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A bag full of second chances

8/28/2023

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4 sections of a thrift store you shouldn't overlook

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When you pop into a thrift store, you probably have a goal in mind—clothing, glassware, kitchen tools. You hit those sections, and you’re out. But discount stores often have sections within sections you’re overlooking on your targeted visits.

Knowing that, here are some sections you might want to explore:
  • Greeting cards. Tucked into the decorations aisle is a hodgepodge of birthday, sympathy, wedding, thank-you, and holiday cards…for 25 cents! That’s a giant discount from the regularly $5-$8 cards you’ll find in grocery, pharmacy and specialty stores. Stock up for last-minute greetings.
  • Games. If you’d avoiding the childrens’ toys section because you really don’t need more plastic pieces to step on, reconsider! That’s where you’ll find family games galore. Peek inside to ensure most of the pieces are included. Find missing parts on eBay or other online stores.
  • Art. While you may not need furniture, you’ll want to take a spin through that area to find affordable decorations for any room in your home. Artwork already framed is a bonus! If you don’t love the frame, consider painting it—you’ll have a new look in less than an hour. If you love only the frame, it’s still a win.
  • Votive candle holders. Often scattered within the glassware section are little glass cups with bell-top designs to hold votive candles. Votives are wonderful for lighting up dinner parties, deck gatherings and porch sittings. You may have to scour every shelf for a complete set, but it’s worth the effort when you ring up 14 of them for less than $2! 

So on your next pop-in, add a few extra minutes to hit sections you normally avoid. You may be surprised what bargains those aisles hold just for you.
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Run for the roses...with pruning shears!

8/23/2023

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We’re officially in that time of the growing season when perennial shrubs are looking a little…tired. And roses probably look the worst. Time to prune!

​But it’s hot, you say. And it’s humid. And I don’t want to make things worse. Fear not! Late-August to mid-September are excellent times to get in a healthy prune. With the right tools and techniques, you can convince those beauties to flush new growth and finish the gardening season strong.

Just follow these steps:
  1. Clean and sharpen your pruners. Gardening tools can carry diseases—like black spot and fungus—from plant to plant, so wiping them down with disinfectant (like Clorox’s bleach-free wipes) is essential. Then check your blades for sharpness, and you’re ready to go!
  2. Wear long sleeves and gloves. Most roses have prickly elements to them. They’re a defense mechanism against deer, rabbits, squirrels and…you! If you prepare for that, you won’t leave your pruning session looking like you tussled with a playful kitten.
  3. Prune in the evening. As the sun starts to set and the temperature drops, both you and the shrubs will appreciate the breather. The rose canes will begin the healing process overnight and be ready to take on that late-summer sun by morning.
  4. Find the 5-leaflet leaves. Roses have 3-and 5-patterns of leaf-growth. For a light prune, trim just above the first set of 5-leaflets. For a harder prune, go back to the third set of 5-leaflets. The recovery will take longer, but deeper prunes promote better growth of both leaves and blooms.
  5. Cut out dead canes and damaged leaves. While you’re in there, trim out anything looking dead and/or diseased. Your shrubs will look better, air circulation will improve, and you’ll help stop disease before it spreads.
  6. Remove everything you trimmed. Gather up your hard work and put it in a bag for trash pickup. This is essential to thwart disease-spread and pest havens. You didn’t want what you trimmed on the bush, so you certainly don’t want it elsewhere in your yard or garden! 
  7. Fertilize. Roses are big feeders, so now’s the time to scoot back the mulch and spread some slow-release fertilizer. If you have rose-specific food, great! If not, use any low-nitrogen (2-4-1 nitrogen/phosphorous/potassium) mix you have on hand. Some fertilizer is better than no fertilizer.

Your roses may look a little “stark” after a good pruning. You might think, Oh no…what have I done?? Just know that roses will leaf out within days, looking fresh and happy, and not at all irritated with their late-summer cut. And within weeks, you’ll be rewarded with flowering beauty.
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The potheads of the animal kingdom

8/8/2023

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It’s that time of the gardening season where our hard work potting up beautiful plants, flowers, vegetables and herbs come to the rapt attention of…critters. Yes. Those naughty, curious, destructive, insistent chipmunks, squirrels, voles, mice, bunnies, raccoons, armadillos—you name it—just cannot leave our pots alone! 

