Editor’s Note: We are delighted to welcome transport guru Jim Cameron , pictured left, back to LymeLine. He was wrote for us regularly for almost 10 years starting in 2011 and his columns were always popular with our readers. He is the founder of the Commuter Action Group and advocates for Connecticut rail riders. He writes a weekly column called ‘Talking Transportation,’ which is published by a number of publications in the state. Here is the inaugural column of his second season with us.
Five Worst Ideas for Solving Traffic Congestion
While I’m on vacation this week I thought I’d revisit a commentary I wrote in 2014. Judge for yourself how little has changed in 11 years.
Everybody loves to complain about our traffic. And for some, the solutions are simple, if impractical. If there were easy answers to our woes, they’d have been implemented by now.
Look … this is really a matter of supply and demand: too much demand (highway traffic) and not enough supply (space on those roads). I think the solution is to manage the demand. But others say it’s a “supply side” issue.
So here are a few of the crazier ideas for fixing our traffic that I’ve seen proposed over the years:
The photo shows a double-decker highway in Texas. Photo credit: TexasFreeway.com
1) DOUBLE-DECK I-95: Seriously, this was once proposed by the Stamford Chamber of Commerce. Can you imagine the decades of construction and billions in cost, with “upper level” roads having to soar hundreds of feet over existing bridges?
2) ALLOW TRUCKS ON THE MERRITT PARKWAY: There are two words to explain why this can’t happen: low bridges.
3) BAN TRUCKS FROM OUR INTERSTATES: This was once suggested to me by a Fairfield County First Selectman. But as I reminded him … trucks are high-occupancy vehicles delivering goods to the stores where you drive your single-occupancy vehicle to shop. No trucks, no goods, no shopping.
4) DRIVE IN THE BREAK-DOWN LANE: This was then-Governor Rowland’s idea in 2000 and he even wasted a million dollars studying it. But if you think of that far right-hand lane instead as the “emergency rescue lane”, you’ll see why this doesn’t make sense. This plan would also require re-striping the road to create narrower lanes, making driving even more dangerous.
5) WIDENING I-95 TO FOUR LANES: Again, billions in cost and decades of construction. And if you build it, they will come. The immutable law of “induced demand” means that traffic will expand to fill available space. Then what, a fifth lane?
There are better ways to manage congestion, some of them already being implemented:
OPERATIONAL LANES: Adding a fourth lane from on-ramps to the next off-ramps gives traffic a better chance of merging on and off the highway without blocking the through-lanes.
WIDENING CHOKE-POINTS: For example, the exit 14-15 bottleneck in Norwalk. But this widening project (for less than one mile) cost $50 million and took three years. The I-84 / Route 8 “Mixmaster” rebuild in Waterbury took six years and cost $253 million. Both projects were funded mostly with Federal funds, but it’s anyone’s guess what will happen to that money pot under the new administration’s budget cutting.
ADD A ZIPPER LANE: Sure, this may require highway widening, but just one lane that’s reversible depending on demand, a system that was used successfully on the Tappan Zee Bridge before its reconstruction. By moving the extra lane, capacity can be added to the direction where there’s the most traffic.
CHANGE COMMUTING HOURS: Does everyone really need to work 9 am – 5 pm? How about starting earlier or later and spreading out the traffic? Your employer should understand and you’ll be happier and more productive.
And the very best idea of all: IMPROVE MASS TRANSIT TO ENCOURAGE DRIVERS to get off of the roads.
As I say, there are no simple solutions to highway congestion. So when anyone says he or she has one, be skeptical. It’s easy to identify the problems. But fixing them will always be hard … and usually expensive.
Tulips and pansies make a colorful spring display.
“Those March winds shall blow, and we shall have snow and what will the Robin do then poor thing? He’ll hide in the barn and keep himself warm and hide his head under his wing.”
Maureen Haseley-Jones
March was a month of “wait and see” as we anticipated walking around our gardens. This morning, I walked outside, into a westerly breeze and a gentle sun. I took a deep breath and as I did, I caught the rich fragrance of the soil beginning to awaken.
All of us are itching to get into the garden and I believe that foray will be earlier than last year since frost did not penetrate deep into the ground.
Please wait until April to clear the winter debris from your borders, as beneficial insects like the bees are hibernating there. Bees are our life blood; they pollinate 70% of the world’s food and we are losing them in the millions, due to climate, pollution, poisonous herbicides and insecticides and just human carelessness.
