Safe ice melt for our family pets.

With the winter season finally arriving here in St. Louis, a lot of homeowners will be out removing the snow and ice from their walkways and driveways. After that an application of salt or a deicer will probably be spread out on the areas that we just shoveled. Keep your four legged friend in mind when spreading salt as they can cause an animal to get sick. Even the products that claim to be pet friendly can harm a pet if it is ingested. 

Always try to wipe down your dog’s paws with a damp towel after coming in from the snowy weather to remove anything from being tracked in.  Trim the hair between the dog’s paws to help in the prevention of mineral collections from salt, or you can invest in a pair of dog booties for their 4 paws to provide extra protection. 

Consider using a salt free ice melt, such as "Safe Paws" or "Morton Safe-T-Pet" when choosing a product for your home to control the ice. These products still contain a chemical called urea (carbonyl diamide) which is considered to be safe. This chemical can cause vomiting in the animal if it is ingested. Try to pick a deicer with colored pellets or granules to help identify it better in the weather.

Photo Credit:media.mnn.com 

Why you need to Clean your Gutters

Here in St. Louis, the weather can change constantly.  Lately, we've been having some pretty bad storms which means debris is building up in your gutters.  Cleaning your gutters is important for many reasons.  When your gutter are clogged with storm debris, like leaves and twigs, it can stop the flow of water and cause the water to over flow out of the gutter, potentially causing you a major headache later.  Some consequences of this could include basement water damage or even structural damage.

Good clean gutters help to protect the outer shell of your house which includes the roof and foundation. Helping to keep moisture away from these areas keep the inside areas dry if moisture doesn`t have a chance to build up or get in. I mention the roof as once temperatures get colder with winter coming soon, ice damming can occur trapping snow and ice up on the roof line. With the heat escaping through the attic, this can cause the build up to melt and eventually get through the roof line into the house. With a lot of leaves falling these days it may be time to get up on the ladder and check the gutters.  There are a number of reputable contractors to do the job for you if so desired. Be sure to check them out first as to make sure the work is properly done.

Time to prepare your garden for winter after the first frost.

Fall is upon us with the changing temperatures and entering the month of October. Some may start to think about the garden as the growing season comes to an end. Doing a couple of things now can help when winter sets in. The first frost may be a ways away but being prepared is always a good thing.

Start by cleaning what leaves have fallen so far with the start of fall color season beginning. Trees are dropping leaves with the dry conditions that area around along with the cooler night temperatures. Add some organic matter to the garden to help add some revive the soil for next spring, such as compost or cow manure. Once the first frost set sets in, some perennial ground covers can be cut to ground level such as hostas or day lilies. Cutting these plants back keeps disease and pests from hiding in the garden all winter. Give the plants a deep watering to help the soil preserve moisture through the winter. Plant spring bulbs at this time to give the garden some new color in the spring. Apply a winter fertilizer to the lawn to help a deep root system develop, avoid adding any nitrogen unless it is a cool season grass such as Fescue or Bluegrass. A few things can help things survive if we have a harsh winter as some are predicting in different areas of the country.