To Prune or Not to Prune Is A Very Good Question????

According to Nancy Brachey of the Charlotte Observer, it is time to prune most evergreens from now until midspring. This is the best growth spurt of the year for hollies, boxwoods, laurels, ligustrums, cleyera and other evergreens.

If you prune now, the plants will come down to the height & shape you want. Most evergreen hollies can be heavily sheared to create a uniform hedge. But laurels and boxwoods are best pruned by thinning selected, wayward stems. Cut the steam back to the main branch.

Most roses benefit from pruning in late winter because they bloom on new growth. Pruning stimulates this and creates a better looking plant. Their new growth starts to appear in late winter. Knock Out shrub roses should be pruned back to 24 to 30 inches tall, keeping a roundish shape. A butterfly bush can be cut well back because it produces vigorous new growth that bears flowers in summer.

Tt is not time yet to prune flowering shrubs such as azaleas, forsythia, rhododendrons, pleris, loropetalums & other flowering shrubs as well as most garden hydrangeas & gardenias that bloom in early summer because their bloom buds are set. Major pruning should be done when flowers begin to fade. Happy gardening everyone!

Blue Ridge Mountain Vacation Rentals in Blowing Rock, North Carolina

Great resource for mountain rentals!!


Blue Ridge Mountain Vacation Rentals in Blowing Rock, North Carolina

Calling All You Clay Aiken Fans!!

He's performing tonight at the Belk Theatre at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center in Charlotte, NC!!

Elisha Baker Charged With 2nd Degree Murder - Finally!!!

Finally after four months into the investigation, Elisa Baker is being charged with murder but neighbors are not satisfied. Still, some in the community like Eddie Mitchell don't feel the charge is strong enough. Mitchell lives across the street from the Baker home in Hickory and attended Monday’s news conference to hear the charge firsthand. “I feel I don’t know all exactly the details, but I think it should be first degree murder,” said Mitchell. Residents had a similar reaction a few miles away at Jesse’s Diner. Clara Mathe has followed the case since the beginning and said she believes Zahra's father Adam Baker should also be held responsible for her death.
“There are many details about the case we in Hickory are just assuming--things we don't know, all the details--but we're appalled at what happened,” Mathe said.
While neighbors in Hickory wait to see how this murder charge will play out in court, Mitchell said he's not sure any punishment that may be handed down will be enough to bring justice for Zahra.

Elisa Baker will make her first court appearance since the charges were announced Friday.

Happy Hoodie-Hoo Day Everyone!!!

On this winter day, people go out at noon, wave their hands over their heads and chant "Hoodie-Hoo".

It is a day to chase away winter and bring in spring. After all, everyone in the northern hemisphere are sick and tired of winter at this point and a little crazy being cooped up inside all winter and not seeing the sun.

Happy Friday Everyone!

Today in Charlotte, NC, the temperature is expected to be around 78 degrees! What a great day to wear your favorite flip flops! You might want to get a pedi today!!

Do You Want To Rent Elvis Presley's House?

Want a place fit for a rock & roll king? This former home of Elvis Presley can be yours to rent for only $25,000/month. This home features 4 br & 5 ba with 5367 sq. ft. on a private estate of 1.18 acres. This home is ready for your blue suede shoes!!

Time To Get Growing On Spring Lawn Care

According to Nancy Brachey with the Charlotte Observer, mid-February is a great time to start thinking about your lawn. Midwinter lawn renewal is best done between mid-February and early March, just as the fescue lawns begin to emerge from the semidormancy of the coldest weeks of winter. You can do some reseeding and fertilizing this winter which should get the lawn to a good state. You can even work on bare spots to bring them from brown to green. It's better to limit seeding to bare spots and thin areas this time of year. Major reseeding should take place between mid-September and mid-October. If you already have good grass, do these things:
1. Fertilize the lawn no later than mid-March. If you have crabgrass, use preventer by March 20. However, do not put this preventer on parts of the lawn where you sow fresh seed. It will kill the young grass too. 2. Work on the bare spots. Dig them up a few inches, clear out stray weeds, roots & rocks, then sprinkle grass seed on top & tamp it down gently. A thin layer of soil sprinkled on top will help keep the seeds in position. Don't forget to water these spots regularly in absence of rain. 3. Mow your fescue grass at the highest level, about 3 1/2" or so. Fescue is an upright grass that benefits from high mowing, not scalping. Looking forward to seeing your beautiful yards!