The sodden soil will dry out in the next few weeks, so tread gently on our precious commodity. I also am asking that you do not till the soil, as tilling damages soil structure and can break friable root systems.
Please be patient right now! I know you are chafing at the bit to get your hands into the soil, but, at this moment, continue planning for the upcoming season. Planning means organizing, which helps to prevent costly gardening mistakes during the growing season.
When you go outdoors to take a walk around the garden, check the trees and decide which ones might need pruning. For example, decide which limbs might need to be removed or the canopy lifted to allow more sunshine into a shady area of the garden. Having made some of those decisions, I suggest that you call in an arborist for tree work in March and April before foliage emerges. With a blank canvas, the work will be accomplished faster and is therefore less expensive.
You can use this time to check on broken or dead limbs and which branches require cabling. And if a tree appears to be 50% dead, then it should be removed.
A medium shade area can be changed to a dappled shade area, allowing more sunlight in by thinning out the upper tree branches or tree canopy.
Perhaps you would like a tree removed to transform a shady area to a sunny spot, giving you a larger choice of plants.
I always hesitate to remove a healthy tree, but sometimes a tree has been planted too close to the house which often results in the roots undermining the home’s foundation and the shading over the roof has resulted in mold and mildew.
Careful pruning allows trees to bloom freely.
At this juncture, I must point out that there is an art to tree work in knowing how, when and why to cut. Work on the trees should be carried out by a professional so that at the completion of the work, the effect is both practical and aesthetically pleasing. An experienced arborist will also take into consideration the health of the trees. Also by employing an arborist, you can avoid injury to yourself, from falling from ladders or avoiding tree branches or trees falling on you.
Pruning
Pruning is one task that you may feel you are able to accomplish yourself. Some tips include:
Hedges can be sheared for shape, so that any stubby ends will be concealed by new spring growth.
Please keep to the natural shape of the shrub – no round balls.
Prune Spirea to six inches from the ground.
In April, prune lavender down to three inches.
In late March, prune sweet pepper bush (Clethra), cutting out the oldest branches.
Lilac – Prune back all old branches to various lengths before leaf growth begins, from two to five feet, keeping to a natural shape. Sprinkle lime around the base of the lilac and add manure in May. Lilacs enjoy alkaline soil and benefit from a small amount of lime sprinkled about a foot away from the base of the lilac.
Prune butterfly bushes to two feet from the ground now and in May apply composted manure around the base.
Prune forsythia after it has bloomed, pruning out sparse flowering old wood.
Prune roses when the forsythia blooms. If the roses have only been in the ground for one year, do not prune, wait until October.
Do not remove the protective mulch from around the base of the roses. Wait until mid-May, and then apply a dressing of manure and fine bark mulch, about a foot away from the base of the rose.
You may be asking, “Why wait until May to apply manure?” The answer is that the soil needs to warm up to 55 degrees, otherwise the nutrient benefits of the manure bacteria that work with plant roots and soil organisms are not activated. I suggest you invest in an inexpensive soil thermometer to check the soil temperature. When the soil temperature reaches 55 degrees, apply a 3- to 4-inch layer of composted manure.
Tread carefully
When you have cleared away the debris in April, treading carefully on the soil, make a clean edge to the borders with a sharp spade; this makes such a difference to the look of your garden.
The best tool to use for this task is a sharpened lawn edger. The blade is a half-circle 9 inches wide and 4.5 inches deep with a flat top that creates a deep edge. Face the bed and thrust the edger down to its full depth and push the cut soil into the bed. Continue along the soil edge and then remove the spade and surplus clumps of soil and grass.
Edging was one of the first lessons I was taught at our family nursery in England; my great grandfather was a strict taskmaster standing over me, until I got the edge done to his particularly proper standard.
If you are contemplating locating a new planting bed or expanding an existing one, here are some tips:
Think about where you spend your leisure time outdoors, and where you may choose to sit, near to the new bed, enjoying the bloom, fragrance and structure of your plantings.
From indoors are you able to view and enjoy the new border?
Is it an area where there will not be drainage problems, erosion concerns or water pooling?
Is it convenient to tend and enjoy where you place a bench or chair?
Will you be able to water it with relative ease?
For an informal garden I prefer a curved bed – a curved line gives grace and fluidity. Lay out a garden hose in the desired shape and size of bed, adjusting the hose until you are satisfied with the gentle curves.
