What Happens on a Hunt Will Always Make Its Way to the Thanksgiving Table.

The season of Fall brings us apple picking, scenic hikes, and my favorite, cider donuts. But as we enter November, no one tends to enjoy fall quite as much as the hunter.

As Thanksgiving approaches, it is time for every outdoorsman to gather their most intriguing stories to tell around the table. There is nothing like those moments when every family member’s eyes are either rolling or wide open, listening to the great stories from this fall. As we enter the month of November, hunters know this to be one of the most exciting times to be in the woods. It is time for “The Rut,” otherwise known as the time when the bucks are most territorial. Hunters refer to the rut as “The Greatest Show on Earth” because you truly never know what you might see when hunting in nature. During this time, the deer are most vulnerable because they become more active during the daylight hours than other times of the year.

Although not all of us hunt in the Fall, we have all been walking in the woods and have observed the subtle marks of frayed bark on a tree. We get to imagine the image of a buck lowering his antlers to mark his territory, but seldom actually witness it. Hunters have the opportunity to witness these incredible sights that most of us don’t get to see. 

Recently I had the chance to catch up with Justin Homburger, an avid hunter from Burnt Hills, who shared an experience he had on a hunt that would get any outdoorsman’s adrenaline pumping. Every hunter knows the feeling of waking up before daybreak or heading out after work, walking to their stand, and silently waiting and listening for the crackling of leaves: the thought that they may soon get their chance to test their marksmanship after months of target practice. Justin, feeling that strong impulse all us outdoorsmen feel, decided to drive three hours to his camp near the Finger Lakes. He walked to his stand at approximately 4 p.m., October 24, for his first sit of the year. It did not take long for him to witness a herd of doe that came and started feeding in the freshly cut corn field he was hunting. Not long after the does entered, a hobbling four-point buck entered the field and began feeding alongside them. All of a sudden, the four-point buck looked up and made a soft, but low roar. Suddenly the does quickly ran off and Justin had thought that the deer had caught wind of his scent. Then in an instant, a large eight pointer ran onto the corn field, which set the stage for a battle of territory between both bucks. Heads to the ground, they locked antlers and began sparring and fighting. The loud crack of antlers could be heard echoing through the field. Before long, the eight-point buck had won the fight leaving the discouraged and hobbling four-pointer to move onto a different area. Justin explained that he was in such awe watching, that he never even thought about taking a shot at either deer that day. He just sat back and watched nature at its finest. I’m pretty sure Justin will be back in no time to settle the score with that eight-pointer.

People tend to think that a successful hunt is judged by the deer you take. This is not always the case as it goes much deeper than that. When hunting, one tries to make themself as unnoticed as possible. For those of us who just walk the woods, we often miss these spectacles of nature. We are a visitor, whereas a hunter has the unique opportunity to blend in and become a part of nature. Hunters get to experience what most of us will only be able to imagine. So when we are gathered together this year for Thanksgiving, the hunters in the family will still most likely be trying to convince you and every relative that they are the most successful. With that being said, hopefully there will be some stories that will show a hunter’s true appreciation of nature’s incredible sights and will be enjoyable to hear. You just may finally hear an answer to why you found a broken antler on your walk in the woods.

The colorful days of fall are over and it is the time to prepare for the winter ahead. What can we do to help our landscape get through winter in good shape? 

Remember that dehydration is the greatest threat to landscape plantings. The cold arctic wind that blows from the north and west is the worst culprit. The sun also contributes to the drying effect. Rhododendron, Holly, Laurel, and other broadleaf evergreens are in the worst danger of being damaged by desiccation. Though they are evergreens, they still enter a dormant stage as the ground freezes. The dry, windy, frigid days of January and February will give these plants little respite.

Constructing burlap windbreaks is a good way to protect evergreens. Drive hardwood stakes about a foot into the ground and staple burlap to them, leaving the top open. The idea is to block as much wind as possible. Remember, wind coming from the east or south is warmer and gentler. Construct your windbreak so it protects plants from the much harsher prevailing winds that blow from the north and west.

Snow, ice and wind aren’t the only threats to our landscape plants in winter. There are also hungry animals out there looking for food, and many of our landscape plants are on their menu. So how do we keep mice and deer and rabbits from making a meal of our plants?

