Fall - The Time to Prune, Plant and Plan...Re-orchestrate

Well, it is Fall in the Midlands. Not that all the growing and blooming has ceased. 

But, many of our plants and  landscapes have experienced much growth - for some, out-of-hand growth over the growing season.

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

Nonetheless, fall and winter are a wonderful time to prune, plant and plan for next year. Why wait?

Plants and their intentions, their DNA, their hormones, love some additional care and attention from their proprietors.

Pruning: Proper pruning this time of year helps your plants prepare for next year, and done well, provides them the future direction of growth which best suits their position and place on your property.

Planting: So many of your favorite plants and those you have in mind for next year will benefit from being placed where you wish, right now, in the warm earth, rather than sitting in a pot in a nursery. Place them where you wish now and enjoy with less effort next season.

Plan: Walk your property and discover what plants and plant beds, trees and shrubs need addressing in regard to their spread, growth and health.

Re-orchestrate: It's your property - determine what you want and where, and blend the components of your landscape - the plants, the collective beds, the specimen plants and trees.

Next season, next year, next spring, will be more enjoyable.

Other Considerations

• 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.

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

Just call me, Doug.

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!

Spring Comes Quickly...Don't Waste Winter

Some of you have properties this well planned and maintained.

Many of you may view this as impossible, for a variety of reasons. 

This winter, how about you grab a warm coat, walk your property, grab a chair, sit back and visualize the changes you can make to only one area, one aspect of your landscape. Any of this is extremely possible.

Take some photos and project what you wish to add or change, and sketch your ideas on some paper. Or, call me. Together, we can orchestrate a wonderful outcome.

Personal Note: In the region we live, there is not much which cannot be done in regard to plant care this time of year. There are few exceptions and there are a few tasks which may be best suited during the growing season. However; one may find oneself overwhelmed and far behind the more vibrant growing season once it is underway. Why wait?

This is what we do: A focused project at a time, and how most of our customers wish to address their desires for their landscape. It works - it's manageable, sane and seeing the changes made over time is quite rewarding.

Only just beginning winter, this is a beneficial and excellent time to start putting plans together for your home's landscape. And, in this environment, here in the Midlands of South Carolina, most restoration and installation can begin way before waiting until you are inundated with the sheer maintenance of your property during the growing season and hot-as-hell summer months.

Basic Maintenance During Winter

• Remove natural debris (leaves and needles) from your lawn if you already haven't. Turf grass still benefits greatly from sunlight and air flow this time of year.
• Continue to edge grass borders as most grass roots still want to stretch out and grow during winter. This will prevent them from making their way into your plant beds and help maintain a manicured look.
• Consider applying a pre-emergent for spring and summer weeds. The effective date for doing so is based on ground temperature and it sneaks up on us quite quickly in this area.
• House those precious potted plants (particularly, tropical) inside or in a secluded area away from the wind if they will handle the ambient temperature. If you know your plant's name (genus and specie), find its climate requirements.
• Don't wait until spring when the temperatures are nice to consider installing an irrigation system in your plant beds or lawn. This isn't Alaska - most of this can be done this time of year. And, if you wait, you may be put off in scheduling by contractors and may pay much more simply due to demand because many homeowners simply don't think about this until is almost warm and sunny.

Advanced Maintenance and Planning

• Pruning (On this subject, I can provide plenty of testament and references.) Pruning of most any plant for health reasons, even for aesthetics/shaping, can be performed most any time of year on most any plant. Try to forgive what your parents, grandparents or even your favorite publication or therapist says.
• Take a look at the growth of your different plant beds and the growth they have experienced. If you are pleased with their growth and your landscape can accommodate such, then consider extending and re-establishing the bed borders to obtain/maintain a clean and clear appearance.
• Consider those trees and larger tree-like shrubs encroaching your home or its roof. Hacking them at what you believe is the proper height is only going to create a more troublesome future mess. They need to be properly pruned or removed.
• Also, consider those plants which obscure your view when pulling out of your driveway or those many shrubs and trees which block the view of stops signs and intersections on so many streets in this area.
• Plan for Spring This is a wonderful time for planning and perhaps executing some changes for your property. I have had a few customers get behind the eight ball and then expect the unexpected in regard to plant availability. I get it. I often don't know until the request is made. Two of my favorite nurseries will find almost anything I ask of them, but their growers can only do so much with a given plant during a season or the year. Plants don't grow on trees - I love saying that. You get the point.
• Refresh or replace (more in a moment) the mulch in your beds since most of the leaf and needle drop has occurred. Mulch provides so much for a plant bed or natural area. Most homeowners apply such for aesthetics. That's great. But, most mulch, properly chosen, in this area, provides shade from the sun for the ground - the base of the plant, water retention and decomposition which aids all the plants in the plant bed. In regard to replacing mulch, I am not saying this should never be done, but in most cases, it shouldn't. The decomposition from the existing mulch is so beneficial - this is one (just one) of the reasons plant bed soil is usually healthier than that in lawns. Just refresh the existing mulch, let it settle and continue the composting process.
• Take the time to consider when you would like to pressure wash your home, decks or patios and apply a stain or sealant - when you'd feel comfortable doing so, weather-wise. Warmer months are obviously more comfortable to do so, but applying stain in too-warm conditions can be less effective in regard to penetration of the chemicals.
• Consider ground lighting. Show off your home's architecture, its plants, both. Add some safety and security to your home living. 

