Ski Notes

Circa 1996

• Pinch chrysanthemums and annual flowers to keep them compact and well branched. 
  
• A dense lawn absorbs rainfall six times more effectively than a wheat field and four times better than a hay-field. 
• While out of town, place your houseplants on several layers of heavy towels in the bottom of bath or laundry tub and add 2 inches of water to the tub. 
• Peonies are named for Paeon, the physician to the Greek gods. The peony, adopted by the 1957 General Assembly to replace the zinnia which was the state flower from 1931-1957. 
• Protect trees from weed whackers by cutting the top and bottom off a plastic two-liter bottle. Take the center part of the bottle, cut it vertically, and place the bottle around the trunk for protection. 
• Cut flowers at down before their fragrance evaporates. 
• Mint repels mice; rosemary deters moths and garden pests; catnip keeps ants and beetles away. 
• To kill a weed and avoid desired plants, spray weed killer through an empty paper towel or toilet paper cylinder. 
• Over-watered grass becomes frail, lighter in color, and is more easily damaged by traffic, drought stress, and temperature extremes. 
• Plant in the evening or on an overcast day, to give plants a chance to adjust to their new homes without being forced to face the drying sun.