Shelby Shopper Shelby NC
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Page 12 - shelby shopper & info - 704/484-1047 www.shelbyinfo.com Thursday, April 20-April 26, 2023 051123 Residential & Commercial Painting Jim: Jim: 704-692-8001 704-692-8001 Interior - Exterior Painting Walls, Trim, Doors, Windows, Siding, Porches & Decks Walls, Trim, Doors, Windows, Siding, Porches & Decks We offer Pressure Washing, as well as repair work prior to painting. Splash Painting WE PAINT CHURCHES & STEEPLES Large Selection of Large Selection of: • Hanging Baskets • Hanging Baskets • Bedding Plants • Bedding Plants • Vegetable Plants • Vegetable Plants & Seeds & Seeds • Onion Sets • Onion Sets ©CommunityFirstMedia • Organic Organic Gardening Supplies Gardening Supplies • Fertilizer Fertilizer • Grass Seed Grass Seed • Pine Needles Pine Needles • Garden Seed Garden Seed • Lime Lime • Mulch Mulch • Weed Control Weed Control • Pre-Emergents Pre-Emergents • Insecticides Insecticides 514 W . Grover St., Shelby • 514 W . Grover St., Shelby • 704-481-9207 704-481-9207 Hours: Mon. - Fri. 7:30-5:30pm • Sat. 7:30-1:00 Hours: Mon. - Fri. 7:30-5:30pm • Sat. 7:30-1:00 Since 1987 Since 1987 FEED FEED & & Farm Supply Farm Supply Everything Everything you need you need for Spring! for Spring! "Family Owned & Operated Since 1974" 704-867-2847 LET US BE YOUR HIRED KILLER!!! LET US BE YOUR HIRED KILLER!!! TERMITES? ©CommunityFirstMedia hhpci.com Pest Control, Inc. & RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL ANT TERMITE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE FREE ESTIMATES! RESULTS GUARANTEED We Can Help! Spring Spring we welcome we welcome L andscape features vary significantly from house to house. Some homeowners may prefer water features on their prop- erties, while others focus on flowers that would be the envy of a botanical garden. Regard- less of those preferences, lawn and garden enthusiasts who want to make their properties as idyllic as possible may even- tually look to mulch to help them accomplish that goal. Mulch helps soil retain moisture, which promotes strong, healthy flowers, plants, trees, and shrubs. And because soil beneath mulch retains more moisture than soil that's not protected by mulch, home- owners won't have to spend as much time watering mulched landscapes. That saves time and conserves water, which can be a big benefit in areas prone to drought and/or espe- cially hot summers. Mulch also helps to suppress weed growth, which can ensure all that hard work needed to create an eye- catching garden won't be com- promised by the presence of unsightly, thirsty weeds. Mulching seems like a simple task, and it can be. But that does not mean homeown- ers cannot make mistakes when mulching. The following are some common mulching mis- takes to avoid as lawn and gar- den season hits full swing. • Not enough mulch: Mulch is ineffective when spread too thin. The Virginia Cooperative Extension at Virginia Tech and Virginia State University rec- ommends applying mulch no less than two inches in depth. Anything less than that will prove ineffective at preventing weed growth and helping the soil retain moisture, and that means you will need to water more often. • Poorly located mulch: Mulch should not be placed too close to plant stems or tree trunks. When it is, tissue is so wet that it makes for a perfect environment for disease and in- sect infestation. • Failing to mulch to the drip line: The drip line of a tree refers to the outermost circum- ference of the tree's canopy from which water drips onto the ground. The VCE recom- mends mulching to the drip line of a plant or tree, which ensures the plant or tree will get the most out of the mulch. Mulching to the drip line also minimizes competition from the grass, leading to stronger plants and trees. • Failing to weed before mulching: Weeds should be removed prior to mulching. If they're not, the mulch can pro- vide the same growing envi- ronment for weeds that you're trying to create for your plants and trees. Mulching benefits a land- scape in myriad ways, espe- cially when homeowners avoid some common mulching mis- takes. Mulching mistakes to avoid Avid gardeners know that compost can add vital nutri- ents to soil used in gardens, container plants and lawns. The fact that compost is so versatile and nutrient-dense may not even be its most ad- mirable quality. Made from items used in and around the house, compost costs just about nothing to produce. The raw materials that make up compost come from organic waste. These can be disposables from the garden and kitchen, as well as other areas around the house. Ac- cording to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, yard trimmings and food scraps add up to 20 to 30 percent of the municipal solid waste in the United States. Turning waste into compost not only helps the landscape, but also the planet. Compost is relatively easy to make, and there are scores of materials that can be put into compost. But it is just as essential to know which ingredients cannot be used in compost. Okay for compost Most organic materials, or items that were once living, can be used in compost. Plant- based items used in cooking, such as potato peelings, car- rot skins, banana peels, cocoa hulls, coffee grounds and fil- ters, corn cobs, apple cores, egg shells, fruit peels, kelp, and nut shells, can be added to compost. Other items from around the house, like unused kitty litter, hair, shredded newspa- pers and cardboard, leaves, flowers, paper, pine needles, ashes, and sawdust, can be successfully added to com- post. Stick to items that are not treated heavily with chemicals. Should not be used in compost Inorganic and non-biode- gradable materials cannot go into compost. These are items like plastic, glass, aluminum foil, and metal. Pressure- treated lumber, although a natural material, is treated with preservatives and often pesticides that can be harmful if they leech into the garden. The small-gardening re- source Balcony Garden Web indicates coated or glossy printed papers, such as those from catalogs, magazines, wrapping paper, market- ing materials, and business cards, should not be added to compost piles because of the chemicals and inks used in these pages. Planet Natural Research Center says to avoid pet drop- pings from dogs and cats. Animal products like bones, butter, milk, fish skins, and meat, may decompose and start to smell foul. Maggots, parasites, pathogens, and other microorganisms can form in the compost. These materials also may attract flies and scavenger animals. What can and cannot be composted Plus, they decompose very slowly. Any personal hygiene products should be avoided because they are tainted by human fluids and that can pose a health risk. While weeds are not harm- ful in compost piles, there is the risk that seeds can germi- nate and then infiltrate garden beds when the compost is used. The same can be said for tomato plants and some other hardy fruits and vegetables. Compost is a winner in the garden and around the land- scape. Learning which ingre- dients can and can't be added to compost piles is useful for any gardener.