U.S. Department of Labor Cites Florida Property Maintenance Company After Employee Suffers Burn Injuries

November 29, 2018 U.S. Department of Labor Cites Florida Property Maintenance Company After Employee Suffers Burn Injuries

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U.S. Department of Labor Announces Initiative to Increase Awareness Of Trenching and Excavation Hazards and Solutions

November 28, 2018 U.S. Department of Labor Announces Initiative to Increase Awareness Of Trenching and Excavation Hazards and Solutions

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2BGdbQJ

U.S. Department of Labor Issues Notices of Safety Violations Following Fatality at Army Reserve Facility in California

November 27, 2018 U.S. Department of Labor Issues Notices of Safety Violations Following Fatality at Army Reserve Facility in California

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U.S. Department of Labor Cites Florida Roofing Contractor For Repeatedly Exposing Employees to Fall Hazards

November 26, 2018 U.S. Department of Labor Cites Florida Roofing Contractor For Repeatedly Exposing Employees to Fall Hazards

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2P3IiZX

U.S. Department of Labor Cites Two Florida Roofing Contractors For Exposing Employees to Fall Hazards

November 27, 2018 U.S. Department of Labor Cites Two Florida Roofing Contractors For Exposing Employees to Fall Hazards

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2QkgdCy

U.S. Department of Labor Cites Alabama Food Processor For Amputation and Other Hazards

November 23, 2018 U.S. Department of Labor Cites Alabama Food Processor For Amputation and Other Hazards

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2zrSMNL

U.S. Department of Labor Focuses on Worker Safety and Pay During Holiday Shopping Season

November 20, 2018 U.S. Department of Labor Focuses on Worker Safety and Pay During Holiday Shopping Season

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2DPCB0u

U.S. Department of Labor Announces Assistance for California Wildfires Recovery

November 20, 2018 U.S. Department of Labor Announces Assistance for California Wildfires Recovery

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2Ts8cKh

U.S. Department of Labor Continues to Provide Support in Areas Hardest Hit by Hurricane Michael

November 19, 2018   

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2Fw9kd4

U.S. Department of Labor Cites New Jersey Manufacturer

November 19, 2018 U.S. Department of Labor Cites New Jersey Manufacturer

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2Q5TQk1

Lessons Learned Growing Houseplants

I‘ve been growing houseplants since high school, but I never stop learning new things about them. Take zygocacti (Schlumbergera)–popularly known as Thanksgiving cactus and Christmas cactus. The standard advice is to put them in a dark place for 12-14 hours a night in order to get them to bloom. In high school I avoided growing Christmas cactus because I knew I would never remember to do that night after night.

My mother-in-law didn’t follow that advice. She put hers in the basement family room until they set buds, and then brought them upstairs to enjoy the blooms. I don’t think she used that family room very often, so maybe they got the darkness they needed that way as well. Who knows?

But it inspired me to give them a try, especially since she was kind enough to root a piece for me. In my previous home they started blooming right on schedule after spending time in a (not dark) upstairs bedroom. But in this house bloom had been sporadic–until I followed the advice of my readers. Many of you told me in the comments that you took them outside for the summer and left them outside until they were in danger of getting frosted. (Which is not necessarily at the time of the first frost, because if the first frost is light and they are stationed on the porch or hanging from a tree, the frost may not touch them.)

Now they bloom abundantly, but not at Thanksgiving or Christmas. No, they have buds on them within days of coming inside, and are blooming abundantly right now!

This is my most prolific Christmas Thanksgiving cactus, a hand-me-down from my mother.

I’ve recently realized that even though my mother bought it blooming sometime in December, the leaves indicate that it’s actually a Thanksgiving cactus. The Laidback Gardener illustrates the differences clearly. The Christmas cactus that came from my mother-in-law (not pictured), which I’ve had for far longer, is just setting buds and may bloom for Thanksgiving. I think it’s a true Christmas cactus, indicated by its leaves.