For absolute deer, mouse and rabbit protection, you’ll need a physical barrier. Tree wrap allows you to wrap the trunk right down to the soil so critters will never be tempted to take a bite. Once trees get old enough and develop the rough bark of a mature tree, the mice and deer won’t bother them anymore.

Deer will also nibble the buds of many flowering shrubs like lilacs, azaleas and forsythia which set flower buds in the summer. Those buds must survive winter to open in spring, but these nutrient-packed buds are just what the deer need in the depths of winter. The only way to prevent this is by creating an enclosure of deer netting. If you have evergreens like arborvitae that deer love to eat, wrap the deer netting directly around the evergreen. Deer netting is made of plastic, and with a little care, it can be reused for many years.

The term “blanket of snow” is very appropriate. The “blanket” of snow acts as an insulating barrier. In years of “snow drought,” the exposed crowns of our beloved perennial flowers are exposed to the cold, drying winter winds. Snow will shelter and protect our perennials, lessening the chance of winterkill. Although it is counterintuitive, shoveling snow onto your perennial beds can help protect them through the winter. During snowless winters, covering them with evergreen boughs is a good substitute for snow and there is no shortage of discarded evergreens in January! 

THANKS FOR THE READ!

With the abundance of textures and colors of autumn, Thanksgiving is one of the easiest holidays to decorate for.  A great way to get started is to grab the kids, get in the woods and start collecting! Gather up pinecones, acorns, twigs, colorful leaves and berry branches. Then head to your favorite garden center and snatch up some mums, pumpkins of different sizes, shapes and colors, gourds, squash, corn and cabbage. 

At home dust off your favorite holiday dishes, flatware and glasses and start layering! 

For the table, start with a textured table runner, either in neutral tones or a nice fall color. If you have some left over fabric from a project you could even gather it up over the flat runner to add more dimension (burlap is a great place to start).

From there add in some pumpkins in varying sizes and colors and place them down the center of your table (stack some, lay some on their side and just have fun!) Nothing in nature is perfectly placed, make your centerpiece the same way. Add in candlesticks or pillars, again in varying sizes and heights (they don’t even have to match). Battery candles are a safe way to provide soft ambiance without the fire hazard of real candles.

To finish the centerpiece off mix in greenery, leaves, acorns and pinecones (or anything you gathered up from your hike in the woods). These items combined make for an interesting array of textures, colors, heights and interest.

For your place settings, choose either placemats or charges or a combination of both. If using both, start with a rectangular or square placemat and use round chargers that are smaller than your placemat so you get the full effect of layering.

Thanksgiving is all about giving thanks for the people and things in our lives and everyone is unique in their own way. Your home and table should be just as unique, so go ahead and get those things out that you haven’t used in a while. Break out (not literally) the china that’s been stored away, polish the flatware that has been in a drawer! Mix the family heirlooms in with the new, more modern décor. Not only will your table be beautiful, it will give you some great stores to talk about at the dinner table.

Once you have your dishes sorted, stack salad plates on top of dinner plates and place on top of your chargers.

Napkins are another great way to make a statement on your table. Choose styles and colors to coordinate with your dishes, then stack some, roll some, tie some with twine or use unique napkin rings to really dress them up.  Have fun with them. Don’t make it a chore, see how creative you can be!

Hand printed place cards glued to pinecones or mini pumpkins will make guests more comfortable by knowing exactly where they are sitting around your holiday table.

A super fun way to chill your beverages on your adult drink table is to carve out a pumpkin, add some ice and place your bottles of holiday cheer inside. Don’t forget to add some greenery, leaves and other décor to this table as well. Guests will appreciate the extra effort!

If the kids have their own table for dinner, why not let them make their own table runner or placemats by painting turkeys or pumpkins on paper in different, fun colors (the traditional tracing of the hand and making it into a turkey is always a favorite of mine). And let them set their own table with the items they love best. It will put them in the holiday spirit and hopefully no gravy fights will break out!

Another fun project for the kiddos is to use the acorns you gathered up in the woods, get some different colored paints and paint the bottoms of the acorns. These, along with pinecones and pumpkins can be placed in glass jars or vases and put in the center of the kids table on top of their handmade table runner.

Now on to the home overall. Start with the front door and/or porch. A beautiful fall wreath made out of large acorns, twigs, leaves and gorgeous flowers will welcome all that visit. Pumpkins, gourds, mums and candles on the front porch will add a touch of warmth for the cold days and nights ahead.

