When you do water it, water till it runs out of the bottom of the planter quite a bit, discard the water in the saucer and then let the sucker dry out again. synthetic light is ok, but just make sure that the light sources is only a few inches from the top of the plant.
739. waynik - Oct. 7, 1998 - 7:39 PM PT
Household Tips and Time Savers:
*Use soup can to hold stirring spoon while heating soup. Saves mess.
*Don't fold your underwear (Life's too short).
*Suggestion (I haven't done this yet): Buy unique drinking glasses for each member of the family - eliminates confusion, permitting reuse saving unnecessary washings.
Got any other ideas to save time and trouble?
740. Fraaank9 - Oct. 7, 1998 - 8:46 PM PT
waynik:
I believe the girls in the morning will supply more Tips and Timesavers. Dem gals know a lot bout this stuff !
The soup can tip is an excellent one by the way. I have always used a paper towel so not to mess up my kitchen.
People fold their underwear ? Ya gotta be kidding.
Shop at TJ Max, Marshalls or Ross. Lots of good clothing and apparel for very good prices. You might throw Nordstrom's Rack in that group also.
For the guys out there: Turn off the water spigot when shaving. When I had male roommates in the past, I've noticed that many would leave the water running while they attended to their face. I would venture to guess that they really only needed one-thirtieth of the water they ran...very wasteful imo.
Another tip that comes to mind right now is the one I gave to Fraygrants Corner once that is attributed to comic Soupy Sales, " Never buy a TV set on a street corner from a guy who seems out of breath."
741. Fraaank9 - Oct. 7, 1998 - 9:23 PM PT
One more tip that is derived from my experience at bars:
Never, I mean never, shake hands with any male patron of a bar. In my limited experience of barhopping, one thing I've noticed that doesn't seem to change whether it's an upscale place or a dive, is that many guys do not wash their hands after a number one. I would venture to guess that maybe one out of ten wash their hands in these places.
A local radio station once premised a tacky morning skit on that subject when they placed a plant with a hidden mic in a restroom of a busy place (airport I believe) that would inform someone on the outside of the description of the perpetrator. They in turn, would approach the culprit and present him with an "award" for sanitation. It was made even more embarrassing to the guilty party, when the station's listeners started to show up and started yelling at the guy,"You,you,you !" It made for funny morning drive stuff.
I don't know how anyone can do that (not wash their hands) !?
742. bubbaette - Oct. 8, 1998 - 5:24 AM PT
Waynik
Buy a kitchen table with a large trough in the middle and just dump food in it. Everybody can eat out of the same trough and no dishes or silver is necessary. Install tiled surfaces throughout the house, top to bottom with a drain in the center and a pressure washer in every room.
743. bubbaette - Oct. 8, 1998 - 5:29 AM PT
Buy only un-upholstered plastic furniture.
744. rickc2000 - Oct. 8, 1998 - 2:44 PM PT
Fraank;
Two guys were using the urinals in a restroom. one finished and proceeded to wash his hands. The other finished and headed for the door. The hand washer spoke up, "My mommy taught *me* to wash my hands after I pee"
The other guy replied, "My mom taught *me* not to pee on my hands.
745. rickc2000 - Oct. 8, 1998 - 2:47 PM PT
lolagets; If your region gets realy cold in the Winter you should bring your hibiscus indoors now. Constantly cold nights will over stress the plant and a freeze can kill it. A cool basement spot with low light will work. The plant will go dormant for the season.
746. ScottLoar - Oct. 8, 1998 - 6:05 PM PT
Household tips? The absolutely indispensable household chemical is common baking soda - baking, cleaning, washing, whitening, deodorizing, an antacid for the tummy and a balm for the bath "this stuff is dynamite!" We buy the stuff at wholesale by the caseload.
747. waynik - Oct. 8, 1998 - 9:48 PM PT
Here's a time-saver: Do everything during the World-Wide-Wait.
748. Ronski - Oct. 9, 1998 - 6:23 AM PT
The tree in back of my house in Brooklyn is changing color, beautifully this year. It is a very stressed red maple (acer rubrum), known in parts of Vermont as a "swamp maple," because it likes water, and growns in wet and damp places profusely.
It is the first of the major maples to change color, and in my estimation, the best. It turns distinctly red, some a fire-engine red, some a pinkish color, and some purplish. Others have the color break in the leaves, as mine does (it's actually on a neighbor's lot); this kind goes mostly yellow with dark red edges. Often yellow, green, and red are on the same leaf (like the Lithuanian flag, as it happens, if there are any fellow Eastern Europeans about).
