Giving Etiquette During the Holiday's Print

Callers:

• Richard - After some cold temps, his palo verde is looking rough and he wants to replace it. He loved the sound of the palo blanco and wants to know if it would work in his location.

Recommendation - His temps are probably too cool for the palo blanco, so a eucalyptus might work and we share a few more.  (desert willow) Click here for suggestions. 

**John demonstrates how to de-seed a pomegranate in 2 minutes or less! It's very easy! Watch his video, here.

John shares how he discovered his pomegranate de-seeding method. Listen....so interesting!!

Callers:

• Rowland -He and his wife decided to plant a ficus tree in the yard. Is this a good time to do plant it?

Recommendation - For frost sensitive trees, it's probably too late in the year. (Rule of thumb: December 1st is the last day)  Wait until April, unless it's a deciduous tree.

• Marilyn - She used a bunch of ficus trees to block the neighbor's view to her pool. They grew too fast and seem to be taking over, so she took them out. What do we recommend?

Recommendation - To cover 2 stories, the oleander is a good bet. Possibly a shoestring acacia too. Be careful to avoid trees with a lot of debris. Think about a vine on a trellis too.

• Jason - His lemon trees seem fairly healthy, but look neglected with fruit right on the ground.

Recommendation - Pruning up off the ground 6 inches or so would be fine. Citrus likes to be left alone. (Pruning citrus this time of year is not the best time to do it.)

• Jim - He wants to put up some decorations up from tree to tree. Is it okay to put a nail right into the tree?

Recommendation - If he plans on doing this every year, think about a permanent hook through the tree. Be careful! But, a small nail shouldn't ruin the tree. Rope isn't a bad idea, either. We share plenty of ideas. Take a listen!

• Ira - He has a 12-15 foot cactus in his yard and he's concerned about it's stability and wants advice. He prefers to keep it, but wants to verify it's safe.

Recommendation - A certified arborist is the right place to start. The particular saguaro, the crested saguaro is very rare. We would not recommend giving it away. It's worth a ton of $$$!!!

With so many tree experts in-studio, we talk tree selection and how to take care of the Christmas Tree!

• Make sure it's not too dry.
• Keep it in a cool area away from heat that will dry it out.
• Cut the bottom slightly to remove the sap that seals the initial cut, hindering water uptake.
• Best solution to give the tree in your home?.?. Water!

Thanks to John Eisenhower. If you have tree questions, visit Integrity Tree Service!

We talk about shopping LOCAL for the Holiday's.  Go to Local First Arizona and build Arizona's Economy & shop local!

Callers:

• Scott - He's in the middle of upgrading his home's energy efficiency. He's replaced 2/3 of his window's, added solar panels and now he's ready for a new AC/Heating unit. He wants our recommendations.....

Recommendation - We discuss the pros and cons of a heat pump vs. gas heat vs. standard ac and heating combo units. In Tucson, call Intelligent Design Air Conditioning & Heating.

Tip: Buying propane in bulk when it's cheaper, during the off-season will save you money. In Northern Arizona, call Dave at Barrett Propane)

Callers:

• RJ - He wants to buy a new refrigerator, but the new appliances are about 5 inches deeper and wants advice on remodeling the space behind the fridge to allow it to sit further back. The water and electrical is in the way, currently.

Recommendation - There are a lot of options and we walk through his options. The wall is backed up against a garage, so he needs to be careful about fire ratings requirements.

*We share a story about how Rosie listener's save big $$$ with PPG Paints!

We cover "Ladder Safety" and what you can do to stay safe hanging Christmas lights or working in dangerous situations.

• It's the #1 reason for trips to the emergency room during the holiday's.
• Use the ladder how it's supposed to be used.
• Never stack stuff up to make the ladder taller.
• Stay off the top of ladders.
• Face the wall, NEVER face out!

Caller:

• Kathy - She bought a used travertine tile table and she sees "rain marks" and wants to know how to remove them and if there is a coating across it she needs to re-seal.

Recommendation - We bring in Von in with East Valley Floors to help. He's on an Arizona Staycation to the Polar Express via The Train!  It sounds like an acidic drink, like lemonade. He would start with a mild cleaner and then move up to an increasingly abrasive.

Sign up for the Sanderson Ford Arizona Staycation Here!

Win a trip to The Copper Queen Hotel and a gift bag from The Cactus Candy Company!

Callers:

• Ryan - He is remodeling and after part of the work, his "already hideous" ceramic tile fireplace face looks even worse and wants advice on how to paint.

Recommendation - Visit a PPG store and they'll give him advice on the right paint type and how to prep the surface first.

*We talk about keeping your credit and checking accounts safe while you're shopping for the holiday's.  Ken with Data Doctors recommends using your credit card for everything, NOT a debit card. Local vendors that use the phone adapter c.c. scanner is the safest bet. Ken doesn't know of a single case of theft from the phone charges. 

Romey's Digital Newsroom:

• Susan - Wanted to know what we think of reusable air filters for her ac/heating unit?

Recommendation - Probably not....some situations call for the reusable filter, but in virtually every situation a simple 1 inch pleated paper filter that is replace monthly. Clogged filters "choke" your intake on the ac/heating unit, making it work harder than it should.

(Tip: A nice rule of thumb, replace the filter every time you pay your monthly utility bill)

• Kurt - He wants to string Christmas lights, but needs to know if he can step on his tile shingle roof and where, the peaks or valley's?

Recommendation - Avoid stepping on them if at all possible, but if he has to, step in the valley's not the peaks.

• Paul - He wants to know how to attach lights to his parapet wall?

Recommendation - Use a "parrot clip" that is designed for his exact situation!

Caller:

• Annette - She has a sewer break under the slab of her home and wants to know what we think of the trench-less pipe replacement?

Recommendation - This sounds like a perfect fit for her.....go for it! Call Stampede Plumbing.

Callers:

• Charlie - He just wanted to call in with a scam he was victim to. Someone used his bonus points from local stores, so beware!  He also had a question about his utility bill and wants to know how he can compare apples to apples with his average bill.  All his neighbor's are on different types of heat and air....

Recommendation - We talk with Charlie about his situation, square footage and how they use energy. It sounds like he's getting a great deal and has nothing to worry about.

*Romey talks about current events to attend during the holiday season here in Arizona!

The crew talks more about events across Arizona during the Holiday's!!!

Callers:

• Darlene - She heard us talking about Charlies utility bill and why Rosie does NOT like "balanced payments."

Recommendation -  With a balanced payment scheduled, it's hard to investigate what's happening with your energy. The spikes in payments help you identify a problem and gifts you immediate information, monthly.

**We share our opinion on Smart Meters from the utility companies.

• Jesse - His electric garage door won't shut and he's not sure what to do to investigate?

Recommendation -  We walk him though how to investigate the problem and a few tricks to try. Call Daryl at A-Authentic Garage and he should be able to help.

Listen for advice on common tipping etiquette for contractor's, gardener's and the service providers at your home.

• Always let contractor's know you plan on tipping.
• For the single service provider, like a gardener or someone who watches your dogs, it can be a good idea.

(Jennifer shares tips on keeping your pets safe during the holiday's)

Listen for more event's happening in Arizona this month, including events at the London Bridge Resort.

Join Rosie On The House Every Saturday Morning 8 to 11!!!