Manure
Rich manure works wonders for many plants and vegetables. Photo by Kyle Ellefson on Unsplash
When it comes to manure, many of you, who have been my radio listeners and lecture audiences, know how I feel about that wonderful natural product. Manure is not a fertilizer – it builds soil structure, aids in drainage and its bacteria encourage the millions of soil animals below the surface to come alive and work with the manure bacteria to produce nutrients for the roots of the plants.
Types of manure:
Poultry manure – I know the odor can be rather objectionable; however, this manure contains about 2% nitrogen, one of the highest levels in any manure. If you have access to poultry manure, allow it to age for two months and by that time, the odor will have dissipated and then add it to the garden.
Horse manure is about 0.5% nitrogen. If you obtain horse manure from a stable, which has sawdust on its floors – it should be pretty weed free. What I have done in the past is obtain horse and cow manure from stables and farms in April. When you get it home, spread manure out in a flat area (not in a planting bed) then cover it with a tarp for a month. Using this method, the tarp will suffocate the weed seeds and the sun on the tarp encourages the manures to continue to decompose. A week before using the horse and cow manure remove the tarp to allow the sun to further decompose it.
Cow manure is 0.25 % nitrogen and is the most available manure. If you get horse and cow manure from the farm, ask the farmer to give you manure from the bottom of the pile so that it is already partially decomposed.
Compost pile – If you do not have a compost pile, maybe it could go on your list for this season. Vegetable waste from the kitchen, plus grass clippings, and wood pruning can be added to the pile. The high temperature in the compost kills the weed seed and cooks all those other necessary ingredients. The ratio of compost and manure for your garden is 1 part compost to 3 parts manure – but if you do not have compost – manure will do the trick.
**DO NOT apply fresh manure to the garden, as it will burn the plants. If you do not have a source of manure from a farm, purchase composted manure in bags from the garden center.
In order to produce the best-planting environment, resulting in a soil that is ‘black gold’, apply three inches of composted manure to all planted areas in May, July and October.
Natural fine bark Mulch can be added later in May, the benefits of this mulch is that it helps to retain the beneficial moisture in the soil and aids to retard weeds. Regarding weeds, I also use a natural product, Bradfield Organics, which is a corn gluten weed pre-emergent, which keeps weeds sprouting for a few weeks.
Please do not use cocoa mulch, which is poisonous to dogs and cats, also do not use the chemically colored red mulch.
The Humus Component
I know I have written about the importance of the humus component for the soil but I feel I must continue to stress this fact.
In your own garden you can build and retain a rich growing environment by building the humus component as outlined last month. We are all carbon-based creatures as is all life on earth. Not only humans but also our soil microbes need carbon to flourish. To attract carbon from the atmosphere into your soil you need to build the humus component when the soil has reached a temperature of 55 degrees. If the soil has not reached that temperature, the soil organisms are not able to work with the bacteria in the manure to produce nutrients for the roots of the plants.
This year, as we have not experienced deep frost, the soil temperature may therefore reach 55 degrees by the end of April or early May.
Once again, I’m getting a little ahead of myself. So back to a cloudy day right now, when you may gradually begin to remove protective covering from shrubs and small trees. In exposed garden areas, where wind is a problem, leave the covering on until mid April. Cold wind is more damaging and drying to plants than extreme cold and frost.
Frost Heave
If some perennials, trees and shrubs have heaved out of the ground, cover the roots with fresh topsoil or mulch until mid May when they can be settled back in place.
I just walked around the corner of my house to check on my trellis on the chimney where I have roses and clematis planted together. Roses and clematis are a delightful combination in a companion planting. This planting method means that the rose and the clematis planted together have the same growing requirements, “feet in the shade and heads in the sun.” Beginning in May, add manure and mulch around the base of both. Discontinue feeding roses and clematis in mid-August; this enables both plants to go into a necessary slow dormancy.
Raking and Aerating
When the lawn has dried out in April, rake lightly to remove excess debris such as leaves and dead twigs. Raking gently raises the mat of the lawn, which enables the emerging grass to breathe. Aerating machines are useful to develop a healthy lawn. Puncture holes with the aerator which pulls out plugs of soil every four to six inches; following this treatment, root development takes off and thatch is reduced. Do not use large thatching machines, as these machines damage the grass.
