At Home with Lisa: Plant safely this spring

It’s officially spring and I’m starting to think about planting a nice shade bush in my yard. I have a little time to think about what I want to plant because the snow is still visible on Mount Spokane.

This year, I’m thinking I want to find a nice lilac bush and put it next to my house. I might also try another hydrangea. On Avista’s energy savings page I read that landscaping with shade trees, vines or bushes can reduce the heat in my home from the outside during summer months.

But before I do any of this, I’m going to have to make sure that when I start digging, I’m not going to hit any utilities that may be underground.

April is National Safe Digging Month to make everyone aware of what kind of utilities are buried in your yard and where they are located. If you want to find out, you can either call 811 on your phone, or you can visit call811.com/.

I did this a couple of years ago and the process was easy. I told them where I wanted to dig and marked it with an X with some spray paint. Inspectors came out and looked at the spot. It took about 48 hours to do.

At the time, I already had my bush when I called. After the inspectors gave me the go-ahead, my plant was a little wilted. This year, I’m going to plan the spot first, get the approval and then buy my plants. This way, they will be nice and fresh going into the ground.

It’s going to be a wonderful summer in my yard.

Lisa, an Avista customer, bought her 1910 house because she loved the old-world character, some of which doesn’t make her house very energy efficient. Lisa is sharing her experience on taking some simple do-it-yourself improvements to inspire others to do the same. You’ll find her stories right here every Tuesday morning.