Caring for Outdoor Living Spaces
When we moved cross-country, I touched on both the practical
and the poetic aspects of setting up a new household in a couple of From the Vault posts. Moving west meant re-evaluating my homekeeping, as the care and maintenance
of a home is so different between Los Angeles and New York City. The primary noticeable difference is space. It
is a cliché but it is true: in New York City, space is at a premium, and
however much of it you get is, among other conditions, both part of the
trade-off for living in the city and the result of how hard you are willing to
work. After the requisite several years of trying to cozy up to supers and of putting
our names on management company lists, with the help of a friend we prevailed
with a sizable rent-stabilized apartment in the then hidden-gem neighborhood of
Astoria. It was bigger than most apartments in New York City are and in it, we
had a very good life. Much of that life, from conservation work in Astoria park
to holiday walks through Astoria’s business district, from Pride Weekend in
Greenwich Village to Thanksgiving in the city, has been chronicled in the early
years of Urban Home Blog.
Urban Home Blog’s Guide to Bees and Beekeeping
Our apartment in Los Angeles, which could be described as
modest by some LA standards, wouldn't exist in New York City. As I've written
before, to a New Yorker, space in Los Angeles is an embarrassment of riches. Because
there is space to inhabit, our building along with most in Los Angeles is built
for arms open wide. Out here, space is an embrace, from the ocean crashing
against the never-ending horizon at the beach to processions of palm trees
towering over boulevards.
Southern California homes are designed with outdoor living
in mind. A drive along the classic film strip of Sunset Boulevard in Beverly
Hills affords glimpses of the showy landscaping of mogul mansions, where tennis
courts, citrus groves, outdoor art pieces, gazebos and pools are protected by
stately iron gates, often attended by guardhouses. In areas inhabited by those whose fortunes
are still ascendant, outdoor living occurs poolside and parkside, in plazas and
on porches, on patios and balconies both public and private.
Common to most apartment buildings of its provenance, our
urban home is fronted by a patio with a rock wall and a bit of yard. The yard
is overseen by a splendid California laurel who has been watching over this
turf since this area was fields of poinsettia farms, and by an unkindness of
ravens who make their urban home in those branches. The branches shade both the
office window and the hummingbird feeders, whose users exhibit no concern
whatsoever in shooing the ravens from the area at feeding time. From the low
hedge at the sidewalk to the hellos of neighbors passing by, everything is open
and welcoming.
We let the indoors in whenever we can, and that gift of
southern California living is also a
responsibility, because outdoor spaces - including yard and patio, carport and garage -- require
care. Here is Urban Home Blog’s Guide to Caring for Outdoor Living Spaces. As
with all lists and guides at Urban Home Blog, this is a list of suggestions
rather than a comprehensive checklist of essentials. This list is based on my
ongoing experience as a homekeeper and lifestyle author, and, as always, none
of these is a compensated endorsement.
CARING FOR OUTDOOR LIVING SPACES
It sounds obvious, but when caring for the outdoor spaces of
your home, it is helpful to understand the atmospheric patterns in your area.
Your local county extension can help you understand local atmospheric
conditions and weather patterns, and so can The Farmer's Almanac both in print
and online. But it isn't necessary to be a climatologist to identify the basic
weather patterns where you live - whatever you've noticed is likely what's true.
Just remember that conditions change seasonally, and will vary throughout your area.
In southern California, local weather includes a specialized
phenomenon, the same one that nurtures those world-renowned wine grapes: the
microclimate. As John and I learned during last spring's May Gray, a simple
drive along one of the city's boulevards can start off gray and clammy and
conclude in dazzling sunshine and dry heat, all while passing through a variety
of local weather occurrences and all without leaving Los Angeles! Each of those
zones is a microclimate, and each one is settled over its own parcel of
topography. They slip and slide into one another depending upon larger
atmospheric and geological conditions, but they can get as specific as the
square foot. This is as true of the home as it is true streetside. It is as
true of large homes with landscaped grounds as it is of compact homes whose
outdoor space is a stoop, a patio or a balcony. And it means that the conditions
that apply to one home may not necessarily apply to the neighbors.
Yes, we all have access to the weather report, but for your
home, it is worthwhile to invest in a weather station and learn how to
interpret it. For household use, obtain a weather station that accurately
reports barometric pressure and temperature while being easy to understand. Where
feasible, it is ideal to place one weather gauge outside and one inside, with
both linked to a single station that supplies the readings for both zones. The
included instructions will advise the optimal placements for weather gauges;
typically it is a semi-protected area when outside, such as a porch or eave,
and a contained traffic area when inside, such as a hallway or foyer. Acurite 634
is easy to understand and inexpensive. For homes with yards and gardens, a rain
gauge is a nice addition; we like Productive
Alternatives' Stratus.
That rain gauge is especially important to the green members
of your household. Through years of gardening columns, I have always advised
that plants are members of the family, and should be cared for accordingly. The
plants in the yard are not less family members because they get to live
outdoors - in fact, living out there means they are routinely exposed to
conditions that indoor dwellers are spared. Whether you are your own landscaper
or a gardener does it for you or for a management company, learn the basics
about the plants in your outdoor space. At a minimum, know the species, basic
care requirements, and health issues plants may be prone to, such as disease, infestation
or damage. Two good resources are The
Plant Encyclopedia and My
Garden Guide. Also learn if there are any heirloom plants in the vicinity,
especially trees, as these carry special responsibilities - often including
advocacy.