Grass
In April, apply organic fertilizer, lime and organic grub control before the grass begins to grow. Reseed bare or sparse spots after gently loosening the soil, liming and fertilizing, then cover the seed with salt hay to keep the seed warm and to prevent wind from blowing the seed away. Water the seed for the first three weeks. Do not blast the area with water, which scatters the seeds. As with lilacs, grass enjoys alkaline soil which is why we use lime together with fertilizer and grub control.
Moles
To keep the mole population to a minimum in your garden; apply organic grub control once a month from March for two months which results in less food for the moles. When you see signs of moles, find the mole holes and insert Exlax, which contains senna, an organic herb. The moles eat the Exlax and become dehydrated from defecation and die.
Apply organic pre-emergent crabgrass killers in March and April.
Voles
Spread castor oil around the base of plants and keep mulch away from the base of the plants so that voles, which are canny creatures, are not able to hide there and gnaw on plants and roots.
Deadhead
Do not cut off the leaves of the crocus as they bloom; the leaves make food for the bulbs for next season’s bloom.
Daffodils
One of the joys of Spring—”A host of golden daffodils.”
When the green shoots emerge, spread composted manure around the plants.
For daffodil displays indoors, cut the stems at an angle before adding daffodils to an arrangement, and leave them in a vase half filled with lukewarm water for a couple of hours. This is because the stems release a sap like “goop” that harms other flowers. Discard that water and add the daffodils to the other flowers. If you recut the stems you will need to repeat the process. Change the water in the vase often.
Perennials
In May when perennials are about four inches above soil level and when the soil is 55 degrees, apply composted manure around them to encourage healthy growth.
Dividing Plants
At the end of April or beginning of May, you can divide late blooming perennials that have been in the ground for four years or more; these new divisions encourage stronger bloom.
Discard the older inner parts of the clumps and plant the new outside portions. Do not plant the new divisions any deeper than they were originally in the ground.
When dividing irises, barely cover the root system so they do not fall over. If irises are planted too deep in the soil, they will not bloom.
It is best to pick the flowers of pansies regularly to encourage more bloom.
March or early April are the time to plant the following seeds indoors: gaillardia, salvia, marigold, zinnia, petunia, snapdragon, stock and verbena. Before planting these seeds, soak them in warm water and plant them in sphagnum moss or coir. Coir is the outer shell or fiber of the Coconut, either of these two mediums prevents a disease called “damping off”, which can cause seeds to rot before germination.
Cover pots and seed trays loosely with plastic wrap, which creates a mini greenhouse, providing moisture which seeds require to germinate.
NOTE: Remove the plastic once the seeds have germinated, as the soil needs to drain and needs air circulation around the emerging stems.
If you are going away on business or on vacation, reapply the plastic wrap over the pots and trays and prop some sticks or skewers in the corners. While you are away the seedlings will stay moist, and the sticks or skewers ensure that the seedlings do not encounter the plastic.
Dormant Spring Spraying
Spraying of fruit trees, flowering cherry, crabapples, hawthorn, mountain ash and lilac can be done before the leaf buds open. Call a professional company and request that they use only organic products.
Houseplants
Prepare your geraniums that have spent the winter indoors for the move outside perhaps to add color to a pot like this.
Repot them if they need repotting in April.
If you brought geraniums indoors at the end of last season, check them for new side shoots, then cut them back to four inches and repot them in clean pots about an inch and a half larger with fresh potting soil.
Well, fellow gardeners, I know you are getting excited to be in your gardens this season and I hope that these tips have given you plenty to think about to keep you busy for a while. Enjoy photos of lovely gardens that my son Ian has designed. If you wish, contact him for a consultation at landscapesbyian.com.
Enjoy being outdoors in spring sunshine and I look forward to seeing you in your garden in April.
About the author: Maureen Haseley-Jones is a member of a family of renowned horticultural artisans, whose landscaping heritage dates back to the 17th century. She is one of the founders, together with her son Ian, of, The English Lady Landscape and Home Company. Maureen and Ian are landscape designers and garden experts, who believe that everyone deserves to live in an eco-conscious environment and enjoy the pleasure that it brings. Maureen learned her design skills from both her mother and grandmother, and honed her horticultural and construction skills while working in the family nursery and landscape business in the U.K. Her formal horticultural training was undertaken at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in Surrey.
Divorce is often a very stressful and traumatic experience. Even the person who files for divorce may struggle to deal with their emotions. One of the ways that people get through the divorce process is by focusing on the future. They imagine their life after the end of the divorce to get through the hardest parts of the process.
