Great Ways To Fight The Sun In Arizona Print

Shirlene DeSantis of Ramsey Canyon Inn Bed & Breakfast talks about a little piece of heaven in southeastern Arizona.  (CLICK ON THE LINK FOR PICTURES)

Shirlene moved from Alaska to start the inn on her parent's property.  Opened in 1988, her first customer showed up before the stove was installed.  She's had visitors from all over the world stay.

The biggest draw to Ramsey Canyon:  birds, wildlife, hiking, creek, mountains.

Arizona has plenty of 'sky islands'.  Mountain ranges with their own eco-system.

Ramsey Canyon is known for birdwatching and various species of hummingbirds.  The canyon is in the migration path from South America, Mexico and Alaska.

Fall migration of July, August and September is the best time for hummingbird watching with about 12-14 different species.  About 6 live in the canyon year round.

Rooms at the inn are named after various hummingbird species.

Shirlene has won numerous blue ribbons for her pies.  Worth a visit alone.

Birdwatchers are known to compile 'life lists'.  A record of the bird species they've seen.  Some bird enthuiasts will travel just to see rare birds for their lists.

Over 300 species of birds have been recorded in Ramsey Canyon.

Tombstone and Bisbee are historic towns nearby to visit.  As well as Kartchner Caverns State Park

Shirlene has a list of places to eat in the area.

Register to win your Rosie On The House Sanderson Ford Staycation

Grand Canyon trip includes your Sanderson Ford rental for the staycation, guide books and more from Arizona Highways, stay at the newly remodeled Yavapai Lodge.

Jay Harper of The Farms Choice joins us for more gardening tips.

March is a big month for gardening.  Citrus starting to bloom, roses are blooming if you pruned them, some veggies plants are winding down and you should start to plant summer veggies.

Good time to put pre-emergent down to fight weeds.

Jay is not a fan of combo products like weed and feed.  

CALLER:  Has sections of his winter lawn with broadleaf weeds growing.

CALLER:  Has 6 bonanza dwarf peach trees in the ground since 2010.  Has only a total of five blooms.  Wants to know if chill hours are affecting its growth.

CALLER:  Has a mesquite tree planted 3 years ago.  Its shedding its bark and thinks its not being watered enough?

Old timers say when mesquite trees begin to leaf out near the spring, it means winter is over.

CALLER:  Has an irrigated lot and last year he had dead spots in his bermuda grass lawn which gets full sun.  Wants to know what to do to prevent them for this year.

Start to work on transitioning lawns from rye grass to bermuda grass.

TEXT:  Can you plant bamboo in the desert?  

TEXT:  Half of my lemon tree has oranges.  Whats up with that?

April 15th the Mesa East Valley Rose Society is hosting a rose garden tour.  Small admission fee.

Planting season begins for warm season veggies that you pick off the plant.

Roses need to be fed once a month as they begin to bloom

Plant and fertilize your fruit and shade trees.

Begin to work on your lawn transition.

Plant your melon plants now for summer fruit.

Romey discusses the current demand of construction and remodeling with a shortage of qualified skilled workers.  Customers should exercise patience to get the job done right.

You can always find a Roise Trusted Partner 24/7 at Rosie On The House.com

RANKING ARIZONA'S #1 Most Trusted Home Improvement Contractors and Service Providers for 9 YEARS IN A ROW!

CALLER:  Has a home built in 2006.  Hears a poping sound like a firecracker from the south wall in the master bedroom at night.  Its not the faint contracting/expanding sounds you'd normally hear.

As part of our Home Maintenance Calendar, March is the time to have your air conditioner serviced and checked for the spring.

Jeff Carmichael of REEis Air Conditioner He and Romey discuss those 'high number multi-point inspection' offers and some of those low priced specials.

Jeff goes thru what they look for when they service units.

Age of your unit and higher utility bills can determine if you need new parts to existing unit or a whole new unit.

CALLER:  Installed a pocket door and wants to hang a medicine cabinet he won from Rosie's auction site on the pocket door wall.

CALLER:  Something is eating his garden plants all up.

Talking exterior window treatments. 

Many types of structures and fabrics. 

Awnings and tents to shade windows or doors to keep the heat and rain off.

Windows and doors are your weakest point of energy efficiency.

Romey discusses the pros and cons of exterior heat film on windows and rolling shades.

Sun, insect and security screens.

Use fabric that reduces the heat against the window at 80%

TEXT:  Replacing windows with sun damamge and curious about sun screens to protect over the window.  

 Suggest a sun screen shade that reflect 80% of sun heat.

TEXT:  The old 'foil inside the window' trick.  Does it harm the glass?

Explains using styrofoam between the interior glass and the window treatment.