Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Summertime

Some more quick tips for the summer....

We live in the desert and it's 100+ degrees; perfect for drying your clothes outside. Grab an old-fashioned clothes line and some laundry pins and take advantage of the sunshine. PLUS, save on energy costs by not running the dryer and avoiding heating the house up while doing so, (especially when it's 100 degrees at 8 at night). Just make sure to bring it in when you see the black monsoon clouds rolling in - your neighbor doesn't want your undies stuck in their trees or cacti.


Adjust your watering. You may have to bump up watering for your organic garden during the summer, but make sure you're doing it when it's most beneficial. Don't water in the middle of the day - it will evaporate before it gets a chance to get to the roots. Stick to early am or evening.


Photo: © Jonathan Wood / Getty Images

While we're talking about our organic gardens or plants... spread some organic mulch around to help retain that water, (especially if your yard is as hard as ours).

I know I've mentioned it before, but fans make a HUGE (and cheap!) difference in cooling rooms. They can allow you to bump up the air a couple of degrees, while still feeling cool.

Take advantage of the monsoons! Free watering! :) But make sure to turn off watering systems so you don't flood your backyard.
Hope everyone is staying cool!