Simple Home Security Upgrades Print

• Different types of trees for Christmas.
• Rosie talks about the "Rosie Santa Bag" and our great partner gifts like  Moxi Showerhead, Pella Windows & Doors sliding patio door and 3 months of pest control from 5-Star Pest Control.
• We talk about our blog and how to get more home improvement advice from Rosie during the week.

We break down a specific county and this week we're focused on Yavapai County:

• Tons of awards and you can find history in True West Magazine.
• Prescott is winning awards for a growing and being a green city!
• How Sedona & Prescott got it's name.
• For suggestions on great travel routes in AZ, go to Arizona Scenic Roads website.

Sign up for the Sanderson Ford Arizona Staycation here!!!

*Thanks to the Best Western Sawmill Inn & Coyote Oaties Cookies for making our winners' trips fun!

• Don't forget to sign up for the Astronomy Cruise with Dr. Sky and the Romero's.
• Support local! Here's a list of great Arizona Companies to shop at.
• If you're running out of time, Designing Women of Arizona can shop for you!

• Congrats to Rosie & Jennifer's daughter, Katie, for graduating from Grand Canyon University!
• Are there other options besides water you can use to hydrate your Christmas tree?

Text from Listener's:

• He wants to know the difference between a few different types of fir trees used for Christmas trees.
• The trick to a level tree....."Have a V8 today"

• When does your family put up the tree? What about taking it down?

Jay with Harper's Nursery & Landscaping Company is here to take your questions!

*We discuss the cold temps in Arizona & how to prevent frost damage.

Tip of The Week: Consider the nursery & gardening gifts for unique gifts.

• Gift certificates from a Nursery, gloves, plants...you name it. They're great gifts for homeowner's.

Callers:

• Larry - His orange tree lost it's leaves, but the fruit looks good. Why would the leaves be dropping?

Recommendation - It should not be dropping leaves right now, but since their is fruit on the tree, it's probably stressed. He should check his watering schedule and fertilize it in the next month. It should recover if the soil conditions improve.

• Jean - She wants advice on her Christmas Cactus and what she can do to get it to bloom.

Recommendation - She's done a lot of correct steps, but Jay advises fertilizing the plant to get it to start blooming. We discuss several steps that help indoor plants thrive. 

*Plants that are okay to plant this time of year.

Caller:

• Charles - It's going to freeze in his area, so he wants to know what temp he should harvest the fruit?

Recommendation - It doesn't always mean you need to harvest the fruit if it just dips into freezing temps. If it's a "Hard freeze" then he'd need to harvest the fruit if they get into the 20's and truly freeze.

Letter's from Listener's:

• He's going out of town and wants to know if they can leave frost cloth on the plants for an extended time?

Recommenation - Don't ever use plastic, but proper frost cloth will let light in, hold heat in and can be on for an extened time. (We note that this can be a giveaway to potential burglars, so having a neighbor move things around could be a good deterrant.)

• Tom - He planted several types of plants and they all have unusually small leaves. What could be causing this?

Recommendation - It is more than likely the soil conditions. A lack of nitrogen and poor drainage can hold back the growth of a plants foliage. Remember to fertilize throughout the year at the correct times.

Advice on Choosing and Caring for Christmas Trees:

• First off, buy them fresh so it'll last through the season.
• Let the crews selling trees drill the hole at the bottom for you.
• Put the tree in safe spots around the home and keep them watered.
• Do some research on tree types and preferences.

Letter From a Listener:

• Brian - He wants advice on removing a stump in his yard.

Recommendation - Stumps are generally grinded down now, not completely removed. Find a company that can grind it down and he could treat it with a stump killer once it's below grade to prevent shoots from coming up.

Callers:

• Paul - He's interested in buying an aror vitae tree and wants to know if it's too late to plant the tree and if not, what type of fertilizer to use when he plants it.

Recommendation - This is a great time to plant them! They like the cold weather and Jay describes the hole size and to add organic soil to the native soil before it goes in. Happy Planting Paul!

• Frank - He wants to know if it's too late to strip his summer lawn and to start his winter grass.

Recommendation -  It's not too late, but it will take longer to germinate because of the cooler weather. Do not thatch the lawn. Just cut the grass low enough for the seed to reach the soil and consider compost to help warm the soil temps and increase the germination speed.

*We discuss the different advice on thatching over the last few years.