If you need assistance with any of the aforementioned or a comprehensive solution based on your needs or desires, please contact Doug at 803-553-5757 or use the Contact form to the right.

Protecting Plants from The Freeze

                                                                                                                                     

Note: This

article primarily addresses ornamental plants, not edible vegetable and fruit plants.

We are going to reach low temperatures we usually don't experience this early in the season. Fortunately, a freeze going into winter is typically less threatening to plants than freezes coming out of winter.

Most established in-ground plants not showing any new foliage or blooms (dormancy) are not going to show much affect from a freeze. Their roots get to take advantage of ground temperatures which are nowhere near freezing - this ain't Maine. New tender growth and blooms may get blasted, but the plant should survive.

Potted plants are more vulnerable because they cannot take advantage of ground soil temperatures, and cold temperatures and wind may cause drying.

Tender perennials which may have proven hardy over the last few winters, may take a beating this time, but should return on time next year.

If you can, move suspect potted plants indoors or to a garage or shed. Or, at least, move them to ground level in a protected corner or along your home's foundation, perhaps behind some in-ground shrubs. The main objective is to get them out of the wind as best as possible. You may wish to group the pots and cover.

Covering plants, potted or in-ground, does help. To what extent depends on the cover material, its size and your ability to take the cover edges to the ground.

There are several manufactured plant protectors - commonly called frost blankets or frost covers. Yet, there are several old household items you can use - sheets, blankets, table cloths, painter's drop cloths, burlap, etc. 

The rigidness of the plant and what weight it can tolerate may influence what material(s) you choose. Ones with more natural materials will provide better airflow, but may allow more moisture to pass while plastic blocks most moisture, but does not allow airflow. 

Because we typically have short-term freezes here in the Midlands I use 3mil plastic contractor bags because they are convenient for the plants I need to protect. Of course, they can also be cut or torn if you need to reconfigure the cover. If the freeze becomes extensive, I can simply remove the plastic during the warmer daylight hours and then re-cover. This will allow the plant(s) to breathe for a while.

The most effective use of a cover is one in which you can ensure multiple points of the edges make contact with and/or are secured to the ground. This helps the foliage and blooms of the plant take greater advantage of ground warmth.

Of course, all this effort depends on the size and shape of the plant and what materials you have available or can obtain.

You may have a Sasanqua or a rose plant blooming right now which needs to be covered or a sub-tropical plant which needs to go inside.

If you have plants and/or plant beds lacking or lean on mulch, you may want to replenish and ensure the mulch reaches the trunk or main stem. This will help the ground, therefore the roots, retain more heat.

Recently planted plants showing new growth or blooms may benefit from some protection.

Sago palms are not actually palms. They are among cycads, a plant which has been around since prehistoric times. The sago is cycas revoluta. It has leaves instead of fronds, as it is not a palm.

Sago palms will tend to turn a bronze color after the leaves have been damaged during temperatures below 32 degrees. I have no idea of how far below freezing or for how long. I have simply covered (Substantial sago palms are not fun to cover.) them with black plastic contractor bags and not secured the cover to the ground for both potted and in-ground plants. This did prevent most of the leaves from turning bronze.

I have also not covered them and enjoyed the bronze leaves for weeks.

One thing I can firmly say is do not cut off the damaged leaves until after the last freeze. Not doing so aids the plant's health overall in recovering and can help protect the young shoots. I only cut back the damaged leaves after new shoots have emerged and unfurled completely.

