Gardening & Landscape, Shade Trees and Shrubs

One Tough Shrub

Are you are looking for a shrub that easy to grow, drought tolerant, winter-cold resistant, and mostly insect, rodent, and deer, that comes in a variety of leaf and flower colors?  Sounds impossible, try the ninebark (Phyysocarpus-genus)

 

Commonly named for the attractive, exfoliating bark of the species, growing ninebark shrubs is simple. Learning how to grow a ninebark bush successfully is primarily in the location and soil you choose. The Physocarpus ninebark, a North American native, prefers neutral soils.  I grow 6 different varieties on the north and west side of the house without any troubles.

Growing Ninebark Shrubs

Though the Physocarpus ninebark family is small, ninebark shrub info indicates there is a cultivar for every landscape. Most ninebark shrub info varies on climates that support growing ninebark shrubs, but most agree the Physocarpus ninebark and newer cultivars do well if planted in USDA Zones 2-7 (we are in zone 4).

Learning how to grow a ninebark bush includes the proper location and correct planting of the ninebark bush. Dig a hole as deep as the container holding the shrub and twice as wide. Make sure the crown of the ninebark is even with the top of the soil surrounding the planting area.

After planting, fill in with backfill taken when digging the hole. Gently fill in around the roots to make sure there are no air pockets and water well until established.

Physocarpus ninebark shrubs like a sunny to lightly shaded location. With correct ninebark shrub care, the species reaches 6 to 10 feet in height and 6 to 8 feet in height, however, there are smaller varieties that can be found.  Allow room for the well-branching shrub to spread out when planting in the landscape, as ninebark shrub care does not necessarily include heavy pruning.  These shrubs are very easy to prune to keep in-bounds.

Ninebark Shrub Care

Established ninebark shrubs are drought tolerant and can thrive with only occasional watering and limited fertilization in spring with a balanced fertilizer as part of ninebark shrub care.

Pruning for shape and thinning inner branches will likely be all that is necessary to keep growing ninebark shrubs healthy and attractive. If you prefer, renewal pruning to a foot above the ground can be included in ninebark shrub care during dormancy every few years, but you’ll miss the excellent winter interest of the ninebark’s peeling bark.

Some cultivars of the shrub are smaller and more compact. ‘Seward’ Summer Wine reaches only 5 feet and displays reddish purple foliage with whitish pink flowers in spring. ‘Little Devil’ reaches just 3 to 4 feet around and in height, with deep burgundy foliage to accent the pink blooms.

Ninebark ‘Burgundy Star’ (Physocarpus opulifolius) and Hardy Hibiscus

 

Home Selling

What to Fix Before Selling Your Home

As you consider what to fix or change before listing you home, consider your market. In a buyers’ market, you’ll likely need to do more work and improvements to help your home to stand out from the many others for sale. In a sellers’ market, you still want to put your best foot forward but with fewer homes on the market, you face less competition.
The Consumer Housing Trends report found that sellers who fetched above list price tackled expensive and messy renovation projects before selling, rather than passing them on to buyers. These sellers were about 50 percent more likely to modify the home’s floor plan or finish off a basement than the average seller. Approximately 20 percent were more likely to renovate a kitchen or repair a roof, and 8 percent more likely to complete a bathroom upgrade.

Kitchens
Some obvious kitchen to-dos if you chose to: Replace that 20-year-old refrigerator that doesn’t match the other appliances. Fix the grout around the sink. Install a new faucet. If your countertops are damaged and need to be replaced, go for granite. Despite what you’ve heard about it being out of fashion, it still brings in buyers and money. Freshen the room up with a new subway tile backsplash.

Bathrooms
According to a mid-range bathroom remodel is one of the easiest ways to get the most return for your money. Mid-range means about $3,000 to replace the toilet, light fixtures and maybe add a new or double sink. A bathroom remodel of this type results in a $1.71 increase in home value for every $1.00 spent on the project. Some other quick fixes: Refinish your cabinets, change out mirrors, and upgrade hardware and lighting.

Curb appeal and landscaping
Want to make a great first impression on home shoppers? Start with cleaning up: Washing windows and walkways, trimming bushes and trees, mowing the lawn. Landscaping in front and back can pay off in a quicker sale and higher price. Tidy up garden beds and add colorful pots of flowers to make your home look well-loved.
Is your front door looking weathered? Replace it, or at the very least paint it. A new mailbox can pack a big visual punch and replacing your house numbers can freshen your home’s look. Check here and here for more ideas.

Painting
Nothing makes your home feel fresh and well-cared-for than a fresh coat of paint, inside and out. And it’s one of the best investments you can make as you prepare to sell. This is one job where hiring a pro might make sense, especially if you want to list soon. Painting is labor-intensive, involving lots of prep and ladders, and it can take weeks.
Outside, it’s smart to keep your color scheme simple and neutral. You want your home to stand out from your neighbors, but not because it’s purple. Reserve bright colors for your front door.
Inside, a neutral palette and simple finishes will give the new homeowner a fresh start. A nice white ceiling also makes rooms seem bigger. Here’s some help for picking your paint colors.

Floors, nooks and crannies
Is your flooring worn or dated? This is a case when a significant upgrade could make sense. Hardwood floors can be refinished and will add value to any home while engineered hardwoods can be a cost-effective alternative. Removing old carpet is another simple way to freshen your home especially if you have hardwood floors beneath.
Other improvements can help your home appeal to buyers: Improving your attic space, refreshing your entrance, replacing your garage door and updating siding.
And a few inexpensive, last-minute touch-ups can make a difference. Just remember that some improvements are likely not worth the money (beware of swimming pools!), so if you’re in doubt, ask your agent what’s driving sales in your area.
And make sure to tell your agent about improvements that might not be obvious: New wiring or insulation, energy-efficient windows, new plumbing or sewer lines that are not obvious. These improvements may be worth including in your listing description and worth calling out to the bank’s appraiser.

Funny Garden Moments, Gardening & Landscape

Wild Turkey in Hiding

It happened Sunday morning as I notice the dogs looking out the east windows. I happened to glance through the window that looks over the back yard when, from the corner of my eye, I briefly saw a large brown object, behind the lilacs. I went outside and something was still lurking behind the lilac hedge.

I went outside and noticed all the cats were staring at this shadow. I should probably have a stick in the other since I had no idea if it was rabid skunk, a hungry raccoon, or the beaver is back to chew on my willow tree, 5 feet from the house (that was the night I went out at 2 o’clock at night with a broom whacking it on the head chasing it to the creek). He never came back, however, the tree is still in bad shape.

I reversed direction. The shadow reversed direction. Thinks it’s smart, I thought. We finally met face to face between the lilacs and the fence. It wasn’t a furry animal after all. It was a bird, a huge bird — it was wild turkey. I had a wild turkey in my yard! At this point I’m not sure who was the more surprised — the turkey or me. We stared each other down for only a moment before the turkey’s nerve failed. It panicked and ran over to the corn pile, hopped the gate and started eating (not that scared after all, just hungry). The garden sure is an interesting place.