Nor the Light of Day

Before

The story behind this neighbor's home is tragic.

For many years, the owner would not allow those closest to her, even family, enter her home, nor the light of day.

I will avoid much of this story out of respect, except for her being found deceased in the home after several days of her passing.

A relative inherited this situation and is trying to manage what was not only neglected on the outside, but equally or even more so with the interior and the structure.

Before

It has consumed much of his time, his thoughts - what to restore, what to repair and to what extent in order to sell the property, and in what condition. It doesn't help that he lives over an hour away, has a family and a business to manage.

We discussed addressing much of the plant life, but he simply wanted the front portion of the home beautified, somewhat, and visible. At this point we weren't aiming for well-manicured.

The before photos were taken in 2025 and the after photos were shot this February.

Before

Not visible are the many vines and other unwanted growth we removed from the house. We also discovered the water meter, an irrigation box and a hose bib, among other things, during our work.

There was much pruning and plenty of unwanted-growth removal.

He didn't want to address the trees and shrubs surrounding a deck (Believe it or not.) at the rear of the property; however, the deck area needed to be cleared for access to and provide safer passage to the rear doorway.

He mentioned clearing an area from the fence gate to the side door. He is envied by no one - this task still mostly ahead of him.

This property is across the street from mine and I have slowly experienced its degradation. It is comforting to now see most of the home I viewed so many years ago.

I look forward to seeing him most any Sunday morning as he visits to clean out and care for what he can, while I have a cup of Joe, but I am certain he looks forward to the day when his travels take him elsewhere.

Feel free to select any photo for a better view.

After

After

After

 

Blind Corners...Do Your Neighbors a Favor

 

I have pruned and/or removed many shrubs and trees near a customer's driveway in order to enable a better view while leaving home and entering a roadway.

As I drive around Forest Acres and other areas, particularly neighborhoods, I often encounter intersections where I have no safe view of the roadway, particularly potential cross-traffic. Putting the front of one's vehicle out into an intersection to gain a better view is not safe. I am certain this is not unique to our area.

I also encounter this on tight back roads and curves where the plant life and foliage is over-grown...it's troubling.

A blind corner or intersection is exactly that...blind - unsafe and dangerous. Now, we are no longer dealing with simply leaving a driveway we are familiar with, but navigating another roadway or intersection at much higher speeds.

Not potentially as dangerous as the near-hidden Stop Sign in the photo, but any obscured intersection or roadway is dangerous.

Please take the time to assess whether your property, its shrubs or trees, may be causing such a hindrance.

This is not simply about your neighbors, but fellow drivers and pedestrians as well.

At a minimum, go out and trim or hack those plants back.

Or, contact me and I will see what is necessary to permanently resolve the problem or make it more manageable over time.

And, if you have shrubs and trees hiding that beautiful home you paid a small fortune for, I'll help you with that.

Doug Ingbretsen

Back40 Landscape Restoration and Maintenance

803-553-5757

Merry Mailboxes

These are wonderful mailbox covers.

This is the one I chose.

There are a variety of themes for most any holiday or season, and beyond. If you have a typical metal mailbox, these are easy to install and the artwork is amazing.

I had an old cloth type mailbox cover before, which I loved, but it became difficult to keep clean and faded over time. I removed the old cover as best I could and exposed enough metal for the new one to be installed as it is secured magnetically.

The depth of color is fantastic and I believe they are made of vinyl, which should be easy to clean, when needed.

There may be other providers of these, but I purchased mine from Briarwood Lane.

Please consider whether you have a standard or oversized mailbox...the varying dimensions are provided.

Aging in Place and Still Growing!

 

If you are a senior or family member or friend of a senior, you may be very interested in attending this event.

Winter Landscape Maintenance...So Much You Can Do, Now

Well, it is still Fall in the Midlands. Although we have had this very odd cold spell, we will soon return to our normal South Carolina climes.

Beyond planting and planning (see 

Planting and Planning...Now is the Time!, the coming Winter months are a great time to do some landscape house-keeping which will save you time and make the growing season more enjoyable.

Expand and/or re-shape plant beds: This year's growth may have outgrown the borders of your plant beds. Rather than handcuff your plants to some un-natural and unattractive size, expand the border and perhaps give it a new, interesting, but manageable shape. 

Pressure wash: Depending on temperature, you may not wish to wash anything thing too high (The backsplash can get quite discomforting.); however, this is a great time to pressure wash driveways, walkways, retaining walls, decks and foundations. Most of these surfaces have collected all types of debris and foreign matter during the last several months.

