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Spring Gardening Essentials

March 20, 2025 hardwarelifewife Leave a comment

First signs of Spring… Daffodils are blooming

The weather this week is warming up nicely. It’s time to take a quick inventory of some of the essentials that you might need to replace or upgrade this Spring to make your outdoor gardening experience go smoothly. Nothing is more annoying to go look for a needed garden tool to find it is gone and or completely out of sight… leaving you to think where on earth did I put that???? 😬

With 10 Gardening Seasons now under our belt, here’s a quick guide of some of Wilkes County Hardware’s BEST SPRING SELLERS… year after year.

Spring Gardening Essentials

1. Water hose/replacement sprayer nozzle – Yes, this has happened to us too! We quickly realized that our old water hose nozzle needed to be replaced in the middle of a project. Luckily, we knew where to go get one…

If you water frequently during the spring and summer months, you need to evaluate the wear and tear on your water hose AND also consider the consistent sun exposure on your water hose! Did you accidentally leave your water hose outside during the winter season??? It might be a good idea to replace the old worn hose or stop by to pick up a new hose washers, or replacement sprayer.

Wilkes County Hardware also has a good selection of replacement parts for hose ends, washers etc.

2. Pair of new Gardening gloves-Can’t find your trusty gardening gloves??? 🧤 Why should you replace those old, dirty, grungy gloves??? First of all, the wear and tear factor of your old gloves, notice any holes??? You probably need to get rid of them. Then you must consider the dirt itself… soil does what is does… soil has bacteria and fungi that are constantly breaking down organic matter, wearing gloves just makes good sense as you garden. Been fighting in the weeds already??? Notice a patch of poison ivy? Definitely replace your gloves after the exposure. It’s definitely a good idea to get rid of those old ones for a new pair. I must admit I’m guilty about this one!!!

3. Hand clippers- I cannot tell you how many times I have misplaced my handheld clippers that I frequently carry around as I’m working in the garden. It’s always good to have an extra pair!

Good stock of garden trowels, and stop by to pick up a new tool, the Hori, Hori. A fantastic addition to your garden tool collection

4. Grass seed- Need to fill in a small area with grass seed? Wilkes County Hardware stocks 1 pound to 5 pound bags.

5. Weed Eater String – Check your storage cabinet to make sure you have enough weed eater string to finish your garden chores. No one wants to stop halfway through a garden weeding eating task and have to run out to the hardware store to grab another roll. But if you need us, we will be there!

A variety of different types and lengths are available for purchase

6. Pump Up Garden Sprayer- Two sizes are readily available… 1 gallon and 2 gallon pump sprayer are our best sellers at Wilkes County Hardware.

7. Potting soil– Get growing with a fantastic growing medium. Baccto is definitely in order to refill your pots this Spring. Our repeat gardening customers love this potting soil AND it is a fantastic value!!! Other potting soils price their bags per quart or by Cubic foot(based on volume of product and additives) but not this brand! It’s priced by the gallon, making this a very affordable option and a much better value for quality potting soil! As a FULL service hardware store, we load these heavy bags into your vehicle for you!

8. Weed control sprays and concentrates– As the weather warms up the weeds seem to grow better than flowers 😳enough said right ??? Wilkes County Hardware has a variety of different type of ready to go sprays and concentrate weed killers suitable for your specific needs. Stop by to chat with us about your garden care needs soon!

9. “Critter Control”- Many questions arise in the Spring about how to deal with pests in the lawn or garden. Moles, grubs, deer, slugs, snakes, and other insects… the list is long but Wilkes County Hardware has a few product solutions that are readily available.

Deer repellent- This is a vigilant and necessary action in our area. It is also very frustrating for homeowners who have a high deer population in their areas to work so diligently for months on creating a beautiful landscape to wake up the next morning to find their hard work all eaten up by 🦌 deer. Ugh!!!

In order for this product to work Effectively , you MUST reapply after a rain storm, or weekly to keep those pesky deer out of growing gardens.

FYI: On a personal note, I have had to switch methods from using pods to sprays/ granular to keep deer activity to a minimum in my yard. If one method doesn’t seem to work well, don’t feel guilty about moving to another method to see if you can minimize the damage to your plants.

Moles– Tunnel networks visible in your yard??? The food source for a mole is the GRUB. If you can get rid of the grubs, the moles will go away. Wilkes County Hardware has options available for mole control or grub treatment.

A variety of options are available at Wilkes County Hardware

Snakes– Ugh! I definitely don’t want to come face to face with these critters in my backyard! Repellent options are available in store.

10. “Wheels”- That’s right… when working in the garden or lawn you need a good set wheels to get the job done. A wheelbarrow or a garden cart can help you move debris, mulch, or even load it up with tools to work efficiently.

Our team at Wilkes County Hardware is ready to assist you with your lawn and garden maintenance this Spring. Let’s get growing!

