Garden
If you decide to use a living Christmas tree this year, keep it outside in a sunny location until Christmas week. This reduces stress on the young tree.
Give your azaleas, gardenias and camellias a boost with chelated iron.
After they bloom, chrysanthemums should be trimmed to 6 to 8 inches above the ground. If in pots, keep the mums in their containers until next spring. Then they can be planted in the ground, if desired, or repotted.
Prune nonflowering trees and shrubs while dormant.
Home
Colder weather means more time indoors. This also makes it a good time to give your home a ventilation tune-up. These suggestions come from HGTV's "Myles of Style" co-star Anthony Gilardi:
First, clean your home's ventilation. "Indoor pollutants are fairly common in our homes. Potential contributors include secondhand tobacco smoke, pets, fireplaces, stoves/ovens, furnishing/finishes and moisture/leaks," Gilardi said. "Good indicators that you may have indoor air quality problems include musty or chemical odors, visible leaks or water damage."
To improve your indoor air quality:
• Turn on hood fans when cooking. Cooking releases chemicals that can contaminate the air.
• Turn on the exhaust fan when showering to limit moisture buildup.
• Clean regularly to prevent dust, dirt and pet-hair accumulation.
• Use cleaning products that do not emit chemicals into the air. Many products used to wash floors, countertops and windows can give off toxic gas or irritating chemicals. Avoid dangerous chemicals by selecting products that are certified for low levels of chemical emissions.
• When possible, open windows to allow fresh air into your space.
• Maintain heating and air-conditioning filters as instructed. Check, clean or replace furnace and air filters regularly, at least every two months. Consider installing a "high efficiency particulate" (HEPA) filter.
– Debbie Arrington