Stay warm!

Happy Holidays!!!

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.

No, Not Really - Winter Plant Protection

This is the first in my series of No, Not Really.

As in many areas of most any hobby or discipline for which one is not a trained and educated expert (as if such exists), we have all been exposed to wives' tales, anecdotal solutions, myths and other forms of unsubstantiated information.

And, then we have the media and of course the advertisers and manufacturers who will weave a false web if it will take hold and capture enough readers or customers. Then there is social media, through which the wind blows loosely and carelessly, regardless of the source.

If something seems to work, but we are not quite certain, or if we hear something enough times from those close to us or those who we think are in the know or should be, then it becomes gospel. And, it's hard to let go of such, particularly after we have a told a dozen or more people and we now feel we own it. Most of us enjoy trying to help one another.

I believe you get my gist, so let's move on.
____________________________________________

I need to wrap my plants during winter - No, not really. Well, perhaps.

Note: For the sake of this topic, I am speaking of ornamental plants, not common edible vegetable and fruit plants.

Hopefully, you, the developer of your property or the previous owner chose plants which are hardy for this area. Here, in the Midlands of South Carolina, we are in Zone 8a, perhaps some in 8b. Simply think of Zone 8 as many listings for plants don't mention the sub-zones.

However; we do love our plants, even those which weren't meant for this area and I hope they don't end up in the ground, but in pots, unless they are annuals.

Potted Plants

Note: Unglazed ceramic pots, such as those made of terracotta are porous and allow for the movement of air and water (moisture) through the side of the pot. If you tend to overwater or have plants with less water requirements, these are good choices. Glazed and plastic pots (More and more are available with truly authentic and attractive faux glaze and are much lighter than glazed pots.) do not provide much air and moisture exchange through their sides so they are great for moisture loving plants and those owners who don't water enough. 

The only warmth potted plants receive is from the surrounding air, sunlight and ambient temperature, so it is best to move plants that are not winter-hardy to a shed, garage, indoors or a greenhouse. Continue moderate watering if they aren't dormant. However; if able, you can cover the pot and plant with a plastic material (not touching the foliage if possible) such as a dark-color home trash bag or contractor trash bag. If the plant needs to remain covered during the daylight hours, the dark color will help retain more heat from the sunlight, if exposed to it.

The key is to ensure the cover is secured to the ground (sod staples work great) and any gaps are covered with mulch, such as straw. If not, all your efforts are lost because the cover is to take advantage of the heat of the earth. If not, you may be protecting the foliage and any buds or blooms from the wind, but not so much for the roots and stems if the heat is escaping. It may be slight, but it is what your in-ground plants are receiving. Fortunately, the ground in this area, rarely, if ever freezes. Right now the ground temperature is around 48 degrees - far from freezing.

Burlap (Why used so much - I do not know.) has a loose weave and doesn't retain much heat, if any. Someone's grandfather did this when burlap may have been the only thing available.

Evergreen Trees and Shrubs

Evergreens are still metabolizing, but at a lower rate, still producing some heat. They are also sending moisture to their foliage, so they can be dried out by winds. However, if they've made it this far along they probably don't need any protection. You aren't going to go out there and cover that 12 foot camellia, anyway.

A newly planted tree or shrub may benefit from some protection.

Deciduous Trees and Shrubs

Well, if they are meant to thrive in this area, they are already protecting themselves by shedding their foliage. They have gone dormant and are not metabolizing. Therefore, there is no heat to retain.

Warning!

With in-ground plants, if you believe you have a dead branch (not broken - that's obvious), don't go pruning it in the dead-of-winter unless you know how to prune. If you make an improper cut, you could end up with new unwanted growth during a warm spell, then we receive a freeze and you may have more foliage or branch death. Let it go until later.

An Exception

I know I am going to get blasted by many because they have instances where they did something and something did or didn't happen. There are almost always exceptions and then there are anecdotal claims such as Epsom salt is a good fertilizer. Many, many people use it on their plants because someone or many, many someones said to do so. More later, in another No, Not Really.

Sago Palms

Sago palms are not actually palms. They are among cycads, a plant which has been around since prehistoric times. The sago is cycas revoluta. It has leaves instead of fronds, as it is not a palm.

Although I have done some research on this topic, I could not find all the whys, whens, wheres and what ifs.

