Viewer Tip: Install a rain gauge on your property in an open area away from trees, buildings and other structures to record the amount of rainfall supplied by nature.  Irrigation should only be used to make up the difference of what is still needed by your plants.

For more information on installing and using a rain gauge, visit: www.uri.edu/ce/healthylandscapes/raingauge.htm.

This message is brought to you by the Water Conservation Garden. Learn more at www.thegarden.org.

Viewer Tip: Find native plants suitable to your region and the conditions of your yard on the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s native plant information network at www.wildflower.org/plants.  Also check out the Wildflower Center’s new Drought Resource Center at www.wildflower.org/drought-resource-center. It includes “How To” articles about caring for plants, Mr. Smarty Plants’ answers to submitted questions, a national list of drought-tolerant native plants and more.

This message is provided by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center . Learn more at www.wildflower.org.

Viewer Tip: Apply a two- to three-inch layer of mulch around plants in the fall or winter to keep soil temperatures even and reduce water evaporation.  Organic mulch can also be applied to unplanted raised beds as a top dressing.  A variety of organic and inorganic mulches are available on the market and materials for mulch may be found right in your yard.  Mulch options include shredded tree prunings, bark chips, raked leaves, grass clippings, and rocks or pebbles.

For more information on using mulch in your garden, visit: www.ccwater.com/files/Drought101Mulch.pdf.

This information is provided by the Water Conservation Garden. Learn more at www.thegarden.org.

Viewer Tip: Hold on to the holiday spirit while saving energy and money this season. Look for holiday lights that have earned the Energy Star, which means they meet strict energy efficiency guidelines from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. Many Energy Star labeled strands use light emitting diodes (LEDs), which are more efficient than their traditional incandescent counterparts:

• Energy-Saving: Energy Star light strands use about 70 percent less energy than conventional incandescent lights. The amount of energy used by just one incandescent bulb could power 140 LEDs – that’s enough lights for two 24-foot strings!
• Long-lived: LED light strands last up to 10 times longer than traditional strands.
• Safer: LED lights stay cool to the touch, which reduces the risk of fire.

Add a timer to your holiday lighting display to save even more energy.  Set lights to turn on at night and off during the day.

Learn more about efficient holiday lighting: www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGroup&pgw_code=DS

(Source: Energy Star. “Decorative Light Strings.” http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGroup&pgw_code=DS)

Viewer Tip: To keep trees alive in your neck of the woods, mulch at the base of a tree, avoiding the first few inches around the trunk to prevent rot. A two-inch depth of mulch helps retain moisture and insulates tree roots from weather extremes. Instead of watering the trunk of a tree on your designated watering days, do a deep soaking with  water aimed at the tree’s root line: the point where tree branches end (a tree’s roots also extend that far out).

This information is provided by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Learn more at www.wildflower.org.

• Pacific Northwest: There are several volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest, including Mount St. Helens, Mount Rainier and Mount Hood. Volcanic eruptions can impact local weather. Eruptions emit particles and gases into the atmosphere, creating a haze. This haze can remain in the air for years, reflecting the sun’s rays and reducing temperatures at the Earth’s surface.

  (Image right: Aerial view of Mount St. Helens. NASA Earth Observatory)

• Western US: The Sierra Nevada Mountains that run north-south through California basically separate the Western United States into a wetter (west) side and a drier (east) side. Storms come off the Pacific Ocean from the west and get lifted up by the Sierra Nevada Mountains – a process called orographic lifting. As these storms rise, they cool and condense, raining a lot of water back onto the ground.

  But, as the storms continue to make their way over the top of the mountains to the east, they don’t dump as much rain because they have already lost a lot of moisture. This causes a rain shadow to form on the east side of the mountain range where there is a low amount of rainfall. The rain shadow from the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountains impacts the weather in the Great Basin, which covers most of Nevada and parts of Utah.

  (Image right: Rain shadow formation. Wikimedia Commons)

• Great Lakes: The Great Lakes region is known for its lake effect snow. As cold air passes over the Lakes, warmer lake water below evaporates and heats the bottom layer of cold air.  Warm, moist air rises and cools, causing condensation and cloud formation. If humidity is high enough and temperatures are cold enough, snow falls.  Winds push these clouds over land, where increased friction slows the winds, leading to more snowfall accumulation.  As winds move farther inland and encounter hills, rising air cools even more, creating even more snow!

  (Image right: Lake effect snow over the Great Lakes. NASA Earth Observatory)

• Great Plains: The Great Plains may be known as Tornado Alley, but their topography allows for another weather phenomena – blizzards! The Rocky Mountains to the west are the driving force for blizzards in the Great Plains.  A cold polar air mass that moves off the Rockies pushes southward accompanied by high winds, intense cold and considerable amounts of snow that can last for several days.