In the living room, add cozy throws in different sizes, colors and texture (faux fur is my favorite!) and lots of fun pillows for the sofas, chairs and even floor pillows for the kids. These will warm up the room and make it come alive with the colors of fall.

Powder rooms are great rooms to decorate to the max! Everyone uses your powder room so make it stand out! Add scented candles or cinnamon pine cones to give it freshness. Make a floral/feather bouquet for the back of your toilet with tall plumes of feathers, twigs (you can even spray paint them to coordinate with the color of your room) and anything else you already have on hand. Just make it big and make a statement! Change out hand towels for the day – there are so many out there to choose from. Make it fun and beautiful for you and your guests.

 In summary, get out in nature to see what is out there! If it has fallen off the tree, you can take it home with you. Get things out that you haven’t used in a while. Use your beautiful dishes and glasses handed down from your grandparents. Enjoy the season with your family and friends. And most of all – be thankful for everything you have in your life! Life is short – live it to its fullest!!

Photos provided.

World War II just ended, Franklin D. Roosevelt was our president, and the Detroit Tigers won the World Series. The year was 1945 and a young local couple by the name of Hy and Anne Zima decided to test their entrepreneurial skills and open a kitchen and bath business. 

Seventy-five years later, Capitol Kitchens and Baths still offers personalized experiences to make sure that the project you’re doing, whether a kitchen or bath or a new heating system, is perfect for you, your home, your budget, and your family.

And they know something about family. Now in their third generation, they have five family members working together to provide excellent customer service: 2nd generation brothers Terry & Bob Zima with brother in law Ken Shapiro and 3rd generation siblings Adam Zima & Hana (Zima) Sullenger.

While they have held on to the original core values of Hy and Anne, they have certainly had to adjust with the times. “We’ve expanded to three branches (Saratoga in 1986 and Schenectady in 1995). Our services have also expanded a LOT,” said Hana (Zima) Sullinger. “We’ve always designed kitchens, but they were hand drawn and used to be a stock item because there were so few choices from the vendors. Now every kitchen is unique and a custom design so each one is designed specific for the space.

“We also have more kitchen and bath designers on staff than ever and they offer homeowners a personal experience to discuss the space, how it will be used, and create an individual design specifically for that family.”

As technology changed so did their products. According to Hana, “Our products have become more technologically advanced on all sides of the business, we have products from thermostats to showerheads that are wifi and will talk to Alexa or Google Home. The showerhead includes a wireless speaker that will connect to Alexa or Bluetooth!”

Not tech savvy? Don’t worry. The majority of their staff have been in the industry for at least 10 years and quite a few are over the 30-year mark! They know the industry, the product and the processes.

When asked about new trends is the kitchen or bath category, Hana was on point. “In the kitchen our designers are seeing a lot more of an updated farmhouse look, from the white Shaker door to a more transitional style. A combination of white and grey is still very popular but we’re starting to see more Navy color coming into play. Wood tones are starting to make a comeback as well.

“In the bathroom, our designers are seeing more black and white with some grey thrown in. And there are more glam bathrooms too! Products that are very popular include Freestanding tubs, Barn Door looks (with both closet doors and the barn door style in shower doors); and skirted toilets (very easy for cleaning) and Continuous Clean and other cleaning features incorporated into products.”

Capitol has been supporting our region for 75 years. Any money spent with them stays here and supports the community. Their 75th anniversary was going to be marked with book end events and celebrations. But with COVID-19 they are celebrating their 75th anniversary by donating to various organizations throughout our communities that are important to their staff and their customers.

In closing Hana ended with “Supporting local does not mean it’s going to cost more. We’re competitive with our pricing while also offering a personal experience and additional services. However, when you buy at Capitol you’re supporting your friends and neighbors and a company who sees you and your local community.”

Capitol Kitchens and Baths is located at 252 Washington St, Saratoga Springs.
Find them online at capitolkitchensandbaths.com.

Builders and housing market experts know that kitchens and bathrooms sell homes. 

With more people working and learning from home, many are taking the time to upgrade or restyle their kitchens. But how can you be sure that your investment will maintain its value over time? 

Your best bet is to invest in timeless designs and high-end materials instead of trends that may fade in a few years. Things like stainless steel appliances and fixtures never go out of style. The same goes for granite and quartz surfaces, they stand up to the test of time. In fact, quartz has been surging in popularity for years and is taking over granite.

Photo by Eleanor Linda Design & Photography.

