Saving your plants while away

When you go on vacation or a trip, take steps to save your garden and the plants you have worked hard for. The following tips from Beth Botts can make your gardening life easier...

Chicago Tribune
June 24, 2007
Beth Botts

15 Ways to leave your garden... and go on that carefree vacation

Soaker hoses, drip irrigation systems or a sprinkler,
shown above, can be set on a timer to come on once
in the middle of a vacation week.

Sometime this summer, chances are you’re going to go on vacation. But what about your plants? How will they live without you?

Their major enemies will be heat and moisture loss. But with some planning, you can be pretty confident that you will not come back to a garden or houseplant graveyard.

Choose survivor plants

If you know you are going to be away for a week or more this summer, don’t plant thirsty things such as impatiens. Smart owners of weekend homes who often leave their plants for weeks at a time rely on drought-tolerant species such as black-eyed Susans (rudbeckia) and coneflowers (echinacea), according to Linda Patejdl, co-owner of the Sawyer Garden Center in Sawyer, Mich. The most durable and resilient houseplants for frequent travelers are cacti, succulents and plants with stiff, fleshy leaves such as sansevieria and rubber trees, says Marion Parry, owner of A New Leaf in Chicago.

Use large containers

The larger the container, the better. A large soil volume, such as a half whiskey barrel, will hold moisture longer, while a 1-gallon pot on a hot day will dry out by noon, says Mike McGrath, host of the NPR and Sirius garden show You Bet Your Garden (can be heard at http://www.whyy.org/). And put those large pots on wheeled trays or trolleys so you will be able to move them into the shade. Hanging baskets are especially vulnerable, so a year when you plan a long vacation might be the year to skip them. You could also take them down for a time.

Avoid porous pots

Terra-cotta pots and hanging baskets with coir liners are handsome but they lose moisture quickly, McGrath says. If you like the look, do your actual planting in a plastic pot (with a drainage hole) and hide it inside.

Mulch

That doesn’t mean 6 inches deep, but a 1-inch layer of relatively fine-textured organic mulch over all beds and the surface of all pots will do a lot to hold moisture.

Buy a timer

Soaker hoses or drip irrigation on a timer, set to come on once in the middle of the week, can make a big difference.

Group containers

Move them to the shade. Their mass will tend to hold moisture and humidity, Parry says. If you don’t have a shady spot — probably on a balcony — move plants indoors and put them on saucers. A place where they might receive some rain is best, but even without it, their chances are still better in the shade than with the sun beating down on them.

Move houseplants

Place houseplants at least 4 feet in from a sunny window, Parry says. The heat from that window can fry them. Many can even be moved outdoors into the shade for the summer. And if you can’t give them plenty of ventilation, don’t turn the thermostat up too high. Only you can determine the tradeoff between your electric bill and your carbon footprint on the one hand and possibly cooked plants on the other. Consider a contribution to carbonfund.org.

Don’t overfertilize

It’s tempting to think you should stoke them up before you leave, but plants that have been stimulated by fertilizer use more water.

Water, water, water

Soak every pot and every bed, long and slow, before you leave, says McGrath. It will take a day or two of moving the sprinkler to do the whole garden, so allow for watering and other plant preparations in your vacation schedule.

Empty saucers

More potted plants die from overwatering than from drought. McGrath says, “Ninety-five percent of your wilting-from-drought plants are going to come back. But your drowned plants are dead forever.” So don’t leave potted plants sitting in water. It’s OK to set them on stones or bricks above the level of water in a tray or saucer to maintain humidity indoors.

Pick clean and deadhead

Fruit or flowers left too long signal the plants to stop producing. So pick every vegetable and cut bouquets of roses, says McGrath; if you can’t take them along to the cottage, give them away. Vegetables are edible “as soon as they are identifiable,” says McGrath, even the tiniest ones.