  (Image right: Blizzard conditions over the Great Plains. NASA Earth Observatory)

• South Central US: Droughts are periods of unusually dry weather that the South Central United States experiences at times – including right now.  Droughts can bring upon dust storms, which are common in arid and semi-arid regions.  A dust storm occurs when a gust of wind blows loose sand or dust particles off the ground, breaks down the particles and keeps them suspended in the air.  Dust storms can spread over hundreds of miles and well over 10,000 feet into the air.

  (Image right: Dust storm in Phoenix, 2011. NOAA National Weather Service)




• Eastern US: One geographic feature that affects the entire East Coast is the Atlantic Ocean.  The ocean plays a big role in determining the temperatures near the coast.  During  fall and winter when the ocean is warmer than the land, the coastal regions experience warmer temperatures than inland areas.  In the springtime, ocean breezes keep temperatures along the coast cooler than inland areas.

  (Image right: Sea breeze diagram. Wikimedia Commons: Jesús Gómez Fernández)

Learn more about Geography Awareness Week: www.nationalgeographic.com/geography-action/index.html.

(Sources: National Science Teachers Association, “Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Tsunamis”, http://www.enviroliteracy.org/nsfmod/NaturesFury.pdf, “A Rain Shadow”, http://bcs.whfreeman.com/thelifewire/content/chp56/5602001.html, “Warm water helps create Great Lakes snowstorms.” University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. 2008, US Department of State, “The Great Plains and Prairies”, http://countrystudies.us/united-states/geography-17.htm, Kidz World, “Dust Storms”, http://www.kidzworld.com/article/707-dust-storm-on-the-loose, “Cold air damming can bring ice to East.” http://www.usatoday.com/weather/tg/wcolddam/wcolddam.htm, “Warm water helps create Great Lakes snowstorms.” University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. 2008., United States Search and Rescue Task Force, “Predicting Weather”, http://www.ussartf.org/predicting_weather.htm)

Viewer Tip: Look for light bulbs that have earned the Energy Star, which means they meet strict energy efficiency guidelines from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. Consider these facts and figures:

• An average Energy Star qualified light bulb uses 75 percent less energy than a standard bulb and lasts about six times longer.
• Energy Star CFLs emit less heat than traditional light bulbs.
• Swapping one traditional bulb for an Energy Star bulb can save 40 dollars or more over the lifetime of the bulb.  Swap five and save over 200 dollars!

Get tips for purchasing CFL light bulbs – including choosing light intensity, color and size – at www.energystar.gov/ia/products/fap/purchasing_checklist_revised.pdf.

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(Sources: Energy Star. “Save Energy at Home: Lighting.” http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_save_energy_at_home, and “CFLs: Savings.” http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls_savings)

Viewer Tip: If you are searching for ways to save money on your water bill, look for the WaterSense label at your local home improvement store. A WaterSense labeled toilet is independently certified to use 20 percent less water than a standard model, while still providing flushing power. By replacing an older, inefficient toilet with a WaterSense labeled toilet, each person in your family can save 10 gallons of water per day!

Want to save even more water? Give your bathroom a mini-makeover: add a WaterSense labeled  faucet and showerhead, in addition to the toilet. Your family can save enough water to wash six months’ worth of laundry, enough electricity to run the refrigerator for two months, and 80 dollars in utility bills every year!

This information is provided by the U.S. EPA’s WaterSense Program. Learn more at www.epa.gov/WaterSense.

Viewer Tip: Composting is simple: combine organic matter in a pile that attracts bacteria to decompose it. The bacteria need some moisture and air, as well as carbon and nitrogen in a ratio (roughly 30:1) that hastens the rate at which matter decomposes in the hot center of the pile. Carbon sources are easier to come by and include leaves that compost faster when chopped up first. People often supplement nitrogen in lawn clippings with cottonseed meal or alfalfa meal. Avoid meat scraps to minimize odor.

To learn about composting acidic leaves (such as those from pecan trees), visit www.wildflower.org/expert/show.php?id=6398, and about composting in general, visit www.mastercomposter.com.

This information is provided by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Learn more at www.wildflower.org.

