Gardening became a lovely little side hobby of mine when we purchased our first home years ago. I loved learning about all the different types of trees and flowers in my yard. The gardening gene runs deep in my family. From my youngest memories, my family always had a garden full of veggies and beautiful flowers dotted the yard.
Snowball Hydrangeas were a staple in our yard growing up.
June is normally a month when your flowers and vegetables begin to show off in full beauty. The hard work of May and the other spring months pays off but it is not a time to relax just yet!!!
For a beautiful garden, June is a month when watering, weeding/hoeing, and monitoring for insects & disease can reap rewards. If these go unchecked during the summer months, it can definitely lead to disaster!!!
I love, love 💕 this water hose for watering plants!!! It is lightweight and easy to move around in the yard to water flowers during those drought filled days.
Wilkes County Hardware has the tools in order to help you be a successful gardener this summer. Don’t forget to stop by and consult with our staff if you have questions, concerns, or if you need gardening supplies. We will be there to assist you.
Black Wonder soil builder has been a garden favorite of our gardening customers!!! What a great way to supplement your soil and add much needed nutrients!!! You will definitely see the difference!!!
According to 2022 Blum’s Almanac, June is a great time to continue to plant tomatoes 🍅, eggplant, peppers 🌶, cabbage, beans, and celery. Sowing seeds for later transplanting…collards, cabbage, & cauliflower. Plant blackeye, crowder, and lady peas, squash, cucumber, and pumpkins 🎃.
Only a few of these are left! Gardening calendars still available.
In your flower garden, plant all types of lovely cut flowers like zinnias, marigolds, dahlias, calendula, nasturtium, phlox for later fall flowers. Remember to monitor your gardens carefully for insects 🕷, pests, or disease.
Deer 🦌 are always in my yard. I use the deer spray pictured here to keep activity at bay. It works well for me! Spray your plants routinely for 3 weeks to get the scent firmly established on the plants. Reapply if you have a heavy rain. After the 3 weeks, you should be able to apply once a month depending on the rain. Plants looking stressed??? Use this concentrated spray to give your plants a boost! Good for struggling house plants too!!!
The “Best” days to plant 🪴 for June … 1-2, 8-11, 18-19, 23-24, 28-29.
We still have seeds left for planting!!!
The “Best” Weed killing days are June 16-17, 25-27. But these 3 barren signs (Leo, Gemini, Virgo) is usually a good time to spray weeds.
Wilkes County Hardware has several options available for your weed control needs.
Tuesday June 14 will bring the Strawberry 🍓 Moon!!! This moon is named after the wild strawberries that ripen in the month of June.
I love fresh strawberries!!! This dishpan makes it easy work. Yes, these dishpans are available at Wilkes County Hardware 😎
Also, Don’t forget to fly your American flag 🇺🇸 on June 14th for Flag Day!!
Need a new flag??? Don’t worry, you can drop off your old flag at Wilkes County Hardware too!
Happy Gardening Y’all!!! 👩🏻🌾👩🏻🌾
New ladies gardening t-shirt !! This one is selling fast!!!
Have you ever used a QR Code??? Scanned a QR code from a restaurant menu , or shopped using a QR code??? Have you picked up one of your favorite magazines lately to find QR codes inside or even seen them on tv????
Wilkes County Hardware was featured in Foothills Digest. They routinely use QR Codes to keep their readership engaged and curious
I recently received a bill & an option to pay the bill was via scanning the QR code. The QR Code took me to a website to pay a bill. It was easy & convenient.
This seems to be a new way to shop in 2022. Which leads me to investigate /answer a few questions about QR Codes for you today.
What are QR Codes???
Better known as Quick Response Codes. These little scannable codes can hold a vast amount of information about new products. Users can engage with new unfamiliar products, gaining insights & instant information.
More products are coming into our store with QR Codes
When did they become important????
QR codes have been around for at least 10 plus years and are not new in the world of education… teachers have been building scavenger hunts & other types of lessons based on QR Code learning for the last several years.
Why now???
QR Code usage has grown leaps & bounds in the business world in the last few years, seeing an increase in use by 94-96 percent!!! Usage can be attributed to more shoppers having smart phones with the ability to read QR codes without using a separate app. During Covid, QR codes provided a contactless way for consumers to interact with new products, gain insights, or even watch video tutorials.
Ready Seal has great information online after using QR Code
QR Codes are easy to use. Just open the camera app, scan the code and a link pops up to take you to a website, or even watch a video !
QR Codes lead our customers to a link for useful information about an item they are researching or want to know more about
Who is using them???
Millennials & Gen Z
⁃ 22 percent of US population are Millennials ( born in years of 1981-1996)
⁃ Millennials are largest spending sector of the US population!
Millennial spending power equates to $2.5 Trillion, now let that sink in for a minute….
⁃ Millennial Generation was the first “connected” generation with the internet at their fingertips.
Online shopping is key for millennials… 42 % shop using phones, 91 % shop online
⁃ Convenience is priority for millennial customers as well as using product reviews. QR Codes hold a wealth of information right at your fingertips!
