Thanks to the University of Maryland/Maryland Grows this informative article on how to protect pollinators this fall.

Landscaping for pollinators

Did you know that how and when you cut back your perennials and tidy your landscape matters to pollinators?  

I just read a fact sheet from the Xerces Society that opened my eyes to more ways to help pollinators year-round, especially in the fall.   

I already make sure I have something blooming from April to frost, so pollen and nectar are always available. And I emphasize native plants that coevolved with pollinators to support them best.

But beyond flowers, there are many things we can do to provide shelter for nesting and overwintering pollinators. And we can start some of them in the fall. 

Pollinators need places to stay...

Thanks to Cindy Bernstein of Aim4Order for this episode of Tips from the Pros to help you figure out whether or not garage sales are worthwhile.

I am a long-time member of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO). Recently, there was an active discussion on Garage Sales. I am regularly asked about Garage Sales and I’m not a big fan. Having attended my fair share and participated in Flea Markets dating back to the 1980s, I see that most items go for very little. However, I recall fondly the time we participated in the Flea Market on Route 40. We earned enough money to pay for our wedding bands (when the price of gold was waaaaay less). But I digress (again)…

Putting my own biases aside, I thought it might be helpful to share the tips that organizer...

Thanks to Clean Sweep for this episode of Tips from the Pros about the benefits of professional chimney cleaning.

Keeping your chimney safe is an essential part of maintaining your home that often goes overlooked until you go to light a fire in the fall. Many homeowners underestimate the importance of regular chimney cleaning, as they wrongly assume that occasional use means only minimal maintenance is required. However, professional chimney cleaning has plenty of benefits to offer.

Keep Your Home Safe

One of the primary reasons to invest in professional chimney cleaning is to ensure the safety of your home and family. Over time, chimneys accumulate creosote, a highly flammable substance that builds up after burning wood...

Thanks to Cindy Bernstein of Aim4Order for this episode of Tips from the Pros to help you find out, “Where do I begin?”

Getting started is probably the biggest obstacle to organizing. Most people have to be in the pits of despair and in total angst to take action. Once you’re ready to take action, sometimes overwhelm causes numbness and immobility. You end up even more distraught and discouraged than before. What’s a person with clutter supposed to do??

Let’s Get Started

Here’s what I suggest:

Before you quit, think about who may be that calming, supportive person for you. If you come up empty, give us a call. We can help.

Deep breath – and another deep breath.

Engage in self-talk to get yourself straightened out...

Thanks to the University of Maryland/Maryland Grows this informative article on heat waves.

Having grown up in the plains of Argentina, surrounded by large rivers, swamps, hot summers and humidity, I can attest that I am pretty “heat tolerant.” While others complain of the heat, I just enjoy the “embrace” that a hot day gives me. The heat in the last few weeks, however, was even too hot for me! And while I was trying to cool down, I was also worrying about what I was seeing outside.

The plants, the insects, the soil… were all suffering like me. And, because I happen to work on some of these topics, I also knew that it wasn’t just that some plants were drying out. This heat wave (and drought) is also affecting the whole network of interactions that happen around us...

Thanks to Clean Sweep for this episode of Tips from the Pros about problems house inspectors might not catch.

Chimneys are not just a way to create a comfortable and welcoming ambiance in a home, they are also a critical piece of the house that requires regular maintenance to avoid any safety issues. Home inspections are a common part of the buying and selling processes. Home inspectors do not have the same level of expertise in inspecting a chimney. Additionally, they don’t have the same tools as chimney inspectors. What are some of the common problems that they might miss?

Hidden Creosote Build-Up

Creosote buildup within chimneys is a significant concern and a potential fire hazard. However, it can be challenging to detect creosote accumulation without specialized tools...

Thanks to L. K. Benson for sharing with us.

Life Lessons from Jimmy Buffett

Our family was deeply saddened by the news of Jimmy Buffett’s passing on September 1st.  Jimmy’s life and music had a tremendous impact on many. This is evidenced by the outpouring of messages and support from celebrities and fans worldwide. Lyle and his family have been self-professed “parrotheads” for over 40 years.  In this article, Lyle shares a few of his favorite song lyrics and some of the many life lessons that Jimmy shared through his music.

Memento Mori

Jimmy’s death was another reminder that nobody is immortal and one day we will all die. It is summarized in the ancient Latin phrase “Memento Mori...

Need a last-minute gift? Thanks to the University of Maryland/Maryland Grows for this blog. This article suggests holiday gift ideas for gardeners.

Can you hear them? Tiny little elves are softly singing carols. The holidays must be around the corner.

Need Gifts?

If you’re scratching your head for gift ideas for the gardeners in your life, the Master Gardeners and I can help. Here are a few suggestions to make smiles wider and green thumbs greener.

Tools are cool. Yes, we say we really don’t need yet another tool. We lie. Our eyes light up at the flash of steel and the smoothness of a wooden handle. 

A Hori Hori soil knife – a multipurpose tool with a serrated edge and slight curve that digs, plants, cuts, weeds, and more – is a perennial favorite.

Thanks to Clean Sweep for this episode of Tips from the Pros on how to prevent chimney fires.

Every year in the United States, there are over 25,000 chimney fires. While not all of them lead to severe damage to the rest of the home, some of them leave people without a place to live at all. The good news is that there are many small ways that you can decrease the chances of having a chimney fire at your home.

What Leads to Chimney Fires?

Before you can prevent a chimney fire, it’s important to understand what the root causes of them are. One of the biggest causes is creosote accumulation. Creosote is a natural byproduct of using your chimney, although certain types of wood and behaviors can lead to more rapid accumulation...

Thanks to L. K. Benson for sharing this blog about retirement planning.

Retirement Planning

Webster’s dictionary defines retirement as “a withdrawal from one’s position or occupation or from active working life.” For generations past, that was probably a pretty accurate description of retirement. You worked hard, often for one company, got your gold watch, retirement dinner, and your pension, and then lived a life of leisure (typically not for too many years after retirement). 

But today, our perspective on retirement has changed dramatically. Most Americans no longer have a company pension to rely on in retirement. The average life expectancy for a male did not increase to over age 65 until the 1950s. Now it is close to age 80...