What can we do about the destruction, short of posting “No Critters Allowed” signage everywhere these persistent non-readers gather? Here’s what I find works:


  • Bonide’s Repels-All. Available in granules and spray, this animal deterrent irritates nasal passages. You’ll understand why the moment you crack it open because shoo-wee it reeks! It’s biodegradable and harms nothing but your nose. Caution: If you love birds, keep this away from feeders and bird habitats. They hate it, too.
  • Milorganite organic fertilizer. Used primarily to green up lawns, this granular, slow-release, nitrogen fertilizer also effectively runs off critters because—stink alert!—it’s quite odiferous. Combined with Repels-All, it’s incredibly effective. Caution: Check your local laws for restricted use.
  • Plastic forks. Only mildly effective for dining, those pointy tines—used in large amounts—can deter digging by creating a functional and potentially painful fence. Of course, you then have a fork fence. Around your beautiful flowers. But bonus: You’re also aerating the soil.
  • Cayenne pepper. You may like spicy food, but critters don’t enjoy the paw-licking kick of any red pepper. You can teach them a lesson and use up those expired spices at the same time. Bonus: Make your own hot pepper spray!
  • Mint. Critters aren’t really into fresh breath, so steeping a handful of this herb in 4 cups of boiling water for 24 hours and spraying the stems/leaves of plants is an herbal deterrent. Pro Tip: Mix in 2 TB of both cayenne pepper and garlic powder for maximum stink.
  • Bone meal powder. This natural fertilizer has a strong smell critters don’t appreciate. Just mix it in with your potting soil before planting. Caution: Bone meal can be toxic to dog and cats.
  • Strong coffee grounds. Ahhh…the smell of coffee in the morning. Delightful to humans, its fragrance has an ick-factor to critters. Just mix in your grounds with the top inch of soil. Bonus: Coffee hour is every hour!
  • Stone, gravel or pebbles. Top dress your pots with at least a one-inch layer of light-colored small/medium stones to let water through and camouflage the soil underneath. Too much work for most critters to dig through. Bonus: Adding this stone mulch helps soil retain more moisture.
  • Chicken wire. If you’re truly desperate and don’t mind the caged look, you can stop the critters at the door. A wire cage works as a “cloche” to let plants thrive, but stop the digging. Pro Tip: Add the wire to the top of soil and let young plants grow through the layer.
  • Hair. If you have a dog or lots of hair in your human brush, you can tuck chunks of hair atop the soil, then cover with a layer of mulch. Worth a try!

As usual, the chemical deterrents work best. But if you’re chemical-adverse, give the DIY options a shot. Hit or miss, your wildlife will appreciate the challenge.
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The Bambi Brawl

8/7/2023

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If you live in or near the woods, like I do, a constant Battle for the Plants rages between humans and wildlife. And the most notorious contestants? Deer.
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Hostas, impatiens, daylilies, lavender, yarrow, catmint, lamb’s ear, hydrangeas, ageratum—even thorned roses—are all delectable treats for nibbling deer lips. And sometimes even your more genius deterrent efforts fail. Your best long-term solution is redirecting their paths with fencing, lighting, lawn sprinklers, and wind chimes. But for short-term solutions, consider these:
  • Deer repellant. This taste-based spray works on contact—but only on contact.  Which means those deer lips are already reaching for your blooms before they go, “Hmmm…” A repellant with hot sauce can burn their tongues. Those with garlic may burn their noses. Other ingredients simply taste bad. Caution: Spray deterrents must be applied liberally and after heavy rains. 
  • Milorganite. This organic fertilizer is super-stinky. Combined with deer repellant, the odor is enough to scare off pretty much anything. Find this slow-release, granular product at any home-improvement store. Bonus: It’s great for your lawn and perennial shrubs.
  • Human hair. Human smells project “Danger!” to deer, so nylon bags of human hair are a natural deterrent. Caution: You’ll need lots of it and the scent fades in a few weeks. 
  • Chicken wire on the ground. While deer necks can stretch 24 inches or more over wire fencing, their feet must stay on the ground. And deer really don’t like getting their hooves caught up in wire or netting. Simply unroll it in front of your plants between mowings. Bonus: It’s a very affordable option.

By Fall, you may just be tired of the deer battle and resort to deer-resistant plants. But if you really, really, really want those hostas in your shade gardens, a smattering of creative solutions may do the trick!
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    Christine Schaub

    A Michigan farm girl transplanted to the South offering hospitality hacks.

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