Sago palms will tend to turn a bronze color after the leaves have been damaged during temperatures below 32 degrees. I have no idea of how far below freezing or for how long. I have simply covered them with black plastic contractor bags and not secured the cover to the ground for both potted and in-ground plants. This did prevent most of the leaves from turning bronze. All my sagos were male so I don't know what this means for the female (fruit producing) sagos, for which the seeds can be very toxic. Female - go figure.

These are simply my assertions for my situation in locations around here. Who knows how things may differ with a sago in Charleston, along with the salt air and coastal winds. I do not know.

I have not covered them and enjoyed the bronze leaves for weeks.

One thing I can firmly say, is do not cut off the damaged leaves until after the last freeze. Not doing so aids the plant's health overall in recovering and can help protect the young shoots. I only cut back the damaged leaves after new shoots have emerged and unfurled completely.

Hurricane Florence - Before and After

This image is of Hurricane Hugo in September of 1989, when I stayed - I honestly wanted to do so - volunteered to help out my Navy shore command and had no wife or child.

It was all fun and exciting, but not for all as realized after I initiated a relief effort with the most popular D.J. in the area and set out to discover what had truly happened to so many.

We dodged a few hurricanes at sea while in the Navy and I have been through six hurricanes, three direct hits - in the eye - blasts of wrath and reality.

The satellite shot above does not appear so much different from Florence and whether it makes landfall in South Carolina, or not, we are going to be inundated with constant heavy rains for quite some time. And, we all know this area can go through many droughts and then some time in the year the bottom drops out for quite, some almost eternal time. Remember 2015?

Before I act like I have more knowledge or experience than Rick Santorum (he's good) of The Weather Channel, I'll hush.

Here are a few before and after actions you may want to consider in regard to Florence, some of which may be so obvious (not doing that) - stock up on water, batteries and bread. And, a good book to read by daylight or candle light for those of you fearful of helping and hanging out with neighbors you never knew.

Oh, before I go any further, if you have an issue with broken or downed branches, a totally or partially downed tree, debris from same, etc., after Florence, please give us a call. We make no claim to provide the same capabilities as the huge tree services in the area (We know of or know most of them.), but we will probably be able to assist you in most cases or provide recommendations. We use sound and safe pruning techniques and if unable to do so at the time, we will alleviate the safety or health issue and refer you to someone to care for such at a later date. The big tree guys are going to tackle the most damaging and largest issues first and you can't blame them - that's what they do. We will handle what we can for you at an affordable cost.

See Plant Life...Understanding, Technology and Art

Before

• Clean out your gutters. Try to clear all existing debris by running water from the highest to lowest point (the downspout). If not able to do so, at least clean out debris by hand around the top of the downspout and check to see you have good flow through the downspout and its extension drain pipe if it has one.
• When you believe it is timely, rake or blow off the leaves and straw on your lawn. Yes, you will probably receive more, but this is much easier to do when such debris is dry.
• If the forecast calls for us having high winds, see what lawn furniture you can put indoors, secure loose gutter connections, take down bird nests and feeders, secure those fixed things around your home, if loose, by nail, or better, by screw - look around. (I got on my roof before Hugo and nailed any loose shingles and the chimney flashing, but this did nothing to prevent the other small holes I had in the roof. Damn it. The back second story deck was taken out by a tree, a tree branch came through a bedroom window and there were eight damaged trees in the yard.)
• If you have a sump pump in your crawl space, pour a substantial amount (you decide) of water into the collection area to ensure the pumps kicks on. If not, check the associated breaker or reset button, if it exists.
• You may want to close below-ground-level crawl space vents and open up those you believe will not be affected by flooding. This is a judgement call as many vents don't hold back accumulated water, but less water under your home and more airflow are only going to help.
• Most healthy small branches encroaching or touching your home are probably not going to cause a problem and even some of those larger, mostly dead (light) branches, unless they are substantially larger and become waterlogged and break, will not. Dead branches usually fall completely while other healthier ones may partially tear and pendulum downward. Either could be a personal or home safety issue.
• If you store critical things (in this case), such as generators, gas or electric power tools, outside or in a shed or garage, you may want to move them a few feet higher. All my power tools, gases and batteries are 4 to 6 feet above ground level. What you do with your live-in in-law is between you and their offspring, the one you married.

