https://www.ecolandscaping.org/05/landscape-challenges/invasive-plants/tree-of-heaven-an-exotic-invasive-plant-fact-sheet/

So here's some resources for how to get rid of Tree of Heaven. From the USDA site, a PDF a few years old: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5410131.pdf

@Kimmycott https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5410131.pdf

The tech actually took pix of the various steps he did on the job, so I can see what he did, including a shot of his pressure gauge on my outside faucet. I don't feel like his company was trying to jack me, which is a Big Deal(tm).

So I gotta rustle up about $1400 to have the pressure valve put in. So there ya go.

The verdict: pressure in my line is 25 psi higher than allowed per local building code. Solution is a pressure regulator valve near the main shutoff by the road. There isn't anything particularly wrong with any of the water fixtures beyond that, tho' he did change the cartridge in the shower control handles.

Plumbing update: the tech came out & took a look at my leaky bathtub faucet. Nice young fellow, professional & friendly. I'm female & he talked to me as the homeowner instead of automatically deferring to the man in the house. (He did speak to my male housemate when I wasn't available for a bit, as I'd instructed.)

@TrueBloodNet Absolutely. I'm hoping that eventually the neighborhood Trees of Heaven fear my anti-invasive tree wrath.

I don't know who first planted it in the neighborhood but it's out of control. I didn't even know it could grow up here but I guess so.

Just downloaded the US Dept. of Agriculture paper on how to deal with Tree of Heaven, so got some good tips.

I also have a temporary little border fence I'll put around the front beds just to make sure it looks tidy. Then I'll leave it as-is, just keeping weeds controlled for the rest of the season.

This year I'll focus more on the back, removing some shrubs I don't want anymore, prepping the back border, assembling the veggie beds, that sort of thing. There's also a stand of bamboo I need to control & a Tree of Heaven that's GOT to go.

This year I'll kill the remaining grass & weeds, & probably mulch. I'll take out the plants that didn't survive, compost them, & then plan & budget to plant next Spring (possibly some this Fall). I'll be able to budget for a soaker hose & timer system so I don't have to worry so much about watering, which was the issue this time around, because depression.

Well, I have a new plan for the front garden. I'm still going to transform it into a rambling cottage-style mess, but I've shortened the timeline based on what I'm actually able to do this year.

Granny used to keep a cruet of the stuff in her pantry all the time. She never refrigerated it; the oil curdles if you do. I don't know how we never got food poisoning from it but I'd guess the acid from the vinegar, the salt, & the garlic oil kept down any harmful pathogens. Plus we went through it like water, so it didn't sit around.

It's nothing fancy at all, just oil & vinegar, salt, sugar, mustard & garlic. & somehow it's perfect for damn near any leafy green salad regardless of the flavor profile. Works great on an iceberg with tomatoes & bleu cheese, works just as well on arugula with shaved parmesan, or on a garden salad.

You can use any kind of salad oil & any kind of vinegar you like. Granny used generic vegetable oil & usually some kind of wine vinegar, red or white. Or you can mix oils & vinegars. I'd leave the sugar out if you use balsamic.

You can also use simple syrup or agave syrup instead of sugar.

Well, I found it again. & so it doesn't get lost again (because nothing on the 'Net is forgotten), & so y'all can enjoy it, here it is:

Granny Doris' Garlic French Dressing

1 1/3 c salad oil
1/3 c vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp dry mustard
5 or more cloves of garlic, halved

Combine ingredients in container with lid. Cover. Shake vigorously. Let stand 4-5 days or longer.

My maternal grandmother wasn't much of a cook in her younger years, but after her kids were grown she faced her empty nest by learning how to cook & becoming something of a gourmet.

She had a very simple salad dressing recipe that was deelish. The family always wanted the recipe & it's been lost & found & lost again several times.

Welp, got a service call scheduled for tomorrow to fix the leaky faucet. Wish me luck.

@desbearado Yeah. Since this is through a home warranty I have to go with whoever they send. Guess I'll just see how it goes.

I'm not sure what to make of that. People seem either blown away by how great the service is, or how awful it is. I have yet to see a review that's middle of the road: "This was great, this needed work, but overall the issue was fixed & it was fine."