Repair stone, paver and brick walkways and patios: Some of the materials used on your walkways or patios may be a little or very cattywampus. There could be many reasons, but typically this is due to underlying roots. 

Whatever the case, repair or eliminate the cause and reset the stones, pavers or bricks.

Continue lawn care: Most, if not all turf grasses in this area are warm season grasses. Although their leaves' (blade) growth may slow or stop, their roots are not dormant and still need a few elements - water and air. The ground temperature in the Midlands rarely goes below 42 degrees for the first four inches, which is where your grass roots and those of most other plants live.

Leaves, pine straw, etc. on your lawn can block sunlight, limit air exchange and trap moisture. Rake, blow or mow (bag attachment preferred) this debris from your lawn. You may wish to use some of this as mulch in your beds even if you plan to place fresh mulch later. This will help keep your plants warm and retain moisture.

Occasionally water your lawn if we go without rain for a while. Do so during early daylight hours on a nice sunny day above freezing.

Edge your lawn borders, particularly if you have St. Augustine or centipede grasses, as their stolons (surface stems, so to speak) may still be reaching outward.

Install ground lighting: Obviously, we have less daylight hours during winter, so this is a great time to install ground lighting. This can be done for aesthetics, safety or security, or all the above.

Prune: All types of pruning can be done this time of year on a variety of plants. And, I am not speaking of taking hedge trimmers to your plants, but proper pruning.

This can be done to reduce a plant, remove dead and awkward stems and branches, raise canopies (limb up) and to thin plants which have been trimmed repetitively, to improve their health.

Proper pruning on many flowering shrubs will help produce individually larger blooms while leaving a balanced backdrop of foliage.

Plant and Plan: Save yourself from being overwhelmed by Spring and Summer landscaping goals by getting started sooner. Please go to Planting and Planning...Now is the Time!

In other words, Winter is a wonderful time to balance out your budget and time spent on your landscape, and your plants may have a happier Spring.

We provide all these services, so please contact me to see how we may assist you...803-553-5757 or use the Contact Us button above.

Thank you.

Happy Holidays!

Seniors: Sit and Get Fit...Yes, Really

 

My mother just celebrated her 94th birthday two days ago.

She experienced her first fall three years ago while walking into to a fitness class. Her second fall, the same year, was on the front stoop while entering her home.

My mother is not particularly athletic. In fact, she'll be the first to tell you so, but she has always tried to stay fit and is active - physically, socially, etc. She will go to the gym and walk or stroll through the neighborhood when the opportunity arises and the assistance is available. This is not often enough.

She has no fear of leaving this world, but she's not going to do so lying around waiting for such.

Several months ago we noticed her toddling. You know, taking those little quarter-steps without hardly raising one's feet.

During that time, I saw a TV ad for Cubii. I was interested.

We had planned to get her one for her birthday, but I couldn't wait any longer after she recently told me about a few times when she felt less confident with her legs. She had learned when and where to use her rollator or cane, and also travel solo, somewhat safely. But, this was cause for alarm.

This was and is my thought: Seniors become less active, less mobile, therefore spending less time using or exercising their legs, the very body part which keeps them mobile and off the ground, the floor.

It's a self-fulfilling problem: Quit using one's legs and mobility lessens and potential for injury increases.

Cubii seemed like a viable solution to this problem. It was.

I ordered the base model with the floor pad and foot straps - not the mobile unit or all the app stuff, knowing Mom would never not take advantage of it. The ordering process was easy and shipping was quick despite choosing standard shipping. Assembly was somewhat easy; however, don't expect a senior to do so easily. 

She began using Cubii the night we gave it to her and used it most anytime she sat in one of her favorite spots - at the end of her couch near an end table where she can do crosswords, read, watch TV, make phone calls or enjoy a glass of wine.

Within as little as two days she wasn't toddling. She wasn't taking full adult strides, but she was taking longer strides and lifting her feet off the ground, not shuffling. Yesss! Go Mom.

The Cubii is pretty much a recumbent bicycle in a much, much smaller footprint. And, it is smooth and quiet.

Within the last week my mother's sister and an acquaintance have ordered a Cubii.

Check it out at https://www.cubii.com/ and Get Cubiing!!

You may help a loved one get fit and stay above ground, in more ways than one.