Letter from a Listener:

• Jerry - How large do vitex trees get and is there any negatives to planting this in place of his desert willow?

Recommenation - It probably won't get as tall as the desert willow but has the same width. It flowers all summer and has several different color options. It's more big and bushy versus stringy and more tree looking.

Caller:

• Sue - She lost a few queen palms and wants to know if she can replant them this time of year?

Recommendation - They are tropical plants and frost sensitive. Jay talks through a few other options for her that are more tolerant for the type of landscape we have here.

*We love the mediteranean palm and discuss why.

**There is a fruit ban a food banks this year and Jay discusses what/why it's in place. Learn more here.

If you need a great gift idea, stop in and see Jay at Harper's Nursery & Landscaping Company in Scottsdale!

Jack and Mike with Kinetico of Tucson join us for "water treatment 101":

*If you're in Northern Arizona, contact the Blaney's at Northern Arizona Quality Water.

• Treatment myths' and how to determine what you need at your home.
• What "treating" actually means and how the misconceptions start.
• We define water "softening"
• Misconceptions when it comes to salt in your water.
• What it means to be "Arizona Water Quality Associations Approved."

• How much water we have and how much is actually safe to drink.
• Ways we're trying to improve water quality across the world.

Caller:

• Wally - He has a whole house system and the only issue he has is a pink ring in the toilet bowl. What is it and how can he get rid of it?

Recommendation - The ring is a bacteria and it's not harmful. Get rid of it by just adding a chlorine tab in the tank. It's nothing to worry about and has a simple solution.

• What can you do to your system to make sure it's safe if you're a snowbird...we'll continue it in the next segment.

• We continue with advice for returning snowbirds.

Callers:

• Janna - Her plumbing goes through the house and she wants to know if that will be an issue with the pipe that goes outside that she uses to water her plants.

Recommendation - It's an old wives tail that softened water can't be used on plants. It will be fine. It would be good to have a site survey and most times they'll bypass the outdoor water taps.

• Bee - She has high levels of nitrate in the water at her home and would she be able to use the same system to treat it?

Recommendation - The Kinetico drinking system is designed to treat for nitrates, so she's good to go.

• We discuss what water treatment means in California.
• What water treatment systems WON'T remove from your water.
• What we think of using magnets or electricity to treat water? DO NOT USE THIS METHOD!

• Where we use water and how our usage has stayed similar throughout the years.
• Average price range for a treatmet system for certain applications.
• Treating city water versus well water.

Thanks to Kinetico of Tucson for stopping in. If you're in Southern Arizona give them a call!  In Northern Arizona, call Northern Arizona Quality Water.

Jeff Fleetham, Director of the Arizona Registrar Of Contractors joins the broadcast.

• The history of the R.O.C. & it's purpose.
• Did you know half the states don't have the resources to protect homeowner's like AZ?
• Learn about "The Recovery Fund"
• How the economy effected good contractors during the recession.
• Arizona's current labor shortage.
• How the ROC and Governor's Office is working together to help understand the labor shortage in the construction industry and what they can do to increase the labor pool.

• Rosie talks about how he got into the construction industry.
• Misunderstanding's about the construction trades.
• We share fun stories about how the crew grew up in construction.
• Look for upcoming dates for the Arizona Construction Career Days.
• Changing the schools influence on the trades.

Thanks to Director Fleetham for stopping in today and updating us on what their office has been up to and the state of the construction industry in Arizona.

Robert with Acme Locksmith is here to talk simple solutions to improve your homes security.

• Why using the wood dowels won't help keep your sliding glass door or window secure.
• Installing after-market anti-lifting hardware will help.
• Why the front door is the main entry point into your home.
• What "Lock bumping" is and how easy someone can get into your home, plus solutions.
• Replace screws with long screws that go into the frame. It's simple and inexpensive.
• More about anti-lift hardware & increasing security.
• Robert's opinion on security doors. He loves them if installed correctly.
• What a criminal is looking for.......
• Different types of locks. (Bump resistant & Light Commercial Grade)
• Locking systems to avoid.

• We discuss purchasing a safe and what they should be looking for.
• Avoid using the master closet as a safe spot.
• Keep bills hidden and rekey your mailbox too.
• Stop hiding your key under the front door mat!
• What about electronic lock with a pin code.

Thanks to Robert with Acme Locksmith for stopping in today and getting us up to speed on home security.

Join Rosie On The House Every Saturday Morning!!!