• Wet and soggy: Too much rain can cause crops to rot. Mildews, which thrive in wet conditions, can damage leaves and stems or kill pumpkin vines and fruits. During spring of this year, heavy rain delayed pumpkin planting the northeast, which in turn delays harvest time. Then, Hurricane Irene flooded pumpkin fields throughout the northeastern United States in September. (Photo at right: Powdery mildew makes leaves on pumpkin vines brittle and dry)
• Hot and dry: Dry, hot weather can cause pumpkins to produce too many male blossoms and too few female blossoms, resulting in a smaller harvest. Lack of water during droughts can also result in smaller and lighter-weight pumpkins. Pumpkin harvest in Texas dropped 40 percent or more due to drought conditions in the state this year.
• Chilly: An early freeze can kill pumpkins. And, chilly weather in the spring can prevent pumpkin blossoms from germinating. Why? Because bees – which carry pollen from plant to plant – don’t fly until the temperature is at least 55 degrees. Without bees and pollination, there are no pumpkins.

Viewer Tip: Despite a rough year for pumpkin patches, many farmers are meeting demand by bringing in pumpkins from other areas. If you are carving or cooking this year, put the whole pumpkin to use!  If you don’t eat the seeds yourself, spread them outside as a snack for birds and squirrels.  And, instead of weighing down your trash bags and sending past-their-prime pumpkins to the landfill, put them to use in your garden.  Pumpkins can be added to compost piles, where they will decompose and add nutrients to your compost.

(Sources: University of Illinois Extension. “Pumpkins and More: Pumpkin Facts.” http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/pumpkins/facts.html; The National Center for Appropriate Technology. “Organic Pumpkin and Winter Squash Production.” www.attra.ncat.org; USA Today. “Northeast Farmers Warn of Irene Pumpkin Shortage.” http://www.usatoday.com/weather/news/story/2011-09-19/northeast-pumpkin-shortage-hurricane-irene-floods/50466270/1; Houston Chronicle, “Drought takes bite out of Texas pumpkin harvest,” http://www.chron.com/business/article/Drought-takes-bite-out-of-Texas-pumpkins-2186331.php; Portland Tribune, “Pining for the Pumpkin Patch,” http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=131863808601002000)

Photo courtesy of Maine.gov.

Viewer Tip: Consider adding native plants to your yard during fall planting season.  For example,  the shrub American beautyberry found in many eastern and southern states provides seeds and berries for the Northern Bobwhite, mockingbirds and others.  Texas persimmon trees produce sweet black fruits birds love.  Chile pequin is also popular, as are fall-blooming plants such as Maximilian sunflower with its high-fat seeds.  Birds also love ripe seeds of sideoats grama and other native grasses. To learn more about native plant options, look online for local events celebrating Texas Native Plant Week October 16 through 22.

This information is provided by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Learn more at www.wildflower.org.

Viewer Tip: Every October, government organizations, businesses, associations and individuals observe Energy Awareness Month with activities and programs to reduce energy consumption in our daily lives. Why not make your time at work more energy efficient?

• Up to 35 percent of the electricity used in an office building is consumed by lighting! If you have a desk lamp, replace a traditional light bulb with a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL). CFLs use about 75 percent less energy and last 10 times longer.
• Have a window near your desk? Reduce energy needs for cooling and heating: Close blinds during warm weather to keep out the sun’s heat; on cold days, leave blinds open during daylight hours to let in the sun’s warmth.
• Keep air vents clear of papers, files and office supplies. It can take up to 25 percent more energy to pump air into a workspace if vents are blocked.

Energy Star has many more tips for going green at work. Visit www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=energy_awareness.awareness_you_can_do.

(Source: U.S. EPA and DOE. “Bring Your Green to Work with Energy Star.” http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=bygtw.showSplash)

Viewer Tip: The “rag” in ragweed comes from the ragged edge of the leaves found on these inconspicuous green plants.  Common ragweed grows up to three feet tall and has muted green flower stalks with white or green blooms.  As with other ragweeds, these plants use wind to disperse their pollen – to our sneezing chagrin.  Tall goldenrod uses insects to transfer pollen and can grow as tall as common ragweed.  Goldenrod’s showier yellow flowers appear while hay fever is at its peak, so it’s easy to be confused.  Don’t pull it up, though, as it provides nectar for Painted Lady and other butterfly species.  Ragweeds also are butterfly hosts and they may be so widespread that clearing your yard won’t solve the problem.

This tip is provided by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. For more information, visit www.wildflower.org.

Viewer Tip: Weather keeping you inside? Keep these water-saving tips in mind:

• Keep a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator instead of letting the faucet run until the water is cool.
• Wash summer fruits and vegetables in a bowl of water, and use a vegetable brush to clean them instead of rinsing.
• Scrape, don’t rinse, dishes before loading into the dishwasher, and wash only full loads.
• If you’re remodeling your bathroom or replacing plumbing fixtures this summer, look for the WaterSense label for products that save water and perform well.