Sugar maples (and black maples, a subvariety) turn orange. The silver maple turns yellow or orange, usually the former. The invader Norway maples, turn yellow.
The co-host of Good Morning America, reporting from Vermont today, said sugar maples turn the brightest color. He was wrong. It is the red maple, hands down.
749. spiffy - Oct. 12, 1998 - 11:04 AM PT
bubbaette--
Thank you for your advice concerning my beloved Aloe Vera plant. My main concern now is how to keep it adequately warm over the winter months. I have other plants that will move indoors. Do you think I should invest in a heat lamp? Should I keep it situated in an elevated place? There is always a small draft in my house.
750. rickc2000 - Oct. 12, 1998 - 11:11 AM PT
spiffy; Just keeping your aloe vera plant indoors should be sufficient. Drafts shouldn't be a problem unless they are very very cold and fairly constant.
751. bubbaette - Oct. 12, 1998 - 11:18 AM PT
Spiffy
My aloes thrive on the window sills where they are sure to get a draft. The ones I have are darn near indestructable and my cat has already performed several stress tests on them. I think as long as the plant gets sufficient light it will do fine.
752. DocBrown - Oct. 12, 1998 - 11:52 AM PT
Does anyone know a good online source for identifying houseplants? My wife and I just got a new houseplant, and our mothers are arguing about its name. I know less than squat about plants myself, including how to spell their names. Her mother says it is called a shef-a-lar-a and mine says it is called an ar-bor-vy-tum.
How can I find out for sure?
753. rickc2000 - Oct. 12, 1998 - 12:04 PM PT
Doc; What does the plant look like?
754. DocBrown - Oct. 12, 1998 - 12:33 PM PT
Rick2000, I don't have it with me, but it is dark green with medium-broad, flat leaves. It is about three feet tall and growing. It has no flowers.
One more thing I need to add: my mother, who calls this plant an ar-bor-vy-tum, has a much larger plant that she calls a shef-lare-a. I cannot tell the two plants apart myself, so I assume the differences must be very subtle. I have never seen the ar-bor-vy-tum and the shef-lare-a side by side.
I also assume that my mother-in-law's word shef-a-lar-a is an alternate pronunciation of my mother's shef-lare-a.
Thanks for any feedback you can give.
755. bubbaette - Oct. 12, 1998 - 12:56 PM PT
I have a shiffalera (sp). It has dark green sort of waxey-looking leaves that grow seven leaves to a twig. They can grow to be quite tall and bushy.
756. rickc2000 - Oct. 12, 1998 - 1:08 PM PT
Does your plant have leaves like bubbaette described?
I am not familiar with an "arborvytum" house plant, only the aborvitie shrub, an evergreen with short flat leaves similatr to cedar leaves.
I need more data!!!
shefilara (sp) can grow quite large. They are good sized bushes in Hawaii.
757. DocBrown - Oct. 12, 1998 - 1:29 PM PT
rick2000, I just heard from my wife, and she says you are absolutely right!
The mystery plant is indeed a shefilara. And the other plant in question is an aborvitie shrub. Apparently my mother and her mother both had different plants in mind when speaking to my wife about it.
Do you know a good source for info about care and feeding of houseplants?
Our new house has a large, sunny conservatory. We are filling it with plants, and my wife is caring for them on instinct alone. This makes me nervous.
We bought the house last year and I lived alone in it for several months before the wedding. During that time I cared for the houseplants using the instinct method, and I managed to kill a bunch of them. I really liked some of those plants. I felt like an idiot. I would really like to know what I did wrong, and I want to prevent my wife from making the same mistakes.
758. rickc2000 - Oct. 12, 1998 - 1:52 PM PT
Doc; Glad to help clear up the confusion. "my wife is caring for them on instinct alone. This makes me nervous." Instinct will get you a long way as long as, 1. you pay attention to what the plants are "telling you" by their health (color, vitality etc) 2. The plant is not some exotic creature that needs some unusual sort of attention (I tend to stay away from this type myself).
There are a number of good "care and feeding" books about house plants, but none come immediately to mind. One I used loyally for years (until I got out of the house plant thing) I picked up for a couple of bucks at a nursery. I suggest you try something similar. One of the handiest things I ever found was a chart that simply listed plants with their light and water requirements. Ask at your favorite nursery for their suggestion. And trust your wife's instincts (until the plants start to turn yellow (g). After all they led her to you didn't they (so they can't be all bad)?