Find Wilkes County Hardware social media links all in one place!!!
⁃ Gen Z- those born after 1996, do not know a time before the internet and spend significant time online every day. Both millennials and Gen Z are willing to try new technologies in order to shop.
⁃ Gen Z- prefer brands or business should be innovative, & go “green “. They would love a business that is working on cutting edge technology & saving the planet 🌎 by wasting less resources in paper print media.
So what???
We had a minister several years ago and he included this phrase in his sermon every Sunday. The “So What” portion of his sermon was the crucial part of the sermon. The “so what” was the ultimate “take away” or words to remember from the sermon. So here it is, the “so what” of QR Codes.
1. QR Codes are everywhere and companies are encouraging people to use them. Smart phone usage as you shop or checking out is just becoming more mainstream.
Reminders of QR Codes and the ease of use is everywhere!!!
2. QR Codes hold a wealth of information at your fingertips.
3. The Millennial & Gen Z are using technology to shop online and in retail stores. Businesses need to meet consumers where they are in order to stay competitive.
4. Look 👀 for QR Codes at Wilkes County Hardware to help you learn more about new products. Scan & use these QR Codes or even ask us to help you navigate how to recognize a QR Code on your phone. We are here to help!!!
In our Lawn & Garden area you can find products with QR Codes
5. Stay posted on for another blog post just for you on QR Codes usage inside Wilkes County Hardware!!!
The memories linger from the days of my youth, of the first signs of spring… Windows open, a freshly cut lawn, a light breeze blowing through the curtains, and the aroma of cut grass coming indoors. Spring had arrived!!!
I can remember spending hours on that red riding mower going round and round. Our yard was large and it took a good hour or so to finish everything when we mowed the lawn. I would take my place on the riding mower & dad was usually on the power tools, cleaning up the edges of the flower beds and working the push mower like a pro. We worked as a team to get the lawn looking good. Mom often worked in her flowers, while we were outside. Mom always had beautiful roses. I learned to love to be outside, and meet completion of a beautiful task, a well kept yard.
Today I would like to share a few tips I learned from my dad about mowing grass and keeping a nicely kept lawn. These may seem novel to you, but they are truly important for growing good grass.
1. Keep your equipment in good working order. Do the routine maintenance on your equipment & keep your blades sharp. Your lawnmower blades if dull, can create problems for you. Need new blades or blades sharpened??? We can do that!!!
We can sharpen your blade or you can purchase tools to do it yourself!!! Need a good gas can to keep your mower powered up???
2. Never mow while the lawn is wet… patience is a virtue for a “Mowologist”
A good neighbor is one who doesn’t mow in the early morning hours… right???
3. Mulching your grass is good for your lawn, bagging grass takes those nutrients out of the yard.
4. Be aware of your blade settings, & don’t cut your grass too short. This may mean you cut your grass more frequently because you don’t want a situation where your grass gets too long and your mower bogs down with grass clippings, and then you have to rake the yard 😳
Just in case you need a new rake, we have those too 😉
5. Mix up your mowing patterns, it is good for grass growth.
6. Never mow grass into your flower beds!!! 😳😳😳Yep, I’ve watched people do this!!! Mow grass away from your flower beds and keep your flowers healthy & happy!!!
7. Your lawn is only as good as what you put into it. Curb appeal is a portion of your home value. If your curb appeal is amazing, that in turn, will help your overall home value. Homes with a well kept lawn & gardens could sell faster & for more money!!!
I don’t mow the lawn anymore, because of our work schedules…which puts us at work 6 days a week but, my dad still does his own lawn care. It is one of the things he truly enjoys doing AND he has one of the best looking yards in his neighborhood!!!! 🤩🤩🤩🤩
Whether you consider mowing as a chore or as a joyful gift to be immersed into the great outdoors, Wilkes County Hardware has invested in your lawn care needs. When y’all are ready to tackle that lawn this spring, we will be there to assist you whether you are novice “mowologist” or a veteran.
Speaking of being of novice… Have you been here before??? Going into a big box store and have serious questions that you need answers for and no one is around 😳, OR needing a product loaded into your car and no one is available 😬???If you have questions about your lawn, bug/pest control options for your lawn, our team should be able to assist you AND we load our customers purchases everyday!!!
Bagged goods can be quite heavy!!! We always load up our customers at Wilkes County Hardware.
Furthermore, did y’all realize that we have tools to make your yard work easier???? This is one area that we are trying to “grow” into. Many of these lawn care/mower maintenance products were not available at Wilkes County Hardware several years ago. Our customers were coming in asking for basic weed eating string, mower spark plugs, blades, etc and we now have them!!! Richard & I felt this was an area that we could definitely “grow”. Our “mowologists” regulars/customers know where these supplies are and they find them before gearing up to work in the yard.
Richard & I have have also expanded our lawn and garden product line over the last 6 years. We have lime, pre-emergents & post emergents weed control products for your lawn, and much more.
