You might want to have a certified arborist (tree expert) check these trees. Some trees don't seem to be bothered much by having one side of their root system cut but some are much more sensitive. One worry is the lack of support from that side of the tree in the event of high winds. As far as watering is concerned, a mature tree can drink several hundred gallons of water a day during the height of summer so it might be difficult to water them deeply enough and in great enough volume to be helpful. And never fertilize a plant that is already under stress unless a specialist checks it out and recommends something specific. In this case phosphate might help the tree renew it's root system but don't apply it without professional advice. Another source of great assistance is your local Extension Agent. Your county should have an agent that will be able to give you more specific advice geared to your locality and climate. The last problem you might be on the lookout for is damage to the new sidewalk from the roots. Maples are notorious for ruining sidewalks and foundations by breaking them up with their super strong root system that is often on or near the surface of the ground. If these trees survive and renew their root systems, the sidewalk will probably only last a few years. Good luck. Let us know the outcome of this if you can. I really hate to see these beautiful old trees damaged by careless disregard for their needs. But I know the sidewalk was needed too. Quite a balancing act! Sandy

Estreya, I'm glad you asked that question because I have been wondering the same thing. I, too, was plagued with thrips earlier in the year, and things are better now. I don't know if it was because of some beneficial insects or because I sprayed with Ultrafine horticultural oil and baking soda at least three times. However, I read in a book on Roses that I have (Foolproof Guide to Growing Roses, by Field Roebuck) that the "best approach is to break the two-week life cycle by destroying the larvae in the soil, along with the adults on the plant. You can accomplish this to a great extent by drenching the soil with beneficial nematodes early in the year and then spraying the young growth and the flower buds with a neem oil extract." Then I read somewhere on this forum or the regular roses forum that j.song uses Spinosad; says it's safer, natural, and most effective against chewing and eating insects. He or she applies it with Ultrafine to control thrips. You can get Spinosad from Planet Natural. It's also called Monterey Garden Insect Spray. That company also sells beneficial nematodes $24.95, free shipping, apply in early spring. www.planetnatural.com, or www.hydro-gardens.com. I am planning on using the nematodes for sure next spring. Hope I don't forget. Marlene

I have porcelain now, but had textured ceramic for 40 years prior. I have been using a daily product called "Clean Shower" (I think it is currently owned by Arm and Hammer) and have never had a problem (over the last probably 15 years) with soap scum dirt or hard water scale, mold or mildew. Google it to see now it works. Certainly worth a try and it won't hurt your tile or glass. -Babka

I would not do something plain red. I would pull the berry color from your art and paint the wall behind the art that color to begin to create a concept for your kitchen. Additionally, I would pull the table from against the wall. No one wants to eat up against the wall. I'd center it under your light fixture and replace the fixture with some type of fun pendant to provide great lighting for your eating area. Here is a drum pendant from C&B Here is an inexpensive shade from IKEA They sell these pendants at HD. I thought about adding some type of shelving on your long wall to display berry-colored dishware, but thought that this color might be too difficult to procure if you were looking for lots of items. It's a big wall. So again I decided the easier path was to once again paint the wall the same berry color and mount a collage of white and gray ceramic and porcelain items directly to the wall These pieces can be purchased at any resale shop or dollar store. The important thing is to get a wide variety of items. I cannot take credit for this idea. This was created by the Visual Designers at Crate & Barrel for their new restaurant, The Table. To make sure everything stayed secure to the wall the design team silicone glued a plastic hex cap screw on to the back of each item and screwed them directly into the wall. The pieces are not going anywhere. Note the track lighting used to enhance the wall sculpture. If you change your lighting to a track fixture that will go far in bringing out the depth of all the different items you have collected.