Your house sounds like a wonderful place to grow your plants. Have fun!!!
759. DocBrown - Oct. 12, 1998 - 2:02 PM PT
Thanks, Rick2000. As a first time homeowner I should probably be asking all sorts of questions in this thread, but I feel guilty doing that. I would like to be able to answer a few questions from other people, but aside from soldering a few pipes and installing some light switches I don't have any experience with homes & gardens.
We live in Cleveland, so it is a real luxury to have a good room for growing plants indoors.
760. elliot803 - Oct. 12, 1998 - 2:13 PM PT
Does anyone have any thoughts on mortgage refinancing? Has anyone been through this recently? I've been thiking about it for a while. I could probably reduce my current interest rate by 1% or 1.5%. What's the minimum amount of time I would need to keep my current home to make this worthwhile?
761. DocBrown - Oct. 12, 1998 - 2:14 PM PT
Does anyone know anything about cleaning the outside of a brick house? My uncle has told me that my house would look a lot nicer if I wash the stone, bricks, and mortar with a pressure washer.
The guy at the hardware store wants to sell me a pressure washer, but he refuses to tell me that it is okay to wash my house with it. He says that the pressure washer might remove the glazing from the brick and ruin my house. I asked if I can use it to clean the brake dust from my car's wheels and he says the pressure washer might damage them, too. In fact, he claims the pressure washer is the greatest thing since sliced bread one moment, and the next moment says that he is not allowed to recommend that it be actually used for anything!
Him: "You'll love the Deep Wash Turbo 6000 pressure washer. Six horsepower and ten zillion PSI. It's the best there is."
Me: "Can I use it to wash my house?"
Him: "I can't recommend that. You might damage the brick."
Me: "Can I use it to wash my car?"
Him: "I can't recommend that. You might damage the paint."
Me: "How about just washing the wheels?"
Him: "I can't recommend that either. You might puncture your tires."
Me: "Well, then what CAN I do with it?"
Him: "Are you kidding? This is the Deep Wash Turbo 6000 . . . you can do anything with it!"
Me: "How about washing my windows?"
Him: "I can't recommend that. You might break the glass."
762. rickc2000 - Oct. 12, 1998 - 2:15 PM PT
Doc Brown; The first house eh? Big fun!! There is a good plant/landscape reference I remember but I don't recall the author. The book is "How to Grow Anything" (or maybe "Everything". It is fairly comprehensive and lists landscaping as well as house plants.
A good indoor plant room will be great in your part of the country, something to help break up the cabin fever and keep your thoughts off the winters.
763. elliot803 - Oct. 12, 1998 - 2:22 PM PT
Doc:
Re: Houseplants: two words, water and light. That's really all there is to it. I've heard that overwatering is a lot more common than underwatering. But I think the most common cause of houseplant death is probably lack of light. As long as you know the general characteristics of your plants, and treat them accordingly, I don't think you need a take a "scientific" approach. I just go on instinct, and my plants are thriving.
764. rickc2000 - Oct. 12, 1998 - 2:22 PM PT
Doc Brown; re (762) LOL, boy talk about playing CYA!!! (cover your ass) This guy sure wants to sell but doesn't want *you* back complaining. I would talk to the company that makes the washer or some professionals in the house painting business (they used a power washer to blow the loose paint off my house last time I had it painted) to see what they think of using the thing on your brick. My quess is that it will be ok, unless you have some unusual glaze on the brick. Check out that angle before you invest. btw have you considered renting the machine or just hiring someone to do it (save yourself the time and agirvation)?
765. DocBrown - Oct. 12, 1998 - 2:44 PM PT
Yes, Rickc2000, I have done some research on this. Recently I visited the homepage of a PW manufacturer, and they said that NONE of their products were recommended for washing houses. This page says that pressure washing houses if fine, but it must be left to a trained professional.
I am in a unique position: I want to wash my house once a year, but I want to wash the brake dust off of my wheels once a week.
Hiring a pro is fine for washing the house, but it seems like I ought to be able to accomplish this myself.
I take my car to car shows on weekends, and a pressure washer would save me a lot of work! It will be most efficient if I can accomplish both tasks with the purchase of one tool. I just want to find out what the professional PW operator knows, but no one will tell me. What sort of washer should I get? What setting should I use?
Fraygrants are pretty smart. Perhaps someone here knows the answers.