UPDATE - Where Credit is Due - An Affordable and Effective Carpet Cleaner

 

UPDATE (roughly a year later):

The holidays are coming up, but more so the cause for just finishing cleaning my carpet is all the plant life, particularly the pitch, and fallen blossoms and seeds on my property during the late summer and early fall. The cleanest path to the home is the driveway, perhaps. Most of my time is spent in the side and backyard.

And, I have no mud room or anything similar. I'm not a messy guy, but one can only pay so much attention to such things. Donna Reed does not live here.

Well, several months after the first cleaning mentioned in the previous article (see below), I cleaned that other room, a piece of furniture (with provided attachments) and an area rug. The results were amazing.

Today I only cleaned the high traffic areas, particularly those I abuse on my way to the bedroom or office. Because, all the previously cleaned areas still look great!

The wonderful part, because of the features and ease-of-use of this cleaner, I didn't unwantingly look forward to this as some huge home project of drudgery. It seemed as if I was using a vacuum cleaner for which I had to simply add water, some formula and dispose of waste water.

Done! Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy.

__________________

Previous article (November 27, 2020)

I pay a premium for most of the tools and materials I use in landscaping and plant care - it's my profession.

I can't say I always do the best when selecting tools and equipment for my home, but I do try to make an educated decision. 

The living areas in my home are mostly hardwoods; however, a hallway leading to four carpeted rooms has gone from this light camel color to almost brown. My thought was to hit the high-traffic areas and clean the rooms, but I didn't want to deal with all this in one day. I didn't want to pay for a service or rent a cleaner - I wanted to do this on my own time, my schedule, and get a little more focused. 

I researched many carpet cleaners; then found and studied the Bissell HeatPro 2X Revolution, and purchased one. I checked most providers of this product and compared prices. Bed Bath & Beyond's price was already competitive and even after paying the $29.00 fee to join Beyond +, the price still came in below the competition and I received free shipping. Beyond + offers 20% off all purchases (You don't need the famous BB&B coupons.) and shipping is always free. After beating the competitor's prices the discount also paid for the Beyond + membership.

The product as packaged does come with a sample size pet stain and odor plus bacterial formula and one for urine elimination, but you will need to purchase the primary cleaner. I was surprised that I didn't see the need to do so on either the Bissell or BB&B web site, or either I missed this. Verify before you purchase so you don't receive the cleaner, all excited about using it, not realizing you have no cleaning agent. I was able to buy a second bottle of cleaning agent (I haven't yet used.) at Walmart - one more room to go and some upholstery and area rugs.

I don't have pet issues and although I saw the results of using it for pet issues on a few YouTube videos, I was impressed by its overall cleaning ability.

I love the vacuum cleaner format for ease-of-use as opposed to other boxy and cumbersome units. It weighs about the same or less than my Bissell vacuum cleaner - I can't tell. As if we were comparing cars; the carpet cleaner actually handles better and seems more balanced.

The best part about this product is: It works. I did a test run on a heavy traffic area and the results are amazing. That light camel color is now, once again. I later finished the hallway and two rooms - completely impressed. It was great seeing all the dark brown water in the dirty water bin.

I was thankfully surprised that areas I thought I may have to pre-treat or need the CleanShot feature for came clean with a few more or slower passes over the carpet.

Although it didn't reach all the way to the baseboards, it got closer than I imagined. However; those edges receive much less traffic unless you have a pet who loves to snuggle up against a wall (and everything else), like my black lab from many years ago.

After a while, it's not difficult to get into that I'm dancing kind of mode you may with a vacuum clear, yet slow down and be more methodical. However; feel free to do so after you have followed the cleaning instructions and simply want to pull up more moisture for quicker drying. 

I used the Deep Cleaning or Max mode (never tried to understand the difference between the two) using much more water and cleaning agent than needed for Express Clean mode, so the drying took longer - longer than quoted. But, that's okay, as the results were well worth it.

After deep cleaning what is needed I look forward to staying on top of this by using the Express Clean mode.

The HeatPro 2X Revolution has a few other features which make it easy to use.

A Few Thoughts

• The unit was easy to assemble and seems well constructed. Time will tell with the latter.
• It comes with an upholstery, stair and pet attachment. I have used neither, yet.
• Will the clean get dirty, quicker? Historically, many carpet cleaning agents would cause your carpets to look dirtier sooner, after cleaning. This depends on the chemicals used; how much is applied and how wet; and how well the cleaning device removes the residue and water from the fabric. Have to wait and see. 

