SunBird Garden Club

Lois Anderson

And the heat goes on … Now is the time of year when those up north garden, but here at SunBird, we enjoy the cool breezes of our air conditioners.

While we may not be “gardening,” there are a few items that we can do to keep our yards looking good. After a monsoon, check your yard for debris and other trash that the wind has brought in. This is also a time for lots of weeds to take hold that need to be sprayed. Be sure to give your cacti a long, slow drink at least once a month, and succulents need water almost daily to stay healthy. Now is not the time for pruning but, if needed, repairs may be done to trees or bushes because of broken branches; just remove the broken parts.

Most of us leave for a short (or longer) time during our hot summer, so ask your “house checker” to keep up with the trash and weeds when you are gone. House checkers are important when we leave our homes for any length of time. They can keep small problems, such as a break in a water line, from becoming big ones, such as a flooded house.

If you have pets, remember the gravel and streets are very, very hot. Provide your pet with a piece of artificial turf to use to avoid burns on soft padded feet. Though it is tempting, please do not feed any wild creatures. Let them provide for themselves so they don’t get too familiar around people. This can later cause problems to man and/or beast. SunBird once had a feral cat problem, and with careful monitoring, this problem has been eliminated.

Hope you are enjoying your summer wherever you are. Fall will be here soon but never soon enough for the full-time residents.