Forget about the lawn

Going dormant for a few weeks in late summer is natural for grass, McGrath says, and will make it less hospitable to grubs. If it’s really dry just before you leave, give the lawn one long soak to keep the roots alive. But turn off the sprinkler system before you leave for the airport and don’t panic if the grass is a little brown when you get back.

Cultivate your neighbors

No matter how you prepare your plants, if you are going to be away for more than a week, you will need someone to come and water a couple of times. Offer the neighbors all the vegetables or flowers they can pick while you’re gone or swap house-sitting chores with them.

Consider a babysitter

If you have an especially prized and delicate houseplant, such as a fern, you may need to deliver it to the care of a knowledgeable person.

What if they die?

Most in-ground plants will recover from a dry week or two, McGrath says. Container plants are far more vulnerable. But even if you lose a couple, don’t let it ruin your vacation memories.

Outsourcing - hire older workers

Outsourcing jobs out of the country continues to be popular as a strategy to reduce costs, but businesses should take a strong look at hiring older workers already available nearby to supplement or increase the workforce. There are plenty of highly skilled experienced candidates in all regions of the country and many, if not all, want to continue being part of the workforce on a part-time or full-time basis. Hundreds of thousands of older people with skills in production, design, management, accounting, marketing and many other areas have been removed from business and corporate payrolls in recent years and many are available for half-time or more work.

Downsizing companies in an effort to reduce costs has added a large number of older employees to the retired and unemployed universe. Many have 20, 30 or more years of business skills and valuable talents that can make businesses more productive without relying on overseas workers. Many would even be willing to work at lower pay levels than when formerly employed now that they have part-time income from retirement or other sources.

Read the following complete story on benefitting from hiring older workers from the Fayetteville Observer...

Fayetteville Observer
June 17, 2007
Harry Payne - Chairman, NC Employment Security Commission
Employers can benefit from hiring older workers

Today’s concept of an “older worker” no longer is the stereotype of an individual nearing retirement.

Older workers now are vibrant, talented individuals whose years of expertise are highly valued and are being looked upon by employers as respected and knowledgeable individuals in the prime of working life.

Just take a closer look in your own community. The new business owner down the street, the consultant hired by your firm — chances are they are older workers.

Eighty-four percent of baby boomers (ages 37 to 55) currently participate in the labor market, and baby boomers make up nearly 50 percent of the work force. As the baby boomer population ages, the growth rate of the workforce between ages 55 to 64 will be the highest in the United States.

By 2008, one in six workers will be over 55. By 2030, more Americans will be over the age of 65 than under 18. Most of these individuals will still be working — some out of necessity and some by choice. Consequently, as our state’s work force becomes older and more experienced, North Carolina employers will benefit from hiring older workers whose skills, work ethic and leadership will be reaching an aging customer base.

The N.C. Employment Security Commission encourages employers to recognize the attributes that older workers can bring to their businesses. These include loyalty and dedication to the company, commitment to doing quality work, dependability, solid performance record and experience in a job or industry, and the ability to get along well with co-workers.

There are so many false assumptions about older workers and their ability to perform well on the job. The fact is older workers provide stability. They have a lower turnover rate than younger employees do. And, as the population ages, it will be a strong advantage to have older employees who can relate to older customers.

The ESC has older worker specialists in most of its 93 offices across the state who serve as a resource for this important group, assisting in job placement and referral, resume and interview preparation, and identifying suitable training options.

Over the past year, the ESC has placed thousands of older workers in new jobs. For more information about employment services for older workers, contact your nearest ESC office.

Harry E. Payne Jr. is chairman of the N.C. Employment Security Commission.

New direction for Dix

In the latest attempt to save the Dix land near downtown Raleigh the city has offered $10.5 million for the campus so it can be turned to a destination location for the area. This is perhaps the best chance for saving a large parcel near the city that could be used as a great recreation area.

This is a rare and perhaps the last opportunity for Raleigh to save a large tract of land near the heart of downtown. For this to become a reality the Governor would need to encourage the Legislature to approve the plan during the 2007 session and allow the land to be sold to the city.