Here are 4 kitchen trends that are going away and will be considered passé in 2021. 

1. A desk space in the kitchen was all the rage for about a decade because much of family life does revolve around the kitchen. Now with so much working and learning from home there is a real temptation to work at the kitchen counter. The problem is that a kitchen desk just ends up stacked with papers and clutter that you do not want to see in your dream kitchen. Avoid this dated trend and instead invest in creating a household home office/learning center. 

2. Tile countertops recently made a brief resurgence in more minimalist designs. They are less expensive than granite and other solid natural countertop surfaces. But regardless of tile size and design, it is a maintenance headache because they can chip and break easily. It is also difficult to keep them clean where the grout lines get full of crumbs. 

3. Minimal backsplashes are out. Splatters do not have aim.  Therefore, the top where the backsplash ends inevitably ends up stained.  Go for installing ceramic subway tile, or a colored glass backsplash that goes all the way from the counter to the cabinets. Or for a really high-end finish, add a solid countertop material for the backsplash. These designs are much easier to keep clean and are aesthetically more pleasing.

4. Bright appliances have been a popular style trend and were being used as a way to break up the old standard stainless steel that’s been a staple for years. But turquoise stoves and mint refrigerators are destined to be dated very quickly. Invest in stainless steel which is timeless.

How does your kitchen stack up? 
HERE IS THE LIST OF TIMELESS VS TRENDY

Timeless

• Stainless steel appliances
• Inside counter storage
• Traditional doors
• Granite and quartz countertops

Trendy

• Bright colored appliances
• Pot racks
• Barn Doors
• Marble, tile, wood

Nothing cheers us up in spring more than the appearance of the first flowers from the bulbs we plant in fall. 

Think of these small bulbs as rechargeable batteries. They don’t store electricity but “growth energy.” 

Daffodils, tulips and all the Dutch bulbs offered for sale in the fall must be planted before winter. These bulbs need eight weeks of chilling to stimulate them into their next flowering cycle. Chilling in the ground over winter causes an enzyme change within the bulb. Without that chill, the bulb won’t be ready to grow in spring. Timing is everything. 

It’s always best to seek out the highest quality bulbs. When you buy bulbs, they’re all “charged up” for you by the producer in Holland. The Dutch have been producing flower bulbs since the 1500’s so they have a wealth of experience. When given a choice, choose the largest bulbs you can find. A bigger bulb is closer to becoming two bulbs, so there is an advantage to being picky.

On each package you’ll see bloom times listed as “early spring, mid spring, late spring, and early summer.” 

The next bit of information you’ll need is flower height.  This will help you avoid putting taller plants in front of shorter ones that bloom at the same time.  Height information is also handy when mixing bulbs into established perennial flowerbeds. 

The rule of thumb for planting bulbs is to dig the hole two to three times as deep as the bulb is tall.  Don’t be too fussy though since bulbs will actually reposition themselves at the proper depth as they grow over time.

Bulbs are most impressive when mass planted.  I consider five bulbs to be a minimum group.  Larger groups are even more impressive. Roots start growing right away, and they’ll gain a little extra energy for the spring flowering cycle.  Those roots will help anchor the bulbs in the soil so winter frost won’t heave them upward.

That’s it…pretty simple really. If you take time this fall to plant bulbs, you’ll thank yourself when they emerge after a long winter to announce the arrival of spring. All the beautiful flowers I grow in summer can’t give me the same thrill I get when I discover the first snowdrop or crocus emerging as the last of the winter’s snow retreats from the gardens.

THANKS FOR THE READ!

Soon it will be time to move any houseplants that spent the summer outside back inside for the winter.  Before we do, we’ll want to take precautions to make sure they don’t bring home pests picked up during their summer vacation.  If we bring a plant indoors with only a couple of aphids on it for instance, it can become a big problem in a small amount of time.  Once inside with heat and no natural predators to keep them under control, these insect pests reproduce quickly and can infest your other houseplants.  The last warm days in September gives us the chance to take preventative measures. 

The first step is to thoroughly spray your inbound plants with an insecticide.  My favorite is insecticidal soap.  It kills just about any insect commonly found on houseplants on contact.  It also kills mites which often go undetected since they are so small.  Spraying outside while the weather is still warm gives us a chance to be thorough without making a mess inside.  Spray every inch of the plants until the insecticidal soap is dripping off the leaves.  Pay special attention to the undersides of the leaves since this is where mites like to hide.  Spray again a week to ten days after the first spraying.   