August, blogging, Dog Days of Summer, finding inspiration, flowers, Foggy Morning, gardening, Hardware Store Life, Home, journey in life, Life experiences, Life In Wilkes, memories, Natural World, photography favorites, rescue pups, southern living, Summer, Summer Photography, sunrise photography

August

September 1, 2024 hardwarelifewife 1 Comment

August… the sizzling summer heat lingers, foggy mornings equate to snowy days in the winter, rolling thunderstorms, and the quest for those cooler days and nights will slowly become our reality. August IS the “Sunday of Summer”. Once it arrives, it seems to go by quickly and a new month is upon you. Sharing a few of my everyday photo favorites to summarize a small portion of this “Sunday of Summer”, August 2024. I hope you will enjoy. Thanks for sharing my blog with friends and family and sending your comments to me. Looking forward to September!

Sky Watch

**Fog Hug…** August Mornings can bring fog and it is hanging in the trees tightly this morning

After The Storm

Tree Study

I love to photograph a good tree, so when the opportunity presents itself, I will stop and take a moment to take a few pictures. Sometimes they turn out pretty well, sometimes not so much. But, I have learned that multiple shots of the image can make all the difference. Here’s a few of my favorites from this month …

Hand building projects completed

Instant gratification isn’t the goal with hand building pottery. Slow and gradual progress is what you see when you begin with raw clay. The processes of creating with clay from shaping/making your piece, which could could take hours or even days… to the first bisque fire, then glazing, going through the kiln again… all take time but the end result is worth the wait! These pieces have been in the works for a while, glad to see them finally finished and grateful for an amazing teacher!!

**Bird Bath Complete!! The absolute largest piece made to date! A HUGE thank you to Kim Anderson Reid for her guidance and patience in making this large piece and excellent advice on how to glaze!**

**Aug-tober begins!** That’s right, I heard this phrase for the first time this month. I didn’t know it was an actual thing, but it is! All the fall feels in August! Longing for Autumn… well in the world of pottery, the processes of hand building takes a bit of time, and producing fall pieces begins in August and September.

A Pup Interlude

Our son has been traveling for work over the last month or so. When he’s gone from home for an extended period of time, I always try to send him a few pictures of his two favorite pups everyday. He really enjoys seeing them in all of their quirky little daily adventures. Here’s two captured moments from August.

The Greenway

Sweet Surprises and Finds

This next group of pictures are interesting finds from August… from trimming bushes and finding a little bird nest inside, to a long walk around the neighborhood at Mom and Dad’s house… you just never know what you will encounter!

Ahoy Mate!

blogging, Dog Days of Summer, finding inspiration, flowers, garden, gardening, grilling, hardware store, Hardware Store Life, Home, July, Life experiences, Life In Wilkes, memories, Natural World, old hardware stores, photography favorites, recipe, Sonker, southern cooking, Southern food, southern living, Summer, Summer Fruits, summer garden, Summer Photography, sunrise photography

July

July 31, 2024 hardwarelifewife Leave a comment

A bit of magic of the summer season integrated into my photographic lens from this past month. I have truly enjoyed the simplicity of the photographic blog posts each month that I began earlier this year. Photos do tell their own story. July, it’s been a warm month… in memories and temperatures. Thanks for tagging along with me!

I have linked a few other blog posts from this month in here as well. Take your time with this one folks and find all the other blog posts within, coming back to them as you can. I so appreciate your continued support! I hope you enjoy these special July memories in photographic form.

A Walk Around Kerr Scott

**A Walk By the Lake …** If you didn’t get a chance to read Rooted in Wilkes yet, I hope you will get a chance to do so soon!

Home

**A peak inside a blooming Crepe Myrtle**

**Peaceful, Easy Feeling… Morning Sunrise**

Friday Flower Fun at Wilkes County Hardware

**First Flower Friday… success! See you again August 9th!!!**

North Wilkesboro Greenway

Blue Ridge Parkway

In The Kitchen

Southern Sides for the BBQ Grilling Season

**Fresh local peaches** 🍑 **are the best!**

blogging, Dog Days of Summer, finding inspiration, flowers, garden, gardening, hardware store, Hardware Store Life, Home, June, memories, Natural World, old hardware stores, photography favorites, pools, seashells, Shop Local, southern living, Summer, summer garden, Summer Photography, Summer Watering Tips, sunrise photography

June Memories Photographed

June 27, 2024 hardwarelifewife Leave a comment

The month of June is the gateway to Summer. Here’s a glimpse of summer so far in the hardware life.

A bit of sunshine and color… totem pole is complete! A huge Thank You going out to Kim Reid for her patience and expertise, this came together beautifully! And yes, your local hardware store can help you with this project! More to come on this later!!

The Mountains are calling and I must go….

**Good morning Blue Ridge Mountains Sunrise in progress**

Other June Favorites

An Overview of Hardware Store Happenings in June

**New summer t-shirts are selling fast!**

**Anyone ready for some homemade ice cream???** Southern Summer… Making Homemade Ice Cream

**Restock of Goat Milk Soap! This product is an amazing seller!!!**

**Blue Door Houses and more, by Kim Reid… these are selling quickly!**

**Mid June brought drought like conditions…** Summer Watering Tips

**Ready for canning season??? We got y’all covered!**

**Reset complete! Wow!!! What a job that was… moving cleaning, canning, outdoor grilling… but well worth it!!!**

**Pools are big part of summer season inside Wilkes County Hardware** Family Splashing Fun-Pool Days of Summer

Saturday morning bunny visitor. He had escaped from his cage from his home nearby the pool that we do daily maintenance for. After a few uncertain hours, we found his home! Thanks to all who reached out to help him get back home safely!

