Spring cleaning tips....got any?
saltnpeppa
14 years ago
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sabigabatini
14 years agomaanda
14 years agoRelated Discussions
Spring is almost here! Need your spring cleaning routine!
Comments (3)We live in Northern Virginia (7b) and leave our pond (900 g) going all year long. The pond covers the width of the backyard of a townhome overlooking a golf course. We use a pump to move the water from the pond to the top water fall where it spills into a bifurcated stream that then meets in a small ponding area and drops from another waterfall into the large pond. So, for maintenance in the spring and fall we check to make sure vegetation hasn't started growing into the pond. From time to time, tree roots will try to invade by growing along side the liner and then into the stream. We clean the settled leaves from the bottom of the pond with a skimmer, the excess mud out of the stream and then with a scrub brush clean the filter on the end of the pump. I also thin out the irises that grow in the ponding area as they can completely take over. This takes about a half day in spring and again in the fall. Once or twice a month I check the vegetation and check for algae growth. Weekly I check the water levels and the PH once or twice in the summer. This weekend it was in the 60s so I did all of this in a Sunday afternoon. In winter, the water movement keeps the pond from completely freezing over. It may look frozen on top but the water continues to move underneath. Often an ice layer forms over the pond but there's a cushion of air between the pond water and ice layer so it stays insulated, it doesn't get cold enough for the pond to freeze completely over. Over the years we've used a pond heater, an air exchanger and bubblers which helps keep the pond from freezing over and also helps to aerate the pond. I find that the bubblers proved to be one of our best assets and we now keep them going all year long. Hard to believe they have lasted so many years in all kinds of weather. We also put a mesh screen across the pond in the fall to capture the leaves; it also helps to keep critters out during especially cold winters. Raccoons are crafty, they devastated our pond one year when we weren't careful about how we laid down the screen. We didn't want it to get all caught up with the ice that formed along the waterfall. That was a mistake! Let me know if you have any other questions. Am glad to help! It's really such a wonderful addition to our life and has been fairly easy to maintain. It's a natural part of the landscape and has worked out so well for us. FYI, keep koi, fantail goldfish, shubunkins, tadpoles/frogs, snails and other aquatic plants so that there is a natural balance. The pond has attracted a significant amount of wildlife from visiting turtles, birds, skinks, and the occasional snake and/or raptor (the small birds seem to attract the winter raptors). Since water flows regularly we've never had problems with mosquitoes though we did also purchase mosquito fish just in case....See MoreSpring Clean-Up
Comments (6)Years ago, I would have spread layers of newspapers or cardboard around plantings and mulched over, but who buys newspapers now? Gone are the days of two newspaper deliveries each day in our house. And once upon a time, we weeded away for hours in our long, sunny gardens and spent a fortune buying yards of mulch to place between plants because my dh loved the look of plants set apart from their neighbors and surrounded by mulch. However, with retirement we've taken a different approach. We put things that grow tall and more upright at the back of the gardens, stagger things that are more full at the mid-level, and things that spread near the front. The front of the garden is also where we put annuals, with lots of volunteer Verbena bonariensis spreading happily in between it all ... kind of a crowded English-garden approach. There are still weeds, but they're just harder to see. Here are some photos to show what I mean. Near the river, lots of sedums and spreaders are in the drier part of the garden. Along the fence in the back, taller plants intermingle with grasses. We also have evergreens in the garden to take up space and give texture. Molie...See MoreSpring cleaning time! How do you clean your white shaker cabs?
Comments (4)2. Protect Oven: The excessive debris building up on the bottom of appliance can be prevented by the oven liners and washed and reused time and again. This is begging for trouble when those liners melt. I don't know of a single oven manufacturer that doesn't say, "Don't use liners!". You can see some of the threads here for more on the problems they create. Also, for #4, randomly pouring drano et al is foolish, wasteful, and not good for the environment. Keeping a plunger available for if you have a problem and using common sense like not pouring hot fat down the sink are both better ways to avoid clogged drains. But working methodically to avoid going back over where you were is a good recommendation....See MoreA little spring cleaning...
Comments (12)Thanks for the suggestions on what to do with the lotion. I'll try using it for shaving and/or my feet. Just yesterday I gave myself a pedicure and painted my toenails purple. Time for summer feet! Syliva, I don't think our local shelter will take something that's been opened. But, a few months ago, I was cleaning out a closet and came across a box of amenity kits from flying first/business class. These kits usually contain lotion, toothpaste, toothbrush, mouthwash, lip balm, a comb, a sleep mask and a pair of socks. I knew we weren't going to use them, so donated them to the shelter and they were thrilled to get them. They especially liked that they came in a small zipper case and were ready to simply hand to someone and also easy for someone who is homeless to pick up and take with them. Plus, the case could be used for other things once the toiletries are used up. I was so happy that they didn't go to waste and they would have eventually as the toiletries started to degrade over time....See Moreneetsiepie
14 years agobulldinkie
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