766. arkymalarky - Oct. 12, 1998 - 3:50 PM PT
A year or so ago someone in Arkansas was literally killed with a pressure washer at the carwash. Two women got into it and one hosed the other one across the neck and it cut her throat and killed her. I like the plain old metal spray guns that you put on the end of a water hose. They have enough pressure but not too much and you can regulate them.
Elliot,
We refinanced our house a few months ago because of the drop in interest rates and saved quite a lot with a 1.5% decrease and cut ten years off our mortgage. I wish now we had waited and saved even more, but it wouldn't be worth the closing costs to do it again. An amortization chart should tell you exactly what you'll save and you could probably get a good general estimate of closing costs from a number of places. Your degree of savings will depend on how much you've already paid on your current mortgage.
767. elliot803 - Oct. 12, 1998 - 3:55 PM PT
Thanks, Arky. I'll probably talk to a broker soon to check my options.
768. elliot803 - Oct. 12, 1998 - 3:59 PM PT
Doc:
About those houseplants, one thing I forgot is that you should talk to them. I'm serious.
769. Judithathome - Oct. 12, 1998 - 4:26 PM PT
Doc: I watch this show on PBS every week, About The House, with this goofy but lovable guy and he once warned against using a pressure washer on any type of brick. He showed some tape of brick deterioration(sp?) after it had been washed, like a time-lapse thing. It was definitely scary, like sugar candy left in the rain or something.
770. phillipdavid - Oct. 12, 1998 - 4:30 PM PT
elliot
760
A couple of years. Figure about two thousand ( or a couple hundred more)for refinace costs, and probably about 60 to 100 dollars a month in savings. 7.5% down to 6.5% on a hundred grand will save about 60 to 70 bucks a month, I believe. 8 or 9% down to 6.5 will be an appreciable difference.
Doc,
Power washers are powerful tools. The nozzle you have on the end makes all the difference. With the fine spray, you can gouge wood and gouge brick. But the nozzle that has a spread out stream, like a fan, is fairly safe -- just don't stand too close, or it too will gouge into metal, brick, and wood.
771. phillipdavid - Oct. 12, 1998 - 4:34 PM PT
The biggest danger in power washing your brick is damaging the mortar between the bricks. If that gets chipped or gouged away, it is a major hassle to find the exact kind of mortar to use to patch. It has to be finely matched to the exact nature of the bricks used, or problems will develop. Most of the damage to brick walls is created by use of the wrong mortar, which eventually causes bigger, structural damge to the wall.
772. elliot803 - Oct. 12, 1998 - 4:35 PM PT
PhillipDavid:
Thanks. That's about what I figured. I'm definitely a marginal case, since my current rate is pretty good (7.875%)
773. phillipdavid - Oct. 12, 1998 - 4:47 PM PT
elliot,
I am at 7.65, and I am considering doing it agian! (did it a year ago). But 60 or 70 bucks a month is actually a big deal for me.
The biggets factor is deciding whether or not you are going to stay in the house for a while. If you figure you will sell within a couple of years, it probably isn't worth it. But if you know you will be there three, four, five years, or longer, than it seems to be worth it, imo.
I am a marginal situation like you, and I don't know if I will be staying in my house or not. Staying or not is the key to making the decision.
774. ScottLoar - Oct. 12, 1998 - 5:37 PM PT
Why not just use a consumer-grade wheel cleaner to remove brake dust? Just spray it on then rinse away. For years I faithfully cleaned the wheel covers on my Audi whenever I washed it (always by hand mind you) yet the brake dust built up, especially in the corners. I tried Q-tips, toothbrushes, anything to get in and wipe that dust away, all to poor effect. Then in a rare fit of genius I looked for spray bottles of wheel cleaner at an auto shop. It works.
775. DocBrown - Oct. 12, 1998 - 8:57 PM PT
ScottLoar, I already use the spray cleaner for brake dust. Due to the shape of my wheels it does not get into the slots well enough. Cleaning those wheels is a lot of work, except when I use a pressure washer at the do-it-yourself carwash.
The purpose of my inquiry here is to see if I can duplicate the action of the carwash and clean my brick house at the same time.
776. ScottLoar - Oct. 12, 1998 - 9:12 PM PT
Thank you for so thorough an explanation of "the purpose of your enquiry here".
777. lemwalker - Oct. 12, 1998 - 9:20 PM PT
Ate my garden tonight. Didn't plant for two years. Golf course took up too much time. The ground was leached by our abundant rainfall and some trees got taller and shaded out the garden. Plan on moving it to sunnier area. Think next year will just grow flowers. Am already pretty good at growing weeds. Flowers aren't that big of a step up.