After

• Once you believe it is safe to go outside again (Wasn't part of a movie title?), which will probably be under a gorgeous sky and cooler temps, please go check on all those things you did, were suspect of or concerned with (If, you actually read the Before section.) before, but first...
• Look up. Okay, you will obviously notice any damage from above which crashed your new SUV, crushed your ornate blown glass water fountain or mangled your recently built pergola. But, take the time to look up (Unless, you live on a prairie.) at all the mature, even smaller trees on your property for broken or nearly broken branches, those above your roof or any other man-made structure and particularly those which could cause harm to you or your family.
• Most of my experiences with hurricanes is that the few hours after the last bands of the hurricane have left are as gorgeous as the quiet before the storm. Take this time to clear your lawn of whatever natural or otherwise debris was left behind. Most of our grasses are still growing or at least nowhere dormant and they still want to enjoy the sunlight and get some air. 
• For the most part, other than what I suggested above, most of this after-the-fact is paying attention to (following up on) what you would have addressed before an event such as what hurricane Florence may unwelcomingly bring us. My personal experience and with those of customers, leads me to re-iterated, regardless of how much rain, moisture, flooding, etc. you believe you receive during such an event - get under your home, if able, with a flashlight, a pair of readers if you need them, a moisture meter, if needed, and see if your home's under-belly, already drenched by our humidous (I made that up.) climate, was further saturated. Other than flood waters which may have ruined your carpet, hardwoods or oriental rugs, this form of moisture, unattended, will possibly cause you more monetary and health worries. 

Note: Many customers either discovered drainage issues they had after the 2015 flood or rediscovered ones they had ignored before. Actually, the four day rain event we had in the summer of 2016 caused more property owners to contact us. We have a good friend and associate we work with who has been solving such problems for over 25 years.

Leaf-out, Bud Break and Temperature - Don't Panic

Okay, so the last several weeks have been a little crazy around the Midlands of South Carolina - particularly with the evening lows bouncing all over the chart while  some trees and shrubs were already leafing out and breaking bud.

In fact, we have lows tonight with feel likes temperatures below freezing and some fairly substantial winds.

When plants leaf out or break bud is not totally depending on warming temperatures, some do, but for most there is some combination of this, their own biological clock (like us), having met their chilling requirement and the amount of sunlight (not warmth) each day. This can vary within the same genus, from specie to specie, even living next door to one another.

I have two gorgeous Nikko Blue hydrangeas, whose apical (terminal) flower buds recently broke and got zapped by the cold and even some of the associate leaves, but fortunately I didn't cut her back last year so I have plenty of healthier buds down the stem to work with.

The beautifully shaped loropetalum showed off a little and now she is truly confused. A little raking and she'll look wonderful next week.

A tea olive started to get busy and then simply said, "I'll just wait."

A few hostas came flushing up and outward and now seem to be in a holding pattern.

I somewhat failed to help it out and my showcase sago palm transformed into this cool looking bronze color. Not certain I have ever protected sago's from the cold in this area; I have had them turn almost every tone of brown and come back in the spring. I'm not touching those leaves (truly, not fronds) until I see plenty of new growth coming up and unfurling in the sunlight. Then, I'll probably give it a little fertilizer and make some thinning cuts. I'm going to enjoy that cool looking bronze thing I have in my yard, for now.

So if you are not certain what a plant is telling you, or how and when to care for it or prune it, give it a little time and see what is says to you in the coming warmer weeks.

Baby It's Cold Outside

Well, not so cold. We've basically been having an Indian summer. But, it is somewhat chilly at night.

According to the The Weather Channel's website forecast we aren't going to get truly close to freezing for another two weeks, except for this coming Saturday evening.

Of course there are other factors which come into play as to whether the varying plants on your property may experience a frost.

For more info go to http://farmersalmanac.com/…/…/22/a-gardeners-guide-to-frost/

To see the "Baby It's Cold Outside" video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bbuBubZ1yE

I Can See Clearly Now (The Rain is Gone)

And, it has been. Absolutely non-existent.

I don’t believe we have had any substantial rain or perhaps any at all for the last two, possibly three weeks. Wow! Did we believe we would be saying this just a year after the flood? Mother Nature doing her thing.

Many property owners believe mid-fall is the time to stop watering their lawn because of the lack of high (hot) temperatures and the color of and slow or no-growth of the grass.

Your lawn is doing its best to get ready for winter (albeit rather short and not severe here, usually) and being hydrated and gaining what little sunshine it can is so key to it having a healthy start come next spring. It’s not dormant yet and it wants a little help.

Until we reach the first few consistent freezes you should continue to water your lawn just as you would have in the summer months, just not so often and as long.

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.