I grow blueberry shrubs here in Madison, Wisconsin, but all of our shrubs are planted in the ground, so my methods of pH control are not necessarily best for your situation. How are you measuring pH? If the leaves are deep green color, the shrubs are healthy, and pH must be reasonably close to optimum. We have hard water, supplied by the City of Madison. Our water has pH = 7.6, and it gets an addition of 5% white vinegar before being used on our blueberry shrubs. If you are using soft water, or rainwater, the amount of acid needed will be less, so you need to know what kind of water you have before proceeding. Also, you would have to know what kind of growing medium is in the pot. Some people grow potted blueberries in spaghnum peat moss, and this material tends to be acidic with no chemical addition needed.

Hi, Doc, As noted by 3onthetree above, stack effect promotes the migration of air from lower to upper levels. I's tough to fight physics. That said, you'll still benefit from sealing the duct work--but don't use duct tape. Use UL-approved foil tape for that purpose or mastic--either of which will meet code requirements for duct sealing. The tape is a little hard to work with because it adheres so well; it's good stuff. Any penetrations between floors--for piping, duct work, wiring, etc. should also be sealed. The International Residential Code prohibits the installation of HVAC returns in Kitchens unless the system serves the Kitchen only and is at least 10 ft from appliances--which is not likely from your description. The relevant code section is M1602.2 Return Air Openings. The return should be relocated. The occupants of the 1st floor will benefit as much from that as you will.

I am stuck on the issue that your teenager is impossible to get out of bed. I have a teenager daughter who likes when I help remind her what time it is. She sleeps through her alarm sometimes.... she can be annoyed when I remind her the time but we always laugh about it. Is the issue here that there is a struggle with YOU helping her get out of bed? After 4 kids/older teens, and many different beds/configurations, I can tell you that the bed arrangement I hated most was the one you show in your post. It takes up an enormous amount of room in a bedroom, and shin wounds from tripping over the legs at the foot of the bed were terrible! I couldn't wait to get rid of that thing. However, you will note that there IS a desk-like situation already built in on the side of the bottom bunk. The desk is tiny, closed in, and non-functional for a teenager who needs to spread out materials (imho). What your daughter needs is (1) a bed and (2) a desk. If you want those things to be in her room, then I'm sure you have space for them. Perhaps you have to re-arrange or build-out her closet and remove a dresser from the space. Putting a desk up by the ceiling seems like you just haven't addressed the other things going on in the bedroom. What's taking up so much space there isn't room for a desk in the bedroom? Edited to add: for adults, it is commonly recommended on these advice forums to NOT place a desk in the bedroom area, as the desk with its clutter is a reminder of the stress of what has to be done, when the bedroom should be for sleeping. Families so often have desks in teenagers bedrooms. Come to think of it: we don't. Our teens/college students set up in the dining room, or pull up a table in a quiet room elsewhere. At this point, might it not be better for your daughter's "sleep hygiene" to make the bedroom be a bedroom and study elsewhere???? What's the psychology behind adults not having offices/desks in the bedroom but the teenagers DO have a desk in the bedroom?

Looks like Galium aparine growing up through a peony.