I am impressed, but I will still register it as I do with most anything.

Do I believe the results warrant the price of the product and the ease-of-use? Yes.

Check it out and give me your thoughts if you purchase one and use it.

I'll follow up with how it works on area rugs and furniture upholstery.

Fall - A Time to Prune, Plant and Preen

Well, it is Fall in the Midlands. Not that all the growing and blooming has ceased, but for many of us our landscapes have experienced much growth - for some, out-of-hand growth.

You had (or perhaps, had not) spent much of the summer keeping up with or keeping your beautiful property.

Some of this growth is obvious in some of your more open format trees and shrubs while much of the interior mess is hidden beneath the surface of those more compact shrubs and hedges you've been trimming since April.

Fall (and Winter) is a wonderful season to get at those plants with some well planned and executed pruning to keep them healthy, airy and attractive for next season. A few may need some corrective measures, but you will need to get inside them a little to know what's truly going on with those gorgeous things you spent time and money on.

There are many shrubs and trees which can be pruned in Fall depending on the plants bloom-habit and your preference. Actually, there aren't many plants which can't be pruned (not indiscriminately trimmed or sheared) most any time of year if the right care and techniques are used. And, many will still produce plenty of blooms to enjoy when the time comes. So, if you've missed that ideal time and your favorite whatever(s) is now a mess, let's take care of it soon so you can enjoy it through the holidays and even more so in the Spring.

Depending on the plant, there are many which can be planted or transplanted during the Fall, getting established before and during Winter (If we have one.) and ready to roll next Spring. We don't live in Vermont so the ground temperatures allow for planting virtually year-round. And, you won't be scrambling around during Spring when your existing plants need attention.

Also, with all the humidity, rainfall, growth, and reproduction and its associate droppings, pitch and debris our properties experienced over Spring and Summer, Fall is the perfect time to:

• Prune and/or remove (overgrowth, intruding and encroaching branches, vines, etc.).
• Clean out weeds (remove).
• Pressure wash man-made surfaces - drive and walkways, decks, retaining walls, siding, foundations, etc.
• Re-establish plant bed borders.
• Re-stain/seal decks.
• Simply do some outdoor housekeeping for football season, family and friend visits and the approaching holidays.

And, please remember two things about lawn grasses even after we get out of the growing season (whenever that may be):

• They still take advantage of sunlight so don't wait until you have this downy-like comforter of leaves and/or pine straw on your yard to blow or rake them away - do it when needed.
• Their root system will still enjoy some H2O occasionally even when it's not 90° and 85% humidity.

Need assistance? Give us a call at 803-553-5757, go to back40.us or use the Contact Us feature to the right.

Where Credit is Due - An Affordable and Effective Carpet Cleaner

 

I pay a premium for most of the tools and materials I use in landscaping and plant care - it's my profession.

I can't say I always do the best when selecting tools and equipment for my home, but I do try to make an educated decision. 

The living areas in my home are mostly hardwoods; however, a hallway leading to four carpeted rooms has gone from this light camel color to almost brown. My thought was to hit the high-traffic areas and clean the rooms, but I didn't want to deal with all this in one day. I didn't want to pay for a service or rent a cleaner - I wanted to do this on my own time, my schedule, and get a little more focused. 

I researched many carpet cleaners; then found and studied the Bissell HeatPro 2X Revolution, and purchased one. I checked most providers of this product and compared prices. Bed Bath & Beyond's price was already competitive and even after paying the $29.00 fee to join Beyond +, the price still came in below the competition and I received free shipping. Beyond + offers 20% off all purchases (You don't need the famous BB&B coupons.) and shipping is always free. After beating the competitor's prices the discount also paid for the Beyond + membership.

The product as packaged does come with a sample size pet stain and odor plus bacterial formula and one for urine elimination, but you will need to purchase the primary cleaner. I was surprised that I didn't see the need to do so on either the Bissell or BB&B web site, or either I missed this. Verify before you purchase so you don't receive the cleaner, all excited about using it, not realizing you have no cleaning agent. I was able to buy a second bottle of cleaning agent (I haven't yet used.) at Walmart - one more room to go and some upholstery and area rugs.

I don't have pet issues and although I saw the results of using it for pet issues on a few YouTube videos, I was impressed by its overall cleaning ability.