Home Prices Expected to Rise in Charlotte

Forbes: Home Prices Expected to Rise in Charlotte



A recent report from Forbes.com lists Charlotte at #2 in its list of cities that have the most potential for home prices to rise in the long term.

At this point, it’s clear the subprime contagion won’t be contained in the next year, based on the acceleration of home price drops and foreclosures nationwide. But when the bad vintages of loans finally come off the books, the cities where prices are expected to rebound are largely those with vibrant economies.

“The logic is pretty straightforward,” says Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Economy.com. “People will spend as much on housing as their income will allow them. House prices are very closely tied to household income over the long run when you look at business cycles.”

This means that recovery is likely in the cards for even the hardest-hit spots. Cities such as Atlanta and Colorado Springs, Colo., may be reeling from high defaults and foreclosures, but from 2007 through 2012 their economies are expected to experience 2% and 1.6% average annual job growth. That means more in-migration and more money in the economy, factors that help businesses grow and profit — and put more money in residents’ pockets.

As local economies grow bigger and more dynamic, land values increase because the value of what can be produced on that land increases. When land prices go up, home values go up.

3 More Reasons to Love Dark Chocolate

As if you need another reason to eat chocolate! We know dark chocolate is one of a number of foods containing antioxidant-rich compounds known as flavonoids, which have been shown to improve heart health. Well, three studies now show that eating dark chocolate has even more health benefits. Here’s the scoop:

Reason 1: Dark chocolate can decrease blood pressure and lower the risk of developing diabetes in healthy individuals.

Reason 2: Dark chocolate may be an anti-inflammatory.


Reason 3: Dark chocolate may keep you feeling fuller, longer.

Enjoy but don't overindulge!

10 Tips To Protect Your Home While Away On Vacation

Happy Friday everyone! With spring break fast approaching, here are 10 tips to protect your home while away.

1. Turn down your thermostat, but don’t shut it off. You shouldn’t set your thermostat any lower than 55 degrees in order to protect your pipes from freezing.
2. For our northern friends, arrange for snow removal in your absence in case there’s a storm while you are away. Massachusetts law requires residents to clear their own sidewalks and walkways six hours after a storm takes place and you’re not off the hook if you are out of town.
3. Make sure to hold the mail and newspaper. If you can’t have someone pick it up every day, it’s a sure giveaway that nobody’s home and can be a green light for burglars.
4. If possible, leave a key with someone you trust, preferably a neighbor and have them keep an eye on your home while you’re gone. Make sure to offer returning the favor and thank them with a gift when you return.
5. Unplug all electronics that don’t need to used like the television, coffee maker, and home computers.
6. Lower the temperature on your water heater.
7. If you can, leave a car in the driveway and use timers to turn on outdoor and indoor lights to give the impression that someone is home. Leaving the porch light on the entire time you’re gone is a bad idea. If you don’t have a timed light, you can leave an interior light on for the duration of your trip as long as you can’t easily notice it during the day.
8. As excited as you may be to go on vacation, avoid advertising it over Facebook and Twitter. Also, keep this in mind while posting updates from your cell phone on vacation.
9. If you have access to one, place all your valuables in a safe or safe deposit box.
10. Remember, if your house is on the market, you can ask your REALTOR® to stop by and check in. While you’re on vacation, it’s a great time for showings because you won’t have schedule conflicts.

Today is Umbrella Day

Today, February 10th is Umbrella Day! Fortunately, today here is Concord, NC, we do not need to use it. On rainy days, we are sure glad someone was smart enough to invent it. Celebrate Umbrella Day in a couple of ways. First, make sure you have one handy. Second, use it or walk around with it.

Can you think of any other use for it? Make it a great Umbrella Day!!!

Great News for Home buyers & Sellers!

According to Bloomberg Businessweek........Homebuilder executives and economists predict a post-Super Bowl bounce in demand for residential construction as Americas turn their attention from football to another national pastime - house hunting.

A revival in demand for new houses may bolster a U.S. economy that is 19 months into a recovery.

Spring is a popular time to buy because house hunters often want to have their home finished by July or August before the start of the school year in September.

That is great news for everyone!