Garden Checklist: In the garden, around the house

Bee file, 2005

In the garden

• Buy and plant bare-root roses, fruit trees, cane berries and grapes. Soak roots in a bucket of water before planting.

• Make sure plants growing under eaves are receiving enough water. Even in rainy weather, they may get too dry.

• If frost is in the forecast, water sensitive plants (especially in pots or containers) the afternoon before. Well-hydrated roots can help stave off frost burn.

Around the house

OK, it's really getting to be time to recycle that Christmas tree. Today, several locations will be open to accept trees, which will be ground into mulch for city parks and other uses. Remove all decorations, including ornaments, tinsel, lights, stands and nails. Flocked trees will be accepted.

Most locations have a five-tree limit per carload. Here are times and places:

• Elder Creek Recovery and Transfer Station, 8642 Elder Creek Road, Sacramento; 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

• Kiefer Landfill, 12701 Kiefer Blvd., Sacramento; 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

• North Area Recovery Station, 4450 Roseville Road, Sacramento; 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

• SMUD Corporation Yard, 6100 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento; 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

• Sacramento Recycling and Transfer Station, 8491 Fruitridge Road, Sacramento; 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

• Dan Russell Rodeo Arena, Folsom City Park, Natoma and Stafford streets, Folsom; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (today and Jan. 9).

For more details: www.sacgreenteam.com.

Interactive Garden Calendar
A year-round guide to gardening in South Florida

Hints From Heloise: It's easy to turn crystallized honey back to liquid gold

DEAR HELOISE: I have a large jar of honey that has congealed. How can I save the honey or get it out of the jar?

– Dorothy Stempin via e-mail

DEAR DOROTHY: It is natural for honey to crystallize over time, and you can do one of two things to bring it back to life. First, heat (not to boiling) water in a pan on the stove and place the jar (without the lid) in it. Remove the pan or turn off the heat, and the honey will become clear as it is re- liquefying.

Or, if the honey is in a microwave-safe container, place it in your microwave oven on a warm setting for two to three minutes, stopping every 30 seconds to stir. Be careful not to scorch or boil the honey, because it will change the texture and flavor.

P.S.: Don't keep honey in the refrigerator – the cold temperature speeds up crystallization.

And here is a honey of a hint from Sharyn, via e-mail: "I couldn't find my honey dipper this morning, so I used a clean fork to get the honey out of the jar."

DEAR HELOISE: This is my hint for organizing the pantry: Small packets of gravies, soups, sauces and seasoning mixes, etc., are always slipping and sliding on my shelves. When I shop, I see empty boxes that held those packages. I asked if I could have the empty boxes and was told yes.

Everything fits perfectly. – Marilyn in Texas

DEAR HELOISE: When I make soup, I make a big batch. I use a good grade of meat, stock or broth, and use little or no water to make the soup very thick. I begin with a soup starter, then add lots of extras – anything you like can go into the soup.

Hint: To remove any grease from the top, I wait until it is no longer simmering, place slices of bread on top of the soup for just a few seconds, then turn the slices over. I lift the bread out right away onto a plate, and any grease is now in the bread.

– Steward H. Longview, Texas

DEAR HELOISE: When cookie recipes tell you to roll the dough into balls and dip in sugar, I put the sugar in a plastic bag and put in six to eight balls at a time, then gently shake.

– Janet in Washington

DEAR HELOISE: My coffee maker is getting slower and slower. Could it be the lime deposits in our water, and if so, what can I do about it? Thanks.

– Merry, via e-mail

DEAR MERRY: Hard water probably is the culprit! Especially if you don't have a water softener. However, there is a very easy solution, and it involves my old friend, vinegar! Cheap, safe and green!

Fill the reservoir with straight vinegar, let it go through a brew cycle, then turn off the coffee maker. Put the hot vinegar back in, let sit for about 20-30 minutes, then run through one more time. Run fresh, cold water through several times, and you are all set. Don't waste that vinegar! Pour it down the drain to kill bacteria.

Does this whet your appetite for more money-saving vinegar hints? I have a six-page pamphlet with lots of ways to use vinegar that are amazing and safe! If you'd like to receive the pamphlet, send $5 and a long, self-addressed, stamped (61 cents) envelope to: Heloise/Vinegar, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. A bonus vinegar hint: Mix equal amounts of household vinegar and water. Put into a spray bottle, and be sure to label clearly. Use this cleaner to make your windows sparkle!

DEAR HELOISE: I have a travel hint I've been using for a few years. I see a lot of people using ribbons, colored yarn or string tied on their luggage handles.

As for me and my family, we use different-colored electrical tape around the handles (we use three different colors). So now when we look for our luggage, all we do is look for our colors.

– Craig, Waterville, Maine

DEAR HELOISE: I use a permanent marker to mark recycling plastic grocery bags with what's to be placed inside them. Examples are: tin, glass, aluminum, etc.

– Karen G. Hoisington, Kan.

DEAR HELOISE: How often have you not known whether the dishes in your dishwasher are clean or dirty and mixed dirty dishes with clean ones? This may not work for every design of dishwasher, but we clip a painted wooden clothespin to the handle on the front of the washer.

When we start the washer, we clip the clothespin on, and we know the dishes are clean. When we empty the washer, we put the clothespin on the windowsill. The clothespin is soft wood and doesn't hurt the finish on the washer, and since it's painted, it looks a little more decorative than a plain one would.

– Katherine, via e-mail

DEAR HELOISE: I recently fell, spraining my wrist. I discovered that a flexible wine chiller (gel-filled tube that fits typical wine bottles) makes a great ice pack for a hand injury – just drape a cloth napkin on your hand and slide your hand into the chiller.

– Suzanne, via e-mail

Cher auctioning Hawaii house
Between performing in her lavish Las Vegas show and making movies, Cher still finds time to pursue her other passion: designing and decorating houses.

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