Comments on: Getting Ready for Winter

By: Kurt Kuty

Kurt Kuty — Thu, 20 May 2010 15:04:22 +0000

I don’t generally reply to posts but I’ll in this situation. I’ve been experiencing this really same issue with a brand new WordPress installation of mine. I’ve spent weeks calibrating and getting it prepared when all of the sudden… I cannot delete any content. It is a workaround that, despite the fact that isn’t perfect, does the trick so thanks! I genuinely hope this issue gets solved effectively asap.

By: Claire

Claire — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:46:46 +0000

Just starting to think about winter in suburban St. Louis, MO … have had some nighttime lows in the 40s but it doesn’t get really cold here till mid-November.

I did leave the windows open even when night temps were in the low 50s but have closed them now. Just opened them again to get some afternoon warmth before the next cold front crashes through. House temp is 66F. It feels warmer than that, and I’m only wearing jeans, a long-sleeved cotton T shirt, and an acrylic sweater. In past winters when we’ve kept the house at 66F, I’ve needed much warmer clothing including long underwear. I feel more acclimated to cold than in the past.

I mentioned wanting some wool blankets to my DH. When he was at his mom’s house, they found a cooler in the basement packed with three wool blankets, which she gave to us. She’s also given us a down comforter she no longer uses!

I’m starting to bring my houseplants indoors. Just two so far, but the rest will be brought in as the weather cools.

I’ll be on the lookout for some wool sweaters, for use indoors and for cold-weather bicycling.

Will be planting garlic, shallots, potato onions, topset onions in October. Will be digging Jerusalem artichokes, putting some into the cold storage area for winter eating, replanting the rest in a new bed in a more out of the way location. Will be harvesting the rest of the garden as weather dictates, and weeding and otherwise preparing it for winter. Will leave some collards in the ground with no protection as an experiment, and put the cold frame windows on the cold frame when lows get into the 20s.

Still have to get echinacea seedlings planted, once I weed out their new location.

Claire

By: Yvonne Rowse

Yvonne Rowse — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 06:16:23 +0000

I cleaned my windows. When light levels are low the more light you can get into the house during the daytime the better.
For the rest I’ve done nothing yet. I’ve been browsing for fruit bushes that need to be winter planted & for garlic and autumn sown broad beans but nothing much more than that. I will start in earnest this weekend.
It’s been a remarkably mild September here in England but the Met Office shows 2 deg C overnight for 1st October so I’d better think about protecting my late sown french beans (planted after reading the fall gardens info – thanks!)
I’m sooo behind!
Yvonne

By: Oblio13

Oblio13 — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:43:22 +0000

We dry and save the best seeds from the best open-pollinated vegetables from the best plants in our garden. Blacktail Mountain watermelons, Red-and-White Fall beans, etc. It saves us money, and we’re selectively breeding produce especially suited to our conditions.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 16:11:54 +0000

I bought a Lot of Sweaters at the thrift store a little while ago, so I’m set for those. I need to dig out the microwavable foot warmers, maybe even make a few more. I might get a new set of footsie pajamas.

I need to grab more bubble wrap at the post office at some point, since I gave away our window wrap to some folks who were moving — it had been getting ratty and was really better for padding than insulation. I might get that clear sticky stuff and then put up actual curtains. But I kind of like the pink-bubble effect.

We have new upstairs neighbors, so I’ll be interested to see how warm they keep their apartment. In the past we’ve been able to mooch off the hot water pipes going through our walls pretty effectively.

By: peter in Aust

peter in Aust — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 00:02:52 +0000

We are one month into our spring down here and are now at the very end of our winter wood . With the total uncertainty of weather now in future we shall store more and pray for no fire storms Regards..

By: Diane

Diane — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 23:11:50 +0000

Soon I’ll start getting ready for winter by washing and ironing all the summer shirts! The one thing I usually manage to manage competently is the garment transfer after I learned to have everything put away ready for next year. So all the flannel shirts are hanging in a garment bag in the attic; clean, pressed and ready to wear. Wool moths have been a real problem but I find that if I put everything away clean I don’t need the mothballs. Lavender is a nice scent and maybe repellent but it’s too expensive these days and I can’t seem to keep it alive for long. (I keep trying, though.)
Other: some canning, but less than last year because we really don’t eat that much jam and pickles and we don’t pressure can. Still need more wood and chimney cleaning. But the storm windows never made it to the basement this spring so they’ll be really easy to install. .

By: Darkstar

Darkstar — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 21:01:58 +0000

Would buckwheat hulls be a good stuffing for draft dodgers? I have some left over from another project.

By: Laura in So Cal

Laura in So Cal — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 20:41:55 +0000

I’m barely thinking about winter yet…our summer doesn’t end until mid-October and Winter doesn’t start until December. It is supposed to be 105F today in Southern California.

My only current winter prep activities are finding winter pj’s for my 5 year old, getting ready to put in our fall garden (I’m late!), Christmas shopping, and a plan to change the furnace filters in the next few weeks. We play heater chicken so I don’t anticipate using the heater at all until December.

Laura in So Cal

By: cecelia

cecelia — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 18:09:47 +0000

just a reminder for those who have elders in their homes – the public health recommendation is that the elderly need a temp of about 68′. I keep the thermostat at 62′ but use an electric space heater in the room my 86 yr old mother uses most of the day to be sure she gets the warmth she needs.

On the rice issue – I would suggest that rice also tends to attract mold – I have used sand and stuffing from old pillows. The pillow stuffing actually stays dryer than even the sand. Look for old throw pillows being sold at garage sales for your cheap stuffing.

Part of what I love about the fall is the proliferation of garage sales. I have gotten some great stuff dirt cheap – well worth the time spent. Have a food dehydrator that I got for 5$ that has been going great for 4 yrs, even a $15 lawn mower that lasted 17 yrs.

Don’t forget caulking around those leaky window frames – big energy saver.