**This month has been a busy month in the garden/yard! Thanks for stopping by to pick up weed control, pest control options… and much more! Thanks for shopping local!**

Hardware Store Life

Summer Watering Tips

June 22, 2024 hardwarelifewife Leave a comment

I walked up my front walkway after returning home from the hardware store one evening last week and I immediately noticed the difference in my grass. The grass looked drier and much to my dismay, a tint of light brown was mixing into the green grass 😬.

**What a difference a few weeks makes!!!**

The stress of the heat was noticeable. The summer heat is gearing up. Sadly, with little rain in the future forecast, being proactive was a necessity. It was definitely time to take a moment to tend to a few plants that needed a bit of watering.

Confession time… I’m a bit lazy this time of year, keeping my hose handy and I tend to not roll it up since I’m using it often enough during the dry spells of summer. This bright green color helps to distinguish between grass and hose, made by Zero G (available at WCH)

Rain water is ultimately ideal, for garden plants, and your blooming beauties. But, during the summer, the hot, dry days can make the lawn look like a brown crusty mess and those beautiful planters you worked so hard on… they can become a crockpot of dried plants if not adequately watered.

We are now in a long stretch without significant rainfall. The daily watering tasks can be done with a few simple steps to keep your plants or garden vegetables happy and healthy all summer long. I decided to share a few “tried and true” favorite watering tips that I have used over many years, now available on the blog today. I hope you can find something useful to help you keep your garden growing all summer long.

Summer Watering

1. Water in the Morning – The best time to water outdoor plants is in the morning when temperatures are less intense. This gives the plants time to absorb the water so they can get through a long, hot day. The second-best time is early in the evening.

Early morning hours offer your plants to opportunity to absorb the water slowly at the cooler morning temperatures.

2. Water daily if necessary-For your beautiful container plants, watering daily might be needed! In the intense summer heat, possibly even twice a day, for SMALL containers… these small containers act like a “crockpot” of sorts and it will cook the plants insides… if the plant dries out too quickly. So, my advice would be to use larger containers for outside. Go Big!!!

**WCH Recommends: Zero G! This is a lightweight water hose that makes watering an easy chore in the summer. We have various sizes and styles available**

3. Keep a close eye on your newbie plants– Newly planted additions to your garden will need extra TLC. Be ready to monitor them closely and anticipate watering these new plants more frequently than an established plant in your garden. I often find myself watering twice a day with some plants if they need it!

**WCH Recommends: A good watering can goes a long way during the hot days of Summer. Watering cans of all shapes and sizes abound inside Wilkes County Hardware!**

4. If it’s Wilting… Water any plant thoroughly if signs of wilt begins. The plant is under great stress and needs an immediate boost. I also try to offer that plant a bit of shade as well so it can recover.

5. Where you water matters… Water plants and flowers from the base not from the top. Using a watering wand, watering can, or a sprayer that can help you achieve success.

**WCH Recommends: Watering wands extend the length of your hose and allows for less bending in the garden. Place the watering wand directly into the base of plant and water well for best results.**

6. Move your hose in place first before watering– If you are using a heavier water hose to water your summer blooms, move your hose in place before turning on the water flow to make it easier to maneuver. Enough said!

**WCH Recommends: These hoses are heavy duty and ready to go the distance you need.**

7. Soak it Up- Give plants a good soak… Hanging baskets often need a bit of TLC during the heat of summer. Consider using a 5 gallon bucket or old washtub to submerge the base into 5 gallon bucket or tub. The bucket allows for a good deep soaking to occur, leave in place until saturated. Another good watering option, consider adding soaker hoses into your garden.

8. During the Heat Stress, Find the Shade… If the stress of the heat is getting the best of your plants… Relocate your container/planter to a less sunnier location in your yard if possible. Obviously, if the plant is in the ground it will be much harder to do that and it is not ideal to move a plant in the midst of a hot summer. Moving an already established plant in the ground may not help your situation. But, a planter can be moved easily to shady spot in the yard to help it recover from the stress of intense summer heat.

9. Water your plants deeply– A brief shower around with the water hose will not be impactful. If your plants receive a good amount of water all around the base, it can soak into the roots, which the plant needs to keep growing deep roots. This will allow for less frequent watering to occur once the plant is fully established. I actually don’t water my established in the ground plants everyday unless they are dry or need attention and focus my attention on watering my container plants in the daily grind of the summer heat.

10. Perseverance- Gardeners are a hardy bunch of folks. They are very much like the gardens they grow, thriving in all types on conditions that Mother Nature gives. Regardless of the “drought like” conditions that the garden endures, it can still thrive with a bit of persistent attention in regard to the ongoing summer watering cycle. Just keep growing and watering!

The Hardware Life – A wife's journey into the hardware business