This information is provided by the U.S. EPA’s WaterSense Program.  Learn more at www.epa.gov/watersense.

Viewer Tip: If you have been careful to fill your sunny spots with plants that like full sun and are adapted to Texas climates, great! Most plants native to Texas or adapted to the state’s weather should be fine with about one deep watering a week. Consider adding mulch around the base of all plants, which insulates the roots and helps retain moisture. You can also build plant shade tents using a tomato cage and ventilated shade cloth for tender new transplants. Locating sun-sensitive plants in the shade of other plants that provide dappled sunlight is another approach. Trees offering good partial shade include Huisache and Anacacho orchid trees.

This information is provided by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Learn more at www.wildflower.org.

Viewer Tip: Rip currents are typically found at low spots and breaks in sand bars, or near jetties and piers. Before you head to the beach, check the latest forecast for beach conditions at www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/forecasts.shtml. Always swim at a beach with lifeguards on duty and heed their advice.  Nearly all rip current drownings occur at unguarded beaches.

Learn more, including how to identify a rip current and what to do if caught in a rip current, at www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov.

(Sources: NOAA National Weather Service and U.S. Lifesaving Association. “Rip Currents: What they are, the dangers, how to escape.” www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/resources/Final%20Talking%20Points%20and%20Fact%20Sheet_041707.pdf)

Photo: Aerial view of several rip currents. Courtesy of Dr. Wendy Carey, Delaware Sea Grant

Viewer Tip: Saving water is especially important during a drought. The 40 Gallon Challenge tracks individual water savings county-by-county across the United States.  Using the 40 Gallon Challenge’s interactive map, you can see how much water counties and states are saving and what water-saving techniques are most popular.  Visit www.40gallonchallenge.org to pledge to save water at home and compete against other counties to help your state save the most water in the country!

Why 40 gallons? Saving a minimum of 40 gallons a day for 30 days adds up to more than 1,000 gallons per month. Most water providers bill in thousand-gallon increments, so you should see real savings on your water bill if you put to use the recommended water-saving practices.

(Source: The 40 Gallon Challenge, www.40gallonchallenge.org)

• Higher temperatures promote chemical reactions, such as the formation of ground-level ozone and particle pollution.
• Winds become lighter when pressure builds. Light or no wind allows air pollutants to build up. Still conditions also provide a better environment for chemical reactions to occur.
• Dry air does not move as much as moist air, allowing pollutants to build up. Days with high ozone pollution levels often occur when humidity is low.  However, on humid days, poor visibility occurs when small particles in the air absorb moisture and swell, reducing visibility.
• Sinking air in high pressure systems prevents the air from cooling and forming clouds. This creates sunny days – a key ingredient in the formation of ozone is sunlight.
• Inversions, when cooler air is trapped near the ground by a layer of warmer air above, can trap pollution near the Earth’s surface. This can lead to high levels of ozone and particle pollution.

Viewer Tip: People with heart and lung diseases or asthma, children and older adults can be especially at-risk for health problems related to air pollution, and extremely poor air quality can affect everyone. Stay healthy and reduce your exposure by watching air quality reports from your local media or checking www.airnow.gov.  When conditions reach “Code Orange” or higher, consider rescheduling sports games and other strenuous outdoor activities for another day. If you do go outside, aim for early morning or evening hours, when air pollution levels are likely to be lower.

(Sources: US EPA. “What Affects My Air Quality?” http://www.epa.gov/airnow/airaware/day2-detail.html; www.airnow.gov)

Viewer Tip: Native plants need very little fertilizing – if any at all. Texas bluebonnets and gayfeather, for example, will bloom with fewer flowers, larger foliage and become floppy with added fertilizers. The type of container you use will determine how often plants need water, with clay and other porous materials drying out faster. Good drainage is important so plants don’t rot.  And remember that roots need adequate space in a pot to grow.

This information is provided by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Learn more at www.wildflower.org.

Viewer Tip: This is good time to remember some basic weather safety tips that will keep you and your family safe.

• Heat: Even when the outside temperature is relatively mild (about 70 degrees) the temperature inside a sealed car can rise quickly – up to 40 degrees in 60 minutes. Please don’t leave kids or pets alone in a car, even for a few minutes.
• Floods: As winter snow melts and rain falls, floods will occur in some parts of the country. Remember the National Weather Service’s advice to “Turn Around, Don’t Drown.” Never cross flooded roads or pathways in a car or on foot – find another, safe route.
• Lightning: If you can hear thunder, lightning is close enough to strike. The only safe place when lightning is nearby is inside a substantial building or a metal-topped vehicle.

This information is provided by the American Meteorological Society, a partner in National Public Health Week.