Those trying to think about the future generally need to have a reasonable idea of what to expect. Someone who has dedicated decades of their life to a particular profession might start thinking about enjoying their retirement after divorce. They may hope to travel or achieve other personal goals during their golden years.
The pension that they accrued throughout their working life could have a major impact on their stability in their retirement years. Can divorcing spouses expect to keep their pensions instead of dividing them during a divorce?
People who settle stay in control
Every individual contemplating divorce has different circumstances and personal goals. For those who have funded pension benefits by working for years in the same profession, keeping that pension might be their biggest priority. Others might want to continue running a family business or to stay in the family home.
Spouses preparing for divorce generally have the option of pursuing an uncontested divorce. If they can work out a settlement with their spouses, they can potentially achieve the financial goals that matter the most to them. Someone willing to take on more marital debt or make concessions related to other assets could potentially retain a pension in an uncontested divorce scenario.
Litigation may make a pension vulnerable
Under state equitable distribution rules, the courts have the authority to allocate resources accumulated during the marriage to either spouse. There have previously been court cases where the state has affirmed that pensions are often subject to division during divorce proceedings.
Much of the asset division process relies on a judge’s discretion in litigated cases. They may have to directly divide high-value assets, including pensions, to achieve a fair outcome. Spouses have little control over the terms set by judges when they litigate.
Identifying personal priorities early in the divorce process can make it easier for people to achieve their goals. A spouse can theoretically preserve their pension if they have the right approach to property division negotiations or litigation.
Editor’s Notes: i) Suisman Shapiro is located at 75 State Street, New London, CT 06320. Their mailing address is 2 Union Plaza, P.O. Box 1591 New London, CT 06320. Visit their website or call 800-499-0145 — lines are open 24 hours a day.
ii) If you are involved in a divorce, the attorneys at Suisman Shapiro can assist you. Reach an attorney specialized in the matter at the number above .
Signs of spring … crocuses will soon be flowering once again.
Maureen Haseley-Jones is ‘The English Lady’
This winter, as in other winters when I need a blossom boost, I enjoy the fragrance of the paper-white narcissi that I planted in tall glass vases. I surrounded the bulbs with seashells from White Sand Beach here in Old Lyme and kept them in a dark cool area, ensuring the shells and the bulbs were moist as the roots developed.
When the bulb foliage reached about six inches, I moved the bulbs in their vases into indirect light, which encourages the blooms to open. Each morning on entering my lounge, I am met with the fragrance of these beautiful bulbs and, feeling refreshed, I am ready for my day.
I keep extra bulbs in a brown paper bag in the vegetable keeper in the refrigerator. I plant these bulbs when the first blooms have gone by and with this method, I have a succession of blooms and fragrance permeating my home into spring.
Before you know it, spring will be upon us together with the anticipation that resides in all of us gardeners, which is to get outdoors and plunge our hands into the soil.
That being said, there is so much to look forward to and I feel I must once again stress the importance for all of us to garden organically.
In this country and around the world, the results of pollution and chemicals are just some of the factors that are causing climate change. We are in a crisis, with invaders that have already battened down the gates and invaded our gardens. These invaders are destroying Mother Nature and your health in the form of poisonous pesticides and herbicides.
The main producers of these poisons are Monsanto, Bayer and other biological monsters, who have been decimating our planet, our soil, human health and committing all those egregious crimes purely for selfish profit.
Bees, for example, have been killed in the millions, because the EPA under the Trump administration allowed the spraying of over 14 million acres of land, with poisonous chemicals. Please note folks, that bees pollinate 70 percent of the world’s food and their demise is our demise.
Last year was recorded as the hottest year on record. Drought in the west of this country, resulted in dry tinder conditions, causing devastating fires that brought death and destruction to people in California, Oregon and Colorado. This extreme weather pattern continues here, bringing tornadoes and extreme flooding, followed by even stronger hurricanes due to the rise of our oceans, which is the result of warming water.
Across the world, extreme weather patterns have also had a tragic effect on extreme drought in Africa causing famine and death to that region and terrible earthquakes as we have seen in Turkey, Northern Syria, Japan and China. I am glad that the government in this country had begun to seriously address the Climate Crisis, but much more needs to be done … Editor’s Note: Sadly, the current administration does not seem willing to address the Climate Crisis seriously.