Just wash the bricks with bleach to kill the mold growing on it. that will probably do as good as blasting it off with a pressure washer.
778. davidmeyer - Oct. 12, 1998 - 10:58 PM PT
Hey all. I am a gardener in "real life." I don't really like it, but I know a bit about it. I graduated from college in '97, and wanted to experience the world a bit before I went to law school. I plan on going in Fall '99.
I specialize in laying stone. I used to have a young back, too, by the way. Lots of rich people in Cincinnati have stone sidewalks because of me. Wealthy people sure do know how to spend their money.
Oh well.
779. Fraaank9 - Oct. 13, 1998 - 2:08 AM PT
Anyone:
I have a two foot wide section on the north facing wall of my place that is always in the shade. I have placed several large white boulders ( I couldn't get rid of them ) along this two foot wide section and was just wondering what kind of ground hugging plant would look good against them ?
I think I have heard of "tear drops" or "baby drops" bandied about. Has anyone ever had experience with either,and just what are they ?
Thanks
780. patsyrolph - Oct. 13, 1998 - 4:03 AM PT
Fraank:
I think you mean baby tears (SOLERIROLIA soleirolii) also called angel's tears, it makes a nice carpet and climbs over rocks. Snails like it.
Some ferns should do well in the space too. Also Hostas. Is there some light? Impatiens like shade but want some sun as well.
I really like lurking here. It's peaceful. I believe I will just pull up a garden chair and sit a spell.
781. rickc2000 - Oct. 13, 1998 - 8:46 AM PT
Fraank; Myrtle may work in your shady place. It has 1 inch long dark green leaves and small purple flowers (also called periwinkle). Grows somewhat as a vine. Does well in shady areas.
782. glendajean - Oct. 13, 1998 - 5:34 PM PT
Bubbaette -- can you tell me more about Christi's rose problem or point me to a post?
If you saw my roses (after this summer's late drought), you might not ask me any rose questions (g).
783. bubbaette - Oct. 13, 1998 - 7:46 PM PT
Glendajean
evidently the rose is potted and has begun to come back around after her move. Christi's looking for general care tips.
I'm also new to roses and the two red climbing roses we inherited when we bought the house are looking pretty bedraggled. I think part of the reason is that they're not getting enough sun, stuck between a privacy fence to the back and a two 12 foot camilias in front. Can they be transplanted?
I have not done the first thing to prune or feed them. When, how and what? Any beginner tips you can offer are much appreciated.
784. rickc2000 - Oct. 14, 1998 - 9:13 AM PT
bubbaette; Transplanting roses is posible and, if yours are not getting much sun it may be necessary. If you are going to transplant you must first prune it all back severly. I would take all the canes back to less than a foot long before the move then prune more after it has been in the ground a bit. It should look sort of like a new plant form the nursery. cut out all waek canes or canes that wrap around others. You want to end up with about 4 strong, healthy canes. Usually you don't want to prune a climber back as muchas a regular rose but you must do so to transplant. You also might want to do so if it is scraggly, leggy or in general bad health.
You should also prune the roots back when you transplant. The actual move should be managed like you were planting a new rose.
785. bubbaette - Oct. 15, 1998 - 11:13 AM PT
Rick
Thanks. Is this a "prune now, but wait till Spring to transplant" sort of thing?
786. glendajean - Oct. 15, 1998 - 11:54 AM PT
Bubbatte, sweet Bubbaette,
Thrice I tried to pen notes about transplanting your climber yesterday, and after writing elaborate notes, got interrupted and then I couldn't send it and I didn't copy and paste, and the end result was no answer to your question to me.
You've been given excellent advice from others, and I have little to add. I moved a climber last year that was in spot not getting enough sun. Cut it back (as Ric and others said).
I would suggest that you make a very healthy use of compost and composted manure mixed in with dirt in the new hole, that the new site gets at least 6 hours of sunlight a day, and that you don't bury the plant too deeply. Finally, make sure the new site has good drainage -- roses hate keeping their feet wet.
They do love a good soaking once a week or so, and after you transplant it, that should be every other day.
The advantage of doing this work now is that it is cooler, so there will be less heat stress on the plant, but there is still enough time for the roots to establish before the hard winter freezes. And by next summer, the plant should be very well established.
Roses hate having wet leaves, particularly in the humid Mid-Atlantic climate, so never use a sprinkler on it. Soaking is always best with roses. And finally, the best time to prune usually is in late winter. To do so in the fall means that new shoots will be destroyed by freezes or frosts. But in this case, now is the time!
