How to Make Your House Undesirable - To Critters That Is! Print

John Eisenhower and Stephen Price of SavATree Integrity Tree Service joined by Kevin Salamandra of Arid Zone Trees.

Discussion of The Tree Of The Month:  Seedless Arid Zone Hybrid Mesquite Tree .  Grown at Arid Zone Trees.  

Discussion of trees with little maintenance, slow growing besides the hybrid mesquite tree.  Southern Live Oak, pistache and acacia.  

Kevin explains his nursery and how the building and landscaping is designed for the desert.

Tree care is a great way to reduce stress and get outdoors.  Remember to pre-hydrate!

CALLER:  Has a group of fruit trees all on the same watering system.  What the best watering measurement for the summer?

More on watering.  Important for the roots to grow by watering outside the root ball.  Watering citrus trees varies from soil moisture to age of the tree.  Overwatering can lead to pathogen issues.

Watering By The Numbers 

Discussion of proper ways to prune your trees for monsoon storm winds.  Reduction cuts of the outer canopy.  Avoid 'lion tailing' pruning.  Difference between sprouts and suckers where some sprouts help the tree.

Protecting trees for summer heat.  Shade cloth works and why we don't recommend tree paint.

CALLER:  Has a 20 year old Benjamin ficus tree that produces a lot of leaf litter.  So much they removed the pool to keep the tree for shade.  Plus birds make a big mess.  Wants to replace the tree with one that less messy and provides shade.

Controlling the desert creepy crawler bugs around the home.  Scorpions, spiders, crickets.

CALLER:  Looking for suggestions for a portable air conditioner to move around from room to room.  Only if you install exaust ports to the exterior.

Making your space less desirable for bugs by knowing what they're looking for:  comfortable enviroment, food and moisture. 

Discussion of black widow spiders.  They have a distinctive web and how to deal with them.

E-Store suggestions for Father's Day June 21st.

Guinea hens are a good way to eliminate scorpions. 

Rosie's 4 ways to control pests around the home:  Have a pest control service, black light to find scorpions, diatomaceous earth to kill the scorpions and ultrasonic pulse insect repellant.

Discussion of bees and wasps and how to keep them away from the pool.  And wildlife like coyotes, bobcats and javalinas.

E-Store products and the Staycations are slowly returning.  

CALLER:  Has a 3 acre orchard and looking for ways to increase the wildlife habitat (bunnies, quail, etc).  Cannot find any assistance thru the state or county for information.  Also has land with trees that are hand watered.  Looking for irrigation suggestions.

CALLER:  Has an all dirt backyard that needs landscaping.  Thinking of putting down rock and synthetic/artificial grass as a 'do it yourself' project.  Thoughts?

Discussion on installing artificial turf as a DIY project.  Some things to consider.

Top Most Asked Question Of The Week:  Can you seal patio pavers as a DIY?  As long as you use Techniseal.

Rosie's secret weapon on cleaning pavers:  A Whisper Washer

Weekly To Do on Water Treatment.  We an email from a listener who asks is it worth an investment in a home water filtration system even if your have filtered water from the refrigerator.  We explain the benefits of a system and a reverse osmosis drinking water station.  But do your research first.

EMAIL:  Can reflective paint be used to lower your electric bill?

Discussion of the relatively new cork based paint.

Takeaways from the show!