Southern Homes & Gardens Blog

Santa has come & gone, & now 2009 is here!  So stick to your resolution of staying on top of your to-do list…we’ll help you check off those items one at a time!

• Time to take down the Christmas tree. Great time to practice recycling.
• Use Insecticidal Soap on the tops and undersides of houseplant leaves if insects are detected.
• After freezes check beds for heaving.
• If weather gets cold, be sure tender plants, such as pansy beds or emerging bulb foliage, are mulched well with pine needles, bark or leaves.
• Continue moving perennials as long as ground is not frozen.
• Plant trees that have winter interest. Some great choices are River Birch, ‘Natchez’ Crape Myrtle and all hollies.
• Prune hardwood trees now. Don’t prune early spring blooming trees like Dogwoods and cherries, wait until after they bloom in the spring.
• Prune fruit trees now. Remove dead limbs and any vertical sprouts.
• Continue planting or transplanting shrubs and trees.
• When working in the garden watch for poison ivy. Although leafless, the stems can still cause quite a rash.
• Now is a good time to service lawn equipment.
• Remember to feed the birds we have a great selection of top quality bird feed from Coles available in stores now! 

Russell Brown - General Manager, Southern Homes & Gardens

An Auburn University study sheds new light on just how valuable shade trees are in reducing homeowners’ electricity bills during hot summer months.

Professor David Laband in the Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences says electricity usage and costs will be 11.4 percent less if a house has just 17.5 percent heavy shade coverage. This is compared to a house with no shade.

“The keys are heavy foliage and late afternoon shade,” Laband said. “The savings can be very significant for homeowners. Over the years I had read statements that shade trees reduce electricity consumption, so we wanted to put a dollar amount to it.”

His office conducted a yearlong study of 160 houses in the Auburn area to determine the annual energy savings provided by shade trees, primarily looking at the months of May to September. He analyzed power bills, calculated shade coverage and surveyed the homeowners about household makeup, electricity-usage habits, square footage, type of air conditioning, appliances, roofing, exterior material and other factors.

“We looked at the amount of shade in the early morning, early afternoon and late afternoon,” Laband said. “If you have trees on the west side of your house, you will have a much lower power bill.”

Using local power company rates for kilowatt hours per day, Laband said the 11.4 percent savings would equal $31 to $33 per month. The study, which categorized types of shade into light, moderate and heavy, also found that a house covered with 50 percent of light shade will save 10.3 percent.

Thermostat settings were important as well. “For each degree you raise your thermostat, you will save 3.3 percent on your power bill,” he said. “We also found that children under age 12 are the major power consumers in the home. They watch television, play games and leave lights on.”

Laband hopes the study will encourage real estate developers not to cut down all the trees on new lots.

“Many older houses have large trees around them because the owners did not rely as much on air conditioning then,” he said. “Houses today often do not have shade trees because it’s easier to run an air conditioner. This study shows how much can be saved when trees are used in yards.”

Auburn’s study was funded by a $116,000 grant from the USDA Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Program and a matching $116,000 grant from Auburn’s School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences.

Laband has briefed USDA officials on the results and has presented seminars in Australia at the Tropical Forest Research Institute, the University of Melbourne and the University of Adelaide.

“It gets very hot there, too,” he said. “They are interested in doing a similar project.”

Laband, who earned his Ph.D. in economics from Virginia Tech in 1981, conducts research and teaches on topics related to economics and policy, with a focus on natural resources. He joined the Auburn University faculty in 1994 and the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences in 2000, where he is a member of the Center for Forest Sustainability and the Forest Policy Center.

(Written by Charles Martin.)

Contact: Charles Martin, (334) 844-9999 (marticd@auburn.edu), or
Mike Clardy, (334) 844-9999 (clardch@auburn.edu)

Russell Brown, General Manager - Southern Homes & Gardens

If you haven’t visited our stores yet, then you are missing out on a real sensory treat!  This year, our Christmas themes can conjure up fun memories from childhood years past all the way to the pure elegance of all that glistens & twinkles bright during this merry season!

All of us are very excited about the Christmas themes we have this season.  Working a year in advance, we began developing these ideas in December 2007.  Then, our buying team searched sources throughout the United States…and abroad…to bring the River Region the most spectacular looks you’ll find anywhere.

The “Whimisical” look is a fun theme with a nod to nostalgia for parents & dreams come true for little ones.  This theme dances with lime greens, shiny reds, glittering silver and striking blues…and with plenty of sparkle to go around!  The life-size 6′ soldier nutcrackers look especially majestic and would be a fun surprise for visitor’s to your front door or entryways.  Smaller versions make for fun keepsakes & adornments on Christmas trees too.  Don’t forget to let the little one’s take a spin on the fun rocking boats, trains & pedal cars too!

Our Highland Collection centers around deep rich reds and golds that will transform any room into a formal, sophisticated look.  The rich red poinsettia wreaths and topiares come with or without twinkling white lights…ideal for adding a magical glow to your home indoors or out.