I love the vacuum cleaner format for ease-of-use as opposed to other boxy and cumbersome units. It weighs about the same or less than my Bissell vacuum cleaner - I can't tell. As if we were comparing cars; the carpet cleaner actually handles better and seems more balanced.

The best part about this product is: It works. I did a test run on a heavy traffic area and the results are amazing. That light camel color is now, once again. I later finished the hallway and two rooms - completely impressed. It was great seeing all the dark brown water in the dirty water bin.

I was thankfully surprised that areas I thought I may have to pre-treat or need the CleanShot feature for came clean with a few more or slower passes over the carpet.

Although it didn't reach all the way to the baseboards, it got closer than I imagined. However; those edges receive much less traffic unless you have a pet who loves to snuggle up against a wall (and everything else), like my black lab from many years ago.

After a while, it's not difficult to get into that I'm dancing kind of mode you may with a vacuum clear, yet slow down and be more methodical. However; feel free to do so after you have followed the cleaning instructions and simply want to pull up more moisture for quicker drying. 

I used the Deep Cleaning or Max mode (never tried to understand the difference between the two) using much more water and cleaning agent than needed for Express Clean mode, so the drying took longer - longer than quoted. But, that's okay, as the results were well worth it.

After deep cleaning what is needed I look forward to staying on top of this by using the Express Clean mode.

The HeatPro 2X Revolution has a few other features which make it easy to use.

A Few Thoughts

• The unit was easy to assemble and seems well constructed. Time will tell with the latter.
• It comes with an upholstery, stair and pet attachment. I have used neither, yet.
• Will the clean get dirty, quicker? Historically, many carpet cleaning agents would cause your carpets to look dirtier sooner, after cleaning. This depends on the chemicals used; how much is applied and how wet; and how well the cleaning device removes the residue and water from the fabric. Have to wait and see. 

I am impressed, but I will still register it as I do with most anything.

Do I believe the results warrant the price of the product and the ease-of-use? Yes.

Check it out and give me your thoughts if you purchase one and use it.

I'll follow up with how it works on area rugs and furniture upholstery.

From Fortress to Refreshing

After

We've all seen or experienced this: Some developer, contractor, previous owner or perhaps a landscape architect though it a wonderful idea to plant trees or tree-like shrubs along your home's foundation. Many of these were destine to obscure the beauty of your home and perhaps reach beyond its eaves. You may have needed to hack away at such plants to maintain their height, creating an unhealthy mess.

Most home structures are attractive, or can be, but not if hidden by monstrosities or those bound to be one day.

Left - Before

Plants and plant beds are meant to accentuate the home, not obliterate it, and to lend themselves toward the overall landscape or serve as focal points or vignettes.

After removing roughly fourteen azaleas, we began placing plants based on a plan previously provided to the customer and then began remarking the new borders.

After

We removed as much unwanted ground-growth as feasible, did a rough grade of the area and then began installing the plants with two Red Dragon Japanese Maples as the center pieces, while other plants welcome the owners and their guests to the front entry - Pink Muhly, Sunshine Ligustrum and groupings of Silver Carpet Lamb's Ears.

Both beds also include a Kaleidoscope Abelia and Crimson Fire Loropetalum, while the further side of the right bed also has a Purple Pixie Loropetalum and Golden Mop False Cypress.

We completed the project by performing a final grade, re-establishing the borders for better mulch retention and ease-of-maintenance, and then added pine bark nuggets.

Right - Before

Brown metal edging (I only use when necessary.) was used to separate the right bed pine bark from the pine straw on the far end. This will aid in the two beds we created in standing apart from the other foundation beds, adding to the focal point, which leads to the front entry.

The beds may look sparse for now, but plants were placed to account for future growth and will look even better over time.

Eventually, the mulch will be removed nearest the Lamb's Ears for it to become a true ground cover.

After

I can't wait for all these plants to mature, especially the Red Dragon Japanese Maples so I can get my hands on these two to prune them.

Oh, we also installed three 45-gallon Natchez Crepe Myrtles throughout the front yard and a single 15-gallon Bloodgood Japanese Maple.

The owner is definitely a plant person and doesn't mind playing in the dirt. She has some gorgeous plants (not to mention the fruit producers) cleverly placed throughout the property, but she admits some changes and additions need to occur. We will happily be working on this with her in the future.

In the meantime, I am developing a pruning program to address and care for some of the other shrubs and trees.

She also asked me to work with her general landscape service when and where needed. No problem.

It was a joy meeting, working with and for this family - sharp, fun-loving.