This is another “Thanksgiving” cactus, blooming well before Thanksgiving, but not as soon as the one from my mom.

One of my friends told me that she doesn’t concern herself with light or temperature. To get her zygocactus to bloom, she withholds water for about a month, and then starts watering again. Matt Mattus of Growing With Plants says withholding water to induce bloom is a myth. But it works for my friend! Providing a sharp change in temperature by leaving the plants outside in early fall worked for me.

Lesson learned: There are a lot of variables involved in getting these plants to bloom. And it also varies from plant to plant. If one method doesn’t work for you, try a different method–or try a combination of methods.

This is a paperwhite narcissus called ‘Wintersun’.

The first time I grew paperwhite narcissus, my husband complained about the awful stink. Then I read in an old issue of the Old House Gardens newsletter: “The general rule is the more yellow in the flower (cups or petals) the better the scent (inherited from Narcissus tazetta orientalis) and the more white, the more ‘manure’ the scent (inherited from N. papyraceous).” Lesson learned:

Not all paperwhites are stinky! This year I’m growing ‘Wintersun’ which I purchased from Colorblends. The fragrance is delightful when the flowers first open, but as they age, the fragrance changes subtly and is not as pleasant. But I can’t smell them at all unless I bring my nose close. And I love the way they look!

Inspired by the words of Elizabeth Lawrence, “We can have flowers nearly every month of the year,” Carol of May Dreams Gardens started Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. On the 15th of every month, garden bloggers from all over the world publish what is currently blooming in their gardens. Check it out at May Dreams Gardens.

from Cold Climate Gardening https://ift.tt/2DINLEd

U.S. Department of Labor Cites Florida Window and Door Manufacturer After Employee Suffers Partial Finger Amputation

November 16, 2018 U.S. Department of Labor Cites Florida Window and Door Manufacturer After Employee Suffers Partial Finger Amputation

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2TkfTSD

U.S. Department of Labor Cites Nebraska Staffing Agency Following Heat-Related Fatality

November 13, 2018 U.S. Department of Labor Cites Nebraska Staffing Agency Following Heat-Related Fatality

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2K8Hp1x

When Is The Gardening Season Over?

I was complaining about our first snowfall on Facebook four days ago. A friend teased me, “Well, you are the cold climate gardener.” Oh, yes, I am a cold climate gardener and–I trust–a hardy soul. But this is the time of year when my heart says “Time to snuggle around the fire!” and my brain says “You still need to dig up the glads, empty all the pots, cut back the peonies, and”–well, you get the picture.

The transition from “good fall” to “bad fall” is always tough. Seemingly overnight, what used to be the low daily temperature turns into the high temperature for the day. Yes, forty degrees is the new warm. (Five degrees for you centigrade folks.) For years, the first frost has been the signal to start the end-of-season-chores, but in recent years the first snow has come hard on the heels of the first frost, and all those unfinished chores spoil my attitude toward the first snow.

If I cut these peonies down and dispose of the foliage, they will have less disease problems next year.

I really don’t want to cut back the peonies kneeling in two inches of snow–but I probably will. I will put on my big-girl snowpants and kneel in waterproof comfort and get it done. Not because it looks neater, but because the peonies had a lot less botrytis this year and I really think it’s because I’ve been cutting off the peony foliage for several years in a row. It’s made a difference. It’s worth doing.

But at what point does the garden season end? When does the unpleasantness of the weather override the worthiness of the chores being considered? It’s usually a dark, cloudy combination of wind, cold, and snow accumulation that completely impedes work getting done. I can usually see it coming in the long-term forecast, and I start practicing chore-triage, distinguishing between what I’d ideally like to get done, and things that will get ruined if I don’t take care of them.