As gardeners, it is our task to help counteract these negative changes by using only organic methods of gardening on our own plots of land; what we do in our own gardens contributes to healing the planet. Over the span of 25 years on my radio show WRCH 100.5 FM and through my Garden Earth lectures, I received a commitment from thousands of people to discard all poisonous herbicides and pesticides and to garden organically. The response had been tremendously positive in the production of organic gardens grown in healthy soil.
Wild snowdrops are welcome sign of the approaching Spring. File photo.
It begins with what you put into the soil for the growth of the plants, and this is accomplished by adding liberal doses of my favorite stuff–Aged Manure, which you may procure, either from the farm or in bags from the garden center.
The following, is a paragraph from a book I am writing on gardening and the vital importance of the humus component to our gardens.
In 1937 Franklin D Roosevelt said that ‘the nation that destroys its soil destroys itself’
America has not heeded that warning. Precious soils in this country and around the world are being destroyed by dangerous practices in industrialized agriculture and poisonous chemicals, which completely disrupts our eco system and poisons all living things.
In your own garden you can build and retain a rich growing environment by building the Humus component. We are all carbon-based creatures as is all life on earth. Not only humans but also our soil microbes need carbon to flourish. And to attract carbon from the atmosphere into your soil you need to build the humus component.
HOW TO BUILD THE HUMUS COMPONENT:
Do not till soil – tilling breaks up soil structure.
First step – Add composted manure three times each season –beginning in spring when the soil has reached a temperature of 50 degrees. If the soil has not reached that temperature the soil organisms are not able to work with the bacteria in the manure to produce nutrients for the roots of the plants. Purchase a soil thermometer to check the soil’s temperature. This year, following deep frosts, the soil temperature may reach 50 degrees by the end of April to early May. Add the manure again in July to continue to nourish your growing plants and again in October to protect and nourish the roots of your plants through the winter. Manure is not a fertilizer; it builds soil structure and works with all the soil animals to keep a healthy disease-free growing environment.
Second step – Add wood chips in the form of brown fine bark mulch or wood chips that you produce from your garden of aged wood chips with a combo of leaves, twigs and branches.
These two major steps build the humus component. If you do this in your garden – not only, will you help to heal the planet but also produce the healthiest of gardens.
A question I am often asked is ‘Can I put manure over mulch, for example, on my mid-summer garden in July?’ The answer is ‘yes’ – the manure together with nature’s moisture and your own irrigation enables the manure to find its way easily into the soil and the roots of your plants.
WHAT EXACTLY DOES HUMUS DO?
Humus acts like a sponge and can hold 90% of its weight in water.
Because of its negative charge – plant nutrients stick to humus for nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus and other elements, which prevents these from washing away and acts as nature’s slow- release fertilizer throughout the year.
Humus improves soil structure making it loose and friable, which helps plants root in the soil with better access to nutrients, water and oxygen.
Humus also helps to filter’ toxic chemicals from the soil, much like carbon-based water filtration systems that filter toxins from your water.
We cannot control industrialized agricultural practices, however, in your own garden you can make a difference. Feed the soil, and it will feed the plants.
This week I spoke with my friend Ann, who lives in Cheshire, in England, which is next door to my home county of Shropshire. Ann is an avid gardener and she told me that her daffodils are well above the soil and last week she started to plant seeds in the greenhouse. I was so envious, when Ann told me of her garden bloom, but our time will soon come.
PLANTING SEEDS:
It will soon be time for serious indoor seed-planting.
February 20 to March 20 is the time for serious indoor seed planting here. Check which garden centers are stocking organic seeds or go online for the organic varieties – one company that I use is “Botanical Interests”. Do not go overboard when buying packs of seeds as there are about 500 seeds in each packet. If you do purchase too many – have a seed sharing party with gardening friends.
Equipment to have on hand for seed planting are cheap envelopes (you probably have envelopes you discard from your mail) fresh sterilized potting soil mix, and sphagnum moss. Also seed trays, egg cartons and cardboard milk containers that are cut down also work well. Make sure all containers are scrupulously clean. Sphagnum moss works well as a planting medium as the moss can prevent a soil born fungus that causes “damping off” which causes seeds to rot before germination. I have, together with many gardening friends, used this method for years and have not lost seeds to “damping off”.
For tiny seeds, I use the moss as the planting mix and for larger seeds, I install a topsoil base and a layer of the moss on top of the soil. I mix fine seeds with sand before I sow; this method helps to loosen them up. Soak the seeds overnight before planting and just before planting spray them with warm water, never cold as cold water can delay germination. When they have germinated, water gently.