Let your home breathe. It may help you in many ways, as well.

Some year-round color variance doesn't hurt, either.

Down Time in These Extraordinary Times...Time Well Spent

These are extraordinary times and we will survive.

In light of such, as much as I love and adore time with people and appreciate my time with customers, much of time is spent with plants. This makes most of my day less threatening in regard to COVID-19. 

I am remaining busy with customer properties, but I am also giving more attention to mine and cooking (a series of posts from you-know-who coming in a day or so) for friends and family like I haven't in many years.

As many of you are spending more time at home with family, children, grandchildren or perhaps, alone, you may find yourself wandering out across your property and considering what you can do to make changes, repairs or simply make things better. 

This is a wonderful opportunity to rediscover your property, what to enjoy and those things which need to be addressed.

Tour Your Property

A lot of homeowners are not lawn or plant people, buy they usually do want for their property and its landscape to be in good condition and attractive.

Get out there and walk around and get to know your property again if you don't frequently check things out.

Take a gander at or for the following (among other things):

• Uneven areas of the lawn (depressions, divots, acutely raised areas).
• Yellowing or brown grass.
• Tree/shrub branches encroaching a neighbor's property or vice versa, or those encroaching or touching your home or other buildings on your property.
• Loose or warping deck and fence boards.
• Staining from nature's debris, pitch/resin and sap on horizontal surfaces such as decks, driveways and walkways.
• Siding which is warping or detaching.
• Trees with an unusual amount of suckers and/or water sprouts, particularly if you or a utility company hacked it back in the last few years. If so, there's usually a problem.
• Algae/moss or mold/mildew on the exterior of your home, particularly in areas which receive ample sunlight. (I once discovered a leaking water heater by seeing algae forming below a crawl space vent that began by just a simple misting from a slight opening in a supply line. I had to replace about 300 square feet of insulation and treat for mildew.)
• Bulging concrete or asphalt which may be occurring from a nearby large shrub or tree root system.
• Check out your crawl space or if the fear factor is too high, send someone else (your least favorite child or a neighbor, ha) down there. Check for high moisture, standing water, foul odors, etc. (I usually take a flashlight, wear a hat and use a knee pad(s) depending on height.)

Growing up, the father of our neighbors and good friends, walked around his property regularly - seemed daily. It was good fodder for some jokes over the years, but hey, their property did look great and I rarely saw any major projects or repairs being made.

The above list is just a few items of possible concern, so just get out there and look around.

Make a list and prioritize based on needs and your desires and determine those you and your family can address and those best addressed by another party or contractor.

If you have concerns regarding trees, shrubs, plants and plants beds, or perhaps something else regarding your landscape, please contact me. 

In light of what we are now dealing with, some more than others, I wish to leave you with a song I listen to often - many of you are familiar.

I don't believe this photograph will ever be recaptured or recreated.

"Another Brand New Day", love it!

Amaryllis...Light Up Your Home or Landscape

Here she is, Amaryllis (Hippeastrum 'Fantasica' - for this cultivar). Their bulbs were brought to the U.S. from South America, via Europe, in the 1700s. Some have bloomed again and again for over 75 years - definitely a candidate for an heirloom plant.

This one is placed on a piece of furniture near a corner and she is reaching about three feet tall.

Not bad considering she was purchased potted in late November with nary a shoot showing from the top of the bulb. Nothing against Lowes as I shop there often, but rarely for plants. Well, Lowes did good on this one.

And, yes, she needed and still needs support. The shoots became stems/stalks and she took off. She really got busy less than a week ago as a bud became a bloom almost daily. There are four open flowers right now with a fifth bloom breaking out.

To learn more about Amaryllis, please go to https://www.amaryllis.com/planting-and-care.

For more information about planting and enjoying Amaryllis in your landscape, check out https://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/how-to-grow-amaryllis-bulbs.

Enjoy.

9 Outdoor Product Recommendations for 2019

Here is the ultimate must-have list of outdoor products for 2019.

No, seriously, but they may make your outdoor tasks and life a little easier or less expensive.

There are many others, but here we go.

The Trake

This is a wonderful tool - a trowel and rake combined. Although many people aren't aware of this little jewel, it's been around for a while and it's always in my black box on every project.

And, it's not like they simply joined the two tools on a single shaft - some thought went into this.

