TxtoDsgrg's Profile

What Emmi said: I agree with everything people said about watering, except I wanted to make sure you understand what Emmi was getting at when she talked about checking the dampness.

Sometimes, if a pot gets dry enough, the soil will actually seem to repel water. It will flow out the bottom and you will think you watered the plant, but if you check below the surface, it might all still be dry, because the water will just flow right down the sides of the container and out the hole. (The dried-out hunk of soil shrinks a bit, allowing this to happen.) If you don't investigate deep down, you won't even know this is happening.

*When* this happens, you need to really soak the whole thing, and get all the dirt really really wet. (In the sink, preferably.) It's enough of a pain to re-wet really dry soil that you maybe might as well just take the plant out and repot it at that time. Like people said, the best place to get advice is a local indie plant store. The secondbest place, imho, is at gardenweb forums, I'm sure there's a forum on container gardening, there's one on houseplants, I'm sure there's one on herbs and maybe even on indoor herb growing, for all I know. These are the most plant obsessed people I've ever found, and it is the niche-iest of niche-making sites. Somebody on there has already had this problem and you can find a ton of info.

On the positive side, once you re-wet the soil, it should behave normally after that, and then, you should follow what everyone here said about not overwatering. It's okay if the soil gets dry -- it only repels the dirt if it gets super, extremely dry.

Hmph! Bunch of haters. (kidding)

I think these classes sound lovely. And you can't beat the smell of fresh greenery.

Her set-up is an ergonomic nightmare waiting to happen. If any of you are older than 20, you know what I mean.

I agree with the people who suggest using the fireplace as a visual focal point. But who says you have to have just one, anyway? If it were me, I'd put a telly (if you want one in there) over or near the fireplace, and foof up the fireplace if you don't like it the way it is. You could get a new mantle or put on marble tile, whatever floats your boat. And have some way to hide the telly when you're not using it.

Then, like others said, have seating around the center-ish of the room. Have you read M G-R's book, Apartment Therapy? He talks a lot about flow in a room. To me, your room doesn't look bad at all, it looks good! Space is good. Also, if funds allow, why not put another window on the wall near the entrance? You don't have to just look in one direction. Who made up all these rules anyway? If you have a nice view, put a chair facing it, for heaven's sake.

Plus, for comfort reasons, I'm not sold on huge sectionals. The ones I've sat on weren't very comfy and they are just so huge. Maybe if they're broken up though, they could be okay visually. Just my two cents.

I am not a design person, and to me, once you get into the room, who cares that you were facing x, y or z when you walked in? I think your room looks just dandy and has great possibilities. You just need flow and comfy seating, and happy colors. Bob's your uncle!

I suggest: a tea bag squeezer. No, it's not a sex toy!! - they look like this:

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=tea+bag+squeezer+round&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&biw=898&bih=468&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=3740939922351538007&sa=X&ei=UxpmUIe1CIzQigK1hYDABg&ved=0CEEQ8wIwAA

Fabulously useful for tea drinkers. I mean, sure you can use your fingers, but if the water is hot, these are good.

Are we sure that CO2 is the same as particulates? I too would love to see more info about air quality here in LA. (It seemed from the list that CO2 was the only air quality variable measured.)

Also, I'd rather have one that didn't need the internet at all. That could just be an option for those that want it. My guess is they'll attach these to air purifiers soon. Or does someone do that already?

I liked the way you could click on the different regional results, in the way you used to do the Scavenger.

Shipping costs will really bleep you. I'm not interested in stuff in Chicago.

OBElizabeth: I'm very sorry about your friend! That's awful.

It sounds as though you need a bee intervention. I met some local LA beekeepers a while back, and they tell me that there are something like 9 feral (wild) beehives per square mile here. (I think it was 9. You get the idea.)

Well, there's a group that adopts these bees. Here is their site:
http://www.backwardsbeekeepers.com/

They could potentially take the bees out of your neighborhood and put them in a nice, properly controlled home. Anyway, they wouldn't be your problem anymore, ideally.

And they seemed like very nice people. I'm sure they would be understanding about people's natural fears of something that could kill them. You should not have to live that way. Good luck!! (And if that doesn't work, there should be some kind of govt vector control, I would think, but I've never tried that.)

Do you know anyone who would lend you a goat for a few hours? To eat the oxalis? That is some sort of a cress, isn't it? No, wait, it's sorrel, I think.

Sounds edible anyway. (We wouldn't want to poison the goat.)

I agree with those who said check your drainage and light first. You need to know that stuff now. I live in Southern California and it amazes me how often people mess up with drainage (and we don't even get much rain). Make sure whatever you do will a) drain somewhere appropriate, and b) *not* drain into your house.

Many of the suggestions sound great, but I for one don't hate grass. You don't have to keep all of it, but nothing feels better under your feet. And you already know it will grow there, which is nice. Having dirt there will soak up some or all of your rain -- if you pave the whole thing, then who knows where that water might go. And no, the "contractor" will not necessarily know the difference! Seriously, you need someone who knows what they're doing.

I too love mirrors but think about placing them where they won't start fires. Fire is unlikely but would not be fun.

But otherwise, I'm sure it will look great, sorry to be a downer!