In addition to the spraying, put some systemic insecticide into the soil of inbound houseplants especially hibiscus that seems to attract pests.  Systemic insecticides are drawn up into the plant through the roots and are pumped out through the stems and leaves until it permeates the entire plant. 

Any sucking insects like aphids or scale suck up the insecticide and die.  Systemic insecticide lasts for several weeks so it kills any insects that hatch from eggs after the plant was brought inside.  It takes a couple of weeks to get absorbed by the plant so it is a good idea to use it a week or more before the plant comes inside.  Naturally, you shouldn’t use systemic granules on any edible plants you plan to rescue from outdoors like herbs.

After spending the longest days of the year outside, our houseplants have become spoiled.  Long, warm sunny days with breezes required them to drink plenty of water.  Once they move inside, their demand for water will drop off considerably as the days get shorter.  Don’t water on a timetable.  Check the soil before you water.  If you even think it feels moist, don’t water, and check it again a couple of days later.  NEVER let the plants stand in water for more than a few minutes.  There is no quicker way to drown a plant than to leave it standing in water. This is what kills most houseplants…overwatering. 

Even though our houseplants live all year, they slow way down once inside.  Once they come inside, stop feeding them until March or so when they start to show signs of new growth.  Then feed them, but mix your food at 1/4 strength until it’s time for them to go outside in spring.

We love houseplants for the greenery they provide during the grey days of winter, so let’s help them make the transition as gently as possible.

THANKS FOR THE READ!

One thing we’ve learned throughout these challenging times is that there is no place like home. Traditionally, we have had to go away on vacation and come back to really appreciate the safety and security we feel in the familiar space of our homes.

But what if we made our homes so comfortable and added the right amenities that would make everyday at home feel like a vacation? With worldwide travel restrictions in place for the unknown future, staycations are surely here to stay. 

But which ones would make the whole family excited about staying home? Here are some ideas to consider when creating your very own staycation home oasis: 

 1.  Have a family meeting and talk to all members including kids and grandkids and find out what are the most exciting things they love about your vacation spots. You can use those as design inspiration to communicate to your contractor. Maybe the family “chef” wants to be outside cooking in a real kitchen and part of the outdoor fun. Maybe swimming and staying cool is the top priority? Perhaps adding a waterfall could remind them of a trip to Hawaii or installing rock pattern paths might be reminiscent of river rafting trips or a fire pit feels like camping at the lake. You get the idea here hopefully. 

 2. Talk to a reputable builder about what you want to achieve and let them design a customized plan. Then set a budget and secure financing. Most builders have contacts with funding sources and can point you in the right direction.

 3. Consider things like installing an in-ground pool, hot tub, fully equipped outdoor bar, big screen TV and lounging space, and an outdoor kitchen with oven, grills and refrigeration. How about creating a fire pit space? Consider anything that brings that resort life feeling home. 

 4. If you’re having trouble narrowing things down or just don’t even know where to begin because it feels overwhelming, then talk to a builder. Most consultations are complementary and can help you form a realistic plan that can be within budget and produced in a timely manner. 

 Best of luck in your quest to create your dream backyard oasis staycation setting. It will be worth the investment of time and money and you will reap the benefits for many years to come. 

I hate to be the one to say it but there are already signs of fall around.  The days are just a bit shorter, the nights are getting refreshingly cooler and the first of the hardy mums have started to arrive at the garden center. 

The many petal shapes and colors that chrysanthemums (mums to you, “kiku” to the Japanese) exhibit have made them a fall favorite for years….many, many years. When you decide to grow chrysanthemums, you become involved in a gardening pastime that spans many centuries.

History traces the origin of chrysanthemum culture to Imperial China over 3,000 years ago.  Chrysanthemums were highly prized by the emperors of China who considered them to be more valuable than gold.  The Japanese also revere the chrysanthemum.  In fact, the origin of Japanese culture is wrapped in chrysanthemum legend.

It seems that one of the early emperors of China became quite ill.  In his quest for a remedy he learned of the “herb of youth” that would restore his health.  The search for the “herb of youth” was entrusted to twelve male and twelve female virgins.  They sailed out onto the Pacific Ocean with a bamboo basket filled with the emperor’s beloved “golden daisies” to trade for the “herb of youth.”