Not only for the obvious uses, I use the Trake for removing broad leaf weeds, separating climbing vines from most everything, perfect depth for checking soil moisture and the trowel is just right for putting mayo on a jumbo BLT...local seasonal tomatoes, of course. (Killer tomato growing secret is coming soon.)

Several places sell this and perhaps manufacturer it, but I believe the Real McCoy can be found at https://www.henfeathers.com/trake-garden-tool.html. It's where I get mine.



Rubber Water Hose

A rubber hose, preferably with brass fittings. Yes, this is your grandfather's water hose and it may have or will outlive him, particularly if housed in the next recommended product.

I don't know if there was some effort at some time (WWII?) to conserve rubber trees (There are many other high volume users of such.), but true rubber water hoses rarely kink, better keep their shape and coil and reel more easily. If that bright neon thing with what appears to be some type of metallic braiding is sitting on the big box or hardware store shelf and is emblazoned with Never Kinks, chances are good, it will kink, right out of the packaging.

I know people who have had the same rubber water hose for 20 to 30 years, particularly if housed in the following.

Suncast Hose Hideaway Reel

A good (rubber) water hose will last a very, very long time kept out of the sun and will be easy to deal with when reeled up after use.

It shouldn't be difficult to make a good hose reel, but there are some cheap products out there. This one is not and also blocks UV rays.

It's not flimsy and poorly molded plastic put together by some junior high school shop class. Use it for that non-rubber cheap hose if you must.

Check it out at https://www.suncast.com/home-garden/hose-reels/hideaways/phh100.html.

Hot Pepper Suet
If you want to enjoy and feed our feathered friends and not the squirrels and other flightless thieving critters, then you need to get some Hot Pepper Suet.

I got mine at Wild Birds Unlimited on Forest Drive and was so impressed with it I had to go down and interview the owners to learn more. They'll be glad to tell you how it works, and it does.

Feel free to read an article of mine about this at https://shootsandmatters.blogspot.com/2018/04/red-hots-get-your-red-hots-here.html and/or go to https://www.wbu.com/products/suet/hot-pepper-no-melt-suet/ to learn more about the product.


Cotton Canvas Gloves

I have rose gloves, which I use more on hollies than roses, and I have some other heavy duty gloves, which I rarely use. When I am working with plants and hand tools I need some tactile feel and some dexterity. I don't need some heavy, thick glove completely covered in some man-made material.

These guys are cotton canvas with dotted palms (probably rubber) for a better grip, but not cumbersome and run about $19.00 for six pairs. They are gold to me, but at that price, I simply wash them until they are useless.

I know some of you ladies may want to make a fashion statement (Who's watching? Huh?) on your property, but not having sweaty and shriveled hands, and having a gorgeous property may be more appealing.

There are probably several brands and sellers, but Walmart has usually stocked these on their shelves.

Knee Pads

There are knee pads and there are kneeling pads. Kneeling pads are typically a single pad which accommodates both of one's knees, but needs to be placed before you kneel. Knee pads, in some fashion, are attached to your knees - they are with you wherever you go as long as you are wearing them.

I'm not against kneeling pads, but you have to move them with you - you may forget where you last used it or you assume it's there and it's not. You kneel down on a young tree stump which wasn't properly removed, a small sharp edged rock, some other sharp man-made object under the mulch or a substantial piece of glass left from Lord knows when.

The pair you see truly looks cheap, not simply inexpensive. I have purchased three of these over four years and I do a lot of hand and knee work. And, kneeling allows you to get closer to what you are working on and is easier and healthier, physically, than bending over or stooping. I like to be down there amongst the plant matter.

This product has never failed me - I just wear them out. The pair shown retails at Lowe's for $4.98.

Whetstone for Sharpening Hand Tools and More

Using dull cutting tools can be bad for plants, less efficient and effective, frustrating and can cause more wear on your joints and muscles. You wet, not whet, the stone before and during use.

A whetstone is usually a two-sided, coarse and fine grade, textured stone used to sharpen metal blades. It is more commonly used for sharpening open-blade edges such as those found on culinary knives whereas the whetstone is placed on a firm horizontal surface and the blade of the knife is run along its surface at certain angles.

Well, most pruning and gardening hand tool blades aren't so open or accessible so I usually steady the tool and run the whetstone against the blade. I once considered using a bench wheel grinder, but found I can sharpen most hand tools in a matter of minutes or less and I feel I have more control. My different chainsaws require another sharpening tool and require more time.

I won't dare provide instructions for using a whetstone as there are many videos on YouTube that do a good job of explaining how to do this.

