REVISED DATES for "Closing" seminar
10/08/2008
Just
received word ~ the revised dates for the CLOSING YOUR FLORIDA HOME
seminar are:
FEBRUARY 20TH.... DAYTIME SESSION.... 11 A.M. TO NOON
FEBRUARY 23RD.... EVENING SESSION.... 6:30 TO 7:30 P.M.
FEBRUARY 20TH.... DAYTIME SESSION.... 11 A.M. TO NOON
FEBRUARY 23RD.... EVENING SESSION.... 6:30 TO 7:30 P.M.
Moles ~ Info
10/07/2008
This
information comes from Florida Gardening Magazine ~
October/November 2008 issue, page 9. (GREAT magazine about Florida
Home Gardening...check it out! )
According to Dr. William Kern Jr. of the University of Florida: “The eastern mole prefers loose, well-drained soils. It has been found in dune sand and rich forest humus. Moles are beneficial because they eat mole crickets... beetle larvae (white grubs, wire worms, etc.)... ants and ant brood... moth larvae and pupae (cutworms and armyworms) and slugs. They also help to loosen and aerate the soil. In those soil, moles can tunnel up to 18 feet per hour. Their living space is in tunnels and chambers 6-12 inches below the surface. Soil from these deep burrows is pushed to the surface in small mounds. The damage caused by moles is almost entirely cosmetic. Although moles are often falsely accused of eating the roots of grass and other plants, they actually feed on the insects causing the damage. The tunneling of moles may cause some physical damage to the root systems of ornamental or garden plants and may kill grass by drying out the roots, but this damage is usually minor.
When mole tunnels become an intolerable nuisance, moles may be captured and removed without a permit by homeowners, renters or employees of the property owner.
If a lawn service or pest control technician is hired to trap nuisance animals, that person must have a Nuisance Wildlife Permit issued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). No poison (bait or fumigant) may be used on native wildlife without a poison permit issued by the executive director of the FWC. Because suitable traps are available for mole control, it is extremely difficult to justify the use of poisons. The use of vibrating devices to drive away moles has not been proven effective in scientific trials. In fact, the presence of mole tunnels next to highways would seem to be evidence against the effectiveness of these devices. The same is true for the use of mothballs to repel moles. The mole blocks off the treated tunnels and moves to a different part of the yard.” (Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit gum is another method not proven in scientific tests.)
..... Rebecca Jordi, Nassau County extension agent
According to Dr. William Kern Jr. of the University of Florida: “The eastern mole prefers loose, well-drained soils. It has been found in dune sand and rich forest humus. Moles are beneficial because they eat mole crickets... beetle larvae (white grubs, wire worms, etc.)... ants and ant brood... moth larvae and pupae (cutworms and armyworms) and slugs. They also help to loosen and aerate the soil. In those soil, moles can tunnel up to 18 feet per hour. Their living space is in tunnels and chambers 6-12 inches below the surface. Soil from these deep burrows is pushed to the surface in small mounds. The damage caused by moles is almost entirely cosmetic. Although moles are often falsely accused of eating the roots of grass and other plants, they actually feed on the insects causing the damage. The tunneling of moles may cause some physical damage to the root systems of ornamental or garden plants and may kill grass by drying out the roots, but this damage is usually minor.
When mole tunnels become an intolerable nuisance, moles may be captured and removed without a permit by homeowners, renters or employees of the property owner.
If a lawn service or pest control technician is hired to trap nuisance animals, that person must have a Nuisance Wildlife Permit issued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). No poison (bait or fumigant) may be used on native wildlife without a poison permit issued by the executive director of the FWC. Because suitable traps are available for mole control, it is extremely difficult to justify the use of poisons. The use of vibrating devices to drive away moles has not been proven effective in scientific trials. In fact, the presence of mole tunnels next to highways would seem to be evidence against the effectiveness of these devices. The same is true for the use of mothballs to repel moles. The mole blocks off the treated tunnels and moves to a different part of the yard.” (Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit gum is another method not proven in scientific tests.)