May your roses bloom as lovely as you.
787. bubbaette - Oct. 15, 1998 - 12:33 PM PT
Glenda
Thank you sweetie pie. I'll do it this weekend!
788. Ronski - Oct. 15, 1998 - 3:01 PM PT
Thought to have been seen by me this morning in Brooklyn: a Connecticut warbler. This bird was named for where it was first sighted, but actually is an infrequent visitor to the tri-state region. It summers mostly in central Canada, and winters in the tropics; but it does pass this way when migrating, so I may be right. It is small, wren-like, with a brownish top and yellowish breast.
789. AzureNW - Oct. 18, 1998 - 4:29 PM PT
Maybe my nose is especially sensitive, but I think clothes that have been dry cleaned several times begin to smell embalmed. When a couple of my favorite ‘dry clean only' summer dresses started to smell like a funeral home, I decided they were going into the washing machine or into the trash can. To my surprise, many woven items laundered very well, come out fresh smelling and unwrinkled, particularly rayon things. The main problem was a bit fading, although I could have used a finer detergent and cooler water. All of this time I had been spending up to $8 per item for inferior cleaning, exposing myself and the environment to chemicals needlessly. Gak.
790. AzureNW - Oct. 18, 1998 - 4:44 PM PT
Impecably laundered cotton is delicious, I think. I love 300 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets double-laundered, washed once with mild detergent and dilute chlorine bleach, then washed and rinsed again with pure water. Yum.
Maybe I'm not getting enough sleep.
791. AzureNW - Oct. 18, 1998 - 5:00 PM PT
yawn!
792. rdbrewer - Oct. 18, 1998 - 5:11 PM PT
Off topic garden bragging mode:
My Elephant Ears are a tad over six feet tall. They're more than 2.5 feet across. (That's 4.7 meters for you metric types.) My Japanese Maple grew three to four inches this year! The Redbud I've been training to grow up instead of out is over nine feet tall -- in one year. I planted some Phosynthia in May that has been waiting to take off because of the heat, but in the last month they have grown about eight inches -- all bright red tips. Roly polies got to my Pacific Blue Rug Junipers, I think, so they didn't grow much. Anyone know about low growing junipers?
793. AzureNW - Oct. 18, 1998 - 6:10 PM PT
Some fairly diverse-looking plants are called 'junipers.' I have a combination of some kinds on a sloping border at the end of a cul-de-sac. There are bluish prickly starshaped ones above and dark green splat shaped ones at the sidewalk edge. Kids crash into them on their bikes and skateboards.
794. MrMonkey - Oct. 19, 1998 - 7:27 AM PT
I could use some friendly advice regarding 3 clematis plants. They climbed about 6 feet up over the summer but are now losing most leaves due to the onset of cold weather in the Pacific Northwest. Do I prune severely now or wait till spring? I want them to come back bigger and bushier in '99. Thanks from a novice.
795. Ronski - Oct. 19, 1998 - 10:03 AM PT
Latest birds: yellow-breasted flycatchers, on migration. These little cuties hang on the bottom of leaves, looking for flying insects that are resting on the leaf's underside. The birds are very comical as they do this.
796. rickc2000 - Oct. 19, 1998 - 10:28 AM PT
Mr. Monkey; Prune your clematis severly when the leaf drop is done (or close to it) before the colder weather sets in. All the new year's growth from clematis comes in new shoots from the roots. Prune back to a couple of inches from the ground.
797. Ronski - Oct. 19, 1998 - 11:20 AM PT
rickc2000,
I thought that there were two forms of hybrid clematis, one that you are not supposed to cut all the way back because it will inhibit blooming the following season, and one that you can cut all the way back without harming. Or does it not matter when you're pruning in the fall, only in the spring or summer?
798. rickc2000 - Oct. 19, 1998 - 1:12 PM PT
Ronski; Two forms of hybred clematis that have different pruning requirements? I am not aware of that. Can anyone else out there add anything?
799. Ronski - Oct. 20, 1998 - 7:47 AM PT
I know I should research, then post, but not having had time to do the former, permit my saying that I think one of the types of clematis blooms only on old wood, and therefore brutal pruning severely limits bloom for the following season, if done in the fall. But I could be wrong. I will check when I get the chance.
800. bubbaette - Oct. 20, 1998 - 11:30 AM PT
I'm looking too. My Rodale Press garden book doesn't even list clematis!