Your support and encouragement could make the difference in getting this approved so the land won't be lost to development interests. Contact your state representatives and let them and the Governor know you want this to be approved. Go to the Member Lookup section of the Legislative website to find your representative and let them know you want the site preserved under this plan or contact the Governor's office.

News and Observer
june 14, 2007
David Bracken, Staff Writer

City offers $10.5 million for Dix

RALEIGH - The city of Raleigh is offering $10.5 million to purchase the Dorothea Dix Hospital campus from the state, Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker said today.

Meeker said the city wants the property to be appraised as parkland to determine its worth. He estimated the 306-acre site, which overlooks the central business district, is worth $10.5 million as parkland.

State legislators would have to approve the sale of the campus and 150-year-old state psychiatric hospital, which is scheduled to close by late November.

Meeker said the city is asking the state to sell all the Dix property for use as a destination park. The city also wants the historic buildings on the site to be restored and used only in ways that are compatible with an urban park.

The state Department of Health and Human Services would be able to keep existing office employees on the site for three to five years without paying rent, under the city's proposal.

Joining Meeker at today's press conference were representatives of three advocacy groups: Friends of Dorothea Dix Park, Dix Visionaries and Dix 306, who hope to form a public-private partnership to develop the park.

Gregory Poole Jr., president of Dix Visionaries, said his group plans to raise more than $7 million from private donors to go toward the development of the park.

The group also announced that its members are sending a letter to Gov. Michael Easley to ask him to encourage the General Assembly to approve the sale of the property during this session.

They also are seeking Easley's assistance in creating a land conservancy to help plan and develop the park.

Staff writer David Bracken can be reached at (919) 829-4548 or david.bracken@newsobserver.com. Read the original article...

Clayton high school principal denies student right to wear military uniform to graduation

Clayton High School principal stops graduating student from wearing Marine uniform at graduation. Principal Jerry Smith insisted Eric Hile follow school rules and not wear his uniform and that he conform to standard graduation attire. On top of that Mr. Hile just wanted to wear the uniform under his graduation gown.

What a sad day when a North Carolina school denies a student serving his country the honor of wearing his military uniform for graduation. His choice to join the Marines lets him wear the uniform, protect his country and provide the freedom to make choices but the school principle has chosen to deny the student the freedom to choose to wear his uniform!

This ranks right up there with the NC Legislature's refusal in the 2007 session to stop corporal punishment in North Carolina schools. NC sometimes look pretty bad in some regards compared to more progressive states.

The complete news story follows...

News and Observer
June 8, 2007
Marti Maguire, Staff Writer

Clayton Marine won't graduate in uniform

CLAYTON - A military mom is incensed that her Marine son won’t be able to wear his uniform when he graduates from Clayton High School tonight.

Pfc. Eric Hile, 17, graduated from the school in January, but returned from his training to walk across the stage and take his diploma.

He wanted to wear his dress blues under his gown, but Principal Jerry Smith insisted he follow school rules, which require that all graduating students wear khaki pants, a dark tie and a white shirt.

“We have a standard policy,” Smith said. “Everyone dresses the same for graduation.”

But Elizabeth Hile, Eric’s mother, said wearing his uniform is an important show of patriotism.

“I can understand that some kids want to wear shorts and a T-shirt. I get that,” Hile said. “But he is a United States Marine. It’s a show that he is so proud to be in the U.S. military.”

Elizabeth Hile, whose parents and husband served in various branches of the military, said her son would violate military rules against defiance if he were to wear the uniform.

So Eric will likely compromise. He’ll go to school in his uniform, but wear only the pants with a white shirt and a tie under his gown. Then, after he’s thrown his cap, he’ll change back.

Staff writer Marti Maguire can be reached at (919) 829-4930 or marti.maguire@newsobserver.com

Read original article...