The best method of watering seedlings is to water from the bottom. But, if you feel you must top water, just mist with a fine sprayer, otherwise you will drown the delicate seeds, washing them out of the planting mix. Use new sterilized soil when seeding and do not use any leftover soil from last season, Leftover soil from the previous year can develop disease, which can ruin your seedling crops. If you are growing seedlings on a windowsill, place them on a south or west-facing sill; seedlings need light, not heat to thrive.
WINTER CARE OF HOUSEPLANTS
Houseplants can lift your spirits throughout the year. File photo.
I love my houseplants year round but in winter the blooming ones in particular lift my spirits. I talk to my plants enjoying my cyclamen and my blooming cacti, and the different foliage on the ivy, philodendron and spaphyllum which also clean the air in a stuffy home environment.
Keep your houseplants away from draughts and direct heat. If you are able, place humidifiers and air purifiers in the rooms of your home, which will benefit not only the plants but also your own health. Place pebble trays under the plants and keep the pebbles moist for additional humidity.
Spray houseplants every few days with lukewarm water and once every couple of weeks, put the plants in a sink or bathtub and allow lukewarm water to run freely over the plant to remove dust from the leaves and clean salt residue from the soil. The exception to the spray or soak rule is African violets, as African violets do not do well with wet leaves.
Aphids and white fly thrive indoors in winter and an organic sulphur solution called Safer works well to clean the soil of insect eggs and from the foliage. Perhaps you are fortunate like me to have Ladybugs in your home in winter; if so, allow these useful creatures to roam freely; the ladybug menu is aphids and white flies.
The best time to repot houseplants is from April through June but if a plant has become root bound with no visible soil, then you can repot them in February. Water the plant to loosen the roots from the soil, turn it sideways on a newspaper and gently slide it from the pot.
Cut away any dead roots and repot in fresh potting soil in a clean pot that is only two inches larger than the original. With the plant firmly in place and the soil one inch from the rim, water it gently and do not fertilize with an organic fertilizer until April. Plants need this dormant period to recharge.
A few suggestions for trouble-free foliage plants in the home are Rubber Plants, Spider plants, Ivy, Philodendron, Monstera and Spaphyllum. If you have a sunny window Aloes, Succulents and Cacti do great and are a trouble- free variety.
Blooming plants sitting side by side with foliage plants, enjoying one another’s company, give one an impression of a miniature garden.
A few suggestions of house plants that bloom are Cyclamen, African Violets, Kalanchoe, Primulas and Paper white narcissus. To prevent pets from chewing on the plants, add some cayenne pepper to the water when watering. I also enjoy my herbal plants, which sit in a sunny window. My favorites are Rosemary, Basil and Parsley which are great additions to any recipe.
POWER TOOLS:
Check any power tools that require maintenance or repair. February or March is the time to get them into the repair shop, because as soon as the weather breaks the shops get busy and you may not get your lawn mower back until August.
Check all tools and implements in the garage or shed. If you did not clean them off at the end of last season, plunge the shovels and spades into a bucket of sand; sand is an abrasive and will clean off any leftover soil and manure residue. Oil the wooden handles of tools with Linseed oil or some inexpensive vegetable oil; oil feeds the wood and keeps the handles splinter free. At the same time, check your hoses and fittings that may have sprung leaks since last year.
Make a shopping list of new tools that are needed – there are lots of sales in late winter for you to get a good deal. However, I suggest that you buy only quality tools and hoses; as the saying goes, “you get what you pay for”. Also check that there is enough twine, bamboo rods, wire ties or nails and peat on hand.
In March or early April when soil and manure are available purchase bags of composted manure from the garden center. On the other hand, if you have a farm close in your local area, that sells aged manure, acquire a small truck to acquire a load. If you decide on that method, ask the farmer for manure from the bottom of the pile – aged stuff. Manure needs to be at least six months old before applying to your soil, as fresh manure will burn your plants.
Check the paintwork on your wooden fences, arbors, decks and any other outdoor wooden structures. Then, purchase paint supplies so that on a dry day in March for painting, everything will be on hand.
Don’t forget to put paintbrushes on your list – I have a feeling you forgot to clean your old brushes last season, which means they are stiff as a poker, also remember sandpaper, brush cleaner and if possible, buy eco conscious paint. If you are painting benches and garden seats on a dry day, put them under cover before sundown.