And when that day arrives, when the snow no longer melts before the next round of snow falls, when the high temperature for the day fails to rise above freezing, my heart and my brain finally agree that winter is here. That’s when the (outdoor) gardening season is over. That’s when I can delight in fat snowflakes gently falling to earth. It’s time to tackle the long-neglected indoor chores and dream of next year’s garden.

Yes, when the gardening season is over, I’ll sit by the fire and dream…

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U.S. Department of Labor Cites Alabama Manufacturer for Exposing Employees to Amputation, Fall, and Other Hazards at Four Facilities

November 13, 2018

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2qKMV1f

U.S. Department of Labor and Associated General Contractors of Georgia Invite Employers to Join Winter Weather Safety Stand-Down

November 8, 2018

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2qDebPq

U.S. Department of Labor Cites Two Florida Contractors After Employee Suffers Injuries

November 8, 2018 U.S. Department of Labor Cites Two Florida Contractors After Employee Suffers Injuries

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2FcqmNe

U.S. Department of Labor Cites Contractor after Employee Fatally Injured in Explosion at Alabama Worksite

November 7, 2018 U.S. Department of Labor Cites Contractor after Employee Fatally Injured in Explosion at Alabama Worksite

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2qDnY82

U.S. Department of Labor Cites U.S. Postal Service After Heat Exposure Hospitalizes Las Vegas Mail Carrier

November 7, 2018 U.S. Department of Labor Cites U.S. Postal Service After Heat Exposure Hospitalizes Las Vegas Mail Carrier

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2FdAk0E

U.S. Department of Labor Issues Final Rule on Crane Operator Certification Requirements

November 7, 2018 Contact:  Office of Communications Phone: 202-693-1999www.osha.gov           

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2qzEqpE

U.S. Department of Labor Cites Two Florida Contractors After Employee Suffers Injuries

November 8, 2018 U.S. Department of Labor Cites Two Florida Contractors After Employee Suffers Injuries

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2PPZbMi

U.S. Department of Labor and Associated General Contractors of Georgia Invite Employers to Join Winter Weather Safety Stand-Down

November 8, 2018

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2DamIAH

U.S. Department of Labor Cites U.S. Postal Service After Heat Exposure Hospitalizes Las Vegas Mail Carrier

November 7, 2018 U.S. Department of Labor Cites U.S. Postal Service After Heat Exposure Hospitalizes Las Vegas Mail Carrier

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2QoGPPf

U.S. Department of Labor Cites Contractor after Employee Fatally Injured in Explosion at Alabama Worksite

November 7, 2018 U.S. Department of Labor Cites Contractor after Employee Fatally Injured in Explosion at Alabama Worksite

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2PJDAVK

The Newest Colchicums On The Block

I know a lot more about colchicums than I once did, thanks to the internet. And now I’m growing colchicums I never would have known about, if it weren’t for the internet and the people I’ve been able to “meet” through the internet.

A man with extensive connections in the Dutch bulb trade–I’ll call him Mr. C–sent me some colchicums from his family’s collection. To be more accurate, he sent me a spreadsheet listing all the bulbous plants in this collection, and I limited myself to colchicums that I didn’t already have and had never seen for sale in the U.S. They were shipped across the Atlantic and some were starting to bloom when I got them, so they may not look like their best selves. But I didn’t want to wait for another year to pass before I showed them to you.

Colchicum bivonae ‘Apollo’

I already had a different C. bivonae, ‘Giona,’ which I purchased from Odyssey Bulbs. According to Odyssey Bulbs, ‘Giona’ is hardy to Zone 6, and I’m a cold zone 5. I planted ‘Apollo’ in the Herb Garden–right next to ‘Giona’. The Herb Garden is where I put all my “iffy” plants because it has the best drainage and the warmest microclimate, and I suspected that ‘Apollo’ would have the same hardiness as ‘Giona’.