They didn’t make it too far before the quest was ended by a typhoon that left them shipwrecked on a rocky archipelago.  With their journey at an end, the survivors planted the revered mums and set about exploring their new home.  Over the years, the survivors’ descendants populated the islands we now know as Japan.  Their reverence for chrysanthemums continued and they were eventually considered the exclusive property of their emperor.  In 910 AD, the Japanese Emperor displayed his prized plants at the first Imperial Chrysanthemum Show and declared them to be the national flower of Japan.  In 1876, another Japanese emperor created the Order of the Chrysanthemum as the highest honor he could bestow on an individual.  The Japanese word “kiku” represents both the chrysanthemum and the office of the emperor.  The royal crest is a traditional sixteen-petal chrysanthemum design.

European interest in Chrysanthemums budded with the arrival of plants brought back from the orient by Dutch traders in the early eighteenth century.  The Dutch are known to have produced several new varieties from the original plants, but it was the horticulturally adept French Huguenots that are credited with real improvements in flower size and color.  The Huguenots developed “Old Purple” which became a favorite all over the continent.

Chrysanthemums came to North America in 1798 in the hands of John Stevens, a nurseryman from Hoboken.  By 1850 the Chrysanthemum society of America had been founded and they held their first show in 1902 and the rest, as they say, is history. 

Since then, hundreds of new colors and forms have been developed which has only added to their popularity.  They are hard to resist.  Remember, the earlier you get them planted, the better the root system they’ll have established before winter arrives.   

Thanks for the read!

IT WOULD SEEM that nothing could be simpler than watering your garden, but I’m always amazed that so many gardeners, even experienced gardeners, continue to make the rookie mistake of spraying their plants with water. Spraying your gardens with water can turn even a great growing season into a struggle.

Here’s why:

1. Spraying chills the leaves, shocking the plant. On a hot day we might think that our tomato plants would enjoy a cooling spray from the hose. Actually, tomatoes love their leaves to be hot. On a 90° summer day, the leaves of the tomato are evaporating moisture. The tomato (or any of our garden plants) replaces that moisture by drawing it up through its roots. Along with that moisture come the nutrients the plant needs to grow, flower and produce fruit. Wetting the leaves shuts down that process. When the leaves get hit with that 50°F water from the hose, it shocks the plant and it takes a couple of days to recover. Every time you chill your tomato by spraying it with water, you’re cheating yourself out of at least couple of days of growing. Our season is short enough without being cheated by spray watering.

2. Spraying our plants with water creates a perfect environment for fungal diseases to incubate and thrive. Folks are always worried about late blight, powdery mildew and a host of other diseases but they’ll continue to water their vegetable and flower gardens with a lawn sprinkler. Roses and tomatoes are especially prone to fungal diseases so special effort should be made to keep their foliage dry as much as possible. Plants with dry leaves are always going to be healthier. Wet leaves are an invitation to the spores of fungal diseases.

3. Spraying our plants with water washes the pollen out of the flowers. Once that happens, the plant will abort that now-useless flower. In the case of flowering ornamental plants, this means that a flower that could have lasted several days will now turn to mush by the next morning.

In the vegetable garden, spraying the pollen out of the flowers means that no fruit will form until a new flower opens and gets pollinated. All the effort we put into our vegetable gardens is undermined when we water with a lawn sprinkler or spray them with water from a hose.

4. Spray watering wastes water. Plants absorb water through their roots and that is where the water should be directed. Water sprayed on your garden evaporates into the air, doing little good for your plants and a great deal of damage.

Right about now you may be thinking “Rain wets the plants though.” That’s true but it rarely rains when the sun is shining and it is usually a bit cooler. Rain also falls from above and many flowers have adapted with downward facing flowers. Morning Glories will actually close before a rain to protect the pollen. A rainy growing season does create lots of fungal disease problems for plants. There’s no good reason to replicate the miseries of a soggy growing season. 

So, how do we water the gardens without wetting the plants? Use a watering wand. A watering wand allows you to direct the water to the soil at the base of each plant so the roots can be soaked while wetting the foliage as little as possible. For a deep soak, let the wand trickle slowly at the base of each plant for a longer time. If you haven’t the time or patience for wand watering, you can use oozing soaker hoses so all you have to do is hook up your hose and walk away.

Watering your gardens isn’t difficult but make sure that it helps rather than harms your plants.

THANKS FOR THE READ!