Rose Pruning Made Easy

Prune your roses in spring, after most of the cold days are past, but before the leaf buds open. There are four basic things you should do when you prune. Follow these and your roses will bloom more, be healthier, and live longer.

Firstly, prune out the older wood. This wood is usually gray and woody, not fresh and green. Cut up to a third of the old wood canes back to the ground. This encourages new growth and opens up the middle of the bush.

Secondly, remove branches that cross or rub against other branches. This will also help open up the plant and prevent wounds that could allow diseases to enter.

Thirdly, trim off any dry, blackened tips. Sometimes, these have been damaged during the winter. Trim just above an outward facing bud. Try to keep the canes about the same length as others on the plant.

Fourthly, cut old canes away from the graft. This might be below the soil line, so you may need to brush some of the soil away.

Before you prune and as you prune, step back and look at the plant. You are trying to open up the center so that you have good air circulation.

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Helpful Compost Hints

1. Turn the pile every two to four weeks. Keep the pile moist to speed composting

2. Build the pile 3-5 feet tall and about the same across. Smaller piles don't get enough heat to compost and larger piles don't get enough air in the middle.

3. Put a one-inch layer of soil every 8-14 inches of organic material. This supplies the microbes needed to perform the composting.

4. Apply nitrogen fertilizer every 1-2 feet. The carbon:nitrogen ratio in composting should be 15-30 parts carbon for every part nitrogen.

5. If the pile has a strong odor, then it isn't getting enough oxygen. Turn the pile to increase the air circulation. It may be that things are too wet to allow air circulation. You may need to add dry materials.

6. If the pile is damp, but not heating, you should add nitrogen fertilizer or grass clippings. It could also be that the pile is too wet. If so, add more dry materials.

7. If the pile is dry and not composting, then make the pile so that the center is lowest point. This will help it collect water and keep the pile damp.

8. If the pile has an ammonia smell, then it has too much nitrogen. Add high carbon materials (straw, sawdust) and turn the pile.

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Tips When Buying Furniture

When you are buying furniture always check to see what is on the inside under the fabric. Upholstery furniture should begin with a very solid base. It should be ONE piece.

There is a company right now marketing furniture that comes in parts. If the arm gets soiled, just order up a new arm and replace it. If the middle cushion section is not holding up, order the middle section. I can not warn enough about buying furniture this way.

If you are replacing parts yourself, isn't there a possibility that those pieces will fall apart all by themselves? 

The springs should be sturdy and at minimum 8-way hand tied. What that means basically is that the springs are tied to other springs in 8 different directions. It provides support. Really good furniture will either have extra springs or more ties in the back and sides to prevent cushions from scooting down.

The padding sits upon the springs and has many different fillings. They sometimes loose their fluffiness and can either be replaced or fluffed.

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Helpful Decor Tips

Expand a Small Room

One way to expand a small room is to hang a large landscape print with a faraway horizon. This will create the illusion of more space.

Broaden a Narrow Room

Paint one wall a darker, richer color. Hang an exciting print on that wall, then hang a custom framed mirror on the opposite wall. The reflected art will make the room appear wider.

Heighten a Low Ceiling

In a room with a low ceiling try using a darker floor covering. Then choose a light color to use on both the ceiling and walls to draw the eye upward. Hang prints with strong vertical lines to heighten the ceilings. Using portrait format (taller than wider) will add to the sense of height.

Warm up a Stark Space

Warm up a stark space by using Country-inspired prints. Mix the prints with antiques, quilts and country accessories for a cozier feeling.

Fresh Air for a Cramped Room

Do you have a room that is small, dark, and cramped? Introduce a breath of fresh air with some beautiful prints to bring the outdoors in and brighten space with bursts of color.

Lengthen a Room

Hang prints with strong horizontal lines to create the illusion of increased length in your room. For best results use the landscape style format and prints with light expansive colors (several prints in a row compound the effect). Panoramic vistas work very well for this situation.

Room Without Windows

Use prints to open up a space in rooms with few or no windows. Landscapes, windows and doorways lead the eye outward to create the illusion of added space and light.

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