..... Rebecca Jordi, Nassau County extension agent
Seminar ~ "Closing Your FL Home"
10/07/2008
The Lake
County Extension Office announced in the Oct. 3rd issue of the
Orlando Sentinel, their schedule for the FREE program series for
the upcoming season. The seminar that we attended last year about
CLOSING YOUR FLORIDA HOME is well worth the time spent.
CLOSING YOUR FLORIDA HOME ~ tips for closing your seasonal home.
6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on February 10, 2009
11:00 a.m. to Noon on February 20, 2009
Each of the programs in the series will be presented at the Lake County Agricultural Center, located at 1951 Woodlea Road (off State Route 19) in Tavares. Registration is suggested. Further info is available from Rene Bass at 352.343.4101 or by email at rcbass@ufl.edu.
One tip ~ go early.... it was PACKED! They had great informational hand-outs last year.
CLOSING YOUR FLORIDA HOME ~ tips for closing your seasonal home.
6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on February 10, 2009
11:00 a.m. to Noon on February 20, 2009
Each of the programs in the series will be presented at the Lake County Agricultural Center, located at 1951 Woodlea Road (off State Route 19) in Tavares. Registration is suggested. Further info is available from Rene Bass at 352.343.4101 or by email at rcbass@ufl.edu.
One tip ~ go early.... it was PACKED! They had great informational hand-outs last year.
Tile Roof Cleaning Info
09/26/2008
This
article is from the Orlando Sentinel September 11, 2008 - Greg
Dawson Column.
Dear Greg: On June 30 I had the tile roof on my house cleaned by Waxler’s Roofing Cleaning. Waxler used a chlorine solution and assured me there would be no damage to my plants. Subsequently, I noticed grass turning brown at the gutter downspouts and plants losing leaves. I called Waxler on July 3 and he said not to worry, it was normal to have some brown areas and leaves dropping. I called July 17 to report that several plants now had no leaves and appeared to be dying. Waxler said he would come by and replace the damaged plants. He never came by, so I called again July 28 , and he said that he would be by at 9 AM the next day. He did not show at 9 and I called him at 10:30. He said he would be here at 11:15. Again he was a no-show. I am tired of wasting time calling. - Ken Smith Windermere
Dear Ken: Thanks for giving up! I was getting tired of reading about Waxler’s no-shows. Since getting your e-mail August 21, I have left three messages with someone at Waxler’s number who promised to tell him that I called about the progressive defoliation of your property due to his negligence. Since Waxler still hasn’t shown up, either he never got the message -- in which case he needs another secretary -- or he did get the message and just doesn’t care. Maybe he should just change his company’s name to Waxler’s Wallet Cleaning.
Dear Greg: On June 30 I had the tile roof on my house cleaned by Waxler’s Roofing Cleaning. Waxler used a chlorine solution and assured me there would be no damage to my plants. Subsequently, I noticed grass turning brown at the gutter downspouts and plants losing leaves. I called Waxler on July 3 and he said not to worry, it was normal to have some brown areas and leaves dropping. I called July 17 to report that several plants now had no leaves and appeared to be dying. Waxler said he would come by and replace the damaged plants. He never came by, so I called again July 28 , and he said that he would be by at 9 AM the next day. He did not show at 9 and I called him at 10:30. He said he would be here at 11:15. Again he was a no-show. I am tired of wasting time calling. - Ken Smith Windermere
Dear Ken: Thanks for giving up! I was getting tired of reading about Waxler’s no-shows. Since getting your e-mail August 21, I have left three messages with someone at Waxler’s number who promised to tell him that I called about the progressive defoliation of your property due to his negligence. Since Waxler still hasn’t shown up, either he never got the message -- in which case he needs another secretary -- or he did get the message and just doesn’t care. Maybe he should just change his company’s name to Waxler’s Wallet Cleaning.
ATM / Check cards
06/11/2008
No receipt on some check card
purchases/withdrawals under $15.00
Received this info recently in our credit union newsletter:
“A rule change (effective last August) that no longer requires ATM
or other point-of-sale operators to issue receipts when purchases
or withdrawals are $15 or less.”