One of our most popular themes this year is the Chocolate & Lime look.  This stunning color combination features an ‘old world’ feel with aged metal figurines of the Holy Family, Wisemen, angels & deer.

Whatever your theme may be at home, Southern Homes & Gardens is pleased to help accentuate, add or change the magical look. 

Russell Brown, General Manager - Southern Homes & Gardens

Fall is here & you can feel it in the air - here are some helpful reminders for the month of October:

• Plant Spring flowering bulbs like Daffodils, Hyacinths and Lilies and apply a light, complete fertilizer such as Espoma Bone Meal or Pennington Bulb Food.
• Divide overgrown clumps of perennials, such as Daylilies, Daisies, Hostas and Coneflowers. Replant divisions or give to friends as “pass-along” plants.
• Plant Snapdragons, Violas and Pansies for fall and winter color.
• Still time to plant Ornamental Mustard and Ornamental Cabbage.
• Fall is the time to plant or transplant shrubs. Water newly transplanted shrubs thoroughly.
• This is a good season for improving the soil by adding organic amendments - such as Soil Conditioner
• Add vines and ground covers to your garden such as Clematis, Mondo Grass, Creeping Raspberry and English Ivy.
• If you move plants inside from the patio, make sure they get the best light possible. Also, check for insects. You may need to use an insecticidal soap prior to the big move.

Russell Brown, General Manager - Southern Homes & Gardens

If mum’s the word…we must be talking about hardy mums (aka Chrysanthemums)!  Synonymous with fall, this enormously popular flowering plant can be found in baskets, planters and borders all over the South.

A little mum trivia:  Did you know that Chrysanthemums originated in China around the 15th century B.C.?  The Japenese adopted this flower many centuries later (6th century A.D.); their long-lasting love affair with this incredible flower continues today.  In Greek, Chrysanthemum means “golden flower”.  Here’s the translation:  “chrysos” = golden, “anthemon” = flower.  Before the age of plant hybridization, mums were yellow.  Today, we have so many different color choices.

A few quick clarifications about mums & hardiness; hardy mums and greenhouse mums are not the same!  Greenhouse mums would be treated as ‘tender’ plants in the South; meaning they will not overwinter outside.  Hardy mums are just the opposite; they can be safely planted in the garden and will return each spring.  So, think of hardy mums as perennials.

Are there areas around your home that could use some fall-flowering pick-me-ups?  If so, think hardy mums.  You’ll find smaller pots to tuck in planters to large planted bushel baskets for your front door right here at Southern Homes & Gardens.

–Russell Brown, General Manager - Southern Homes & Gardens

• We have a huge selection of mums in stock and ready to go.  They will give you great color during the fall months.
• At the end of the month make sure you check in with us as pansies will be ready at both of our Garden Centers.
• Fall is for Planting! Enjoy fall blooming shrubs such as Encore Azaleas, Camellias, Crape Myrtle, Hibiscus, Holly, Honeysuckle and Pyracantha.
• Divide or transplant spring-blooming perennials.
• Plant perennials such as Asters, Chrysanthemum, and Ornamental Grasses for fall color.
• Cool-season vegetable seeds and seedlings can be planted. Try cabbage, lettuce, beets, turnips, spinach, radishes, collards and broccoli; be sure to water thoroughly after planting.
• If your knock-out roses are getting too tall and leggy, feel free to cut them back they will be fine and flush back out and bloom till about the second frost.
• For fertalizing use Miracle Grow liquid feed, this will give you instant fertilizing as opposed to a time released fertilizer that will be fertilizing during the winter months when your plants do not need it.
• Use Triple Action to take care of power mildew and black spot problems that can happen this time of year from harsh conditions like high humidity.

Here are five steps to designing a great border:

1. Sketch it out - Measure your location and make a rough sketch, noting any existing trees or shrubs around which you may have to work.  Determine which direction your border faces (south with lots of sun or north with afternoon shade, for example) and whether the area is wet or dry.
2. Pick a color - Select a palette that will coordinate with the surroundings, such as the exterior of your house, existing plants, or a fence.  A common mistake is to creat a “botanical zoo” with a mishmash of plants that don’t work together.  To keep things interesting, mix in an assortment of foliage plants with flowers.  A variety of leaf patterns and textures, such as glossy, fuzzy, or variegated plants, also keeps things lively.
3. Estimate number of plants - Determine how much you’ll need by spacing plants according to their mature size.  Just ask one of our helpful experts and they’ll guide you through the estimating and selection process.
4. Select fast growers - Some plants are genetically inclined to grow larger in one season than others.  If you want big color before frost, get a jump start by buying these varieties in 1-quart to 1-gallon sizes.
5. Go shopping - With your drawing in hand, now you’re ready to go shopping.  If the exact variety of plant isn’t available, look or ask for one that has a similar shape and color with comparable growth habits.

–Russell Brown, General Manager - Southern Homes & Gardens