My only advice is: Be safe. Be methodical. Hone at a 15 to 20 degree angle. Don't try to change the shape of the blade angle. If a two-sided blade, use the same number of strokes on each side. Using the underside of your thumb, run it down, perpendicular to the blade, to check for sharpness or any gauges or inconsistencies. Be safe. Take the opportunity to use this with your kitchen knives.

Neem Oil

Neem oil is an organic oil which can be used as a fungicide, miticide and/or insecticide depending on how it is mixed with water. It is my go-to treatment when I don't believe a plant is infected with a serious disease which requires hardcore chemicals. You most likely have products in your home which contain neem oil and many of those are for your skin.

It can be applied on small areas with a hand spray bottle or for larger areas, a pump spray canister. It can dilute over time to the point of being ineffective so do your best to mix only the quantity needed for the task at hand.

Historically, in the Midlands, I have most often used neem oil on camellias and sasanquas experiencing powdery white mildew or scale because of not-enough sunlight, limited airflow, too much moisture or a mix of these conditions. I have also used this on understory plants suffering from black mildew brought about from trees experiencing honeydew above them.

Walmart sells this for $9.74 as a concentrate and it goes a long way.

Mrs. Whaley and Her Charleston Garden

If you love plants and gardening, you'll love this book. If you love Charleston and South Carolina history, you will love this book.

Either way, it is a good read and it's not simply about plants, gardens and architecture. You may discover something about yourself.

You most likely will not find this at a local bookstore (wherever that is) or library, so check on-line.

Some customer of mine has my copy. Oh well, never to be seen again.



And, the formula for growing Killer Tomatoes is coming soon if only the Mater Master would get off his ass and send me the info.

I am nicknaming him the ProcrastiMater.

Craftsmen's Christmas Classic Art and Craft Festival - November 9, 10 and 11

Craftsmen's Christmas Classic Art and Craft Festival 
November 9, 10 and 11, 2018 
Columbia, SC - State Fairgrounds

It's time again. Come out and enjoy the show, the arts, the crafts and vendors.

And, come see me and the staff from MeadowCroft Farm at booth 3623 at the rear of the Goodman building.

We are usually busy and sometimes (often) swamped with customers, but we will get you what you want.

Please remember, after a day or so, we do run low on some of our most popular products, but you can purchase whatever you want that is available and we will hold it for you while you enjoy the rest of the show.

Seven years ago I began working with MeadowCroft and four years ago Columbia became it's Number One show. I'll take some credit along with our long-time and new customers throughout the state of South Carolina.

There are over 60 different tasty and healthy products - some easy Christmas gift shopping. 

Come out and get pickled and try our number one seller, our Pepper Mustard Sauce!

Learn more about the show.

Black Eye Friday - How to Avoid It

To me, Black Friday put a big black eye on the holiday season, but obviously many are, or were, happy about the fact that the retail industry wanted to test the shopping-dollar waters while creating a sense of urgency.

The label, Black Friday, has been around, supposedly beginning in Philadelphia in the 60's and there are several versions of why it still has such as ominous tone to it.

Some time in the 90's the fuse was lit on a national level and then the bomb exploded some time early this century.

LED Landscape Lighting

Property owners have been lighting up their landscapes for centuries.

Whether it may have been torches or lanterns powered by whale oil or gas, people have been illuminating lawns, plant life, pathways and homes for safety, security, aesthetic and other reasons.

Thanks to electrical power, landscape lighting became safer, more versatile and easier to control.

Technological advances make controlling the lighting so much easier and the variety of fixtures and mountings makes the possibilities virtually endless.

LED bulbs have changed the lighting landscape all together.

Ceiling Fans – Which Way to Go?

Most ceiling fans, except for some older models and some for open-spaces (patios, for instance) have a switch which allows you to change the direction in which the blades turn, moving air down or up.

It’s not so important to get into the science of all this (hot) air blowing around, but it could be very helpful for one to at least remember the direction of rotation can be changed.

Typically, ceiling fans (if looking up at one), move air downward if rotating counter-clockwise and upward if rotating clockwise. Is this a standard? I don’t know. This could be the opposite in Australia or Thailand. I don’t know.

If the leading edge (when moving) of the blade is higher than the back edge of the blade, then the fan will move air downward, and vice versa, moving it the other direction. Or, if the fan is low enough and fast enough, you can simply stand under it and see which switch position creates a breeze you can feel.