Just a small sampling of what we offer
Unsure, what a pre-emergent or post emergent products are??? A Pre- emergent is used to help prevent weed growth in your lawn… before they begin!!! Yes, that is definitely a win!!! Be very careful, you should not use a pre-emergent & grass seed at the same time😳. The pre-emergent will stop the growth of the grass seed as well as the weeds! Pick one to focus on for spring.
When is the best time to use a pre-emergent??? How do you know if it is warm enough??? Once the forsythia finishes blooming, pre-emergents can be used in your lawn.
Post emergent products for your lawn are used after the weeds have popped up into your lawn. Yes, Wilkes County Hardware has products that you can use safely in your lawn without killing the grass.
Wilkes County Hardware “Hall of Fame” wall seems to draw attention from locals and visitors alike. These photos of the previous owners line the wall near our checkout counter.
All the previous owners of our building in all of its past forms…
It’s also a great way to reveal to our customers a little bit of story history. Here’s your short history lesson today, Wilkes County Hardware style.
The far left picture is Mr. Eller. He ran EE Eller Produce in the early 1900’s. Chickens and turkeys were herded down the mountains into our building, processed, packed on ice, placed on the railroad down the street & headed out for sale.
EE Eller.. No!!! The story unraveled differently than we thought! His distant relatives tell us this is not him… we are currently waiting for a new updated picture of him
The second one from the left is Mr. Yates. He began the hardware store in the 1940’s. He kept basic “supplies” for his moonshine buddies so they could keep production going. The hardware store buzzed with constant activity in our downtown area.
Mr. Yates
The third picture is Harvey Barlow. His picture was designed to look like Mr. Eller’s. Many locals still know Harvey, he owns & operates the lock shop next door to us. He actually owned the hardware store for several years. Believe it or not, we still have folks who come in looking for him, thinking he still owns the store 😳. That’s when you know they haven’t been in our store in a while…
Harvey Barlow
The last picture is Gerald Lankford. He owned the hardware store for the 10 years prior to our ownership. He grew the pool business inside our store exponentially, & graciously passed down the history of the building to us. We are very blessed & thankful to him for his wisdom & kindness.
Gerald Lankford
Once the store history unravels, many folks ask when will we put our picture up on the wall.
The traditional answer is always the same, our picture will go up when we sell the store. It’s just part of our legacy.
It’s hard to believe that 2022 is on the horizon!!! Here’s a glimpse of some of the new products & ideas we have brought into our hometown hardware store inside Wilkes County Hardware in 2021.
Premixed paint arrived on our shelves in January of 2021!!! People just can’t enough of these!!! These appeared in early spring months and sold out quickly Amazing new BBQ sauces… made in NC We opened our new pop up shop at Carolina Treasures on Main in 2021!!! Expanding our line of Zep Cleaning products. Great stuff y’all Added Black Wonder into our gardening line in 2021. Made locally in NC. In 2021, we added a few new products to keep your furniture looking great. Located at the front counter… just in case Keegan’s cutting boards have been a huge hit in 2021!!! Thanks again for supporting local 💕New shirt in 2021 in remembrance of Harry & our iconic wood stove Beautiful handmade baskets inside our store all year long!!! These sell out quickly y’all! Keys… a staple item of what we do well each & every day 😊Beautiful hanging baskets, locally grown sold out quickly for Mother’s Day This stuff y’all!!! Another great locally sourced item added into our store lineup in 2021. Amazing!!! Local pottery pieces now available in 2021!!! Unique finds & treasures As always, y’all continue to shop local with us to find your favorite Meyers Clean Day scents The Big Easy Rocker has been a great selling item in 2021 Thankful that so many of our customers use the flag drop off box in 2021. These products are fantastic!!! North Carolina based company and repelling animals in a safe way!!! Y’all needed these and we had them!!! Great sellers in the summer of 2021 Y’all asked for more organic/earth friendly products in our lawn & garden line and we added several in 2021 Keep odor off your hands in the kitchen with this locally made soap Kuduz jelly & sauces have been flying off the shelves!!! A must try!! Keegan added pens 🖊 into his woodwork line Fall y’all.. thus was a huge hit New in 2021! Now in stock!!! Added new food products from NC based company as the holidays grew closer Happy Frog candles… y’all couldn’t get enough of these during the holidays season… more to come in 2022! Good for any meal!!! Good for all metal cleaning… we got y’all covered Local honey… with comb & without!!! Local granola & more!!!
Did you know that we are on Instagram, Facebook & now Tik Tok ??? Live music!!! I hope y’all didn’t miss it during the holidays season… Stove pipe, wood stove products & gloves are essential as the cooler weather sets in New in December of 2021!!! You are the nuts & bolts of what we do each & every day. Thank you for your support in 2021 & moving into 2022. Happy New Year!!! Happy New Year from our family to yours !
Living the "hardwarelife", join us in our journey of hardware store ownership
The Hardware Life - A wife's journey into the hardware business 