Received this info recently in our credit union newsletter:
“A rule change (effective last August) that no longer requires ATM
or other point-of-sale operators to issue receipts when purchases
or withdrawals are $15 or less.”
Hurricane season 2008
06/01/2008
Here we go again!
For our new customers and forgetful old-timers.....
Just to reiterate:
We know you will be very concerned to hear if your home was affected by a hurricane. We are concerned also!
As soon as it is safe for us to be outside, we will be out checking your homes. We will put a general message of how Mt. Dora fared in this news section and will contact each homeowner individually with details on your home. We will either email or call you (depending on whether or not we have electric, phone service or internet access.) This is why we need you to let us know of any and all changes to your personal contact info. If possible, where needed, we will send you photos of any situations that we find at your home. We will need to hear back from you about what actions you would like us to take ASAP. If we don't hear from you and it is an emergency situation, we will take what we consider appropriate action and bill you for it.
DON'T FORGET THAT THE MEDIA NEEDS "DISASTERS" TO KEEP THEIR READERSHIP AND VIEWER NUMBERS UP. SOOOOO... TAKE WHAT YOU READ, HEAR & SEE WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.... OR TWO!
Fingers and toes crossed please!
For our new customers and forgetful old-timers.....
Just to reiterate:
We know you will be very concerned to hear if your home was affected by a hurricane. We are concerned also!
As soon as it is safe for us to be outside, we will be out checking your homes. We will put a general message of how Mt. Dora fared in this news section and will contact each homeowner individually with details on your home. We will either email or call you (depending on whether or not we have electric, phone service or internet access.) This is why we need you to let us know of any and all changes to your personal contact info. If possible, where needed, we will send you photos of any situations that we find at your home. We will need to hear back from you about what actions you would like us to take ASAP. If we don't hear from you and it is an emergency situation, we will take what we consider appropriate action and bill you for it.
DON'T FORGET THAT THE MEDIA NEEDS "DISASTERS" TO KEEP THEIR READERSHIP AND VIEWER NUMBERS UP. SOOOOO... TAKE WHAT YOU READ, HEAR & SEE WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.... OR TWO!
Fingers and toes crossed please!
Garbage disposal tips
05/30/2008
We've all heard about putting citrus
peels into the garbage disposal
to make it smell great and ice cubes to clean it out. Here's a couple of
great tips from Mary Hunt and the Everyday Cheapskate website (11/9/2007)
Instead of putting the citrus peels directly into the disposal puree
them first in a blender or food processor with some water. Pour that
liquid into ice cube trays and freeze. Once a week throw 8 to 10 cubes
into the disposal and grind them up. Follow with a kettle of boiling water.
A good maintenance trick is to run your disposal during your
dishwasher's draining cycle. That hot soapy water should go thru the
disposal on its way out, so if you fire the disposal up while the dishwasher
is draining, you'll keep it free of food particles. Thanks Mary!
to make it smell great and ice cubes to clean it out. Here's a couple of
great tips from Mary Hunt and the Everyday Cheapskate website (11/9/2007)
Instead of putting the citrus peels directly into the disposal puree
them first in a blender or food processor with some water. Pour that
liquid into ice cube trays and freeze. Once a week throw 8 to 10 cubes
into the disposal and grind them up. Follow with a kettle of boiling water.
A good maintenance trick is to run your disposal during your
dishwasher's draining cycle. That hot soapy water should go thru the
disposal on its way out, so if you fire the disposal up while the dishwasher
is draining, you'll keep it free of food particles. Thanks Mary!
Thanks to Mother Nature
05/15/2008
our garden is recovering and looking
great! So remember ~ if
FROST is predicted, TURN OFF your irrigation system!
FROST is predicted, TURN OFF your irrigation system!
As you leave, remember...
04/30/2008
Please let us know right away if any
of your information has changed ~
email address, cell & home phone numbers or home address.
Thanks!
email address, cell & home phone numbers or home address.
Thanks!