Learning your USDA heartiness zone is vital for caring for
outdoor life, especially plants, and agrees with learning about the weather
patterns as discussed above. This information is easy to obtain and understand;
two invaluable resources are the USDA and your local county extension. The
latter can also connect you with local garden clubs. Unless your lease or
gardening agreement precludes caring for or planting in your outdoor space,
understanding the weather, the zone and the plants that thrive in them will
enable you both to care for the plants that are already there and to decide
what plantings you want to pursue.
Basic gardening kits are widely available but can be of
varying quality and do not offer the option to thoughtfully choose individual
tools. Just as with kitchen tools and the household tool box, it is best to
obtain gardening tools individually. Choose the best tools your budget allows,
balanced against practical value such as usage. Any home and garden center or
hardware store offers trained staff to help; for the former, try Home Depot or
Lowe's, for the latter in Los Angeles, try Koontz Hardware. For modest outdoor
gardening needs, obtain a portable-sized trowel, spade, bulb planter, and
pitchfork; a pair of lockable pruning shears; and a pair of gardening gloves
with rubberized grips. For watering, obtain a large rust-proof wide-spray
watering can. For larger yard care, supplement the basic gardening kit with a full-sized
hoe, spade, shovel, and rake. For watering, add an easy-coil gardening hose
with extra couplings, a watering wand, and sprinklers if they are warranted.
A kneeling pad and gardening clogs are useful, and if you're
gardening in the sunshine, don't forget your sunblock. A soil tester allows you
test the basic characteristics of the soil, which is always a good idea and is
a necessity for caring for plants that require specific conditions, such as
cacti and succulents or roses. For plants and soils themselves, consult with
the local garden club, who can recommend the best local nurseries. Nurseries,
hardware stores and seed exchanges all provide access to seeds, and you can save
seeds from kitchen produce. Store seeds in clear glassine envelopes labeled
with the species and common name, harvest and drying dates if saved, and
expiration date if prepackaged.
While most gardeners default to storing their portable gardening
tools in a bucket, for ease of transport store them in a plastic toolbox or a
strong canvas tote bag. Remember to clean your gardening tools after every
usage - typically a pass under the hose or spigot is fine. Use a wire brush to
loosen stubborn clumps of earth. Dry gardening tools with a gym- or car-towel (see
below) dedicated to the purpose rather than leaving them to air dry. Inspect gardening
tools periodically, and oil them as warranted with a basic household oil such
as 3-in-1 or WD-40. Finally, to truly bring the outdoors and indoors together,
keep a composting bucket and corresponding composting catalyst such as charcoal
in the kitchen for cooking scraps. Compost the scraps and return them to the
yard or garden according to the instructions and schedule supplied with the
composting bucket.
Those larger gardening tools may very well be stored in the
carport or garage. Parking spots often include storage space, from simple bins and
cabinets to lock and key storage units. Whatever your outdoor storage, use it
for bulky items, those that are infrequently accessed, or those that pertain to
outdoor living. Avoid using cardboard containers for outdoor storage, even if
the storage is enclosed - cardboard deteriorates in response to exposure. Use specially
treated wooden crates or plastic bins with snap-lock lids. Storage spaces are
often prone to extremes of heat, cold and barometric pressure, so consider
keeping a high-capacity moisture absorber such as Damp Rid in the storage space.
In the event that mold and mildew appear, that will require special handling;
start by learning about these fungi and some ways to manage them here.
Of course, the household member that the garage, carport or
parking space primarily stores is the family car. It goes without saying that
regularly scheduled service appointments for household vehicles are vital;
schedule those visits at the beginning of the year while you are scheduling the
year's other appointments such as doctor, dentist and veterinarian. While
you're at it, renew your yearly membership in a respected automobile club such
as AAA. Yearly, have the club send you a map book of your area, and keep it
with the vital deeds in the glove compartment. A map book of your area is
invaluable beyond the paper maps it contains - it will contain local
municipality information from emergency services to rest and renewal resources
such as gas stations, restaurants, and hotels. Most of us also have a GPS
device such as Garmin
Nuvi -- most automobile clubs can program or download driving directions
right into your device. The auto club can also advise on the right road and first aid kits for the amount and distance of driving you do. Wherever you live, be sure
that the emergency kit provisions for emergencies specific to your area - in
southern California, that includes earthquakes and mudslides.
While professional maintenance is vital for the safety and durability
of the car, you can manage some car care yourself. Whether you do it yourself
with suds and buckets or let a pro do it at a roadside car wash, washing the
car is a given on a regular basis as well as before and after long road trips. Car
care businesses such as car washes, gas stations and dealerships can provide
the best supplies for washing the car, based on such considerations as the
car's paint, detailing and finish. Don't forget to care for the inside of the
car. Maintain a supply of interior detailing items such as interior cleanser,
leather conditioner, window cleanser, and microfiber detailing cloths, and use
them routinely - ideally, weekly -- to detail the car's interior. Keep a supply
of small rubbish bags to contain the daily refuse of driving. Properly dispose
of the bag and its contents at the end of each journey.
Finally, as you and your family enjoy the benefits of
outdoor living, remember that other species make their home there as well. In
our urban home, we refer to these as “patio family.” Three favorites are bats,
bees and hummingbirds. Some of the ways we provide for these extended members
of our household include composting as noted above to provide healthy
vegetation for bees and other insects, not disturbing them or their living
spaces, hanging bat houses, and maintaining hummingbird feeders. Obviously each
family makes its own choices regarding caring for outdoor life, based upon
considerations specific to each family such as health concerns, beliefs, etc.
Our belief is that we are part of larger systems, and we take care to be
respectful of that. Ecology is a cornerstone for how we keep our home, both
outdoors and inside. From family pets to the plant life discussed above, the
pleasures and privileges of outdoor living are attended by responsibility to
the lives that co-inhabit the space.
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