However, ‘Giona’ has been thriving there, and I’m feeling brave enough (meaning I have a corm to spare) to try it in the rest of the garden. ‘Apollo’ has nice deep coloring and the tessellation (checkering) which is typical of C. bivonae. Since it was planted rather late, it’s not surprising that ‘Apollo’ bloomed later than ‘Giona’. I think ‘Apollo’ was darker. Maybe next year they will bloom at the same time so I can compare them.

Colchicum speciosum ‘Gracia’ was next to bloom.

Of the five corms I was sent, only one bloomed, and because of the rain and lack of sunshine, the one bloom was rather underwhelming. Click here to see what I might expect next year.

‘Princess Astrid’ is also known as ‘Autumn Queen’

‘Princess (or Prinses) Astrid’ also had intense color, but the flowers came up so rumpled I can’t really tell you more.

‘William Dykes’ has a somewhat almond shape, similar to ‘Jochem Hof’ but without Jochem’s intensity of color.

‘Daendels’ looked very similar to ‘Gracia’, except that ‘Daendels’ had a yellow tube instead of a white one.

‘September Sun’ was named by Mr. C

It was one of the hybrids developed by Walter Blom, an American nurseryman who was better known for his daffodil breeding. (Walter Blom and Mr. C’s father were friends.) Before Mr. C named it, ‘September Sun’ was merely labeled 803-5.

I am looking forward to seeing Colchicum macrophyllum settle in.

The tessellation and vivid color of this species are intriguing. I have it planted in the Herb Garden because I fear it won’t be hardy here. Even if the cold doesn’t kill it, this perpetual rain just might. I’ll let you know come spring if the leaves make an appearance.

I saved my favorite for last. It was described on the spreadsheet as a “mutant” of Colchicum speciosum ‘Album’. This was another one from Walter Blom. I thought when it bloomed I would see a pure white flower with a strange shape, perhaps like ‘Harlekijn’. But no.

Instead what emerged was this glowing vivid color with the curvaceous goblet shape of ‘Album’. Mr. C has named it ‘Special Delivery’

Here’s another picture of it. It really is quite special.

In English I think we’d be more likely to call ‘Special Delivery’ a sport of C. speciosum ‘Album’ rather than a mutant. A sport of a plant is a mutation, but “mutant” has the expectation that it will be ugly (I think) whereas sports are often desirable plants in their own right, as ‘Special Delivery’ certainly is.

One more Walter Blom hybrid, 403-2, was a complete no-show. That sometimes happens with newly-planted colchicums shipped from far away. I hope I get to see it bloom next year.

I have learned from my membership in the Crocus and Colchicum Facebook group that there are many colchicums available in other parts of the world that aren’t available here. I’d love to have the chance to grow ‘Ungarnrot’, ‘Jenny Robinson’, ‘Flamenco Dance’, ‘Teufelskralle’ and ‘Herbstkugel’–and those are just the ones I remembered to write down.

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U.S. Department of Labor Issues Final Rule on Crane Operator Certification Requirements

November 7, 2018 Contact:  Office of Communications Phone: 202-693-1999www.osha.gov           

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2RN5PQT

U.S. Department of Labor Cites Employers at Georgia Distribution Center

November 6, 2018 U.S. Department of Labor Cites Employers at Georgia Distribution Center

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2OubFEC

U.S. Department of Labor Cites Massachusetts Contractor For Exposing Workers to Fall Hazards

November 5, 2018 U.S. Department of Labor Cites Massachusetts Contractor For Exposing Workers to Fall Hazards

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2qw6ytS

U.S. Department of Labor Provides Interim Compliance Guidance for Crane Operators

November 5, 2018 Contact:  Office of Communications Phone: 202-693-1999

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2SOqiWM

U.S. Department of Labor Cites Florida Roofing Contractor For Exposing Employees to Fall Hazards

November 5, 2018      U.S. Department of Labor Cites Florida Roofing Contractor For Exposing Employees to Fall Hazards

from OSHA News Release https://ift.tt/2ANkdmv