White walls in the greenhouse reflect light so any areas that need retouching, use white paint. It’s so rewarding to see how much lighter and brighter the greenhouse is after a touch of paint and the glass is cleaned. However meticulously clean and tidy your greenhouse, you may find that white fly, greenfly and scale insects have found their way inside the greenhouse for warmth and so it may be necessary to spray with an organic spray. I mix an organic spray of orange peels in white vinegar and allow it to sit for two weeks before spraying – this works well and is very economical.
Walking around a garden that looks good and feels good in mid-winter is a real pick me up. Patterns emerge created by paths, walls and hedges. As you walk, enjoy the shapes of shrubs, the shadows of evergreens and the strong silhouettes of tree trunks and enjoy their shape and bark without foliage.
Keep the bird feeders full. I love to watch the birds in their quick flights across the garden to alight on the feeders, and their sudden bursts of song when the sun peaks through. It is so much fun to watch the “pecking” order and see the blue jays, who can be bullies and red cardinals, who like the blue jays can be rather territorial. Bringing up the rear, come the finches and house sparrows. And sometimes a bird appears that I do not recognize and out comes my binoculars and Peterson bird book.
If you notice squirrels swarming the bird feeders, add some cayenne pepper to the birdseed; if that occurs do not be concerned as the heat from the cayenne does not affect birds. And you may, choose a spot away from the feeders to sprinkle cayenne free birdseed on the ground so the squirrels can also enjoy a meal.
Winter has its own distinctive fragrance, the fog, in the morning when the air is very heavy, thick and damp – a damp even more bone chilling than rain. I can deal with that for a while and know that in about six weeks I will be inhaling the healthy nose clearing fragrance of the soil, rich and brown, well manured or covered with wood mulch, shredded leaves or salt hay. Winter fragrances are a potpourri, one moment sharp and cold like the north wind, whereas spring’s flavors are light and sweet.
If you find you have spent year after year throwing good money after bad, then it may be time to get a professional design. If that is so, don’t hesitate; if you want work to begin in the spring, a design takes time to complete. You may want to contact my son Ian, whose company LlanscapesbyIan.com shows his lovely natural landscape creations and Ian will work with you and your budget.
Have a great month and I’ll see you in your garden in late March. If you have any gardening questions, feel free to email me. MaureenHaseleyJones@gmail.com
About the author: Maureen Haseley-Jones is a member of a family of renowned horticultural artisans, whose landscaping heritage dates back to the 17th century. She is one of the founders, together with her son Ian, of, The English Lady Landscape and Home Company. Maureen and Ian are landscape designers and garden experts, who believe that everyone deserves to live in an eco-conscious environment and enjoy the pleasure that it brings. Maureen learned her design skills from both her mother and grandmother, and honed her horticultural and construction skills while working in the family nursery and landscape business in the U.K. Her formal horticultural training was undertaken at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in Surrey.
Climate change affects many aspects of life, including job safety. Knowing how climate change impacts work injuries and workers’ comp claims is crucial for employers and employees.
How climate change affects work injuries
Climate change can increase severe weather occurrences, raising the risk of work injuries. These changes include:
Heat waves: Higher temps can cause heat-related illnesses, like heat stroke and thirst, mainly for outdoor workers.
Severe storms: More storms can cause injuries from falling objects, slips and falls.
Heavy floods: Flooded work sites can lead to electrical risks and water-borne diseases.
These factors can significantly affect worker safety and how often work injuries happen.
Legal considerations
When dealing with work injuries tied to climate change, you need to know several key legal points under Connecticut law:
Employer duties: Bosses must provide a safe workplace, which means taking steps to protect workers from climate-related risks.
Reporting and claims: Workers must report work injuries quickly. Delays in reporting can affect getting workers’ comp benefits.
Knowing these legal points is key for handling workers’ comp claims tied to climate change.
Climate change brings new challenges for work safety and workers’ comp claims. By knowing the impact of climate change and taking action, you can better protect your rights as a worker or do your duty as an employer. If you have questions or need more help, consider consulting a lawyer who knows Connecticut’s workers’ comp laws.
Editor’s Notes: i) Suisman Shapiro is located at 75 State Street, New London, CT 06320. Their mailing address is 2 Union Plaza, P.O. Box 1591 New London, CT 06320. Visit their website or call 800-499-0145 — lines are open 24 hours a day.
ii) If need help regarding the impact of climate change on your rights as a worker or your duty as an employer, the attorneys at Suisman Shapiro can assist you. Reach an attorney specialized in the matter at the number above.
